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THE MOTTLEY CREW REVIEW
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | (804) 823-2011
3 REASONS I’VE FALLEN FOR FALL
HALLOWEEN HI J INKS TOP THE LIST!
According to a 2013 YouGov survey, more than 1 in 4 Americans claim that fall is their favorite season. I’m right there on the bandwagon! I love this time of year for three big reasons. 1. The Cool, Crisp Weather My fluffy dogs hate going outside in the summer, but during the fall, they’re happy to run around outside. This is also the best temperature to watch a college football game from the stands. (Read more about my recent trip to do just that on Page 2.) 2. The Opportunities to Socialize Outdoor hangouts aren’t very popular in the sweaty summer, but no one will turn down an invitation on a nice 60–70-degree day! Plus, fall includes all kinds of holidays and activities that bring friends together: bonfires, harvest festivals, pumpkin picking, corn mazes, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. 3. The Fond Memories Halloween is one of my favorite events of the year. I have great memories of trick-or-treating with my friends when I was a kid — and even more special ones of watching my children enjoy the ritual when they were small. Of those three reasons, Halloween is definitely the biggest! My family is lucky enough to live in an old-fashioned neighborhood with big trees and 1950s-era houses, and it’s the perfect setting for Halloween decorations and spooky trick-or-treating. On top of that, our neighborhood does the holiday up right. The kids in the neighborhood have a Halloween parade to show off their costumes. The event always includes pizza and Halloween- themed desserts. Afterward, adults like me with kids too old for “THE KIDS MUST HAVE TAKEN WHOLE HANDFULS OF SWEETS FROM EVERY HOUSE. THEY COULDN’T POSSIBLY EAT THEM ALL, SO, OF COURSE, I ALWAYS GOT A SUGAR RUSH RIGHT ALONG WITH THEM.”
trick-or-treating tend to hang out in the street — perhaps around a bonfire — sipping cold beverages and watching the little ghosts, zombies, and superheroes go from house to house. These days, the event is pure nostalgia for me. When my kids were younger, it was a highlight of their year. My son would dress up as a Power Ranger or football player, while my daughters costumed themselves as princesses or M&Ms. The sheer amount of candy they acquired every Halloween still blows my mind in hindsight! (See the above photo of my youngster daughter taken six years ago.) The kids must have taken whole handfuls of sweets from every house. They couldn’t possibly eat them all, so, of course, I always got a sugar rush right along with them. My favorite candy to steal from their buckets was definitely REESE’s Peanut Butter Cups, and if I ever scored a set of big ones, it was like winning Halloween gold! I wouldn’t turn up my nose at a miniature Snickers or Butterfinger, either. Of course, fall isn’t all happy Halloween memories and eating candy on the couch. Raking leaves is the bane of my existence this time of year. And one memorable October, our little dog, Quincy, got into my daughter’s Halloween chocolate and painted our white living room rug brown. That is not how I wanted to spend Halloween night. Still, the good memories far outweigh the unsavory ones. I’m already looking forward to cracking open a cold drink at the bonfire, enjoying a REESE’s Cup, and keeping Quincy out of the candy stash.
Happy almost-Halloween!
–Kevin Mottley
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HOW THE UNIVERSE CONNECTED MY FAMILY WITH THE FAMOUS BEAMERS COACHING COINCIDENCE? I THINK NOT!
SELF-HELP BOOKS CAN’T DO IT ALL
HOW READING FICTION CAN BENEFIT YOU
Many CEOs and other successful individuals continually espouse the benefits of regular reading. Many times, leaders read self- help books to improve their leadership skills and become more successful.
This is all well and good, but even the most successful people in the world could be missing out on the unique benefits that come specifically from reading fiction. But what are those benefits exactly? GREATER EMPATHY When a psychologist analyzed 86 functioning MRI (fMRI) studies, he found that the same parts of the brain that fire up when reading fictional stories also fire up when we’re seeking to understand the thoughts and feelings of others. That’s because when the characters in the book we’re reading are thinking or feeling a certain way, we tend to think or feel that way with them. LESS STRESS AND BETTER SLEEP When we read fiction specifically, we tend to disengage from the world — and that’s a good thing! Our brains can’t always be functioning at their peak capacity. We need breaks, or else we’ll stress ourselves out and negatively affect other areas of our lives. Stress tends to keep us from sound sleep, but reading fiction before bed engages the imagination, taking us away from the stresses of everyday life before we drift off. MORE COMFORT WITH UNCERTAINTY Even though many stories (particularly those portrayed in popular movies) have nice happy endings, most people would agree that life sometimes leaves things a little more open-ended. While this fact might stress out some people, researchers have discovered that fiction readers don’t need “cognitive closure” as much as nonfiction readers. GREATER HAPPINESS Even if none of the benefits of fiction interest you, everyone wants to find ways to make themselves happy — and for many, that is reading fiction. According to one survey, 76% of participants said that reading makes them feel good and improves their lives. So, what are you waiting for? Dust off that novel you’ve been meaning to read and crack it open!
