Futurelawyer

Waiting In Hospitals.

Sooner or later, we all spend time waiting on loved ones in a hospital. It is a helpless feeling. For us control freaks, it is intolerable. 

He didn’t like hospitals.

Imposing buildings filled with humans

who cared;

but they didn’t know anything.

The building facades were foreboding.

What did they hide inside?

He stepped inside,

walked on the carpeted floors,

and passed comfortable furniture

and soothing music.

It felt like a furniture store,

trying vainly to look like a home.

The nurses and doctors resembled aliens

in a landscape populated by green gowns

and white masks;

Metal jewelry hung from their necks,

and loudspeakers screamed like a sailor,

trying to keep calm

in the storm.

Disembodied voices coming from everywhere,

gave instructions to strangers

whose lives hung in the balance.

He told himself that this elaborate show

was a necessary preparation

for the inevitable.

He tried to remember the mantra

that we all die.

Instead, he only remembered that he was in a hospital,

and he didn’t know whether she would come out again.

The Twilight Children.

I love this time of year. It brings up memories of childhood holidays. We went to school, and got home in the late afternoon. It was our time. Until dinner was served, we were outside riding bikes, playing in yards, socializing with other kids, and generally looking forward to magical Xmas mornings. We were the twilight children.

He watched the children playing in the street.

They wore Christmas sweaters

and reindeer headgear.

It was chilly in December,

and the day was ending.

Soon, the street would come alive

with Christmas lights,

and a parade of cars on the street

would pass by.

He faced another winter,

perhaps his last,

with an increasing excitement.

In his youth,

Christmas caused sleepless nights,

and anticipation,

and wonder and joy.

For a long time,

Christmas had become

just another holiday,

to remember past loss,

and past failure,

and a time for greedy people

and greedy salespeople.

He faced this twilight, however

with a renewed focus.

Something about the approaching winter

brought back the excitement of his youth.

The long stretch of years

was bending around on itself,

and twilight became the harbinger

of death and renewal.

He didn’t have many more Christmases

to be excited.

He knew that this twilight

was for the little boy

he once was.

He was, once again,

one of the twilight children,

and he meant to look forward

to the coming dawn.

A Message For The Holiday Season.

I know. I need to hear this message also. Put the phone down.

 

Family Tech Guru - It's A Tough Job, But Somebody Has To Do It.

Fossil Gen 6 Wear Update 3.5 I am always bringing Diane's tech forward, and she is finally using the Fossil Watch I gave her as a gift last year. But, keeping it up to date requires my care and feeding, and I periodically have to make certain that her Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 and Fossil Watch are in sync and updated. So, this morning, I am updating the watch to Wear OS 3.5. Every time I check out her tech, I realize that I make updates and changes to my tech all the time, as an automatic reaction. But, the rest of the world, Diane included, don't notice things as quickly, so I am also connecting her watch to the house WiFi, which enables downloading updates, and other watch specific software, some of which really upgrades the user experience. Lesson here? If you are using modern tech devices, learn about them. Unless, of course, you have a house guru to guide you. I am taken. Sorry.

Only 27 More Days Until Xmas. Are You Ready?

When you reach my age, every xmas becomes special, since you might not get another one. This holiday season, we are getting a head start, and the tree is up and ready for Santa Claus. Diane loves to decorate, and I love to watch. A marriage made in heaven.

Legal Insight Florida - A Focused Chat GPT Bot That Searches All Secondary Legal Sources.

As many of you know, I have been playing with Chat GPT recently, and am creating focused databases designed to deal with specific subjects. My first effort, Florida Law Guide, accesses all primary law, case law, statutory law, etc. to give an analysis of any fact pattern, or to provide an answer to general legal questions related to Florida law. Today, I added to the stable, creating Legal Insight Florida, which accesses all secondary law sources, from blogs, to articles, to municipal ordinances, and many others. Here is a sampling of the database that I can now access with a question. I created it with a simple instruction to Chat GPT:

"Create a new GPT titled "Legal Resources Supplement", and include the following databases: Local Ordinances and Regulations: Many municipalities and counties in Florida have specific ordinances and regulations that aren't covered by state-level databases. Adding these can provide a more detailed view of local legal landscapes. Administrative Decisions and Rulings: While I have access to general regulations, specific administrative rulings and decisions, particularly those from state agencies, might not be included. These can be crucial for understanding how laws are interpreted and applied in practice. Continuing Legal Education Materials: Florida-specific CLE materials often contain detailed discussions of recent legal developments and practical guidance for lawyers. Law Journals and Academic Publications: Articles from law journals, especially those focusing on Florida law, can provide in-depth analyses of legal issues and developments. Legal Blogs and News Sources: Blogs and legal news websites focused on Florida law can offer up-to-date information and perspectives on current legal issues and developments. Historical Legal Documents: For a historical perspective, adding older legal documents, such as historical versions of statutes or historical case law, might be beneficial. Public Records and Court Documents: Access to a database of public records and filed court documents in Florida courts could be valuable for understanding how laws are practically applied and interpreted in real cases."

