10/28/2007
Yesterday I installed a copy of Leopard OS X from Apple Inc. After an initial hiccup caused by my installation of third-party hack it is up and running beautifully. My initial impressions are mainly appreciative:
1) The graphical consistency across application windows is pleasing
2) Quick look feature in the finder is very useful.
3) Coverflow is useful for certain things.
4) I think I’m going to enjoy spaces but it will take some getting used to
5) Time machine will help me feel more secure
6) I like the Dock. There has been way to much complaining about the subtle changes.
7) I’m neutral on the translucent menubar. It certainly gives no advantage
The new screensavers are pretty cool
9) Spotlight is far more useful
10) I’m disappointed Mail has no three pane option
11) I absolutely love the iChat screen sharing feature. I’m looking forward to trying doing a presentation over iChat via keynote.
I’ll be writing some more impressions in a few weeks after some more usage.
10/21/2007
If you read my previous two posts you might also agree: It takes effort and attention to live a life of influence and greatness. In recognition of this, I think the number one thing I would do more of is frequent planning. Daily planning that connects me to my core goals and allows for the tasks of the day. Weekly planning with my wife that directs our family. This isn’t new but for whatever reason it seems easy to both say this, start planning and even easier to stop shortly after.
No longer.
10/21/2007
President Jullie B. Beck:
Mothers who know are leaders. In equal partnership with their husbands, they lead a great and eternal organization. These mothers plan for the future of their organization. They plan for missions, temple marriages, and education. They plan for prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Mothers who know build children into future leaders and are the primary examples of what leaders look like. They do not abandon their plan by succumbing to social pressure and worldly models of parenting. These wise mothers who know are selective about their own activities and involvement to conserve their limited strength in order to maximize their influence where it matters most.
She continues:
Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world. Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord’s kingdom for the next 50 years. That is influence; that is power.
There isn’t one sentence in this talk that I could discard. This is the kind of talk that will always be relevant and timely.
10/21/2007
Sage advice on choosing between good, better and best in your life.
We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives.
As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all.
Consider how we use our time in the choices we make in viewing television, playing video games, surfing the Internet, or reading books or magazines. Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best. When the Lord told us to seek learning, He said, “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom”
I highlyrecommend reading and watching the entire talk.
