As Nancy or Andrea told you, I was gone and off the map in January. I was in Italy playing house husband to my wife and father to my kids while my wife taught a St. Olaf College art history course in Florence. Now, before you think my days were filled with leisurely lunches of pasta, wine, and espresso, think again. As a dad in a foreign country with  a ten-year old and a two-year-old, my days were filled with diapers, walking, playgrounds, and an occasional McDonald’s (sadly, there’s actually a McDonald’s 150 feet from the Pantheon in Rome). Rather than finding myself viewing masterpieces of art, I often found myself outside of the cathedrals and galleries in Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Sienna, playing ball on the marble steps. Or retrieving a toddler’s shoe thrown out a fourth-story hotel window. Or just playing cars on the floor, airplane in bed, or puddle jumping in the piazzas.

The experience was fantastic, and it has had some positive effects, primarily connecting with my kids and wife in a way that I rarely get. It also led to a realization that, despite my super-wired personality and job, I can survive quite well without the internet and without 24/7 electropresence. I had little internet availability, a basic Italian phone that was used only to call my wife, and a culture that valued coffee in an actual ceramic cup. It was a good mix.

I haven’t forsaken the electronic world, though. I’m back now and trying to hold on to a bit more perspective. I’m digging into work and, as expected, have a few things on my front burner, namely:

• A review of various practice management software packages, which grows out of my moderating a panel recently that demonstrated ProLaw, Time Matters, and Client Profiles. I’ll expand on that and other sofware apps, including at least two web-based applications, RocketMatter and Clio.

• Working with three MSBA sections to jump start the collection of more state district court opinions;

• Getting back into our Off the Clock series, which I love doing. We’ve received some very positive feedback from those who are attending them, and our next one is February 25 at Common Roots Cafe, one of my favorite places in Minneapolis;

• Spending a great deal more time developing forms and functions for our mndocs product, including providing some simplified and quick forms, such as a quick and less lengthy Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. I’m also hoping to change the interface a bit to make it more user-friendly.

I would not have been able to get away for a month without the kindness and understanding of the MSBA and the talent of the staff I left behind. Nancy Hupp, who just recently stepped into the new position of practicelaw Director, was especially helpful and encouraged me not to check back in. Same goes for Andrea Hable, who also writes for this blog, and Leslie Matton-Flynn, Dick Ericson, and Holly Wu, not to mention other staff who pitched in to make the trip possible. Grazie! And it really is good to be back.

Posted by Gregory Luce