…the wonderful Wizard of Jobs. (Maybe he’ll give me a brain. Not that I couldn’t use a heart or some courage too.)

Cool Aunt Christine—yes, that is her official moniker—graciously allowed us to fly her up here for the week so she could hang with the kids and so that I could fly down to MacWorld SF 2005. My good buddy Dave couldn’t get out of work this time around (next year!) so no road trip for me, just good old fashioned seat-of-my-pants barnstorming—to the extent that flying on an Alaska Airlines jet with 80 to 100 other people bears any resemblance to that, which it really does not. I’ll stop talking now.

In terms of my prognostications for the event, I think we’ll see expanded Dot Mac services, new versions of iLife and iWork, a new Intel-based iBook, and maybe an Intel-based Mac mini media center. I’m guessing that the “one more thing” will be an even smaller, larger capacity iPod Shuffle at the same price point. Tune in again next time when I drop my crystal ball on the floor for being so hideously wrong.

I’m taking my SM58 mic, preamp, and other assorted audio recording gear down. I’ve never done it before, but if possible, I’m going to do a MacWorld podcast talking about all the sights and sounds and smells of the event. It won’t be “live” at the Moscone Center, since I’m not about to lug all the gear around the show, but I should be able to churn out something you’ll want to hear, assuming that you find one guy in a bedroom talking to himself compelling listening. I think it’s fair to say that you’ve been warned.