“This one goes to eleven.”  Nigel explains this to Rob Reiner’s character in Reiner’s classic Spinal Tap. RIP Mr. Reiner. I’ve been revisiting his impressive catalog of movies.  Meanwhile, this is the Eleventh Anniversary of our annual Lindquist New Year Newsletter, which covers movies, music, books, personal and professional highlights. Thanks for reading every year, or some years, or maybe for the first year. Again this year I tried to talk Chelsea and Sloane into watching Die Hard with me on Christmas Eve. Again I failed.  I did persuade them to watch the Paul Newman classic, Exodus, based on the Leon Uris novel. I had to explain to Sloane that Paul Newman was one of the biggest movie stars in the world for many years. Next up, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. RIP Robert Redford. We were reminded this year that life is short and uncertain. In Reiner’s movie The Bucket List, the Morgan Freeman character tells us the Gods will be asking these two questions at the gates to heaven, “Have you found joy in your life? Has your life brought joy to others?”

Family Sloane, now 15, is going to drive this year. Please send prayers. In the summer of 2024, Sloane made her screen debut in Peter Farrelly’s new Mark Wahlberg movie, which was shooting in Australia on the Gold Coast.  Sloane shares a scene with Mark. He was gracious and let her know the paparazzi were posting pics of them together. Friends have been asking when it will be out and the answer is this spring. Sloane had an excellent season for the Bellarmine Prep tennis team as a freshman and looks forward to her sophomore year on the team.  We live a little closer to Bellarmine now because we moved from Tacoma to University Place. Our 1919 Craftsman in Tacoma is going on the market in a couple of weeks. Our new home is brand new construction, wide-open loft-like floor plan with a view of Puget Sound and the Narrows Bridge, so it’s a dramatic change from a classic Craftsman in the Wedge District. We love it and look forward to visitors.  Chelsea continues to work as Director of Communications, Marketing, and Advancement for Bates Technical College. This year she and her team organized the celebration of the 85th anniversary of Bates with a successful gala. I saw some of you there, thanks.  For our 18th wedding anniversary, Chelsea and I went to a Cameron Crowe reading where he was interviewed by Eddie Vedder about his new book, The Uncool, which is a cool read.

Safety I’m honored to report Mark Lindquist Law was voted “Best Personal Injury Firm” in Pierce County for 2025, the second year in a row. This public recognition validates my philosophy of taking on select cases and select clients. Our boutique approach allows us to deliver the best service and best results. This year we successfully resolved my last case from the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes. We also posted high-profile wins in seven-figure cases against county and city governments.  I’ve long believed accountability leads to safer communities. It’s been a blessing in my life to be able to contribute as both a prosecutor and a civil litigator.  Our case against against Boeing and Alaska Airlines from the Max 9 door plug blowout at 16,000 feet is still pending. We represent 35 passengers. Accountability is coming.  I continue to do “expert legal commentary” for local and national media and speak at conferences. One of the highlights of the year for me was returning to Jakarta where I spoke at an aviation conference.  Mark Lindquist Law, by the way, remains at our same office in downtown Tacoma.

Travel In addition to Jakarta and Dubai, we made it to Fiji and Hawaii this year. Fiji has a unique vibe I highly recommend. Tony Robbins built a beautiful new resort there on Savusavu Island called Namale. Getting there is a long, Planes, Trains and Automobiles style adventure.  In Hawaii, we took The White Lotus Tour at the Four Seasons. The tour is cool if you’re a fan of the show, which was shot there during Covid. We also, of course, spent time at our new place at Seabrook. Our older condo at Seabrook, Urban Ocean, is in the rental pool. Please let us know if you’re looking for a family and friends discount.  If you are wondering what Seabrook is like, watch The Truman Show.

