Futurelawyer

#WhyIAmASolo - I Can't Be Forced To Retire.

As I age, I do slow down, and I suppose you could call it semi-retired. But, having a job that has a deadline, after which you are forced to retire, is not my type of job. We all want to have some autonomy in our lives. Solo practice brought that to me. Of course, there are monetary sacrifices for such a life. But, freedom of action doesn't really have a price.

The FutureLawyer Lives In The Most Humid City In The U.S.

Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg Are The Most Humid In the U.S., Study says. Okay, the study that says the FutureLawyer's home city of St. Petersburg, Florida, is the most humid in the U.S. was done by a London based group. But, since it rains all the time there, I suppose London does have some knowledge of humidity. But, it is true that, here in Florida, we pay a price for a climate that seldom gets below 60 degrees, even in Winter. Summers can be brutal, especially in July and August. But, the invention of air conditioning brought a degree of comfort even to those months, so we hardly feel it. And, I will trade our humidity for the warm climate any day. There is a reason all you Northerners retire here. By the way, the FutureLawyer does will drafting and probate administration, in case any of you snowbirds plan to retire and die here. We may be humid; but, we also have no income tax. 

Remember Grief. Without It, There Isn't Joy.

The twin emotions of joy and sadness can't exist in a vacuum. We experience grief, and inevitably joy, in waves of time. Savannah died two years ago, and, occasionally, I still am reminded of her by Facebook and my own dimming memory. This photo shows a normal Saturday morning 8 years ago. Savannah hated all other human beings but the FutureLawyer. She was beautiful and she knew it. We love spouses and pets and friends. They all leave us, or we leave them. Until that time, however, experience the full range of human experience. That, finally, is what makes us human. Memento Mori.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Have To Worry About Running Efficient Meetings.

Read, Then Discuss. Execupundit has a strategy for getting consensus at a meeting. Don't give out the materials until the meeting. Give time to read and digest. Then, discuss and make a decision. I prefer the FutureLawyer method. Make decision. Implement decision. No meeting required.

Go Outside And Look At A Sunrise.

In Delusion, I discuss the narrow focus lives we lead, filled with non-essentials and pretend happiness. I shot this image at sunrise seven years ago today, standing on a path at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The real world is so much bigger than we are. Take a moment and marvel at it. That is really living.

#SaturdayFun - Welcome To The World Of The Lost Cables And Gadgets.

My desk, this morning, is a Marie Kondo nightmare (or opportunity). But, dear Marie, if I had thrown these cables and gadgets away, I would have deprived myself of the joy of discovery and the utilization of something I may need. Clutter can be a treasure trove. Being cluttered doesn't have to mean disorganized. Now, what will I find this morning?

Find The FutureLawyer On Tumblr.

FutureLawyer On Tumblr. You can find me on Typepad. You can find me on LinkedIn. You can find me on Twitter. You can find me on Facebook. You can find me on MeWe. You can get a daily email from me. You can find me on SubStack. You can find me at LawBlog. Now, you can get me on Tumblr. Pick your poison. The FutureLawyer is everywhere.

Hey, Marie, What If All My Gadgets And Stuff Give Me Joy?

Why DeCluttering Guru Marie Kondo Is Wrong. When I see a home or office online that is completely devoid of anything other than furniture and chairs, my first reaction is that someone just built the house, and is selling it, or that someone just moved out. Seriously, I live in an office that has hundreds of books, cables, gadgets, magazines, gizmos, and other assorted stuff. I think I still have the souvenir baseball I caught at Tropicana Field in 2001. Occasionally, I will get a large plastic bag, and stuff a bunch of old stuff in it. Then, the bag goes into the portion of the garage that isn't part of my home office. Sometimes, I store stuff in boxes. Then, a year or so later, when I am looking for 25 year old cable for something, I will drag the box back into the office, and start going through it. It is like a combination of Xmas and Nostalgia. You could say the same thing about the Living Room and Family Room in the house. Someone once asked me what it was like living in a Museum. Every item there brings me memories, or joy, or inspiration. Our stuff can bring us joy, just like lack of stuff can. You just have to learn how to find joy in everything. Sorry, Marie. You can live a sterile, stuff less life, if you want. But, I am not coming along for the ride. 

Growing Old Gracefully And Being Able To Get Up Out Of Chairs.

When, like me, you are old as dirt, and in the twilight of life, you find difficulties in navigating anything that requires moving the body up and down. The commercial about the old lady who has "fallen, and can't get up" is real. One of the benefits of law practice is that age brings an increase in ability because it is brain based. Keep and active mind, and combine that with long years of experience, and you can be a better lawyer as you age. I was struck by the irony of this when we purchased powered recliners for the RV. Like Earl, we longed for the Seventies, when we had bean bag chairs that we could get in and out of easily. Young bodies and old minds. That is something I would enjoy having. But, alas, it is not to be. Enjoy your body while it is young. But, take advantage of each year to work on your mind. You only get one of each.

Tonight Will Be A Celebration For This Concordant Married Couple.

PsychSoGerontology. Execupundit points today to this article that discusses a study in which more positive relationships among older married couples exist when they are concordant, which, in English, means one of you drinks alcohol, and the other doesn't. I have never been much of a fan, even though I have an occasional single malt beverage. I am the designated driver for a group of women who drink alcohol. Jacquelyn's preference was Pinot Grigio, while Diane prefers Vodka. So, I have lived with a Concordant spouse for many years. My New Year's wish for all my friends is that they find a concordant relationship in the New Year. Life is very pleasant with mine. Love you much, Ms. Concordant.