KnowYard Community

The deregulated market is the problem. Nobody wants to invest in reserve capacity because there's no profit in power plants that only run during emergencies. So we have zero buffer.

Army Corps of Engineers parks around the lakes are always less crowded than city parks. Free or cheap, good trails, water access. Google the nearest lake to you and look for Army Corps sites.

I just order online now. If I need an employee to unlock 4 different items during a 15 minute shopping trip, I'd rather pay for shipping and skip the hassle.

Some shops will charge less. The dealer quoted me $250, an independent tire shop did it for $120. Call around before you pay dealer prices.

Nobody benefits. Shoplifting goes up, stores lock everything, customers leave, stores close, and the neighborhood loses access to basic retail. It's a death spiral.

Look for nature preserves run by land trusts or Audubon societies. Usually free, well-maintained trails, and way fewer people than state or city parks.

TPMS is the most annoying inspection failure. My car failed for the same thing. $180 to replace a sensor that does nothing I can't do with a pressure gauge in 30 seconds.

Early morning on weekdays is the cheat code for popular parks. I go at 7am on a Tuesday and have the whole trail to myself. Same trail on a Saturday at 10am has 200 people.

been at Octagon MMA in Grapevine for 2 years. its a chain yeah but the BJJ program is actually solid. my coach is a legit 3rd degree black belt and the training partners are great. not the fanciest gym but i dont need a smoothie bar, i need good rolls

State parks. Texas state parks system is incredible and massively underused. A year pass is $70 and gets you into every park in the state. Weekend camping is $15-25/night.

Interesting perspective. I see it differently from the Fort Worth side.

Interesting — I think the Houston angle gets overlooked.

Rain + Texas drivers = absolute chaos. The first rain after a dry spell might as well be an ice storm based on how people react. Either 25mph in the left lane or 80mph tailgating. No in between.

Keep a cooler in your trunk in summer. Cold water, some snacks. If you break down on a Texas highway in July, help might take 30-45 minutes. You want water available.

I met my girlfriend at a trivia night at a local brewery. Go to recurring social events where you see the same people week after week. That's how actual connections form.

You sleeping on El Si Hay. Their campechanos taco is the best single taco in DFW and it costs $2.75.

The distance thing is the real killer. I refuse to date anyone more than 20 minutes away. In Texas that eliminates like 80% of the population.

Following this thread. Want to hear more takes.

Nobody in this state understands the zipper merge. Two lanes go to one and everyone treats it like a personal insult.

El Si Hay campechanos is goated. But Trompo al pastor is a different tier. You can't compare the two — it's like comparing birria to barbacoa.

Fuel City barbacoa on a Saturday morning at 7 AM is a spiritual experience. The line gets insane by 9 though.

Went at 9:30 last Saturday. Waited 40 minutes. Still worth it. The salsa verde they give you is unreal.

Through friends or through hobbies. Join a sports league, a gym, a climbing wall, something. The apps are a wasteland everywhere, not just here.

Be the one who initiates. "We should hang out sometime" means nothing. "Want to grab tacos Saturday at 1pm?" is a plan. Most people want friends but nobody wants to be the one to plan things.

Parking strategy: find shade, even if it means walking farther. A shaded parking spot saves you 20 degrees of interior temp compared to full sun.