Lita and I just returned from a short trip to Alaska where I gave a talk to the Alaska Trial Lawyers and I was again struck by the raw beauty of this great state. I first saw Alaska in high school when I began working on the the Anacortes purse seine boats. I started out as a 9th grader working in the skiff and boats with a crew of grown men, many of whom were from Croatia and spoke limited…
On August 4th 19 year old Katie Lentz was hit head on while driving on a Missouri highway. It happened 9 am on Sunday morning. She was on a rural road with traffic backed up in each direction. She was trapped in the twisted wreckage but conscious. The emergency workers and police could not extricate her with the “jaws of death” they had with them after 45 minutes of trying. The trapped girl had asked the workers to please pray for…
My maternal grandmother Marija Babarovich died on August 5th, 1953. She died the year I graduated from high school in Anacortes, Washington.Her life story is one of great courage and sacrifice involving immigration to America while not being able to speak English. I've previously talked about that in writing about my mother.https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/07/mary-thelma-luvera-.html.html I remember her vividly. A tall erect woman with hair piled high on her head, she looked regal and carried herself in a way that projected dignity and…
Well, I've collected some notes from different things I've read so I've decided to share them with you as a random ideas for whatever benefit you might get from them. Here they are. Wisdom from The Movies Jimmy Stewart played the role of Elwood P Dowd in the 1950 movie, Harvey. Elwood offered up this advice: "in this world, Elwood, you must be – she always called me Elwood – in this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or…
"That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best places! And ain't I a woman?" Sojourner Truth 1851 Sojourner Truth was one of ten or twelve children Born in 1797 to slaves captured in African on the Gold Coast. She changed her name from Isavella Baumfree to Sojourner Truth in…
After two weeks the jury trial I was involved in was ended by the judge declaring a mistrial. With over a hundred motions before trial and multiple motions during trial it finally just was stopped as a mercy killing. The judge decided that he should not have allowed evidence about the driver's past driving and criminal history and that as a result he felt he had to grant a mistrial. The entire experience reminded me of a Kafka novel and and the daily…
I'm trying a jury case in Seattle which started last week and has proven to be a challenge. I am reminded, however, about the butterfly as I contemplate my trial. The adult butterfly lays eggs resulting in young caterpillars that begin eating without stopping for two or three weeks. They increase body size and change appearance. At the end of that time they bodies prepare to create a chrysalis or outer covering. They find a place on a branch and…
Lita and I survived the family cruise. Seven of the children, their spouses, children and even grandchildren made up a group of almost forty people who sailed out of Seattle on June 22nd on Princess Cruise liner Star Princess. We had the vesssel all to ourselves with only some 2600 other passengers with a maximum capacity of 3100 passengers plus crew. We traveled 2,338 statute miles round trip arriving back in Seattle June 29th. I was disappointed the vessel went out Juan…
On an early Friday morning, July 7th2000, my mother Mary Thelma Babarovich, died in her sleep at the San Juan Care Center. Her death was not unexpected. After all, she was born on December 28, 1905 and was ninety four years old when she died. She had been in failing health for some time. Her passing was, in fact, a personal blessing to her as she had been ready to meet her maker for some time. My sisters, Phyllis Ennes…
My grandfather, Nicola Luvera died in Anacortes on Independence Day, July 4, 1956 after living more then ninety years. My chief regret is that he spoke no English and I spoke no Italian so we never had a real conversation – only through my father's interpretation. Dad believed our family should speak English because we lived in America so my sisters and I never learned either parent's native language. My grandfather's story is one of courage and determination. After working…
