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CaseBarnettLaw.com
949-861-2990
DEC 2017
WHAT’S IN A TRADITION?
The Best Holiday Traditions
The holidays are full of traditions. People everywhere pull special decorations from storage, break out their grandma’s famous eggnog recipe, or make plans to see “It’s a Wonderful Life” at their local theater. There are certain things we do every year without fail. Is it just because we’re creatures of habit, or is there a deeper value to traditions? Personally, I value traditions because they bring me back to my center: my family. Life can be hectic and overwhelming, so we need to remember why we do what we do. Nicole and I spent some time developing personal and business core values, and the main value revolved around family. My favorite traditions involve spending time with the people I love.
Finn and Harlow picking their favorite Christmas tree!
example, my recent daily intentions have been, “I’m going to be more patient,” and “I’ll make sure my wife feels loved today.” This tradition helps us find our center and gives us insight into what our family members are thinking about each day. Another family tradition, and one that happens to be our favorite, is something Nicole and I make sure to do every night. When we put Finn down for bed, we ask him for a topic of the day. He’ll tell us about his favorite event that happened, and we make up a song about it to sing him to sleep. It’s a simple thing, but I think it’s pretty awesome, and it brings us closer as a family every day. At the end of the day, traditions don’t have to come with a great deal of pomp and circumstance to be worthwhile. Making gingerbread men every Christmas Eve while watching “Elf” is a fantastic tradition, but so is eating pizza on Fridays during family movie night or reminding your kids to appreciate nature during family walks. If a tradition helps keep us grounded with what we value most in life, then I think it’s a tradition worth celebrating.
Personally, I value traditions because they bring me back to my center: my family.
As Nicole and I decorated for the holidays, we reminisced about where we were this time last year. Harlow was just a little nugget who couldn’t move around by herself, and Finn was still practically a baby himself. Now, Finn is going to preschool and Harlow has started walking and talking! People grow and change so fast over the course of a single year. It’s a reminder to stay present, because you never know where you’ll be next year. Of course, traditions aren’t just meant for the holidays. My family practices smaller traditions that remind us of what’s important in life. Each morning over breakfast, we share our daily intentions. These are personal focuses for small goals we intend to achieve that day. For
–Case Barnett
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949-861-2990 5 NETWORKING TIPS for Small-Business Owners
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nature of networking allows for a conversation about business to become a platform for building a relationship. Odds are everyone at your conference is trying to network just as much as you are. 3. Have a Card, Seriously Imagine this scenario: You’re at a conference and you just finish up a fruitful, engaging conversation. The person you’re talking to hands over their business card, and you realize you don’t have one to provide in return. Nobody wants to end up scribbling their contact information on a napkin. 4. Network From Home LinkedIn isn’t just for finding a job or screening employees. It can be a powerful networking tool for business owners. Because you can see the connections of your connections, it’s not hard to reach out to people in similar roles or industries. 5. Be Yourself Your personality and values should be an integral part of your business, and networking should be an honest conversation, even when the end goal is developing a business relationship. Be confident in who you are, and you’ll find that people will believe in your vision.
Successful networking benefits all business owners, whether they’re just getting started or trying to grow their business. These face-to-face meetings with other entrepreneurs, however, can be awkward and difficult for some people. Interfacing with industry leaders, experts, and like-minded CEOs doesn’t have to be anxiety-inducing, even if you’re naturally shy. Here are some tips to help you network more effectively at your next industry seminar or small-business conference. 1. Prepare Beforehand There are a few great ways to get yourself into the networking mindset before an event. You should have a few talking points ready. It shouldn’t sound like a formal presentation with bullet points. A few words about who you are, what you do, and why you do it will suffice. And you don’t want every word drilled down. Remember, networking is not the same thing as a sales pitch. 2. Don’t Forget to Listen Networking works best when it’s a two-way street. You can’t expect somebody to listen to you for five minutes, only for you to head to the snack table as soon as they start telling you about their company in return. The mutually beneficial
When It Pays to Ask for Help NEED A SECOND OPINION?
In a perfect world, when a wrongdoing is committed, the path to justice is clear and attorneys know exactly how to navigate it. Unfortunately, even when a person knows something is wrong, proving that wrongdoing can be complicated, even for the most talented of attorneys. Certain cases can be more complicated than others, and few attorneys want to look at someone in need and say, “I’m sorry, I cannot help you.” Some time ago, we took on a case for a family who’d already been told they could not be helped. This was an elder abuse case, which had been rejected by a prior attorney. Not ready to give up, the client in question reached out to a wills and trust attorney through his website. Though this attorney was eager to help, he didn’t know what to do with the case or if it was even viable. This is a common situation in elder abuse cases, and it’s likely the reason the first attorney rejected the case. Rather than let this family be abandoned by yet another lawyer, the wills and trust attorney looked for a firmwith experience in these kinds of cases. That’s when he called Case Barnett Law and referred the case over to our office. As we looked into the matter, we realized it was in fact an incredibly complicated case, one that we worked on for over two years. All the while, we kept the wills and trust attorney updated throughout the process.
After countless hours of work, we’re proud to report this family will see justice is served and receive the compensation they deserve. For
referring the case to us, the wills and trust attorney will get a check for $60,000.00 thanks to attorney referrals fees being permissible in California.
