My Life On The Move – Current Location: Houston

Does anyone know the difference between them?

I didn’t, not until today.

England - Only includes the southern part of Great Britain, the territory known as England.

Great Britain or Britain - The entire island off the coast of Western Europe, includes England, Wales and Scotland.

United Kingdom, fullname: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Britain and N. Ireland

There you go. Hope you find this piece of information useful.

One thing I miss about Malaysia? Other than the food, I miss its range of pirated DVDs. I have lost that privilege now.

Owning one original dvd here cost from $15.99 to $25.99 depending on the film. You can also purchase old movies from the dvd store for $4.99 (I bought Hide and Seek)

Since buying them are expensive, we rent DVDs for $4.49 each. Yup! I can own 2 pirated copies in Malaysia! The place I rent dvds, Blockbuster, has a movie package where I rent 2 dvds and get 2 bottles of coke and a pack of popping corn for $9.99.

This is what I got for the weekend!

This is the book for those who are hooked on the Romanovs. It’s very well written and the last days leading to the killing of Tsar Nicholas and his family was very well documented.

The book retells the events, through the eyes of Leonka, the kitchen boy to the Romanovs. http://www.sitestories.com/thekitchenboy/

The book does not just end there. It was said that 2 bodies were missing when they found the grave where the Romanovs and their helpers were buried. This book will tell you what happened.

I literally can’t put this book down. I learned a few words of Russian reading this book.

Truth or fiction? You decide.

Jerry is safe to be driven on US roads and is not emitting black smoke which is bad for the environment. Way to go Jerry!!!

Spring is here! Sun is out and flowers are blooming…

Flowers and plants, just what is lacking at home. Since we don’t have a garden at home, I thought I’ll create a cosy ‘garden’ area at the balcony for morning coffees or sun-downers. This was what I did 2 weeks ago.

The balcony overlooks the pool area, so it’s great sitting out there. I have 2 window planters with different types of plants at each side of the balcony. Each planter has some decorative rocks around it and a tea-light holder at each side (which I thought would be useful if we needed some light at night)

One the table I have a Spider plant. It’s a hardy plant and does not require much attention.

I planted this myself. I have some white decorative leaves and pink furry plants at the back row. Each side I have pink and violet Verbena (I think tiny flowers at the sides would look nice). The main flowers in this planter are Daisies and Magnolias.

(At time of writing, Daisy isn’t doing too well. I think I have not been watering them well enough. I hope Daisy will survive. White leave and pink furry thing is growing.)

I picked the plants but the guy at the nursery planted this for me. I picked red Geranium (far left), Begonias and Miniature Roses.

(Geranium is doing very well and has been blooming. Rose is ok, just that alot of it fell off last week when a storm came. It will bloom more flowers again, am sure)

Adam and I love this new spot. I normally spend the evening out there with a book. Adam would join me with a drink when he gets home from work.

Like in Msia, we have to renew our car insurance annually in the US. Once renewed you get a sticker similar looking to our road tax, and it has to be displayed on the windscreen.

There’s no road tax in US (thankfully!) but it’s required by law that your vehicle is sent for a state inspection annually. Inspection includes a comprehensive safety inspection and emissions test and it cost $39.50. Once you passed the test, you get another sticker.

Tyres on my car are worn out. So I got all 4 changed today. After spending $420 on the tyres I thought it’s in tip-top condition for an inspection. Guess what? JERRY FAILED!

2 reasons:
a) Light at the number plate is not working (I didn’t notice that and didn’t think it was a freaking problem at all)
b) The Jeep’s main belt is badly cracked (dangerous!!!)

I have to get that 2 fixed tomorrow and a reinspection so that I get a sticker before my current one runs out end of this month.

I am a proud owner of a Grand Cherokee Laredo 5.2L V8 Jeep (for about 1 and half months now). It’s black and cool!

It’s nicknamed Jerry the Jeep by the previous owner (Temara, who is a friend of ours) but Adam prefers calling the jeep J-Lo (for some obvious reasons which does not require much explanation).

