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714-533-9210 www.surfcitylawyers.com NOVEMBER 2018
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Gratitude isn’t a complex concept. As a matter of fact, it’s rooted deep in the simplest of actions and the joy that day-to-day life can bring. It sounds trivial, but reflecting on what you’re grateful for is a good way to take a deep breath and see life through a new lens. When I look at my life, I see a roof over our heads, the California sunshine, and a career that fulfills me every day. Not everyone can wake up and do something they’re passionate about, but the joy I get from Surf City Lawyers stems primarily from the freedom it creates for me. It’s not that I get to go on luxurious vacations or leave the office early to hit the local happy hour with Christine (that’s what Wine-Down Wednesdays are for). It’s about the ability to play a more active role in Jay’s life. My attitude of gratitude starts by seeing him succeed. It’s an opportunity most parents don’t get, but thanks to the work we’re doing, I get to see my son grow up. “Everyone has coworkers they love, but Christine is more than that. She’s a friend and companion. She’s a warrior for what’s right. She’s the living, breathing personification of passion.” GRATITUDE MEANS OPEN DOORS AND OPEN HEARTS
But it’s not just Christine. Our entire staff is terrific, and together, we constitute a family. Not one of those families you’ll read about on Page 3, either. What crazy Thanksgivings those had to be. Speaking of Thanksgiving, this year presents an opportunity I couldn’t be more
excited about. For the first time, my parents are coming to town to partake in the festivities. I’ve been begging for years to get both sides of the family together. We haven’t had everyone in the same room since
Jay’s baptism, so this year will be extra special. Plus, the fact that I love Thanksgiving food doesn’t hurt. I make pies, muffins, vegetables, and all the fixings you’d expect. I try to start everything ahead of time because I don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen and miss all the action, especially this year. There will be about 12 people around our table this year, but those in need know no season.
Last year we invited friends of ours to Thanksgiving dinner because they had a pipe burst under the foundation of their home, which caused the house to flood. You never know who might need help, and we always keep our door open, so who knows what the final head count will be this year. The more the merrier. I find beauty in all of these moments, and the best way for me to keep my focus positive is by writing in a gratitude journal. Every day, I jot down something I’m thankful for, but there’s a caveat that forces me to think: Repeating something I’ve written before isn’t allowed. This pushes me to focus on the little things and always points my feet toward a life I can be proud of. This journal shows me that the spirit of Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be restricted to just one day. I hope everyone can find that spirit this holiday season and all year long.
Our practice wouldn’t be able to flourish without Christine. She is one of the key factors to our success, always pushing me both personally and professionally. Everyone has coworkers they love, but Christine is more than that. She’s a friend and companion. She’s a warrior for what’s right. She’s the living, breathing personification of passion.
–Anna Serrambana
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HOWTO FIND, KEEP, AND LET GO OF THEM
PREPARING FOR SEASONALWORKERS
LOOK AT THE RIGHT DEMOGRAPHIC
seasonal workers, while others vary in their definition of “seasonal.” Check your state’s laws regarding seasonal work online or by contacting your lawmakers’ offices.
People with moldable schedules — college students, stay-at-home parents, freelancers — will be your go-to candidates for seasonal work. Students are always looking for ways to earn extra cash, freelancers have periods of low workloads, and when kids return to school, some stay-at-home parents look for extra jobs. With these flexible groups, keep in mind you may have to be flexible as well. If you hire a student, you might have to work around their course load, or parents may have to work earlier shifts to coordinate with school schedules. With permission, you can post flyers at coffee shops, on college campuses, and at local schools to attract these workers.
OFFER A ‘GROW WITH US’ PROGRAM
Sometimes you find a diamond among your seasonal workers. For workers who have made your business stellar in their short tenure, you may want to offer a “grow with us” program. This could work one of two ways: Either you offer to slowly integrate them with your business by working them into part-time or full-time work, or you offer them a guaranteed spot as a seasonal worker the next year. There are contractual issues that must be ironed out, and not every seasonal employee will want to take you up on it, but if you give them the offer, some of those stellar seasonal workers could become loyal employees.
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can leave everyone feeling a bit groggy, stressed, and overworked. But as a business owner, you’re preparing for a large influx of customers — a great problem to have! This also means more revenue and possibly added customers via referrals. But that’s only going to happen if your customers have a good experience. Hiring seasonal workers can help you complete tasks in a timely manner and retain customer satisfaction. Follow these guidelines to make your seasonal hiring process a breeze this winter.
DON’T GET INTO LEGAL TROUBLE
Each state has different rules for employees. Some states require unemployment benefits for
Perhaps the biggest slander to the women’s rights movement is those who preach empowerment but use it as an instrument of manipulation. When Keith Raniere founded the self-improvement company Nxivm, he proclaimed that the practices of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) could realign one’s emotional synapses to alter a person’s sense of self. On the surface, sessions involved techniques like hypnosis and psychological therapy, and members of the organization swore by the life-altering effects, claiming they experienced a major paradigm shift in their ethos. According to the New York Times, one former member spoke of the healing powers of emotional trauma as “the white-collar spiritual path.” While sold as healing, what really went on behind closed doors was mutilation. Senior Nxivm members who had high status in society or long-standing membership in the group were known as “masters” and initiated new members — referred to as “slaves” — by using a cauterizing pen to carve the initials “K.R.” above the pelvic bone. Information came out that Raniere used the organization to select multiple girlfriends and deployed persuasion techniques to deflect judgment onto questioning members. Color-coded sashes were given to those who reached new levels of self-enlightenment — defined not by awareness but Manipulation Can Often Lead to Civil Litigation BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF THE SEX CULT “NXIVM”
by how many new members they could recruit. When news broke, the term “organization” quickly shifted to “cult.”
