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Workers’ COMPanion
LAW OFFICE MONAST
October 2020
www.monastlaw.com | 614-334-4649 | 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd. Bldg 2, Suite 2117, Upper Arlington, OH 43220-2913
Trick-or-Treating Through the Years
HOW ALL HALLOWS’ EVE HAS CHANGED SINCE I WAS A BOY
E very year around this time, I can’t help but think of how much the Halloween season has changed. For those of you who don’t know, I grew up in the small town of Joplin, Missouri, in a newer housing development with lots of young families with kids. This was back in the days when on weekends and during the summer, you would leave the house after breakfast in the morning and your parents would just tell you to be home by dinner. Supervision of activities was minimal, and on Halloween, that was no different. When we went out trick-or-treating, adults didn’t shepherd us around. There were plenty of kids out and about, so I guess they just figured we would keep each other safe. Back then, Halloween was only about getting as much candy and as many sweets as possible. Any other traditions besides that were merely a means to that end. We brought pillowcases with us on our excursions instead of tiny plastic pails, and we threw together costumes at the last minute. (Throwing together some ratty clothes to make a “hobo” costume was a popular choice.) Greeting us at each front door was a woman that looked something like Aunt Bee from the “The Andy Griffith Show,” and many of them would prepare homemade treats for trick-or-treaters. Think “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” treats, like popcorn balls and candy apples. Every year, we knew which houses had the best treats, so we made sure they were on our route. Once we got home, we would eat ourselves into a sugar coma, then do it all again the next year. Between then and now, a few changes have been made to the long-standing tradition of gathering and hoarding Halloween candy. By the time I was a father, people were a lot more concerned about the safety of their kids while they were trick or treating. There had been stories of people putting razor blades and poison in Halloween treats, and no matter how true those stories were, concerned parents weren’t about to take that chance with their children. So, we all joined our kids on their jaunt around the neighborhood. It became so prevalent in our neighborhood for the parents to go out with their children that one neighbor even set up a refreshment station where parents could get a beverage as they chaperoned their costumed kiddos around.
Oliver andOwen getting ready for a good night’s sleep before hitting the trick-or-treat trail! Ya gotta be rested up!
Oliver, Owen, andWhitney at the apple orchard
Costumes became a lot more important than they used to be. Our kids had a lot more options for costumes and wanted to express themselves and their interests through the holiday. Our kids would pick out what they wanted to wear trick or treating around a month before Oct. 31 and would wear it as much as they could without wearing it out before trick-or-treating. Much of that has remained the same for my grandkids as they go out and trick-or-treat, but I’ve seen that some parts of their experience actually look more like what I remember about trick-or-treating. They live in a small town about 30 miles west of Columbus where a lot of the families get really into the Halloween season, preparing homemade treats for trick-or-treaters like I remember. I don’t know if we’ll ever go back to how trick-or-treating like I did when I was a kid, but I like seeing that some things haven’t changed. This year, it feels like we’ve been in the Halloween season for months, with everyone wearing masks. At the same time, the pounds I’ve gained during the COVID-19 pandemic are definitely a little spooky. I’m not sure what trick-or- treating will look like for everyone this year, but it’s my hope that you all have fun and that you stay safe. Happy Halloween!
–Jim Monast
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3 GREAT APPS TO MAINTAIN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AT HOME
When you lead a busy lifestyle, mental health often takes a back seat to other pressing matters. Thankfully, there are a number of easy-to-use apps to help address this concern. Even if you’re pressed for time, these apps can help you maintain your mental health. And if you’re just looking for some simple resources to guide you through mood-boosting exercises, they’ve got you covered there too. Moodfit (GetMoodfit.com) Think of this app as a fitness tracker for your mind. The mood tracker allows you to record your moods and thoughts and follow trends and changes over time. You can look at these trends yourself or set the app to monitor specific areas of your mood. This highly customizable app is packed with tools and resources to help you with your mental health. In addition to the mood tracker, Moodfit offers a range of breathing exercises and a guide to mindfulness meditation. MoodMission (MoodMission.com) If you’re struggling with mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, you may feel like this free, evidence-based app was designed just for you. MoodMission asks you a series of questions to assess how you’re feeling, then suggests a series of “missions” you can complete to help you get into a better state of mind. Missions are short,
achievable tasks, like taking a walk around the block or cleaning up a room in
your home. Of course, like all the apps listed here, it is not a replacement for professional mental health care, but it offers evidence-based exercises and a level of support that’s not often found in smartphone apps.
Talkspace (Talkspace.com) While this app contains a number of mental health tools, its primary purpose is to connect you quickly with one of the company’s thousands of licensed and experienced therapists you can message on a regular basis. Unlike traditional therapy where you schedule an appointment and meet in person, Talkspace allows its user to communicate with their therapist through the app’s encrypted messaging system. It also allows you to request a check-in from your therapist and provides a place for them to upload your therapy notes. Talkspace is more costly than some other apps, but depending on your specific needs, it may be worth it.
How We Helped Eileen Attain Financial Peace of Mind
Gallipolis Developmental Center is a Medicaid-certified intermediate care facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Gallipolis, Ohio. Until significant employee layoffs were implemented by Governor Kasich a few years ago, it had a maximum patient population of over 1,500 people.
resulted in these injuries, a client kicked Elieen in the low back and hip over and over while a squad of nurses tried to restrain him. He actually tore off his toenail.
She tried going back to work about three months after this final injury, but she only lasted three weeks before her symptoms caught up with her. She had facet
It is hazardous work for caregivers, and we represented many injured there, one of whom is Eileen H. who is an LPN. Eileen had five reported injuries over her years there. When she was snatched by the waist and hoisted up, she injured her shoulder and back as she tried to grab a chair for support. She wrenched her back when she was restraining a client who was repeatedly kicking her. Once, while bent over to give a client his
injections and again tried to work. After eight weeks, she had to stop again because of her symptoms and could never return.
