I am going to law school. And I already have two clients.

I was not supposed to live past 50.

Osteogenic sarcoma, the kind of bone cancer I had the first time in 2000, will get you either right away at the time of diagnosis, or 25 years later in the form of a metastasis that is too far gone to do anything about.

When I was diagnosed with the second cancer in 2014, we all thought that that was the moment. But it never happened. It was just regular ole breast cancer.

I ended up not dying.

More years went by, my marriage was dissolved, the pandemic happened, I went back to teaching and banked one more Teaching Excellence Award, and that was it.

I closed that door.

Teaching is not what it was. It just isn't. But now...what do I do?

I was on a good path for consulting, but after the presidential election everything in education got cut, beginning with DEI and ending with the actual Department of Education itself.

AI started coming to the fore, and then the deep fakes happened, and I'm talking about the ones that were very close to the real thing.

That's when I saw the connection to the law.

But I didn't see the connection to me until I began reading Jay Kuo's daily posts, and began reading more and more works on Substack (which I was on until this whole situation happened. That's why I am writing on the Ghost platform now).

It took a second, but I realized I was reading almost all works by attorneys who were fighting the regime. As more laws got broken, it was clear that the judicial system was being upheld by brave souls who were willing to fight.

Lawyers.

But I didn't see anyone with a keen knowledge about artificial intelligence AND who is an artist AND who can explain the science AND who has copywritten stuff that needs protecting. People with skin in the game tend to fight harder because they really know what is at stake.

When I realized that I am that person, I started reading more about IP and copyright stuff. I was already doing that because 100% of my music is copywritten before I post it online, but it was still from the perspective of a musician and tech nerd.

Lawyering, particularly in this field, and music-ing are not mutually exclusive, I discovered.

Then, to be really, really sure, I attended exactly one Michigan Bar Association event, and that sealed it. Attorneys know how to party.

So, first step: I am studying for the LSAT. It is my intention to get this degree fully funded through scholarships and grants. And I refuse to do another degree unless I can be called "Doctor" at the end, so I've contacted the University of Michigan to discuss options to complete the terminal degree concurrently with the juris doctorate. They're the only university around that offers a Ph.D. in Legal Studies.

So not only would I be a lawyer, I'd be Dr. VanOchten.

I already have two clients, phenomenal pianists, both. I explained that I cannot give legal advice because I have not even taken the LSAT yet, but I am mentoring under a copyright attorney who will guide me as I finish my studies.

Once I pass the Bar, I'm an attorney and their agent, and I will use the full force of the law to protect their works.

If you nurture talent from the beginning, when they rise you rise. I have been doing that my whole professional life.

And you best believe they will rise...because I will do my job better than anyone.

I was born for this, and I am placed at the right time with the right skills and the right passions with the right tools and the right temperament. I just need the letters after my name, and that's literally 36 months of study and a test.

I am a concert pianist (on tour, by the way). And soon, I will be a lawyer who represents genius talent and fights against AI theft.