Futurelawyer

Plague Humor?

Whose dead? Who's dead? Bring out your dead.

It's Monday Morning. Do You Know Where Your Motivation Is?

One of the things that keep me going, every day, and especially on Mondays, is the recognition that right here, right now, is what living is all about. Vince Lombardi preached that wisdom, every day of his life. Don't chase rings, don't chase Championships, don't chase glory that is fleeting. Concentrate on the hard work and daily task of living the best you can. If championships and awards come, fine. If not, they don't matter anyway. Championships are gone as soon as they are won.The striving to win, the thrill of victory. These are noble goals. But, the Stoics, in the voice of Marcus Aurelius, remind us that they are fleeting, and that the reality is living a good life in the present. Lombardi, reminds us that the pursuit of excellence in the present is what life is really about. Forget past triumphs. They fade in the memory. They don't count. What are you doing right now, today, to be the best you can be?

The championships, the money, the color; all of these things linger

only in the memory. It is the spirit, the will to excel, the will to

win; these are the things that endure.

-- Vince Lombardi (1913-1970) American Football Coach

What If We Had Had ChatGPT In College?

I was an English Literature major in college. My fellow students who weren't into literature used a service called "Cliff's Notes" to avoid reading classical lit and poetry. I loved reading the stuff, so I had no need for a printed pamphlet summarizing the study materials. I wonder, however, how modern students will avoid the temptation to get their summaries from Chatbots. Just for fun, I asked ChatGPT-4 to analyze one of my, IMHO, better poems, that I reprised today, "When I Grow Old". My perspective, as a now old man, looking back, is my attempt to share the angst of age. Here is what ChatGPT-4 generated when I entered the poem's text:

"This poem by Rick Georges, the Futurelawyer, is a contemplative reflection on the inevitable passage of time and the experiences of aging. It captures the bittersweet emotions that arise when one looks back at life and yearns for the vitality of youth.

The poem begins with the narrator imagining their old age and expressing a desire to "bark at the stars in heaven." This line conveys a sense of longing for the unattainable and a desire to challenge the constraints of old age.

Throughout the poem, the narrator juxtaposes the experiences of youth with those of old age. The comparison of a new car racing between cinder blocks and the careful movement to avoid injury highlights the physical differences between the young and the old. Additionally, the contrast between passionate kisses with soft lips and rounded hips and the time spent putting on socks and taking medications serves to emphasize the decline in physical prowess and the shift in priorities.

The poem also explores the theme of regret. The narrator reflects on missed opportunities and wasted time spent worrying about things that never occurred or wanting to change the past. This rumination implies that the narrator wishes they had lived in the present moment, enjoying life as it unfolded, rather than being consumed by concerns and regrets.

The final stanzas of the poem highlight the role of poetry in preserving memories and emotions. When the narrator is old, they will write poems about love and loss, immortalizing their experiences and making them tangible. This act of writing allows the narrator to keep their memories alive, transforming them from "dying thoughts" to living recollections.

In conclusion, this poem by Rick Georges is a poignant meditation on aging, the passage of time, and the power of poetry to capture and preserve life's fleeting moments. It encourages the reader to consider their own life, urging them to live fully and appreciate the beauty of the present moment."

Good luck, college professors. It is becoming tougher to tell which students are actually interested in your classes.

 

 

 

 

When I Am Old.

When I am old,

I will bark at the stars in heaven.

I will buy a new car,

with sleek lines,

and race between the cinder blocks

lining the street in front of the house.

When I am old,

I will miss the grasping youth,

who held her with a passion,

and kissed soft lips

and rounded hips,

and never knew

what he had.

When I am old,

I will rise from the chair carefully,

so as not to break a bone,

or strain a muscle,

that once was strong and firm.

When I am old,

I will think about the lost days,

spent worrying about things

that never came to pass,

and about the time I wasted

wanting to change the past.

When I am old,

I will spend more time

putting on my socks,

and taking my medications,

and crying over lost love.

I will wonder how many more days

I have until I won’t be old anymore.

When I am old,

I will write poems

about love and loss.

I will remember when they were

living memories,

and not dying thoughts.

When I am old,

I will wish that I had stayed young forever.

 

 

Kevin O'Keefe Explains Generative AI.

Okay children, I have been talking about ChatGPT a lot lately, "generative AI" for the computer scientists among you. Okay, none of us are computer scientists; but this description of generative AI by my mentor, Kevin O'Keefe, is a clear and concise as you will find. You need to understand this stuff. This truly is the next great advance in computer technology, and its reverberations will be felt until every one of us is dead, and long after. We are on the cusp of an era of truly intelligent machines, which promises to change the way we work, the way we live our lives, and the way we describe our futures. Learn this stuff. Use it. Play with it. It is fundamental.

 

ChatGPT-4 Knows Who I Am.

I asked ChatGPT 4 who I am. This is the reply:

"Rick Georges is an attorney, legal technology expert, and writer based in Florida, USA. He has been practicing law for over 50 years and has extensive experience in civil litigation and appellate law. Georges is also known as the "FutureLawyer" and is a prolific legal blogger, writer, and speaker who focuses on the intersection of law and technology.

Georges has been recognized as one of the ABA Journal's "Web 100" and one of the "50 Most Influential Legal Bloggers" by LexBlog. He is a pioneer in legal technology, having been an early adopter of electronic case management systems and other digital tools for legal professionals.

Through his blog, FutureLawyer, Georges shares his insights and knowledge on legal technology, digital tools, and other emerging trends that are changing the legal profession. He is also a frequent speaker at legal conferences and events, where he shares his expertise on topics such as e-discovery, cybersecurity, and cloud computing in the legal industry."

Maybe legacy isn't a pipe dream after all? Not.

What, Me Retire? What Am I? A Dog?

I am looking forward to a weekend spent doing nothing. No intentions of going in to work. Files, and pleadings, and documents can wait. But, then, some of us get to stay home and do nothing all the time. Maybe I should rethink this "never retire" thing. 

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Live Deep Inside A Corporate Sandwich.

And, I am definitely not a wilted pickle. I call the shots; even though they are sometimes BBs.

 

#WhyIAmASolo - Every Man Is An Island...And, Then, The Company Goes Bankrupt.

SVB Employees Blame Work At Home For Bank Failure. I suppose it was inevitable. The companies who are struggling to get their employees to come back to work needed ammunition. Hey, why not blame the bankruptcy of SVB on remote workers? If the workers had better interpersonal communications, these failures wouldn't occur! Hmmmm.. As a solo, I don't have the luxury to blame my failures on colleagues who don't show up for work. But, then again, I get to work wherever I want, so there's that. It's a poor workman who blames his tools; companies too. So, stop the blame game, and try managing your company better. Blame shifting is for sissies.

I Suddenly Have A Craving For Some Whisky And Rye.