While the barbarity of physical mutilation is at the forefront of the horrors perpetrated by these so-called “masters,” not every new person was subjected to these acts. On the other hand, all members suffered the travesty of being subjected to mental, emotional, and spiritual manipulation for Raniere’s financial gain — one source claims he lost $66 million betting on the commodities market. Some fought back by filing lawsuits, claiming brainwashing — one ongoing lawsuit is seeking $50 million in damages — but most did not because of Nxivm’s use of “collateral” in their inauguration. Members were required to pledge sensitive information that would make them vulnerable. If there was none to be had, it was created. The reality is that most of us look at a story like this and think to ourselves, “You’d have to be crazy to do that!” But over 17,000 people were affiliated with Nxivm before Raniere’s arrest earlier this year, including actresses and multimillionaires. Manipulation can happen to all of us and is often at the center of many civil litigation cases. While the disputes we deal with don’t entail this degree of treachery, many of them involve parties who believe they should’ve known better. A good lawyer is not here to judge you for actions you view as mistakes. We’re here to help. Let us show you how.
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THINK YOUR FAMILY IS CRAZY?
TRY THANKSGIVING WITH ONE OF THESE FAMILIES
Some families spend Thanksgiving tossing the football around, stuffing themselves full of turkey, and expressing gratitude. For the rest of us, we plan our survival tactics months ahead of time or pack a few extra bottles of Grandma’s ol’ cough medicine. If you think your family is nuts, here are three real-life examples of just how crazy Thanksgiving can get for some.
The categories were muddled under slurred words, but this did not detract from the result. When he turned to his twin brother’s wife — my mom — a brawl broke out that spilled onto the street. With a glass of wine in her hand, my mom finished the argument with, “I give that fight a 10 out of 10” and locked them all out of the house.
‘RON WEASLEY? YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS?’
‘NO ONE GETS DINNER!’
When my family came together for Thanksgiving for the first time after five years, the day went great — that is, until someone brought up Harry Potter. What originated as a simple exchange of opinions turned into a heated family fight over who was the better hypothetical long-term fit for Hermione. This, of course, escalated into everyone bringing up deep- seated issues they’ve held onto for years. It ended with half the family storming out, and it took months for us to see each other again.
When my husband and I were dating, we went to his parents’ house for our first holiday together. His mom started the day off by calling me his ex-girlfriend’s name. I took it in stride but needed a moment in the guest room to regroup. My future sister-in-law came in and saw me upset. She stormed out to her mom and explained the situation, but her mom did not take it well. They burst into a full-fledged argument, and my mother-in-law cranked the heat on the oven to 500 degrees and stormed out the house. No one got Thanksgiving dinner, but we did get married a year later. Should your Thanksgiving turn into a complete disaster that requires legal expertise, reach out to us. We have an expansive network of experts to plug into, and they can settle any issue under the sun. Except maybe who Hermione should’ve ended up with.
‘I GIVE DEBBIE A SOLID 6.5’
My uncle had a few too many adult beverages and decided to use
Thanksgiving as a platform to deliver what he felt was a necessary speech. He stood up and rated of all his brothers’ wives on a scale of 1–10.
S U D O K U
A SIMPLE BRINE FOR SUCCULENT TURKEY
INGREDIENTS
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3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
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2 large sprigs thyme
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3/4 cup sugar
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2 bay leaves
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1 carrot, peeled and diced
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1 tablespoon black peppercorns
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1 large onion, peeled and diced
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1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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1/4 cup celery, diced
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1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large stock pot, bring salt, sugar, and 4 cups water to a boil. Stir until all ingredients are dissolved. 2. Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients. Place brine in the fridge, uncovered, until cold. 3. Add 6 quarts cold water to brine. Add turkey and submerge completely. Brine chilled for up to 72 hours.
Inspired by Bon Appétit magazine
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2 2 3 3 4
Thankfulness Is More Than a State of Mind; It’s a State of Heart
Preparing for Seasonal Workers
Sex Cults and Civil Litigation?
3 Crazy Thanksgiving Conflicts
A Simple Brine for Succulent Turkey
A Historic Veterans Day
E R
COMMEMORATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WORLD WAR I
THE GREAT WAR By 1914, a world war had been years in the making, but the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by a Serbian nationalist provided the spark that would eventually burn down much of Europe. A chain reaction of land disputes, pre-emptive attacks, and strategic alliances brought over 30 countries into World War I. The Great War that ravaged Europe resulted in a devastating loss of life, but from those ashes rose a renewed appreciation for the importance of peace and a global effort to ensure its place in the future. THE RESTORATION OF PEACE In 1918, Germany surrendered unconditionally, and the armistice ended the fighting at the 11th
hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, though the war did not officially end until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles the following July. An estimated 16 million soldiers and civilians died in just four years, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in modern history. VETERANS DAY Originally called Armistice Day, Veterans Day was first observed on Nov. 11, 1919, to honor the one-year anniversary of the armistice, and it became a U.S. holiday in 1938. Today, Veterans Day celebrates veterans who served their country honorably. The U.K., France, Australia, and Canada also commemorate their veterans in November. If you know a veteran, thank them for their service this month.
This year, Veterans Day takes on particular historic significance: Nov. 11, 2018, marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War. Countries around the world will commemorate the signing of this peace agreement with moments of silence, centennial ceremonies, and historical exhibits. Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day is a celebration of life. It’s a day to honor the power of peace and the living veterans across the globe who have served their countries. This November, take a moment to remember the war that helped shape the international community’s dedication to peace and thank the individuals who served to defend it.
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