Futurelawyer

Dying With Enthusiasm

There is a lot of gloom and doom in the news these days. Seneca and the early Stoics saw more of it than we ever will. But, they lived what lives they were given, and Seneca got it right when he said we should "die with enthusiasm". We are all dying. Get over it. Is that a reason to whine and complain and mope around worrying all the time? In fact, without minimizing the deaths of thousands of people from a virus, we really can only do our best to avoid it, and live while we are waiting for fate. The Stoics also talk about loving your fate; primarily, because there isn't anything much you can do about it.Politicians and Doctors and Scientists try to "control" things. They shut down the economy, causing as much misery as they are trying to prevent. They try to convince us that they have the answers to the future. Enough ranting for a Monday morning. Whatever we do, there will be consequences. Just live your life the best you can. Stop whining about it. George Carlin got it right:

 

DisneyWorld Fireworks In A Pandemic? Why Not?

DisneyWorld is empty, except for the skeleton maintenance crew. However, Friday night Disney filmed a fireworks show in the Magic Kingdom, and it was great. The best part is that we can watch it as many times as we want. Sunday morning? Hey, it's time for fireworks. Thanks, Disney.

#ParrotSunday - Some Parrots Just Get It

Hey, Facebook Users...Get A Room!

Facebook Messenger Rooms. Enter a third major player in the burgeoning video teleconferencing app field. Zoom and Google Meet have been jockeying for control of the new normal way of group communication for weeks now; but, the 800 pound gorilla, Facebook, has entered the fray. With an installed base that dwarfs Zoom and Google, the billions of Facebook users who already use Facebook Messenger to communicate, now can create bigger groups for conferencing within the app they are already using all day long. It is now available for installation on your desktop, and I predict that it will be a popular option to keep in touch with family and friends, without the additional complications of learning a new app. Most of us use Facebook Messenger to send and receive private text based messages; but, now that more of us are using the video camera and microphone combinations on our computers, I expect that video calling will become much more popular among Facebook users. With all of its faults, Facebook has many positive impacts on many of us, and I have gone back and forth about it over the years. Now, an easy way to get facetime with our loved ones and friends and colleagues is more than convenient. It is a necessity to stay connected. Call me, maybe?

Saturday Morning Is A Concentration Dark Hole

It is very difficult to concentrate on Saturday morning, when you would rather look at Jose, and listen to the White Winds Album by Andreas Vollenweider on vinyl. Oh well, give in to temptation. Ahhhh.....

VideoConferencing Isn't The Only Way To Learn During The Pandemic

I have long been a user of the LiveScribe digital pens. They are great ways to take notes and keep digital copies for future use. However, I have recently gone back to the earliest LiveScribe Echo Pen, even though it is a big, bulky instrument that takes some getting used to. The reason is that, while I am taking notes, it can record the audio and it tracks while I write for future playback. Recently, I attended a webinar online, about Florida's new electronic Notarization statute that takes effect on July 1st 2020. The speaker also discussed the older electronic signature statutes,and I recorded the webinare while taking notes with the Echo. Here is a snippet saved on my notebook computer. It really increases retention to take notes with a pen while listening. It puts retention in overdrive when you can go back and listen while you watch yourself taking notes. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1MCArorfO3E5AZop5Hs5pVw_TjIg5ExP5

Saturday Morning In The FutureLawyer Aviary

FutureLawyer Aviary.

Some Of Us Have Been Social Distancing All Of Our Lives

If It's Saturday, This Must Be Uganda

Being safe at home doesn't mean you can't travel the world. These past weeks, I think I have traveled to more places in the world than I ever did. I have more time to play with my Oculus Quest VR headset, which I have accessorized with an 8 hour power cube that sits on the back of my head, and serves as a counter balance to make the headset more comfortable. In addition, I have purchased earphones which plug into the 3.5 mm audio out jacks of the headset for truly immersive sound experiences.While many of the VR experiences aren't HD quality that we have come to expect on our televisions, it is impossible to describe what an immersive 360 degree video of a place can be like. The mind quickly forgets that you are sitting with a VR headset on, and you are magically transported to a place. This Saturday morning, I am going on an African safari in Uganda, with a guide. This is a 2D version, so you won't get the feeling; but, I hope that it whets your appetite for virtual travel. These headsets are primarily used for gaming by teens and young adults; but, I see the potential for so much more in our future world, where virtual reality will allow us to visit places that aren't possible for us in the real world. The only thing I miss is not being able to photograph these magnificent animals with my own camera. 

Oculus Quest - $499. VR Power accessory battery - $59.99. Quest earbuds - $29.99. Traveling on safari to Africa - priceless.

Zoom Fatigue - It's A Thing

Zoom Video Chats Are Exhausting. You have noticed, haven't you, that all these Zoom teleconferencing calls can be tiring? There are good reasons for that. First, we are all somewhat stressed by this pandemic. Second, when you are talking on screen, you feel the need to always be looking at the screen. If you look away, the other person might think you aren't paying attention. Third, no matter how much technical know how you have, there are always glitches, iffy WiFi connections, worry about the background, and other things. So, my solution? Realize this, and do your best. If you are doing a court appearance, wear a suit and tie (at least from the waist up). On the Internet, nobody knows if you are wearing shorts. Dressing up also helps with focus. We don't realize how much our subconscious figures in to our focus and attitude. If you are talking to a client, be informal, but not too informal. And, treat the Zoom call like you would public speaking before an audience. Get comfortable with your own skin. Now, learn this stuff. There will be a test.