Author: Chris

Attorney & Amateur Golfer

Like An Unwanted Chore

It seems that each time I return to use the platform on which this website is built (i.e., WordPress), it is in need of an update. Although the update should be automated, that has never worked, and still does not. The reason for this is lost on me, and I don’t care to take the time to find out. Instead, I’d prefer to write and to think about what I am writing.

I am contented to say in this post that, at least for the time being, I am more interested in writing to write than to share with you. When I started blogging in 2004, and in each of my restarts since then, I have felt the need to reach out to an audience – even if that audience was a limited few. Writing publicly allowed me to share many thoughts and visions that I otherwise wouldn’t have had occasion to share. And I received feedback from some folks that they liked what I write, or they found it sad. Most often, people wonder if what I write is true. They usually wonder this about those entries that blend what is left of the truth when it’s pecked by my fingertips with the thoughts dangling about in my head like cured meet in a butchers meat locker.

I want to write short stories now because I have many ideas to write about. They’re bigger than blogs, and will take more time. They’re bigger than me, and that I don’t mind. They are what they are, and they’ve been sitting around like pickled eggs in a jar. It’s time to go down, go ’round, go back before I forget what I’m good at.

First Round of Golf 2011

Winter finally melted away, at least long enough to provide those of us in Northern Lower Michigan a two-day glimpse of spring that, conveniently, coincided with the final two rounds of the Masters golf tournament. The Traverse City Golf & Country Club managed to open an assortment of front- and backnine holes that, when strung together like an assortment of random beads from the bottom of the bin at a bead shop, produced our first opportunity to knock the little white ball around for a couple of hours.

Saturday was high-fifties, which felt warm when compared to winter’s bite. That is to say, comfort is relative. Sunday was warm enough to break a sweat from carrying our golf clubs up and down the little grass slopes. We played quickly, so that we could make it to 2011 Masters at the Jonkhoff’s.

The final round of the Masters was an excellent shootout between nearly a dozen deserving golfers. Lindsey did a wonderful job tracking my ill-thought-out trivia questions. (We’ll get that right one of these years! Fortunately, we have many more ahead of us.)

We’re a golfing couple, as it is one of the many things we both love. The start of golf season is always exciting, and is even more so now that I have a soon-to-be permanent golf cart companion!

Man At Shower

I was a man at a bridal shower this past weekend, which, I’m told, isn’t totally unheard of. (Yes, I was invited.) I walked in and this big group of women was laughing. Instantly I wondered if my fly was open or if I had mis-buttoned my shirt. No, it wasn’t that. I had arrived at the tail-end of trivia. Questions that I had willingly surrendered answers to without knowing what I was getting myself into.

Lindsey and I were seated at the front of the group, so that we could open gifts in front of everyone and nod at the gift givers and mouth, ‘Thank you’ in her direction. This sounded like a great idea – like having Christmas morning to yourself, uninterrupted by siblings or parents opening gifts. However, rarely am I forced to open lingerie in front of a crowd on Christmas morning. As soon as I saw the familiar dark and light pink striped box, I handed it to Lindsey. Here, honey, you can deal with this! My grandma was literally ten feet away. Her grandma, too.

Ah, well, it’s fun! That’s why we’re getting married! To push the boundaries and move up up and away in life. On a final note, it was cool to see many of the wonderful women that Lindsey has had in her life while growing up.

Time Flies

I wrote this awhile ago. Funny how things change. I’m now back in TC. Hopefully still a nice guy who loves golf.

I like visiting the home where I grew up – where my parents still live. Because I am not married with children, I still call my hometown, home.

“Sometimes there are moments in life that surprise me. Not in a startling way, but in a subtle way. When I go home, after all of the hugs and catching up, I carry my luggage up to my bedroom on the second floor of the house. After I set it down and I flip on my light switch, I see some of my golf clubs in the corner by the door. A few putters and a couple of short irons. If you know me at all, then you would expect me to have golf clubs in my bedroom. If you don’t know me, think of a nice guy who loves golf in your life. That’s me. Seeing the clubs in the corner, holding them in my hand and making short swings with them brings back many childhood memories for me.”

Quote: The True Joy In Life

The following quote caught my attention today:

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is sort of a splendid torch, which I have a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it over to future generations.

~ George Bernard Shaw

Law Practice: Two First-Year Points of Practice

Two things I’ve learned the hard way during my first year practicing as a lawyer:

  • The Michigan Court Rules are extremely handy and offer clear directions in most situations. It’s good to read them thoroughly, and then revisit them for each specific matter.
  • Reading on paper is easier and “better” than any digital replacement for paper. This statement might surprise a few of my co-workers, but as I head into my second year, I’m trying to better strike a balance between using paper and striving to be paperless. The idea of going paperless is nice, but there has to be universal access to all files when out of the office for it to really be a benefit. I’m finding it easier to simply plan for work out of the office and take specifically what I need. Working out of the office is tricky because I usually forget exactly what I need to really get down to work. This is where I’d like to have greater virtual access, but that requires diligently scanning everything and then ensuring it’s on the server and in the right place. Baby steps!

Two Words: Flower. Overload.

I need to interject a man post between the sudden bloom … ahem … explosion of flower posts that seem to have appeared on our wedding blog. The only problem is that I don’t have much man stuff to report about. Lindsey has been on top of planning this weekend’s dual-family cake testing event, which should prove to be one of the highlights of the wedding planning process. We’re trying a couple of local wedding cake bakers to see how they compare. I know very little about the details, but assume they’re both capable of incorporating pyrotechnics and animatronic golfers into the cake design. And if not, then we’ll have to look elsewhere. Only kidding, of course, but it is fun to dream about what to do – especially, when there’s a slight golf theme to the wedding as there is to ours.

In other news, which I’m surprised isn’t up here yet, Lindsey’s bridal fashion photograph appeared in this past week’s Northern Express. It even mentions my name! But she’s the beautiful bride-to-be.

I can’t imagine a better run-up to a wedding. Time-wise, we’re at the halfway point of the planning. However, we’re more than halfway done with the planning… or so we think. I’m sure it will get frantic when the “Big Day” looms.

It might be awhile before you hear from me again, as Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and most of my excess mental capacity will be spent trying to top my gift from last year. (Lindsey, that’s a softball lob to you to write a Valentine’s Day post!)