Futurelawyer

Wannabe A Blogger? Typepad Is The Place To Do It.

Typepad Featured Blog - FutureLawyer. In 2005, when the incomparable Kevin O'Keefe, of LexBlog, turned me on to blogging, I looked around for a blogging platform that wouldn't require me to become a computer coder; but, would have the necessary features to make the blog look professionally done. I also didn't want to spend thousands of dollars to pay someone to create the blog. It was to be my baby, and it would help to make my website, FutureLawyer, a living, breathing entity. Since I was a solo, I didn't have to go to a Committee at my law firm to get permission; nor did I have to accept content from anyone else. I admit to a tiny streak of control freak, and, if I go down, I usually like to do it with my own weapons. I don't remember how I found Typepad; but, I was hooked when I realized that it was relatively easy to navigate, and updating and creating new blog entries was easy; at least, easy for someone who had been immersed in computers since the days of DOS. With some minor hiccups related to CSS coding, and learning how to upload and create Typelists, I was off and running, and have been going strong for 16 years. Someone recently said that their blog was like a personal archive; and, by using my posts as entries in social media sites, I have made contact with hundreds of people I never would have met in person. With the Pandemic, the blog has created human contacts galore, since many of us are computing remotely. I don't like reliance on stats, and analytics; but, this post from Typepad highlighting my recent recognition as the most prolific law blogger is a nice thing. Kevin's mantra, which I have adopted since the beginning, is blog in small spurts, do it often, and publish it as many places as possible. As my mom used to say: "Son, if you don't toot your own horn, no one else will". Toot.

Why Diane Refuses To Drive My 3000GT.

Diane is a very wise girl.

#TBT - There Is Happiness After The Death Of A Loved One.

 

Posted January 28, 2018.

 

Finding Peace And Happiness After The Death Of A Loved One.

For obvious reasons, I have been thinking about grief and loss a lot lately. I have never really experienced grief before, so I count myself as one of the lucky ones. If you have, you know and understand what I am talking about. If you have not, tell yourself you are lucky, and prepare yourself for the inevitable. In the meantime, I really love the Stoic strategy explained in this Seneca quote. You really don't have to be a practicing Stoic to apply some of its wisdom to your life. In fact, I don't like the way some folks wear their philosophy on their sleeve. For me, it is just about living a good life by applying principles that make sense. Not complicated. Here is the quote:

 

"Inevitable as it is that the names of persons who were dear to us and are now lost should cause us a gnawing sort of pain when we think of them, that pain is not without a pleasure of its own... Thinking of departed friends is to me something sweet and mellow. For when I had them with me it was with the feeling that I was going to lose them, and now that I have lost them I keep the feeling that I have them with me still. You have buried someone you loved. Now look for someone to love. It is better to make good the loss of a friend than to cry over him... he whom we suppose to be dead and gone has merely been sent out ahead."

Seneca.

#WhyILiveInFlorida.

Living in California California is nuts. Don't talk to me about "Florida man" ever again. What about "California politician"?

They Have Come For The Conservative Right. Who Is Next?

I often say that I am apolitical, which is true. I have eclectic views on many topics, and seldom express them publicly. However, I have one hard and fast and inflexible opinion. Free Speech, however grotesque we might think it to be, is required to maintain a free society. So, I abhor the Cancel Culture. I abhor judgmental hypocrites who try to muzzle anyone with a different opinion. I abhor those who try to game the system by continually moving the line of what constitutes proper human discourse. When Lenny Bruce was spewing disgusting words on stage, many were horrified. But, thank goodness society realized that he had the right to speak. No thinking person can look at current discourse and not understand the danger of muzzling speech, of canceling jobs and careers, and blocking access to public discourse on Twitter and Facebook and other Social Media. Walk carefully, censors. Martin Niemoller has seen your ilk before.

 

There Is Life After A Death.

When I wrote this poem, it never had occurred to me that I would survive my beautiful wife. I have lived my life so as to avoid the sad end of this gentleman. In her honor, I will continue living. If you see yourself or someone you know or someone you love in this poem, do your best to help them to engage in life and living. It will honor them and those who preceded them.

Old Man.

He slowly pattered to the chair,
cloth rubbed raw and chafing,
slippers worn and in their place,
pipe and ashtray next to the lighter
his wife had given him on Memorial Day.
His body bent forward
and his gaze fell on the carpet,
threadbare from walking and pacing
during illness and crisis.
He was alone now,
Slowly dying
and living slowly.
He watched the flickering television
looking for meaning,
and not looking at all.
Did he remember the President
and the year?

Or did he remember a kiss in 1947...
or was it ‘48?
He felt a tightening in his chest
and knew his end was coming.
He closed his eyes
and remembered the past
thought about the future
and prayed to whatever God
was up there.
When he died,
They removed the body,
boxed his belongings,
threw them in the trash,
emptied his bank accounts
and went on living.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Have To Do Zoom Calls With My Boss.

Okay, in one sense, clients are the boss. But, they can be fired if they become unreasonable. In BigLaw or other large organization, the structure dictates that there will always be someone higher up in the organization who can give you projects, and you must do them whether you like it or not. While Wally has developed strategies for dealing with that reality, I don't recommend it to employees as a solution. Who sets your priorities? Who gives you projects? Who requires you to Zoom call about your progress?

#WhyIAmASolo - I Get To Set My Own Goals.

I get it. In BigLaw and other large organizations, measurables have to be catalogued and analyzed. Minimum billable hours. Structured vacations. Committee set hourly fees. The list is endless. Without bureaucracy and organization, the whole company can fail. However, as a solo practitioner, I get to decide these things, unencumbered by rules, regulations or committees. That sort of freedom is priceless, although there is risk if you aren't able to set goals yourself. 

Week 2 With The Remarkable 2.

No more bulging paper notebooks on the shelf. No more laborious printing of my Google Calendar in the morning. No more scanning the Calendar at the end of the day, and saving it to a folder on the notebook computer. No more paper, period. In what universe can this happen? Why, Remarkable 2, of course. I just print my daily Google Calendar to a pdf file in the morning. Power up the desktop version of the Remarkable 2 software, and import the file to the tablet. Then, as I make notes during the day, or changes, they are preserved in digital form until the next Ice Age. If I have to make detailed notes of a conversation or meeting, I just open a new page and write away. I can save the file to any folder, and can have a folder dedicated to Remarkable notes for a particular file, if I like. If you don't buy one of these, never complain to me about calendar and note organization again.

Is There A Stoic In The House?

When I had my heart attack, I was smart enough to ask for a different kind of Doctor. But, these days, we need all kinds of Doctors. Meet Doctor Stoic.