KnowYard Community

Deadbolt, motion sensor lights, and a door reinforcement kit. The kit is $50 and makes it nearly impossible to kick the door in. That's the most vulnerable entry point.

Electrician for 12 years. Made $95K last year. Zero student debt. Bought a house at 24. I work hard but I'm not broke. Most of my college friends can't say both of those things.

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.

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.

Your pets feel it too. Hot asphalt can burn their paws. Touch it with the back of your hand — if you can't hold it for 5 seconds, it's too hot for your dog to walk on.

Share that footage on your neighborhood social media. Nextdoor, Facebook group, whatever. Other people's cameras might have caught him arriving or leaving in a car. Plate numbers are what police need.

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.

I genuinely think some of these projects are designed to never finish so the contracts keep paying out. Call me cynical but 3 years for a highway widening is insane.

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

The fish photo thing is real and I will never understand it. What message is that sending? "I have patience and access to a lake"?

The best part is when they finish one section and it's beautiful for about 6 months before the potholes come back because they used the cheapest materials possible.

The joke is that Texas has two seasons: summer and construction. And somehow they overlap perfectly to make everything worse.

Check the TxDOT project tracker website. You can see the actual contract, budget, and timeline. It won't make you feel better but at least you'll know when to expect relief.

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.

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.

TxDOT project timelines are suggestions at best. I've lived near a highway expansion that was supposed to take 2 years. It took 6. When it finished they immediately started a new project on the connecting highway.

Ship to a UPS Store access point or FedEx hold location. Both are free. Less convenient but zero theft risk.

Got a used Prius for my commute. $14K and it gets 50mpg. My gas bill went from $380 to $140. Best financial decision I've made in years. I still have the truck for weekends.

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.

Ring footage and police reports don't accomplish anything in my experience. The camera is for insurance claims, not actual justice. Sad but true.

The rooftop in summer: your car seats become a George Foreman grill. You will be medium-rare by the time the AC kicks in.

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.

Invest in a good insulated water bottle. A Yeti or Stanley with ice stays cold for 8+ hours in your car. Warm water in the Texas heat is torture.

Electrolytes, not just water. Liquid IV, Pedialyte, even pickle juice. When you sweat this much, plain water isn't enough. You're losing salt faster than you can replace it.

I have everything delivered to my office now. Annoying to carry it all home but at least it's secure.