When I learned that Oct. 6 is National Coaches Day (yes, it’s a real thing), my mind immediately jumped back to my younger years and all the great coaches I had as a kid playing baseball, basketball, and football. But I also thought about some of the more well-known coaches I’ve cheered on over the years. As a Washington Football Team fan, Joe Gibbs is one of my all- time favorites. And, as a Hokie, I am (of course) a big fan of Frank Beamer. When I was a student at Virginia Tech, I remember as a freshman going to my first football games in Lane Stadium on Virginia Tech’s beautiful campus. I would see Coach Beamer — then in his mid-40’s — walking the sideline. Always behind him carrying a clipboard or the wire to his headset would be his 10-year old son, little Shane Beamer. Fast forward to the present, and I can’t ignore the irony of things. My son, Andrew, is now a senior at the University of South Carolina. And, as you may know, the Gamecocks’ new head football coach is none other than Shane Beamer who, like his dad back when I was in school, is now in his 40s. The same 10-year old kid who I watched walk Virginia Tech’s sideline with his dad is now a head coach at an SEC school where my son is a student. I was so excited to see that Shane Beamer was hired to lead the Gamecocks that, in early September, I made the trip to South Carolina just to sit in the stands with my son and witness Shane’s first game as the Gamecock’s head coach. We had a great time, and the Gamecocks beat their opponent into the dust! I look forward to enjoying this additional connection my family now has to the Beamers, and I’m looking forward to great things from the newest Coach Beamer.
–Kevin Mottley
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T HE 6 DO ’ S AND DON ’ T S O F ROAD RAGE HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM AN ANGRY DR I VER
If de-escalation doesn’t work, and the other driver causes a collision, follow these six do’s and don’ts to keep yourself safe and get the best possible outcome in your car crash case. 1. DON’T approach or interact with the other driver. 2. DO contact the police. They will communicate with the other driver and investigate the crash. 3. DO gather information (once it’s safe to do so) from any witnesses who saw the road rage incident occur. 4. DO photograph the damage to your vehicle, your injuries, and objects/weather events that may have affected the collision. 5. DO seek medical attention as soon as you leave the scene. 6. DO talk to an attorney as soon as possible. If you were injured in an accident with an aggressive driver, give our office a call at (804) 823-2011 to schedule a free consultation. We can help you recover the compensation you need to get your life back on track.
This April, the story of a Virginia Beach “road rage shooting” made news all over the state. You probably remember the incident if you read about it. Supposedly, the victim angered another driver so much that the driver pulled out a gun and shot him. Then the suspect fled the scene, crashing his car into a swamp and hightailing it away on foot. It’s terrifying to think that an action as trivial as driving too slowly, idling at a stop sign, or leaving your high beams on might enrage someone to the point of shooting you. But that’s the reality of road rage. Sometimes, all it takes is an imagined slight to push a driver over the edge. It’s rare for road rage to lead to a shooting, but out- of-control drivers often respond with dangerous or outright illegal driving tactics that can be just as deadly.
De-escalation is the best course of action if you’re stuck on the receiving end of road rage. Try slowing down, switching lanes, and avoiding eye contact. You can even pull over and/or dial the state road rage hotline (#77) to report the driver to the Virginia State Police. A minor inconvenience in traffic isn’t worth dying over or suffering an injury with long-term consequences.
SUDOKU
OKTOBERFEST SOFT PRETZELS
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
• • • • • • • • •
1 1/2 cups warm water
1. In a bowl, combine water, salt, and sugar. Add yeast and let rest for 5 minutes. Add flour and 2 tbsp oil, then mix thoroughly into a dough. 2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat bowl with remaining oil, then return the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside in a warm place for 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 450 F. 4. Cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll them into thin ropes, then twist ropes into pretzel shapes. 5. In a large pot, boil water. Add baking soda, then boil each pretzel for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. 6. Transfer pretzels to a baking sheet. Brush them with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10–15 minutes. Enjoy!
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups flour 3 tbsp oil, divided 2/3 cup baking soda
SOLUT ION
2 eggs, beaten
Coarse salt, for sprinkling
Inspired by Tasty.co
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
8001 Franklin Farms Drive, Suite 125 Richmond, Virginia 23229
INS IDE THI S I SSUE
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | (804) 823-2011
1
Why I’ve Fallen for Fall
2
The Unique Benefits of Reading Fiction Coaching Coincidence? I Think Not!
3
The 6 Do’s and Don’ts of Road Rage Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels
4
The Deadliest Surgery in History
THE DEADLIEST SURGERY IN HISTORY
BY THE ‘FASTEST KNIFE IN THE WEST END’
If you needed surgery in the early 1800s, it could be a death sentence. Before anesthesia, patients were awake and lucid the entire time. One of this era’s greatest surgeons, Dr. Robert Liston, was named the “fastest knife in the West End” because he was known for performing surgeries very quickly. One fateful day, Dr. Liston cut through his patient’s broken, infected leg with incredible speed — so incredible that he didn’t realize he had cut off two of his assistant’s fingers, too. The patient and assistant later died of gangrene. But theirs were not the only deaths that day. In those days, people found amputations morbidly entertaining. When Dr. Liston grabbed one of his knives, he whipped it too closely to one spectator, slicing through his coat. While he didn’t actually break the man’s skin, the spectator thought he’d been stabbed and died of shock.
Today, it’s the only known surgery with a 300% mortality rate.
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