Futurelawyer

Elon Musk Is A Hero.

I am admittedly a big fan of Elon Musk. He is using his vast wealth for the betterment of mankind. I am disappointed in my friends who are being critical of him for accepting the unpaid job of rooting out government wasteful spending. He is worth north of 400 Billion Dollars, making him close to the wealthiest human; but, he spends his time working on bringing self driving cars to us, which will save millions of lives over decades. He is working on a reusable Starship that will enable us to travel to the stars and other planets. I could go on. But, while he lives in a $50,000 house, or sleeps in one of his factories, other not so wealthy individuals are using their wealth for selfish purposes. I give you the Sultan of Brunei, who is only worth 27 Billion Dollars. Look how he spends his time and money:

Can't Think Of A Great Valentine's Day Gift? Memento Mori.

Diane, and some others, think I obsess about death too much. Of course, if you understand the Stoic principle of remembering every day that you may die, and living your day accordingly, you know that it is actually life affirming to consider death. So, on Valentine's Day, it may be appropriate to consider gifts that acknowledge this reality. Of course, if you do that, you are an idiot, and you will probably be sleeping in another room for the rest of your life. But, then, we only have one day, right?

 

Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day.

I wrote this post just after Jacquelyn died. As I prepare to celebrate my eighth Valentine's Day with my sweet, lovely Diane, I think about the peaks and valleys life brings to us. If you are in a valley, climb back up that mountain. Never forget the sense of loss. But, never surrender to it.

Forget the tacky commercialization of the Valentine's Day celebration. Forget the constant barrage of ads for everything with a heart on it. Remember what the day is supposed to be about. Go hug your spouse or significant other and tell them that you love them.

I wish that she could see what I see today.

I wish that she could see

the blue sky painted with white clouds.

I wish that she could see the trees,

green with leaves and brown bark peeling away.

I wish that she could smell the many smells

assaulting my senses.

I wish that she could feel the breeze

blowing in my face.

I wish that she could share the news on the car radio.

I wish that she could argue the issues of the day with me.

I wish that she could roll her eyes at my latest foolishness,

and smile at my inability to remember

to take out the garbage yesterday.

I wish that I could buy her a card and chocolate and flowers and a gift

for Valentine’s Day.

I wish that we could go out to dinner

and celebrate our union one more time.

I wish that everyone else who

shares their life with someone,

remembers this before their someone isn’t there to share it with anymore.

Army Training - Ready, Fire, Aim?

I remember mortar training when I was a young soldier at boot camp in the early Seventies. Enemies of the United States feared us. We were the strongest fighting force in the world. 

 

Mortar fire failure compilation pic.twitter.com/vwoMxbHMKO

— Interesting As Fuck (@interesting_aIl) February 4, 2025

Thanks To All For The Anniversary Wishes.

Now, let's keep the good times rolling!

 

Wedding Day.

Today is our wedding day.
Tomorrow isn’t a guarantee.
Tomorrow we may die.
But, not today.
Today is our wedding day.
Tomorrow we may be in pain.
But, not today.
Today is our wedding day.
Today we will eat,
today we will pray,
today we will love.
Today is our wedding day.
All the tomorrows depend on fate.
They depend on things outside of our control.
The wind may blow.
The skies may darken.
The leaves may turn brown.
But, not today.
Today is our wedding day.
I see you in the glow of the lights.
I see you in the darkness of the evening.
I hear you in the sound of your voice.
Tomorrow, I may not be able to see you.
Tomorrow, I may not be able to hear you.
But, not today.
Today is our wedding day.
We may never have a tomorrow.
We may never be able to hold each other again,
tightly in the night.
We may never again be able to speak the words of love.

But, not today.

Today is our wedding day.
Rick Georges for Diane - 02-02-2020

Wedding Anniversaries Aren't For Sissies.

Engagements, Anniversaries, And New Love, Oh My!

Five years ago tomorrow, in this galaxy, I was married, again. I have lived several lives, and several deaths, some of which I must admit, were self inflicted. As my life nears an end, however, I suspect that this one is the last. So, Happy Wedding Anniversary to Diane. Tomorrow is another day and a Happy Wedding Anniversary.

 

He wondered whether ecstasy was a lie.

Was it a whisper lost in the routine of daily lives,

filled with responsibility and debt?

Was love an illusion,

shimmering over blue water

created by sunlight

filtered through the trees?

Was it unrecognizable,

like the truth told to strangers

on a first date?

Would absolute truth

salve the wounds of the past?

Would it bind the broken limbs,

and the broken hearts?

Would it bring back to life

the simmering desires

that fate had taken away?

He resolved to move slowly,

turtle like,

conserving his energy

until the right moment.

But, his resolve melted

in her milky white skin

and the beauty and purity

of her soul.

He knew immediately that he would pursue her

with the intensity of a flame

burning with desire,

longing to be secure

in the knowledge of her love.

He would light the way

to her future.

She would light the way

to his present.

Together, they would bring their light

to a simmering world.

#PoetryFriday - Cowboys And Indians.

I suppose it isn't politically correct to play cowboys and indians anymore. In my youth, every backyard was a testing ground for the latest cap pistol, and bow and arrow. In our innocence, we were merely playacting without regard to race, gender, or choice of weapon. How sad it is that we lose our innocence to a world filled with bad actors and scoundrels.

He played cowboys and indians

in the dirt,

smiling a peanut butter smile,

and fearing nothing.

He was indestructible

and young,

and thought that pain

was for other people.

Death and dying

had no meaning for him,

as he navigated a world

filled with little green plastic soldiers

marching to a beat

only he could hear.

The old man

remembered the little boy.

He knew that the wisdom of youth

was lost in the knowledge of pain,

and living in a forest filled with dying leaves.

They deteriorated on the ground,

like ancient animals,

littering a landscape that became

more desolate over time.

Would the new growth of the forest

find a place in the world?

Would his bones become a part of it?

Old men think of things,

that young boys never do.

Old men wonder whether their young souls

will come back as old souls.

Old men die,

and no one knows if they return.

World Got You Down? Hear Some Words Of Wisdom.

Let it be.

Angelica Nero sings "let it be"

She is 3 years old
pic.twitter.com/9Saa9reRKA

— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) January 30, 2025

#TBT - Dead Leaves On The Front Stoop.

I have republished this poem each year for the past five years. I wrote it several days before my wedding to the sweet Diane. Love, Loss, Love again. We are all on the Great Mandela, aren't we?

If we were never sad,

could we ever be happy?

I saw some dead leaves on the front stoop,

that I have shared with a wife who is dead,

and which I now share with a wife who is alive.

Should I be sad,

or happy?

Some leaves die,

and others grow to take their place.

All of us will die.

Others will live.

Is that sad?

Is that happy?

I read about sad events in the news.

I read about death and dying.

I read about destruction and evil.

I read about kindness and strength.

I see good deeds in the world.

I see sad people.

I see happy people.

I see the joy in children’s faces.

I see the joy in lovers in the park.

I see the happiness of athletes

playing games.

Is that sad?

Is that happy?

Does sadness live in the world?

Could happiness exist without it?

I have a choice to be sad.

I have a choice to be happy.

How shall I choose?

What will I say to those who choose sadness?

Choose love.

Love will find a way.

I choose to be happy.