Jerry the Jeep (or J-LO) came all the way from Canada. Temara bought Jerry when she was transfered to Canada from Australia. Jerry has then stayed in Canada and subsequently moved to Utah, when Temara got a transfer there. Soon, with another transfer, Jerry came to Houston.

It has been a long way for Jerry, but I believe fate has brought us together. Jerry (or J-Lo depends who is driving it) has lots of space in it and is our frequent ride to the airport (cos Adam’s car can’t fit a decent sized cargo luggage… hehe).

With Jerry, I could see the roads better and chances of getting bullied would be much lower. People here are crazy drivers. They drive fast in their huge 4×4 or trucks and they could just cut into your lane whenever (somewhat like Malaysia, but more scary). These crazy people in their huge trucks most often would disregard Adam’s type car and would stop really close behind cos either they don’t give a shit or they don’t notice the car being there.

Jerry is also our reliable ride when we go shopping. We can buy anything from food, to hardware, to plants and we don’t have to worry about getting it dirty or scratched (Adam’s very careful with where we are going and what we are going to buy if we went in his precious)

So what does Adam drive? ….

Nissan 350z 3.5L 6cyl 6M

We don’t have a name for it, but it’s our reliable ride to fancy dinners, night out in the city or a drive over to our friends’. It’s also Adam’s quick ride to work.

I have recently joined a ‘club’. Name: Schlumberger Spouse Association (SSA)

What is that? SSA is a global, voluntary, social association of Schlumberger spouses (ahem… not quite spouse yet, but they accept partners too…)

Objectives of SSA:

• The SSA aims to help all Schlumberger spouses and families to adapt and integrate to their environment.
• The SSA seeks to foster a sense of fellowship and create a sustainable network amongst all spouses and partners.

Basically this is a team of women who does not have much to do. Therefore they meet up so very often to keep themselves occupied (and start bitching once they make friends)

SSA has a bunch of activities planned. Weekly activities:

• Mondays and Thurdays – Belly Dancing classes
• Wednesdays – Mahjong for adults or Play Group for kids

Monthly activities

• Wine Tasting Trip
• Bunco
• Lunch Bunch (meet up for lunch and wine and chat the day away)
• Tennis and Lunch
• Morning Coffee Sessions
• International Cooking Demo
• Bowling

There are Special Outings as well, varies every month but some examples are

• Antique Shopping
• Pistol Shooting
• Wine 101 Course

Sounds interesting? I have only been to 1 morning coffee session so far. It is fun meeting people from other country. You learn where they are originally from, where they have been posted to and how they cope with moving, especially with kids.

The women I met were really nice, friendly and welcoming. I guess they are welcoming and hospitable because they know how it feels being new to a country without many friends, and they are friendly because that’s the only way for them to build a network of friends! I guess this is a good way for me to meet more people and have some of my own friends, as currently my friends are really friends of Adam’s.

I got an invitation to a Newcomers Coffee session next week. It’s a session to welcome me (and other new members or those new to Houston) to SSA and Houston. I believe I will meet more spouses then and will keep you posted on the outcome of this coffee session.

Cheers!

My closest and dearest friends (and sister) knew exactly what I was going through when Adam was informed that he’ll be transferred to Houston. I am thankful that things turn out for the better.

2 months before I left Malaysia, I was busy packing and deciding what to bring over. I had to resign from a job which I had for 5 years and pass my work on to another colleague. I have CNY and parties to look forward to. I have to attend Hui Ling’s Hen’s Nite. I need to spend time with my family and friends. I was excited with my move and was looking forward to all the activities in my calendar.

