Yesterday I went to a law office on the 28th floor of a building in downtown Nashville. I had just rewatched the first episode of Boston Legal over the weekend and the offices total reminded of that show – although with far fewer people running around in the hallways. Walking into the lobby of the building took me back to NYC as Washington does not have any really tall office buildings. Some elevators go to low floors and some to the higher floors. It was a weird mashup of memories. I do miss the banter between Denny and Alan over scotch and cigars.
The visit ended a 18th month journey of getting my grown up legal documents all taken care of. When Covid hit in March 2020, I had nothing done. I immediately went the Rocket Lawyer route and got a will and living will done. It was then recommended that I set up a trust to avoid probate issues upon my death so after doing a bit of research, I got a lawyer in DC to do this remotely during the peak of Covid quarantine. As I got toward the end of the process, they indicated that what I was developing would be good for the state of Maryland but would have to be updated to be consistent with Tennessee laws. The updated documents is what I signed yesterday.
I guess there is some peace of mind associated with having these documents in order. The past 18 months have been a HUGE reminder that no one knows when we are going to die and I feel strongly that there is no reason to make whatever is left of my estate any more complicated than necessary for those left behind.
I feel healthier than I have felt in decades and focusing on my physical and mental health is what I am investing most of my time in now. I am watching way too much TV and my justification for it (it is way too hot and humid) is no longer valid. I have been trying to choose programs and movies that expose me to individuals or groups that are different than I am. I have seen many programs that have tackled issues related to social justice well. I particularly liked the shows Good Trouble and Pose for helping an outsider to LGBTQ community have a much broader framework for understanding the issues they face and hopefully modeling appropriate language for engaging in conversations.
A couple of weeks ago it occurred to me that I am just 13 years away from my mother’s age when she died. WOWZA!! It was a bit sobering and motivating for staying active. I never miss a session with my trainer twice a week and cycle 3-4 x per week which for me is GREAT but I need a new retirement level of exercise. I need to get better at exercising at home – I literally have NO excuses. I have all of the equipment I need but I am not ready to commit to anything else YET.
Tamara Unleashed 