Well This Is Certainly Long Overdue

Posted on January 31, 2019January 31, 2019 by alexb2448

This vintage typwriter is our featured image.

Hello, everyone! Yes, it is me. Really. I am alive.

It’s hard to believe it’s already the end of January and I haven’t done a post since last year. In fact, you haven’t heard from me since last April!

The good news is, everything is OK. As a matter of fact, it has been great. Business has been booming here at In Brief Legal Writing Services… and that means I’ve been busy. Very busy. And that keeps me out of trouble… allegedly.

The bad news is that I have been so busy doing legal content writing (and other assignments) for my clients that I haven’t had time to keep up with my own website. I know, I know. It’s not good at all.

New year, new personal and professional goals

Founder/owner of In Brief Legal Writing Services, Alexandra Bogdanovic. Photo by N. Bogdanovic

But, it’s a new year, so of course I’ve set new goals — for myself and for my business. That means a lot of exciting things will be happening here at In Brief Legal Writing Services. Hopefully! No. Make that, definitely! In no specific order, here’s what I’ve got planned for 2019 and beyond:

Greater engagement with clients and prospective clients;
New and better website (upgrades);
Regular blog posts and more interaction with you guys (I promise);
Growth, growth and more growth;
Having plenty of fun along the way.

In terms of content, I still plan on writing about my passions — namely animal and criminal law. In other words, I will continue to keep you apprised of all of the latest developments that may be of interest to all of the “pet parents” out there. As things stand right now, I plan on doing at least a couple of posts per week, and I expect you guys to hold me accountable if I don’t.

Having said all of that, I’m also counting on you guys to let me know what you think about these posts. If you like them, please let me know. If you don’t like them, that’s okay, too. Be honest about what you want to see, what you don’t want to see, and why. I am open to suggestions.

New year, same mascot!

One thing that hasn’t changed — and I’m hoping that it won’t change anytime soon — is that my best buddy, Eli the cat, is still the mascot here at In Brief Legal Writing Services. I’m happy to say he is still his happy, relatively healthy and feisty self. Of course, he is also a year older, having turned 13 on January 1 (his official unofficial birthday), but he is also as handsome as ever, so I’m sure I’ll be using lots of cute pictures with these posts.

And on that note, I’d better run. Until next time…

Why I haven’t I created a Facebook page for In Brief Legal Writing Services — yet

Posted on October 3, 2016 by alexb2448

As a new business owner, I’ve had a lot to do over the past year.

I created this website, and began blogging regularly. I opened a Twitter account. I have a (minimal) presence on Google+. I am building a client base through Upwork.com.

The only thing I haven’t done is start a Facebook page. Some people — including “the experts– (whoever they are) say it’s the single most important thing all new business owners should do. “They” are probably right (whoever “they” are).

So why haven’t I done it? Why wasn’t it my first priority?

Call me a rebel. Call me an individualist. Call me a big fan of critical thinking. Call me stubborn. Call me obstinate. Call me pig-headed. Call me an idiot. Call me anything you’d like.

It won’t change how I feel about Facebook. I hate it. I always have — and I always will.

I hate it because I value my privacy. I hate it because it seems inane. I hate it because “everyone” participates — although I must confess, I don’t know who “everyone” is.

I hate Facebook because I had to post stories (or links to stories) there when I worked at various newspapers. It was time-consuming and it was a pain in the butt — to put it nicely.

I hate Facebook so much that I never created a page to promote my book, Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey, even though “everybody” insisted that I should. I suppose “everyone” will say that I would have sold more books if I had started a Facebook page to promote my memoir. But here’s a newsflash: I don’t really care.

All of that being stated, I suppose I will have to put my personal feelings aside sooner or later. After all, this is about business.

So yes, I am planning on creating a Facebook page for In Brief Legal Writing Services. I’m determined to do it by the end of the year. And when I do, I hope to see you there.

Come take a look at the ‘big picture’

Posted on March 21, 2016March 22, 2016 by alexb2448

I rarely mix business and pleasure. Or should I say, I try not to mix the two. So — even though this blog can sometimes be a bit snarky — there are certain things that are out-of-bounds. Forbidden topics include religion, politics (especially anything having to do with Donald Trump) and, well, blatant self-promotion. I will talk about Eli, but I won’t plug my book here. Nor will I discuss any other extracurricular activities.

