Emery Law Office - January 2022

Emery Law Office - January 2022

JANUARY 2022

A NEW YEAR IN NEW YORK I FOLLOWED MY SCARF DOWN MEMORY LANE

FINDING GRATITUDE IN UNEXPECTED PLA

A fewweeks ago, I was on the hunt for a particular winter jacket. I rummaged through closets and dug around in big piles of hats. I never did find the coat, but I stumbled across something else instead: a knockoff Burberry scarf. Holding the soft plaid check took me right back to NewYork City. One of the first images that popped into my head was my daughter Jessica cracking up from behind her camera. It was January 2020, and we went on a mother-daughter trip to visit Katie and her husband David in their new big-city home. It was only my second time in New York, and Jessica insisted we document everything! She started filming on our Uber ride to the airport in Louisville and didn’t stop the entire trip. There’s footage of the two of us walking onto the plane, hugging Katie hello at the baggage claim, and

strolling down Fifth Avenue, where I bought a winter coat and the cheap “Burberry” scarf (obviously NOT bought on Fifth Ave.). Jessica caught footage of the three of us waving in front of the tree at Rockefeller Center and documented our first walk through Times Square just days after the ball dropped. I’ll never forget the way David said, “Here’s the deal girls. Don’t make eye contact, and don’t say a word. Keep your head down, walk forward, and don't talk to anybody!” I realized right then that NewYork really isn’t Kentucky. It was the perfect getaway full of dozens of real New York moments like you see in the movies. We took a carriage ride through Central Park (just us girls), saw “Jersey Boys” off-Broadway, taking the subway all over town so that Jessica could try bone broth, and had dim sum at Golden Unicorn

in Chinatown. I even ran into a friend from law school on the subway. Neither of us lived in New York, and we hadn’t seen each other for years, but somehow the city brought us together. When we got home, Jessica compiled all of her vacation clips into a three-minute video. It’s the kind of amazing thing only a millennial could put together! I don’t think I’ve worn my knockoff Burberry since I got home from that trip, but I’m glad that I have a piece of old NewYork City in my closet. When I went back in December 2020 to meet my granddaughter Hannah for the first time, everything was different. The hotel where Jessica and I had stayed was completely boarded up — it seemed hard to find one that wasn’t — and the military, paperwork, and mandatory quarantine waited for me when I got off the plane. It felt like a different city than the carefree place where I’d met an old friend on the subway. New Year’s Day isn’t a big holiday in our family, but I think I might make it a tradition to go back and revisit Jessica’s video every Jan. 1. Remembering those good times definitely helped me start this year on the right foot, and it just might bring me the same luck next time.

Happy 2022!

-Melissa Emery

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BRINGING BACK A LOST ART Your Guide to Writing a Thank-You Note

Use Paper. It may seem old-fashioned, but that’s exactly what makes it special. In fact, the Ask Your Target Market survey found that 72% of respondents thought handwritten notes were more meaningful than electronic ones. Even if your handwriting is messy, your recipients will appreciate the personal touch. Exceptions apply for thank-you notes sent after job interviews — due to time sensitivity, these are best sent via email. Be Specific. Especially when you’ve got a large stack to get through, it’s pretty tempting to write the same note over and over again, changing only the salutation. Don’t give in! While it’s fine to have a template, recipients will recognize when the note you sent them is generic. Be sure to mention exactly what you’re thankful for (not just “the gift”) or how you plan to use the gift. Now, you’re ready to let people know how much you appreciate them in a way that’s both simple and classic. Your family, friends, and colleagues will be impressed, and who knows, you just might start a trend.

A 2019 survey by Ask Your Target Market showed 80% of respondents appreciate receiving thank-you notes — but only 22% of respondents report regularly sending them. That’s a pretty big discrepancy. During the holiday season, you probably received several gifts and may have been hosted at a family member’s house, so now is the perfect time to revive the dying art of the thank-you note. If it’s been a while since you last wrote one, fear not. Here’s everything you need to know to get started. Know When a Note Is Needed. You should strongly consider sending a thank-you note any time you receive a gift, but they are particularly expected after big events like weddings or showers. It’s also good form to send a note whenever someone has done you a big favor or hosted you at their house. Professionally, thank-you notes should always be sent after job interviews. Notes should be sent as soon as possible, ideally within one month of the gift or event.

OUR TEAM SHARES GOALS AND BIG WINS GET INSPIRED FOR 2022!

Author Vern McLellan once wrote, “What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” He’s absolutely right! Here at Emery Law, our team believes in setting goals, and one big reason we do that is to keep ourselves inspired. When you bring a goal into the year, you set yourself up for success. You can get the same boost by looking back on what you accomplished last year and aiming to have those feelings again. Aspiration creates motivation, so this month we asked our team to share theirs with you. Below, you can read about our highlights from 2021 and goals for 2022!

event, and I helped get her every single penny the insurance company had to offer.

Libby Thorngate Operations Manager

My husband and I bought our first house last February, so that was definitely a 2021 highlight!

