Risk Associates County Civil - January 2021

Risk Associates County Civil - January 2021

COUNTYCIVIL.COM

JANUARY 2021

Why 2021 Could Be Your Best Year Yet

W hen you’re a new parent, it’s You might start constantly asking yourself questions, like when will they walk or talk? How soon will they start learning to read and do math? It’ll feel like the pressure is on to make sure they’re on track. Unfortunately, that mindset makes it hard to slow down and smell the roses. In many ways, this is just like how January plays out every single year. easy to start racing through your child’s journey, hoping to speed it along as fast as possible. Doesn’t January feel a little odd? There tends to be less gift shopping and fewer huge parties and much more buckling in for the year ahead. As I write this to you from 2020, however, I imagine that January 2021 will be even more unusual. In all likelihood, the COVID-19 pandemic will still be around. Virtual meetings will continue. Unlike past years, there’s not going to be a mental switch to flip to “reset” our year.

stick to new resolutions this year. But don’t get too discouraged! Let me tell you why I think 2021 could be your best year yet. In many ways, New Year’s resolutions are self-made promises to create a “new normal” in our lives. I’ll be honest: I don’t really agree with the connotations of “new normal” at all. Because if 2020 has reminded us of anything, it’s that life is always changing. I get it. It’s natural to wish that bad changes never arrived. The pandemic also brought far more changes than we’re used to. However, we should never wish away today for tomorrow. It’s especially easy to have this realization as parents. No matter how old our children are, we realize we should enjoy every day and minute we get. As long as we’re around, we have a chance to create special memories and live life to the fullest. We might miss that opportunity if we’re too focused on the next step instead. Goals are important, don’t get me wrong, but they should never mean we’re forced to sacrifice the moment that means the most

to us: the one we live in right now, as days and years pass us by. Making 2021 our best year yet will mean appreciating the moment a little more, not just hoping life will always go our way. There will always be good days and bad days. However, let’s not act too quickly to forget the good days; they can give us added appreciation for future days. Personally, I became a grandfather again, twice! And, more than ever, our team is excited to be in the workplace again. From everyone at County Civil, we’re looking forward to serving you in 2021. I hope you and yours have a very happy start of your year.

-Rick Risk

That can put our New Year’s Day on the wrong foot, especially when we want to

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WHY CUTTING DOWN A SAGUARO CAN GET YOU JAIL TIME

WHAT MAKES THIS CACTUS SO SPECIAL?

Can you imagine getting 1–4 years in prison for picking a bouquet of flowers or chopping down a tree in your backyard? While not for just any old rose bush or oak tree, that’s the prison sentence you could face in Arizona if you get caught chopping down a saguaro cactus. The saguaro is an iconic cactus species. It’s the tall plant with prickly, green arms you immediately think of when you hear the word “cactus.” If a 1–4-year prison sentence seems harsh, consider these facts about the saguaro: • The saguaro’s white blossom is the Arizona state flower. (Yes, cactuses flower; they bloom in the right conditions, usually during the spring.) Locals take pride in their beloved spiky plants, which means senselessly chopping them down is bound to earn you some ire from the state’s residents. • Saguaros only grow in certain parts of the Sonoran Desert, which extends northward from northwestern Mexico into Arizona and parts of California. You won’t find this rare species anywhere else in the U.S., so it is protected under state law.

today in the Sonoran Desert were probably alive during the Civil War.

• People just seem to love cutting down, shooting, and otherwise damaging saguaros. Since they take a long time to mature and are relatively rare to begin with, this vandalism and destruction is a serious problem. These are some of the reasons why damaging a saguaro cactus is a Class 4 felony in Arizona and punishable with prison time. For a while, news outlets and websites claimed that the penalty

was actually closer to 25 years — the sentence someone might get for murder. But, there’s no evidence of that in Arizona law. However, the fact that this rumor has long been circulated shows that people understand how important the saguaro is and how important it is to conserve them.

• These plants take an incredibly long time to grow and mature — up to 200 years! That means that some of the saguaro cactuses alive

When Was the First Coin Made?

To celebrate the first month of the new year, we thought we’d return with some coin trivia and ask a question you might’ve actually wondered at some point: When did humanity start making coins? What was our first coin? Money, as a concept, has been around for a long time. Some of the earliest currency was actually grain. Sometime in 3,000 B.C., Mesopotamians developed a banking system that’d allow people to “deposit” grain, livestock, and other valuables for safekeeping or trade. From early concepts of value and money, however, it’s a significant leap to develop a currency. Around 1,000 B.C., China was among the first to begin a currency, using shells.

Then, around 600 or 700 B.C., the kingdom of Lydia — once part of ancient Greece and now modern-day Turkey — began minting coins featuring a stylized head of a lion. They were made with electrum, an alloy with both gold and silver. How do we know this? People point to Herodotus, a Greek historian, who said that Lydians were the first to use gold and silver coins. Whether he said that to reflect on the alloy’s invention or the coin’s invention, it’s hard to say. However, he claims that Lydians were also the first to establish retail shops in permanent locations. There are clear signs that Lydians were fairly economically advanced for their time, which makes us believe they minted the very first coins in history.

