Hegwood Law - July 2020

Hegwood Law - July 2020

HEADLINES HEGWOOD

HEGWOODLAW.COM • 281.218.0880

JULY 2020

REFLECTIONS ON INDEPENDENCE

Fourth of July is a day many are thrilled to spend with family and friends, hosting barbecues and watching incredible fireworks spectacles. It is a time to reflect on more than just the freedoms of America as a whole but also the freedoms and achievements in our lives as Americans. Though, this year, that celebration and tradition might be harder for everyone, especially our high school seniors and college students who feel like their personal independence is at risk.

“I am going to be a communications major,” she said proudly. I told her I did not know what that

meant for her, and she shared her aspirations with me: Her major would be in human resources.

We could not have predicted that the 2008 economic crash would pull her off course for some years, despite all the effort it took for her to get through college and find her passion. However, 11 years later, she became a project manager in HR for a large company, and I could not be prouder of her. It is understandably easy to be overwhelmed with pain and worry in a national crisis and while being affected by the consequences of that. But when we experience a bad period in our lives, it is always better to look forward to future opportunities instead of back at the pain and worry. One modern thinker I follow talks about polarity and how everything has an opposite in the universe. I truly believe that half of the battle in our most challenging, uncertain moments is recognizing that we are allowed to feel sad about our losses but that we should not focus on our loss forever. If we do, we might miss chances given to us by those challenging moments that allow us to find the “opportunity,” the good we look forward to in life. Young Americans are still sprinting toward their future, even when everything feels like it has been paused. Keep working hard and focusing on the next step rather than the cramps in your feet. Sometimes nothing can really prepare us for changes, but you will find yourself on the other side before you know it. I hope we all step a little further in that happier direction this July. Have a great month, friends.

It is already tough enough to find out what you want to do in life. Figuring it out in the middle of a pandemic? Even tougher.

This Independence Day, many families are facing different and new questions about independence in adulthood. In an uncertain time, how do we prepare our young adults for what is ahead? At the time of writing, nearly 1 in 5 Americans is unemployed. It is hard to put together exactly what we are supposed to do, and I do not know all the answers, but the stories we have been hearing sound familiar to me. My daughter went through something similar after the Great Recession. She graduated from University of Texas in 2009, and it took her a long time to find work. It is hard for me to imagine what that journey would have looked like if she was forced to take her classes digitally. I know I would not want to pay full tuition for a Zoom-based education. I remember one of my daughter’s most critical moments in college: She told me that she wanted to take a gap semester because she still did not know what to do for a career. I told her no and urged her instead to try five different classes on whatever interests her. I told her that it did not matter what credits the courses counted for; I just wanted her to invest a little extra time, exploration, and dedication to new fields she had been curious about. She listened, and after a few weeks into the new semester, she called me and never sounded more excited. “Mom! I know what I want to do!” I had no idea what classes she signed up for, so I asked her what she had come up with.

-Kim Hegwood

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‘THE GREAT ESCAPE’ The Daring True Story of an Allied Getaway During WWII

What do Steve “The King of Cool” McQueen, Richard Attenborough, and James Garner have in common? They all starred in the 1963 World War II classic “The Great Escape.” What makes the movie amazing to watch is not just that it is full of legendary stars like McQueen and Garner or the fact that the action sequences were filmed using practical stunts, not special effects. What makes it truly incredible is that this story actually happened. Based on WWII veteran Paul Brickhill’s book, “The Great Escape” depicts a group of Allied officers as they attempt to escape from Stalag Luft III, one of the most heavily reinforced prison camps under German watch. Loose sand, raised prison housing, and seismographic microphones were all meant to deter prisoners from digging their way out. But one prisoner was not discouraged. Squadron Leader Roger Bushell saw these factors as obstacles to overcome rather than inescapable conditions. And in the spring of 1943, he initiated a plan to get himself and 200 of his fellow prisoners out of the camp.

enough that the microphones could not detect them and long enough to reach outside of the camp’s walls. On a chilly night in 1944 — a year after the endeavor began — one tunnel was finally ready, and the prisoners began their exit. In all, 76 Allied men managed to escape from Stalag Luft III. While freedom was short-lived for some,

the escapees were successful in redirecting Nazi efforts from the front lines. And as veteran Jack Lyon said of the escape, “It did do a lot for morale, particularly for those prisoners who had been there for a long time. They felt they were able to contribute something, even if they were not able to get out.” For the rest of the story, you will have to watch the movie or read the book. You can watch “The Great Escape” on Amazon Prime, and you can find Brickhill’s daring tale at most book retailers.

During the next year, over 600 prisoners helped with the effort of digging tunnels underneath Stalag Luft III. They had to be deep

SWEET, SWEET LAUGHTER

No. 2: Popsicles

Humor has an awesome role in our lives, and sometimes, we get to enjoy it through the food we eat. July 1 is International Joke Day, which makes many of us at Hegwood Law Group think about a particular candy: Laffy Taffy. Let us take a look at some of the most famous foods that were sold with jokes (and nostalgia) attached. No. 1: Laffy Taffy Kids write some pretty silly jokes — and no other food supports kids’ jokes better than Laffy Taffy, a delicious stretchy candy that first hit stores decades ago. Packets always feature jokes in a question and answer format, and many of them are quirky and adorable. One of our favorites?

