Law and Legal Archives – Unretirement Project

What We’re UP To – August 2017

August 30, 2017 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Watching | Solar Eclipse

> Did you see it?! Keith and I were out there in the middle of August with our NASA approved eclipse shades on. South Florida didn’t have a total blackout, but it was still amazing. I saw a headline that the solar eclipse cost the U.S. $700M in lost productivity. But with the next one quite a few years away…hopefully people took a few moments to enjoy.

Reading | WTFJHT

> It’s an acronym for “What the F*** Just Happened Today”. Matt Kiser started an electronic newsletter about the shock and awe of today’s politics. It’s become very successful and turned into a full-time occupation for him. It can be a daunting task to sift through today’s news. Matt does a great job of curating the headlines.

Working On | Cleaning Out Old Photos

> Both hard copy and digital images. First, I plan to review all my digital images and get rid of the slightly blurry and crooked ones that we’re never going to show anyone. Then, my next goal will be to decide what hard copy images should be transferred to digital. If you know of a great company for converting photos to digital, leave a note in the comments!

Feeling | Ready

> I’ve just spent a couple of days working on air travel, hotel reservations, and shuttle trips. Fall conference season is coming. It will be fun. I always learn a lot. (And getting to see the autumn foliage is fabulous!)

Planning | Specifically, Estate Planning

> We already have wills, etc. But I’ve seen quite a few articles recently about the importance of estate planning. One of them was Next Avenue’s “The Biggest Estate Planning Mistake People Make”. It’s made us realize that regularly reviewing our existing plans is important. Estate planning isn’t a one and done activity.

Loving | Cold-Brew Coffee

> I gave up drinking coffee in the morning a few years ago. Coffee decided it just didn’t like me anymore. But this August I’ve tried a couple of Starbuck’s new cold-brew coffees and really like them. So much so, that we’re attempting to make our own cold-brew at home.

Geeking | New iMac Computer

> I finally made the switch. I love my iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. But I’ve been a holdout when it comes to my desktop computer. No more. I’ve converted to an iMac. It does take a little getting used to, but I’m getting the hang of it. Once my file conversion is complete, Keith says he’s going to be next. Wish us luck!

What’s UP with you?

Bookmark This! “How to Make a Difference” Edition

February 22, 2017 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Another regular feature we want to have on this blog is a round-up of resources you might find useful. I read a lot of blogs and over time I’ve really come to enjoy when other bloggers do this. But in an effort to put a different twist on the idea, I want to curate resources around a single topic. That way, you can “bookmark” it for future reference.

In the U.S., we recently had an election and now have a new President and Congress. Now I’m not here to talk about who and what to support. That’s your decision and I respect it. However, I think we can agree that we are seeing an overall increased level of activism in our political process. And maybe at some point in time, you’ll want to be a part of it – if you aren’t already.

I’m all for getting involved and making a difference and your thoughts known to your legislators. It’s the foundation of our political systems. However, I also know that reaching out to your congressional representatives can be a bit intimidating. And, as an HR professional, I’ve seen a lot of really good ideas never get implemented because of the way they were presented. So here are some resources to help you communicate with your elected officials:

Lifehacker published a couple of posts recently, written by a former congressional staffer, that focus on how to communicate with your government officials.

How to Effectively Lobby Your Congressperson

The Best Ways to Contact Your Congress People, From a Former Staffer

I just discovered an app that allows you to stay on top of issues and send videos to your representatives. It’s called Countable and is available for iOS and Android (FREE.)

Should you decide to take to the streets to show your support for an issue, this article on “How to Protest Safely and Legally” is a must-read.

When I was first starting my career, I got involved in the legislative affairs committee and made a difference for my profession. The woman who chaired the committee was loud and passionate about people voting and getting involved. One day, I asked her what made her so passionate and she said that she grew up in South Africa. She knew what it was like not to have the freedom to vote and contact her legislators. She basically said, “You Americans don’t know how good you have it.” From that moment on, I realized the importance of being involved and having my voice heard.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the Newseum in Washington, DC