Futurelawyer

Vince Lombardi - What He Really Meant.

It is one of those memes that loses its real meaning with overuse. "Winning is the only thing", he said; but, he didn't mean the final result of an athletic competition or a trial or an election. Our little victories and defeats in our short, little lives, will not endure. One of the Stoic prescriptions for many human failings is to consider ourselves against the vast cosmos and billions of years of our history. Imagine yourself a billion miles away and look down on your life. Pretty insignificant, no? When the Coach talked about winning, what he meant was that our living, and striving for excellence in all things are the touchstone of a well lived life. I was reminded of this while celebrating my Fiftieth Year of law practice at the Convention this past week. I don't remember the victories or the failures. I only remember the striving to be the best I could be. In the end, that is the only thing that matters.

The Will To Win.

"Each of us, if we would grow, must be committed to excellence and to victory, even though we know complete victory cannot be obtained, it must be pursued with all one’s might. The championships, the money, the color; all of these things linger only in the memory. It is the spirit, the will to excel, the will to win; these are the things that endure."

-- Vince Lombardi (1913-1970)

 

 

Happy Birthday, Angel.

I wrote this several years ago for Diane, on her birthday. I reprise it here, since it still strikes a chord with me. We are so lucky to have found each other late in life. We are proof that fate can be generous. Happy Birthday, Angel.

Angel.

In his night dream,

God sent him an angel,

dressed in white,

ready to lift him up

to heaven,

singing a litany of love

and hope.

She would forgive his sins,

like parish priests

on Saturday afternoon.

He would step confidently

into the light,

renewed and ready for a new life.

He wanted his words to her

to ride a litany of praise

to heaven.

He wanted them to scream

his devotion and his love.

He feared that they would travel softly,

unable to reveal

the depth of his emotions

and love.

He knew that the harsh light of day

would remind him

of the little cruelties

that invaded his daydreams.

He hated the reality

of a world

that harmed the innocent,

and rewarded the guilty.

Still, he dreamed

and somehow knew

that when she came,

she would be looking for an angel too.

Project Gutenberg - A Lifetime's Worth Of Free Reading.

Project Gutenberg. So many books. So little time. I don't remember when this old saying morphed from "So many women. So little time." But, it did, and when I finally realized how little time I had left, my reading days got shorter, and the number of books I wanted to read got longer. You really don't need any other reading site than Project Gutenberg, which has over 60,000 free Ebooks, and many in Kindle format. But, you can get them with or without images, in most cases, and in every EReader format. In my younger years, a trip to the wonderful library at Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, where my step-father was stationed, was a real treat. I could settle into a big leather chair, and read for whole days. I discovered Bruce Catton there, and learned about the Civil War and tales of bravery and tragedy. I thank my mom for inspiring, in me, a love of books and reading, and some of my best days have been spent with books. Michael Wade, of Execupundit, loves books also, and has an extensive paper library. While I love the tactile sensations provided by books on paper, there is great power in having the collected knowledge of the planet in a small device that fits in your hands or pockets. Check out Project Gutenberg. There is not a moment to be wasted.

What If Someone Published The News Every Day Without Spin?

1440 Newsletter. I don't know about you; but, I really hate the anger, hatred, spin and general unhappiness that marks the so called "news" these days. Since the invention of the printing press in 1440, the ability to publish our thoughts and ideas has grown exponentially over the centuries, until now, in the digital age, we are swamped with millions of bits of information, all tainted with someone's political spin. I hate that. I don't want to convert anyone. I don't want to argue with anyone. I just want to know what the hell is happening, and I can make my own judgments without having to get the rest of the world to agree with me. This free newsletter promises to do just that. I don't know if it can survive by being factual and non judgmental; but, I am willing to give it a shot. Sounds like a great idea to me.

The Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend, Until He Isn't.

Allies and Adversaries. Lawyers, as a rule, work in an adversarial system. We are either friends or adversaries, in any litigation or transaction. Our job is to resolve conflict between people and entities, or to resolve them with compromise. We have an innate understanding of the human fact that our relationships change with the facts, circumstances, and sometimes the weather. We read the room. We cash the check. We argue and cajole. The same lawyer who once told me, as a disappointed loser in my first trial that, if I got paid, I won my case, also told me that lawyers are the middlemen, and that we must treat everyone with respect; because, today's adversary is tomorrow's client. So, treat everyone as you wish to be treated, with honesty and respect. Because, the weather will surely change.

Dyson Wants To Put An Air Purifier On Your Face.

dyson-is-betting-youll-want-to-strap-an-air-purifier-to-your-face Those who know me know that it is difficult to silence me. I tend to say what I am thinking. However, sometimes, I am confronted with something so insane, so incredibly lame, or so completely nuts, that I am speechless. Today, when I saw that Dyson is experimenting with a headphone and backpack setup the purports to purify the air before it gets to your nose and mouth. Really. It looks like something the residents of Dune would wear around town. I suppose Dyson figures to tap into the "I will wear a mask on my face until I die" crowd. Am I the only one who sees a pattern here? We are moving to a society in which we want to avoid all risk associated with living on the planet, even if the contraptions we invent make living so limiting and joy killing and restrictive that no sane person wants to participate. Safety can be an addictive behavior. Safe is good; but, it can go too far. Whatever happened to rational thought? I guess I am not so speechless about this brain dead product as I thought. Jeez.

#WhyILiveInFlorida - This Never Happens.

Ice Dam Breaks. You think Spring Breakers are dangerous. Leave Florida and go North in the Spring.

Presentations That Involve Technology Never Go Well.

As I prepare for another season of legal tech presentations, which involve computers, and projectors and screens and connections to power via cables, aside from content preparation and the always fun problem of trying to make PowerPoint interesting, I am painfully conscious of the likelihood that something will always go wrong. I always bring a projector with me, even if the sponsor tells me that audiovisual equipment will be there (one of the great lies of modern life), and a long extension cord, to reach the allegedly easily accessible power in the room. Gremlins and emissaries from Hell are always part of the equation, and part of the joy of creation. Oh, happy day. Now, in Pandemic time, we get to add the fun of Zoom presentations, which solve some of the physical event based problems; but, add so many others. 

#TBT - DisneyWorld Can Be Affordable Again.

Craig Waters Honored By The Florida Supreme Court Upon His Retirement.

Florida Supreme Court Honors Craig Waters For Lifetime Service To The Court. I am happy to call Craig Waters my friend. I first met him many years ago when I was serving on the Florida Supreme Court Technology Commission, and had to go to Tallahassee to attend meetings, and later, in the late Eighties, gave seminars to Florida Judges, with Andy Atkins, about this new thing, called the Internet. Craig has been a leading light for the use of technology and the Internet to improve communications for lawyers, Judges and others. Most people remember him for his unflappable demeanor on the steps of the Court during the Bush-Gore election disputes, which ended up in the Supreme Court. As Communications Director, he was the voice of the Court to the nation, and he performed admirably in that important and sensitive position. Congratulations on your retirement, Craig. But, remember the FutureLawyer's advice. Never retire from being active, alive, and alert. Keep working. Just do it on your own time, and in your own way.