Speaking of …

Miscellaneous recent thoughts and conversations involving a happy-but-road-weary holiday traveler:

Gifts v. Presents: There’s a difference. But sometimes the separate circles intersect. I’m not sure the specifics, but in the intersection of the two, you find grace.

Speaking of grace, babies make grandparents downright daffy. Maybe a baby’s abundant gas contains some sort of special pheramone that inhibits the rational thinking receptors in grandma and grandpa’s brains. I’m reasonably certain they didn’t hear a word Dee or I said from the moment we arrived and Sarah smiled her first clock-stopping smile in their general direction.

Speaking of focus, come first of the year Dee’s going to start training for another half marathon in May. She needs to formally schedule the workouts. If they’re not written down, they’re too easy to put off. Next thing she knows, it’ll be middle of April, and she’ll be in no shape to run, and it’ll be too late to do anything about it. I started thinking all development’s exactly the same way. I purchased several online training courses last year, and they still sit waiting in their folders. Sure, we had a baby, but there will always be reasons to not work on something important (vs. merely urgent). I’m going to be scheduling equal time to work on my own skills.

Speaking of development, my brother-in-law recently earned his Doctorate. Dr. Butler’s going to help change the way schoolteachers shape the lives of exceptional children. I’m in awe of his discipline to endure and sacrifice and accomplish.

Speaking of accomplished, Michael Hyatt commented on one of my posts. You can read it down at the bottom of the post. I’ve never met Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, but he’s been a big influence in my so-called worklife. It would probably be akin to Kristofferson commenting on someone’s songwriting blog.

Speaking of songwriting, have you seen the Jeff Bridges movie yet? I can’t wait. I love his work, and it’s great to see him getting his due for a role like this.

Speaking, again, of songwriting: Oh Holy Night – What a song … the words, I mean. I’ve made a to-do to research its origins. I heard a new song on a PBS Christmas special the other night, A Baby Changes Everything, that’s really, really good. Craig Wiseman wrote it with Tim Nichols. Is it bad to say I wish it wasn’t Faith Hill singing it? I was really trying to hear her friend, Lori McKenna, singing it. Or Patty Griffin.

Speaking of music, I’ve been using some Stereo Bluetooth Headphones – I’ve got these bluetooth headphones from Motorola (S9-HD) that sound great. I adore the absence of wires and cables in my life. That said, the little rubber ear thingies keep falling off. And it has syncing problems with my computer. Bittersweet. Do you have a pair you love?

Speaking of thingies, this is as good a time as any to admit I like simplifying my life, but I’m certainly not a minimalist. I like stuff – at least stuff that makes my life more efficient or adds delight. David Pierce has a really great blog where he, too, thinks about and writes about such stuff. He reposted a bunch of great content for the holiday season.

Speaking of blogs, Google Reader tells me I’ve got more than 900 articles to catch up on. You know what’s fun sometimes? Pressing the [Mark All As Read] button. It’s okay. You’re allowed. No one’s going to come and eat your pets.

Speaking of not eating pets, same holds true for tweeting and facebooking and socialing and networking. I haven’t put anything on twitter and only a couple pics of my kids on facebook. I haven’t missed it at all. Godin just focuses on his blog. I may just do the same in 2010.

Speaking of 2010, both sets of grandparents now have wireless internet in their homes … … … … listen closely … … … that’s the clock ticking on dial-up’s demise. Last person with a modem be sure to turn off the lights, okay?

What have you been speaking of this holiday season?

What? Would you prefer I’d written: Of what have you been speaking this holiday season? That’s just dumb. Speaking of which … sorry for going all Larry King on you.