Overcoming Inertia

So in Wifey's absence, the house has been quiet, except for the sound of the three painters working busily on their task.  It's kind of funny to have them here.  Yesterday I stepped out of the shower to see a fellow painting around a window.  He feigned not seeing me, but I know he thought to himself: "Wow -- the owner of this big house could stand to lose some pounds."  Actually, he probably thought to himself: "Que gordo!"

I've been reflecting on the talks I've had with friends who are unhappy in their jobs.  We're all empty nesters, most with at least some degree of financial security, and yet toil on and on, complaining about the lack of challenge or excitement in our careers.

It's just so damn easy to keep the status quo.

I guess the same holds true for marriages that have long ago gone stale.  Divorce is hard work.  I have to think that, especially in the minds of wives whose hearts tell them it's time to move on, they simply say, essentially, screw it -- could be worse.

I've been a lawyer now over 31 years.  From about the first month into the career, I didn't like it.  I got very lucky, of course, and the job has brought our family amazing things -- not the least of which is freedom from worry where our next meals come from.  But I think back to college, when I met the folks who were "pre law."  I didn't like them, for the most part.  And, go figure, they ended up my colleagues in the Bar!

I think back over those I have met.  I always found far more interesting folks who have done several things over their lives.  Now they have interesting tales to tell.

I think about my old friend Roger Howard.  He was a Music professor, neuroscientist, and then, finally, lawyer.  I would love to spend time with him, and have him share his life's experiences.  Roger became a partner at my second law firm -- and after a few years walked away from representing airlines and Lloyds of London to open a small practice in South Miami .  He would refer the bigger cases to me at my then practice.  Roger was so cool -- I remember one afternoon, following a meeting about a case, he explained to me a theory of tonality.

Sadly -- he died young, of leukemia.  But he was a mentor to me.

And inertia holds me back, too.  I still feel young enough to do something other than lawyering.  Maybe 2018 will be the year.

I had dinner with my friend Mirta Sunday night.  We talked a lot about this.  I told Mirta that, if I was at a party, and there were two folks I could spend time with:  one a wildly successful lawyer, the other a former lawyer who now ran a coffee shop -- I would have a clear choice to make -- NOT the full time lawyer.

My firm turns 24 next November.  When my partner/brother and I started out, we pledged to give the business our all for 10 years.  We'd make it, whatever it took.  That was our motto. Well, 2004 came and went, and we kept on plugging.  By the 20 year mark, 2014, we had ceded the daily operations to our buddy Stuart.  And now three years in that incarnation have come and gone.

I miss the heady times of our early years.  We worked hours without watching the clock.  We were in early and stayed late.  If there was a new case to sign up, we'd suit up any day, and any hour, lest we lose the case to other ravenous firms.

We undertook huge responsibility -- for burned children, children with spinal cord injuries, families who lost fathers and mothers.  We very rarely lost.

We took our staff under our wings like they were family.  We paid them most handsomely -- they came in drowning in credit card debt and left with the ability to start their own businesses.

We supported judges, and Congresspeople, and School Board candidates.  We gave freely to charity -- a $200K, interest free mortgage allowed our Rabbi to build his Center.

And we had FUN.  Lots of it.  We threw parties.  We took groups on vacations -- all expenses paid -- Vegas, sailboats, Chalet Suzanne, LA, NYC, Philly...

Maybe there's still a new career in me.  Maybe not.  I just need to set about moving that big rock called inertia...