Houston, Texas
 

This is cthe city of my latest contract. I've not ventured out much further than FMC.

It was raining buckets the first 4 days here. After it cleared, I met some of the unsavory locals.

Then I started work at FMC in the subsea drilling group.

We're working on equipment that recovers oil from as deep as 10,000 ft under the oceans.

Cheney and Bush both say hello.

Cheney asked me if TW likes to hunt.

More later.

You finally made it to a red state! Yippee-I-Ky-yay.

Red states = Blue state people bitching all about how things suck

Blue states = Red state people bitching all about how things suck but unarmed.

The most vocal in each case is that group out of favor. More than a few people ( away from the office in Cincinnati ) would comment about how that city is a "Republican" city.

To which I would reply with something like...( more diplomatically of course ) "Is that so? Well you need to get your ass over to a blue state. Oh that's right, they arent doing much hiring right now.

I thought that I would like this place more than I do. It's expensive and there is some type of road confuction everywhere. About a quarter of the people that I run into only speak Spanish and it's not even summer yet and it's MFin' HOT.

On the upside though, the law enforcement and people in general let you about your business and dont get overly intrusive or "try to help you". There is a lot more self reliance here. Dont try to offer some assistance or even suggest that some one might benefit, but of course not NEED some help from you.

Havent seen one single rebel flag nor a single gun in a truck gunrack yet but I'm still looking.

I've yet to run into a "stereotypical" Texan I rekon.

Population density is too high where you are to meet real people.

go to spring, just a bit up 45 and you'll find a few gun racks and stereotypicals. we need to get together, it's hard with my schedule, but we'll manage eventually.

My cousin in Spring brags he built his house 4 feet above grade so he'd be dry when the water comes....usually. ;)

My brief observation of things in Texas that I like and dislike.

Like;

Cops dont harass you for "looking suspicious" or acting like you dont have a clue where you are going or doing. :)

There are no state taxes here.

No one falls over themselves asking or attempting to help you when you are having some managable type of non-life threatening difficulty.

The beggars take whatever you give them without complaining for more....and say those magic words...."Thank you Sir".

The Mexicans/MexAmericans are often surprised to see me on their "turf" but have been very polite and friendly.


Dislike;

This is the first time in all my travels that I've seen such an aggressive "rolling start" from a stoplight or stopsign. Many of the big trucks start rolling out into your lane of traffic BEFORE you pass by them. I've come inches of nailing them about 3 times.

English is a second language to what I would estimate to be about half of the people in the office. Communication within engineering terms and tasks are critical and having simple terms that do not accurately describe a specific issue or process just creates confusion and errors. Specific requests and requirements demand specific instructions.

There are strip clubs directly across from or next to churches here.

The "cheap" housing is about twice as expensive as even Mass. What a shocker! :blush: