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MAY/JUNE 2025
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Flying Smarter, Traveling Better SECRETS FROM A FREQUENT FLYER
I don’t know about y’all, but I feel like flying commercially isn’t what it used to be. Living in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, my major airline choices are Southwest and American Airlines. I’ll be honest — I’m not a huge fan of Southwest, and since my house is just 5 miles from DFW Airport, flying American is the most convenient. But even as an Executive Platinum member, I don’t feel like there’s much special treatment. I rarely get upgrades, so I’ve learned not to count on them (I book the seat I want ). I was a young adult when 9/11 happened, and I didn’t fly much before that. But I remember when getting on a plane wasn’t such a hassle. These days, there’s a lot of red tape and long lines, which is why I appreciate JSX so much. JSX operates out of Love Field, and I fly them every chance I get. No TSA lines, no long waits — I just walk onto the plane, pocket knife and all. Plus, they allow dogs, offer complimentary snacks, and even have Wi-Fi. When their flights match my schedule and destination, I’ll always choose
JSX. We fly them regularly to Gunnison, Colorado, which is close to our place in Crested Butte, and it’s a great experience every time. I wish more airlines could operate like they do.
Travel hacks that make life easier. Right now, I’m in a season of heavy travel — for business and leisure. Between conferences, firm growth events, and occasional case-related travel by our litigation team, I’ve picked up habits that help make flying less of a headache. Here are four travel hacks that work for me: • Use only carry-on when possible: Waiting at baggage claim is a waste of time, and lost luggage is a nightmare. If I can fit it in a carry-on, I do. It keeps things simple and efficient. • Prepack the essentials: I keep a second set of travel essentials — chargers, toiletries, and extra headphones — permanently packed in my bag. That way, I’m never scrambling to repack last minute. • Use TSA PreCheck and CLEAR: These programs have been game-changers. With TSA PreCheck, I don’t have to take off my shoes or unpack my laptop. And CLEAR lets me skip straight to the front of security lines. If you travel often, these are worth every penny. • Park smarter: I prefer valet parking at the airport. It’s not the cheapest option, but the convenience and peace of mind are well worth it. When I travel frequently, the last thing I want to worry about is where I parked or how long it’ll take to shuttle back to my car. Mixing business with pleasure. Traveling for work is necessary, but I’ve learned that mixing in leisure travel is just as important. Recently, Alison, Asher, and I took a trip to Cabo with both sets of our parents. Getting away from work, soaking up the sun, and making memories with family was a great reminder of why I work so hard in the first place. It’s easy to let business travel dominate the calendar, but I also believe in making time for personal travel. Whether you’re traveling for work, leisure, or a little bit of both, I hope these tips help make your trips smoother and more enjoyable. I hope y’all have a great summer and have fun travel plans ahead as well! Until next time, safe travels! –Matt Aulsbrook
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SUMMER’S BIGGEST ROAD RISKS
Getting your kids outdoors to enjoy nature is a goal worth pursuing, but smartphones, video games, and social media have made it far more challenging in recent years. We celebrated Earth Day on April 22, and a nature walk is a great way to keep the appreciation for nature going. Planning games, creative projects, and other challenges to engage them during your hike can get kids involved from the start. Choose a trail that isn’t too difficult, and allow your children to wander and explore. If your children have a creative flair, encourage them to collect dried leaves, pieces of bark, seed pods, sticks, and other items to use in a collage. For adventurous kids, you can draft an age-appropriate list for a scavenger hunt to keep them from growing bored on the walk. You can include different insects native to your area, specific colors of leaves, and types of flowers, and you can even have them keep an ear out for different bird calls. Challenge your kids to make a list of all the plants or animals they can identify while they walk. Apps like Leafsnap help you identify plants using photos of their leaves or other parts. Additionally, the Arbor Day Foundation offers an online step-by-step guide at ArborDay.org for identifying a tree by its leaves. Keep the learning going by having your kids record their distance based on trail signs or a map app on their phones and calculate their average speed. You could also invite your youngsters to become cartographers, tracing the trail and surroundings on paper, including landmarks, STEP BY STEP Help Your Kids Fall in Love With Hiking
Summer in Texas means vacations, road trips, and long weekends. With so much going on, the roads get significantly busier, and accidents become more likely. Understanding summer travel risks can keep you safe whether you’re driving across the state or just across town. Distracted Driving Distracted driving is a year-round issue, but it’s a more significant problem in summer. Backups and sudden slowdowns are common on busy Texas highways, and distracted drivers are less likely to react quickly. Summer driving also brings more distractions, such as your GPS, music, and extra passengers. Put away your cell phone, set music and GPS before driving, and keep your eyes on the road. Fatigue Along with more distractions, summer road trips often involve long drives, which increases the risk of fatigue-related crashes. Drowsy driving slows reaction times and hinders decision-making abilities, making it as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Drivers should plan for frequent breaks and never push through extreme fatigue while behind the wheel. Commercial Trucks Summer increases tourism and shipping demands, so more commercial trucks are on Texas roadways. Commercial vehicles have significant blindspots and longer stopping distances than passenger cars. Their size also makes them unpredictable in heavy traffic. In 2022, Texas saw 810 deaths from crashes involving large trucks, the most in the nation. You can help prevent these accidents by giving large trucks extra room and avoiding their blind spots. Teens and the ‘100 Deadliest Days’ The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is often called the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer.” Fatal car accidents spike during this period, especially among teen drivers. According to The National Road Safety Foundation, teen driver deaths increase by about 20% during this period. Parents can help reduce risks for teen drivers by setting clear rules, limiting night-time driving, and encouraging teens to wear their seatbelts at all times. Stay Safe This Summer Texas roads can become unpredictable in the summer, but safe driving habits prevent accidents. Unfortunately, not all accidents are avoidable. If you or a loved one is injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact Aulsbrook Law Firm today for a free consultation. Stay Safe on Texas Highways
rivers, and lakes. Older kids can add topographical information using their phones or an altitude app such as Altimeter or My Altitude.
