LIST Birmingham June 2019

JUNE 2019

MELVIN’ S MONTHLY MOMENTS

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A GAME OF CATCH, A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES

What Father’s Day Means for Our Family

With summer in full swing, we are happily spending our days with our 9-year-old son’s traveling baseball team. Thanks to soaking up the sun and spending time with the ones you love the most, this time of year is full of memories that will last a lifetime. June also includes a very special holiday: Father’s Day. My experience as a father has been one of the most rewarding journeys of my life. I’ve been fortunate enough to pass along many life lessons to my son, Bram, and I’ve cherished the opportunity to watch him grow into a fine young man. Yet father figures come in all shapes in sizes. The connections we make in this life can forever shape who we become, and I couldn’t be happier about the relationship my son has with Jill’s dad, Grandpa Jim. Jim is an all-American guy. He was a championship athlete and used that experience to connect with his three daughters. From his time as a football standout, he taught his girls to love competition. Jill remembers playing football with the local boys and never letting them get the best of her on the field. Jim passed his determination and competitive spirit on to his daughters through example. Both Jill and her sister, Jamie, were awarded scholarships to the University of Nebraska for tennis, and they kept up their fighting spirit all the way to the professional level. Everybody has different ways of showing that they care. Jim used sports to spend quality time with the ones he loved the most. Every day after work, he would come home and play catch with Jill for hours on end. They would stand in the yard and toss a baseball or a football and talk about the day. Sometimes they wouldn’t talk at all. They were just happy to have these moments together. He taught her how to toss a spiral and how to throw the long ball, while spending quality time with his little girl. Unfortunately, I’m a natural-born klutz. If I tried to play catch, you’d certainly hear a few car alarms going off after I overshot my target. Luckily, Jill has carried on this family tradition for both of us.

he can get his hands on. This was his gift, and someday my son will carry over that legacy to his kids. Jim and Bram have an

extremely close relationship, as Bram is Jim’s only grandson. Jim never had boys of his own, so this is a new experience for him. We all do our best to pour ourselves into everything Bram does on the field, watching him play baseball, basketball, or golf. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

At the end of the day, even the most active families need a place to lay their head. Here at LIST Birmingham, we aim to help our clients get the most out of our easy home-selling system, and we’ll walk with you every step of the way through the real estate process, just like we have for the thousands of happy clients we have assisted over the past five years. To find out what we can do for you, give us a call at 205-582-4060 or visit our website anytime at ListBirmingham.com.

–Melvin Upchurch

Now, Jill spends an hour every day playing sports with our son just like her dad did with her. Her love for the field has rubbed off on him, and he’ll play any sport

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Kids often look up to their father as one of their greatest heroes. There are the long drives to sports tournaments, the late-night movies, and the sweets when Mom isn’t looking. We probably all have some reason to look up to our dad as one of our biggest influences. It’s Father’s Day this month, a special time of year when we take a moment to think about the sacrifices the father figures in our lives have made for us. Most dads are pretty great, but some go above and beyond the fatherly call of duty. Let’s take a look at some heroic dads who risked everything to keep their families safe. Life can change in a split second, and how you choose to react in a moment of peril can define your legacy forever. Few people know this as well as Brad Lewis. When Brad and his young son, Oscar, were deeply entrenched in an intense Nerf battle, he surely didn’t think the situation would turn as dangerous as it did. When a few darts missed his father and landed on the balcony, Oscar ran after them but soon found himself teetering on the balcony’s ledge, 12 feet above the ground. Thinking fast, Brad grabbed his son just before he fell over, both taking the plunge while Brad protected his son with his own body. Just as he’d intended, Brad absorbed most of the blow. While Oscar sustained serious wounds, his father’s injuries were more severe. Brad was left fighting for his life in the ICU, with severe fractures to his skull and vertebrae. Thankfully, Brad is expected to make a full recovery and has made serious strides since the accident. He and his son will live to play another day. BRAD LEWIS: OVER THE LEDGE HEROIC DADS WHO DIDN’T BACK DOWN Being a Parent Isn’t Always a Walk in the Park

Far before humans had written histories, we had dogs. From hunting and shepherding to playing and relaxing, our early ancestors had canine companions by their side, and their appreciation shows. As storytelling developed around the world, our four-legged friends became important characters. Here are a few ancient legends for the historical dog lover. GOOD BOYS OF ANTIQUITY Dogs in Ancient Legend

TARASCAN SPIRIT DOGS

Many Mesoamerican cultures featured dogs prominently in their myths and legends, especially in regard to the afterlife. One of the most notable of these comes from the Tarascan state, an empire that rivaled the Aztecs. The Tarascans believed canine spirits would search out the souls of lost humans and guide them safely out of the mortal world. Leave it to dogs to create ghost stories with happy endings.

TUIREN THE WOLFHOUND

GREG ALEXANDER: COULDN’T BEAR TO SEE HIS SON HURT

In Irish folklore, Tuiren was a beautiful woman to be wed to Iollan Eachtach, but this love made Iollan’s faery sweetheart jealous. In an attempt to ruin the young woman’s wedding, the faery turns Tuiren into a hound and gives her to Fergus Fionnliath, a renowned dog-hater. This cruel act backfires when the Irish wolfhound wins over Fergus, teaching him to love not just her but all dogs too. In fact, the man is crestfallen when his hound is revealed to be a human. Tuiren’s nephew, the hero Fionn, cheers Fergus up with a new puppy! The Indian epic “Mahabharata” is thought to date back to the eighth or ninth century B.C. and tells the story of two warring families. Toward the end of the tale, prince Yudhishthira and his family begin to ascend the Himalayas to reach heaven, and a stray dog joins them on their journey. One by one, Yudhishthira’s companions fall, until only the prince and his furry friend remain. When the god Indra finally appears to offer Yudhishthira passage into heaven, he brings bad news: The dog cannot come with him. But Yudhishthira refuses to abandon his dog, explaining that he could never leave such a loyal, steadfast companion. Anyone who’s turned down a great apartment offer because they don’t allow pets can relate. YUDHISHTHIRA’S STRAY

While camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in June 2015, Greg Alexander awoke to the sound of a nightmare. The screams of his son intermingled

with the roars of an unknown assailant, beckoning Greg to his son’s tent. There, he found his son Gabriel being attacked by a bear. The bear had his son by the head and was dragging him away. Greg jumped on the bear’s back, desperately trying to take attention away from Gabriel. Amazingly, it worked, and in the end, the bear ran away. Gabriel was left with serious cuts to his head, but thanks to his dad’s heroism, the two were able to walk away from that campsite and back to their lives together.

The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to take a leap of faith or fight a bear to be a hero in your family’s eyes. Just be yourself, show some support, and do the best you can. Happy Father’s Day, everybody.

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ENJOY YOUR FAMILY TIME By Taking a Break From Your Phone

Setting some time aside to be with family is important, but it can be difficult when everyone is always on their cellphones. Constant cellphone use has become a global problem, and the habit is hard to break because we rely on mobile devices heavily for work, school, and keeping in contact with friends and family. Luckily, there are plenty of apps that can reduce how often you’re on your phone and minimize distractions. SIEMPO After you install Siempo on your phone, it will ask which apps are likely to distract you. Once you select them, the app will move those apps away from the home screen and place the important ones, such as the messaging, contacts, email, and calendar apps, on the first screen. You can also designate times for specific apps to be used throughout the day. STAY FOCUSED Stay Focused is like Siempo, but there are some significant differences. You can set times to access certain apps and put the most distracting ones on lock. Stay Focused also has a “strict mode” that prevents you from uninstalling it, so be sure to think carefully before activating the lockdown because you won’t have access to those specific apps until the timer runs out. FOREST In the time that Forest takes control of your device for a set time limit, the app starts growing a tree. Once the tree is fully grown, your time is up, and it joins the other trees that were grown during other breaks. If you pick up your phone and try to access an app, Forest will send you a notification asking you if you want

to kill your baby tree by giving up. Who says guilt isn’t a good motivator?

BESIDES APPS Aside from using these apps, silencing your phone and putting it in another room, leaving it in your car if you’re out at dinner, or keeping it in your purse or back pocket during a social event can also reduce your screen

time. Having your phone out of sight and out of reach will keep the temptation of pulling it out at bay.

Spending time with your family is crucial, and with these apps and tips, you’ll enjoy each other’s company without too many screen distractions.

NO. 1 DAD HASH BROWNS

TAKE A BREAK

Inspired by Bon Appétit

Ingredients

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1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, or 6 tbsp ghee

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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Pinch of cayenne pepper, plus more to taste

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3 russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb.), peeled

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1 tsp Kosher salt, plus more to taste

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat until foamy. Reduce heat if needed to avoid browning. Skim off white milk solids to make clarified butter (ghee). Transfer to a bowl and reserve. (This step won’t be needed if using ghee.) 2. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate potatoes. Transfer to a large bowl of cold water and stir until water becomes cloudy. Rinse potatoes under cold water, then squeeze out liquid using cheesecloth or a kitchen towel, removing as much moisture as possible. Season potatoes. 3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat ghee to medium-high. Add potatoes and cook until a crust forms underneath, about 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, break up potatoes and continue to cook, adding more ghee if potatoes begin to stick. 4. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels; season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Serve.

Solution on Page 4

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INSIDE 1 What It Means to Be a Role Model

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Dogs in Ancient Legend Dads Who Went Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

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Take a Break From Your Smartphone

Hash Browns for the Best Dad

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Roadside Attractions With Fun for All Ages

ENJOYING THE JOURNEY

Roadside Attractions Worth Visiting

The United States can be a weird place, and some landmarks definitely reflect that sentiment. Along

the area on a guided tour through forest above and lake below. And afterward, you can stop by the general store, ice cream parlor, or cafe.

THE MYSTERY SPOT; SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

almost every highway, bizarre landmarks draw road trippers of all ages. Sometimes tourist traps aren’t worth the price of admission, but when you’re taking your summer road trip this year and your family needs a place to stop and stretch, these are three roadside attractions worth checking out.

Advertising itself as a “gravitational anomaly,” this wacky spot in the middle of the redwood forest showcases a series of optical illusions such as balls rolling uphill and a cabin where visitors can lean toward the ground and appear to defy gravity. It might not be aliens, like some believe, but visitors of all ages will get a kick out of the illusions messing with their perception. Plus, the nearby hiking trails through the redwoods offer a free added experience.

DINOSAUR LAND; WHITE POST, VIRGINIA

It might not be Jurassic Park, but it’s still worth a look. Nestled in the greenery of Northern Virginia, this park has over 50 life-size statues of dinosaurs of all kinds. Tours are self-guided, parking is free, and children (or adults) with dinosaur obsessions are sure to smile and point out their favorites. It’s certainly something to “rawr” home about. Whether these spots are your destinations or you’re just passing through on your summer road trip, visiting these roadside attractions and others like them will add some fun to your travels.

THE LOST SEA; SWEETWATER, TENNESSEE

The Lost Sea is the largest underground lake in the U.S. Lying 140 feet beneath the surface, it’s a fun escape from the summer heat, since it’s 58 degrees year-round. Kids and adults alike can learn about the history and geology of

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