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APRIL/MAY 2019
Our Attorneys Fight for Your Future THE ADVISOR
LOCATIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA & NEW JERSEY PA: 215-883-8532 NJ: 609-796-9852
• Social Security Disability • Long-term Disability • Bankruptcy • Criminal Defense If you have another legal matter, please feel free to contact us, as we work closely with only the best referral sources.
This being the April and May edition of our newsletter, I couldn’t think of a better time to reflect on the memory of my mother. April 21 is her birthday, then we’ll all be celebrating Mother’s Day a few weeks down the road. I’d like to start by remembering an incredible woman who went above and beyond for her kids. LESSONS FROM MY MOTHER
her passengers, “We’ll get there when we get there.” This mindset made her an incredible listener; sometimes I’d talk
to her well into the night about challenges I was facing. She wouldn’t rush me or jump to conclusions. She’d take in all the information and give the most measured advice she could. Again, my mom would have made an excellent lawyer. It wasn’t just members of her own family she was able to empathize with. My sister, Karen, being in the entertainment business, had many friends that were labeled “other” or “undesirable” by mainstream culture at the time. But as someone who didn’t have a prejudiced bone in her body, our mother accepted people from all walks of life in a heartbeat. She was ahead of her time. Today, I try my best to follow my mother’s example. These last few months have been incredibly difficult, but I’m glad to have had such an inspiring woman to teach me so much. Mom, thank you for showing me the resilience to remain strong in the face of tragedy, the joy in bonding with your loved ones over a sports game, and the patience to know there are brighter days ahead. Plenty of people claim to have the best mother on earth, but I think I actually did. Of course, I also have to take this time to shout out the incredible professionals at our firm who, on top of doing amazing legal work, are fantastic mothers in their own right. Gail, Anne, and Terry, thank you for all you do. I can’t begin to imagine tackling the challenges of motherhood while finding such success in your field, but you have done so with incredible talent and grace. Our firm wouldn’t be the same without you.
Raising my sister and me in a row home neighborhood during the 1960s, our mom fit the motherhood mold of the time. She was a stay-at-home mom whose cooking was phenomenal — if I close my eyes, I can still taste her baked mac and cheese. She wasn’t wholly traditional in her parenting, though. Despite what was still expected of women at the time, our mom was politically vocal and always encouraged us to think critically. Had she been born a decade or so later, she may well have become a lawyer herself! Our mother’s tenacity became crucial when tragedy struck our family. As I’ve mentioned in earlier articles, my dad passed away when I was 18 years old. This was hard enough on my sister and me but, on top of the grief, our mom faced the challenge of being a single parent to two young adults. To this day, her strength in that time astonishes and inspires me. In the wake of the loss, my mom and I drew closer together. In fact, one of our favorite things to bond over became sports. From Phillies games to cheering on the Eagles, we were a boisterous pair. While my mom’s fear of heights kept us away from the bleachers, we’d always be side by side yelling at the TV screen, living and dying with every play. When we couldn’t be in the same house on game day, she’d call and stay on the line with me to the end. More than helping me become a diehard Philly fan, the most important lessons my mom taught me were to have patience and understanding. In nearly all things in life, she was never rushed. Even in traffic, she wouldn’t get frustrated, reminding
Happy Mother’s Day,
–Paul H. Young
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DANCING TO BRING THE RAIN
THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN RAIN DANCES
While traditions and dances vary between Native American tribes, many of them feature rain dances. Because water is essential to life, and because many tribes lived in agrarian societies, these dances were important rituals, pleas for the survival of the tribe for
essential for survival. Generally, rain dances are performed to ask the spirits or gods to send rain for the crops. Tribes such as the Hopi, Navajo, Pueblo, and Mojave perform rain dances often. An old Cherokee legend says that the rain is filled with the spirits of past chiefs, and the rain is an indication of their battle with evil spirits beyond the natural world. One interesting fact about rain dances is that both men and women — not just men — participate in the ceremony. Dancers wear special regalia, sometimes including headdresses, masks, body paints, and jewelry. What is worn varies from tribe to tribe, but turquoise is very important in rain dances for many tribes and is often incorporated into the jewelry. The rain dance regalia is not worn at any other point or for any other purpose during the year, and participants dance in a zigzag pattern, unlike all other dances, which feature a circular motion. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, when the U.S. government was relocating Native Americans all over the country, they banned the practice of many ceremonial dances on reservations, sometimes including rain dances. However, rain dances continued undercover: Native Americans simply performed the ritual as a different, unbanned ceremony. The dances and the traditions continued, and today many tribes still perform rain dances, even if only in reverence for their heritage.
another season. These dances have existed for hundreds of
years, and many tribes still perform them today.
Rain dances are notably common in the Southwestern U.S., where the dry climate means water is scarce and every bit of rainfall is
THIS MONTH IN PHILLY SPORTS HISTORY
THE MOST DOMINANT SIXERS TEAM EVER
This season, the 76ers have a real chance to make a deep run in the NBA playoffs. Given their recent lackluster history, young Philly fans would be forgiven for thinking this was the first time the team was ever good, but that’s far from the case. Though our team hasn’t been a contender since the days of Allen Iverson and Larry Brown, the Sixers’ history is a rich and successful one. The team won the NBA title three times: in 1955, 1967, and 1983. Of those championship squads, the ‘66–67 team is the consensus choice for the greatest Sixers squad ever. The Sixers entered the ‘66–67 season on a mission. After losing to their nemesis, the Boston Celtics, in the ‘66 Playoffs, the team fired coach Dolph Schayes. After replacing him with Alex Hannum, the team put every ounce of their effort into winning a title. Nothing less would suffice, especially with Wilt Chamberlain in his prime. The regular season served as proof that the Sixers were the real deal. They flew out of the gate, winning 15 of their opening 16 games en route to a then-best-ever 68-win regular season. Topping the Eastern Division proved crucial, as the team secured home-court advantage against the Celtics when they met again in the Division Finals.