Hiking is a fantastic activity to help your kids appreciate the outdoors rather than their phone screens, but being in nature takes energy. Remember to pack snacks and a water
bottle before you leave, or pack a favorite picnic meal to savor the rewards of exploring the outdoors!
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POOL SAFETY 101
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY THIS SUMMER
The Texas summer heat has many of us running for the pool to cool off, but a casual swim can quickly turn dangerous without the proper precautions. Children are especially vulnerable, but adults can just as easily get injured in pool accidents. Keep your family safe this summer by understanding pool dangers and taking steps to avoid them. The Hidden Risks of Poolside Fun Drowning is one of the top causes of preventable death among adults and children in the U.S. An average of 11 people die every day due to drowning, and countless others are injured in nonfatal drowning incidents yearly. While this represents a significant issue, there are other poolside risks. Wet surfaces and uneven decks make slip-and-falls common near pools, and diving accidents can cause spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. Essential Water Safety Tips Preventing summertime pool accidents starts with proper supervision and safety gear. An adult should supervise children at all times with no distractions. Also, remember that floaties and pool noodles are not life- saving devices. Young children and inexperienced swimmers should use U.S. Coast Guard-approved lifejackets that are the proper fit and size.
Every parent and pool owner should also learn CPR, as it can save a life before first responders arrive.
Preventing Other Poolside Accidents Whether it’s a public or private pool, checking water depth is crucial to preventing diving-related incidents, which cause over 1,900 spinal cord injuries every year. Only dive in areas marked “safe for diving,” and never assume a pool is deep enough for head-first entry. Children and inexperienced swimmers should avoid diving altogether. Slipping on wet surfaces, particularly wet pool decks, is one of the most common causes of pool-related injuries. Cracked concrete and loose coping stones also present trip hazards, and a lack of safety features like non-slip mats, step treads, and handrails increases the risk of poolside injuries. Under Texas premises liability law, pool owners who fail to maintain equipment or repair damaged surfaces could be liable for personal injuries. When someone else’s negligence leads to harm, it’s important to seek justice. If an unsafe environment or lack of maintenance caused an injury, Aulsbrook Law Firm is here to help. Call us today to get started on your claim.
Texas-Size LAUGHS
Silky Chocolate Mousse Inspired by TheKitchn.com
INGREDIENTS •
1 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1 cup milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips (6 oz) • Optional garnish: grated chocolate, crushed nuts, toffee, or brittle
DIRECTIONS 1. In a microwave-safe bowl, put 1/2 cup of cream in the microwave for 1 minute. 2. Stir in chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. 3. In a separate bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup of cream with a hand mixer or whisk until soft peaks form. 4. Set aside 1/2 cup of whipped cream for topping, and continue whipping the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. 5. Gently fold whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture in batches, mixing until combined but still light and fluffy. 6. Spoon into four ramekins or glasses, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. 7. Top with reserved whipped cream and garnish if desired.
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CLIENT MEME
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INSIDE Making Flying Less of a Nightmare 1 Tips for Engaging Your Kids in a Nature Hike Avoid Summer’s Biggest Driving Dangers 2 Summer Swimming Safety Silky Chocolate Mousse 3 Mindset Coaching: A New Path to Savoring Life 4 Cases We Handle:
• Personal Injury • Wrongful Death
• Car Wreck • Truck Wreck
In a fast-changing world, it’s easy to get bogged down in self-doubt and negativity. Mindset coaching, a new route to self-improvement, applies psychological tools to instill a more upbeat, hopeful attitude toward life. Mindset coaching helps people break away from habitual negative thinking and behaviors that prevent them from seeing and reaching their potential. It is a relatively new field that evolved from two influential bodies of research — cognitive psychology, which helps individuals recognize and change negative thought patterns, and the work of psychologist Carol Dweck on “growth mindset,” a perspective that teaches people they can change and develop through effort and learning. It’s important to understand that mindset coaches are not therapists, nor are they licensed or regulated. Interested individuals should seek a qualified coach trained and certified by a reputable coaching organization. The training equips mindset coaches with tools to help clients cultivate resilience and positivity, including mindfulness, journaling, visualizing achievements, and cognitive restructuring or replacing negative thought patterns with more realistic, balanced views. Mindset coaches also help clients uproot limiting beliefs about themselves and reduce their fear of being evaluated negatively by others. For example, mindset coaching might help a software engineer struggling with self- doubt and fear of failure to reframe their thinking and view criticism as constructive feedback to help improve their skills. Also, a manager striving for a promotion might learn to value their skills and cultivate a belief in their ability to expand and acquire new competencies. Ultimately, clients are taught to reframe life as a journey of self-discovery and learning — a mindset so empowering that it can change lives!
EMBRACE YOUR CAPACITY FOR GROWTH ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
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