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OBIORAHFIELDS.COM | 404-994-6218 | SEPTEMBER 2020
CHERISH YOUR TIME WITH YOUR GRANDPARENTS
IT’S NOT SOMETHING EVERYONE HAS
While most people probably don’t celebrate it like they would Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, National Grandparents Day is an actual holiday that’s observed on Sept. 13 this year. It’s a day to celebrate the ways that grandparents have contributed to our upbringing and helped us develop into the people we are today. That said, however, a lot of people don’t have grandparents who are present in their lives as they’re growing up. One of my grandfathers died before I was born. Both of my grandmothers died within six months of one another when I was 10 years old. My other grandfather died when I was 14. Even when my grandparents were alive, I was never very close to them. They all lived in South Carolina, far away from where I grew up.
I never had that traditional grandparent/grandkid relationship. I never got dropped off at my grandparents’ house while my parents went out on a date night, or stayed over at their house when my parents went out of town. I never had grandparents who spoiled me when my parents weren’t around or jumped to my defense when my parents scolded me. I always liked that maxim: “Grandparents and grandkids get along so well because they have a common enemy.” But that was never the case for me personally. That led me to kind of romanticize that sort of relationship some grandkids had with their grandparents. I felt like I was missing out. Now, I have no idea how true that is. My idea of what my life might have been like if I had had grandparents I was close to could be completely off base. Still, I think any kid who grew up without grandparents has probably wondered what it would have been like to have the kind of grandchild/ grandparent relationship they saw in movies or on TV. By writing this, I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty if they had great relationships with their grandparents. After all, no one just decides to either have grandparents or not while they’re growing up. The point I’m trying to
make is that even though we don’t celebrate our grandparents as much as we might celebrate our parents, we absolutely should. Those relationships should be cherished by the people who are fortunate enough to have them. So, if your grandparents are still alive, and you’re close with them, don’t forget to reach out to them or visit them, whether on National Grandparents Day or any other day. Call them, visit them, hug them, kiss them, and let them know how much they mean to you. Cherish the relationships you have with your grandparents because not everyone has that. The time you get with your grandparents is a gift — don’t let it go to waste.
“SO, IF YOUR GRANDPARENTS ARE STILL ALIVE, AND YOU’RE CLOSE WITH THEM, DON’T FORGET TO REACH OUT TO THEM OR VISIT THEM, WHETHER ON NATIONAL GRANDPARENTS DAY OR ANY OTHER DAY.”
–Teri Fields
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You may have heard people you know talk about the probate process — probably with a little exhaustion or disdain in their voice. When it comes to what the probate process entails, those emotions are definitely warranted. It can be tedious and frustrating, especially after the death of a loved one. But you might wonder what probate is exactly, if it’s really as bad as it sounds, and if it’s something you can avoid. WHAT IS PROBATE? AND SHOULD I AVOID IT?
IS STRESS HARMING YOUR MEMORY? HOW TO COPE WITH DAILY TRIGGERS
Stress can cause more than just a bad mood and low energy. Over time, mental exhaustion from stress can lead
to forgetfulness and reduced cognition. This can hamper your ability to do your job and enjoy life. Though stress is unavoidable,
there are steps you can take to mitigate some of the negative effects of mental exhaustion, including forgetfulness.
What is probate? Probate is the term used to describe the court- supervised process of distributing a deceased
person’s assets to their designated beneficiaries. Their will will be filed with the probate court, and per the will’s instructions, the court will appoint a personal representative to make sure that the instructions in the will are carried out, including the distribution of assets, paying of estate debts, and more. Why should I avoid probate, if possible? There are two reasons why you might consider avoiding probate. The first is that the probate process can take months, or even years, to complete, during which time beneficiaries will not be able to access their inheritances. The second reason is because the probate process is public, meaning the court proceedings will be part of the public record, and anyone will be able to look up information on the distribution of your assets. This is understandably something that many people may want to keep private. How can I avoid probate? While there are a few different ways you can go about avoiding probate, the easiest way to do so is to establish a living trust. When you, the grantor, create a living trust, you get to fund it with any assets you want and control the trust until your death. After your death, your successor trustee, whom you will choose when creating the living trust, will distribute your assets according to your wishes. If you have questions about creating a living trust or just navigating the probate process, talk to the experienced lawyers at Obiorah Fields. They can help you manage the path forward, whatever that may be. Call today at (404) 994-6218.
First, consider the source of your stress. These days, a common
stressor is social media. If your feeds are full of bad news and negativity, shut them down. Many researchers suggest that spending less time on the internet leads to better health. Several studies have found that constant internet use,
including time spent on social media, is negatively impacting our memories. Research from Harvard, Oxford, King’s College London, and Western Sydney University all confirm this: Too much internet use is a bad thing. Of course, it can be easier to delete a social media app than it is to eliminate other types of stressors. Coping with a stressful coworker, for example, can be difficult. You have to figure out why they’re causing you stress and how the situation can be remedied. Dealing with a work-related confrontation can be hard, but having that difficult conversation and resolving the problem can ultimately lead to less long-term stress and improve your mental health. Another thing you can do to reduce stress is avoid multitasking. Taking on multiple projects or doing too much in too little time can leave you feeling overworked. Plus, studies have found that multitasking is not effective. You cannot deliver the same results when your attention is scattered as you can when you are focused on one thing. To make matters worse, multitasking takes a major toll on memory and cognition, according to a study from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. If stress is impairing your memory, judgment, or cognition, take the above steps to reduce it. If you find your memory and cognition aren’t improving, consider speaking with a mental health professional to discuss your best next steps. Mental health and stress management are important, and the more we do to improve these areas of our lives, the healthier and happier we will be.
