IronTiger Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 As most of you know, nearly all of the HAIFers live in Houston or a nearby suburb. I am not one of those people. I live in College Station, which, while "close enough" to Houston, is not really a suburb at all, despite the fact that many people from CS commute to Houston on a daily basis. I live in College Station because I go to school there (even though, technically, I am a legal adult). But I also visit Houston, too, for purposes of sightseeing, family, and other reasons. To say Houston is "pretty cool" is a bit of an understatement (well, not literally, everyone knows Houston is not very thermally cool at all, especially in the summertime).You, on the other hand, live in Houston. It's a highly functioning and diverse city, and I've even heard of some HAIFers not even leaving the inner loop. They have everyone they can need...their home, work, and the shops (Wal-Mart, HEB, Randalls, Target, etc.) and services (banks, clinics, nightclubs, etc.) to function. But there's also the "pull" factor. Why do you live in Houston? Well, there's your job, obviously, but think of it this way: would you like it if say, you got reassigned to L.A., Chicago, Dallas, or New York? Still a big city, with everything you need, with your job intact, but would it be the same?Probably not.The question here is "Why do you live in Houston?"Please discuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Original circumstance beyond my control - my parents came to Houston for school and, as far as I know, intended to return (to Portland OR) after. That never happened. Jobs seem to be the pull. School was going to be my out but I decided to stay. And I landed a job I love. I honestly have a love/hate relationship with Houston but I have never lived anywhere else. I'll move along eventually, but while I'm here I'll enjoy the things about it I like and try to change the things I hate. For those unchangeable things, there's always bitchin' up a storm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Work. And work alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Native Son Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Born and reared here, educated here, work here, and since most of my family has passed away, my wife's family keeps us rooted here, and I can't imagine living somewhere that did't have 100 degree summers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thStDad Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Work. And work alone.Ditto. Given the choice, I would not choose the hotness or the flatness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Moved here with my wife after college. Neither of us are from the Houston area. Like most we came here for a job. We stay because we have yet to encounter another city that makes big city living as accessible as Houston does. We get the diversity, the arts, the restaurants, etc all at an affordable price. And this is quite honestly the most live and let live city I've ever lived in. Are there dumb rednecks? Sure? But it's pretty easy to avoid them if you try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I live here b/c I got a job here after college. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porchman Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Mrs. Porchman....She was cute. She liked my shoes. (She's still cute, but she wants to intervene on the shoe choices). Our courtship could have been a great concept for Continental. The hub-to-hub romance flight. If only there were deals . One night she and I opened the atlas and looked at other locations in which we might live. "Expensive", "cold", and "regressive" were the recurring comments. We're here for the long haul. (Darn! I forgot to play MegaMillions! I need to keep my living seasonly dream alive.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Oddly enough, the reason that I live in Houston is that I didn't do any homework in French 2 during my sophomore year of high school. For that class, homework counted so much that my ability to make A's on tests didn't make up for not doing it. I had no clue at the time that UT and A&M each required two semesters of high school. By the time the problem was revealed to me, it was too late to take the class over again. So I graduated under the minimum program and basically narrowed my preferences to UH, Sam Houston State, or Stephen F. Austin State. UH was the best, so that's where I went.As for why I still live in Houston...well, one of the very underappreciated things about UH is that Houston's labor market allows students to make decent money and forego the traditional college experience. I was able to network professionally, develop a career, and actually make multiple real estate investments of my own. Those investments tie me down, and since I'm taking some accounting classes at HCC this semester, my status of a citizen of Houston is at least temporarily sealed. But if I get a good job offer elsewhere in Texas towards the end of the year, I'd probably take it (out of desperation, mostly). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoef Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Work. And work alone.yup same here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8S 4 LIFE Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Having travelled all over the States, the one and only reason that I have retained residence in Houston is the people. There is nowhere else quite like Houston when it comes to hospitality. One only has to go back a year to see just how quickly we pitch in to help each other in times of need. This is home, and this is where my heart is. In good times and bad, I am still "Houston Proud". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.J. Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I agree with Random. There aren't many cities in the U.S. where you can live affordably so close to rich cultural areas. The quality of restaurants and variety of cuisine here are amazing. And the people are courteous and friendly, which goes a long way. Since I'm not originally from here, I do feel depressed - or maybe embarrassed - each time I fly in and drive home from the airport. It reminds me of the sprawl, the billboards, the concrete, the haze - just the general unattractiveness of the city. I think, "God, why on earth do I choose to live here?" But I would have a hard time giving up my life in Houston. Plus, even after 10+ years, the lack of zoning continues to offer uniqueness that can't be found anywhere else. Where else can you drive down what appears to be a generic residential street and find such a strange range of architecture, history, cafes, stores, bars ... It's a real-life dreamscape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Because it's my home and I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Moved here with my wife after college. Neither of us are from the Houston area. Like most we came here for a job. We stay because we have yet to encounter another city that makes big city living as accessible as Houston does. We get the diversity, the arts, the restaurants, etc all at an affordable price. And this is quite honestly the most live and let live city I've ever lived in. Are there dumb rednecks? Sure? But it's pretty easy to avoid them if you try.Ditto except for the wife part. It starts off as a pragmatic decision, rather than moving to a city just because you love it. But once you get to know Houston you really begin to appreciate what it has to offer and love certain aspects of the city. I re-evaluate my choice of living in Houston every once and a while, but I stay here for the reasons Random mentioned and because the people here are just too nice. I don't see myself moving for awhile -- not until I either retire or encounter some life-changing event, like an incredible job opportunity somewhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmancuso Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 came here for work and school. would like to leave but the economy is pretty solid here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Reading these responses is like reading horoscopes: no matter which month you were actually born, any horoscope will fit. ...People are "nice" everywhere. People are also a-holes - everywhere. Including this city. "The people are nice" rationale is never really a valid reason to live anywhere - because it does not differentiate places, when it comes down to it. I don't care what magazines, etc that "rank" cities on something like this - they're idiots, as well as the people who believe those rankings. Same thing goes with restaurants, theaters, night life etc - any big city will have remarkably good venues. You chose the good places to go, and you avoid the bad. Cities give you those kinds of options... Let's move on to what really sets this city apart from many others: No zoning (and the mess we wallow in)... Weather that keeps property values down (if we had 68 or even 85 degree temps all year round, our homes would be double the value they are now) The smell of the East End/Ship Channel/Pasadena (I know, its the smell of "money") The ragin inferno, aka summertime. The good news is that all of this means a lower cost of living. Which means you can invest more. Which means you can get the hell out of here, sooner rather later, especially around retirement time... I hear a lot of Houston lover comments. But how much do you really love this city? Gonna retire here? You poor souls, those who do. The world is so much bigger than this place. Love it for what it is. Minus the lipstick, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Well jeez, Bryan, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. A hometown is what you make of it. Houston just makes it easier to do that than any of the nine cities I have lived in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Reading these responses is like reading horoscopes: no matter which month you were actually born, any horoscope will fit....People are "nice" everywhere. People are also a-holes - everywhere. Including this city. "The people are nice" rationale is never really a valid reason to live anywhere - because it does not differentiate places, when it comes down to it. I don't care what magazines, etc that "rank" cities on something like this - they're idiots, as well as the people who believe those rankings. Same thing goes with restaurants, theaters, night life etc - any big city will have remarkably good venues. You chose the good places to go, and you avoid the bad. Cities give you those kinds of options...Speaking from experience, people are not nice everywhere. I had the unfortunate experience of living in central Indiana for several years, and I found the people to be cold and distant. It felt like a cultural backwater coming from the east coast. Then when I moved to Houston, people were welcoming and accepting without any preconditions. It was not just my imagination. Sure, there are some a-holes in the mix, but I've never had a problem. Let's move on to what really sets this city apart from many others: No zoning (and the mess we wallow in)...Weather that keeps property values down (if we had 68 or even 85 degree temps all year round, our homes would be double the value they are now)The smell of the East End/Ship Channel/Pasadena (I know, its the smell of "money")The ragin inferno, aka summertime.The good news is that all of this means a lower cost of living. Which means you can invest more. Which means you can get the hell out of here, sooner rather later, especially around retirement time...I hear a lot of Houston lover comments. But how much do you really love this city? Gonna retire here? You poor souls, those who do. The world is so much bigger than this place.Love it for what it is. Minus the lipstick, please.Oh, please!! It's easy to pick apart any city into just the bad parts, and there aren't too many cities with 68 to 85 degree temperatures all year round. Maybe L.A. or San Diego, but they have their share of problems and deficiencies.In the right neighborhood, Houston is more than just bearable. It's actually quite enjoyable. Maybe Clear Lake just isn't the right place for you...I wouldn't want to live there either. This city is a much bigger place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Reading these responses is like reading horoscopes: no matter which month you were actually born, any horoscope will fit....People are "nice" everywhere. People are also a-holes - everywhere. Including this city. "The people are nice" rationale is never really a valid reason to live anywhere - because it does not differentiate places, when it comes down to it. I don't care what magazines, etc that "rank" cities on something like this - they're idiots, as well as the people who believe those rankings. Same thing goes with restaurants, theaters, night life etc - any big city will have remarkably good venues. You chose the good places to go, and you avoid the bad. Cities give you those kinds of options...Let's move on to what really sets this city apart from many others: No zoning (and the mess we wallow in)...Weather that keeps property values