This is not the first time we’ve been able to help on a troubling case, and we hope it won’t be the last. If you have a case you aren’t equipped to handle or if you’re unsure whether it is valid, feel free to send it over to us for review! We have no issues looking into any case and would love to help any attorney be able to tell a client, “Although I can’t help you, I know someone who can.”
“This publication is intended to educate the general public about personal injury and elder abuse. It is not intended to be legal advice. Every case is different.”
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IS YOUR CALENDAR CHRONICALLY CRAMMED? Try This Must-Do Resolution
are you reminded of her unfriendly comments about your waiter and her negative attitude toward your renovation ideas? Consider each commitment and its impact on your joy. Of course, not all commitments will live up to the joy standard. You may not love your annual check-up, but it is important for your health. When you encounter non-negotiable items like these, consider the long-term impact they have on your well-being. Step 3: Discard Put an end to commitments that are not bringing you joy. This might mean having tough conversations with clients or friends. No one said the KonMari Method is easy. Decluttering entails getting rid of items that do not pass the joy test. Step 4: Apply! Follow through. Cancel commitments and long-standing obligations that are not benefiting your life. Have the difficult conversation. Apply the joy test as new commitments come up. By considering each commitment and its impact on your life, you will make room for those that bring you joy. To read more about the KonMari Method, check out Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and its companion book, “Spark Joy.”
In her book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” Marie Kondo gave us a transformative method for decluttering our homes. Based on feng shui principles and Kondo’s own study of organization, the KonMari Method has led thousands of devotees to new heights of tidiness. Kondo instructs participants to assess each of their possessions, item by item, category by category, and then dispose of those that do not provide joy. It’s touted as a simple, though not easy, guide to long-term organization. What would happen if this approach were applied to your calendar? Entrepreneur Christina Wallace calls her 10-month experiment in doing so an “unqualified success.” Most of us could benefit from trimming our jampacked schedules. Those various calendars synced to our phone, each emitting noisy reminders about the upcoming hour’s plans, aren’t exactly harbingers of harmony. Get a jump-start on your organization resolution by applying the KonMari Method to your calendar. Step 1: Assess First, envision the life you want to lead. Next, assess all the items listed on your calendar within a two-month period. Organize each commitment according to categories — social, work-related, doctor’s appointments, etc. Be thorough. Including each commitment, no matter how minor, is the key to this process. Step 2: Joy Test Do these commitments bring you joy? Are they part of your ideal life? When you look at “Lunch date with Margot” from last week,
Recipe inspired by PinchofYum.com.
LAUGH! Have a
Easy Holiday Party Cheese Fondue
Ingredients
• •
Salt to taste
• • • •
¾ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Foods to dip (apple slices, bread cubes, roasted vegetables, etc.)
1 (8-ounce) package sliced Swiss cheese
1 clove garlic
Directions
and slowly whisk. When nearly smooth, add more cheese and whisk gently. Repeat until all cheese is melted. If mixture seems too tight, add 1 tablespoon wine. 5. Season with salt and serve immediately. Keep pot on low heat to keep the fondue dippable.
1. In a large bowl, whisk together wine and cornstarch. 2. Chop cheese slices into small, uniform pieces. 3. Rub clove of garlic all over the sides and bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot, then discard. 4. Heat wine mixture over medium-low heat in the pot until thick and bubbling. Add some cheese
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Page 1 The Best Holiday Traditions
Page 2 5 NetworkingTips for Small-Business Owners
Page 2 Not Sure How to Handle a Case?We Can Help!
Page 3 Go KonMari onYour Calendar
Page 3 Easy Holiday Party Cheese Fondue
Page 4 Evolution of a Christmas Icon
THE ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS
Santa Claus wasn’t always a husky, omniscient gift-giver who circumnavigates the world once a year, propelled by flying caribou and backed by an army of friendly elves. Though the historical St. Nicholas had many of the same generous tendencies as our contemporary “King in the North,” he lacked a high-tech sleigh that could exceed the speed of light. To be exact, St. Nicholas was a renowned Bishop of Myra — an old Roman town near modern-day Demre, Turkey —way back around A.D. 300. Even before he became the bishop, St. Nicholas was known for his generosity. The most famous tale of his charity involved a poor man who could not afford a proper dowry to marry off his three daughters. In those days, this generally meant the daughters would remain unmarried, making it likely that they’d fall into prostitution. Wanting to help, but also wanting to spare the family embarrassment, St. Nicholas traveled to the house at night and threw three purses packed with gold coins through the window.
After his death, St. Nicholas became a beloved patron saint, but during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the respect that many Catholic saints received diminished, and his popularity dwindled across Europe. One area where he remained popular was the Netherlands. There, he lived on as “Sinterklaas,” a mythical figure who went house to house on the eve of St. Nicholas’s nameday, December 5, leaving treats and gifts for children. Sinterklaas traditionally wore red bishop’s clothes and employed elves, and he traveled with horses that could walk across rooftops. When the Dutch emigrated in droves to America during the 17th and 18th centuries, they brought this kindly icon to the new colonies. Over time, notably through Clement Moore’s 1822 poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” and a famous 1930s depiction by Coca-Cola ad illustrator Haddon Sundblom, Santa evolved into the figure we see today.
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