Jed Bartlet, a fictional President of the United States for whom I’d vote in a heartbeat if he magically appeared, was wont to say, “What’s next?” as a means of ending a discussion and moving onto the next point at hand.

I’ve been thinking about that question for some time. I may have an answer for you soon.

But not today.

As I mentioned to my newsletter subscribers, I’m writing a book. It’s going to kick some major ass, but in order to change the world I’ve got to … you know … finish the damn thing. Every edit brings up another horde of issues to tackle, and this manuscript is starting to make me feel like the Ancient Mariner.

I’m also working on the follow-up to my landmark Blizzard Coaching mega-course. If the stars align, I’ll be able to let people sign up in December so we can start rolling in early January.

But neither of those projects qualifies as being “next” for me. The Phoenix Bankruptcy Workshop doesn’t cut it, either – that’s almost sold-out and the materials are ready to go.

“Next” is what’s beyond the horizon. I’ve got some plans, but I’m not going to tell you I’ve got this master plan that goes out years in advance. Life requires some advance planning, but not by much.

I can tell you this much. On October 27, 2011 I will touch down in Colorado Springs to co-moderate a two-day series on the Business of Law with Cathy Moran at the members-only workshop for the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. Then on November 11, 2011 I’ll be in Phoenix with Cathy for the Bankruptcy Practice Workshop.

Beyond that, I can only say there’s some very cool “next” that’s gonna go down.  I hope you’ll stick around for the ride.

If you’re interested in keeping tabs on what’s next, subscribe to Practice Pro News. There’s no cost, it comes to you by email about once a week, and it’s a good read.

When I do count the clock that tells the time,
And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;
When I behold the violet past prime,
And sable curls, all silver’d o’er with white;
When lofty trees I see barren of leaves,
Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,
And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves,
Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard;
Then of thy beauty do I question make,
That thou among the wastes of time must go,
Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake,
And die as fast as they see others grow;

And nothing ‘gainst Time’s scythe can make defence
Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.

- William Shakespeare

Beyond the well-publicized death of Steve Jobs (which, by the time you read this, will likely have been covered with wall-to-wall sound bytes from every major and minor news organization on the planet), I received word over the past week that other two good and kind people have been laid to rest.

This, in the days leading up to a holiday in which my religion tells us to think about where our names are inscribed in the Book of Life and to do something to get in the right place.

It’s given me pause. Not because I’m a religious person – my beliefs are my own, not tied up in a particular house of worship. But still.

We each have only a certain amount of time on this mortal coil before we take our final bow.

I’m 41. No longer a teenager, but not old by any stretch. My hope is that I’ve got at least that many more years in me unless I go the Walt Disney route.

Still, you’ve got to count the clock that tells time. Consider your actions each day and whether you’re making a positive impact on the world around you.

Will our clients stand up and applaud the awesome – not good, but awesome – work we’ve done?

Will our family and friends remember how we made the world a markedly better place?

I would suggest that we look at our lives and our practices as opportunities to do something wonderful and different, something positive for those we serve.

I don’t know what that is – that’s for each of us to determine on our own.

But one thing I can tell you is that my mission has always been to continue to ask questions, to learn and evolve.

To be a better version of myself every single day, and to learn new ways to help people. People like you. People like my clients. My friends and family.

I don’t always get it right, but I do try. How about you?

And again I ask – do you count the clock that tells time?

If you’re getting this by email or RSS subscription, you can see the video by clicking to the site here.

See you on Monday (I hope).

I can’t spell the holiday to save my life.  In 40 years on this Earth, I don’t think I’ve run across anyone who can do so definitively.  That’s because it’s a Hebrew word, not English.  So stop stressing over the spelling.

Anyway, it always pissed me off as a kid that Christmas got all the cool songs; I’m a huge fan of David Bowie and Bing Crosby doing Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy, which I first heard on Friday Night Videos (if you remember that show, give it some love in the comments section below). We got stuff in Hebrew, a language I never fully grokked. Then we got Adam Sandler singing his Chanukah song; it was funny, but everything he does sounds like Opera Man to me – and Opera Man is not, to my knowledge, a Jewish character.

Tonight at sundown light the menorah, crack open a cold He’brew beer, spin the dreidel, eat some latkes and crank up this freakin’ awesome song.  Who says we Jews can’t get down with the best of ‘em?

I know we’re on hiatus until Monday, but this picture is pretty funny.  Hope you got your holiday shopping done early!

Image credit:  Michael Holden (Flickr)

Enjoy your tryptophan – Legal Practice Pro will return on Monday morning!

Image credit: MShades (Flickr)

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