Jump to content

What the fuck is wrong with you, Houston?


52-80

Recommended Posts

That list, hmm.  Is your job location based?  Does it keep you in Houston?  

My wife’s career (and my family) keep us here. She really likes her company. As someone who has worked for really shitty employers, it makes me want to appreciate her work life happiness more.

However, I worked mostly in the engineering side of energy projects for the last 14 years. Obviously O&G heavy. The company I have the most time with didn’t do a whole lot of construction. That is a hurdle I am having trouble overcoming. If this was 2006 and I had 10+ years project planning, I would have been employed within a month.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whilst driving to Galveston last Friday, my 7-year old had a stomach attack. So, we had to exit off the first stop on 610. Stopped at a hood ass gas station. Then a wreck happened so GPS detoured us through 5th ward on Lockwood to 45. Would not do again…and I lived on the south side of Chicago for years. I did buy a scratch off and won $100 so that was a positive.

74f9a80ec6514640f6fe362555ff3411.png

You mean your kid and wife got a $100. You were just there.
  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


My wife’s career (and my family) keep us here. She really likes her company. As someone who has worked for really shitty employers, it makes me want to appreciate her work life happiness more.

However, I worked mostly in the engineering side of energy projects for the last 14 years. Obviously O&G heavy. The company I have the most time with didn’t do a whole lot of construction. That is a hurdle I am having trouble overcoming. If this was 2006 and I had 10+ years project planning, I would have been employed within a month.

Man, I kinda thought you were a photographer. Hell, have you thought about making it a career? You seem to have a good eye.

If you’re having trouble in the ‘energy capital’ I can understand the frustration. I won’t give you the it could be worse bullshit. Just don’t give up. Keep grinding.
  • Hook 'Em 4
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Man, I kinda thought you were a photographer. Hell, have you thought about making it a career? You seem to have a good eye.

If you’re having trouble in the ‘energy capital’ I can understand the frustration. I won’t give you the it could be worse bullshit. Just don’t give up. Keep grinding.

Thanks man.

I am a photographer, but I really don’t know how to monetize it. Maybe portraits, but I am not that comfortable with it. I don’t know…my wife said the same thing today.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

51 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:


Thanks man.

I am a photographer, but I really don’t know how to monetize it. Maybe portraits, but I am not that comfortable with it. I don’t know…my wife said the same thing today.

Pics of wife? Interested in a proposal of the indecent variety?  J/k; sort of.

Hell I always just assumed you got paid to take pics of bbq and snakes. Figure out how to get paid on that.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


It does. What is average price for a 3/2 house zoned to those schools?

Less than than the 1.2 million house you referenced initially. But it’s clear you’ve gone off the deep end on whatever self-deprecating bullshit you’re dealing with, so whatever. Sorry you can’t find a job, but the over the top posting got old twelve posts back.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Less than than the 1.2 million house you referenced initially. But it’s clear you’ve gone off the deep end on whatever self-deprecating bullshit you’re dealing with, so whatever. Sorry you can’t find a job, but the over the top posting got old twelve posts back.

No problem with your take.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Patricio Swayze said:

I am a photographer, but I really don’t know how to monetize it.

Look at posting your photos/video to Pond5, Shutterstock, Getty Images, etc. They and others like them make it available for people to license for random projects or broadcast network/streaming projects- thousands of production companies need random specialized content for their projects. Worst case nobody licenses your content and you've lost nothing. The other side of it is maybe you find a niche that people pay for. You can do all of that while continuing your job hunt. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/18/2021 at 5:44 AM, MaybeACoordinator said:

I moved out but not because of crime and shit. I got sick of all my favorite places getting torn down, and I wanted to go live in the sticks.

People who really love Houston overrate the fuck out of it and people who hate it outright don't know it -- it is a hell of a lot more than parking lots, gated communities, strip malls, and chain restaurants.

Those green areas in the map are safe but boring as fuck. Montrose and the Heights were cool when they were just a little bit edgy but that hasn't been the case for 25 years now, at least. 

If I had to live in Houston now I'd move to East End. It reminds me of the Houston I knew as a kid in the '70s.