Of course, having said all of that, there are exceptions to every rule.

So for the next couple of days, I’m taking a break from writing about murder, mayhem, animals, the nanny state, fantasy sports and our judicial system. Instead I’ll focus on a couple of things that might help you get to know me a little better. And who knows, you may even find them interesting.

An official invitation

First of all, I’d like to invite any of you who live in the New York City area to the opening reception for a group photography exhibition in a couple of weeks. It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. April 3, at the Art and Sound Gallery in Greenwich, Connecticut.

You are cordially invited to a group photography exhibition featuring photos by Alexandra Bogdanovic, founder and owner of In Brief Legal Writing Services — Invitation to opening reception for a gallery event including photos by In Brief Legal Services Owner/Founder Alexandra Bogdanovic.

Located on the Greenwich side of Mill Street near the Byram River bridge, the gallery is actually just a short walk from the Port Chester train station — so all you have to do is jump on the train if you don’t want to drive. Plus the owner, curator and exhibitors are really cool, so you will definitely have a good time. And just as importantly — okay maybe even more importantly — you’ll get to see some of my work.

Yes, when I’m not working on research, writing or editing projects here at In Brief Legal Writing Services, I am an amateur photographer — among other things.

Picture this

To begin with, I was born in Bronxville, N.Y., and raised in Greenwich, so I am definitely a child of the New York City suburbs. Even so, I’ve always identified with the City, and think of myself as an (unofficial) New Yorker.

Now I channel my passion for the single greatest city on the face of the planet through my photography. I see something new every single time I go there, even if I go to the same places over and over again. The time of day, time of year and the weather all make a huge difference in the types of pictures I can get. It’s always challenging and it’s always fun. I never get bored.

Black and white photograph of New York Police Department barriers taken by Alexandra Bogdanovic — NYPD barriers. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic

Out of all the places I go in New York City, Times Square is probably my favorite place to shoot. I think I’m drawn to it because I love big, bold, graphic images — but my interest in photography isn’t limited to urban settings. I also love beach and nature photography, automotive photography and travel photography. In addition to the Big Apple, I’ve shot in Barcelona, Belgrade, Munich, Virginia the Hamptons, Greenwich, Rye, N.Y., and rural Australia. Last year I documented a train trip up and down the east coast, from New York City to Orlando, Florida.

My work has been shown at the Rye Nature Center in 2003, and at the Byram Library in Greenwich last year.

At any rate, it’s kind of ironic that I love photography so much, since it’s something I really started doing as part of my job back when I was a reporter at papers with limited resources. But on the other hand, it’s an interest and passion I share with my mother. It’s also a fantastic creative outlet. When I am behind the camera, I can relax, forget all about any stress or drama I’ve got going on at work or in my personal life and focus on the task at hand.

A quick trip to the DMV? Yeah, right…

Posted on February 17, 2016February 10, 2016 by alexb2448

So here’s a quick survey for you. If you had a choice would you rather:

Have a root canal
Have a colonoscopy
Go to the Department of Motor Vehicles

Sorry, “None of the above” is not an option.

Seriously. Does anyone like going to the DMV? Does anyone enjoy standing in long lines, filling out confusing paperwork and then sitting around for an hour or two or…

You get the point. And if you live in Connecticut, Governor Dannel Malloy feels your pain. Or so he says. According to a recent article in The Courant, the state’s chief executive knows just how to make future trips to the DMV quicker.

If you’re so inclined, you can learn all about Malloy’s plan here. Personally, I think the solution is painfully obvious. Hire and train more people. There’s nothing more infuriating than walking into the Department of Motor Vehicles and seeing one hundred people in line and a grand total of twelve DMV staffers on duty to meet their needs. As long as that’s the case, of course you’ll be waiting forever! Furthermore, and this is an important caveat, make sure the staffers on duty know what they’re doing. If there’s one thing that is more aggravating than the scenario I just mentioned, it’s standing in line forever and then having the person in front of you ask the clerk a difficult question. In my experience, it will add at least fifteen minutes to your wait — less if you are lucky.