down (if we had 68 or even 85 degree temps all year round, our homes would be double the value they are now)The smell of the East End/Ship Channel/Pasadena (I know, its the smell of "money")The ragin inferno, aka summertime.The good news is that all of this means a lower cost of living. Which means you can invest more. Which means you can get the hell out of here, sooner rather later, especially around retirement time...The hot/humid weather doesn't seem to be an issue affecting property values or retirement trends in Florida (which, like Texas, has high property taxes). If you want to talk about weather adversely affecting desirability, we really need to talk about places like Buffalo, Detroit, Milwaukee, or Boston. There are very good reasons that the Sunbelt migration pattern is so prominent, and the region's namesake is one of them. (Another is air conditioning.)As for the comments about people being nice, all I can say is that I've heard so many times from so many different generations and nationalities of people who have spent time here and elsewhere that Houstonians (and Texans or southerners, generally) are much nicer that it's hard to ignore the perponderance of evidence. That does not mean that there are no nice people anywhere but here; nor does it mean that we have found a way to cull out the assholes. But it does seem like the ratio varies from city to city (or region to region) and we got the long end of the stick. I mean hell, when was the last time you heard someone comment on how many nice people there are in New York City?Houston has its problems (the flatness chief among them, IMO). That certainly does not mean that it is without its redeeming aspects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brerrabbit Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Born and raised here. Went to U of H for undergraduate degree, U of H Clear Lake for MBA. I lived in Canada for 1 1/2 years when a job sent me there. I have traveled extensively and seen a lot of other places and agree there are some really great places to live out there. But I always come home to Houston, and Texas. It seems my fate was sealed in 1834 when my ancestors chose to leave Ireland and head to Texas. I am a sixth generation Texan and despite all the reasons people give to not live here, I look past them all because this is my home and I will probably never leave it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 The objective reasons are that the cost of living is one of the lowest for a major city, and the job market is really strong, but really I'm just too chickenshit to move to a strange city. I'm quite sure Houston is not the best place to live/work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 It also depends on the type of job and what one uses as the basis for "low cost of living." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 We came for a job 10 years and 3 companies ago and stayed for the food and quality of life. I've had multiple opportunities to move to California, New York, DC and Florida but the cost of living here enables my wife to stay home with the kids. You can't get the mix of amenities, food, and cost of living anywhere else.Having spent the 10 years prior to HS graduation in Pensacola, I was already used to the climate. It is actually a little dryer here than I remember Florida being. I here a lot of comments about the heat, but the worst of it is only 3 or 4 months and even then the evenings are frequently pleasant. The rest of the year is extremely pleasant. I'll take that over 3 or 4 (or more) months of winter that some northern locales have. As for the flatness, I agree that it can be boring but on the other hand when we lived in Atlanta, we weren't able to find any houses with level lots. And, pretty geography impedes transportation. As much as people complain about traffic, Houston is not that bad when it comes to getting around since you usually have multiple routes you can take to get somewhere. Hilly places don't usually get as many options.As for retiring here, we haven't decided but I have noticed there are senior communities going up on the west side of town. Add to that the cheap and plentiful golf course living and the top notch medical care and I think you are going to see a lot more retirees coming here as the baby boom generation hits its senior years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Reading these responses is like reading horoscopes: no matter which month you were actually born, any horoscope will fit....People are "nice" everywhere. People are also a-holes - everywhere. Including this city. "The people are nice" rationale is never really a valid reason to live anywhere - because it does not differentiate places, when it comes down to it. I don't care what magazines, etc that "rank" cities on something like this - they're idiots, as well as the people who believe those rankings. Same thing goes with restaurants, theaters, night life etc - any big city will have remarkably good venues. You chose the good places to go, and you avoid the bad. Cities give you those kinds of options...Let's move on to what really sets this city apart from many others: No zoning (and the mess we wallow in)...Weather that keeps property values down (if we had 68 or even 85 degree temps all year round, our homes would be double the value they are now)The smell of the East End/Ship Channel/Pasadena (I know, its the smell of "money")The ragin inferno, aka summertime.The good news is that all of this means a lower cost of living. Which means you can invest more. Which means you can get the hell out of here, sooner rather later, especially around retirement time...I hear a lot of Houston lover comments. But how much do you really love this city? Gonna retire here? You poor souls, those who do. The world is so much bigger than this place.Love it for what it is. Minus the lipstick, please.So either you must be making a fortune living in Houston or you must be considered unemployable by the rest of the nation. Here's a thought... Maybe a lot of people actually like the weather most of the year in Houston. Maybe zoning means nothing to 99% of the population. Maybe people don't smell the ship channel in north, west, or south Houston. The negatives you mentioned are obviously not enough to keep people from moving to or staying in Houston - this includes you if you really do live in Houston.There are many things that set Houston apart from other cities, but for some reason you only choose to bring up the negatives. I don't get it. Why do people who can't find good reasons to live in Houston