2 weeks before I have to leave, it finally hit me. I am leaving soon. I am going to leave my family and friends, move to the other side of the globe, for what I think would be happiness for me. I believe then I had the pre-marital jitters! (and I am not even getting married yet)

My move in seek of happiness with Adam would mean: -

• I will miss most CNY
• I will miss the weekly dinners I have with my sisters
• I will miss driving back to Ipoh to visit my parents
• I will miss not having a sister to bug, or help me with something
• I will miss the weekly TCs
• I will miss the parties, the private parties and the invites to happening parties
• I will miss having a friend to chat with whenever I feel like it
• I will miss all the fun convo my TCG mates have on MSN (alot of bull, but it’s alot of laughs)
• I will miss most birthdays, weddings, new birth…etc
• I will miss my girl friends and our girls’ nite out
• I will miss my lunch mates at work (though I am sure I will not miss work)
• I will miss the juicy gossips

(and the list goes on…)

I said many goodbyes and shed many tears. I told my friends, this is not really goodbye. It’s see you later or goodbye for now or til we meet again…

2 months on… I am enjoying my days in Houston with Adam. I am happy, but that does not mean I do not miss you, and you, and you… (and you know who you are)

*Wish I was there or you were here sometimes*

Yup! I have officially stayed in Houston for slightly more than 2 months now. Should have started blogging much earlier (as I have promised a few dear friends), but I have not gotten around doing it cos I have been busy. With what? Erm… settling in? Getting a car? Being lazy? Spending time doing nothing?

I get asked very often "What’s Houston like?" or "How’s Houston?" or "What is there to do in Houston?" So I thought I’ll list some interesting facts about Houston.

Hous•ton -> Pronunciation: (hyOO’stun)

• The City of Houston is the fourth largest city in the nation and the largest city in the south/southwest.
• Houston is reportedly the most air-conditioned place on the earth. The climate is classified as marine or semi-tropical.
• More than 60 primary languages other than English are spoken in the homes of Houston Independent School District students.
• The Port of Houston is the second-largest port in the United States in total and foreign tonnage. It ranks eighth worldwide.
• Major Industries – where cotton was once king, now Houston relies on the energy, petrochemical, medical and space industries. Houston has become a major center of applied technology.
• Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, with a local economic impact of $10 billion. More than 52,000 people work within its facilities, which encompass 21 million square feet. Altogether 4.8 million patients visit them each year.
• Home to NASA Johnson Space Center, focal point for U.S. manned space flight program.
• Officially, Houston is nicknamed the "Space City" as it is home to NASA. Many locals, however, prefer to call it the "Bayou City." Other nicknames include "H-Town," "Clutch City," and "Magnolia City."
• Houston has a Theater District second only to New York City in terms of a concentration of seats in a single geographic area. Located downtown, the 17-block Theater District is home to eight performing arts organizations with more than 12,000 seats. Houston is one of only a handful of cities to boast resident companies that perform 12 months a year in all four performing arts: ballet, opera, symphony and theater, including the Tony Award-winning Alley Theater.
• Unexpected museums in Houston include: The Cockrell Butterfly Exhibit at the Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Health & Medical Science, the Children’s Museum, the Menil Collection and the Holocaust Museum Houston.
• Houstonians eat out more than residents of any other city. (which explains why they are obese!!!)
• Houston is home to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The largest rodeo in the world, it attracts more than 1.8 million visitors each year.
• Home to 18 Fortune 500 companies and more than 5,000 energy related firms, Houston is considered by many as the Energy Capital of the world. Companies headquarted in Houston include Halliburton, ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil Corp and Dynegy.
• Houston has the most affordable housing of 10 most populated metropolitan areas
• Houston has the second lowest cost of living among major American cities.
• The first word spoken from the moon on July 20, 1969 was Houston.
• In Houston it is illegal to sell Limburger cheese on Sunday.
• Houston has two Chinatowns, as well as the third largest Vietnamese American population in the United States
• Houston has the largest concentration of gay and lesbian (or LGBT) population in Texas—one of the largest in the country. The annual gay pride parade—one of the largest events in Houston—is held in June commemorating the struggle for gay liberation, gay rights, gay pride, and the Stonewall riots of the late 1960s in New York City. (am so looking forward to this)

Ok, enough of boring facts. Will soon post more interesting things I did. Just started blogging and am still finding my way around.