Robinette Legal Group - March 2021

Robinette Legal Group - March 2021

R

obinette Reporter

www.RobinetteLaw.com Local: 304-594-1800 24-Hour Help: 304-216-6695

march 2021

FROM THE DESK OF

Jeffery L .Robinette

TO MY TEEN DRIVER

This is an exciting time in your life! You can drive!

This is a terrifying time in my life. You can drive!

As you know, car crashes are the No. 1 killer of American teens.

That is a scary statistic for me as a parent handing the keys over to my teen. At the same time, I understand that your new independence as a driver is important to you and potentially helpful to me. Therefore, I want us to agree to some fundamental rules for your driving experience. If you follow these rules, you will maintain your driving privileges. If you do not, you will face consequences. Likewise, I have included my own promises and responsibilities, and I have even included rewards if you exhibit outstanding driving behavior.

Gardening is a remarkable way to stay active while enjoying the outdoors — and you get a harvest at the end of it all. As we age, staying active is paramount to good health, and gardening is a great option. Depending on the size of your garden and the amount of care you want to put into it, you can easily get all the physical activity you need in a week with just this hobby! As we welcome spring, I want to share a few tips you can use to start and get the most use out of your garden whether it’s tucked away in your backyard or it is your yard. We’re on the cusp of planting season, so now is the perfect time to start planning for what you want to grow. Think about what you like to eat and what kind of space you have to work with. With that in mind, here are a few ideas to ensure your kitchen is stocked in the summer and fall — and to get plenty of activity over the next several months as you become a gardener extraordinaire! STAY ACTIVE AND GROW YOUR BEST GARDEN YET And Be Richly Rewarded!

Together, if we abide by these rules, we can keep you safe and give you the freedom you desire.

Get a copy of The Parent-Teen Driving Agreement: https://robinettelaw.com/blog/2021/01/parent-and-teen- driving‑agreement/ If you would like a PDF to download or printed copy, please send a message to our firm including your email address or home address, and we will make sure that you get one.

Take Care and Keep Safe!

-Jeff

Continued on Page 2 ...

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... continued from Cover

Start with the soil. Gardeners are always in search of the perfect soil. All too often, it’s either too dense, too dry, or too sandy. Ideally, you want rich, loamy soil —a mix of sand, silt, and clay— that promotes the draining of excess water while retaining the moisture and nutrients plants require. Many sources cite a mix of 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay as a base, with plenty of organic matter mixed in for nutrients and nitrogen. If your soil is less than perfect, identify what’s missing. If it’s dense, you may need to add sand. If it’s crumbly and dry, you may need to add clay. Once you know what your soil needs, you can purchase it by the bag or in bulk, and then mix it in until your soil has the consistency of loam, which means it holds its shape when compressed but breaks apart easily when crumpled. Mind the space. When you plant, note that some crops need more space than others. In hopes of a big harvest, some gardeners plant seeds and young sprouted seedlings too close together. Even experienced gardeners make this mistake from time to time. When plants are too close together, their root systems cannot properly spread to supply the plant with complete nutrition. Without proper nutrition, the plant cannot fully flower, which means a smaller yield. At the same time, overcrowding can lead to a higher prevalence of disease and fungal infection.

and the rows of plants. If you’re not sure how much a plant needs, consult an online guide (a quick search for “plant spacing” plus the plant name will do the trick). It’s better to give your plants more room than they need, rather than less! Mulch like mad. Weeds are inevitable, but covering the soil’s surface — aka mulching — can help keep unwanted weeds from taking hold. You can mulch with straw, dry leaves, or dry grass clippings. Mulch also helps keep the soil from drying out too quickly, especially during a hot summer. However, you’ll want to keep a close eye on soil moisture. If the soil becomes too wet around the base of a plant, the moisture may cause damage (such as mold or rot). If this happens, remove the mulch and let the soil dry out for as long as necessary. Then add a fresh layer of dry mulch. Be sure to spread the mulch over as much of your garden as possible because weed seeds are waiting to germinate wherever there is bare soil. Gardening is an ongoing process. It doesn’t stop once the seeds are in the ground. After that, get ready for lots of watering, watching, waiting, and weeding! Sometimes, the weeding alone is enough to give you a full workout every week. As long as you have patience and give your garden the TLC it needs over the course of the season, you’ll be rewarded going into the summer and fall. All the hard work will be worth it — and you’ll feel fantastic!

Always follow the suggested spacing the seed company provides. And be sure to consider the spacing between both the individual plants

Get Fit and Have Fun Like a Tennis Pro!

Work Out Like Serena Williams

2: Find focus. As a tennis player, there are certain areas of her bodyWilliams must keep in top shape. Strong, powerful legs help her lunge toward difficult volleys, and nimble agility moves ensure she doesn’t trip. In order to achieve this, Williams has designated regimens that target specific areas of her body. Mixed cardio is great to get you moving, but try to incorporate leg, abdominal, and arm-centric days into your weekly routine. The shake-up withmixed cardio will be a welcome change of pace, and your body will reap the benefits of a targeted approach. 3: Do what you need and don’t give up. Notice how there isn’t a list of SerenaWilliams- verified workouts? That’s because the tennis pro doesn’t like to be confined by a societal expectation of what she“should be”doing. Instead, Williams listens to her body. She modifies her workouts when she’s injured, and she tailors her eating to her intensity level and needs. It took a lot of trial and error to discover whichmoves worked best for her body and how to incorporate them into her routine. So, try new things, find what works, and don’t give up!