Music Though I admit I’m behind the curve on this, I have to share the utter joy I’m finding in Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet’s collection of covers, Under the Covers. Both the song choices and the performances are totally inspired. There is a heavy dose of tunes from the eighties.   Sloane had brunch with the ageless Ms. Hoffs this summer and is now one of her biggest fans. If anyone ever criticizes my parenting, I can point out I bought Sloane the Bangles first album when she was nine. Books Besides Cameron’s memoir mentioned above, I am a fan of Ryan Holiday’s new book: Wisdom Takes Work. This is the fourth and final book in Ryan’s Stoic Virtues series. If I didn’t send you a signed copy for Christmas, and you want one, please let me know. To repeat one of my philosophies yet again, Books are the best gifts. Sloane and I will be joining Ryan at a dinner party in Austin, Texas, this January, as I continue my never-ending endeavor to encourage Sloane to read, read, read, and support writers.  We wish you a peaceful, prosperous, and joyful 2026 that goes to eleven.

I wish you all a safe, sane, star-spangled Fourth of July.

As we celebrate our freedom, I’ll toast Albert Einstein who said, “Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.”

Einstein, who was Jewish, left Germany in 1932 as antisemitism was rising. He made his way to the United States where the sui generis scientist spent the rest of his genius life.

Boeing, Boeing, Gone

Five years after the second crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8, I’m gearing up my one remaining Max 8 case for trial in April 2025.

Additionally, my firm is representing 31 passengers on the Alaska Airlines flight where the door plug blew out of a Boeing 737 Max 9 at 16,000 feet.

Boeing has been delaying justice on Max 8 crash cases for years. The once great company has also been delaying reforms to its culture.

After negotiating a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the Department of Justice, Boeing violated the conditions of that agreement and faces further prosecution and penalties.

The Max 9 door plug blowout, among other incidents, demonstrates the continuing safety issues at Boeing. One of my clients and I appeared on a Dr. Phil Show episode, “Boeing Under Fire,” to discuss this. Dr. Phil, by the way, was smart and gracious.

In all of our cases against Boeing, I’m aiming not just for justice and accountability, but for Boeing to get its act together. Boeing management could take a lesson from Steve Jobs who said, “If you keep your eye on the profit, you’re going to skimp on the product. But if you focus on making great products, then the profits will follow.”

In the aviation arena, our firm is also representing and advocating for victims of sexual assault. There has been an unfortunate uptick in reports of in-flight sexual assaults according to the F.B.I.

Accountability is important for the perpetrators and for the airlines if company negligence contributes to the crime.

Epic Space

Mark Lindquist Law is now sharing office space with Evergreen Personal Injury Counsel, aka EPIC, in an iconic downtown Tacoma building. Come visit sometime.

The space is cool and so are the attorneys and staff at EPIC. We are associating on some cases.

You can see the new offices on the Mark Lindquist Law Google business page. While there, feel free to write a review, thank you.

You can also see the space in various interviews I did with FOX 13, or KOMO TV, or KING 5, or KIRO TV in our conference room.

While most of my cases are aviation related, or wrongful death and serious injury cases against the government, we handle other types of personal injury cases as well.

If we aren’t the right firm for you, I’ll refer you to someone who’s a good fit for your case. Happy to help friends.

Finally, I continue to do “expert legal commentary” for local and national media and I appreciate your feedback, even if it’s just, “Maybe you should wear something other than the same blue and red Rep ties.”

Books & Movies

Good news! Ryan Holiday has a new book out — Right Thing, Right Now: Good Values. Good Character. Good Deeds.

This is his third book in the Stoic Virtues series. I just started it, but I’m confident in recommending it to all my friends.

If you don’t buy it, I’ll likely buy it for you come Christmas. Books are the best gifts.

As for movies, well, Sloane and I are revisiting everything by the Farrelly brothers, especially Dumb and Dumber, Sloane’s favorite.

Peter Farrelly, a good friend from the Bad Old Days, has invited Sloane to the set of his new movie, Balls Up, to play a small, small part.

This means we are flying to Australia in August, which is winter there. Winter in Australia, however, is a lot like summer in the Northwest.