Grew up in Southeast, and although it's a pretty basic area that's not really "desirable", I also don't think it's the shithole some ppl on this thread do. My pops bought his house near Hobby and has been there since 2000. The neighborhood (Glen Valley) has never really been violent, and even though Bellfort is full of apartments I never felt scared walking or running through any of those neighborhoods around Bellfort/Broadway. Don't think he'll stay there now that he's retired, but it's not because it's turning into Detroit, it's just more of a traffic and too many people thing. You could do worse, it's not The Wire in all the neighborhoods outside of the West and North. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, KaiserSoze said:

Look at posting your photos/video to Pond5, Shutterstock, Getty Images, etc. They and others like them make it available for people to license for random projects or broadcast network/streaming projects- thousands of production companies need random specialized content for their projects. Worst case nobody licenses your content and you've lost nothing. The other side of it is maybe you find a niche that people pay for. You can do all of that while continuing your job hunt. 

need to optimize photos for what the audience seeks.  somebody run a check on how many times "ghetto whooores" are searched on google.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/17/2021 at 10:58 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

Inside the Loop is a big place. There are spots going towards Hobby and out east that are affordable, but nobody wants to live over there. And I don’t blame them.
 

I’m not going to jump up on a soap box here, but everybody in Houston wants to live west or north. This is going to cause plenty of affordability problems.
 

It’s not as good as Austin. Fully acknowledged. But it’s still much, much cheaper by any metric. If Houston was just as expensive as Austin, yes that’s a problem, but it’s not there. And probably will never be. 

   No everyone doesn't! No way I would want to live in the Woodlands or somewhere west and deal with that commute and that traffic everyday. All of the traffic in the city is on that side of town. Nor would I want to live inside the loop and be within arms reach of the shit you guys are talking about right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/18/2021 at 10:48 PM, Patricio Swayze said:


For the most part I agree. But desirability is also personal. Not everyone wants to live in San Francisco, Austin or New York.

For me, El Paso is pretty desirable, although I think many would think I am crazy. I love the desert. El Paso is a safe city. I believe the safest in Texas. It’s a good jumping off point for the SW or Big Bend. I haven’t looked at the cost of living, but I doubt it’s higher than Houston.

As long as you stay away from Walmart.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

No everyone doesn't! No way I would want to live in the Woodlands or somewhere west and deal with that commute and that traffic everyday.

If it wasn’t for The Woodlands Express I am pretty sure I would make the news for one of those road rage incidents. As it is my 1.5 year old car just rolled over 5,000 miles this week. 
 

Sanity preserved. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

   No everyone doesn't! No way I would want to live in the Woodlands or somewhere west and deal with that commute and that traffic everyday. All of the traffic in the city is on that side of town. Nor would I want to live inside the loop and be within arms reach of the shit you guys are talking about right now.

I live on the NW side and maybe some of this is still pandemic WFHish, but what could have been an hour long commute 5 years ago, is now about 30 minutes since 290 has been completed. And then if you figure most professionals will likely be moving towards a semi remote work place, it just isn’t that big of a deal.

Timely article:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austinites-you-have-permission-to-move-to-houston/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Web+Social&utm_content=AustinitestoHouston&fbclid=IwAR1lRXN1_SE8mRI-SNVvxmmIpLenP1FolNZUkr4H8b1qVFiRnJzNYXlaQJI

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Enchubben said:

I live on the NW side and maybe some of this is still pandemic WFHish, but what could have been an hour long commute 5 years ago, is now about 30 minutes since 290 has been completed. And then if you figure most professionals will likely be moving towards a semi remote work place, it just isn’t that big of a deal.

Timely article:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austinites-you-have-permission-to-move-to-houston/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Web+Social&utm_content=AustinitestoHouston&fbclid=IwAR1lRXN1_SE8mRI-SNVvxmmIpLenP1FolNZUkr4H8b1qVFiRnJzNYXlaQJI

Deep, painful groan. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Enchubben said:

I live on the NW side and maybe some of this is still pandemic WFHish, but what could have been an hour long commute 5 years ago, is now about 30 minutes since 290 has been completed. And then if you figure most professionals will likely be moving towards a semi remote work place, it just isn’t that big of a deal.

Timely article:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austinites-you-have-permission-to-move-to-houston/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Web+Social&utm_content=AustinitestoHouston&fbclid=IwAR1lRXN1_SE8mRI-SNVvxmmIpLenP1FolNZUkr4H8b1qVFiRnJzNYXlaQJI

"But playgrounds are for children. If you’re trying to buy a home, then you’re probably a grown-up. You deserve a grown-up city—the city of Houston."

What a depressing sentence. It is more commonly part of people moving from active parts of town to a soulless suburb. Houston has its attributes, but it's just too big and spread out. Austin has similar problems. I like mid-sized markets where housing near the city center and entertainment districts is affordable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

If it wasn’t for The Woodlands Express I am pretty sure I would make the news for one of those road rage incidents. As it is my 1.5 year old car just rolled over 5,000 miles this week. 
 

