Take a look at our May newsletter!
For The Ambitious Advocate BRIEF RECESS
MAY 2024
FROM THE LAW OFFICES OF J. PRICE MCNAMARA
THEY ARE A GIFT! On Mother’s Day (Especially), Love Them While You Have Them
About a year ago, my 82-year-old mother decided to stop weekly dialysis treatments that held a rare blood disease at bay and enter hospice care. I packed up and moved from Baton Rouge to Metairie to spend the next six weeks with her and my sister at her home to help with her final journey to His Kingdom. It was a blessing to have forewarning and the time to spend with her and say all the things that an unexpected passing might make you wish you had said but didn’t.
Known as “Puddin” to everyone, “Nonnie” to her grandchildren, mom taught us to never waste a thing. She would save little bits of food wrapped in foil in the refrigerator — and I mean it could be a single peanut — and about once a week, dinner was leftover soup. Mom also taught us to always be thankful for what we have, because things could always be worse. When we assured her that it could not get worse than leftover soup, she made her point the next week — she added milk, and made “cream of” leftover soup. It was worse, and we never complained about leftover soup again. First, we thought she was annoying. When we finally grew up, we realized she was awesome. She was broke-the-mold awesome. She was soft and gentle and filled with love. Cascading abundant love. Her attitude was 100% absolutely reliable. It never varied. And it was authentic through and through. Mom had no shy bone in her body, and was completely comfortable in her own skin. She could comfortably hang with royalty or outcasts, she didn’t change one word of how she spoke or acted. They were instantly friends. They knew immediately that she was fascinated to know everything possible about them, that everything she learned about them was absolutely wonderful. “That’s terrific,” she’d say about everything anyone said, and you felt loved for exactly who you are.
Her tiny size was deceiving. Little known secret: Mom could beat us and our toughest friends in arm wrestling throughout high school. And when we did get her mad, and deserved it, Lord help you if she got her hands on a ping pong paddle. She was downright terrifying, flying at you like a Ninja with that thing. We’re pretty sure she went to a dojo somewhere and trained while we were asleep. Mom devoured scripture, and everything written or spoken about scripture, the life of Christ, the lives of saints, and the church. She nourished herself and thrived on prayer, spirituality, and always deepening her faith. Her secret sauce for the peace and joy she carried, her lightness, was simple. Christ. She lived in a state of forgiveness and giving difficulties up to God. If she ever felt wronged by anyone in any way, her creed, always, was to instantly forgive. In the moment. Completely. So, she never carried the burden that comes with not forgiving, and was always light, and at peace. If we ever came home feeling wronged by someone, mom would say “Well, it may be that they’re hurting or struggling with something, so you forgive, and move on, and it brings peace to you and them.”
It was both peaceful and joyful. Love them while you have them! I share her eulogy here …
“Rise and shine and give God the glory …”
That’s the song mom sang, loudly, and clapping her hands to wake us up for school every day. And I mean every day, from my earliest grade school memories, through the end of high school. “Okay! We’re up! Please! Stop!” But she never did stop. She couldn’t stop. Like a happy little chirping bird, she greeted each new day as a glorious gift of life to live her ministry of love. She sprinkled the house with green, long-leafed and bright, flowering watercolors she loved to paint. And snippets of scripture hung all around, taped on walls here and there. No fancy frames or anything, just stuck to the walls with Scotch tape. That’s the atmosphere she made for our home.
When difficulty came, her slogan always was “Offer it up to God.” We watched her “offer
Continued on Page 3 ...
