Archive | Getting Through Life and Work

How Did You Love?

Charlie Watkins and I have been friends since 1964, when we were in first grade together at Allen Park Elementary School in Fort Myers, Florida. There are many things I like, and love, about my friend, Charlie, including our shared fondness for beautiful flowers; our mutual love of rock and roll music, played loudly; and […]

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I think the idea conveyed by the question “How Did You Love?” is worth considering in our world which is so full of stress and strife.  Perhaps I’d modify the question a bit, and ask, “How Did You Live?”  Too many people seem to live their lives not in love, but in meanness, anger, and […]

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It Gets Late, Early

My late Mother was fond of saying, “It gets late, early.” As she aged, she went to sleep earlier and earlier and when I remarked about her change in bed time, she would smile and tell me, “It gets late, earlier and earlier.” I had no idea why she said this; furthermore, I had no […]

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This was to be a precursor post to Melissa’s post about her Mom’s South Carolina sayings.  I struggled with that post not having experienced similar sayings in my family, though I can’t imagine why I did not.  My grandmother did frequently lament that growing old was not for sissies, and we wrote about that previously […]

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Live a Little – Hawai’ian style

David and I have visited Hawai’i several times. It is one of our favorite places and somewhere I would enjoy making my home. I learned a lot on our trips to Hawai’i, including that the rainbows for which it is famous are possible only because, you guessed it, it rains a lot, daily it seems. […]

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Living a little is a concept some people don’t appreciate until it is too late.  The ability to live a little is probably one of the primary reasons Melissa and I enjoy owning our own company.  We frequently build a little “living” into our “working.”  Very often, this involves exploring a venue where we are […]

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Better Not Look Down

I had the privilege of seeing the late, great, B. B. King perform in concert on many occasions. He was a source of inspiration to me for many reasons, including his commitment to keeping the blues alive. One of my favorite songs of his, written by Will Jennings and Joe Sample, is “Better Not Look […]

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As anyone who reads our posts knows, song lyrics are a part of our outlook on the world.  When I read Melissa’s post, and comments of those who live their lives in the past, I immediately thought of “Living in the Past” (Jethro Tull) and Bruce Springsteen’s anthem “Glory Days.”  But more so, I thought […]

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Don’t Take Water for Granted

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 28, 2023

Category: Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Travel

Here’s some free advice: Don’t take water for granted. David and I have traveled worldwide and we have had many experiences with water. There are places where: (1) water is in short supply, with signs admonishing people to conserve it; (2) water is unsafe to drink, leading to the necessity of buying bottled water; (3) […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 28, 2023

Category: Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Travel

Melissa and I have lived near water for most of our lives.  I grew up in a city with the Atlantic Ocean nearby and for many years, I lived within 500 feet of the mighty St. Johns River.  I played and fished in that river as well as the ocean.  At some point I decided […]

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Billing Expectations

As a follow up to my post on professionalism based on my recent experience of being a lawyer’s client, I want to discuss billing expectations. As I told my family’s lawyer during an extremely unpleasant phone call, what he did to us was like taking one’s car to the repair shop, getting an estimate, then […]

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Almost everyone wants to know the price of something before they purchase it.  This is true regardless if someone is buying a hot dog, a car, or paying for legal services.  Things can look fine, but if they are too expensive, in consideration for what they offer, there will be a disconnect between the product/service […]

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Help When There’s a “Cause”

Almost everyone has a “cause” or sometimes, more than one, that they support. Many people support causes by merely talking about them, while others volunteer their time and provide financial assistance to their favorite cause. For example, the Humane Society in many people’s hometown depends on monetary contributions, donations, and volunteer staff members to fulfill […]

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I’m not sure what prompted Melissa to write her post. Goodness knows, she has supported many “causes” whether friends, families, or strangers.  We both have in various ways, including working on cases pro bono when the cause was just.  What struck me though, in reading her post is how often the act of helping others […]

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Hitting the Ground Running

As noted in a prior post, Melissa and I have built in a “vacation” each year during the last 2 weeks of December, returning to work just after January 1. This is, in some part, due to the reality that we cannot do our “real work” of mock juries, etc., in that time period. In […]

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During our recent vacation, David and I had lunch with childhood friends of mine, both of whom are retired.  One of these friends has been retired for several years and the other, for several months.  They both extolled the virtues of retirement, which, for them, has provided considerable benefits over their careers, which they spent […]

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“Old South Carolina Sayings”

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 3, 2023

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research

My mother, Leola Ann Wright Pigott, was born in Elberton, Georgia, and grew up, from a young age, in Anderson, South Carolina. She considered herself a true Southern belle, in the style of Scarlet O’Hara from the movie, “Gone With the Wind.” Even though Mom spent most of her life in my hometown, Fort Myers, […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 3, 2023

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research

This post has intimidated me for some time in that Melissa wrote it effortlessly some time ago, but I haven’t thought of much to say.  I don’t recall old southern sayings having much of a place in my upbringing.  My parents were from Atlanta, so the southern part is similar, but for whatever reason, these […]

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Why I Love Siamese Cats

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 27, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Travel, Work-Life

I love cats. I really do. Dogs are great too, but I love cats. I have been fond of cats my entire life. My first cat was a domestic short hair ginger cat named Dinker. The cat who was the love of my life was, of course, Ziggy, who spent 19 years with me during […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 27, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Travel, Work-Life

I became a cat person sometime after I met Melissa.  I had no choice.  Ziggy was there first and he was a force with which to be reckoned.  The bobcat in him was close to the surface and though he didn’t have front claws, he attacked at will and had sharp teeth.  But, he knew […]

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