Houston

I lived just outside Portland for a few years, it was beautiful and had amazing outdoor lifestyle.

I Iived in San Diego for 10 years and it was beautiful and had an amazing outdoor lifestyle.

I moved to Houston and it is ok looking and has a terrible outdoor lifestyle.

You know what Houston has that neither of those places do?

Color, culture, and opportunity.

My wife was a reporter, you can't live anywhere on that kind of pay, it's just where that industry is at. You want to make money in Houston, you need to be part of the energy complex somehow. She works in crisis communication and makes twice as much money as I do, as an engineer.

But it took us a few years to make connections, get our feet under us, and start to actually build towards retirement. (We were Dinks in SD, but two kids in Houston, man that took some wind out of our sails for sure).

I desperately miss better weather and good hiking, but Portland and San Diego are white af. (And I'm white). So fucking expensive too. We just visited SD for 4 days and it hurt how much it cost.

Ooh, great rap stations and good food. That is about all you can expect to like if you are shallow.

Rodeo, sports, NASA, Renfest, more concerts than you know what to do with, more diversity than NYC, an actual nightlife, Comicpalooza, street art, musical dynasty, friendliest people (until they are behind the wheel of a car), a sense of community that just doesn't happen in big cities, an airport that flies everywhere, and yeah, we've got food for anyone.

Sure, we have shit weather and shit traffic. If we had a real mass transit, I would use it.

But I knew what was shit before I moved here.

(Except that those big ass cockroaches can fly. That was some bullshit when I found that one out)