I do know my way around, and I agree that it’s usually easy to get around. In fact, I’ll add that a lot of the alternate routes to get somewhere are downright scenic in a urban sense.
Friday afternoon, though, I swear everyone was taking every alternate route available to get from the Galleria to 290.
Friday afternoon is a special case. Rush hour Friday, in my part of the world, is actually more relaxed as most people start their boogie around noon. Friday afternoon is the hard part.
I FIGURED there were plenty of Houstonians. In fact, during the summer, the only thing I’d WANT to do in Houston is stay indoors and surf the friggin’ internet.
…and I knew there were plenty of DFW’s here.
Kinda surprised to see so many Austinites, though.
Austin is the best party city in Texas, Dallas has the best sports teams (I’m biased, but it’s true, right?) and Houston…wait, let me think. Oh, I’ve got it! In downtown Houston, all the streets run NS or WE like a grid, which makes it quite easy to get around. And then there’s the shopping…but that just brings us back to Dallas.
It’s our one month of the year in Texas to enjoy mid-70’s by day and 50’s by night. Life is so very good! 
The “I don’t hate all Yankees, just the ones who complain about things not being the same down here” argument pisses me off. God forbid I EVER get homesick or mention anything that might imply that Texas isn’t the best place ever full of all the best things that anyone could ever want and all the best people and nothing bad ever happens here!
I’ve only had two or three bad experiences in that vein since I’ve moved here, however. Mississippi was much, much worse on Yankee-hatin’.
Where am I from?
-I’m from Amarillo originally, now going to school in Waco.
What do I do for a living?
-I go to law school. It beats working… Sometimes.
What do I love about Texas?
-Shiner Bock and Lone Star Beers
-The fact that we used to be our own country
-Tex-Mex
-Perfect weather from September 'till April
-King of the Hill
-Kolaches
-<Gary P.>The friendliest people and the pertiest women you’ve ever seen</Gary P.>
What do I not love about Texas?
-Aggies
-Longhorns
I’m a Louisiana transplant to Dallas.
What you do for a living
I’m a programmer/engineer/tester sort of jack-of-all-trades for Ericsson in Richardson.
What you love/hate about Texas or where you live specifically
Loves: Good Tex-Mex food, local IFGS (LARP gaming) chapter, the DFW Dopers, and the fact that there’s so much to do here.
Hates: Bad Cajun food (I miss the real stuff), crowding, traffic, Bible Belt zealots, and the near-total absence of the color green. Back home there was so much foliage that the air itself seemed to turn green on cloudy days…here, anything green is probably painted.
racinchikki, if it starts to get to you, you guys should come visit the DFW Dopers. It’s not all that far (by Texas standards), and we’re rather more cosmopolitan. 
I live in Plano, but I’m originally from Austin.
What you do for a living?
I work for a school district.
What do you love/hate about Texas?
I love the people. I think Texans are just about the friendliest people around. I like that you can go anywhere and strike up a conversation with someone and it’s no big deal.
What do you hate about Texas?
Texas summers. Fortunately, I have really good air conditioning in my house and car.
racinchikki, if you can, visit the DFW group or bop on down here and see us HouDopes. We’re a tad more worldly than Longview and won’t snarl about cool stuff in other places. Heck, we’ll hold a roundup if you can let us know when you might make it down.
Wang-Ka’s post reminded me of something else I like about downtown Houston, both for summertime and inclement weather: it’s all connected with underground tunnels and skywalks - you can get all over downtown without leaving the a/c.
…it is?
Then why don’t you tell us outtatowners about it? Jeez, Houston is a PIT during the summer… only major metropolitan city in the world built right in and on a friggin’ swamp…
Here you go, Wang-ka. This site has quite a bit of information on the tunnels. Even a parking map.
Another one:
You can also take a tour.
Good links there, Elaella, thanks!
You’re welcome. I had completely forgotten about the tunnels until you mentioned them, Ringo.
I’ve lived here all my life, and I had forgotten the tunnels, too! I think we will have to make a journey soon…
Woo hoo! Someone else who knows where Alief is! That’s where I grew up! Just south of Bellaire & Wilcrest. (right near the big Hong Kong mall).
Fort Worth, but I grew up in a small NE Texas town about 40 miles from Longview.
Likes/Dislikes: I like most everything, but I dislike the heat and humidity. Fort Worth is more laid back than Dallas and sometimes seems like a small town.
Work: Mainframe programmer for a major retail corporation and a freelance writer.
Born in Houston, raised in Abilene, undergrad in Denton, 2 year stay in Prague (note: not Texas), law school and one year clerkship in Houston, been back in Abilene for a whole month. Still haven’t gotten around to changing my message board location. Still kinda consider Denton “home” in some ways, though, and go visit there whenever possible.