Law Office Daniel J Miller - October 2019

Law Office Daniel J Miller - October 2019

INYOUR DEFENSE

OCTOBER 2019

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The Most Important Part of Being Organized

TRUSTING OTHERS TO VALUE ORGANIZATION

Organization is important — even if I didn’t always think so. That’s probably why the entire first week of October is National Get Organized Week. Every aspect of my office, including working with clients and how my staff do their jobs, has a standard operating procedure attached to ensure our clients are taken care of. I coasted through my high school and undergraduate years without having to instill any type of order in how I got my schoolwork done. That all changed when I got to law school, and it changed again when I started my own practice. “Organization is important, but, without a staff working hard to find the best, most efficient ways to help our clients, we would be dead in the water.” In college, I was the guy who didn’t study, maybe went to class, and did the bare minimum to get by. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life at that point, and I didn’t have any drive to pick a direction. When I finally decided I wanted to go to law school, I thought the same attitude and organization tactics I had been using most of my life would still work. But that was not the case. During my first semester, I procrastinated studying for my constitutional law final exam. If there is one class I shouldn’t have procrastinated for, it was constitutional law. I just remember

thinking, “I’ll get to it when I get to it,” but it was nearly impossible to retain everything I needed to know from that textbook — and I knew it. I crammed all my studying into the 48 hours leading up to the test, and I was a dead man walking, a zombie, when I stumbled into the lecture hall to take the exam. It was difficult to put a cohesive thought together, much less write down my answers. Ultimately, I did okay on the test, but it wasn’t because I had actually retained any information. I just dumped everything I had read in that past 48 hours onto my paper without actually remembering it in the long term. Perhaps it worked in the short term, but the exhaustion I felt leading up to the exam made me rethink my studying strategies. The rest of my time in law school was different. I became a total type A personality, wanting to have control over every aspect of my schedule, my responsibilities, and my life. That change in personality followed me when I first began practicing law and when I started my own firm. I wanted to make sure I had control over every aspect of the office, down to the smallest detail, and that’s when I learned organizing myself wasn’t the only key to success. Trying to micromanage every aspect of the firm, including SOPs and my staff’s responsibilities, was exhausting. Exhaustion is the enemy of organization, and trying to do everything yourself will make your

rigid structures crumble in no time. But you don’t have to go in alone. Organization is important, but, without a staff working hard to find the best, most efficient ways to help our clients, we would be dead in the water. I had to learn to trust my staff to value order as much as I did and to get their tasks done without me hovering over them, and I’m grateful for their dedication not only during the first week of October but also year-round.

– Daniel J. Miller

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VIRGINIA BEACH EVENTS IN OCTOBER A T aste of A utumn

Golden leaves. Cool breezes. Warm apple cider. These are just a few of the many simple pleasures that come in October as temperatures cool off here in Virginia Beach. Even though this season comes with plenty to do, don’t book your calendars for the month before checking out these events coming to town.

can don their costumes and listen to some truly terrifying music to get into the Halloween spirit a little early. Who says your Halloween fun can only happen on October 31? VIRGINIA BEACH CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL When: Oct. 19–20, 1–6 p.m. Where: Virginia Legends Walk, Virginia Beach Price: (Limited number of tickets available at the door each day)

2019 VIRGINIA BEACH COIN SHOW When: Oct 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Virginia Beach Convention Center Price: Free Admission

Whether you’re an expert numismatist (fancy word for coin collector) or just starting on the hobby and eager to learn, the Virginia Beach Coin Show is where you want to be. You might find that last Morgan silver dollar to complete your collection or find that rare foreign coin you didn’t know you were looking for. Even if you just get the chance to chat with other collectors, this is a must-visit event for any collector. HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR When: Oct. 19, 3–5 p.m. Where: Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach Price: $12–$22 The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is proud to present a monstrously entertaining musical must-see for all ages. Kids and grownups alike

You can see the autumn in the leaves, feel it on the breeze, and taste it in some of the beers offered at the Virginia Beach Craft Beer Festival. Peruse over 50 craft beers from 25 different breweries to find a new favorite drink or just enjoy some of your tried-and-true favorites. Ticket prices include unlimited samples, a commemorative cup, and live entertainment.

REGGIE ‘MR. OCTOBER’ JACKSON’S LEGENDARY GAME H ow ’ s T hat for O dds ?

“I feel that the most important requirement in success is learning to overcome failure. You must learn to tolerate it, but never accept it.” –Reggie Jackson Some people shine brightest in the spotlight. When put to the test, they deliver every time. Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson is one of those people. During the sixth game of the 1977 World Series, Jackson hit three home runs in a row, securing the Yankees’ victory over the Dodgers and winning them their 21st World Series title. The legendary playoff game also earned Jackson the nickname “Mr. October,” which has stuck to this day.

to college on a football scholarship. Thanks to a $5 bet, he tried out for the baseball team at Arizona State University and made it. Jackson was the first black person on the team, and, even though he experienced discrimination, he never let it stop him. From the minor leagues into the majors, Jackson’s ambition got him through many tough times, as did the constant support of his father and of Oakland A’s Manager John McNamara. Jackson always dreamed of playing for New York, and, eventually, his dream came true when he signed with the New York Yankees in 1976.