stay here. And I really can't understand how it is possible to dislike the city you live in and yet still have an interest in what goes on in it or care about it as you obviously do. It's evident by the number of post you have made at this website that you are interested in Houston. You're mudslinging doesn't add up.I mean, I wouldn't want to live in El Paso for whatever reason. So I wouldn't move there. If for some reason I was forced to live there at gunpoint or because of a great job or to be near family or something, I think I would probably be doing ANYTHING in my spare time EXCEPT going to a website that was dedicated to the city of El Paso. I probably wouldn't care if they were building towers, stadiums, shopping venue office parks or anything else. I'd probably be going to a website that was about something I liked. O wait, then I couldn't complain or argue - so how could that be fun, right?So more interesting than the question 'why do you live in Houston' would be 'why do you come to HAIF if you hate Houston?' It would be like being a red neck homophobe and only tuning into LOGO, and then going to their website to complain that there are too many gay shows on their network. Change the channel already. Logo is not the only channel on T.V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 So either you must be making a fortune living in Houston or you must be considered unemployable by the rest of the nation. Here's a thought... Maybe a lot of people actually like the weather most of the year in Houston. Maybe zoning means nothing to 99% of the population. Maybe people don't smell the ship channel in north, west, or south Houston. The negatives you mentioned are obviously not enough to keep people from moving to or staying in Houston - this includes you if you really do live in Houston.There are many things that set Houston apart from other cities, but for some reason you only choose to bring up the negatives. I don't get it. Why do people who can't find good reasons to live in Houston stay here. And I really can't understand how it is possible to dislike the city you live in and yet still have an interest in what goes on in it or care about it as you obviously do. It's evident by the number of post you have made at this website that you are interested in Houston. You're mudslinging doesn't add up.I mean, I wouldn't want to live in El Paso for whatever reason. So I wouldn't move there. If for some reason I was forced to live there at gunpoint or because of a great job or to be near family or something, I think I would probably be doing ANYTHING in my spare time EXCEPT going to a website that was dedicated to the city of El Paso. I probably wouldn't care if they were building towers, stadiums, shopping venue office parks or anything else. I'd probably be going to a website that was about something I liked. O wait, then I couldn't complain or argue - so how could that be fun, right?So more interesting than the question 'why do you live in Houston' would be 'why do you come to HAIF if you hate Houston?' It would be like being a red neck homophobe and only tuning into LOGO, and then going to their website to complain that there are too many gay shows on their network. Change the channel already. Logo is not the only channel on T.V.I disagree. If I lived in a place I didn't really like, I would be doing everything I could to find the interesting things going on in it, and new developments making it better, something, anything to break up the monotony. In fact, I don't like Houston for the most part: poor transit, poor bike infrastructure, lots of sprawl, heavy bigot quotient...but I'm damned sure going to try to make the best of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I disagree. If I lived in a place I didn't really like, I would be doing everything I could to find the interesting things going on in it, and new developments making it better, something, anything to break up the monotony. In fact, I don't like Houston for the most part: poor transit, poor bike infrastructure, lots of sprawl, heavy bigot quotient...but I'm damned sure going to try to make the best of it.We're definitely on the same page here.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I disagree. If I lived in a place I didn't really like, I would be doing everything I could to find the interesting things going on in it, and new developments making it better, something, anything to break up the monotony. In fact, I don't like Houston for the most part: poor transit, poor bike infrastructure, lots of sprawl, heavy bigot quotient...but I'm damned sure going to try to make the best of it.How exactly would you do that? Be careful, you might have to say something nice about Houston to make your point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 How exactly would you do that? Be careful you might have to say something nice about Houston to make your point.???What do you mean? You take an interest in the things you're most interested in, attend the events you're most excited about, support the venues and stores that suit you best, few and far between though they may be. There's a lot of crappy pizza places in Houston, but I'm happy to support Star Pizza and I'm sure many others have their own favorite place. Houston is really bad about historical preservation for the most part, so when I see an opportunity to scream at a developer like Weingarten for trying to tear down the River Oaks theater, well, I'm going to take that opportunity. You make the best of the situation you're in, even if you think that the place you live is generally culturally-limited and wrong-headed. I'm pissed that the city's bike infrastructure is so horrible, but I still ride in Critical Mass every month to promote cycling and cyclist awareness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 So either you must be making a fortune living in Houston or you must be considered unemployable by the rest of the nation. Good guess. Given what he does for a living (not gonna say), I'd imagine that he's actually pretty well unemployable outside of about a three-mile radius.Bryan, if you don't like Houston, you could always take some community college classes at San Jac and do a career change. ...just thought I'd put something out there a little more constructive and positive instead of perpetuating the flame war you're trying so hard to ignite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'm pissed that the city's bike infrastructure is so horrible not this again. where are you having trouble riding your bike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.