There are some very, ahem, unique things about Houston. It’s a totally different experience from living in Atlanta for sure. Below are a some of my observations about my new home state.
Patriotism. You can’t drive more than a 2 or 3 miles without seeing a flag. And please believe that wherever you see the American flag, you’ll see the Lone Star flapping proudly next to it. There’s a reason why everybody knows the phrase, “The Great State of Texas”. People here are Texans first, Americans second. Get with it or shut up.
The food. It’s EVERYWHERE. There must be 40 places to eat within a 2 mile radius of our house, and that’s a lowball estimate. And they take their meat seriously here. You can’t go two blocks without seeing a barbecue or burger joint. Fortunately, there are also a good number of gym chains, no doubt in response to the growing tide of gluttony.
The men. Yes, I’m married (and happily so!) but I still get hit on.* And as a person who likes aesthetically pleasing surroundings, let me tell ya there’s a lot of eye candy around here! They’re taller (sorry but tall men in Georgia are in short supply**), muscular (must be all that Grade A beef), and know how to talk to a woman. By that I mean, they’re polite and full of compliments. Not in a sleazy way, but in a “we appreciate women” way. Husband says that over here, guys figure out that talking to a Texas woman the wrong way could you slapped in the face so they come correct. HA! Atlanta is a totally different story. There male/female ratio is skewed in the men’s favor and it’s diluting dating market. I keep saying I’m going to find Sunny a job here so she can move and land her a nice strapping Texas cowboy. LOL!
The weather. Texas (well, Houston at least) is not the dry desert that many people think it is. There is PLENTY of rain. And unlike the multiple flash thunderstorms that sweep across Georgia, often lasting an hour or less, rain in Houston is consistent. If the day starts out raining you’re probably stuck with it. One time in November it rained for 4 or 5 days straight :-/ And there’s humidity too, unfortunately, so rain doesn’t always mean that things cool off. I have yet to experience the legendary Texas summer heat, but I’m told it starts in a few weeks. O_O
Fences. Texans mean business about property lines. But given the fact that they have almost the same Stand Your Ground law as Florida, it’s helpful to have an obvious visual cue as to whether you’re on someone else’s property or not. Because otherwise, you could end up dead.
Lack of trees. There’s a good amount of grass and scrub brush, and a few palm trees, but no real trees in sight. The beautiful fall foliage is entirely absent from the landscape. On the other hand, that means pollen is minimal and I can breathe all 12 months of the year. I’ll take it. Who needs real trees when you’ve got screensavers?
Gas prices. Being in oil country means that gas is cheap! My jaw dropped when we crossed over the state line and I saw the price per gallon started with a “2”. GLORAAAYYYY! *\o/*
To be continued….