Opinion

Come on, now. Things could be worse.

The 2023 Texas legislative session opened Jan. 10, with property taxes, gun control and the power grid expected to be among the top issues on the agenda.

As the new year rolls in, we really should do some rolling out. Rolling out the trash bins. I did that a in mid-2022 when I decided to retire from my tax preparation business. I turned the office into a guest room. But as I cleaned, I realized I had a lot more than just tax prep business in there. There were drawers full of old calendars, carbon copies of checks dating back to 1985, and lots and lots of books. Many of those books were bought during the time my husband was in college back in the 1960s. Many were about computer science. No one, except the Smithsonian Archaeological collection might be looking for a textbook on BASIC computer programming. So, I purged that ten by sixteen room. It took two weeks. I dusted shelves, went through paperwork, mopped the floor, and generally did an excellent job.

This is a “catch all” column of items intended for publication during 2022, but somehow didn’t make the cut. They are offered now, with few breaths remaining in the old year. So, here goes: The late Charles Uxer, longtime school superintendent and for several years director of the El Paso Educational Service Center, enjoyed visiting elementary classrooms.

Massive flight cancellations by Southwest Airlines during the Christmas holiday week are prompting the federal government to look into why thousands of travelers were left stranded across the country, along with huge piles of luggage in airports served by the beleaguered airline.

During the seven days between Christmas and New Years is a time of reckoning. It is a time of cleaning out closets to make room for the new sweaters and robes we received. It’s a time of eating that pile of chocolates left at the bottom of the stockings. It’s a time for soup making. It’s a time for making lists and planning last-of-the-year spending. It’s a time for reading with a hot cup of tea and a time for putting together toys. It’s a time of organizing and getting that last deep breath before the new year begins.

Less is heard about trains these days, particularly since the homegoing of Johnny Cash. He always loved train songs. Accounts of a single railroad car are even rarer, despite the jump start provided in 1930 by “The Little Engine That Could,” a children’s book.

I don’t often look over old columns, but the other day I came across one about the perfect Christmas. Keep in mind that column was written almost thirty years ago. Whether we like it or not, Christmas has changed, families have changed, and the media representation of a “family Christmas” is nothing like it was in 1992 or back in 1962 which was referenced in the column.

An arctic storm that swept through the state bringing low temperatures and high winds also affected roughly two-thirds of the country’s population, according to the National Weather Service, bringing the coldest Christmas in decades to parts of the country.

The intent of this piece is to provide comfort to folks who are hearing more than they want to hear. There is much noise in the world, some of it pushing Christmas carols--and other worthwhile sounds--to the side of the road.