Of course this idea will generate a backlash from many Connecticut residents and politicians who bemoan the state of its fiscal health and despise the idea of a bloated government workforce.

If the state can’t or won’t expand DMV staff to meet existing needs, perhaps it could simplify or reduce the rules that necessitate trips to the DMV.

There are other options. Some have suggested outsourcing or privatization. Maybe a multi-faceted approach would be best. I guess only time will tell. For now all I know for sure is that something has to give.

Make it stop! A plea for tougher telemarketing laws

Posted on February 15, 2016February 5, 2016 by alexb2448

After hearing her voice at least once a day every day for God only knows how long, I have come to the conclusion that a day without hearing from “Carmen” is like a day without sunshine.

Apparently, “Carmen” is really concerned about me. For some reason my financial well-being means a great deal to her. “She” really wants to help me improve my credit and get lower interest rates. I know because she calls to tell me so. At least once per day. Every day.

Sometimes she calls in the morning. Sometimes she calls in the afternoon. Sometimes she calls when I’m in the middle of dinner. If I don’t answer, she leaves a message. She doesn’t care if I hang up. She just calls back. You’d think she could take a hint. Or not.

I have no idea how she got my cell phone number… but sometimes she even calls on that.

To be honest, I’ve had it. I can’t take it anymore. I’m sick of hearing her funky, computer-generated voice. At this point, I just want “her” to quit bugging me. Are you out there “Carmen?” Can you hear me? If so, just leave me alone already! Please!

On a serious note, I guess I should take matters into my own hands. But here in Connecticut, the only way to keep from getting harassed by telemarketers is to sign up with the National Do Not Call Registry. There’s information on the state’s Department Of Consumer Protection website about how to how to join.

The DCP says it also enforces the “Do Not Call” law, so if worst comes to worst, I guess I can always file a complaint with the agency. The only catch is I’d have to put it in writing.

In the meantime, I’m taking this opportunity to appeal to state and federal lawmakers. I am asking nicely… no, I’m begging you. Enact stricter telemarketing laws. Please!

“Carmen” is driving me crazy!

Duty calls

Posted on February 1, 2016January 25, 2016 by alexb2448

Don’t you just love getting mail from the government?

Your pulse quickens, your stomach knots and your mouth gets all dry. Your hands shake, you start to sweat and your head is pounding.

You study the return address, trying to figure out whether or not to open it. Maybe if you ignore it, it will just go away. Maybe you’ll “lose” it.

Then again, maybe not.

And in all fairness to much-maligned bureaucrats out there, sometimes those envelopes do contain good news. Sometimes it’s your tax refund.

Most of the time, it’s not.

I got my property tax bill from the Town of Greenwich recently. And then the state sent me a note informing me it’s my turn to report for jury duty.

I already paid my taxes. As for jury duty, I’m supposed to go later this week. On one hand, I’m dreading it since I’m supposed to be at the courthouse early and it will probably take an hour to get there. On the other hand, it would be kind of cool to be chosen for a high-profile case.

I suppose it would be fairly easy for me to “get out of it” if I really want to. I have a paralegal certificate — so I know a bit about the law. I also spent the better part of 21 years covering cops and courts…

Then again, the experience could provide some very interesting blog fodder.

In any case, I will definitely let you know what happens… as soon as I can.

There ought to be a law…

Posted on January 29, 2016January 29, 2016 by alexb2448

Dateline — Greenwich, Conn. As I write this, a winter storm is raging.

The aftermath of a December snow storm in Greenwich, Conn. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic — “Just Another Snow Storm.” Greenwich, Conn., December 2010. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic

Howling wind. Freezing rain. Sleet. Ice. Snow. You name it, we’ve got it. Or we’re going to get it before the day is over. And then I will spend my birthday cleaning up the mess.

For now I am safe and warm and dry. In fact, I am tucked up on the couch with my favorite fuzzy green blanket and laptop for warmth. The TV is on in the background, providing me with the details from the third Premier League football match of the day. Across the Pond, West Ham is leading Manchester City, 2-1, but I’m hardly invested in the outcome. I’ve got other stuff on my mind.

