How to live with heat and humidity (Houston, Howe: houses, to buy)

[Itsprettyhot]

Hello everyone. I've been a long time lurker to this site and decided to jump in and ask this because personally I have not done well dealing with this issue. So I'm wondering if anyone has a new perspective on how to deal, embrace, learn to live with, and enjoy the heat and humidity that we have for a good 6-7 months here. I don't know why I waited until now, since we have nice cool weather now. Anyways..

I've read on some posts that people should learn to cope with it, find a way to enjoy it, and acclimate. But I'd like to know how other residents view this.

I'll make this easier to read:

I'm a long time Houston resident, for 10+ years. Grew up in Los Ageles where my life was playing outside, sleeping with my window open, not being too conscious of how hot or cold it was. We had no AC.
Still not used to how uncomfortably hot and humid it is here
Cannot enjoy the outdoors between April and September, at all
Doing yard work is a pain, I end up looking at my beautiful yard from the inside, purely for decoration
Going to get my mail (2 minute walk) makes me sweat
My life is indoors
I find it depressing to see empty streets where nobody walks. Everyone is driving.
I have become somewhat of an introvert, and looking back I don't see any reason at all for this change except for the fact that all social contact happens indoors, in a somewhat formal setting (work, visiting someone, etc). There's no such thing as chatting with the neighbors in the backyard, or having the kids play outside while we make dinner, and pretend we live in a normal place.
I could go on and on...

So, if you're a Houston resident, how do approach living in heat and humidity? How did people 50 yrs ago did it?

I lived in Europe for two years and found it nourishing (not thinking about how hot it was, a more relaxed mindset, more quality social contact, more walking with friends, etc). I believe this happens because of the weather. I could be wrong.

Someone may recommend "well just move then", or "you need to make more friends" etc. However I'm specifically asking about the climate, how people embrace it, etc.

Thanks for reading

[HtownLove]

If you are still bothered by it after 10 years I don't think it is going away.

why are you posting this now though? The weather is pleasant right now?

[Itsprettyhot]

Originally Posted by HtownLove

If you are still bothered by it after 10 years I don't think it is going away.

why are you posting this now though? The weather is pleasant right now?

Read my post again please.

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by Itsprettyhot

Read my post again please.

I am not confused about your post.

If after that long you are not used to it, you never will.

and I see where you posted the weather is nice, but still, I don't see why you would make an account just to post this when the weather is so nice.

If you can't understand it yourself, then why make an account just to do this?

people who lurk and then finally make and account do so when they just can't hold off anymore and just need to jump into a conversation or something.

seems rather odd to me

[DanielWayne]

It depends on the person. Some people are used to the heat, so making adjustments to it are second nature. I find the heat miserable at times, but I am used to it and expect it. Makes you appreciate the occasional cool summer day that much more. If I lived in Toronto, I would automatically know how to deal with snow. And some people simply have a different perspective on Summer heat. We have a neighbor that jogs at 1pm in July. My Dad is in his 80's and we fuss at him because he continues to cut grass at 2pm in the middle of summer. Obviously they don't perceive the same discomforts you and I do.

As for chatty neighbors - that depends on where you live, and who you live next to. It does not depend as much on summer heat. Decks and patios and pools are common in Houston for a reason.

Houston may not be "normal" for you, but it is normal for a few million other people.

[glorplaxy]

I've lived here my entire life and the heat still gets to me sometimes, but I definitely think I can take it much better than most people.

The solution? Just deal with it. Once it's summer again try turning off your AC and just keeping fans on, or set your AC at a temperature like 80 degrees or higher. Once you have been in it for a couple of days you will learn to live with it and you won't even think about it.

Honestly, I think a big reason why the Houston weather is so harsh on people is the way we dress in our culture. In the summer, Houston is more hot, humid, and sweaty than many tropical rainforests and jungles, and I definitely think that people in, say, California or New York or the Northwest of the country, where the weather is more mild, should be dressing much different than people in Houston. I see so many people here wearing jeans and cotton T-shirts in the middle of the summer with closed toe sneakers and then they complain about it being too hot. I think it should be one of two things: Houstonians should wear as little clothes as culturally possible or they should wear very light fabrics that cover their entire body (head included).

After all, do you see Berbers in the Sahara dressing the same as people living in Siberia? Or do you see people on S. Pacific Islands dressing like someone who lives in Italy? Not really. Pretty much the only people in the world who dress "fashionable" with things like western style t-shirts and button-ups and jeans and sneakers are people who have enough money to buy air conditioning and lock themselves inside for most of their lives....and this is something you clearly express unhappiness with. Did you know that Americans spend %90 of their lives indoors? Kind of sad.

[crone]

Sometimes I wonder how we grew up in Houston in the late 40's and 50's without air conditioning. Most everyone had either an attic fan or a window fan. Curtains and shades kept the sun out of the house. We opened windows only on the shady side, and just a few inches so that the fan could draw in some cooler air. We kept astringent in the fridge with cotton balls, to smear all over ourselves if the humidity was awful. In the 50's the library had air conditioning. We would go shopping or to the movies. By mid to late 50's many people had window units or central air, with those water towers. The houses were sited on the lots to catch a breeze and to keep the summer sun out. Not so, anymore. That is part of the problem. Everybody had screen doors and slept with the windows open. I don't think the humidity was as bad. A tarantula lived in our front porch in a pot of fern, for years.

Houston was never much of a front porch town. It never was a park town. The founding fathers had no need of parks. There were all at the "club". Only the help needed parks and busses.

If you are trapped here, cherish the winters. In summer, get a pool and go outside only after the sun goes down. At least they spray for mosquitos now.

[crone]

The men who had to wear suits wore those seersucker or that fabric that was tiny woven blue and white stripes or some kind of chino fabric.

[davidtk]

+1000 to dressing for the heat. Cotton is terrible in the heat, but it's what most people wear. I understand having to dress a certain way for work, but at home and on the weekends, dress for the heat if you're going to be outside.

Go to Academy or REI and check out polyester and outdoor clothes. Fishing clothes are also great for outdoor wear. These types of fabrics are very light, wick away sweat, and will definitely keep you cooler than cotton. When I go fishing in the summer time, I actually wear long pants and long sleeves because it keeps the sun off my skin.

Other things to try are wear a hat and wear open toed shoes.

You can't make always make yourself comfortable, but you can certainly manage the heat better by dressing for it.

[Be Happy 2]

Stay indoors as much as possible.

I hate the heat. I turn red as soon as I'm hot so it looks like I'm about to pass out at any second...LOL

If I can help it I don't go outside to conversate with any neighbors for an extended period of time until 7pm. I say a quick hello if I see them and go outdoors later.

I didn't grow up in the south and apparently I haven't gotten use to the heat after half of my life living here and I doubt I ever will.

If it's mandatory to go somewhere of course I do. I wil go out for work so not many options there but I work inside so I don't deal with the heat during the day. The morning before 9am isn't bad but anytime between 10:30am and 7pm the heat is terrible so I try my best to stay inside.

I know that sounds crazy but that's my remedy.

I agree with the others, people don't dress for the summer. People where Timberlands in the summer and blue jeans. I know alot of people that do it. They also have the same attire in the winter time..... it makes no sense.