patentguy

Modern legal practice is mostly about finding ways to make money, not about client service or creativity, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Clients are insistent, to make a good living you have to take on more matters than you can complete in a reasonable time, and other lawyers are always looking for a way to blame you for their clients’ bad decisions, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You need to be meticulous, detail-oriented, possess stamina, thoughtfulness, and good judgment. You need to continually evaluate whether you have the right balance of work and non-work life. Make sure your eyes are open and do your homework before you pick this goal.

I took a sabbatical from work and spent 3 weeks in Tuscany, Orvieto and Rome. I lived in a rented villa for 2 weeks. It was wonderful and I would do it again in a second. Two things you need: cash and mosquito spray. The villa had a lot of bugs (it was a converted 18th-century farmhouse) and no air conditioning so the windows had to be open and the screens didn’t keep the bugs out. Pretty much everything is Tuscany is expensive, except the walks and views: groceries, dining out, travel, museums. The beaches are private and you have to rent umbrella space at like 15 euros an hour. Tuscany is BIG and the trains don’t go to Chianti or the hill towns, so you have to rent a car and that plus gas is expensive. It’s not practical to bicycle. I think I spent $5000 over 3 weeks including the villa rental. Stay near Lucca, which is a beautiful walled city in a central location.

Take the class “Essential Knife Skills” at a Sur Le Table location that has a cooking instruction center. That’s all you need. One night of that and I achieved this goal.