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JUNE 2021
AndrewMAyers.com
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This month marks the 10th anniversary of my law firm. In those 10 years, I’ve moved from New York to Minnesota, had three children, and read countless books. (Actually, I do count them! You can check out the “Meet Andrew” page of my website to see what I’m currently reading and take a look into the archives of what I’ve read in years past.) Some people are surprised to hear that I decided to start my firm less than a year after my daughter was born. While it’s undoubtedly true that having an infant child and a business in its infancy comes with its challenges, I also found that being in control of my work schedule was the key to putting my family first. In fact, that’s really what drove me to strike out on my own. Being a business owner allows me to design my life, prioritize what’s important, and decide what actually needs to get done to serve my clients well. It’s also made me better at my work, since many of my clients are also business owners and I understand the daily challenges of running a business firsthand. For those who don’t run their own business, it may be tough to conceptualize designing your own life — the life you want — but since I started doing it for myself, I’ve encountered a lot of people along the way doing the same thing. I think the pandemic has helped people rethink some assumptions and see that there’s a lot of opportunity out there. That was true before the pandemic and it’ll be true after as well. Running my own firm has also allowed me to build and maintain the kinds of relationships with my clients that I’ve always wanted to see as an attorney. I learn a lot from my clients and get to work on interesting things that my previous job didn’t allow for. I can decide what kinds of clients will be a good fit for me and my firm and say “no” to the ones that aren’t. I definitely didn’t get to do that when I was working for someone else! Since I do estate planning, I get to learn a lot about my clients’ passions and interests through the charities and nonprofits they want to support. There are so many fantastic organizations out It’s My 10th Anniversary! Looking Back on a Decade in Business
there doing good in the world; it seems like I hear of a new one every week. Benefits like this allow my personal and professional relationships with my clients to grow. I also get some great book recommendations from my clients. Sometimes, clients will even bring me a book they loved as a gift. I have to say the best book I’ve received over the last 10 years, though, was a picture book! Though my bookshelves are lined with quite a variety of books, this particular book really stands out. My daughter made it for me after Oriel, my cat of 17 years, died. My daughter arranged photos of our family and Oriel from over the years and even wrote her own commentary and photo captions. That’s definitely the book I treasure the most. When I first started this article, I thought I might make a list of lessons learned or tips from my 10 years in business. It’s so common to see lists of tips or hacks to make things easier, but my best tip may be to avoid those lists altogether. Sometimes, the best way to learn and lead an interesting life is by really digging in and learning something. I’ve learned this lesson in business and also in one of my favorite hobbies outside work: cooking. Sure, I can make an easy 30-minute meal, but learning the ins and outs of flavor and technique is much more gratifying in the long run. Plus, it serves me well as I expand my repertoire of meals! I want to end by saying thank you to all my clients. Whether you’re sharing your book recommendations or your life’s passions, it’s been a pleasure to serve you. I look forward to the years to come.
–Andrew M. Ayers
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The Super Benefits of Yoga
Multiple studies agree: Yoga can significantly decrease the secretion of cortisol, the primary stress hormone. In one study, 64 women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) participated in a 10-week program, performing yoga at least once a week. By the end of the 10 weeks, 52% of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD at all. As with starting any new hobby or regular exercise, it may help to set clear goals for yourself. By doing yoga regularly, there are several physical improvements you can look forward to, such as:
June 21 is International Yoga Day, which makes it a great time of year to talk about the unique benefits of yoga — the “superfood” of fitness. As a mixture of exercise and mindfulness, yoga is not only challenging but also has myriad health benefits. Many people assume yoga is mainly useful for increasing your flexibility. However, it’s also excellent for further developing your strength, mobility, and balance. These can be key benefits for living a healthier lifestyle, whether you’re an athlete or concerned about aging.
• Improved range of motion or ease of movement
Kaitlyn Hochart, a yoga instructor from San Diego, California, writes on Healthline, “During yoga, your body goes through a full range and variety of motion that can counteract aches and pains associated with tension or poor postural habits.” Yoga can help you become more aware of these habits, “[allowing] you to fix these imbalances and improve overall athleticism.” Many forms of exercise are useful against depression and cardiovascular disease, but in yoga’s case, you don’t have to break a sweat to start benefiting from its stress-relieving properties. “The breathing exercises you practice during yoga can help lower your heart rate and shift your nervous system into a more relaxed state. It also promotes better sleep and increased focus,” Hochart writes.
• A reduction in pain, discomfort, or other symptoms
• An increase in physical strength and endurance
• Less weight fluctuation
• Changes in the way your clothes fit
• Better-quality sleeping habits and increased or stabilized energy levels One of the best qualities of yoga is that you can be of any age or fitness level. So, pull up a YouTube video, find a soft surface, and give it a try!