Why did coins catch on? Whereas bartering became clumsy and sometimes difficult to value fairly, coins helped organized city-states run more smoothly, even more elegantly. Tom Figueira, professor of classics at Rutgers University in New Jersey, told LiveScience, “It’s pretty clear that [coin currency] worked, and Greek city-states were a laboratory for all kinds of social experiments like this.” Only decades after the Lydian lion coin, many more coins were being developed all over the Mediterranean. It’s amazing to think how much of American civilization, as we know it, was inspired by the structure of the Greek government. As it turns out, our coins are no exception!

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Try Ice Climbing at the Michigan Ice Fest! NEED A NEWWINTER ACTIVITY FOR YOUR BUCKET LIST?

Love rock climbing? It’s time to take it to the next level — Michigander style.

if you’re bringing along first-timers), sign up for some classes early! You’ll get some demo gear for free with your classes and be permitted to use them for the rest of the day. Without classes, renting demo gear is a lot more inexpensive, at $55, when you register online. At the door, gear will be $75.

There are few places in the world where it’s cold enough to freeze over waterfalls and create stunning ice formations. Even fewer places have reliable ice climbing spots open for the public. Luckily, Michigan happens to be one of them. Yes, climbing frozen waterfalls is a real sport! And, if you haven’t given it a go yet, there’s no better time to give it a shot than the Michigan Ice Fest of 2021. With a combination of challenge, adventure, and breathtaking views, you’ll be awed by the incredible icefalls, cliffs, and rock slabs you’ll have to conquer. From Feb. 10–14, trek between the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and across the Munising area as you meet experienced guides and fellow ice lovers. The Ice Fest is a local favorite, but it still draws an international crowd. In 2020, it attracted almost 1,200 people from five countries. In trying out a sport as intimidating (and beautiful) as ice climbing, how do you make the most of your Ice Fest? First, you’ll definitely have a good time if you’re properly dressed for the weather. Not only is it freezing cold, but winter can bring unpredictable storms. Also, if this is your first time ice climbing (or

While you’re at the Ice Fest, feel free to chat up manufacturer reps and professional athletes from across the world! The ice climbing community is very

friendly, and you’ll never struggle to find someone to give you pointers. What are you waiting for? From everyone at County Civil, we hope you add

this to your Michiganer bucket list!

BEGINNING CELEBRATION CLOCK COUNTDOWN FAMILY

FIREWORKS FRIENDS JANUARY MIDNIGHT NEW

PARTY WINTER YEAR

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2383 Tamarack St., Lake Odessa, MI 48849 616-374-7170 | COUNTYCIVIL.COM R isk & A ssociates

Rick Risk is Founder and President of Risk & Associates, a legal support service provider in Michigan, and has assisted hundreds of attorneys, municipalities, courts, Sheriff Offices, businesses, and others with their strategic process needs.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 2

Why 2021 Could Be Your Best Year Yet

Why Cutting Down a Saguaro Can Get You Jail Time

When Was the First Coin Made?

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Why You Should Try Ice Climbing

Is the Hot Toddy Indian or Irish?

Is the Hot Toddy Indian or Irish? A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR FAVORITE WINTER WARMER

Jan. 11 is National Hot Toddy Day, but how much do you really know about this popular winter drink? Though the word “toddy” sounds British to American ears, it actually has a contested history split between two entirely different countries: India and Ireland.

combination of hot brandy, cinnamon, and sugar water, and it was so well-known (and tasty) that eventually, his patients named the drink in his honor. HOW TO MAKE A MODERN HOT TODDY We may never know the true origin story of the hot toddy, but VinePair.com speculates that it’s somewhere in the middle of the two accounts. Either way, the results are delicious and easy to replicate in your own kitchen. If you could use a pick-me-up, try this recipe inspired by CookieAndKate.com.

THE INDIAN AFFAIR: HOW THE BRITISH STOLE THE ‘TADDY’ Today’s hot toddy is a steaming blend of whiskey, tea, honey, and lemon. But back in the early 1600s, it may have had different ingredients. According to VinePair.com, around that time, a popular drink called the “taddy” existed in British-controlled India. Originally, the Hindi word “taddy” described a beverage made with fermented palm sap, but a written account from 1786 revealed that the ingredients had evolved to include alcohol, hot water, sugar, and

spices. The British swiped the idea of a “taddy” and brought it home to England. Legend has it that in northern England’s cozy pubs, the “taddy” became the “toddy.” THE IRISH ACCOUNT: DR. TODD’S BOOZY CURE-ALL The Indians and the British aren’t the only ones who’ve claimed the toddy: The Irish have a stake, too. As the story goes, once upon a time in Ireland, there lived a doctor named Robert Bentley Todd. His signature cure-all was a

INGREDIENTS •

DIRECTIONS 1. Heat the water in a teapot or the microwave. Pour it into a mug. 2. Add the whiskey, honey, and lemon juice and stir until the honey is dissolved. 3. Garnish with the lemon round and cinnamon stick and enjoy!

3/4 cup water 1 1/2 oz whiskey

• •

2 tsp honey (or agave nectar for a vegan version)

• • •

2 tsp lemon juice 1 lemon round 1 cinnamon stick

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