GA Injury Advocates - October 2020

GA Injury Advocates - October 2020

Auto Injury T R I B U N E

OCTOBER 2020

2 Steps for Facing Your Fears

In Times of Uncertainty

Being that October is the month of Halloween, it’s a month when the general idea of fear is close at hand. Fear, in this general sense, and how it prevents us from achieving the goals we set for ourselves, is something I’ve talked about at length, whether in this newsletter or elsewhere. In these uncertain times, fear is more pervasive than ever. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to conquer. When we’re born, humans only innately have two fears: a fear of falling and a fear of loud noises. Every other fear that we have is learned. However, when cavemen found out that sabertooth tigers would kill and eat them if they got too close, they learned to have a healthy fear of sabertooth tigers. So, while we might not be born with a fear of death, it’s certainly one that virtually every human who lived in more dangerous times learned at one time or another. Today, we don’t have as many natural sources for a fear of death, because most of the “threats” we perceive in our lives are not fatal. However, even in the absence of threats on our lives, that fear that we’ve learned, that’s been ingrained in us, for thousands of years needs an outlet. So, we fear things that will not greatly harm us just as much as the cavemen feared the sabertooth tiger. With this in mind, the question that comes to mind is this: How do we get past our fears? In the midst of a pandemic, most of us are

probably experiencing lots of very justifiable anxieties. I remember being pretty freaked out myself when COVID-19 first arrived in the United States. However, even as the pandemic continues, I don’t experience that same level of fear anymore. In any situation where I’m facing fear, I deal with it in two different ways. Firstly, I think of how the older version of myself will look back on my life decisions. When I’m 80 or 90 years old, will I regret not taking certain chances that I have in my life right now? We all have to ask ourselves this question, because one of our greatest fears in life is the fear of failure. A fear of failure keeps us from taking chances — chances that could greatly benefit us. We shouldn’t ever be afraid to fail, because failure is how we learn. And in any case, it’s a short-term fear. Would you rather have to face the fear of failure in the short term, or decades of regret down the road when you’re 80 or 90 years old? Secondly, I actively work to build up my tolerance for uncomfortable situations. Chuck Norris once said that running from your fear is always more painful than facing it. When I first started posting legal advice videos on YouTube, I was petrified. Even though my marketing guys insisted that video essays were the way of the future, I resisted for two months. Finally, I decided that I needed to stop running, and I sat down in front of a camera to record my first ever video. I was nervous and uncomfortable the whole time. I kept tripping over my words,

but after around 20 takes, I got the video done. Then, my second video only took five takes. Now, I’m able to record my videos in just one take. I built up my muscles toward my fear of being in front of the camera. Ask yourself: What uncomfortable situations do you need to build muscles toward? Whatever situation is leading you to be fearful right now, and whatever is making you uncertain, remember that it’s okay to be scared. But, also remember to keep pushing forward and keep trying. Learn from your mistakes, and facing those fears will get easier every time.

–Ramiro Rodriguez, Jr.

El Abogado Ramiro (El Abogado Amigo) y su equipo hablan español

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(770) 233-7400

HOW TO STOP PROCRASTINATING AT BEDTIME

3 MIND-BLOWING FACTS ABOUT TACO BELL

AND GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

Though there are very real medical conditions, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, that deprive people of sleep, the reason most of us probably don’t get enough sleep is simply because we put off our bedtime. Instead of getting into bed, we opt to check off another item on our to-do list or watch another episode of our favorite show. This is sometimes called “bedtime procrastination.” We all know a good night’s sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, so how can we stop putting it off? A good place to start is by keeping track of your day. The human mind isn’t meant to internalize checklists and task reminders, so use your phone or journal as a scheduling assistant. However you decide to keep track, make sure to give yourself a set amount of time to accomplish your tasks, like letting yourself watch TV for just one hour or blocking out three hours to help your kids with their homework. It might even help to set alarms on your watch or on your phone to let you know when your time is up on any of your activities. Another big part is creating an environment that is conducive to a good night’s sleep, and that starts with turning your electronic devices off well before you get under the covers. Smartphone screens, computer screens, and even some energy-efficient light bulbs emit blue light, which reduces the production of melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it’s time to go to bed. Instead of looking at your phone, try reading a book before going to sleep. If your screens prove to be too big of a draw for you when bedtime comes, it might be a good idea to move your devices to another room so they’re out of sight and out of mind. Finally, don’t get discouraged if you don’t start getting better sleep right away. Setting up good bedtime routines takes time. But if you stick with it — and maybe have someone else in your house hold you accountable to your commitments — you’ll start to get better sleep and have more energy to take on the day in no time.