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THEY EVEN HAPPEN IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 3 EXAMPLES OF WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION YOU MIGHT MISS
We’ve all heard about workplace discrimination and probably have some idea of how it looks. However, in the course of a day’s work, it’s not always easy to identify when it’s happening to you or to one of your coworkers. Workplace discrimination covers a wide variety of inappropriate behaviors, some more overt and others more subtle. Since it’s the more subtle ways that might slip under the radar, here are a few examples to keep an eye out for in the workplace. Favoritism While it might not be immediately obvious, you might notice that some types of workers have better offices, better parking spots, or more favor with management, even if they’re doing the same or similar work as another group of employees. Favoritism might be hard to spot because it can be done without anyone saying anything that sounds discriminatory, but the resulting actions speak for themselves. Fixed Roles Similar to favoritism, when it appears that people who share a certain group of characteristics (age, race, gender, etc.) have supervisory or managerial positions, while another group of
people with different characteristics work under them, it might be a sign of inherent discrimination. When it appears that workplace roles are fixed, those ingrained systems are hard to break — but the first step toward doing so is reporting it. High Turnover If it seems like a lot of people leave your workplace after not having worked there for very long, it could be for a myriad of reasons. However, it might be an indication that there’s some element of workplace discrimination workers would rather resign over than deal with in another way. Large groups of people sometimes quit over even small details, so just because you’re not seeing some form of discrimination in a workplace with high turnover doesn’t mean it’s not there. Workplace discrimination is present even for those who hold federal jobs, which is why anyone who works for the federal government should talk to Danielle Obiorah and Teri Fields, attorneys who are uniquely qualified to handle cases of workplace discrimination within the federal government. Give them a call today at (404) 994-6218 for a free case evaluation.
At Obiorah Fields, LLC, we’re not your standard, run-of-the-mill law office. We don’t just do what’s required of us — we go the extra mile to make sure justice is served in every case we take on. If you’ve worked with us before and you know somebody who could benefit from taking us on as their legal team, please don’t hesitate to give them this newsletter and show them who we are! We want to help as many people as we can. We’re just one phone call away from new potential clients. If they contact us through our website and give us their name, contact info, and a brief description of their situation, we will give them a free case evaluation and report. Don’t hesitate to refer us! DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS OUR HELP? GIVE THEM THIS NEWSLETTER!
NEED A SPEAKER? If you are interested in having Teri Fields speak to your organization about legal issues, please contact us at 404-994-6218.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Cherish Your Time With Your Grandparents
1
Is Stress Making You Forgetful? FAQs about the Probate Process
2
3 Examples of Workplace Discrimination You Might Miss Do You Know Someone Who Needs Our Help?
3
The Truth Behind the 21st Night of September
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4 DECADES OF EARTH, WIND & FIRE’S ‘SEPTEMBER’ WHAT HAPPENED ON THE 21ST NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER?
“Do you remember the 21st night of September?”
chorus. Throughout the songwriting process, Willis begged to change the phrase to real words. At the final vocal session, Willis finally demanded to know what ba-dee-ya meant. White replied, “Who cares?” “I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him,” Willis recalled in a 2014 interview with NPR, “which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.” The groove is why “September” has stood the test of time, right from that very first lyric. For decades, people have asked Willis and members of the band about the significance of September 21. As it turns out, there isn’t much beyond the sound. “We went through all the dates: ‘Do you remember the first, the second, the third, the fourth …’ and the one that just felt the best was the 21st,” Willis explained.
In 1978, Maurice White of the band Earth, Wind & Fire first asked this question in the song “September,” a funky disco song that quickly topped the charts. While disco may be dead today, “September” certainly isn’t. The song is still featured in movies, TV shows, and wedding playlists. On Sept. 21, 2019, the funk hit was streamed over 2.5 million times. It’s no wonder that the Los Angeles City Council declared Sept. 21 Earth, Wind & Fire Day. The story behind “September” is almost as enduring as the song itself. It was co-written by White and Allee Willis, who eventually became a Grammy-winning songwriter and Tony nominee. But before any of that, Willis was a struggling songwriter in Los Angeles living off food stamps. When White reached out and asked Willis to help write the next Earth, Wind & Fire hit, it was truly her big break. White and Willis proved to be excellent songwriting partners, but they clashed over one key element of the song: the nonsensical phrase “ba-dee-ya,” which White included in the
The truth is that nothing happened on the 21st night of September — except a whole lot of dancing.
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