Eileen was dedicated to her work and her patients, but both require nursing skills and a healthy body. Despite years of treatment, her injuries left her needing a cane to walk; even then, the Industrial Commission doctor said she could only stand/walk an hour a day, drive less than 15 minutes, and lift/carry 5 pounds only occasionally. Unable to stoop, bend, or climb, Eileen was discouraged — we both knew she couldn’t sustain employment. We persuaded her to file for permanent total disability after her many injuries. Over the objections of the BWC and the employer, we convinced the Industrial Commission to grant permanent total disability. Although this doesn’t alleviate Eileen’s physical limitations, it helps provide financial peace of mind. We’re grateful to help our clients achieve that.
medication, another patient smacked her upside the head. While providing post-hemorrhoid surgery treatment, another patient repeatedly hit her arm.
Finally, Eileen suffered sustained disc and spine injuries at multiple levels of her back. During the encounter that
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Client photo
Some Good News WORLD’S COOLEST UNCLE BUILDS NEPHEW A ROLLER COASTER IN HIS BACKYARD
E ven as the initial worry about the pandemic is dying down, many people’s daily activities are still affected by COVID-19. However, absent some of the normal ways we spend our time, that also means that people have continued to stretch their creative muscles to both amuse themselves and entertain the people around them. Take, for instance, the hobby mechanic who built a roller coaster for his nephew in their backyard.
While that might sound impossible, Charlie’s knack for mechanics (he skipped a few years at school to study math and science at university) and Leigh’s engineering background made it possible. They built the entire coaster in eight days. The finished product was a 230-foot long coaster named Big Dipper. Leigh and Charlie used PVC pipes for the rails, scrap metal for the frame, and 462 wooden bearers for the slats. The cart was made from a large chopping board. They tested it with hay bales and let Calden’s stepdad and mother ride it, just to make sure it was safe. Calden loved it, but Leigh and Charlie were exhausted because the coaster was human-powered. That meant to get to the top of the first, 3-meter high hill, they had to push Calden up. The roller coaster was a success not just because it worked, but because it gave Calden something to be excited about in the midst of the pandemic. Leigh hopes that Calden’s roller coaster designs and Charlie’s math degree will mean more personalized roller coasters.
Wales residents Leigh Downing and his son Charlie wanted to do something special for Leigh’s nephew, Calden, after learning he was upset about how the lockdown was preventing him from spending time with his friends during the summer holiday. They knew that Calden loved designing roller coasters on the computer and with his marble roller coaster set, so they figured the best way to alleviate Calden’s summer blues would be to build him his own, life-size roller coaster. SUDOKU
NIBBLES WITH NUG
WARM SPINACH AND SUNCHOKE SALAD
Inspired by FoodAndWine.com
Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, sunchokes will give your spinach salad a little something extra!
INGREDIENTS •
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 lb sunchokes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
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1 lb leaf or curly spinach, stemmed and large leaves torn 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 Honeycrisp apple, sliced 4 oz clothbound cheddar, crumbled (1 cup), divided
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15 garlic cloves, peeled
Pinch of crushed red pepper Kosher salt and black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil until nearly smoking. 3. Add sunchokes, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Move skillet into the oven and roast for 25–30 minutes, until sunchokes are just tender. 5. In a large bowl, add the prepared spinach. 6. Remove skillet from the oven and add vinegar and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, then pour mixture over the spinach. 7. Toss gently until spinach is wilted. 8. Add apple and half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. 9. Transfer to a serving bowl, toss, top with remaining cheese, and serve.
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Phone: 614-334-4649 www.monastlaw.com 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd. Bldg 2, Suite 2117 Upper Arlington, OH 43220-2913
LAW OFFICE MONAST
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2 2 3 3 4
Trick-or-Treating Through the Years
The Best Mental Health Apps You Can Use From Home
A Client’s Story
Some Good News
Warm Spinach and Sunchoke Salad
What Really Happened the Night Martians Invaded New Jersey?
ORSON WELLES RECOUNTS ‘THE WAR OF THE WORLDS’ THE NIGHT MARTIANS INVADED NEW JERSEY
On the evening of Oct. 30, 1938, an eloquent voice graced the airwaves in New Jersey:
“We now know in the early years of the 20th century, this world was being watched closely by intelligences greater than man’s, and yet as mortal as his own. We now know as human beings busied themselves about their various concerns, they were scrutinized and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinize the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water …”
And so began Orson Welles’ classic radio broadcast, a retelling of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds.” Peppered in the retelling were fictional news bulletins informing the public of an alien invasion. Martians had arrived in New Jersey! Some listeners, who had missed the fact that this was a retelling of “The War of the Worlds,” assumed the news bulletins were the real thing. Frenzied, they called local police, newspapers, and radio stations hoping for more information about the invasion. What were they supposed to do?
Higher-ups at the CBS radio studio where Welles delivered the live reading called and told him he needed to stop and remind listeners that this was a work of fiction. The panic, it seemed, was growing as the Martians “approached” New York. A little later that night, police showed up at the studio with the intent of shutting the whole thing down. The next day, the story broke across the country — newspapers reported on mass hysteria and stories poured out that the nation had erupted in panic. However, as we now know, the extent of the panic
was exaggerated. In fact, the program didn’t even have very many listeners that night, and most who had tuned in were aware they were listening to a radio play rather than a news broadcast. American University media historian W. Joseph Campbell, who researched the broadcast in the 2000s, found that while there had been some panic, most listeners simply enjoyed the show. It turns out the person who was the most frightened was Welles himself who thought his career had come to an end.
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