Most & Least Favorite Things About TEXAS (Houston, San Antonio: crime, purchase)

[umbrella1601]

Hi All-

My sister and I are still trying to decide where to move in a few months... we were considering either San Antonio or Austin if we end up in TX...

So to help us we were just wondering...

What are your most and least favorite things about living in Texas? The things you love, the things you hate?? It can be anything at all, significant or inconsequential.

Thanks for your help!!

[Cathy4017]

As a native West Texan, what I love the most about Texas is that the varied landscapes have something to offer everybody. We have anything from mountains to piney woods to coastal plains...and just about everything in between.

My favorite part of the state for living is the far west/southwest, but I love it all for visiting.

What I hate the most about Texas is its HOT weather. The heat is more bearable in the western and panhandle parts of the state, but that isn't saying a lot. The state is just plain HOT. As for Austin and San Antonio, they are both really neat cities, and each has a lot to offer, but they are both hot and very humid. So if you like that type of weather, you'll love either one.

[Canine*Castle]

Favorite Things About Texas

** winters, snow, ice, and the temperatures when they're in the 30s

** pouring down rain that lasts for a long time (without severity)

** long-range views (I don't like to be enclosed and am grateful that I can see for miles and miles from my back door).

** from my back door, viewing the cattle and/or horses

** rural areas without hustle and bustle

** wildflowers and blossoming fruit trees

** seeing deer, raccoons, armadillos, road runners, opossums, and fireflies

** running and swimming with the dogs at the lake when not a soul is in sight ~ only noise may be of nature (wind rustling leaves, birds chirping, dogs splashing in the water) or the occasional sound of a motor boat

** clean country air

** leaves turning in autumn albeit not very much

** cool Spring days when the leaves are coming out and are in every shade of green imaginable

** stunning sunrises and sunsets especially in the country

** sitting in the backyard on a clear night with the stars shining brightly, something very soothing to the soul

** Mr. Moon when he is so full and bright

** satisfaction that I can purchase all I need in my rural country town and never having to face the mobs at Wal*Mart or worse

Least Favorite Things About Texas

** the arrogance, bragging, and tunnel vision of SOME of her people

** severe storms with tornado potential

** too many bugs

** the relentless heat and humidity for 5 months

** hailstorms

** the lack of mountains in my area ~ actually, the lack of mountains in the entire state

** much of Texas is way too flat and barren

** some southern culture

** the cities (I'm all for rural).

** living and breathing football, even dismissing church early for the Super Bowl game ~ weird-o-rama

** really poor grammar from even the "so-called" educated

** increasing crime and more illegals entering the state

If a few really disliked things weren't here in this state, it would be quite okay for me, I believe. I guess it's okay anyway; one just has to learn to deal with the annoying dislikes although some of them are more difficult to accept than others.

[Kibby]

Wow - Canine Castle is more a masochist than I am. I can't see ever living in a place that I disliked so much. Life is waaaay too short for that.

K

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

The thing I hate about Texas the most is the weather, it's way too hot and humid for way too long. Scenery isn't that great either. I agree with almost all the things Canine Castle dislikes about Texas, except football, I do love football

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by Kibby

Wow - Canine Castle is more a masochist than I am. I can't see ever living in a place that I disliked so much. Life is waaaay too short for that.

K

What are you talking about? I was being honest and my good thoughts about Texas outweigh the bad. Most people don't like something about an area. Yes, I tend to mention too much of everything and get wordy, but that's just me. Too detailed, a weakness of mine, but it doesn't make me a masochist. I'm only responding to what the OP wanted.

Where is your list?

[High_Plains_Retired]

I've only been permanently back in Texas for a couple of weeks so let me see:

Least favorable: Having my cell phone go into cardiac arrest at my new place.

Most favorable: Mowing 5 acres of short grass prairie on a '51 Ford 8n tractor. Just me and the cottontails.

I'm sure I will have more to say later.

[NOTAM]

The LEAST favorite thing is easy: snakes. If we could be snake-free like Hawaii or New Zealand, Texas would be just about close to utopia!
The MOST favorite thing? List is too long-friendly people, wide open spaces, quality of living, patriotic, cowboy culture, Texas country, Texas bbq and food, livestock, rodeos, cowboy churches

[tstone]

Most favorite
- Family & friends!!
- 'Family values' (the real ones) still mean something here.
- Lots of space = fairly affordable.
- Ability to freely defend said space.
- Plenty of career opportunities, entertainment venues, and a politically moderate/balanced atmosphere in the big cities (and some suburbs).
- No state income tax.

Least favorite
- Certain mentalities-- usually found in the small towns or outer suburbs. Anti-intellectualism, anti-environmentalism, authoritarianism, etc are touted by a loud minority. Usually stems from generations of brain drain and religious repression that proliferates fear.
- Texas pride can be a good thing, but taken too far is nothing more than a gang mentality. Also touted by a loud minority.
- Lack of scenic beauty except in the Hill Country and remote spots around the state
- Property taxes!!!

The positives definitely outweigh the negatives for me. Fortunately I can tune out the negatives by ignoring them... well, except property taxes.

[Kibby]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

What are you talking about? I was being honest and my good thoughts about Texas outweigh the bad. Most people don't like something about an area. Yes, I tend to mention too much of everything and get wordy, but that's just me. Too detailed, a weakness of mine, but it doesn't make me a masochist. I'm only responding to what the OP wanted.

Where is your list?

The thing about Texas is that it's so large, and so diverse, that what a person likes/dislikes can be totally dependent on exactly where you live. How long you've been here can certainly be a factor. Natives of any state tend to view that state through a rosey prism.

For instance - you couldn't pay me enough money to live in the Houston area, but certainly lots of folks love it there. It's all relative, AND it's all based on your experience. Texas is like 4 states with 4 climates and a wide demographic. The panhandle is certainly nothing like the gulf coast, the border OR the Hill Country - either in people or in climate.

I live in the DFW area but have also lived in Corpus and in Austin. Family in San Antonio and in the Presidio/Alpine area, visited/vacationed in most areas of Texas. Native born, several generations.

Least favorite things -
Mosquitoes in the summer - I can handle heat but hate the tornadoes & hail storms that we occasionally get. I usually try to visit a cooler climate during August/Sept when the heat is the worst. Takes forever to get to other states - that can be the case wherever you live I guess. My favorite states to visit tend to be Maine , Oregon , Washington and Colorado (closest drive) - notice that all of them have cooler summer weather and lousy winter weather.

Favorite things -
The people, the year round decent weather (I hate snow/ice), strong economy, great food and the wide open spaces. I find beauty all over the state, even in the parts I wouldn't want to live in.

I don't care where you live - it's possible to run into people you don't like, trick is to ignore the idiots and surround yourself with people you do like. Best to avoid the 'broad brush' whenever possible - you just never know when it might be used on you.

k