Hating the heat & humidity... (Houston, Galveston: ski resorts, for rent, waterparks)

[cityluv]

I loved Houston when I visited in the fall/winter of 1996 and twice back in 2002, the people I met were so friendly, but two things I hated was the heat and humidity. I could barely walk two blocks and my shirt would practically be soaking wet. I sweat profusely more than most anyway, if I could take the heat and humidty away I would move to Houston in a heartbeat.

[gmh1013]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Someone from PHX saying Houston is boring?? Whats next? Someone from Providence saying NYC is boring?

Yes, the heat in Houston is incredibly hot and humid, but what do you expect? Thats like someone moving to Minnesota and complaining about cold winters.

hmmm, no mountains, no skiing, no hiking, no salt river , no casinos .......
vegas was 5 hour drive, SD was 5.5 hour drive.
Galveston stinks like raw sewage.
nothing to look at for 500 miles ....its flat, humid and roaches the size of small
children

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by tstone

That area is downstream from Lake Houston about 7-8 miles, but it's all the same continuous body of water. I will say the water around that shipyard is brown, if not browner than Galveston's. Highly industrial area. That's enough for me to scratch the lake off my list.

dang. back to handyman stuff around the house for me?

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Stephanie P

You know, misery loves company...

This will get rid of some of your misery.

http://www.thewatergeeks.com/images/P/hose_nozzle-01.jpg (broken link)

Break out the slip & slide, water sprinklers, and attach that nozzle onto a hose and hang it from somewhere. Locate it upwind, spin it to 'mist' mode and cool off while your kids are playing. Your dog may stand there with you too. Mine really likes the mist (though he's not too fond of the 'jet stream').

Also, it helps to give your kids water or lemonade breaks every 20-30 minutes. Cures rosy cheeks and dizzy heads.

[Stephanie P]

I will try that. Thanks!
They love the pool in our sub-division as well.

[tstone]

They have them at Target: Ray Padula Series Comfi-Spray 9 Pattern Nozzle : Target

I use my mister after I cut the grass in the hot sun. I'll sit down in a chair with some cold water or tea or beer and will let the mist soak me down somewhat. Then I'm off to the shower. Ceiling fans on full blast when I get out. Feels good.

[feufoma]

Originally Posted by Wysiwyg

voila! didn't i tell you guys about standard houstonese responses like this. "should have done your homework/research" hahahaha! i flew to america and thats all I need to know. all its major cities should be great! but woah, what the hell is wrong, this houston place blows monkey balls. [falling on my knees, looking at the sky] "NOOOOO! I should have done my homework!", "Damn them, damn them all!"

now what?

And for another cliche (because it's true)-simple, you move! Bon voyage...

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by feufoma

And for another cliche (because it's true)-simple, you move! Bon voyage...

He can't. He's priced out of NY/NJ and this is as good as he can do, and he's gotta ***** about his own failure to live in a place that's up to his standards. But we, on the other hand, partake in "sour graping" and constantly comparing Houston to other cities, so sayeth the Wiz. You figure that one out.

[nikku]

I've been reading and lurking long enough. Time to post.

First of all, so that no one can accuse me of being dishonest about my loyalties, I will come right out and say it: I was born and raised in Houston, and I love the city.

That being said, I have also lived in other places, some world class, others not. I lived abroad for a while, I lived in SoCal, I lived in the deep south (Chattanooga to be exact) and I always returned. I've been to Athens, London, Tokyo, Toronto, Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Orlando and a lot of places in between. I enjoy travelling, I enjoy seeing new cities, and I plan on seeing a lot more before I'm done. I've drawn two conclusions about Houston:

1. It is the very definition of sprawling
2. If you enjoy outdoor activities but do not like sports or water (I don't just mean Galveston, there's other large bodies of water around).

