Point of order

 
recently I was blessed to be invited to a really interesting meeting. it was with one of my fave clients. 15+ years working with this group, and I was completely unprepared for their question. they wanted a silver bullet for a project- a panacea.
I got none.
I told them what them needed was a consistent message delivered several, several times. not what they wanted to hear. but truth is, that's better investment. I hope they choose the slower path and build a relationship, not give it the bum's rush.

there are no silver bullets, friends. slow and steady is the way.

Say what you want about our new President, check out this slice of the inauguration speech. Says it better than I could have.

I like him.

'To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict,

or blame their society's ills on the West -

know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent,

know that you  are on the wrong side of history;

but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.'

Then, a week later, he reaches out a hand to them-

Obama Gives First TV Interview to Arab Network
http://tinyurl.com/cne2fm

Yes, we can.

For my 40th birthday I did a little riff I called '40 at 40' with photos and bits of wisdom I had picked up along the way.

It was surprisingly well received,what with it being such self-absorbed tomfoolery. 

I also did a dead tree edition, mainly because my employer at the time give me store credit from our printing factory.

Thanks, boss!

Better than a turkey or ham, I guess.

The dead tree version was also surprisingly well received, as it came packaged in a spiffy square envelope with a crisp $20 bill. Did ya miss that? don't panic- I got plenty of the spiffy square envelopes left for you.

my 41st bday was full of turmoil. I was sorting out what I wanted to be when I grew up and had several crazy irons in the fire, and my dream car from high school had just been attacked by a bear. A big, anger bear.

Honestly.

This year has been the best ever, and I laugh. That bear attack was the turning point.

I now laugh out loud at the struggle I had to go through to get to this awesome spot. 'Hill to climb? What hill to climb?'

Laugh out loud!

This year, my lords, I give you 42x42... the punch lines to 42 of my fave jokes.

If they seem too blue for you, well....see #20.

And get your mind out of the gutter.

Call me if you need the first part of these old chestnuts. As if you couldn't rough them out on your own, you old sand bagger.

1. clearly, I can see your nuts.

2. kiss you? I shouldn't even be doing this.

3. everyone knows the stem is best part.

4. no, it is the real robert goulet.

5. got anything to stop this coffin?

6. he smells awful!

7. discernibly turgid.

8. warning- driver eating boudan

9. should I have said Dimaggio?

10.wrecked um? It could have killed him!

11. in little nazis

12. his feet

13. 'do you know how many UGA sophomore fraternity boys headed to a football game it takes to make a pound of brain?'

14. ' You better pet him first!'

15. by the ears.

16. they drove right over me about 10 minutes ago.

17. no, but the light is better over here.

18. wanna buy a toothbrush?

19. look at that 's' car go!

20. 'look doc, you are the one with the dirty pictures!'

21. do I know wendy? nope. this says welcome to Jamaica, have a nice day.

22. in the navy, you must always choose the lesser of two weevils.

23. 'dude, I work in it, I play in it, and if it was air conditioned, I'd live in it'

24.I am just glad I became an eye doctor, unlike my uncle, the proctologist

25- I know it is a male camel, I overheard the water boy say 'look at the schmuck on that camel!'

26.Sir, usually the men just ride the camel to town to visit the local girls.

27. debits on the right, credits on the left--

28. stop scratching you butt or stop biting your nails.

29. you feed the dogs, I will feed the fish.

30. You will get better results if you put the potato in the front of the swimsuit.

31. It's been two weeks, do you think I can take the condom off now?

32. practice, practice, practice

33.one bite at a time

34. the good news- baseball in heaven is awesome! all the stars are here. bad news? you pitch tues in the double header.

35. then satan says--back on your heads- now that you are a client, the pitch meeting is over.

36.do you think we should tip the drummer?

37. the shaking handed rabbi says 'it won't be long now!'

38. rabbit is then picked up by the bear and the bear wipes his butt with him

39. liver alone, she's mine! said the Chihuahua

40. no soap, radio.

41.and that's certainly not my belly button!

42.sam and janet evening!

 sorry about that. not everything can get on a list, and certainly some drivel slipped in. Happy New Year!

 24 Dec- 2355- for the first time ever at Midnight Church, we had all three kids awake, ke-5 and jct-8 in their pjs.

All five of us with candles, in the balcony, singing 'Silent Night' in the darkened church. Lit only by a thousand candles.

Priceless!

25 Dec- 0415- jct-8 says to hk-12 'I think we could beat Daddy if we work together.' The board game had been our battleground since returning from Midnight Church.

25 Dec- 0455- ak-42 wiped off the board.

Unconditional Surrender offered, accepted, and the lights went off as the 0500 news came on NPR.

All three of us snored up a storm for a bit. We slept only a few hours Christmas Eve, but it was an awesome time for all.

31 Dec 1645- ak-42 claiming back the sovereign territory of the garage of 211 Culdass. My man cave is now complete with (reasonably) comfy chair, end table, sudoku book, and sonic screwdriver. A place for everything, and everything in it's place. Also, found a undercharged fire extinguisher. Had to fully deplete it to recharge it properly. Seemed like a good idea, but local FBI agent saw the copious yellow billowing clouds of discharge and came by for short discussion.

Nice.

