Bob Norton Consulting - June 2021

Bob Norton Consulting - June 2021

NortonAccountingServices.com 985-640-6072 [email protected] JUNE 2021 NORTON NEWSLETTER EASE OF MIND • AVAILABILITY • FLEXIBILITY • INDIVIDUAL APPROACH • EXPERIENCE • TAX SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES THE REAL ESTATE TAX PRO ™

We’ve been in our new office for five months now. We still do not have a sign up, yet. (The plan is to get one installed after tax season!) Penny and I were discussing this recently, and I said that maybe we should keep it non-descript since we save our clients so much in taxes. We don’t want the IRS to be able to find us so easily! Which brings me to mapping software and how inaccurate it can be. We have two addresses — a mailing address at a UPS store and our physical location. We updated our website and our Facebook listing for our office address and have seen mixed results when people use mapping software to find us. Some clients end up a block away and have to call. Others show up at the UPS store, which is close by. We have even had people show up in our office looking for the UPS store! And, we have people come in looking for businesses that were located here years ago. I’m not sure having a sign would solve these issues. It would help, however, when clients FROM THE DESK OF Bob Norton

Get the Most Out of Your Vacation

Without Getting Worn Out!

One day at Disneyland or Disney World can be exhausting. Of course, most people don’t go to a Disney park for just one day — they go for two or three, sometimes more, if they’re feeling especially brave. But whether you’re going to a Disney park, any theme park, or on a vacation that keeps you on your feet and moving, the last thing you want is to come home ready for a vacation from your vacation. So, how can you avoid this? Is it even possible to avoid vacation exhaustion? The answer is yes! That is, if you’re willing to take a few steps ahead of time, and while there, to get more out of your trip. You might even end up with a little extra energy during your excursion, too! Here’s what I recommend: Get yourself ready before the trip. If you know you have a trip coming up in a few weeks or months, start incorporating a regular walking habit. Using Disney World as an example, the average parkgoer can expect to walk 8–10 miles per day. That doesn’t include standing in line for Space Mountain or churros. So, work your way up to this.

pull up out front and call to ask if they are in the right place!

–Bob Norton

Continued on Page 2 ...

985-640-6072 • 1

... continued from Cover Start walking a mile or two every day (every day is key) and work your way up. This is a great way to build your endurance — and it’s also a great way to develop a healthy, ongoing habit. By the time you get to your destination, you’ll be ready to be on your feet for longer. Be sure to stay hydrated. This is huge, and even more so in the summer months. I can’t speak for every theme park, but the Disney parks are very good about helping their guests stay hydrated. While you can’t bring in a filled bottle of water (they prohibit outside beverages), you can bring in an empty bottle and fill it in the park. You can go to virtually any restaurant and ask to fill your bottle. Staying hydrated helps you avoid fatigue and muscle tiredness/ soreness, which helps keep your energy up overall. Use the benches. Theme parks, Disney included, are littered with benches. If you need to sit, do it. There really isn’t any reason to continue standing or walking if you don’t need to. Take breaks (and make sure everyone in the group takes them) whenever you feel the need. Sitting on the bench is also a great time to recharge your batteries. Get some water, put on your headphones, and listen to your favorite podcast or tunes for a few minutes. And on that note, don’t forget your headphones. Standing in line or waiting around is an excellent time for podcasts, audiobooks, and music. Not only does it help take your mind out of the crowds, but it can also be relaxing in an otherwise unrelaxing setting.

Don’t forget the footwear! This one is easy to overlook. If you know you’re going to be spending a lot of time on your feet during your vacation, get footwear that’s up to the task. I recommended getting a good pair of shoes (or two) a few weeks before the trip. This way, you’ll have time to break them in. You want something ideal for walking, standing, and overall comfort. Pair them with supportive insoles and you’re ready. After spending hours at Disney or any other theme park, feet are usually the first to get tired, and good shoes can help mitigate that. Chances are, if your feet still feel great after the vacation, the rest of you will, too.

With that, I hope you have a great summer no matter what you have planned. Have fun and stay safe! Kale, Seaweed, and Other Not-So-New Superfoods

There’s nothing so trendy as a new superfood or diet, and the “in vogue” ones change constantly. Older readers may remember the Atkins diets and other fads of the early 2000s, but younger ones may not even remember a time before the paleo diet was a thing — and it’s already almost a thing of the past. Many things we associate with these trends, though, are anything but new.

We see this most clearly with the grains we turn to in the name of health. Westerners generally wouldn’t be familiar with quinoa, amaranth, teff, or kamut if it weren’t for their presence in the hippest healthy-eating Instagram feeds. Many of these foods hail from Africa or the Far East, so it’s understandable we don’t know them all — but there’s nothing really new about them. People in the Americas and the Old World have eaten quinoa for 3,000–5,000 years. Teff, which is technically a grass seed, was one of the first domesticated plants, emerging thousands of years ago in what is now Ethiopia. Alternate sources of protein and fiber show a similar trend. Seaweed — the perennial favorite of Twitter dieters everywhere — has been consumed in China, Korea, and Japan since before recorded history. If you know anything about recorded history in those regions, then you know that’s a long time! And kale, whose reputation precedes itself, has been cultivated since at least 2,000 B.C. in Greece, Asia Minor, and other parts of the Mediterranean. So, the next time you dig into your favorite health food, take a moment to Google what you are eating. You might be part of a long line of human beings who have turned to that food for sustenance over the millennia!