Behind the jokes you see on Popsicle sticks, the backstory of Popsicles is rather fascinating. In 1905, an 11-year-old named Frank Epperson left a cup of soda with a stirring stick out on the porch overnight. The night was freezing, so the next morning, Frank found his drink as an icicle. He declared it an “Epsicle” and would make them for his friends at school and, later in life, for his own kids, who called it “Pop’s ‘Sicle.” Eventually, Frank patented it in 1923 and sold it with jokes printed on the wooden sticks to entertain the kids of the world. No. 3: Bazooka Bubble Gum For 58 years, Bazooka Joe was a recurring comic figure in a comic distributed nationwide through the popular gum brand Bazooka. Kids would open up a pack of gum and find a comic strip printed on wax, featuring punny jokes between Bazooka Joe and his pal Mort. You can still find many of these comics online, even if the gum is only sold with brain teasers these days.

Q: Why did the student eat his homework? A: The teacher said it was a piece of cake.

We hope you celebrate International Joke Day by enjoying one (or all three, we will not judge) of these sweet treats and sharing a good laugh. Have a happy July!

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BEWARE OF THESE CORONAVIRUS EMAIL SCAMS

They Are Still Around! While it seems like the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic might be behind us, that does not mean we should let our guard down completely — especially when it comes to internet scams designed to prey on the fear and uncertainty brought on by the pandemic. It is no surprise that scammers have found ways to use the coronavirus scare as an opportunity to steal personal information from the vulnerable. Fortunately, you can spot coronavirus scammers using the same techniques that help identify otherwise run-of-the-mill phishing scams. Requests for Personal Information When the federal government started distributing relief checks, several scammers sent out unsolicited emails, disguised as legitimate instructions, asking for personal information from people in order to receive their $1,200. Since many people have now received their checks, this particular scam may become less common, but always be suspicious of emails that ask for personal information, no matter the circumstances.

Suspicious Email Addresses During the past few months, people’s email inboxes have been littered with advertisements for fake coronavirus tests and cures, fake alerts from government agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and fake coronavirus updates. If you get an email containing an unusual link in your inbox, do not click on it — even if the email address looks legitimate. Scammers use links to spread malware on computers, which helps them get your personal information. Spelling and Grammar Mistakes This is usually a dead giveaway. While genuine, official updates about the coronavirus will be meticulously checked for spelling and grammar, scammers aren’t as careful. Missing periods, misspelled words, and wacky syntax errors are all hallmarks of scam emails. Make sure you carefully read any email you’re not sure about. If you can spot spelling and grammar mistakes, delete the email. Links and

have peaked, scammers will continue using it as a means to steal from honest, hardworking Americans. But, if we keep our guard up, we can make sure they get absolutely nothing from their efforts.

Much like the coronavirus will remain in the American psyche long after cases and deaths

MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE

WORD SEARCH

Ingredients

• 1 store-bought pie crust • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened • 1 3/4 cups sugar • 4 tbsp cocoa • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour • 4 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cups vanilla or mocha ice cream, softened • 3 tbsp fudge sauce, for serving

directions

1. Heat oven to 450 F. Put crust in pie dish, then line crust with parchment paper. Weight with dried beans or pie weights and bake until dough is lightly golden and set, 10–15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F. 2. For filling: In a medium bowl, mix butter, sugar, and cocoa until well combined. Add flour, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared crust and bake for 30–40 minutes. 3. Remove pie from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Gently mound ice cream over pie and freeze until ice cream sets. Drizzle with fudge sauce before serving.

CAESAR FIREWORKS GRILLING INDEPENDENCE LARKSPUR PEACHES

PICNIC POPSICLES RUBY SPARKLER SUNGLASSES SWIMMING

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 Reflections on Independence 2 Inside the Biggest Escape Attempt of WWII 3 Famous Treats That Know How to Joke Around 3 How to Spot a Coronavirus Scam Email Mississippi Mud Pie 4 Check Out This July’s FREE Live Webinars!

CHECK OUT THIS JULY’S FREE LIVE WEBINARS! And Learn What You Need to Know About Planning the Future

Millions of families across the globe are currently asking themselves the same question: How do you protect one another during a pandemic? There are many answers, both long term and short term. For us at Hegwood Law Group, our answers are long term. To protect the future of loved ones, we often are forced to remember that tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone, but we can certainly give ourselves peace of mind knowing the legal written word of law will protect those loved ones if the unexpected happens. We want to do our part to give people free information on the most important actions you can take while navigating your concerns.

No matter what stage of life you are in, you can benefit from reassessing where you are with your estate plan. These webinars will be live on Zoom and will be uploaded to HegwoodLaw. com/library after

‘Protect What You Have for the Ones You Love Most’ Wednesday, July 15 Live Virtual Workshop at 6:30 p.m.

being presented. Just sign up and hit play to start learning how to begin planning for your family and its future generations.

Learn about asset protection, avoiding probate, long-term care planning, and essential documents you should have in place right now to be prepared for the unexpected.

‘Estate Planning for Tomorrow’ Tuesday, July 28 Live Virtual Workshop at 6:30 p.m.

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