Sanity preserved. 

   We live in Friendswood, a little burb no one knows about. It's locked in by Pearland to north and west. Alvin to the southeast, League City to the south and southeast, and Clear Lake to the east. It has nowhere to grow. There are no apartments that allow children. The median household income is where the Woodlands is. The schools are always in the top of the Houston metro area, usually 1 or 2. It only has one high school and one Jr high, so it has a bit of a small town feel to it, and doesn't quite feel as soulless as some here suggest.

   As a dude who cut his teeth in some of the worst hoods in the US, it's nice to be on the polar opposite of what I knew.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Enchubben said:

I live on the NW side and maybe some of this is still pandemic WFHish, but what could have been an hour long commute 5 years ago, is now about 30 minutes since 290 has been completed. And then if you figure most professionals will likely be moving towards a semi remote work place, it just isn’t that big of a deal.

Timely article:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austinites-you-have-permission-to-move-to-houston/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Web+Social&utm_content=AustinitestoHouston&fbclid=IwAR1lRXN1_SE8mRI-SNVvxmmIpLenP1FolNZUkr4H8b1qVFiRnJzNYXlaQJI

Folks have had my permission, indeed my encouragement, to move from Austin to Houston for decades now.

Keep up the good work, Texas Monthly!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Enchubben said:

I live on the NW side and maybe some of this is still pandemic WFHish, but what could have been an hour long commute 5 years ago, is now about 30 minutes since 290 has been completed. And then if you figure most professionals will likely be moving towards a semi remote work place, it just isn’t that big of a deal.

Timely article:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austinites-you-have-permission-to-move-to-houston/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Web+Social&utm_content=AustinitestoHouston&fbclid=IwAR1lRXN1_SE8mRI-SNVvxmmIpLenP1FolNZUkr4H8b1qVFiRnJzNYXlaQJI

   Naw man, you guys can have it! It's just a matter of time before the traffic is back. It's not just the freeways either. The roads are packed. Going to the grocery store is an event. I just can't do it anymore.

  As far as inside the loop goes, too much danger in the vicinity for this father of a pretty daughter. You can have a Mansion off of Friar Tuck and in 5 mins drive to an area that's sketch. This isn't Austin where all the nice hoods are in a row. Houston proper is pockets of good next to pockets of bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

   Naw man, you guys can have it! It's just a matter of time before the traffic is back. It's not just the freeways either. The roads are packed. Going to the grocery store is an event. I just can't do it anymore.

  As far as inside the loop goes, too much danger in the vicinity for this father of a pretty daughter. You can have a Mansion off of Friar Tuck and in 5 mins drive to an area that's sketch. This isn't Austin where all the nice hoods are in a row. Houston proper is pockets of good next to pockets of bad.

My preferred nomenclature is “hood adjacent”

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



   We live in Friendswood, a little burb no one knows about. It's locked in by Pearland to north and west. Alvin to the southeast, League City to the south and southeast, and Clear Lake to the east. It has nowhere to grow. There are no apartments that allow children. The median household income is where the Woodlands is. The schools are always in the top of the Houston metro area, usually 1 or 2. It only has one high school and one Jr high, so it has a bit of a small town feel to it, and doesn't quite feel as soulless as some here suggest.
   As a dude who cut his teeth in some of the worst hoods in the US, it's nice to be on the polar opposite of what I knew.




   Naw man, you guys can have it! It's just a matter of time before the traffic is back. It's not just the freeways either. The roads are packed. Going to the grocery store is an event. I just can't do it anymore.
  As far as inside the loop goes, too much danger in the vicinity for this father of a pretty daughter. You can have a Mansion off of Friar Tuck and in 5 mins drive to an area that's sketch. This isn't Austin where all the nice hoods are in a row. Houston proper is pockets of good next to pockets of bad.


Man, I always knew you were bougie.


Joking



  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I first visited Houston in the early 70's. Most of my time was spent around the Port. As a kid it stuck me as some magical place where people all over the world came to visit. The Astrodome and Oilers didn't hurt. As the years went by and I spent more time there I began to see the suckage. It was sometime in the late 80's when things went full shit the bed. Now, Houston is just another East Coast port city overrun with vermin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Thatguy said:

   Naw man, you guys can have it! It's just a matter of time before the traffic is back. It's not just the freeways either. The roads are packed. Going to the grocery store is an event. I just can't do it anymore.