(225) 201-8311 1
Does your office turn away calls about “long-term disability insurance” claim denials because you don’t handle administrative appeals or “ERISA litigation” in federal court? We want to hear from you! We happily share fees on referred ERISA long-term disability, life insurance, and accidental death insurance denial cases. Send us an email at BriefRecess@jpricemcnamara.com or call (225) 201-8311 to start the referral process! WE VALUE YOUR REFERRALS! My two cents: If you truly like the work you do, but you’re working so hard, on a sustained basis, that your family life or joy for living itself is unraveling, you’re probably not staffed right, or you don’t have the right systems and processes in place to eliminate chaos and promote efficiency. It’s quite a privilege to work in a profession where we earn a living using our brains, sitting in air-conditioned or heated offices, helping people solve problems we find interesting and challenging to solve. My AC repairman recently spent hours in my attic in mid-afternoon doing a major repair. He came out drenched in sweat. Many are out there doing very physical work in extreme heat or cold, braving substantial risk of injury to make ends meet. Yes, very fortunate we are! I hear complaints from many at bar events. Reports of the obscene number of hours and weekends worked as if those are badges of honor. “How’s your family life?” I want to ask. I know too many who have lost theirs to “the practice.” It can be so easy to lose perspective and suddenly find it’s too late. Or complaints of terrible, demanding clients who wear them out and are impossible to please. Or complaints of staff who poison the atmosphere with complaints and negativity. The Story of Jim’s Battle Again Stop Complainin
R
The brain is like a command center for our bodies; it processes everything, from memories to emotions. Our happiness, cleverness, and general well-being require us to take good care of that gray matter. If we give it what it needs, it will serve us well. Here are a few tips anyone can incorporate into their routine to give their brain some TLC. Keep the phone out of bed. When you transition from asleep to awake in the morning, your brain waves steadily transition from alpha to theta to beta. So, don’t reach for your phone when you open your eyes first thing. Doing so interrupts your brain’s essential waking process, resulting in a slew of adverse effects throughout the day, including making it harder for you to think creatively, among other things. Safeguard Your Brain Health WITH THESE 3 SIMPLE PRACTICES
?
Stop negative self-talk. We’re our own worst critics. Doubting and discouraging ourselves is easy, but pushing away negative self-talk is imperative. It leads to stress
and overwhelming perfectionism while
harming relationships. It undermines positive self-esteem, confidence, and body image. The
cyclical nature of negative self-talk makes it hard to get rid of, often requiring therapy, but cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a standard and effective treatment.
Avoid ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods aren’t just bad for your heart; they also harm your brain. Hot dogs, sugary sodas, and TV dinners — just a few culprits — harm emotional and cognitive health. One study found that people who eat these things are more likely to have depression and anxiety. Another study correlated high ultra-processed food consumption with an intelligence decline, especially with aging. It’s unclear why ultra-processed foods are so bad for brains, but the leading theory connects it to gut health. Regardless, abstaining from or reducing your intake of these foods is vital to protecting your mental and physical health.
ERISA is all we do!
2
WinMyBenefits.com
IF YOU HATE BEING A LAWYER, BLAME NOBODY BUT YOURSELF nst Unjust Benefit Termination ng!
DIALING FOR DOLLARS
If abusive clients are sapping energy — yours or your staff’s — they simply have to go! Our clients get two strikes. Heck, everyone can have a bad day. One strike leads to a nice but frank discussion that we work very hard on their case, especially our team, but will only continue on in a relationship of mutual respect. Another strike after that conversation means termination of representation. If a poison pill in your staff is bringing everyone else down, they’ve got to go! “Hire slow, fire fast” is something you hear in ALL business coaching circles. Do your absolute best to know that your new hires are aligned with your firm’s core values and culture. It’s hard to fire clients. It’s hard to fire staff. You feel sorry for both. But your “A” players deserve it, will thank you for it, and you’ll ultimately thank yourself. After all, it’s them who will help you put systems and processes in place to eliminate chaos and crazy hours so you can achieve a balanced life while doing the work you love. It really can be with happy clients you love working with, and a team who love working together.
Wannabe Bank Robber Calls Ahead, Orders Cash to Go
Any bank robber knows you have to hurry through a heist to escape. A crook in Connecticut tried a novel time-saving technique: calling ahead.
Nobody says it’s easy. But it is achievable and worth it.
