| “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. |