A couple of items this week as the 56th Utah Legislature ends its first five days of work in its new facilities behind the Capitol Building.

Lack of space in the House Chambers was one reason that newly installed Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. took most of the legislators south to Fillmore, giving his first State of the State address in the historic Territorial Statehouse on Tuesday night.

While there was some opposition to the six-hour round trip, I must say that Huntsman's address was relatively short, simply spoken and articulate.

Those of us who watch State of the State addresses through the years (I first watched a State of the State address in person in 1981) have gotten used to former Gov. Mike Leavitt's style — big ideas, big delivery and always a human prop.

(One year, former Jazz center Mark Eaton delighted the crowd by walking out from behind the old House Chambers to stack up thick federal government approving documents 9 feet high as Leavitt said the federal government is too intrusive in state requirements.)

I liked Huntsman inaugural address, too, equally short and to the point.

There is a bit of awkwardness to what Huntsman and legislators have been doing the past days. That's to be expected.

Huntsman is, of course, new to his job.

Running for governor is a lot different than being governor, I've been told.

Huntsman seems to like staged events, with TV cameras present and a short speech, too.

But I've also met with him in smaller groups. He is relaxed with the media, often not using the large vocabulary you see in public. He says things like: "I like that kind of stuff."

You don't see the word "stuff" in inaugural and State of the State addresses.

Part of the awkwardness, however, is functioning in the new crowded facilities in the House and Senate.

The media, public and lobbyists sit in small galleries off the House and Senate chambers.

While hearing rooms are also new, some are smaller than those in the Capitol.

For example, the House GOP caucus, which meets at noons Tuesdays and Thursdays, will be open to the public most of the time, leaders say. But because there are 56 House Republicans when they all squeeze into the room where they eat lunch and talk about a variety of issues, there's only one row at the back of the room for visitors and the media.

Most reporters skip the caucuses. And the public or even lobbyists rarely attend.