Sloane, by the way, starts high school this coming fall. She’s Chelsea’s height.

One More Thing

Steve Jobs used to say that a lot, “one more thing.” Walter Issacson’s biography of Jobs is one of the best I’ve read. I’m now into Isaacson’s bio of Elon Musk, which is equally fascinating for similar reasons.

Sticking with the theme of freedom and creativity, here is what Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, says about our country, which he, like Einstein, made his home.

“If someone wants to accomplish great things, there is no better place than the U.S.”

Sure, sometimes we see enough dumbness to make Harry Dunn and Lloyd Christmas blush, but so it goes. I’m going to focus this Fourth of July on our everlong greatness.

And speaking of greatness, congratulations to R.E.M. on their induction to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Enjoy this video clip of “Losing My Religion” from the ceremony.

Thanks for reading.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall is winning me over as a season. Gratitude and gravy, family and friends, a time to reflect on blessings and lollygag. 

As author, Holocaust survivor, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel said, “For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her face.”

I’m grateful for old friends and new friends, thank you. 

Book Recommendations 

Did you see the movie Searching for Bobbie Fisher? The child prodigy who was the subject, Joshua Waitzken, burned out on chess and turned to martial arts. He became a champion, again.  In a previous blog post I said I was going to read his book. I’m glad I did.

The Art of Learning, an Inner Journey to Optimal Performance is the story of how Waitzken succeeded spectacularly in two seemingly different endeavors. The lessons learned are universal.

Sloane, enjoying eighth grade, read To Kill a Mockingbird for school. I’m re-reading it. Harper Lee’s novel is even better than I remember, working on many levels. Both the far right and the far left have tried to ban it so you know it’s an awesome book. 

Our family will be watching the movie this Thanksgiving at Urban Ocean even though Sloane thinks there is something wrong with B/W movies.

ML Law 

I’m blessed to represent good people, albeit in challenging circumstances.  

Recently I was pleased to resolve a case against Seattle for nearly two million dollars. The family wanted justice and also wanted the city to change their policies regarding a “blacklist” used in 911 call responses. We accomplished both goals.  

Now I’m moving forward against Tacoma in a case where my client was paralyzed in a preventable shooting.  

You can read more about these cases and more on our website blog and media section.  

My case against Boeing for the crash of the Boeing 737 Max 8 in Ethiopia may finally be headed for trial in 2024. I’ll keep you posted on our firm website or firm Facebook page.  

I’ve been commenting on legal issues for various media, including KIRO radio and KING 5 where I’m currently on a panel discussing the Manny Ellis trial. Oh, and ML Law has a Google business page. I’d appreciate your review, thanks.  

In my New Year Newsletter, I’ll be sharing some firm announcements. Let suspense build. 

Band Camp 

Martial artist Bruce Lee said, “Instead of buying your children all the things you never had, you should teach them all the things you never knew.”  

For example, I’ve taught Sloane about Nirvana, Pearl Jam, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Cure, Talking Heads, The Smiths, Jane’s Addiction, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, The Replacements, X, U2, R.E.M. – Sloane has hung out with Peter Buck in his guitar room – and the band we will seeing in Seattle on November 26: Depeche Mode. See you there? 

In response, Sloane made me listen to Taylor Swift. Did you know Tay Tay did a cover of “American Girl?” Give it a listen. Seriously. 

China Syndrome 

Finally, Chelsea is back after two weeks in China where she traveled with Bates college students on a tour. Sloane and I did not burn down the house. We dined out.  

Thank you to everyone who wished Chelsea and me a happy 16th anniversary. We will hoist a toast to you and all of our friends and family this Thanksgiving.  

Thanks for reading.

Sun is shining, weather is warmer, so I’m posting the summer blog entry early.

I hope you’re enjoying this surprisingly bright spring and taking time to read.

Books and Authors

God bless anybody who spends the time to write a book, especially someone starting a new career. I am impressed by my good friend from the Bad Old Days, Susanna Hoffs, who wrote her first novel after turning 60. Titled This Bird Has Flown, her book was just published by Little, Brown and Company. Yes, the title is taken from a Beatles song. 

Depending on your age, you might remember Susanna as a guitarist and lead singer for The Bangles. A talent for writing songs doesn’t necessarily translate to the long form of a novel, but in Susanna’s case it did. Her book is clever, catchy, and has a contagious joie de vivre, like some of my favorite songs. It’s a love letter to music, romance, and life.

Another friend from the Bad Old Days, Phil Joanou, who directed the U2 movie Rattle and Hum, also has a first novel out relatively late in life, It Just Happened.

Narrated by a twelve-year-old boy, this is among the best coming of age stories I’ve read since Catcher in the Rye and Summer of ’42. I actually enjoyed it more than either of those classics because it’s set in the era of Watergate and The Happy Hooker and Phil, like Susanna, has a true knowledge of and affection for pop culture.

Here in Tacoma, my friend Jack Cameron is trying a different approach to the book game through substack. You might know of Jack as the man behind Tacoma Stories. I’m hooked on his newsletter and serial book.

One of my favorite non-fiction writers, Ryan Holiday, is coming to Seattle. He will be speaking with Robert Greene, the author of The Laws of Human Nature, among other books, at the Moore Theatre on September 21. Maybe I’ll see you there?

And I must mention two cool young authors I discovered through Twitter, Chandler Morrison and one of the more awesome author names in literature, Autumn Christian. Thanks Elon Musk. Yes, I am still on Twitter, albeit only occasionally.

And I’ve just started reading The Art of Learning, which was written by the Chess Master who was the subject of the book and movie, Searching for Bobbie Fischer, Josh Waitzken. He later became a martial arts champion. So far, so good. I’ll come to this book in a future post.

So many good authors, so little reading time. This weekend you can find me making time to read at Urban Ocean.

Google Reviews

On advice of friends like you, I opened a Google business page for Mark Lindquist Law. Many of you know my work and I would be grateful if you would add a review to the page. Right now the new page is lonely. Click here and put some good vibrations into Google. Thanks!

I have to add I’m deeply thankful for all the support I’ve received starting the new firm. I’m honored and blessed to be working on remarkable cases for cool clients. 

I am highly selective about new cases my firm takes on, but if we can’t help, I am happy to refer people to an attorney who is well suited to their case. Feel free to call me.

In my next email I’ll include updates on my case against Boeing and wrongful death cases against Clark County and Seattle, among others.

Meanwhile, you can check case progress on my firm website or firm Facebook page. Also, please sign up for the newsletter, which I send out about three times a year.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, 2022 was the year of the tiger and 2023 is the year of the rabbit, so life may be a bit more calm and introspective. To everything there is a season.

Miscellaneous Mischief & News

Bates Technical College, where Chelsea works as Communications Director, had a successful seven-year re-accreditation site visit last month, so that’s excellent news. Additionally, Bates President Lin Zhou won CEO of the Year Award from the state’s trustee’s association. Bates is on a roll. 

Sloane, who turns 13 this summer, is finishing seventh grade at Saint Pat’s. Yes, some of you might recall she was born on 8/9/10.

She’s keeping up her grades while also taking care of a growing puppy, honing her tennis game, and hanging out with actresses. You may have seen a picture of Sloane and a thespian friend on my personal Facebook page?

As for tennis, I’m pretty sure Sloane’s goal is to beat me soon. That day is coming. I’ll keep you posted.

And happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers. God bless you.

Thanks for reading.

Here we go again. New year, new beginnings, new mutations. 

Chelsea, Sloane and I have been fortunate to see most of you this year and we hope to see more of you in a glorious 2022. According to internet numerology, which you can always trust, “2022 stands for success and making your dreams come true.”

I’m good with that.