Taking a cue from the take-out food craze, the wannabe bank robber called a bank in Fairfield, Connecticut, and demanded that $100,000 in large bills be prepared for him with no dye packs in the bag. If the orders were not carried out, the caller told the employee, “there will be a bloodbath.” Fairfield cops, who thought they’d seen it all, were dumbfounded. “You can’t make this stuff up,” said a spokesman for the Fairfield Police Department. Robbers have tried many routes when attempting to rob a bank, including entering the drive-through lane and terrorizing tellers through the window. But, “I’ve never had somebody call ahead and say, ‘Get the money, we’re coming,’” said a detective in the Fairfield case. In taking advantage of the telephone warning, the police were already at the scene when the robbers arrived. “I would classify these individuals as ‘not too bright,’” the police spokesman said. The employee who answered the robber’s call immediately hung up and called 9-1-1. The thief’s accomplice, a minor, was already inside the bank when the managers initiated a lockdown. The accomplice passed the teller a note and collected about $900, but police stopped him as he left the bank. The fleeing accomplice was undoubtedly disappointed when the bag exploded in dye after throwing it on the ground. (Bank employees had disregarded the robbers’ phone order that no dye packs be tucked in with the cash. You just can’t get good service these days.) The accomplice and the robber who placed the call, who had been sitting in a car nearby, were both arrested at the scene without incident. The adult suspect, Albert Bailey, was on probation for a different bank hold-up several years earlier. Both were charged with first-degree robbery and threatening in the first degree.
... continued from Cover
it all up to God” and thrive in the face of losing a son, a daughter, a husband, and son-in-law to difficult deaths, just months apart. Enough to cripple someone into depression. But she thrived by giving it up to God. Mom didn’t waste a moment in self-pity, victimhood, or bitterness, but was healed by loving her family, and loving everyone, without a pause, as she always had. Nothing in her ever changed. She remained selfless as always, and her faith conquered all. Mom’s life as the loving wife she gave to Dad, the loving mother she gave to us, and the loving grandmother she gave to her grandchildren was a blessing beyond anything deserved. She put everyone else first. And herself last. Always. If it’s possible to gracefully, peacefully, and joyfully go down swinging, that’s how she passed. So, when we’re troubled, we’ll take note and try to add a little more of her secret sauce. And give it up to God. It worked for her. With the promise of knowing that mom is experiencing the unimaginable joy of Christ’s Kingdom, reuniting with her loved ones there, we know also that she awaits all of us. That brings us peace.
Whenever we hear happy birds chirping in the morning, we’ll think of her song.
Thank you, Lord, for our time with her.
(225) 201-8311 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
ERISA INSURANCE J. PRICE MCNAMARA Claim Attorney
10455 Jefferson Hwy. Suite 130 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 201-8311 WinMyBenefits.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
My Mom’s Loving Send-Off
2
Essential Steps to Ensure Your Mental Well‑Being
Work Toward Balance in Your Life
3
Dumb Crimes: Wannabe Bank Robber Places Phone Order for Cash
4
Paws and Paths
Gear Up Your Pup for a Hiking Adventure PAW-SOME ADVENTURES
First-Aid Kit Safety should always come first. A dog first-aid kit is indispensable for addressing unexpected issues on the trail. These compact kits typically include dressings, bandages, and tools for removing ticks or thorns. Being prepared for minor injuries ensures you can safely complete the hike without making any injury worse. Boots While some dogs may resist wearing boots, they can be a lifesaver in challenging terrains. Opt for boots that protect without compromising comfort. Though you likely may avoid trails with terrain that could harm your dog’s paws, having boots in your pack is, at least, a proactive measure for unforeseen circumstances, ensuring your canine companion’s paws are protected if needed.
Setting out on a hiking adventure with your furry friend is a rewarding experience, but ensuring their safety and comfort on the trail requires careful consideration of essential gear. Before heading out, consider your dog’s unique needs and preferences so it’s an enjoyable and bonding adventure for you both. Here’s an introduction to some must-have hiking gear for your canine companion. Food and Water One of the most important aspects of hiking is staying well-nourished and hydrated. Packing more water than you think may be necessary is crucial, especially on a trail where natural water sources may be scarce. An ample supply of dog-friendly food is also essential, with the quantity adjusted based on the hike’s duration. A collapsible bowl will be handy for feeding your canine companion during breaks.
Waste Bags Be responsible out on the trail. That means bringing poop bags. Attach them to the outside of your backpack or tote bag for convenient access once your dog has completed its business. The “leave no trace” practice will help maintain the pristine beauty of the trail for everyone to enjoy. Emergency Harness Preparedness is critical, and an emergency harness adds an extra layer of safety. A proper harness will allow you to carry your dog on your back in an emergency. This versatile harness ensures that you can provide assistance in challenging situations.
4
WinMyBenefits.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator