Houston Basics

Hot. Humid. Non-existent dating scene.  (Unless you like 25-year old divorcees with two kids and the accompanying tattoo baggage.)

It's easy to summarize Houston on the surface.  Scratch a little deeper and it's more complex.

First the heat - this is nigh inescapable.  There are really six seasons in Houston: Early Summer (Late Feb-April), First Deep Summer (May-June), Hell Hath No Circle So Humid (July-Aug), Second Deep Summer (Sept), Late Summer (Oct- Early Dec), and Brief Respite (Late Dec- Early Feb).  Okay - so the heat (and humidity) are still easy to summarize - the nuances being in varying degrees of discomfort.

Fortunately, Texan air conditioning is military-grade and their technology on this front is about 15 years ahead of the rest of the U.S.  While it's needed throughout the state for the mercury, it's doubly useful here as it provides respite (indoors) from the brutal humidity.

The limited dating scene is a post (or series) of its own, so I'll leave that for later.

There are some positives to H-town (as locals like to call it) - a burgeoning restaurant scene, a (relatively - it's climbing rapidly) low cost of living, and prior to the oil price drop, a thriving economy.  It's a good place to work.  If you already have found your significant other for the mid-long term, it may even be a fun place to live and save up some cash at the same time.

Like any other city in the Western world, it seems to be overrun by hipsters or jersey-shore types (whom I've lately heard called 'dudebros'), particularly in Montrose and Midtown respectively.  While I couldn't abide either type before, they seem to have assimilated everyone (including some I call 'friend') borg-style.  At this point I've given up on disliking them - I'd have to dislike almost everyone. (I often feel like the sole uninfected person in some sort of horror flick.)  On the plus side hipsters have furthered craft beer and food (even if they've brought out atrocious fashion and annoying attitudes) and dudebros have popularized women getting boob-jobs (even if they've brought out atrocious fashion and annoying attitudes).

I guess you take the good with the bad - which is kind of the summary takeaway for Houston.

Preamble

I'm a (not-really) Yankee who's been transplanted to Houston for about the last couple of years.  What's a 'not-really' Yankee you ask?  Well, I lived in the Northeastern U.S. for a number of years... but I'm not really from there either.

At any rate, I've started this blog to primarily practice my writing skills, which have somewhat diminished over the years.  However, to be a little audience-friendly, this will take the format of reviews - of life in Houston, of my travels, entertainment (primarily movies), restaurants, etc.

I'll also sound off on my general observations about whatever enters my mind at a given time. (Like any blog, this will devolve into some navel gazing.  What did you expect?)  Fair warning - I'm classist, elitist, and generally opinionated as all get out.  I'm also accused of being a misogynist - which is not true - I'm actually a misanthrope.  (E.g. I'll rant against 'most women' but I usually have the same view of 'most men'.  My overall take is there are very few exceptional people - of either gender - in the world.)  That said, I still hold out hope for humanity (even if I won't admit it frequently), so this won't be a total downer.

Cheers,
Yankee