Life

Chelsea has been especially busy with Bates Technical College communications thanks to the never-ending pandemic. She also serves on the board of St. Vincent de Paul of Tacoma-Pierce County, which “isn’t just a thrift store.” Their long-standing mission includes homelessness prevention, a timely goal.  

Sloane enjoyed learning about the Egyptian pyramids at Saint Pat’s school this year. Chelsea and I introduced her to the Steve Martin King Tut video from SNL, which survives on YouTube. Sloane is back to playing tennis three to four times a week. Ah, to have the schedule of an eleven-year-old. 

After successfully resolving our Lion Air cases against Boeing, I have a new case against Boeing: the crash of Sriwijaya Air Flight 182. You can read more on my lawyer website or my author website blog. I also have several wrongful death cases, including two against the City of Seattle. You can read more in the New York Post, local media, or my lawyer website.  

As always, please let me know if I can help with anything. I feel grateful every day for my continuing and expanding ability to fight the good fight and serve.

Books

‘Twas a good year for books. My favorites included Live Like a Monk by Jay Shetty, The Lives of the Stoics by Ryan Holiday, and Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion. Kazuo Ishiguro has a new novel out, but I confess I haven’t read it yet. 

I did read some novels this year, but mostly classics and pop fiction I reread, including – another confession – Jacqueline Susann. I recommend returning to books you’ve already read for the order and grounding they momentarily provide in topsy turvy times. 

I was jazzed to discover there is a graphic novel version of The Great Gatsby and this was my favorite Christmas gift to Sloane. When she was about two, I read her the entire book as she was going to sleep each night. She’ll get to it after she finishes Twilight, but right now she’s more into her new Apple watch.

Movies

Sloane’s pop culture education took a leap forward this year when she watched a trifecta of holiday movies: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Die Hard, which she declined to finish with me. Next year.   

I don’t see as many movies as I used to, but for 2021 I recommend Don’t Look Up, a smart satire for strange days. While writer-director Adam McKay misfires a few times, he keeps it entertaining. McKay, by the way, also directed Anchorman.

Podcasts

I’m late to the podcast world, but I’ve discovered three good ones for roadtrips to Seabrook: 

Brian Koppelman’s “The Moment.” Brian interviews icons like Elvis Costello and Quentin Tarantino and a variety of lesser-known cool people. Smart, curious, connected and pop culture savvy, Brian does amazing interviews.  

Lili Anolik’s “Once Upon a Time in Bennington.” Lili covers the careers of Bennington grads who became semi-famous writers, most specifically Bret Easton Ellis, author of Less Than Zero and American Pyscho. Lili artfully elevates gossip into literary history. 

“Bret Easton Ellis Podcast.” Bret interviews writers, actors, musicians, and anyone else he feels like talking with. It’s like having dinner with Bret, but without the cocktails, cigarettes and substances. 

Seabrook

As the legal profession and other occupations catch up to the modern remote world, we’re spending more time in the surreal town of Seabrook with a meditative view of the ocean.

When we are not there, Urban Ocean is in the rental pool. Contact me about the friends and family discount.

New year’s resolutions

I believe in the power of goals, but I’m still working on mine for 2022. Meanwhile, here are some smart suggestions for a “happy and productive life” from Ryan Holiday:

Keep texting for friends only.

Walk during phone calls.

Fire crazies from your life.

Don’t set up voicemail.

Avoid conference calls.

Don’t watch the news.

Keep a journal.

Avoid stimulants.

Exercise daily.

Say no. 

I practice seven out of ten. 

People who died

The eighties were spectacular years for music. One of the better tunes was “People Who Died” by poet Jim Carroll. I listened to it a lot this year as people who had significance of some sort in my life kept dying. 

To name only a few of many, there was Joan Didion, Anne Rice, Norm Macdonald, John Madden, Hank Aaron, Charlie Watts, old-fashioned public servants like Walter Mondale and Bob Dole, former Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary Fairhurst, who served with grace and empathy, as well as two good friends of mine, Kris Brannon, aka “Sonics Guy,” and Willie Garson from “Sex and the City” and a slew of other shows and movies.

I wrote a homage to Kris on my lawyer website and an homage to Willie in a previous blog post on this site.

Onward and thanks

2021 reminded us life is short and uncertain. My counsel is to reconnect with friends and family, be present while we’re here, live with gratitude.

I wish you success in 2022.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. At least that’s how I feel today.

This is the day to do what we should do every day: give thanks, acknowledge our blessings, live with gratitude.

Marcus Aurelius begins Book One of Meditations with a gratitude list. Specifically, he thanks people who taught him virtue and helped shape his character.

For example, from Diognetus he learned “not to busy myself about trifling things.” Or, as David Lee Roth of Van Halen put it more than eighteen hundred years later, “Don’t sweat the little shit. And it’s all little shit.”

Aurelius views gratitude as medicine for all that inevitably challenges and chips away at us in life.

In the final quarter of the book, he advises, “All you need are these: certainty of judgment in the present moment; action for the common good in the present moment; and an attitude of gratitude in the present moment for anything that comes your way.”

Books

Consistent with the theme of gratitude, I recommend Ikigai: the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.

Ikigai, roughly translated, means “a reason for being,” or something akin to that. One reviewer said it means, “A reason to jump out of bed each morning.” I found it to be primarily about finding one’s mission in life. Whatever it means, the book is simple, short, and wise.

Many of the ideas and practices you will likely already know. Some may be new. Almost everything is useful.

Two other books I recommend are cited and discussed by the authors, Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl and Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

I think I spelled the Mihaly’s surname name right? Flow is dense and brilliant and I may revisit it in a future blog post.

On the fiction front, I’m starting City of the Sun by David Levien, co-writer of Rounders with Brian Koppleman. Many years ago I reviewed David’s first novel, which turned out to be the harbinger of a remarkable career.

David and Brian currently have an awesome show on Showtime, Billions. I don’t watch TV but I’m watching this series. It’s smart and cool and completely absorbing.

Movies

Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin killed somewhere between three and ten million people in a man-made Ukrainian famine. Released in 2019 and available on Amazon, Mr. Jones tells the story of free lance journalist Gareth Jones who tried to expose the slaughter and, to a lesser extent, the story of New York Times journalist Walter Duranty who tried to cover it up.

Jones and Duranty square off in a competition between truth and fake news before the term entered our lexicon. George Orwell, the author of Animal Farm, appears as a minor character and perfect framing device.

Polish director Agnieszka Holland does a remarkable job of capturing the look and feel of the time and place with a low budget. She has won awards for her previous films about the Nazi holocaust.

I won’t tell you what happens to Jones. You can watch the movie.

On a more upbeat note, my ten-year-old daughter Sloane and I are psyched this holiday season to watch Elf with Will Ferrell for the eleventh time.

Ikigai

I’m pleased to report I’m rolling on a new project, albeit slowly. I’m feeling the same buzz I had writing Never Mind Nirvana. I’ll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, life and law are also keeping me busy as I work at home during the pandemic. For more frequent updates, join my Lawyer Mark Lindquist Facebook Group and follow my Author & Attorney Facebook page if you haven’t already. I’ve also been posting on Instagram, my preferred social media. I appreciate the comments and messages, thank you.

Finally, I’ve been advocating for justice and helping good people in a series of compelling cases. You can read more at my lawyer website.

I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving, your own Ikigai, and a season of gratitude all year long.

Thanks for reading.

Chelsea and I went fully digital with our New Year card this year. If you missed it, lament not, it’s still online.

We appreciate all of you who stay in contact with us through the email list, thank you.

In case you don’t recognize the giant Adirondack chair in the picture, it’s a Seabrook landmark. One of the things you’ll find in our new year update is a link to the Instagram for our new Seabrook beach place.

The setting is almost too perfect, like The Truman Show, and yet it works.