Did you know that Oct. 4 is National Taco Day? Corn or flour tortillas, hard or soft shells, we really love our tacos here in the USA. According to NationalTacoDay.com, Americans ate more than 4.5 billion tacos last year. End to end, that’s 490,000 miles of tortilla- wrapped beans, meat, and cheese. By far, the biggest peddler of light-speed tacos in the country is Taco Bell, the fast-food scion of Americanized Mexican cuisine. In 2012, Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Taco went the food equivalent of viral, selling more than 500 million tacos in just 14 months. It seems like there’s a Taco Bell on every street corner, but how much do you really know about the chain? To celebrate National Taco Day, we’re serving up three Taco Bell facts that will blow your mind. 1. Home Depot helped bring Doritos Locos Tacos to life. After Frito-Lay reached out to Taco Bell to suggest a collaboration, the development team turned to a hardware store for help. To create the famous snack, they “basically went out to Home Depot to buy a paint-spray gun” and blasted a taco with Dorito dust, according to Grub Street. 2. Taco Bell killed Taco Kid. Before it bought Taco Bell in the 1970s, PepsiCo tried to compete with it. The company launched a restaurant dubbed Taco Kid under its Pizza Hut banner. According to Mental Floss, Taco Bell swiftly stomped out its kid brother. In response, PepsiCo opened its wallet and bought the chain for $130 million. 3. The U.S. government was behind the Quesalupa (sort of). In February 2016, Taco Bell launched the Quesalupa, a taco featuring a shell stuffed with melted pepper jack cheese. It was the chain’s cheesiest offering to date, perhaps because it got a boost from Dairy Management Incorporated, the branch of the United States Department of Agriculture in charge of unloading the country’s 1.4-billion pound cheese surplus . That’s right: The Quesalupa was (kind of) a tasty government conspiracy. This is just the tip of the Taco Bell iceberg. To learn about the chain’s wacky endeavors (including putting a bullseye in the ocean for astronauts and flying 10,000 Doritos Locos Tacos to Alaska by helicopter), visit TacoBell.com/History.

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Automobiles, Assembly Lines, and the Most Common PI Claim

On Oct. 1, 1908, Henry Ford’s first ever Model T went on sale. Along with his automobiles, Ford is credited with pioneering the assembly line system at around this time, making the Model T the first truly mass-produced vehicle in the country. The time it took to build one decreased from 12 hours to 30 minutes, and the fact that Ford’s factories could make more of them made them more affordable to the American everyman. In short, Ford helped usher in the Age of the Automobile. An uptick in auto accidents naturally followed their increased presence on our roads, which brings us to today, and to our practice. One of the most common forms of personal injury claims anywhere in the country is for injuries resulting from auto accidents. It’s crazy to think that personal injury law, the roots of which you could arguably trace back to “eye for an eye” laws in ancient times, could be so drastically affected by a simple innovation from a little over 100 years ago. In fact, you could say the same thing about smartphones, which have only been

around for a little over a decade. How many thousands — or even millions — of people have been killed or injured because someone picked the wrong time to respond to a text message? Innovation, technological advancement, and efficiency are undoubtedly good things that have helped propel the human race forward. However, there are some things that we simply shouldn’t rely on technology and systems to accomplish for us. There are some tasks and some jobs that only people can take care of. Only you can decide to be attentive while you drive — your car can’t make that decision for you. At the same time, there’s no technological advancement that can replace an experienced personal injury attorney as your legal representative — at least, not yet! Until then, GA Injury Advocates is here to get you your just compensation after an auto accident. Visit our website at GAInjuryAdvocates.com, or call us at (770) 233-7400.

SUDOKU S

RECIPE: ROASTED ROSEMARY BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND POTATOES

If you’re having trouble getting the kids to eat Brussels sprouts, try this delicious vegan recipe as a side dish. Every vegetable tastes better roasted!

Ingredients

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1 3/4 lbs fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise 3 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

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2 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

4 tsp olive oil 1 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp pepper

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3 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

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Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss until the Brussels sprouts and fingerlings are evenly coated with oil and seasonings.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet, then bake 35–38 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add more salt and pepper as desired, then serve!

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Solution on Page 4

(770) 233-7400 3 If you or a loved one has been injured, call our office today for a free consultation.

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Solution from Page 3

Inside

2 Essential Tips for Facing Your Fears 3 Mind-Blowing Facts About Taco Bell How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep Automobiles, Assembly Lines, and the Most Common PI Claim Roasted Rosemary Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes A Tour of Marietta

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When you read the name of the Marietta location that we’re highlighting in this section of our newsletter this month, you might wonder why we haven’t featured it before! That said, better late than never to highlight one of my favorite restaurants in town, and one of the best diners in the country, the Marietta Diner. The Marietta Diner was founded in 1995, but its outer facade will transport you back to the 1950s, when chrome-plated, neon-lit diners were the coolest places in town. However, it’s more than just appearances that make this diner stand out from the rest — the Marietta Diner was featured on Guy Fieri’s hit Food Network TV show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” and its menu touts the restaurant’s ranking as the No. 1 diner in Georgia, and the third-best diner in the entire country. The thing that makes the Marietta Diner so special — and keeps its customers coming back for seconds — is that they don’t specialize in any one dish. They have

something like 500 items on their menu, and to my knowledge, they’re all worth trying. Their portions are huge — including the desserts, which are some of my favorite items on the menu. There are few dishes more satisfying than a huge slice of cake from the Marietta Diner. As if just having hundreds of stellar meals wasn’t enough to make this local treasure worth checking out, you can also eat anything off their menu at any time of day. The Marietta Diner is open 24 hours a day, which means you could have a late night surf and turf at 2 a.m., or enjoy a juicy burger for breakfast at 8 a.m. The cooks at the Marietta Diner make sure that your options are limitless. Whether you’re a Marietta local, or you’re from out of town and you’re looking for a great place for a bite to eat, swing by the Marietta Diner. It’s impossible to leave with any disappointment — or any room left in your stomach!

AND ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY

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