 

 

Of course, the user must always check the accuracy of the results; but using these two resources, which combine just about everything available in the world, dealing with Florida law, I have access to amazing results. I did not have to subscribe to a pricey legal research service, or buy a library of books or CDs.; my only expense was the time I spent creating these tools, and a $20 a month subscription to Chat GPT Plus. 

 

If you aren't playing with this new research tool every day, you are soon going to find yourself left behind. 

 

Why I Don't Fly Anywhere Anymore.

Seriously, take a few extra days and drive to your destination in an RV or car. You'll be glad you did. Take some time and smell the roses, and the asphalt, and the gas in the scenic little gas stations, and shop at a roadside fruit stand. Life is about more than speed. Most hearings and depositions and some trials are on Zoom these days. Use the technology.

 

Today Is Problem Avoidance Tuesday.

I'm with Rat. I think I have figured out why I prefer being alone most days, as I age. Let's make it go viral.

The Holidays Aren't A Joyful Time For Everyone.

Every year, about this time, Facebook reminds me that it isn't just obituaries that obscure the real truth behind grief. It also reminds us of the bad times, as well as the good ones. The death of a spouse is pretty high up on the life experiences that we wish no one had to endure. Diane and I have both experienced it, and I think it has made us better spouses for each other. We recognize the frailness of human relationships and life. Around this time six years ago, I was enduring Jacquelyn's death, as Diane had her husband a year or so earlier. As I faced the task of writing an obituary for Jacquelyn, it occurred to me that many aspects of our lives aren't meant for Facebook or the news. We live alone, and, when we die, our spouses live on alone. Of course, Diane and I are proof that the human spirit doesn't die, and that happiness and joy can still be found in what remains of our lives. So, once a year, I will republish this poem during the holiday season, so that those of us who are undergoing the grieving process can know that life isn't over, and joy is certainly around the corner. This dichotomy is as human as it gets. Get out there, and live.

Obituary.

I wrote your obituary today.

I told the truth

But not the whole truth.

I wrote the truth that we all tell each other

and others,

and post on Facebook walls

and in Newspapers.

I didn’t write the truth we keep in our hearts.

I didn’t write about the battles we fought together

and alone.

I didn’t write about the secrets we kept from others,

and from ourselves.

I didn’t write about the truths we humans

don’t want others to know.

I wrote about your accomplishments.

I wrote about the love others had for you.

I wrote about the public face

we all show the world.

But, I didn’t write about your incandescent eyes.

I didn’t write about your caring soul.

I didn’t write about the wry tilt of your head,

when I was being ridiculous.

I didn’t write about the words we spoke

in the night.

I didn’t write the truths we admitted to each other

in the early morning light.

I didn’t write about our sins, our faults, or our failings.

I didn’t write about the daily struggles we faced,

in a world consumed by desire and evil.

I wanted to write about the heartache of a string of days without you.

I wanted to express the pain of loss.

I wanted to tell the world that you were the best person I ever knew.

I only told them what they wanted to hear.

Jimmy Stewart In "It's A Wonderful Life".

It's that time of year, when we celebrate the Xmas spirit. Yes, we should do it all year; but it is nice to do it now. The Xmas spirit is one of gratitude and joy. For some it celebrates the coming of a Savior. For others, it is a time of family and friends and giving and receiving. Like many of you, the theme of tragedy, renewal and triumph of the human spirit is an annual rite in which we watch and cry over "It's A Wonderful Life". Jimmy Stewart's real life was marred by PTSD suffered in the War, and the movie served as a vehicle for him to cast out his demons, after which he became perhaps the most celebrated actor of our time. I share a love for him and his movies with Diane. She, however, also is an autograph collector, and has one of the world's finest collection of Stewart memorabilia. Few know that he was a fine poet; although I don't share his rhyming schemes, and write exclusively in free verse myself. This video of his appearance on the Tonight Show, in which he recites his poem about his dog, Beau, is certain to get your tear ducts flowing. I have attached photos of one of his autographs sent to Diane, and a hand-drawn image of his iconic 6 foot 3 inches tall rabbit, Harvey. This authentic drawing has a high monetary value, as these sketches were rare. Of course, their value to Diane is not monetary. This Xmas, let's hope for a season of love, caring and community that lasts well into the new year, and beyond. Love all.