Steve Jobs on Trust and Destiny

You will also find a Steve Jobs quote, which I’ll repeat here. As my friends know, I love starting a new year. I always try to find the right quote to kick the year into gear. in 2019, I went with Brad Paisley. For 2020, Steve Jobs.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life and karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Lion Air Update from Chicago

I’m writing this on an airplane on my way back to Seattle from Chicago where the temperature was in the teens. I was hoping for snow, but only saw a few minor flurries. We have been mediating our Lion Air crash cases with Boeing in a series of sessions at the offices of Perkins Coie.

Boeing moved their headquarters from Seattle to Chicago in 2001 and many say this was when the cultural problems began at Boeing. Seattleites in particular say this. One of my hopes in this case is that safety and solid engineering return to their proper place as guiding values for the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer.

The flight from Seattle to Chicago is about four hours, or about 20 less hours than Seattle to Jakarta. Chicago is also a different world than the Northwest, but less different, of course, than Jakarta and other places I’ve visited in Indonesia. I’m looking forward to meeting more people and visiting more places in 2020.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page,” said Saint Augustine.

I am soon traveling again to Jakarta to see our clients. We represent 46 victim families in the Lion Air crash. I have grown to love the people, city, and culture.

People often ask me if working on these cases has made me wary of flying? No. But I do check what sort of aircraft I’m boarding. Tonight it’s a Boeing 737-800. This is part of a fleet of aircraft generally referred to as 737NG, or Next Generation. They have a good safety record.

The main culprit in the two crashes of the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft was a computer system unique to the Max. If you want to see a flock of grounded 737 Max planes, check my Facebook page.

The Art of Not Giving a Fu*k

Meanwhile, somewhere over the midwest, I’m reading Mark Manson‘s book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, which is actually about giving a fu*k about things that matter and only things that matter. In this, Manson is reminiscent of Marcus Aurelius who said, “You’re better off not giving the small things more time than they deserve. Forget everything else. Keep hold of this alone and remember it. Each of us lives only now, this brief instant.”

Manson is also reminiscent of Stoic scholar and marketing maven Ryan Holiday, though Manson is a less sober version of Holiday. I mean sober in the figurative sense, but it might be true in the literal sense as well, judging from Manson’s personal stories.

Saddled with an unfortunate last name, Manson tells his readers things we may not want to hear, such as, “you are not special,” “happiness is a problem,” the most meaningful moments in our lives involve pain and struggle,” and, the capper, “it’s all right to die.”

I find his book as entertaining as it is edifying. If you like profanity with your philosophy and humor with your self-help, Manson is your guy.

Speaking of things to not give a fu*k about, I’ve been too busy of late for politics, but I did pen a brief blog entry about statecraft, the lost art of politics, on my lawyer website.

The Trick is Not Minding

And speaking of Charles Manson, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood , which loosely re-imagines the Manson murders, picked up 10 Oscar nominations, including, of course, Best Director. Though Academy Awards are not what they used to be — nine films are nominated for Best Picture — the world still watches. The question is will Tarantino finally win Best Director?

Lawrence of Arabia is available on my flight. I love the movie. In one of my favorite scenes, Peter O’Toole lights a match and lets it burns to his fingertips. A colleague, thinking it’s a parlor trick, does the same, but it’s painful and he quickly drops the match.

“That damn well hurts,” he says.

“Certainly it hurts,” Peter O’Toole replies.

“Well, what’s the trick then?”

“The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts.”

I need to add that scene to one of my Zen Lawyer stories.

Much as I love the movie, Lawrence of Arabia is not fit for viewing on a small screen. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, on the other hand, is better on a big screen, but still enjoyable on an Apple laptop.

Airport Books

An interviewer called Never Mind Nirvana, my third published novel, “an airport book.” I took this as a high compliment. To me, an airport book is one you can read in a single sitting.

I would say the same about Manson’s book. It’s an awesome airport book.

Thanks for reading.