It suddenly dawned on me while channel surfing between games that there ought to be a law on days like this. Make that several. First of all, there ought to be a law against extensive TV storm coverage. We get it. It’s snowing. It’s windy. It’s cold. Newsflash: it’s winter.

There ought to be a law against any politicians commenting on a storm. What in God’s name do you have to say that we don’t already know? Personally, if I want to know about the weather, I can look out the window. Peering through the glass, I can also tell if the roads have been plowed, or if my neighborhood has been affected by a power outage. Based on personal observation, I can also make an educated guess about storm impacts on local, regional and national transportation. Believe it or not, I can rely on common sense to decide whether or not it’s safe to travel.

There ought to be a law against snowplows shoving all the ice, sleet, slush and snow into private driveways. I don’t care where you put it. If you can’t think of an alternate location, I’ve got a few suggestions…

There ought to be a law against idiots in sports utility vehicles, or any 4-wheel drive vehicles for that matter. Just because you’ve allegedly got better traction doesn’t mean you can stop on a dime in slippery conditions. In case you haven’t figured it out, the added height of most SUVs equals a higher center of gravity. Turn that steering wheel abruptly at an unsafe speed and I guarantee you will flip your SUV or end up in a ditch.

There ought to be a law against rude and inconsiderate behavior. Calm down. Relax. It’s just another winter storm. It is not the end of the world. Or is it?

Censorship – alive and well

Posted on January 20, 2016January 16, 2016 by alexb2448

“Censorship generally is the deletion of speech or any communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient to the government or media organizations as determined by a body authorized to censor.”

– As defined on uslegal.com

A disturbing news report surfaced last week.

Apparently some Russian government-types have been burning some “undesirable” books.

Given the heinous and egregious nature of this conduct, I am sure the Russians would have been happy if this remained a closely guarded secret. Unfortunately (for the alleged offenders) some American media outlets discovered and published accounts of this disgusting behavior.

I found out about it when goodreads.com shared a link to the post on Twitter. Ain’t social media grand?

At any rate, I banged off a snippy response, which was something to the effect of, “And this comes as a surprise?” Not surprisingly, that Tweet didn’t amount to much.

But in all honesty, I wasn’t surprised. Angry? Yes. Disgusted? Of course. Sickened? Absolutely. Flabbergasted, gob-smacked, astonished, taken aback? No. Not at all.

Of course government censorship is alive and well. Let’s face it. In Russia, where Vlad Putin does whatever he wants with impunity, it probably never died. But what you may not realize – or simply refuse to admit – is that censorship is practiced with alarming frequency right here in the good old USA.

The restrictions on freedom of expression to which I am referring go far beyond rules and regulations put in place to limit potential exposure to “offensive” material and to hold those who engage in hateful rhetoric accountable for their actions.

I am referring to the vast majority of the censorship that occurs in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, which is condoned if not officially sanctioned by the politically correct crowd in the government and elsewhere. In an effort to combat the ignorant, misguided and hateful behavior of a vocal minority, the “polite police” are running amok.

Yes, some censorship is blatant. Some is passive-aggressive. Trust me. I speak from personal experience.

Book Cover, Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey — Image courtesy of Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Agency

You see, I am the award-winning author of what could be considered a somewhat controversial book. In my memoir, Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey, I share how I met, fell in love with and married the man of my dreams. In vivid detail, I recount how I learned that he self-identified as and planned on having surgery to “become” a woman. I also share what happened after I learned the truth.

Some readers have loved my work. Some have hated it. Most have expressed their opinions in no uncertain terms — which is fine. I have very broad shoulders. There was only one occasion when I was truly insulted, and that was when a local library official told me they’d probably never shelf my book because readers here are “very conservative.”

I wonder what they’ll do if Caitlyn Jenner writes a book.

Injustice, indeed

Posted on January 18, 2016January 14, 2016 by alexb2448

“Nothing surprises me, but many things disappoint me.”

It’s something I often said while working as a reporter for more than 20 years — and it’s something that remains true today.

So, no, I wasn’t surprised when my daily search for blog fodder unearthed a recent techdirt.com article about the Virginia Supreme Court’s failure to implement new rules that would correct alleged imbalances the Commonwealth’s court system.

