Emery Law Office - November 2021

Emery Law Office - November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021

WHY I LOOK TRAGEDY IN THE FACE AND SAY, ‘THANK YOU’

Fifteen years ago, my boss walked into my office at Merrill Lynch and told me, “Melissa, I’m letting you go.” My stomach dropped right through the floor. I was a single mom to four kids, and my job as a financial advisor was the only way I put food on the table. When I asked what happened, my boss, Tom, explained that although it wasn’t my fault, because of internal changes he couldn’t keep me on.

her. She’s sweet and quiet, and we never really bonded until John joined the military. He was gone for months doing basic and advanced individual training. I missed him so much, but the silver lining was that I finally got to know the woman who is now my daughter-in-law. The phrase “every cloud has a silver lining” has been used so much that it’s practically meaningless now. But I think those six words deserve to regain some of their weight. It’s amazing how much better life looks when you think of every tragedy or disappointment as an opportunity. The mindset shift is hard to make, but it’s worth it.

“I don’t think you’ll reach your full potential as a financial advisor, anyway,” he said, reminding me that I was already a licensed attorney in two states. “The thing you really need to do is practice law.” I walked out of the office dazed, upset, and terrified, but I landed on my feet. Not only am I practicing law today, I have my own firm! It took me years to realize that when Tom fired me he wasn’t doing something to me, he was doing something for me. I thanked him for his wisdom the next time I saw him. That experience taught me that sometimes the best things in life come as a result of the worst moments. I was reminded again this March when my mom was hospitalized with a terrible case of COVID-19. It was a horrible time that turned

One thing that always reminds me of this — apart from thinking back on my own life — is listening to the Garth Brooks song “Unanswered Prayers.” In it, he sings about going to a football game with his wife and running into his high school sweetheart. Back in the day he desperately wanted to marry her and even prayed for it. But in the present he’s grateful he ended up with the woman on his arm instead. He sings: “Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs That just because he may not answer doesn't mean he don't care Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.” This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for my own version of unanswered prayers: The job I lost at Merrill Lynch that pushed me back toward my dream of practicing law; the time in the hospital that may have

out to be a blessing. You see, while my mom was in the hospital, the doctors discovered she had stage 3 kidney cancer. She started treatment, had surgery, and is now in therapy and recovering well. If not for the less-than-stellar experience of COVID, we might not have caught the cancer in time! Another reminder came just last month at my son John’s wedding. It was a beautiful, small, down-to-earth ceremony at Red River Gorge. Welcoming my new daughter-in-law into the family made me think back to when I first got to know

saved my mom’s life; the time away from my son that brought me a wonderful daughter-in-law; and the hardship of COVID-19 that has made me even more grateful for every moment with my family. Sometimes things you never thought you’d be thankful for turn out to be the biggest blessings. I hope that if you’ve also had a tough year, this idea brings you as much comfort as it brought me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Melissa Emery

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COMPARISON SHOP LIKE A CHAMP During the Holiday Season

The holiday season can be expensive. Sure, you might describe this time of year with less cynical words like “magical” or “warm,” but unfortunately, most stores don’t accept magic or warmth as legal tender. Whether it be for gifts or for holiday meals and treats, most people want to get the most for their money while saving their time and energy. That’s what makes comparison shopping in the age of technology so worthwhile. In case you didn’t already guess its meaning, “comparison shopping” is simply when you compare prices of the same or similar products at different stores or online retailers. You’ve probably done comparison shopping without knowing you were doing it. However, once you truly embrace the concept, you can increase your savings. Plus, by

using the bevy of online price comparison tools, you can do so without scrambling around to every store in town.

value is actually cheaper per unit. That can mean you’ll save money overall by buying in bulk.

Be wary of markups. Black Friday can leave you feeling frenzied, and that’s not always when stores have their best deals. In fact, many of them mark up their prices (sometimes “discounting” them back to their regular price) in preparation for that day. It’s a good rule of thumb to be wary of massive “sales” at big retail locations. If you want to know where you can compare prices, take a look at any one of these apps: Google Shopping, PriceGrabber, Shopping.com, Idealo, Shopzilla, BuyVia, NowDiscount, ScanLife, or ShopSavvy.

If you want to comparison shop like a champ this holiday season, here are a few general tips.

The best deal isn’t always the lowest price . If you’re buying gifts online, be sure to take shipping costs into account. They might end up making the cheaper option more expensive in the end. You should also take a look at the return fees, in case these could drive the price up significantly. Look at the per unit price for food. If you’re buying groceries for Thanksgiving dinner, sometimes the item that’s more expensive at face

ALL THE COOL KIDS ARE DOING IT! BOOST YOUR HEALTH WITH 3 LITTLE WORDS

On Thanksgiving Day, does your family take the time to go around the table and share what each person is grateful for? The tradition might seem old fashioned, but it turns out those three little words — “I’m thankful for …” — have big health benefits. Researchers and psychologists claim intentionally reflecting on gratitude can do important things:

3. I’m thankful to be able to communicate with my distant family and friends using technology. 4. I am very grateful to have an amazing mother who is with me every day. Joel Franklin Attorney I'm thankful for family, friends, and my health.

• • • •

Lower your blood pressure Boost your immune system

Andrea Whittam Intake Specialist

Alleviate stress

Improve your romantic relationships

I tell myself every day that I am so fortunate to have my family, my health, my sweet pets, a home, and my job. I am especially thankful that my family survived 2020 and came out of that year happy and healthy, and that this year I will get to celebrate my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, with my family together around the same table. Do you want to cash in on the health benefits of gratitude? You don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving! Head to our Facebook page ( Facebook.com/ EmeryLawOffice /) today and post what you’re thankful for to give your health a boost.

