New Job in North Houston

[Titan4x4Aggie]

I just accepted an offer with FMC Energy Systems in North Houston (I45 & Beltway 8). I start on March 28.

No more NASA for me

(those are tears of joy)

Anyone want to help me install my PRG 1.75" levels when i get up there? Dont want to piss off the new apartment management!

[HavockWK]

Come on up boy! I been wondering what kind of company FMC is. I have also heard that working at NASA isn't all it's cracked up to be.

[Titan4x4Aggie]

NASA is nothing but paperwork, slowdowns, and very little engineering -- it's all politics, penis envy, and power trips.

I will be working on Subsea Wellhead Design, where I get to design, analyze, oversee the manufacturing of, and test my designs. fun stuff. I have heard they are a great company to work for, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Next task at hand: move up there. Luckily I have a Titan. Unluckily, my hitch wont fit because the exhaust is in the way. Time to see the muffler shop...again.

[HavockWK]

So where are you moving to? You going to be more towards Gunspoint, err I mean Greenspoint, or Willowbrook? That is of course assuming you want to stay close to the Beltway.

[mikegronholz]

Cover my gas from Dallas and I'll help

[Cajunguy]

HHHMMM - FMC Energy Systems - wonder if that's the one at the corner of Gears Road and TC Jester?????

Anyways, if that's the one, look for the '04 Galaxy 4x4 LE King Cab in the parking lot when you get there - the one with the PRG kit and the 3" Body Lift Kit on it - I hear there's a really cool guy that drives that truck......HEHEHE

PM for more info

[Cajunguy]

Originally Posted by Titan4x4Aggie

NASA is nothing but paperwork, slowdowns, and very little engineering -- it's all politics, penis envy, and power trips.

I will be working on Subsea Wellhead Design, where I get to design, analyze, oversee the manufacturing of, and test my designs. fun stuff. I have heard they are a great company to work for, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Next task at hand: move up there. Luckily I have a Titan. Unluckily, my hitch wont fit because the exhaust is in the way. Time to see the muffler shop...again.

Ripley's for Exhaust - corner of FM1960 and Kuykendahl.......

[Titan4x4Aggie]

awesome, thanks for the advice. i'll stop off there and have a co-worker pick me up, assuming they can do this in one day.

doesn't seem like that hard of a job, and I would hope that the titan has some pre-bent tubes out by now. hopefully this will cost less than $75 to do.

yeah, i'm going to be a the facility off of gears road.

i have the crown stainless brake lines, and the PRG 1.75" level waiting to be installed, just a matter of time and a good place to do it (apartment managers aparently dont like seeing cars on jack-stands with no wheels on them...)

are you an engineer there? i'll be working under Shiva, if you are familiar with him. My buddy's name that works there is Jereme.

- Mike

[Titan4x4Aggie]

Originally Posted by Cajunguy

'04 Titan Galaxy LE KC 4x4
Off Road & Big Tow Packages
Build Date: 06/14/04
Buy Date: 06/25/04
************************
Wade In-channel Vent Visors
PRG's Leveling Kit
P/A 3" Body Lift Kit
Bushwacker Fender Flares
Billet Grille
MagnaFlow Single Side Exit

you have any pictures of this beast???

[Cajunguy]

Pics are in my photo gallery here somewheres - I'll PM the other info. on FMC, so that these guyz and gurlz don't have to read through all that BS!!!!!

And BTW, I'd be happy to pick you up at Ripley's, since I drive by there most mornings anyways - let me know if you decide to do it there, 'cause I'll make a copy of my invoice, and you'll get a 10% referral discount.....

[Gladius]

Originally Posted by Cajunguy

Ripley's for Exhaust - corner of FM1960 and Kuykendahl.......

Eh, they're expensive, try the mineke behind ripleys next to the firestone auto place.

[Cajunguy]

Maybe, but they're reputation is impeccable, and when it comes to brakes and exhaust, you really DO get what you pay for, IMHO.

[VShortt]

Originally Posted by Cajunguy

Maybe, but they're reputation is impeccable, and when it comes to brakes and exhaust, you really DO get what you pay for, IMHO.

I couldn't agree more. I have had too many exhaust systems installed by too many of the wrong people. I will never make that mistake again.

[the head]

Originally Posted by Titan4x4Aggie

NASA is nothing but paperwork, slowdowns, and very little engineering -- it's all politics, penis envy, and power trips.

I'll take that with a grain of salt from someone who worked there less than a year vice the 9 years I've been here. There is plenty of real engineering going on. I'm partially responsible for the "slowdowns" because not doing so would have resulted in failed testing with a flawed design and a waste of tax dollars. Politics, envy, and trips? Yeah OK - the real world ain't much different outside the gate because I started in petro-chem and did that for 4 years prior to working at NASA. I don't know what job you landed yourself in with LockMart (and then the absolute cluster that is Jacobs - I left that outfit too), but I can say you're speaking for yourself and definitely not me.

I hope your new job works out for you because you're a decent fellow. Good luck!

[Titan4x4Aggie]

Well, I ended up leaving and started working here at FMC Technologies on March 28. I am working in Subsea CTG (core technology group) Engineering, and I got my first project working on R&D and production for a new wellhead system.

Yeah, it might sound boring compared to a space shuttle, but after only 1 1/2 weeks here at work, I've gotten to work with Unigrafix, Microstation, FMC's information management system, been to a real 4-day training session with some sort of structure.

I've done more technical stuff in the past week & 1/2 here at FMC than I did for 9 months at NASA. I have nothing against NASA, they just underpay and fail to really utilize or appreciate the talent they have working there. I recruit smart, fresh engineers from college and use them for "flight processing" paper work.

Also, because it is government work, the work ethic at NASA seems to be rather weak. Continue slow-downs and breaks in work due to paperwork nit-pickiness and quality assurance / engineering inconsistencies forces people to get used to "kill time" in the internet and a social gatherings.

The excessive amount of paperwork also results in huge division of labor and 2+ meetings each day just to coordinate everything, again taking away from time to do work.

I've seen more accomplished here at FMC in one day than what happens in one week at NASA. It's a shame, but that's how things seem to go with government. When there isn't money to be made but rather spent from a budget, then the process slows to a crawl to make sure the money is "correctly" used.

In short, I'm enjoying FMC so far. We'll see how things turn out though in a few months.

I have my lease until June 20ish, so I'll be communting until then from Clear Lake. The drive really isn't that bad, but the gas is killer ($300+ per month). Although traffic today was rough.

Cajunguy: I saw your TITAN. Looks good! I'm really tempted to get some fender flares for my truck.