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Click play to hear Judge Beau Miller of the 190th Judicial District Court in Harris County, and get ready to re-elect him!

A civil courtroom is where everyday life collisions turn into legal deadlines: car wrecks, contract disputes, land fights, expunctions, injunctions, and the business cases that keep a city’s economy moving. We’re joined by Judge Beau Miller of the 190th Civil District Court in Harris County for a plainspoken look at what his job actually demands, how a weekly docket works, and why a “normal” week can mean nonstop motion hearings plus long jury trial days.

We also talk about the part voters rarely see: judicial infrastructure. Harris County’s population growth keeps piling onto a limited number of civil courts, and that backlog has a cost. When cases drag on, families stay stuck, businesses can’t get closure, and access to justice becomes access to waiting. Judge Miller breaks down the funding reality in Texas courts, why counties shoulder so much of the operational expense, and what solutions like additional courts, courthouse space, and associate judges can (and can’t) do.

Along the way, we hit the human side of judging, including what it means to apply the law equally, how stereotypes fail in real life, and why public service keeps pulling people toward work that pays less than private practice. We close with practical voting tips for local elections, how to research ballot propositions, and where to find reliable election logistics like polling locations and line times.

If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a friend who wants to understand the courts, and leave a review so more Houston voters can find it.

For more information: https://www.judgebeaumiller.com/

https://www.harrisvotes.com/

Josh Wallenstein for Texas House District 133

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We hope you will listen often.

For more information, visit our website 22sides.com

Let us know what you think by clicking here to send us a text.

A live stage can do what a thousand “be positive” posts never will: hold real stories without rushing to fix them. We’re joined by Peyton Welch, a registered drama therapist and co-creator of Storytelling Empowers, plus poet Alex Jay Hurtado, to talk about a community show in Conroe, Texas, where people share their mental health journeys through artistic expression. Think poetry, monologues, drama therapy, music, and a new element this year: sound therapy that invites the room to slow down and breathe.

We also take an unexpected but important detour into libraries, rare books, and the wave of book bans that threatens critical thinking and lived narratives. Protecting stories is not abstract when you’re safeguarding archives, fighting censorship, or trying to make sure the next generation can still find language for who they are. From “brain health” as a stigma-reducing frame to the way a quiet audience processes vulnerability, we dig into why storytelling is both personal and political, and why connection after the pandemic takes practice.

If you’re in Texas, Storytelling Empowers happens October 24th, 2026 at the Owen Theatre, 225 Metcalf Street, Conroe, TX 77301, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., with tickets via the link on storytellingempowers.com. We also point to support options like Mosaics for help finding therapy, plus the 988 Lifeline or Trevor Project call or text support when you need a professional to listen. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave us a review, then tell us: what story are you finally ready to say out loud?

@alexjayhurtado

@storytellingempowers

Josh Wallenstein for Texas House District 133

Support the show

We hope you will listen often.

For more information, visit our website 22sides.com

Let us know what you think by clicking here to send us a text.

You can learn a lot about a city by what it throws away and what its artists rescue. We’re joined by Houston sculptor and fabricator Patrick Renner, whose work turns curbside wood, teardown leftovers, and architectural scraps into bright, massive pieces that feel both playful and historic. We talk about why art can be a lifeline when the world feels rough, and how “creating through the feels” becomes a real practice instead of a slogan.

Patrick walks us through his relationship with found materials, why color is a driving force in his compositions, and what changes when you build for the street instead of a white-wall gallery. We dig into Funnel Tunnel, the logistics of working at scale, his current showings at Foltz Fine Art Gallery and more! Fulcrum is a business Patrick and fellow artist own that supports other artists by fabricating ambitious projects and welcomes commissions! We also get honest about how artists balance deadlines, relationships, and the fear that comes with going all-in.

From there, we zoom into Houston’s ecosystem: Mystic Lion community builds, the joy of collaborative making, and simple ways to look at abstract art without feeling like you have to “get it right.” If you’re curious about collecting, we share what it’s like to live with art, why commissions can surprise you, and how small decisions like lighting and placement change everything. Stick around for Houston recommendations like the Orange Show, the Silos, Redbud Gallery, and more, plus a practical gallery habit that helps you stay in the loop.

If you enjoy conversations about the Houston art scene, public art, upcycling materials, and how artists actually work, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

For more information:

https://www.patrickrennerarchive.com/about

https://www.instagram.com/mysticlyonhtx/

https://www.fulcrumhtx.com/about

https://foltzgallery.com/artist/patrick-renner

https://sevensisters.gallery/artists/54-emily-peacock/

Support the show

We hope you will listen often.

For more information, visit our website 22sides.com