I try to avoid I-635 in north Dallas because it’s under construction. I also try to avoid malls at Christmas time because there’s too many people.

So, you can imagine my dismay when I needed to meet Joe Straus, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, at the Westin in the Galleria last week.

I became increasingly anxious. Was there another way from Arlington to the Galleria that didn’t involve the LBJ Freeway? I needed to get to the hotel by noon; how early should I leave? Would my journey someday become part of a Ken Burns documentary with a raspy-voiced fellow reading my correspondence over the grizzled whine of a violin?

Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. The lanes feel like they’re two feet wide, but everyone was still going 80 miles an hour. I think it’s a testament to the driving skills of all north Texans that there isn’t a 20 car pile-up in the construction zone every day.

At one point, I did find myself hollering at some guy in front of me to get out of the left lane while “Silent Night” was playing on the radio.

“What an interesting dichotomy,” I thought to myself. “A song like that really puts things in perspective. In the grand scheme of things, this commute and this construction project really aren’t what really matters. Maybe I’ve let this stress get in the way of something greater. Maybe if we all just took a moment to think about what’s really important to us, we’d achieve a more peaceful–that sign says exit only! I am not letting you in!”

Once I got to the Galleria, the guys directing traffic were all wearing jumpsuits with Santa hats. They were doing an admirable job, but they looked frazzled and miserable. Listen, Galleria, Santa hats are only festive when the people wearing them are smiling. A guy wearing a Santa hat while he’s frowning is actually less festive than a guy frowning with no hat at all.