With 23 Grand Slam titles to her name alone and a total of 39 titles including mixed doubles, Serena Williams is one of the best — if not the best — tennis players of this era. However, she wasn’t born with this success, nor does she coast on what she’s already done. Williams is known for having a thorough fitness routine organized by coach Patrick Mouratoglou, but unlike other athletes who swear by fad diets and complex routines, Williams keeps it simple. And you can try her routine in just three steps! 1: Add variety! Williams’ workout routine is centered on mixing it up. One day may have her running sprints to improve her speed, while other days are spent swimming to improve her lung capacity. Williams also incorporates dancing and bodyweight moves for a regimen that can be done in an apartment, hotel, or backyard! To mimic Williams, try a bunch of different routines. Find a few that you enjoy and switch it up!

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Mind Over Matter HOW YOUR EMOTIONS AFFECT YOUR HEALING

wreak havoc on your body. It’s vital that you prioritize your mental health as you heal from an injury, and you can start with these three tips.

When combating pain, patients tend to think physically. They recognize how much the pain hurts them or hinders their ability to do what they love, and they focus on the physical ways this can be improved. However, researchers have found that this isn’t the only way to deal with and overcome pain. Psychological researchers have discovered that merely thinking about a time when you were happy, sad, or scared, can cause a real, visceral reaction from your body. You can begin to sweat and experience a faster heartbeat when you recall that time you were scared, or you can genuinely smile or laugh as you remember a pleasant memory with a loved one. That same idea can be applied to healing from a physical injury, too. According to researchers at Harvard University, being in a constant state of anxiety, stress, or depression — as is common when experiencing an injury — only heightens your body’s fight-or-flight response. This raises your blood pressure and inflammation, resulting in increased pain. Essentially, your body is trying to survive and is working overtime to succeed. It’s compensating for the area in pain, and all energies are going into what’s wrong, rather than preventing other issues. This is the mind-body connection, and it has a common effect on patients healing from injuries, cardiac events, major surgeries, and other medical events. Without proper intervention, diminished mental stamina can

Keep a Journal: It might sound cheesy to write down your thoughts each day, but a journal can be the tool you need to pinpoint specific stressors. You might find you have a consistent diminished mood in the early afternoon or after interacting with a coworker. By identifying these triggers, you can better combat them. Find Social Support: Life’s better with someone by your side, isn’t it? Find and surround yourself with people who motivate you most. Ensure your circle has people you can trust, vent to, and who are honest and supportive. Seek Professional Help: A physical therapist can help you find the relief you need physically, while a psychiatric therapist can help you navigate your emotions and mental hurdles in overcoming this pain. Therapy is not just for those with diagnosed conditions. It can help you sort out your emotions and develop healthy coping mechanisms for improved well-being. Recovering from pain is never an easy road so don’t be your own worst enemy. Our team is here to support you during your physical journey, be the cheerleaders you need mentally, and offer any suggestions we can to increase your mental well-being. Just ask us how!

Take a Break!

Green Goddess Smoothie

Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com

If you’re looking to get your green on, why not try this light smoothie?

Ingredients

• • • • • •

1 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 1 organic apple, peeled and chopped

1 medium frozen banana

1 1/2 cups fresh organic spinach

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 medium avocado

Directions

1. In a large, high-powered blender, add in all ingredients. 2. Blend on high for 1–2 minutes, or until all ingredients are well combined. 3. If necessary, add in more almond milk to thin the smoothie. 4. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Jeffery L. Robinette PAGE 1 How Does Your Garden Grow? PAGE 1 Serena Williams’ Secrets to Fitness PAGE 2 Need to Heal? Check Your Mind First! PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Green Goddess Smoothie PAGE 3 Meet This Life-Saving Rat From Cambodia PAGE 4

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AN AFRICAN RAT RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS GOLD MEDAL FOR SAVING LIVES

Magawa only works for a half-hour during the day, but as he nears retirement age at 7 years old, Magawa has sniffed out 39 land mines and 28 unexploded munitions in his career. His tremendous work has now been recognized worldwide. In 2020, the U.K. veterinary charity PDSA gave Magawa its gold medal for “life-saving devotion to duty, in the location and clearance of deadly land mines in Cambodia.” Over 30 animals have received this award so far, but Magawa is the first rat.

A metal detector can take anywhere from 1–4 days to detect land mines in the war-torn landscapes of Cambodia. However, a Gambian pouched rat named Magawa can detect them in 20 minutes. Magawa’s ability to sniff land mines has been lauded as “truly unique,” as he potentially saves hundreds of lives every day. Yet, he weighs a mere 2.75 pounds and is only 28 inches long. While that’s larger than your average rodent, Magawa is still light enough to safely step over land mines without setting them off. That’s good news for Cambodians. The land mine problem began during the civil wars of the ‘70s and ‘80s, causing over 64,000 casualties and creating 25,000 amputees since 1979. But where did Magawa come from? A Belgium-registered charity named Apopo trained Magawa in Tanzania as part of the program HeroRATs where after a year of training, the animals become certified. This program has been around since the 1990s, teaching animals how to detect land mines and tuberculosis.

“To receive this medal is really an honour for us,” Apopo’s chief executive, Christophe Cox, told the Press Association news agency. “But also, it is big for the people in Cambodia, and all the people around the world who are suffering from land mines.” Now that’s a real hero if we’ve ever seen one. Thank you, Magawa, for all your hard work, and we hope you have a long and happy retirement ahead of you!

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