Item 1 presents a legitimate gripe. I have friends who live in the middle of San Francisco, in the Mission. You can literally walk to anything you need--nothing is more than 5 blocks away. Parks, retail shopping, grocery stores, restaurants par excellance, all are just a few steps away. Not only that, but the public transportation is fantastic. There are a lot of things I don't like about San Francisco, but accessibility isn't one of them.
Houston has a long ways to go in that regard.
As for item 2, this is more a minor quibble. Not everywhere can be the California coast, mountains just miles from ocean. Not everywhere can be Hawaii, mountains literally in the ocean. But those areas are the exception rather than the rule. Houston during the summer is no more humid or hot than most southern cities (the weather in Florida is almost exactly the same) and is significantly cooler than the southwest (yes, you don't have humidity in AZ, but that dry air ages you much faster. People in Houston often look much younger for much longer than in the drier climates found in the southwest). The one thing that Houston lacks that places like Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina have is elevation. The truly ironic thing, however, is that people who complain about the weather are the same ones who fail to take full advantage of their surroundings when they do live in a nicer climate (my friends from San Fran are a great example).
No offense to Stephanie P., but I'm guessing that you're the bored housewife who is stuck in the suburbs. I'm also guessing that if you lived in a place like AZ or SoCal, you'd be just as unlikely to go hiking or camping (or anything outdoors) as you are here. It has nothing to do with the weather, but everything to do with attitude. I agree 100% with what others have said, if you are bored, it probably means you're a boring person.
Here is what Houston has going for it:
1. One of the largest theater districts in the country (second only to NY)
2. Warm weather year round (bitterly cold winters are NOT fun, and they are just as extreme on the weather scale as the heat and humidity is here)
3. an excellent night life--for anyone who likes music, go to SPACE CITY ROCK and check out all the shows listed
4. Sports, sports, sports. Professional basketball, football, baseball, soccer and hockey with tickets at reasonable prices. Rec leagues all over--volleyball, flag football, softball, soccer. Parks. Pools. Golf courses. Public tennis courts. Basketball courts. If it's too hot for you, join a league that plays at night (most do) or play an indoor sport.
5. GREAT singles scene. 5 million plus in the Houston area, you're bound to meet someone you like.
6. International flavor. The ethnic cuisine here is phenomenal, and genuine: name an ethnicity, there is probably a corresponding community in Houston.
7. Low cost of living.
8. Friendly, unpretentious people.
9. Good job market.
10. Shooting ranges. I know, I know, not everyone's cup of tea, but shooting guns is DAMN FUN.

Does Houston have its faults? Yep. Will everyone like it? Nope. Is there any reason whatsoever to be bored here? HELL NO. I'm a big fan of Houston, I can easily see why others aren't, but to be bored and unhappy because it's hot and humid? That makes as much sense as creating a windfall tax on oil companies to help lower prices at the pump.

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by jfre81

He can't. He's priced out of NY/NJ and this is as good as he can do, and he's gotta ***** about his own failure to live in a place that's up to his standards. But we, on the other hand, partake in "sour graping" and constantly comparing Houston to other cities, so sayeth the Wiz. You figure that one out.

HAHAHA. you houstonese people just wont accept your standard of living is soooooooo low. sure we all have great houses in houston and suburbs, we got pools yay. great daycare schools whoopeee. tertiary site jobs. awesome. then nothing. BUT wait! that sorta sounds not too bad if youve given up on your own life and dedicate for the kids or for saving money not spending on fun times. leave?? why leave? if you guys have been sucking it up for years and years, i can do the SACRIFICE too! ya know? but then comes 'so many things to do', 'humidity is good for your skin', "we're #1" etc BS coming from locals and those who "assimilated". weeelll some of us still has not turned into houstonese zombies yet and do feel the heat, having a hard time accepting the one and only firkin dirty ugly beach, extremely polluted waterways, dead downtown parking lot city and why cant i find anything worth taking a picture of. I BEG YOU PLEASE GIVE ME SOME TIME, I will deteriorate into a houstonese person eventually and lower to YOUR standards. mmkay?

and BTW, my mother and 2 sisters families is based in Houston. well these bastards told me its cool here. "NOOOO, I shoulda done my homework!!"