I don't know if it's Stockholm syndrome or not, but every one of my friends that are from Houston prefers the way they do it compared to every other city (like Dallas where I live).
As for the sweat, a good wicking t-shirt will let it evaporate quickly, or if you need to wear a button-up shirt, a good cotton undershirt will keep your outer shirt nice and dry (usually).
Even if you get to the point where the heat doesn't bother you, it doesn't stop the heat from making you sweat and smell. I didn't mind going for a walk (or run) on Houston summer afternoons, but there's no way I could walk >.5 miles or bike to work without a shower at the destination.
And, you get used to the heat. I spent many years in Texas; Houston and Austin (about 20 years, in total, across both cities), I really don't mind the heat. I prefer it over cold, anyway. And, there's a certain style of living that is/was pervasive in Austin; do stuff early in the day or late in the day. Hang out inside during the heat of the day. Lots of bars and restaurants have outside patios, which are open nearly year round; many have misters to keep it cool. The only things most people do outside during the heat of the day are swimming or tubing or stuff in the shade (and there's loads of shade along the river and green belts).
Humidity is the big difference, and with Texas as large as it is you can't just assume that somebody from say DFW or El Paso or Brownsville or Austin will experience the same weather as somebody from Houston given the same wall temperature.
Which makes downtown quite walkable any time of the year.
I lived in north-east Houston just outside Beltway 8. Hundreds of new homes were being built along West Lake Houston Parkway, with no apparent plans for upgrading traffic. It was a real mess and will only get worse.
So you lived out near Humble? That's not living in Houston.
That's like living in Newark and saying you live in New York City.
Houston's food tho...
Yes, Houston gets a lot right.