I am having the dickens of a time figuring out what the heck to get my Mom for Christmas and her birthday. She’s a very gifted organizer and experienced traveler with literally hundreds of cookbooks. She’s a great cook and surely were I to find a cookbook covering some unknown cuisine it would go over well, but honestly, that’s a cheesy out that fails to reflect the esteem I hold her in.

Last year I gave her a book on using the iLife apps; I don’t think it was a hit, despite her organizational skills.

Both of my parents are extraordinarily bright people. Over time, I have come to the conclusion that my mother is probably the smartest person on my family, in addition to being the kindest. This certainly makes it difficult to determine if one has presented a gift which is disliked.