Possibly moving to houston (rental car, for rent, transfer)

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by brassylass

Second interview today for one of the job opportunities!

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I will hold off looking more until I can get there and get a local paper with rental listings since the apartments seem really expensive but horrible reviews or somewhat cheaper prices with horrible reviews.

Houston is an engineering town, I think you will like it once you get the job landed and settled there. Im a Chem Engineer who spent most of my career in Houston. Good luck with the interview

[brassylass]

Thanks John. A lot of people I knew in college ended up in TX or LA. I am a ChemE but do Environmental mostly. Kind of trying to get back into industrial environmental. I didn't want to move to TX originally when graduating but after living in the warmth of Orlando/Melbourne for 10 years, I really don't think I could move back north. Also, from everything I have read, Houston sounds like a very nice City.

[lhafer]

Depending on where you end up working, Kingwood might also be another option for you. It's a little further out, but my husband gets from our house (in Atascocita) to Downtown in about 35-40 minutes, and home in about the same amount of time (distance is about 35 miles one way). But Kingwood has lots of trees, tons of greenbelt trails, is a great community, has some shopping, does have a farmer's market (I've never been so can't comment on how it is), etc. It's probably somewhat lacking in the restaurant arena, as it's mostly chains. But still has good food. Also, Kingwood has the park and ride you can take into downtown as well, so it makes for an easy commute.

We like living on this side of town because he is a chemical engineer, and depending on his job, he can be stationed downtown (like for his current role), or he is at the refinery, which is on the east side of town. So we have to live in a location that can have a decent commute either way. Getting to the refinery from here (NE side) is also about 35-45 minutes.

[brassylass]

Kingswood seems quite far out. My work would probably be (if I get this job - fingers crossed) in Greens Bayou. Plus i do not see any yoga studios listed on Google maps east of houston and very few in central. There seem to be a lot west of houston.

[Glossa]

The Greens Bayou area is not the prettiest. There is an enormous landfill out there that caused my young child to say "WOW -- I didn't know there were mountains in Houston" the first time she saw it. Just wanted you to know what to expect.

[brassylass]

Well, I was not planning on living in Greens Bayou, just working.

[Johnhw2]

No problem, I began my career at a big refinery along the ship channel. A good friend and fellow golfer was a Chem Engr and worked his way into role of head of the environmental engineering area way back in the early 70's when that was not a common role. He testified before Congress on a variety of proposed new legislation. That lead to a career in DC where he worked on the the hill for Lloyd Bensen and got to write a number of key environmental legislation. Now he is a lobbyist for the industry... I say all this to point out how interesting a career one can find along the ship channel of Houston.

Kingwood is a good location for living as noted above but more a family centered lifestyle than what you described.


Good luck! Try the Heights I think it sounds more like your needs.

[brassylass]

I definitely will check it out if I make it there. I always find looking up things in an area helps me visualize me living and working some place.

I think maybe I would like to study environmental law or policy also, it was my initial plan. My last job did a lot of expert witness cases. It is amazing how so many people are somewhat ignorantly knowledgeable about industry. It is just evil to most without actually understanding it. Your friends path was interesting.

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by brassylass

I definitely will check it out if I make it there. I always find looking up things in an area helps me visualize me living and working some place.

I think maybe I would like to study environmental law or policy also, it was my initial plan. My last job did a lot of expert witness cases. It is amazing how so many people are somewhat ignorantly knowledgeable about industry. It is just evil to most without actually understanding it. Your friends path was interesting.

My friend and I attend law school at night, he was a collegiate debater of note and a word engineer so DC was a good fit. I agree with you about the industry being viewed over simplistically as evil. What you will see in Houston is just how important manufacturing of products to be sold across the map is to economic success. You will also experience a can do attitude and a positive outlook on the future and success being a given. Its all part of the can do engineering mind set that is very prevalent in Houston, more so than any city I have lived.

Good luck with the interview. I am retired now but still head hunt for people clients seek in the business although more upstream than refining/downstream now.

[brassylass]

Maybe I will have to think about night law school. Did you attend htat while in Houston?