Check out our October newsletter!
October 2017
365 Canal Street, Suite 1680, New Orleans, LA 70130
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504-894-9653
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www.SmileyFirm.com
BIRTHDAYS AND COSTUMES WHY OCTOBER LEAVES OUR FAMILY BUZZING
From Ohio to Idaho, people around the country are enjoying a nice reprieve from the summer weather. They don their favorite sweaters and buy up all the hot cocoa and cider mixes from grocery store shelves. Well, those folks don’t live in Louisiana or the Deep South. We get occasional breaks from the sweltering heat, but for the most part, we’re still warmer than some places get in the peak of summer. I have vivid memories of being in shorts, playing football, and sweating like crazy — on Thanksgiving. Halloween is even worse.
in it for the candy. The mini Kit Kats were the first to go, followed by the rest of the chocolate bars. Eventually, I’d make my way through the gummy stuff. By the time the third or fourth day rolls around, when it’s only hard
But in the Smiley family, we love October for two key reasons:
1.
It’s Halloween, of course!
2.
It’s my son’s birthday month!
candy and Bit O’ Honeys left, you might as well ditch the candy and gear up for the Thanksgiving turkey. The candy bars ruined all other candy for you. Now, as an adult, my wife and I love to walk the neighborhood with the kids, collecting candy. We see all sorts of strange costumes and decorations here in New Orleans. People really love to go all out for Halloween. My kids, Jude and Luke, like most boys, love to dress up as superheroes. They’ll probably be their favorite superheroes — Iron Man, Spider-Man, Batman, or Superman. But if they’re like me, they care more about the candy. That’s fine by us; as long as they brush their teeth, that is. How are your kids or grandkids dressing up this year? Take lots of pictures and feel free to share them with us via email at contact@ smileyfirm.com. And, as always, let us know if there’s anything we can do for you.
Yes. My boy, Luke, turns 4 on October 3. He’s still at the age where he loves cartoons, so when we booked Buzz Lightyear for his birthday last year, his excitement went to infinity and beyond. In the pictures, you can see him holding his hand and just walking around with him. In the other, he appears to care about Buzz so much that he gives him a complimentary eye exam! Do we have a future space optometrist in the family? He always says that he wants to go to outer space and be an astronaut. We use Luke’s birthday as an excuse to go to my in-laws’ lake house in Mandeville. It’s beautiful on the water, and the kids love to visit “Poppy” and “Yaya,” aka grandma and grandpa. Of course, as doting grandparents, they don’t mind the visits either. Add Halloween, and it’s a pretty huge season for my kids. When you’re a parent, your children’s favorite days are often yours too. They love getting dressed up, and we love helping them pick out and put together their costumes.
Happy Halloween!
I remember Halloween near Baton Rouge where I grew up. My mom could have dressed me up as just about anything for all I cared — I was
– Seth Smiley
504-894-9653 • 1
A Boutique New Orleans Law Firm Resolving Your Legal Matters
Keep Your Trick-or-Treaters Safe This Halloween
People falling: the internet’s favorite video topic. Many of us are guilty of having a chuckle at someone’s graceless tumble. Likewise, most of us have slipped, tripped, or fallen at some point. Most falls are shaken off moments later, with an embarrassed laugh and the hope that none of our friends were around to see it. However, there are circumstances in which a fall is far more dangerous. A bad fall can lead to injuries that require medical attention or physical therapy, or even lead to permanent disability. Even a seemingly small bump on the head can cause a major concussion. Unfortunately, if a person does suffer an injury after a fall, they often avoid seeking compensation due to the negative connotations of such a claim. “Frivolous lawsuits are ruining this country,” other people might rage. “Why should someone else have to pay just because of your carelessness?” This is an extremely shortsighted mentality. Commercial businesses, where falls often happen, have a legal duty to keep their premises safe for patrons. This includes cleaning up slick leaves in the fall, salting sheets of ice in the winter, and removing obstacles that could get You may wonder if trick-or-treating is safe, especially when stories of poisoned Halloween candy circulate every year. These terrifying tales have all been hoaxes, but beyond needlessly frightening parents, these urban legends take attention away from the real danger kids face while trick-or-treating. Safe Kids Worldwide reports that children are twice as likely to be struck by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year. Here’s what you need to remember before sending your little witches and knights out trick-or-treating. LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Brightly colored costumes will help your child stay visible in the dark. That said, if your ghouls and goblins have their hearts set on being a real creature of the night, flashlights, glow-in-the-dark bracelets, and reflective tape attached to candy bags can help trick-or-treaters remain visible to drivers. DRESS FOR COMFORT The cold might not bother Elsa, but your trick-or-treater may not be ready to sing after the sun sets and the temperature drops. Have them wear jackets and gloves as needed and insist on shoes they can walk in. If your little princess is absolutely in love with her high heels, have her wear the pretty, uncomfortable shoes for pictures at the door, then switch into comfy sneakers before hitting the sidewalks. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE Masks can really bring a costume together, but they can also make it hard for young eyes to see where they’re going. Before trick-or-treaters head out to collect that sweet candy, swap out masks with face paint.
It might take a few practice runs, but face paint can be just as cool. Make sure to test for allergic reactions first.
KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD It is important for trick-or-treaters of all ages to know how to behave safely as they walk down the sidewalks. They should always look both ways before crossing the street, never run out between parked cars, and make sure oncoming traffic is completely stopped before they step out into the road. Kids under the age of 12 should be accompanied by an adult, and older children should stick with their friends and never trick or treat alone. Trick-or-treating is a wonderful childhood tradition, and it shouldn’t end in tragedy. Talk to your kids about the risks and make sure they know why these rules are necessary. When you keep safety in mind, your trick-or-treaters can focus on the best part of Halloween: getting the most candy!
Injured by a Fall?
You Are Entitled to Compensation
underfoot. If someone’s negligence resulted in your injury, then seeking compensation should never be considered “frivolous.”
Sometimes, an injured person may not want to make a claim
because they have a prior relationship with the establishment where the fall occurred. It’s
important to remember that property owners rarely have to foot the bill for your injures out of pocket. Depending on the circumstances, insurance policies will cover such incidents, which means you can have your bills paid and receive compensation for pain and suffering as well. If you’ve experienced injured due to a fall, don’t suffer in silence. Call Smiley Law Firm at 504-208-1124 and speak with an experienced slip and fall lawyer today.
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BOOK REVIEW: ‘SHOE DOG’ Gives Insight Into Nike’s Success
“We wanted Nike to be the world’s best sports and fitness company. Once you say that, you have a focus. You don’t end up making wing tips or sponsoring the next Rolling Stones world tour.” –Phil Knight When an entrepreneur or company becomes massively successful, it’s easy to construct a narrative that makes that success seem like destiny. They look back on the past with rose-
saw its brilliance from the get-go, but that’s not what happened. When an art student came up with the design — for the meager price of $35 — Knight’s response was, “It’ll have to do.” That’s not to say that Knight isn’t a visionary in many ways. In the early days of Nike, Knight hustled to an extreme degree. Even when he was selling track shoes out of his trunk, his belief never wavered. Signing Michael Jordan in 1984 revolutionized not just the athletic shoe industry, but celebrity sponsorship in general.
He surrounded himself with smart, capable people, expanded sensibly, and never lost sight of his vision. If you want a book that gives you simple, cliché takeaways about how to become massively successful, “Shoe Dog” is not the book for you. If, instead, you crave what Bill Gates calls an “honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like,” then you should check it out. With a personal perspective, suspense, and more than a few wild anecdotes, “Shoe Dog” soars in a way few business books manage to. But, then again, that’s what Knight’s shoes have always promised to help athletes do.
colored glasses, interpreting every decision as a stepping stone on their way to eventual victory. Of course, real success stories are never this linear. Honest accounts of what it takes to dominate an industry are hard to come by, which makes Nike CEO Phil Knight’s “Shoe Dog” a refreshing change of pace from the standard business memoir. If there’s one word that best describes “Shoe Dog,” it’s “candid.” Knight gives equal space to his successes, failings, and insecurities. He also isn’t afraid to admit when luck was the deciding factor. Take the story of famous Nike swoosh, for example. These days, it’s universally regarded as one of the greatest logos ever conceived. Knight could easily claim that he
HAVE A LAUGH!
Orange-Balsamic LAMB CHOPS
Ingredients
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • Cooking spray • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided • 2 teaspoons grated orange rind • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice • 8 (4-ounce) lamb rib chops, trimmed
Instructions
1. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, rind, and juice in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add lamb to bag; turn to coat well. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Remove lamb from bag and add salt and pepper. 2. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add lamb and cook 2 minutes each side. 3. Place vinegar in a small skillet over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes or until vinegar is syrupy. Drizzle vinegar and remaining teaspoon oil over lamb.
504-894-9653 • 3
A Boutique New Orleans Law Firm Resolving Your Legal Matters
365 Canal Street, Suite 1680 New Orleans, LA 70130 Phone: 504-894-9653 Fax: 866-761-8934 www.SmileyFirm.com OPEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Why October Leaves Our Family Buzzing Keep Your Trick-or-Treaters Safe This Halloween Has a Fall Left You Injured? Insight Into Nike’s Success Orange-Balsamic Lamb Chops The Acropolis of Athens: Tips for Your Trip Back in Time
The Acropolis of Athens: TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP BACK IN TIME
When people think of a vacation to Greece, the first images that come to mind are often the picturesque beaches of Mykonos Island or plates of delicately layered moussaka. But no trip to the cradle of Western civilization would be complete without a visit to one of the most incredible historical sites in the world: the ancient Acropolis of Athens. Around 468 B.C., while Athens was enjoying its status as the greatest cultural hub of the era, Pericles initiated a robust reconstruction of the Acropolis. Almost half of the population was on the public payroll during the project, generating what would become many of the most memorable structures in history, including the famous Parthenon. Today, the ruins of the Acropolis still stand, a testament to the ingenuity of one of the most advanced civilizations of the classical age. If you plan on exploring the breathtaking ruins and the Acropolis Museum, which houses over 4,000 artifacts from the site, it’s a good idea to avoid the Mediterranean cruise hordes and get there
early, as close to 8 a.m. as possible. A four-day pass to peruse the Parthenon, the temples of Athena and Zeus, and many other world-famous sites costs around 12 euros, but keep in mind you can visit each site only once per pass. Due to the scorching heat that hits the area in the summer, you may want to visit during late winter or early spring. To absorb the incredible history of this ancient monument, it’s a good idea to either pay for the audio guide as you enter or go to the “Watch, Read, Listen” section of ricksteves.com and download his audio guide for free. You can also get a full tour from a local guide. Head to toursbylocals.com/Athens-Tours to find the perfect guide for your trip.
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