Like many stories of greatness, Jackson’s featured a lot of hard work behind the scenes. He dedicated himself to his sport and constantly worked to improve his play. Growing up, Jackson played baseball, basketball, and football and excelled at all three though football was his strong suit. He was scouted and given opportunities to go pro straight out of high school, but, on the advice of his father, he went

To this day, Jackson holds many prominent records, including being the first player to earn more than 100 home runs for three different teams (the A’s, Yankees, and Angels). He even has his own candy bar, the “Reggie! Bar,” which debuted during a Yankees game in 1978. Let’s see if any of this year’s playoff games stir up as much excitement as Reggie Jackson’s did in his heyday.

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S aving P eople ’ s L ives

ONE ANSWERED CALL AT A TIME

Virginia Beach has about 440,000 residents and supports nearly 2.8 million tourists. Answering all the emergency calls made in the city is a daunting task, but one volunteer organization has made it their mission to make sure no call goes unanswered. The Virginia Beach Rescue Squad (VBRSV) has been an instrumental part of the community, providing timely emergency medical care to Virginia Beach residents and visitors for nearly 70 years. The need for a team of volunteer emergency responders was immediately apparent to Attorney J. Peter Holland III in December of 1951. When he witnessed a car hit a local woman, he called the fire department, but their ambulance was out of commission. Next, he tried calling the Fort Story Army installation, but they were hesitant to use military resources for someone who was not military. After about an hour, however, they did send an ambulance. The hospital was three blocks away. Holland realized there should be a group of volunteers who could respond to emergencies when no one else could. The following May, he and some of his friends formed what would become VBRSV with 22 charter members and one associate. Today, they have 175

operational and administrative members, and they responded to nearly 12,000 calls in 2018. Volunteers have the same training and certifications as professional

paramedics and EMTs, and they dedicate around 48 hours a month to the organization. Most of their time is spent responding to emergency calls, but they usually set aside 12 of those hours for office or special event work. The Law Offices of Daniel J. Miller is a proud yearly sponsor of VBRSV because of the valuable work they do in Virginia Beach. They provided service to my parents multiple times over the years before they passed away. Our city is lucky to have a group of people dedicated to fulfilling such a crucial role.

LEFTOVER CANDYSNACKMIX

SUDOKU

This recipe from Momofuku Milk Bar chef and “Master Chef” judge Christina Tosi makes great use of those extra Halloween goodies. It’s a quick and easy way to both elevate and get rid of unwanted leftovers.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups mini pretzels, coarsely broken

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted • 12 oz mini candy bars, such as Snickers, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar • 2 tbsp granulated sugar • 1/3 cup dry milk powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 275 F. 2. In a large mixing bowl, fold together pretzels, sugars, milk powder, and butter. 3. Spread mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. 4. Let cool for at least 30 minutes and mix in candy bar pieces before serving.

Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine

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The Most Important Part of Being Organized PAGE 1 Upcoming Events in Virginia Beach ‘Mr. October’: The Legendary Reggie Jackson PAGE 2 A Spotlight on the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Candy Snack Mix PAGE 3 Weird History: The President and the Hollow Earth PAGE 4 INSIDETHIS ISSUE

PRESIDENTADAMS’ JOURNEYTOTHECENTEROF THE EARTH AMBASSADORTOTHEMOLEPEOPLE

Today, some of the most fantastic discoveries are being made in the far reaches of space, but there was a time when people were more interested in what was going on beneath their feet. In the early 1820s, a United States army officer named John Cleves Symmes Jr. traveled the country teaching audiences about the Hollow Earth Theory. Symmes and some others at the time believed the Earth was made up of several solid spheres, one inside of another. They also believed each of these subterranean worlds was habitable and full of life. This is where the myth of the mole people originated. Symmes wanted to lead an expedition to the North Pole, where he believed he would find an entrance to the center of the Earth. He went to Congress and lobbied for money to fund his expedition. Congress shot him down, but Symmes found an ally in an unlikely place: President John Quincy Adams. John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States and son of the second president and founding father, John Adams. He traveled the world with his father, graduated from Harvard with honors, helped create the national observatory, and secured funding for the Smithsonian Institution. It’s possible Adams’ interest in Symmes’ trip to the North Pole was less about the Hollow Earth Theory and meeting

the mole people than his larger interest in learning more about such a remote part of the world. However, Adams’ reputation as a naturalist didn’t protect him from scrutiny.

Even in the early 1800s, the Hollow Earth Theory was like the Flat Earth Theory today; there were a couple avid supporters, but most people knew it was ridiculous. Having a sitting U.S. president greenlight the expedition was shocking. However, you didn’t learn about Symmes’ expedition in your history class for a reason. Adams wasn’t a popular president, and not just because he might have wanted to meet the mole people. He only served one term. By the time the expedition started to get off the ground, Andrew Jackson had been elected, and he quickly killed the project. In 1936, Congress would approve funding for an expedition to the South Pole, though this expedition focused on exploring the surface of the Earth, not what is underneath it.

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