Take a look at our November newsletter!
Makin’ It Better NEWSLETTER
November 2021
Oregon Workers’ Compensation | Personal Injury | Social Security Disability
1139 Exchange St., Astoria, OR 97103 • 503-325-8600 • JoeDiBartolomeo.com
How to Enjoy a Guilt-Free Thanksgiving TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER THANKSGIVING SPREAD
If you’re like me, you probably have bloating and some discomfort the day after Thanksgiving dinner. I always figured this was inevitable because, after all, who’ll say no to eating as much as humanly possible while enjoying Thanksgiving dinner (and dessert) with friends and family? It’s basically a holiday dedicated to enjoying lots of food, right? Therein lies the conflict for many Thanksgiving dinner enthusiasts, especially those of us whose stomachs churn with each passing snap of the wishbone. We want to enjoy the very essence of the holiday, but we loathe dealing with the bloating and discomfort that follows on Friday. We could simply forgo the turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing altogether — but what’s the fun in that? Instead, I found some replacement dishes as well as ways to make the food we know and love a little healthier! My first tip is this: When you choose your portion of turkey, go for the white meat. Dark meat has nearly twice the saturated fat as white meat, which is the healthier portion of Turkey Day’s titular bird. There! Now you can rest a little easier knowing you can still enjoy some turkey.
As for many of the most popular sides (including cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole), don’t worry! Each dish has a healthier and tastier variation! For example, instead of buying your cranberry sauce from the store, you can try making your own. Canned cranberry sauce is loaded with sugar, and making your own with fresh cranberries means you’ll get all the beneficial antioxidants without the extra sugar. You control the amount. For a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes, you can easily use cauliflower or even sweet potatoes in place of regular potatoes. When you make your green bean casserole, blanch the green beans in boiling water instead of frying them in oil or butter. Instead of traditional stuffing, you can make all sorts of dishes, like sweet potato and date stuffing, roasted acorn squash loaded with wild mushroom stuffing, or a pumpkin and wild rice risotto. Each of these delicious recipes include all sorts of nutritious vegetables that won’t leave you feeling like you missed out on anything. If you’re curious about how to make these dishes, go online to find plenty of recipes that can show you how to incorporate these healthier alternatives into your Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe the most important thing to remember (and the easiest thing to forget) about eating Thanksgiving dinner is to control your portion sizes. You can try a little of everything without eating so much that it hurts the next day. I hope you’ll get a chance to try some of the dishes I mentioned above — if you do, let me know how you liked them! “We could simply forgo the turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing altogether — but what’s the fun in that?”
–Joe Di Bartolomeo | 1
The Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C. 1139 Exchange Street | Astoria, Oregon | 503-325-8600 | www.JoeDiBartolomeo.com
The holidays are right around the corner, and while many people can’t wait to eat turkey and swap presents, others only see stress on the horizon. Especially for those hosting parties, between decorations, big dinners, excited kids, and visiting family, it can all feel overwhelming. If celebrations are happening at your house this year, here are three tips to lessen the strain and keep up the holiday cheer. RECHARGE FIRST Ensure you’re rested and recharged before the holidays by taking time to relax, getting enough sleep, and engaging in activities that make you feel good. When you’re rushing to get everything done, it can be tempting to skip self-care routines, but that will cost you in the long run. Your daily exercise and other health activities keep you balanced and ready to face challenges head-on. GET STARTED EARLY Holidays always arrive faster than we expect, so begin preparing early. If shopping for presents is a pain point, don’t wait until the last minute. Decorate earlier than you need to — or better yet, get the kids to do it for you. There’s only so much cooking you can do ahead of time, but ensuring you have all of the equipment and nonperishable ingredients you need a few weeks in advance will reduce both your workload and anxiety. 3 TIPS FOR A MERRIER TIME Have a Low-Stress Holiday
DON’T EXPECT PERFECTION The sooner you let go of the idea of a “perfect” holiday, the sooner you’ll be able to have a happy one. Face it: Something will go wrong. Whether it’s an overcooked dish, a child throwing a temper tantrum, or your uncle talking politics at the dinner table, nothing will ever go just how you planned. So, embrace the imperfections. Whether you’re celebrating this year with a group of two or 20, holidays can be a stressful time — but they don’t have to be. With these tips, your festivities may not be picture-perfect, but they will be a lot of fun.
Navigating Social Security Disability Forms
The application process for Social Security disability is ever changing, but it will always include filling out an application with the Disability Determination Services (DDS). DDS assigns your application to a claims analyst to gather information, evaluate, and decide your claim. The analyst will send out forms, usually with a 10-day time limit.
jot down the date of your visits, or you can keep your appointment reminder cards.
DON’T EXAGGERATE! You must be straightforward and
honest about your symptoms and how they affect your ability to do everyday activities. If someone overstates their symptoms or understates their abilities, it usually sticks out like a sore thumb, and that can be fatal to your claim. This is because your Disability Report form is only one small part of the claims file. Social Security will have your medical records, statements from local Social Security offices regarding your appearance at in-person appointments, and statements from friends or family members on your daily activities. Forms that overstate symptoms will usually justify claim denial. This is because your credibility, even with all the rules and policies, is critical to proving your claim.
Here are common-sense tips to help you navigate through the process.