Sounds great, right? Here at Emery LawOffice, we want to cash in on those health perks, so we asked everyone on staff to share what they’re thankful for this year. Here are a few of our favorite answers! Maribel Belen Litigation Paralegal I’m thankful for four things this year! 1. I thank God for my good health and for the good health of my loved ones. 2. I’m blessed to have a good job and be able to provide for my family.

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KENTUCKY CORN VS. INDIANA PERSIMMON May the Best Thanksgiving Pudding Win!

HAVE A LAUGH!

When I was growing up in Missouri, pudding wasn’t part of my family’s Thanksgiving.

We were a pumpkin pie household. But when I married my ex-husband, his family in Indiana opened my horizons to an entirely new type of Thanksgiving dessert! The Hoosier ‘Fruit of the Gods’ In Indiana persimmon pudding is sacred. The sweet, wild American persimmons (known as “fruit of the Gods” by the Greeks) are only in season for a short time, so every year, locals fight

EASY PUMPKIN BROWNIES

If you have a hard time choosing between chocolate cake and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, this 2-for-1 treat will knock your socks off.

to gather them up. Without an Indiana persimmon connection of my own, I drive up near Brown County State Park to buy persimmon pulp. Then, I turn it into a pudding that’s about the same texture as pumpkin pie but twice as sweet.

INGREDIENTS

Brown sugar, cinnamon, and buttermilk are common ingredients in persimmon pudding,

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1 box brownie mix, plus other ingredients listed on box 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 can pumpkin purée 6 oz cream cheese, softened

and it’s usually served topped with whipped cream. When I did a little Googling, I found that this Indiana tradition dates back more than 100 years! You can head to IndyStar. com to find a 150-year-old recipe that won the Persimmon Festival pudding cook-off in 1953. Sweet Kentucky Gold

• • • • •

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven as directed on the brownie box, then make the brownie mix. Fold in chocolate chips. 2. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin purée, cream cheese, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. 3. Choose your pan as directed on the brownie box. Grease it if needed. 4. Pour half of the brownie mix into the pan and spread evenly. 5. Add the pumpkin mixture to the pan, evenly or in a pattern. Cover with the rest of the brownie mix and spread evenly. 6. Bake as directed on the brownie box, adding 10 minutes to account for the pumpkin. Test for doneness, and when your toothpick comes out clean, cool and enjoy!

Nothing will ever replace persimmon pudding in Indiana, but since moving to Kentucky, I’ve found that corn pudding tops the

list of Thanksgiving foods in our area. It’s an unexpected side dish (or dessert, depending on the household) made with sugar, butter, eggs, and milk. I think of it as a fancier creamed corn or a sweet casserole. Most corn pudding recipes are pretty basic, but the chef Emeril Lagasse has a classed-up dessert version on his website (Emerils.com) with orange zest, dried cranberries, and cranberry sauce. I haven’t tried it just yet, but I just might give it a go this month. Which pudding will be on your Thanksgiving table? If neither one is a family tradition, here’s my suggestion: Host an Epic Pudding Battle. Make one of each dessert and ask everyone in attendance to vote for their favorite, then send me your results at [email protected].

Inspired by TheCookieRookie.com

WE WANT YOU TO THINK OF US AS YOUR LAW FIRM. If you have a legal matter that needs attention, let us know. If we can’t handle the matter, we will refer you to a firm that can. Please feel free to refer us to your friends and family for their legal needs. We welcome the opportunity to help.

-Melissa Emery

May the best pudding win!

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INSIDE

FINDING GRATITUDE IN UNEXPECTED PLACES 1

COMPARISON SHOP LIKE A CHAMP THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

BOOST YOUR HEALTH WITH 3 LITTLE WORDS 2

ONE THANKSGIVING PUDDING TO RULE THEM ALL

EASY PUMPKIN BROWNIES 3

DOG DIALS 911 TO SAVE HIS OWNER 4

HOWONE DOG SAVED HIS OWNER

BY DIALING 911

Dogs can be trained to obey a lot of commands: sit, stay, roll over, play dead.

adopting him, Joe trained Buddy to dial 911 until an operator was on the line in the event that he had a seizure.

But how about “dial 911”? Well, that would probably be a foreign command for most dogs. Luckily, it wasn’t for Buddy, an 18-month-old German shepherd who remembered his training and saved his owner’s life. Joe Stalnaker of Scottsdale, Arizona, sustained a head injury during a military training exercise 10 years prior to the incident. Because of that injury, he suffered from seizures. Normally, a condition like that would make it unwise for him to live alone, but Stalnaker valued his independence and wanted to find a way to lead as normal a life as possible. Joe adopted Buddy from a Michigan-based organization called Paws With a Cause when the pup was just 8 weeks old. Paws with a Cause trains assistance dogs, and after

A year and a half later, that training saved Joe’s life. One day, Joe began seizing when he was home alone with Buddy. Buddy rushed to the phone and dialed 911, whimpering to the dispatcher. Even if they don’t hear anyone on the line, dispatchers are required to send police. When police arrived at Joe’s home, they found him and Buddy, who was barking loudly. They took Joe to the nearby hospital, where in a few days, he made a full recovery. Some might say that Buddy was just following his training, but this heroic act goes far beyond just sitting and rolling over for treats. Even the veteran dispatchers hadn’t heard of a dog dialing 911 before. Buddy knew it was his mission to keep his owner safe, and thankfully, he knew exactly what to do under pressure — because that’s what heroes do.

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