This time, though, it was the 76ers who had all the answers. Storming over the Celtics in just five games, the team finally got the monkey off their back. It was the first time in 11 seasons the Celtics didn’t make the playoffs, but that wasn’t enough
for Wilt. He stopped his teammates from popping champagne after dispatching their rivals. The season wouldn’t be worth celebrating, he told them, unless the Sixers won it all.
In the finals, Wilt and Hannum faced their old team, the San Francisco Warriors. It was a harder fought series than most predicted, but the Sixers prevailed in six games. It was a well- deserved title for a legendary team. Hopefully there’s another on the horizon.
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FINDING THE LIFELINE
UNDERSTANDING THE SSDI PROCESS
For people who have become disabled and are no longer able to work, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can be a lifeline. This program, managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA), is meant to provide financial support to disabled persons and their families, acting as a vital safety net for those in need. However, applying for and receiving this important government benefit is a process few people understand. Does Any Disabled Person Qualify? The short answer is no. There are a few requirements to receive SSDI, the most important being that your disability must prevent you from being gainfully employed. This condition must either be terminal or persist for at least 12 months. You’ll also need to have paid payroll taxes for a number of years to be considered insured under the SSDI program. How Do I Apply? There are a number of ways to apply. If you have an internet connection, you can apply online at SSA.gov/planners/disability/ apply.html. To apply by phone, call 1-800-772-1213, or if you are hard of hearing, call TTY 1-800-325-0778. If you prefer to apply in person, you can visit your local Social Security office. The SSA recommends you call to schedule an appointment in advance. In each of these cases, you should have any relevant medical documents on hand to illustrate proof of your disability and the length of time it has persisted.
I Got Denied, Now What? This is extremely common but not the end of the road. In fact, according to the SSA’s own numbers, only 33 percent of initial applications are approved. Should you be among the two- thirds of applicants to receive a denial, the next step is to file a “request for reconsideration.” If this second request is denied, you then have the right to apply for an appeal hearing. When attempting to appeal an SSA decision, it helps to have an expert disability attorney on your side. Our SSD attorneys at Young, Marr & Associates are former SSA employees who have seen the system from the inside. They are extremely well- equipped to answer any questions you might have and help you get the benefits you deserve.
SUDOKU
EASY BACON AND SPINACH STIR-FRY
INGREDIENTS • 3 slices bacon • 3 cloves garlic,
•
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper Salt and black pepper, to taste
coarsely chopped 2 bunches spinach
•
•
DIRECTIONS 1. Heat a large skillet to medium. 2. While skillet is warming, cut bacon into squares. 3. Cook bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is almost to your desired doneness. If desired, you can remove bacon fat from skillet and replace with 1 tablespoon oil. However, keeping the fat is recommended for flavor. 4. Add garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes. 5. Add spinach and crushed red pepper and stir-fry for 10 minutes. 6. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
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12 CONVENIENT OFFICE LOCATIONS
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA BENSALEM
NEW JERSEY Cinnaminson HAMILTON TWP. MARLTON PISCATAWAY
YOUNG, MARR & ASSOCIATES, LLC 3554 HULMEVILLE ROAD, SUITE 102 BENSALEM, PA 19020
QUAKERTOWN BALA CYNWYD EASTON JENKINTOWN ALLENTOWN
YOUNGMARRLAW.COM PA: 215-883-8532 NJ: 609-796-9852
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 Lessons From My Mother 2 The Importance of Rain to the Survival of Cultures When the Sixers Ruled the League 3 Understanding the SSDI Process Easy Bacon and Spinach Stir-Fry 4 Adventure Awaits (At Home)
Do you dream of adventure? Do you want to see something new, discover someplace interesting, and make memories you’ll cherish forever? Do you still have to be at work on Monday? Finding adventure doesn’t have to mean packing up and trekking across the globe for six months. Being adventurous is all about changing your mindset and looking for the unexpected in the familiar. As you start planning summer vacations, instead of spending a lot of money to be a tourist somewhere else, why not try finding a little adventure at home? Get a Room If you really want to experience your hometown through the eyes of a tourist, try waking up somewhere new. One night in a hotel room or bed-and-breakfast can really put you in the adventuring mindset. Find Local Events Now’s the time to check out the farmers market you’ve been meaning to go to for ages! Then you can swing by that free concert in the park before going to a play at your community BE A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN NO PLACE LIKE HOME
theater. Attending local events is a great way to visit places in town you’ve never been before. You might even find a historical tour that can teach you all about the wonders of your town. Download an app like Eventbrite, or go old-school and check for fun local events in the paper. Appreciate the Arts There are countless tiny museums and cultural attractions all over the place that most people overlook — especially those who have lived in an area for a while. Does your hometown have interesting art installations on Main Street? What about museums dedicated to strange and supernatural phenomena, parks, historical landmarks, or giant robotic farm animals? Check Yelp.com for lists of popular attractions near you, or ask your friends for suggestions. You might be surprised by what your hometown has to offer. You might be thinking, “This is would be great if I lived somewhere fun!” If you’ve ever thought your town was boring, that’s all the more reason to try being a tourist! Adventures can happen anywhere if you just take that first step out the door.
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