  As far as inside the loop goes, too much danger in the vicinity for this father of a pretty daughter. You can have a Mansion off of Friar Tuck and in 5 mins drive to an area that's sketch. This isn't Austin where all the nice hoods are in a row. Houston proper is pockets of good next to pockets of bad.

The good inside the loop neighborhoods have private armed security.  It is safe.  The Seal Security guy with a K9 friend -- he drives by my house 10 times a day.  Shit damn near every evening he parks in front of it for 20-30 minutes.

I am in Afton Oaks.  We used to have pretty routine burglaries.  Burglars would knock on the door.  If no one answered, they go around back and break in.  Ever since we switched from off duty HPD officers, who you would never see, to Seal, who is constantly on patrol, burglaries have pretty much completely stopped.  It is a pretty small neighborhood -- 500 or so homes -- so having 24 hour armed security that constantly patrols has helped out tremendously.

You are very safe in River Oaks, West U, Southside Place, Memorial, Tanglewood, Bellaire, Heights, and plenty of other smaller neighborhoods.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Willowbend and most of Meyerland and Westbury (east of Renrick for Meyerland and east of Hillcroft for Westbury) are perfectly safe too. There's plenty of good neighborhoods in and around the loop. 

Of course flooding is a problem for most of Meyerland and parts of Westbury. That's mostly thanks to the Katy prairie being paved over for shitty suburbs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The good inside the loop neighborhoods have private armed security.  It is safe.  The Seal Security guy with a K9 friend -- he drives by my house 10 times a day.  Shit damn near every evening he parks in front of it for 20-30 minutes.
I am in Afton Oaks.  We used to have pretty routine burglaries.  Burglars would knock on the door.  If no one answered, they go around back and break in.  Ever since we switched from off duty HPD officers, who you would never see, to Seal, who is constantly on patrol, burglaries have pretty much completely stopped.  It is a pretty small neighborhood -- 500 or so homes -- so having 24 hour armed security that constantly patrols has helped out tremendously.
You are very safe in River Oaks, West U, Southside Place, Memorial, Tanglewood, Bellaire, Heights, and plenty of other smaller neighborhoods.

The average home prices in those neighborhoods is likely $400k if not more.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

Of course flooding is a problem for most of Meyerland and parts of Westbury. That's mostly thanks to the Katy prairie being paved over for shitty suburbs.

I thought Meyerland has always flooded. Definitely Bellaire Blvd/ Holcombe Blvd and definitely Braeswood and Chimney Rock in Meyerland.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Thatguy said:

   We live in Friendswood, a little burb no one knows about. It's locked in by Pearland to north and west. Alvin to the southeast, League City to the south and southeast, and Clear Lake to the east. It has nowhere to grow. There are no apartments that allow children. The median household income is where the Woodlands is. The schools are always in the top of the Houston metro area, usually 1 or 2. It only has one high school and one Jr high, so it has a bit of a small town feel to it, and doesn't quite feel as soulless as some here suggest.

   As a dude who cut his teeth in some of the worst hoods in the US, it's nice to be on the polar opposite of what I knew.

Friendswood here too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the goal is to live in a major city with amenities, have a safe neighborhood and great schools then it's going to cost a large amount of money to buy.  Inner Loop (which is not defined by every square inch within 610) is expensive and many choose private schools. Of course, most of the people that live in the loop do not have kids, so we aren't the slightest bit interested in making central Houston be like Cypress.

I feel bad for a middle class family wants to live in Central Houston but there isn't enough land for everyone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/19/2021 at 2:35 PM, Stunns38 said:

Whilst driving to Galveston last Friday, my 7-year old had a stomach attack. So, we had to exit off the first stop on 610. Stopped at a hood ass gas station. Then a wreck happened so GPS detoured us through 5th ward on Lockwood to 45. Would not do again…and I lived on the south side of Chicago for years. I did buy a scratch off and won $100 so that was a positive.

74f9a80ec6514640f6fe362555ff3411.png

Just west of 69 in that area is all being gentrified starting with light rail. On another note, familiar with area since there's a place where we go that the Daytripper dude suggests (damn good seafood po boy and catfish).

 

http://www.nickelsandwichgrill.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just west of 69 in that area is all being gentrified starting with light rail. On another note, familiar with area since there's a place where we go that the Daytripper dude suggests (damn good seafood po boy and catfish).
 
http://www.nickelsandwichgrill.com/

I have only had the bbq baked potato. Was pretty good, but not special.

The area west of 59 is pretty far west. Jensen has a loooong way to go.
Link to comment
Share on other sites



×
×
  • Create New...