chelsea headingWOW! This new year has gotten off to a start with a rush and about as much as we can handle. The most important thing, for us in the USA, is the peaceful transfer of power. More on that later as this may be the most important story of them all. Here in Okieland we have had some weird weather...No-- excuse me, in Oklahoma weather is almost always weird. We have had temperatures almost to ‘0’ Fahrenheit and a couple of days later the temp is up to 70F. Then we had snow the next day.
Our governor applied for a job with the new Trump administration but they wouldn’t let her bring her house trailer so she didn’t get the position. Our own Oklahoma Attorney General has been picked to be head of the environmental agency. This is a good pick as Mr. Pruitt thinks nothing should be done by that agency so we can save a ton of money now by doing as little as possible. I know, I know, I said “No politics” in this column but I really, really like for our government to save money so this should be a good fit.
It is hard to believe but there have been numerous letters in the Tulsa World newspaper about the condition of roads in and around Tulsa. There is one turnpike which we drive often that is made to relax you. Fortunately we only go a few miles before we turn off that road or we could be in trouble. If one drives the speed limit this one stretch of road is built where it rocks your car every second or so. This rocking motion could easily lull a tired person to sleep and, of course, that may not be so good. We weak people who suffer easily from motion sickness finds this road to be uncomfortable but everyone else finds it interesting. And “yes” Billy, it is a rocking motion and I do not want to hear your lame joke about rolling.
If you have the proper imagination, Google “Tulsa crime 2017” and just scroll the different headers. There are some very interesting criminals in the Tulsa area and it is probable, although not likely, that one or two of them have more sense than a three day old possum. The lack of thought some of these criminals put into their crime is almost mind blowing. If, and as a principal I said similar things to many errant students sent to my office for rule breaking, “if you had put in as much effort to being a good citizen as you did breaking the rules, you would be very well off and have everything you needed and much of what you want.” Do you think these criminals would be embarrassed to know how many people laugh at them for their lack of intelligent thinking? Welcome to 2017 and you look great in stripes.
We are going to have a major ice storm which follows a 75F day. I have not been to the mall lately but I would bet your money that today you would have seen people with winter coats and young people in shorts. If I had a collaborator we could write a great book using Oklahoma and Oklahoma’s weather as the premise. Another change would be that certain writers would not have to drive a 15 year old car.
And then next week we are transferring power from one political party to another without a shot being fired or any assassinations. The peaceful transfer of power is not unique to the USA, however, the way we do it so successfully is like a shining beacon to a dark world. In just a very few days the outgoing president will sit on the stage and watch the incoming president take the Oath of Office. At the exact instant the incoming president repeats that promise he will become the most powerful man on the planet, even though the Russian dictator is close, and the outgoing president will lose all power and authority. No guns, no bullets, no riots, just a solemn ceremony. This is amazing for many reasons but in our case it is just ordinary politics. George Washington became the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797.
The incoming president will be the 45th man in that position and none of them has had a rebellious army to insert them into the position.Even though there have been some controversial administrations, we have continued in a peaceful and almost civilized manner.There are a few countries who have a similar system but most of them started with a royalty as head of government. We, the people, have always chosen our leader. So whether or not we like the new guy or like the old guy, we should celebrate that we have a system that has worked for 227 years. As Tiny Tim said, “God bless us everyone.”