KnowYard Community

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.

Enforcement is basically nonexistent unless you're going 95+ or visibly drunk. I drive the same highway every day and haven't seen a speed trap in months.

Rec sports league. Volleyball, kickball, softball. You see the same people every week, you grab beers after games, friendships happen naturally. That's how I built my entire friend group here.

Brazilian jiu jitsu gym. I know it sounds random but hear me out — you train with the same people 3-4 times a week, you suffer together, and the community is insanely tight. Changed my social life.

YMCA is slept on. Some of them have surprisingly good weight rooms, plus pool, basketball courts, and sauna. $45/month for an adult membership at most locations.

The merge thing is the real danger. Who taught people to merge at 40mph onto a 75mph highway? That's how accidents happen.

Check on your elderly neighbors during heat waves. Seriously. Heat stroke can kill and not everyone has working AC or the ability to get to a cooling center.

The no turn signal thing drives me INSANE. It's a lever. Right there. On the steering column. Takes zero effort.

It takes like a year. I know that's not what you want to hear but real friendships take time. Keep showing up to the same places consistently. The people who keep showing up too become your people.

Solar panels with battery backup. Not cheap but after 2 summers of anxiety I made the investment. When ERCOT asks me to conserve, I just switch to battery. Independence from this grid is priceless.

Paper plates = no insurance and possibly no registration. And they drive like it because they know they can't be traced. Biggest problem on Texas roads right now.

The driving thing never stops being true. I live half a mile from a CVS and still drive there. It's 105 outside man I'm not walking.

Did the Texas BBQ trail — hit 5 different BBQ spots across the state in 3 days. Gained 8 pounds. No regrets.

The healthcare shortage in Texas is real. We have fewer doctors per capita than most states. It's not you — the system is genuinely overwhelmed.

Just wait for your first blue norther. 80 degrees at lunch, 35 degrees by dinner. You will learn to check the weather every morning.

Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle is basically a mini Grand Canyon and nobody talks about it. The drive up there is flat and boring but the canyon itself is stunning.

Crunch Fitness is a solid middle ground. More equipment than PF, actual free weight area, $25-30/month at most locations.

If you're lucky enough to have a Gold's Gym nearby, that's still the gold standard for serious lifting. Some locations are better than others though.

Zocdoc app. Filter by insurance and availability. I found a PCP with a next-day appointment that I couldn't find through any other method.

Local independent gyms are where it's at. Not the chain ones. Find the gym owned by one person that's been open 15 years with equipment that's older than you. Those gyms have the best equipment and the best culture.

The grocery store conversation thing is real. My neighbor once told me her entire life story in the cereal aisle. Welcome to Texas.

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.

The 2021 storm should have been a wake-up call. 200+ people died. And here we are still running the same grid on hope and prayers every summer.

Port Aransas for a cheap beach trip. Not the prettiest beach in the world but the vibe is chill, the fishing is good, and hotels are way cheaper than Galveston.

I stop every time I see one and I'm not sorry. The kolaches are solid, the bathrooms are spotless, and the beaver nuggets are crack.