Futurelawyer

An Asteroid Coming To Earth? Why Not?

Neil-degrasse-Tyson Says Asteroid Coming To Earth. Let's see. Global Pandemic. Check. Killer Bees. Check. Lockdowns. Check. Messy Presidential Election. Check. Wildfires. Check. Hurricanes. Check. An Asteroid the size of a refrigerator having a chance to hit the earth? Why not? If you are alive, and reading this, you are the luckiest person alive. Fate plays no favorites. She is fickle. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to accept it, thrive and move on.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Have Enough Problems Already.

It's always something, isn't it? This morning, a vague unease has permeated my morning blogging. I don't have too much stressful work; but, I never give up on a day having the ability to create another anxiety, or another emergency. Even when I realize, as Epictetus taught, that I am in control of my reactions, I find myself slipping into an unreasoning fear of moving forward. Boy, does that bed look good. Of course, we all feel that way from time to time. One of the reasons not to retire is to force ourselves to deal with life, not run from it. I remember a line from a Kingston Trio song: "Well, it's hard, yes, it's hard, ain't it hard", and then I remember that it's hard for everyone. Then, I greet a client for whom past troubles are never over. They just can't get past it. Every meeting, every phone call, is imbued with a sense of "I was wronged and I am upset about it". Seneca had some thoughts on the issue:

“What is the point of dragging up sufferings that are over, of being miserable now, because you were miserable then?” Seneca.

Dwelling on past misery just drags it into the present. Isn't the present tough enough? So, I will get up out of the chair, walk past the bed, and get ready to face the day. I will thank myself later.

#TBT - Remember.

TBT - On this throwback Thursday, I recall a poem written three years ago. I may post it annually as a reminder of death. Remembering death is the most life affirming act I can think of.

WHEN I DIE

When I die,

Don’t come looking for me.

Don’t look for me in the bushes

or in the grass.

I won’t be there.

Don’t look for me on a cruise ship

going nowhere.

I won’t be there.

Don’t look for me at my place of work

My working days are done.

I won’t be there.

Don’t look for me in your photographs

Two dimensional copies of the image of me.

I am not there.

Don’t look for me in your house.

I am not there.

Don’t look for me in the streets of the city

Blaring chaos all around.

I am not there.

Don’t look for me in Heaven or Hell

If I am there

You can’t find me yet.

Don’t look for me while you are living

You can’t find me yet.

If you really want to find me

Look into your heart and mind

Because I live there

forever.

Rick Georges, Feb 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merciless Times.

Leo Buscaglia is turning over in his grave.

So, You Think Politics And Pandemics And Violence Are Bad?

James Stockdale. Every election season, I think back to the disastrous VP debate for Admiral James Stockdale, who had endured years of torture as a prisoner of war in VietNam, and whose Stoic philosophy was mistaken for lack of fervor and emotion in the debate. What a tragedy that this good man was not allowed to serve us as Vice President and educate us about the Stoic philosophy that saved his sanity and his life. I don't care what political party a person espouses. We need people of integrity in office, and who show courage in the face of adversity. 

"You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end - which you can never afford to lose - with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be."

-- James Stockdale (1923-) American Naval Officer and Prisoner of War

A good thing to remember during a pandemic, and rioting in the streets, and politicians of both parties posturing and acting like children. Your worst day will never approach what James Stockdale faced as a POW in Viet Nam every day. The worst events are out of your control. Get a grip. Get a life. Confront your reality.

Calm Is The Goal Every Day.

Fast Start. Simple Goal. Execupundit is starting fast on this morning. But, he emphasizes that his goal is calm. The best goal is to be "indifferent" to everything that fate brings us, all the time. It is why professional sports teams that treat victory and loss the same, with a calm indifference, are more often than not, successful. Some events are harder than others to take calmly. The death of a spouse is at the top of my list. But, these "preferred indifferents" are the true test of our ability to live in the present. Past events cannot be allowed to color our present. Worry about the future cannot be allowed to detract from our joy of the present. Look at the task in front of you. It is the only one you have a chance to complete.

Memento Mori

Your in car GPS is lying to you. 

Watch What You Say... You Might Offend Someone.

I used to think that political correctness was humorous. Watching reports of college snowflakes, who are being taught that they must be protected from hurt feelings, and need "safe spaces" to hide from the words spoken by someone who disagrees with them, I laughed more often than I worried. But, when cancel culture started taking jobs, and affecting the lives of those who ran afoul of the thought police, I gradually realized that this insanity could become an existential crisis. When Lenny Bruce crashed through the boundaries of good taste; but, only spoke words, it was wrong to act against him. But, free speech, over time, won the day, at least until a few years ago. If we allow the current climate to continue, there won't be much freedom left to protect. I was content to remain silent until the so called mainstream decided to allow looting, taking over city streets, and violent actions to occur, without consequence. When my beloved "Redskins" name was retired, I realized that we were long past the halfway point on a slippery slope to a place in which citizens would be afraid to speak, and worried about their physical freedom if they did. If you laugh, as I did, at this prescient cartoon, ask yourself whether your job, or your safety, or your personal freedom, is at risk. And, before you accuse me of violating my no politics rule, it is only coincidental that this issue has become politicized. I don't care what political party or persuasion you may espouse. Free speech is uniquely American. It is the most important freedom. And, it doesn't have a political side. 

Snatching Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat.

No, I'm not talking about sports today, unless you count the sport of staying alive one more day. I posted this five years ago today, when I celebrated my victory over death. I am still amazed that I get to live another day. 

"Simple Pleasures.I drove myself to work today. Such a simple thing; yet, it feels like a victory. We take so much for granted in this life. I enjoyed walking to the office door in the rain. I enjoyed the pain I still feel from the surgery. I enjoyed being tired, but still being able to walk and talk and drive. Each day is a gift. Make it your pleasure. I am going to spend some time with the birds."

Stoics Have Strong Emotions...They Just Know That They Are Not Part Of The Solution.

As I have been watching the histrionics and hand-wringing over the pandemic, the crazy political stunts, and the virtue signaling explosion that requires all of us to toe some political line or another, it occurred to me that we all need to take a breath. The reason the Stoics advise us to maintain an emotional even keel is that strong emotions never solve anything. We all share empathy for suffering and tragedy; but, would you rather have a helper show empathy or help find a solution? Will jumping up and down, and screaming at the top of your lungs, and beating others over the head until they agree with you, solve anything? Physical violence only, in my experience, strengthens the resolve of the beaten to aspire to revenge, or to resist. The best way to get through events is to find joy in them, or expect that joy will come soon.

"While it’s not a principle, I often think of the parable of the Taoist farmer. The Taoist farmer has one horse, and the horse runs off. The villagers lament his misfortune, and he replies “We’ll see.” The horse returns with four more horses, and the farmer is praised for his good luck. He replies, “We’ll see.” His son then attempts to break the horses, and breaks his leg. Again, the villagers console him for his bad luck. The reply again is “We’ll see.” Then the army comes and conscripts all the able-bodied young men, but the farmer’s son is spared." — Michael Sachse