Futurelawyer

All Dogs Go To Heaven.

When we brought you home,
you were a tiny ball of fur,
full of life.
You filled our days with affection,
and ran away often.
We chased you down the streets,
into alleys,
and backyards.
You ran into scary traffic.
We bothered the neighbors,
and screamed your name
until we were hoarse.
We got into the habit
of looking around for you,
every time we opened the front door.
You always came home though,
and we forgot to be angry.
As the years passed,
we aged together,
and all of us became comfortable
with our bond.
You slowed down
as you aged,
and no longer felt the wanderlust
that gave you the urge to run.
We no longer watched the front door
anxiously when it opened.
When you died,
it was a blessing that your pain was gone.
But, maybe the pain just transferred to us.
We feel it every day.
More than once,
it has occurred to me that you have been
in my life,
for as long as my human wife and family.
What curse leaves me on this planet,
after you both have gone to heaven?
Sometimes I think
that waiting here to see you both again,
looking for signs of your presence,
is my penance for my sins.
Will you forgive them?

Relax. You Had Her At: "I Own A Yacht".

We Didn't Need Computers In 1955. We Had Mickey Mouse Club On TV.

When I was young, I came home from school everyday to a small black and white television, and my favorite show. Oh, yes, and I was in love with Annette Funicello. Diane's post this morning brought back memories of those days. I guess remembering this means I am old. Better than not being here at all. If you remember this, you are my people.

 

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Have To Buy Wally Bock's New Book.

Become A Better Boss One Tip At A Time. Sorry, Wally; but, I don't need to become a better boss. I am the boss, and I don't have any employees. I know that your book will be very helpful to the bosses out there who want to be better. I know that is is chock full of good tips that will help bosses everywhere get more out of their employees. I am certain that it will make many bosses better human beings if they follow its principles. But, I don't need it.

Born to ride.

Hey Kids! It's Time For Monday Morning Stoic Challenge!

Yes, kids, you too can play. The Stoics are always telling us to imagine the worst, so that we won't be surprised or taken unawares when fate deals her inevitable blows to our Pollyanna fantasies of a problem free life. Monday mornings are a prime time to challenge our Stoic chops. We are already in a state of panic at the prospect of another week spent in futile pursuit of happiness. We are primed to worry about what might happen, and our anxiety meters are fluttering in the maximum zone. So, rather than attending a gender reveal party, in which all of our assumptions about our friends and family can explode, let's play along with Rat, and try to visualize our ends. Heart attack? Cancer? Financial calamity? These are plebeian challenges for Rat, the king of pessimism. Locusts are more in line with end of the world stories. What's your end going to look like? Don't spend too much time on this little exercise. You still have at least one day of life to live.

#ParrotSunday - Rick's Android Home Screen.

Rio loves grapes. Living the good life.

Hurricane Knocks Out Power And Phones? Starlink Survives.

The power is back on at the office, and the Starlink dish on the RV came through fine. If I had had to use it when the power went out to the office and RV, I could have used a power bank, or the RV generator to get Internet access even if the cell phones were down. The winds weren't too bad at the office, topping out at 85 to 90 mph, and the dish was fine. I suspect that, as these things proliferate in the future, Starlink will become the preferred emergency Internet access system. Thanks, SpaceX.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Never Have To Retire.

Okay, as a solo you probably won't ever have enough money to retire. But, I think that is a good thing. I am more productive when I have to work hard and scratch to make a living. It keeps me engaged and active. But, it is possible to work hard AND to enjoy life. You just have to know when to take a break. Counterintuitively, using tech to be able to work remotely from anywhere is freeing. I can turn off the computers whenever I want to. So, if you are slaving away and looking like this guy into a mirror, thinking you will enjoy life after you retire, you have to realize that it is your own choices that prevent you from enjoying life right now. We read all the time about "finding balance in our lives", and practicing mindfulness to enjoy the present. These are just words. Don't have a dream. Live it. If you feel like you are lost in a dead end job, waiting for a retirement to enjoy your life, it is your own fault. The only thing standing between you and a satisfying life is your own failure to act. Now, spend some time today doing what you love, or want to love. 

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Have To Pretend To Be An Expert With My Boss.

Lawyers deal with experts all the time. They give depositions in cases, testify at trial, and generally help to support whatever burden of proof we need to meet in a particular case. Someone once described them as anyone who lives and works more than 100 miles away from the matter in litigation. Or, someone who knows more about a topic than anyone else in the courtroom. Many lawyers, in prepping for trial, become experts themselves. But, in a firm meeting, the number one task is to learn the buzz words, and to appear knowledgeable. Actual knowledge is often secondary. I prefer having only myself to impress. No deception necessary. Do you have to posture to keep your job? Maybe you are working for the wrong employer. Go solo.