01 Jan 0015- Another New Year's Eve pyrotechnical near disaster averted by milliseconds. The preacher's fault this time- he brought the big stuff, but there is something compelling about fireworks fired haphazardly on a extremely cold night. Wish I had brought socks and a (undepleted) fire extinguisher.

02 Jan 1615 - hk-12 playing the electric guitar on the front porch on his birthday, then taking a few moments break to fire off a few bursts from the new airsoft gun. Not sure why that delights me so much, but there is something compelling about guitars and machine gun fire. Dr. Hunter S.Thompson lives on, at least in spirit. He said, 'This has been the most fun day of my life!'

breakthrough on giving gifts-

based on a real conversation..... 'What's on your new iPod?'

'Oh, nothing yet, been busy with other stuff, ya know.'

'Give it here, then, I will load it up with a bunch of things you will like.'

So it played out, the gift of the little iPod, a week after giving, still bare of data. It was the right gift, and is now loaded chock full o' great stuff.

Now, that is a much better conversation than the, 'So what did you use your gift card for?' conversation I have been much too often a participant in.

I will fix dat in 2009.  'loaded up with things you will like' is to be my mantra for 2009.

And I will help you put them into use if needed.

For example- those of you who got flags? Call me, and I will bring the mobile installation kit right over.

As the good doctor would say, 'Have sonic screwdriver, will travel.'

Dr. Who, that is.

My only 2009 New Year's Resolution is to be a better giver to all those around me.

Searching high and low for the PERFECT gifts for all my friendsandrelations- 'soon to be loaded chock full o great stuff.'

 Ultimately, the greatest gift of all is of our time and talents-

Duchess got this feedback the other day about her photography site- http://suchislifephotography.com-

'I wanted to let you know that I just found your website for you photography.What a beautiful website it is! I found tears rolling down my face as I watched the slideshows. You do fabulous work! I had no idea you did so much..... Again, your photos are wonderful and your site is terrific.'

That is what we are going to work on in 2009- creating those moments, personally and in our businesses.

So, I heartily apologize to all of you who have gotten re gifted books about Spam, ill fitting Elton John style sunglasses, and the darn beagle beer stein, circa 1989.

That jive is over.

2009 is your lucky year, colleagues, and I am now focused like a laser beam on finding the perfect gift- no more gift cards, but a perfect mix of time, talent, and our treasure, which is not really ours anyway. Officially, the gift card is dead to me, but feel free to give them to me, as I am a greedy little pig.

But, touch wood,you will be getting the mind blower this year from 211 Culdass- the eticket, a live wire. Stand by.

Keeping Christmas all year long in 2009, 'God bless us all.'

 3 Christmas wishes for you, dear reader-serendipity in relationships, timing, callings

No connection between these several unlikely happenings, but when observed on a cold, windy, and dark Sunday eve, they take on a different significance.

Especially after spending that early Sunday morning, dark and foggy, trying to decipher the mysteries of all these unrelated bits, in late December.

Callings-

Several of my best friends have recently changed their jobs, some by choice and some by force. It is tragic to loose a job- especially doing what you love, working with a team you feel like family, serving clients who you can help in a meaningful way. But actually, most of the job losses I have witnessed will probably lead to greater satisfaction and engagement, as those original jobs were wearing pretty thin.

Now several of them have started new jobs or businesses, in new or related fields, and that is exciting! tji-even the good Dr.Popkin just retired from USAID- Foreign Service, just today, and started a business as Consultant and Trainer.

Excellent!

Those of you in transition, I feel your unease, as I made that switch almost a year ago, from one boat- that I knew quite well but that had worn quite thin on me, and into a new and unknown field.

And I have to say, the unease was the hardest part. In hindsight, there was a lot of excitement in being able to throw myself in full force, into something I can believe in, serving clients and a team I really connect with.

Moving from jobs into callings.

That is my first Christmas wish for you- work you love, with people you love, for people you love and can help.

Timing-

Every year, for the past 4-5-6 years, I have been reading  A Christmas Carol to the kids, as well as facilitating a discussion about the same story at church.

Every year I get out several copies of the story and start reading Thanksgiving weekend. This is the first year I ever recall having stave three-- ghost of Christmas Present happen concurrently with the arrival of the actual Christmas.

Finally!

Recently a close friend and mentor invited me to join a bible study they are starting.

After much praying about how to work this into my schedule,a comically time consuming project just got smaller. So, in early January I am kicking that off, and hope to be able to back fill some of my pathetic lack of Biblical knowledge.

My second crazy Christmas wish for you is to be able to carve out an extra few hours, and replace it with something that fills a hole in your heart.

And I hope the timing of related things work out for you, in ways unknown in the past.

Presbyterian Wife swap-

After recently commenting about how divorce free our group of friends is, I have had the horror of seeing several of my nearest friend's marriages coming unwound.

The Yenta in me wants to pick up the pieces for them and put them back together, but not in their original configurations.

I would place Boy A to girl B; girl C to boy B; girl D with girl E- that sort of thing. 

Not really my place to do that, but sometimes you just see the playing field different than the participants. It is probably best to sit on my hands, but it sure is some sort of crazy cosmic coincidence that so many things are coming unwound at once. And they look so much better rearranged.

My final Christmas wish for you is the peace and joy of the kind of relationship I am working on.

Bumpily, but working on it.

Dat's my stave three-- ghost of Christmas Present. Dat's our Christmas Present- let's do this.

Happy Christmas!

Bless us all, every one.