Rhetoric of Fear The Death of the California Dream Health Care in Perspective The Discipline Leave No Child Behind No Daddy, No! Unconditional Equal Justice under the Law Thank God I Am Not A Woman Infallible "Don't ask, don't tell" Thou Shalt Not Kill Irreconcilable Differences My Will Positive Reinforcement Changing My Name After Sixty Years Copyright © 2000-2009 Thomas E. Rosenberg. All right reserved. Essays may be reproduced with written permission. tomr@inaword.org

The elimination of negative words brings clarity to speech My Will A few years ago I needed to revise my will. I met with a probate lawyer and we went through the standard estate questionnaire. "Keep the language simple and positive," I asked the attorney. The will came back in standard legalese. I could see an immediate challenge from my surviving family to a will couched in language that all my life I had consciously and vigorously avoided. I gingerly requested some modest changes. Please say "I am single," instead of "Not married," I asked. "Under no constraint and undue influence," is redundant I suggested. "Of sound mind and memory should suffice." Please eliminate "I have no deceased children" and list the names of my living children, I asked the attorney. My lawyer's patience and my will shrank considerably as I eliminated words such as "indirectly" and phrases such as "not withstanding." Finally, we reached the end of the will. My lawyer's patience had reached its limit when I suggested on final change. "Mr. Ross," the attorney told me "I must insist on the words 'I have no other will.' " I held firm. This is the only will I have. 10/23/1999