Stay calm

I have just lost all income stream from my law practice. I shut my office until this COVID crisis has come and gone. Zero income. My paralegal can't even do billing for work done. For a while.
I could lose my mind, or could just stay calm, think about my options.
I have many stories from childhood from my family that struggled through the Great Depression, and I know that if they made it, so can I, so can you. Very likely, you heard the stories from your family gatherings, so you do remember.
I have travelled to many former Soviet Union countries, my favorite places to travel in the world for the last 4 or 5 years. I describe their ability to go to church and not be imprisoned for it as sort of militant Jesus worship. "I will show you, Stalin!"
While I am not at all religious, I am glad they can finally do what they want to do, and if that is to attend church and do that Jesus thing, without threat of prison, then I am happy for them.
Rachmaninov for your pleasure.

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Raggedy Ann's picture

The virus is bringing change to all. No one will be untouched. Live presently. Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

@Raggedy Ann to handle this uncertainty when a couple of other people's lives depend upon you.
My employee is disabled. My brother is disabled.
I am going through my mind the sorts of changes I can make to prop them up, as well as afford my customary bad habits. (Beer being the main one, lol!)

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Lookout's picture

I sure feel lucky that my place is paid off.

What about the so called small business loans which if used for salaries is supposed to be forgiven? Like most gov't info it may be all BS, but might be worth looking into.

I like your stay calm mantra.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

mimi's picture

@ OTC
a good time to write in detail about your many travels you had in your life. We could learn a lot from them. It sounds they were all exiting ones and the memories about them may lift up your spirit.

Be well. My mantra is that everything in life has and end. And that seems to be good so. May be it's your last chance to write at all. So I wonder, if I shouldn't write as if there were no tomorrow, and should start writing for myself in private. My son said, I should.

These kids are so penetrantly right sometimes. Sigh.

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@mimi "this could be your last day of life" attitude!
I actually have difficulty with "planning", since my customary way of going through the day is just as you suggest. I am a "make this day count for something" kinda gal!
Take care of yourself, and write away!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@Lookout My home and office are paid for. It is the pressure of my expectations that few clients in the future can actually afford a lawyer.
I have to reconfigure my case load, possibly return to just representing indigent criminal defendants.
I have to accept that it will be the practice I am fortunate to have, not the practice I tailored to my personal preferences.
Oh, well! We shall see!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Granma's picture

@on the cusp Also, there is supposed to be money for sole proprietorships, self-employed, etc. you must qualify for some $ under some heading. Hopefully it will help a little and actually show up soon.

I have neighbors texting me to ask when stimulus money will arrive. I do not know why they think I would know the answer.

I'm wishing you the best.

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@Granma I do intend to check out the SBA loans. One of my best pals is planning to get one, switching from the practice of law to full time farming.
For him, this disaster is setting him free.
Maybe I will look back on this event in the same way one day.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp to your state Jobs Service. Self-employed and those who run a sole proprietorship can apply for state coverage and receive the $600/wk federal benefit until July.

I'm in the same position, but so far have not been able to apply for the SBA loan because my bank requires a prior commercial account. I was running my Schedule C proceeds through my personal account, and never had a problem until now. Also, have not thus far seen any unemployment benefits because the on-line system malfunctioned and I wasn't able to enter most of my self-employment earnings. Still waiting to be contacted by the claims examiner. Oh well. This too shall pass.

Stay well.

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On the bright side, you can catch up on reading and all kinds
of other productive stuff...

(think *we've* got problems)

The Worst Hard Time - surviving the Dust Bowl

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@Blue Republic when I realize so many before me, and even among me, have never enjoyed true comfort and contentment.
No matter that I carefully tailored my work to the kinds of cases I am passionate about, I can develop a fire in my belly for the ones that I can get.
These are strange and trying times!

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6 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

[video:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OiJJSY5uBvQ]

Looking forward to July!

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9 users have voted.

Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes

@ovals49 Thanks for the song!
We got this, amirite?

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4 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

I hope you have a financial cushion.
Just this morning my software reminded me that it is time for a haircut this morning. Except Illinois barbers are hairdressers were ordered to close their doors as non-essential business many weeks ago. Now, it's non-essential for me, I can go the Sampson route. But what about my hairdresser? She does not have a salary. She gets a fixed portion of charges for her work plus her tips. Like a gig worker. So no unemployment compensation. That $1200 from the Feds if it ever arrives will just cover a month's property taxes in this area or a cheap apartment's rent. No, it's not a rich area. It's Illinois' regressive tax system. 10% sales tax, five digit property taxes but a low 3% fixed rate income tax. Does it surprise you that the state's Dem establishment is all in for Biden? And were all in for Hillary?

Back to your problems.
If it's a lack of clients, there is not much to be done. If it's the computer system, there is much to be done. I will help you. And surely others will too. Simple networking is not hard. You should have a Linux server and Windows workstations. You can do it all Linux but the Workstations all come with Windows pre-installed. This is how the USPS does it. The backbone is Linux, Fedora, to be exact. not the best choice because fedora is really the beta version of RHEL, but Uncle Sam is cheap. I do not recommend Gentoo, which is what I use, because, frankly, it requires a lot of technical knowledge as it's a roll-your-own distribution. But Windows networking is so buggy and full of holes ...

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

@The Voice In the Wilderness @The Voice In the Wilderness that is just about the sweetest and kindest offer of assistance I have gotten! Just the thought of it is very moving, and I will never forget your gesture.
I have things set up to work from home, to conduct hearings from my office.
It is the ability of clients to hire me in the future that raises my blood pressure.
I am fine, can ride this out for quite a while, but it is that concern I have about my other peeps and their well being that concerns me so much.
The intense pressure not to let them down is occasionally overwhelming.
Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your gesture of kindness.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mhagle's picture

. . . . several days ago. I trust that has passed?

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

@mhagle It elevated again a couple of days ago.
It is not too scary, since it is very low grade, but it still indicates my health just may not be as perfect as I think it is.
I will spend the day with my paralegal tomorrow. We can keep our distance, we have separate offices, and I have 2 bathrooms in the building.
The public is not allowed inside until I decide.
I suspect this shut down will continue throughout May.
We shall just see how this shakes out.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981