Houston?

[ant_129]

Hey fellow Texans.  I am from East Texas and have recently graduated with an Electrical Engineering degree.  I am from a small city, about 11K, and am not looking forward to moving to a larger city.  I have already had one interview in Houston and am having another one a week from today.  

I think out of all the cities in Texas Houston is probably the last one that I want to live in but all the tech jobs are there.  The reason I say I don't want to live there is because I have only heard bad things about it.  Does anyone have anything encouraging to say about it?  

The company I am interviewing with is Invensys in the Triconex division.  Does anyone know anything about this company?

[Desolation Angel]

My only comment as an occasional passerthru...

Just think of all the unique smells and aromas you're in for!

 

[ant_129]

yeah I hear that too.

[terrebandit]

Houston sucks... sorry.

Waaay too much heat/humidity, traffic, and straight roads.  Austin is a tech town!

[ant_129]

It is for semiconductors.  I don't have a strong background in IC design so a semiconductor company will most likely not hire me, I have applied at a few with no response.

[B12Power]

I lived there 2.5 years. To quote Huey Lewis and the News: "Where else can you do a half a million things, All at a quarter to three ?" is accurate.

[aquavelvis]

Lots of stuff in Houston to do at all hours, and HUGE diversity of cultures (esp. Asian on West side) unavailable in other TX cities, if either of those is important or interesting to you.  Also close to the coast, Piney Woods, 3 hours from Austin and San Antonio and hill country roads, 2 hours from trackdays at TWS....

My wife and I grew up there but moved to San Antonio 22 years ago because we LOVE SA and as we got older got tired of Houston's obvious drawbacks (Flat. Humid. Crowded. Traffic. Huge.)

Don't worry too much about what you hear from people in other TX cities. People in SA throw down on Houston because they tend to be intimidated by its size and complexity.  A lot of people in Dallas have an issue with being 2nd biggest so they'll always diss Houston to boost their own self-esteem -- you know the type, coolly condescending but plainly evident.  Austin? Well, no place is as good as that if you were to ask them.  And they might be right.

I suggest you take or don't take the job on its own merits.  Also check on where the job is.  Houston sprawls all over the place and with funky/inconsistent zoning one part of town can be vastly different from others.  For example, the Woodlands area is easy to live in and nice looking and you'd never know you were in the midst of big city chaos, kind of like Central Park or Prospect Park in NYC.  

If you take the job and go there but find it a bad fit, split!

Good luck either way!

[Desolation Angel]

A lot of people in Dallas have an issue with being 2nd biggest

Except they've dropped to 3rd largest now behind San Antonio according to the last census.  Houston is OK.  San Antonio is fascinating.  Dallas is completely dull and boring.  Lots of social problems there.  Lived there for 40 years until 1996.  Austin might be pretty fun as a college town.

Good luck in your quest, Ant.

[ant_129]

Well I am not a big social person.  When I had free time during school I usually spent it in the woods of my neighborhood on an ATV or Dirtbike, fishing, and more recently on the road with my bike or I found other things to do like play paint ball every once in a while in my back yard.  It do not believe that I will be able to find anything like that in a big city so I am going to have to develop some new interests or something to keep me entertained.   I also absolutely hate crowded places so I will have to adjust for that too.  

Man I was hoping someone had heard of the company.  I think they are based overseas in the UK.  

Anyway thanks for the info.  We will see, it is not entirely what I want to do as an engineer but it would not be a bad start.

[mike]

I worked and lived in Houston for over 25 years.  Commuting around the 610 loop sucks, and it is a crowded city.  But has alot to offer as a city, tons of stuff to do.  Great restaurants.

As far as for a bike (no).  I did my riding west through the hill country.  You'll get creamed in Houston trying to ride a bike in the city all the time.

It's real expensive to live close in.  When I worked at the Medical Center complex downtown, I finally bit the bullet (tired of commuting 3hrs a day to and from work 35 miles each way from 1960 area) and moved downtown in West University.  $2K a month just for a cheesy condo, but I only had a 10 minute commute (you have to weigh what you need and want in the end).
Some of the outer areas like spring or baytown or clear lake ar OK.  But, if you're driving into work everyday.  Be prepared to have an 3 hrs commute a day set aside just to get 40 miles or so.

[ant_129]

Well this is in the clear lake area so not in the heart of Houston.

So not good for a bike.  That really really sucks because I love commuting everyday now to work (intern for company).

[txbanditrydr]

Ant.... you might consider checking out Two Wheel Texans forums - there are a ton of folks in and around that area who ride/commute.  They can likely give you some ideas on what to expect.  There are many local bike nights with some great people - one of the best Texas motorcycling boards around.

Check 'em out ....     Clicky Here

[jbrough7]

A lot of people in Dallas have an issue with being 2nd biggest

Except they've dropped to 3rd largest now behind San Antonio according to the last census.  Houston is OK.  San Antonio is fascinating.  Dallas is completely dull and boring.  Lots of social problems there.  Lived there for 40 years until 1996.  Austin might be pretty fun as a college town.

Good luck in your quest, Ant.

So you live there for forty years and then there are lots of social problems???  Hmmm.......
 

jim

[HarleyBandit]

Well this is in the clear lake area so not in the heart of Houston.

So not good for a bike.  That really really sucks because I love commuting everyday now to work (intern for company).

ClearLake is a nice Laid back area,although it is growing fast!!
It's about 20-30 mins south of Houston.

Close to Galveston
Lots of good back roads riding

I ride Seabrook,Baycliff,San Leon,Dickinson,ClearLake,Galveston area almost every weekend!!

Cant even Compare it to Being Downtown Houston!!

[Desolation Angel]

A lot of people in Dallas have an issue with being 2nd biggest

Except they've dropped to 3rd largest now behind San Antonio according to the last census.  Houston is OK.  San Antonio is fascinating.  Dallas is completely dull and boring.  Lots of social problems there.  Lived there for 40 years until 1996.  Austin might be pretty fun as a college town.

Good luck in your quest, Ant.

So you live there for forty years and then there are lots of social problems???  Hmmm.......
 


jim

Not my fault, man!  I had nothing to do with the never-ending ever-expanding ethno-socio-economic mess.  

Yo!  Que Pasa?