2 • NortonAccountingServices.com

‘Too Old’ for Martial Arts? Tell It to Mr. Miyagi

Mr. Miyagi is based on a “stock” character, or archetype, from traditional Asian martial arts culture. But there’s a grain of truth to it, whether you’re looking at real-life martial artists (Henry Plée comes to mind, who practiced well into his 80s) or fighting school founders in medieval Japan — who often viewed karate as integral to their understanding of Zen and other spiritual matters, and thus essential as they got older. Netflix’s “Cobra Kai” carries on the tradition, showing us a much- older LaRusso who takes on the Miyagi role, opposite his longtime “frenemy” Johnny Lawrence. LaRusso and Lawrence have both returned to karate in middle age, and even Kreese reappears, now in his 70s and as formidable as ever. Is that realistic? You bet! According to one study, the average karate practitioner is 55 years old, and the average martial artist is 46. Many in both groups report regular sparring and contact practice. If you’re a martial artist, you may have to make some adjustments as you get older, but you’ll never have to give up your discipline entirely. And if you’re new to the world of martial arts, it’s never too late to start — as long as you find the right teacher and school!

Martial arts get added to the list of activities we can’t do as we age, right? Unless you’re doing tai chi or aikido, most people think there’s no place in contact sports for aging folks.

Except, as it turns out, there is.

From hip shows like “Cobra Kai” (and its basis, “The Karate Kid”) to centuries of tradition, older people and martial arts actually mix quite well — and they can be a great throughline for an active life. Martial arts took off in the United States back in the 1980s with the “Karate Kid” franchise, which continues today. The original movies showed us Pat Morita, an Okinawan expatriate and karate master who trains Ralph Macchio’s character, Daniel LaRusso. Morita’s Mr. Miyagi is no spring chicken, but he’s able to take LaRusso to new levels of karate expertise — and also beat down bad guy John Kreese in the process, despite Kreese being a much younger man.

Take a Break!

Easy Tuna Poke Bowl

Inspired by TheKitchn.com

Ingredients

• 2 tsp soy sauce • 1 tsp sesame oil • 2 tbsp orange juice • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced • 10 oz canned tuna, drained • 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped

• 1 scallion, finely chopped • 1 cup rice, cooked and cooled • 1/4 cup avocado, cubed • 4 cherry tomatoes, quartered • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

1. First, make the dressing. In a jar, add soy sauce, sesame oil, orange juice, and ginger. Secure the lid and shake until emulsified. 2. In a small bowl, empty the drained tuna and pour the dressing over top. Add the cilantro and scallions and stir until well coated. 3. Divide rice between two serving bowls. Top with the dressed tuna, avocado, tomatoes, and sesame seeds.

ADVENTURE CAMPING

HIKING JUNETEENTH PARK PICNIC

PRIDE SANDALS SUNBURN SWIMMING

FATHER GEMINI

985-640-6072 • 3

THE REAL ESTATE TAX PRO ™

Norton Accounting Services, LLC

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

NortonAccountingServices.com 985-640-6072 [email protected]

1527 Gause Blvd. Ste. 132 Slidell, LA 70458

INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Bob PAGE 1 I Went to Disney and Didn’t Get Worn Out PAGE 1 Superfoods Are Not So New ... PAGE 2 ‘Too Old’ for Martial Arts? PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Easy Tuna Poke Bowl PAGE 3 Should You Try Animal Therapy? PAGE 4

Is Animal Therapy Right for You? Your Guide to AAT

There are just some things only a dog can understand — same with a cat, or a horse, or a bird, for that matter. That’s the idea behind animal- assisted therapy (AAT), a treatment designed to help those with mental and physical challenges. AAT may look like snuggling and playing with animals, but it’s much more involved than you may think. What is AAT? AAT relies on an innate human need to connect with animals. The idea is that humans form bonds with living things, and this connection can have a calming effect on our minds. Physical therapy and massage therapy involve tangible actions on the part of the therapist, while AAT relies on the relationship between a human and an animal. This could help someone cope with grief, lessen a medical patient’s pain related to chemotherapy or surgery, provide connection to residents in long-term care facilities, or even offer exercise for those with limited mobility. Aren’t those just emotional support animals? In recent years, emotional support animals have become increasingly popular both in the media and in their use. Emotional support animals offer their owners vital emotional assistance, but they differ greatly from trained therapy animals.

AAT requires the use of a trained animal under the direction of a handler, who will also coordinate with

medical professionals to ensure the strategies that they deploy will target what a patient needs. Prior to practicing, trainers and their animals must each pass certification processes intended to help each party gain the skills needed to help patients. To qualify, animals also need to be clean and vaccinated, and the type of animal that is used during AAT also depends on a person’s condition, the location of the therapy, and a patient’s need. Is AAT right for you? AAT isn’t for everyone, but it can be a vital component of your healing process. It’s often seen as a supplemental form of therapy intended to bolster other therapies. The important thing to remember when considering AAT is to establish reasonable goals. Discuss the possibility of using AAT with your doctor or therapist and consider which animals may bring you the most comfort. Be realistic about what you want and need before attempting AAT.

4 • NortonAccountingServices.com

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com