But I was definitely disappointed.

As I said, the premise of the article in question is that Virginia’s court system is flawed and willingly operates in such a way that the odds are constantly stacked against defendants. Furthermore, comprehensive policy review and public pressure has done nothing to convince those in charge to change the status quo.

That may all be true. In fact, after spending more than eight years on the cops and courts beat in Fauquier County, I don’t doubt it.

But perhaps the author wouldn’t have painted Virginia’s judicial system with such a broad — and scathing — brush if he’d been sitting with me in Fauquier County Circuit Court a few years ago.

Back then I was covering a case in which a man employed at the Pentagon was facing charges after he allegedly hit a state trooper with his car at the Virginia Gold Cup (or perhaps it was the International Gold Cup) steeple chase races at the Great Meadow Field Events Center in The Plains. The accused, who held some sort of military rank (I believe he was a lieutenant colonel) had supposedly been drinking and engaged in a verbal dispute with the trooper as he was leaving the grounds. When the trooper told him to stop his car, the man allegedly refused and the vehicle knocked the trooper to the ground.

When the case finally made its way to Circuit Court, the accused appeared in his military uniform. Now to me, that was highly unusual and highly questionable. After all, anyone who has ever covered courts knows that defendants in criminal cases can’t be tried in their “jail jumps” because it could potentially prejudice the jury. So why on earth would a defendant in a criminal case be allowed to appear in a military uniform? Couldn’t that also sway a jury, especially while the U.S. was in the midst of a war in the Middle East?

Never mind. That’s a rhetorical question. In my opinion, it did. In my opinion, this guy was allowed to wear his uniform in order to increase his chances of acquittal. And it worked. He didn’t even get a slap on the wrist. And when he got off, he celebrated by doing a little “victory dance” outside of the courthouse.

As far as I am concerned, his behavior was a disgrace to his uniform, and in his case, the odds were stacked against the prosecution.

It was a grave injustice, indeed.

The whole truth?

Posted on December 30, 2015December 29, 2015 by alexb2448

“The real purpose of this post is to encourage independent, critical thinking.”

On Sunday, The New York Times actually shared some “good news.” Contrary to public opinion… or more accurately, public perception, crime is down. New Yorkers are safer than they think. Their fears are baseless.

If you know me at all, or if you are any good at reading between the lines, you can easily detect the sarcasm here. Or perhaps it’s merely a healthy dose of skepticism. In any case, the purpose of this post is not to bash the Times. If anything the newspaper, which, in my humble opinion, joins the rest of the mainstream media in demonstrating a blatant anti-law enforcement bias, actually made a fairly decent attempt at presenting both sides of this particular story.

The real purpose of this post is to encourage independent, critical thinking – a skill that is not taught (much less encouraged) in American schools and hence one that I find sorely lacking among the vast majority of Americans.

Of course it is far easier to take what the government – or any other authority – tells us on face value than to question it. Deep down those of us who live in free societies want to believe that authorities have our best interests at heart – so it is far easier to believe that our duly-elected leaders, teachers, police and the media are telling us the truth rather than what we want to hear.

ISIS is being defeated, the economy has recovered, unemployment is down and – at least in New York City – crime has declined as well. A rosy picture indeed. And why not believe it? After all, those who are telling it say they have data to prove their point. Numbers. Cold, hard facts. That’s all the proof you need. Or so they say.

But the numbers can be – and are – easily manipulated by those who provide them and those who report them. This tactic is hardly unique to one political party – or even one group, for that matter. Democrats, Republicans, Socialists, Communists, anarchists, liberals, conservatives, economists, the media and even scientists engage in it.

Acknowledging all of this is the key to sorting through the BS and drawing your own conclusions. It is just one step though. Once you realize that any data can be – and is – manipulated, you must then ask the tough questions. Who is manipulating it? How are they doing so? How do they benefit from twisting the facts?

In some cases finding the answer is simply a question of following the money but in most cases it’s simply a question of using a little bit of common sense.

Speaking of which, here’s a newsflash for The New York Times: perception is reality.

alexandra-bogdanovic

New year, new personal and professional goals

New year, same mascot!

An official invitation

Picture this