KEEP EVERYTHING YOU FILL OUT AND TRACK MEDICAL CARE. You will be asked for the same information more than once. Keep a copy of every form you complete. It will save you time and trouble when the next form arrives in the mail. Keep track of your medical care and the providers who treat you. One simple trick is to take a card from your doctor’s office and
WHEN IN DOUBT, APPEAL. We handle appeals of denied claims, and if you have any doubt about whether you qualify for benefits, call to set up a time to talk. We will get the appeal filed, request your file, and give you an honest review of your chances.
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The Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C. 1139 Exchange Street | Astoria, Oregon | 503-325-8600 | www.JoeDiBartolomeo.com
Daylight saving time ends on Nov. 7, which means it’s almost time to “fall back.” Whether you’re a fan of changing our clocks twice a year or not, it’s undeniable that the shift affects us. Luckily, most of us find “falling back” a lot easier than “springing forward,” but that doesn’t mean you’ll be completely unscathed this autumn. While also affecting our mood and appetite, the end of daylight saving time undoubtedly influences our sleep the most. ARE YOU READY TO ‘FALL BACK’?
is likely to rebel and get even more confused than it was by the time change alone. Sleeping in will also probably do you more harm than good — and researchers have found that most people don’t get that fabled extra hour of sleep, anyway. MAKE CHANGES SLOWLY. The reason the time change hits us so hard is because it happens all at once. Shift gradually on your own to try to get ahead of the clock. The week before daylight saving ends, try going to bed 15 minutes later for two days, then 30 minutes later for two more, and finally 45 minutes until the real time change happens. When it does, your body will already be expecting it. HAVE A BEDTIME ROUTINE. You may have heard of sleep hygiene, which is the practice of ensuring your habits and surroundings are properly set up to promote sleep. Having 3 Tips to Help Your Sleep After Daylight Saving Time Ends
Sleep schedule disruptions not only feel terrible, but they also lead to errors and accidents. To avoid these potential downfalls, here are three tips to help you adjust. KEEP YOUR SCHEDULE. It may be tempting to stay up an hour later the night before the time changes, but you’ll regret it in the end. Your body’s biological clock
a bedtime routine signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and get some shut-eye. Take a warm shower, turn off the TV, put down your phone, and dim the lights. The routine takes a while to work, so don’t wait to start. Otherwise, by the time daylight saving ends, it’ll be too late. Follow these tips, and you might have an easier time adjusting to the time change this year. Nothing makes us feel better than a good night’s sleep, so do everything you can to prevent the end of daylight saving time from disrupting yours.
PUZZLE
Impress your Thanksgiving guests with this perfectly roasted — and easy — turkey! Roasted Turkey
Inspired by TheKitchn.com
Ingredients
• 1 whole turkey, thawed • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth • Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. 2. Remove packaging and giblets from inside of the turkey. 3. Place the turkey in a broiling pan breast-side up and rub it with salt and pepper. Pour the broth around the turkey. 4. Place the pan in the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 F. Turkey should cook for 12–15 minutes per pound, typically 3–4 hours. 5. Remove the turkey from the oven every 45 minutes and baste it with the broth. 6. Once finished, let the turkey rest for 15–20 minutes before carving and serving.
The Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C. 1139 Exchange Street | Astoria, Oregon | 503-325-8600 | www.JoeDiBartolomeo.com
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503-325-8600 JoeDiBartolomeo.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1139 Exchange St. Astoria, OR 97103
What’s Inside
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Fully Enjoy Your Thanksgiving Dinner
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Lowering Holiday Stress Navigating Social Security Disability Forms
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Sleep Tips for When Daylight Saving Time Ends Roasted Turkey
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Is Community Wi-Fi the Future?
Inexpensive Community Internet May Be the Future GUERILLA WI-FI
If you live in a middle-class or wealthy neighborhood, you probably have multiple options for internet providers. However, in rural towns and underfunded areas, Americans can be limited to only one or two internet provider options. With such a limited selection, these providers can often charge any kind of price they want. But what if smaller volunteer groups could provide high-speed internet for affordable prices? That’s exactly what volunteer network NYC Mesh is doing! HOW IT WORKS A fiber connection is the gold standard for internet providers; however, NYC Mesh finds that using “fixed wireless” options, like rooftop routers, can deliver a signal strong enough for residential use. It’s also much faster and cheaper to deploy than a fiber connection. For residents who are still nervous, NYC Mesh not only has a subsidized option for installations but also a low suggested monthly donation of $20–$60. NYC Mesh is one of many fixed-wireless groups in New York City — another small for-profit, Starry, which is a Boston-based start-up, is rolling out flat-rate internet plans for $50 a month in large urban
markets across the country, including New York City. And the principle is the same: to provide more affordable internet options to the nearly 46% of impoverished U.S. households without a home connection. WILL THE TREND CONTINUE? AND DOES IT REALLY WORK? For now, it’s safe to say that community Wi-Fi is here to stay. The Internet Master Plan released by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio offers free use of rooftops on public buildings and street light poles to providers, large and small, to build their network infrastructures. This is a huge boon to grassroots groups like NYC Mesh, which depend on rooftop access for installations. Like other fixed-wireless Wi-Fi connections, many households have been pleased with NYC Mesh. Some even raise their monthly donation after signing on just to support the cause. Although some community Wi-Fi solutions are crushed under regulation and corporate interests, it seems like DIY internet technology continues to adapt and evolve.
In the upcoming years, maybe all our communities will adopt a similar solution, too!
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The Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C. 1139 Exchange Street | Astoria, Oregon | 503-325-8600 | www.JoeDiBartolomeo.com
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