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However, more restrictions have come up. In Miller v. California (1973), the U.S. Supreme Court found that the First Amendment’s freedom of speech doesn’t apply to obscenity.
How does the court define obscenity? There are three things they’ll take into account:
1. Will the average person (applying contemporary “community standards”) find the work appealing to the overly sexual interests?
2. Does the work depict or describe, in an offensive way, sexual conduct or excretory functions as defined by state law?
deletes a post, these actions don’t count as violations of free speech. Could that change?
3. Does the work, when taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value?
According to legal experts, the big question now is how to treat large social media platforms. Clay Calvert, professor of law at the Levin College of Law, asks, “Should we treat them differently and regulate them more closely? Have we reached that stage where we need to antitrust litigation, perhaps, and say they have such powerful platforms, they’re like near-monopolies that we should do some trust-busting and break them up?”
Certain types of hate speech are legal, so long as they don’t incite violence and cannot be categorized as obscenity as described above. But what about more ordinary political opinions? Can those be legally censored?
The First Amendment’s Boundary
Corporate censorship and censorship by private entities are legal because the First Amendment only applies to government censorship. That’s why when Twitter bans an account or Facebook
Would it be a good idea for the First Amendment to apply to private entities? We’ll leave that to the future debates that are sure to come.
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TAKE A BREAK
ARE GROCERY SUBSCRIPTION BOXES WORTH IT?
June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, so let’s explore one popular way to get more fresh produce into our lives: subscription-based delivery services like Full Circle and Imperfect Food. Are these services actually worth it? Do they save money and provide what they promise? Here’s what the research turned up. Can they save you time? The Verdict: Yes, without a doubt. Subscription-based grocery delivery services appeal to consumers because they save time. With somebody else doing your grocery shopping, you don’t have to think about when you’re making a trip to the grocery store this week. Someone else is doing it for you! Plus, some services even offer meal kits if you can’t decide what to make. There’s no argument here — these services definitely save you time. Can they save you money? The Verdict: Sometimes, since it depends on your existing shopping habits. If you find yourself making impulsive purchases while strolling down the aisles at the grocery store, then a set (but customizable) weekly list of delivered groceries might be a great way to stick to your budget. Unfortunately, not many grocery subscription-box delivery services offer nonfood items like toilet paper or cleaning products, so you may still have to make a trip to the store every once in a while. Is the food quality great? The Verdict: Yes, but it depends on your area. You have a higher chance of getting better grocery items if you buy from an organic grocery box service, like Imperfect Foods or Farm Fresh to You, since these companies work closely with your local farms. Keep in mind that some services, like Imperfect Foods, are designed to deliver fresh foods that are a little “imperfect” in size, shape, or color to help prevent food waste — but, as a benefit, it’s more affordable! However, we’ve found some services, like Full Circle, will prepackage their boxes from warehouses that may not be local to you, so do a little research before picking one. All in all, we’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that these boxes aren’t such a bad idea. Consider looking into it if you’re tired of the weekly grocery store time crunch!
GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA
Inspired by FeastingAtHome.com
A spice-filled marinade and time do all the work in this recipe that features Middle Eastern flavors.
Ingredients
• 2 tsp allspice • 8 garlic cloves, minced • 6 tbsp olive oil • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp ground coriander • 2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper • 2 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground ginger • 1 tsp ground black pepper
Directions
1. To create marinade, whisk all spices with the garlic and olive oil in a medium bowl. 2. Add chicken to the bowl, coat well with marinade, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes — or up to 48 hours. Strain off excess marinade before cooking. 3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill thighs for 10–12 minutes
on each side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 F. 4. Serve with rice, vegetables, or pita bread with tzatziki.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
A Look Back at 10 Years in Business
1
The Super Benefits of Yoga
2
Grilled Chicken Shawarma Are Grocery Subscription Boxes Worth It?
3
Legally Speaking, What Is Censorship?
4
Legally Speaking, What Is Censorship? A Brief Dive Into the First Amendment
The Freedom to Speak — Without Obscenity or Inciting Violence
The First Amendment has been the centerpiece of a contentious debate about what can legally be posted (and deleted) on social media like Twitter and Facebook. But before we can define “censorship,” we need to know what is defined as “free speech.” What exactly does the First Amendment say about free speech? What are the boundaries for what people can and cannot do?
The First Amendment covers the freedom of speech, press, and religion. It’s arguably one of the most fundamental amendments to American democracy, but its interpretations can vary significantly. This is how the full First Amendment reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Why is it that the Ku Klux Klan and Westboro Baptist Church have gotten into legal trouble for expressing their opinions? Their groups often promote acts of violence against another group, which violates the “peaceably” qualifier to the people’s right to assemble.
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