Maribel Belen Litigation Paralegal

I have a lot of goals for 2022. I want to gain a new skill, continue learning the Kentucky statutes, read more case law concerning our firm's practice areas, marry, and have my first baby. How did your 2021 go? What were the highlights? What do you hope to achieve in 2022? Our team would love to hear about it. Let us know the next time you call or come by the office — or post your thoughts on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/ EmeryLawOffice.

Joel Franklin Attorney

The best part of 2021 for me was seeing one of my clients get the justice she deserved. She was badly injured in a life-changing

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HAVE A LAUGH!

BARKS FROM BELLA THAT’S IT — NO MORE CAT FOOD! Hey, friends! It’s Bella here! It feels like ages and ages since I last talked to you. Let me tell you, a LOT has happened. So many people came to the house, Melissa and Dave put up all kinds of “Christmas decorations” I wasn’t allowed to eat, and guess what else? I have a new friend! A few months ago, Melissa and Dave adopted a cat named Sadie. At first, it was a little confusing for me because she has the same name as my puppy friend, Sadie from Missouri. But I got used to it. The two Sadies are NOT the same. My puppy friend, Sadie, loves to run around and play with me, but Sadie the cat says she’s 18 years old so she just likes to relax in the sunshine and watch things instead. I don’t really mind, because there’s one great thing about having a cat around: cat food! I love cat food. After my food, that stuff is like dessert. But I’ve realized that I might be eating too much of it. I have a pudge! My belly is bigger, and I can’t run as fast any more. It’s really starting to annoy me. I think I started getting extra fluffy after my surgery two years ago, when Dave promised that if I lived through it, I could be an indoor dog. Since then, I’ve done a lot more napping and a lot less sniffing around outside. Plus, there’s the cat food. Maybe it’s starting to get to me. This week, I heard Melissa and Dave talking about “COVID weight.” They said it’s slowing them down, and they’ve made a “New Year’s resolution” to lose it. I’ll do the same thing with my cat food fluff! My “resolutions” are to stop eating Sadie’s food, run around more with the four-wheeler, and chase more squirrels.

CHICKEN WITH LEMON HERB SAUCE

Inspired by FoodNetwork.com

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland with this citrusy chicken!

INGREDIENTS

•

1/3 cup and 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 4 boneless chicken breasts 1 clove of garlic, minced

• • • •

1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1/3 cup mint, chopped

• • •

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 lemon, for juice and zest

1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. 2. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil.

WE WANT YOU TO THINK OF US AS YOUR LAW FIRM. If you have a legal matter that needs attention, let us know. If we can’t handle the matter, we will refer you to a firm that can. Please feel free to refer us to your friends and family for their legal needs. We welcome the opportunity to help. 3. Season chicken with salt and pepper if desired and sear it in the skillet for 3 minutes on each side. Bake chicken until its internal temperature is 165 F. 4. In a blender, add 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, parsley, mint, pepper, and lemon zest and juice and blend ingredients until coarsely mixed. 5. Top chicken with sauce and serve!

I love squirrels and the four-wheeler, so that will be easy. It’ll be harder to turn down the cat food, but I think I can do it.

If you’re trying this “resolution” thing too, good luck! I’ll keep my paws crossed for you.

-Bella

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INSIDE

MELISSA REWINDS TO JANUARY 2020 1 THE LOST ART OF THE THANK-YOU NOTE A SNEAK PEEK OF OUR 2022 GOALS 2

BELLA MAKES A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

CHICKEN WITH LEMON HERB SAUCE 3

ADD MORE NATURE TO YOUR HOME IN 4 SIMPLE WAYS! 4

EASY, AFFORDABLEWAYS TO EMBRACE NATURE IN YOUR HOME

Thanks to the chaos we’ve experienced since 2020, many design experts are looking to create spaces that are calm, welcoming, and grounded. Enter one of the biggest design trends of the 2020s: neutral, natural elements.

cycle. Fake plants, wooden statues and picture frames, and piles of stones or vases with rocks can bring the richness of the great outdoors into your home with little effort and can be reused each season. Now, look to your backyard! If you have a big pine tree that produces pine cones each year, don’t let those go to waste! Baskets or vases filled with pine cones can be great fall and winter decor pieces, while lots of clever crafters have made wreaths, scent diffusers, and other fun items with pine cones found in their yard. Just be mindful of what you take from nature. Don’t take anything of value to the ecosystem, and don’t grab items from state or national parks. Finally, utilize windows. Part of embracing natural design elements is letting nature do the talking! Focus your design in each room around windows. For instance, fix plant displays near windows or

Here are some easy ways to bring nature inside and boost your home’s look without overspending.

The obvious option is to add more houseplants. And plants don’t have to be difficult! Consider your home space, first. How much light do you get? Is it a dry or humid home? How likely is it that you will remember to water a plant? Bring these concerns to your local nursery, and they will help you find the perfect leafy friend(s) to fill your space. Then, opt for pieces that won’t decay. When choosing new decor for your home or when updating your knickknacks for the seasons, look for wooden or natural items that don’t have a life

hang bird feeders in trees you can see through your windows. If you really want to get cozy with the outdoors, consider installing a skylight! To find more inspiration, take a walk and discover how Mother Nature has designed her space. Bring those ideas into your home and enjoy the comfort of the great outdoors within your own great indoors.

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