Manely Firm - October 2021

Al l fami ly law. Al l around Georgia. Al l around the wor ld.

O ctober 2021

OR STAYING SANE IN A MAD WORLD C hoosing Y um With the world spinning out of control, it makes sense that we feel out of control, too. We never know what’s going to happen next. Feeling like there’s no road map for the world we’re living in is bound to make us anxious. I won’t pretend I have all the answers. (If you do, please let me know!) But the firm recently went on our annual retreat, and it helped me to rethink my attitude and recenter myself. Our retreat both opened and closed with a quote from author Tom Robbins: “There are only two mantras: yum and yuck. Mine is yum.” What this means is that there are two ways of looking at any situation, and it’s up to us which one we choose. It’s a reminder that in each challenge, there are also opportunities. The retreat focused on mindfulness and awareness. We tend to go through life on automatic, not paying attention to what we’re eating, what we’re saying, or how we’re feeling. The same is true in the workplace, where you can get into a rut and stop noticing the details. Sometimes we need to read through reams of paper, and it’s hard to remain alert through hundreds of pages. Our tendency to get stuck on autopilot is harmful to our personal relationships, and habituation is fatal to a person’s success in family law. Our clients are struggling through an emotional time in their lives, and each case is unique. We can’t forget that if we want to provide the best and most compassionate service possible. We’re working on strategies to stay in the moment, see the nuance, and stay engaged from page 1 to 500.

O ctober 10 is World Mental Health Day. That seems particularly appropriate this year because it feels like the whole world has gone crazy. These are strange and difficult times, and it’s become almost impossible to determine which way the wind is blowing. A lot of us thought that we’d gotten through COVID-19 this spring when the vaccine became available and cases dropped, but the Delta variant seemed to reverse our progress. Vaccinated people are angry, and understandably so, because it doesn’t feel like unvaccinated folks are pulling their own weight. (Even worse, we’ve seen two local vaccination sites shut down with threats from those who oppose vaccines.) Meanwhile, this summer also included a messy pullout from Afghanistan, and constant signs of climate change emerged in the form of natural disasters.

We have a new office! We’ve opened a new office, serving North Fulton, Cherokee, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, and Hall. Come visit us today! The Manely Firm, P.C. 102 Mary Alice Park Road Suite 602 Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 421-0808

Of course, it’s still hard. It seems like every new coping strategy we develop, there’s something new to wear us down. All we can do is try to hang in there and see what happens next. Here’s to hoping for the best and finding new ways to say “yum.” –Michael Manely

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Y ou C an U se WHAT to T idy U p ?! 4 Deep-Cleaning Hacks to Prep for the Hol idays Prepping for the holidays is exciting and fun, but it requires tons of planning, cooking, decorating, and cleaning. To avoid getting bogged down while preparing for cheerful celebrations with friends and family, try these easy ways to get your house sparkling clean and ready to host. Roll the Ceilings

and slide your hand along the length of it, you will gather tons of nasty dirt and dust onto the sock. Cleaning Balls Utilizing tennis balls for your house chores may sound strange. However, when drying a bulky bed comforter in your dryer, adding a few tennis balls will ensure the stuffing does not gather all to one side. The balls help keep everything nice and even. Pillowcases and Fans Your ceiling fans collect all of the nasties — dirt, dust, bugs, and allergens. For an easy way to clean them without spreading all the grime around your home, turn to old pillowcases! Simply slip the pillowcase over each individual fan blade and then wipe. All of the debris will end up in the pillowcase itself. A clean home is the key to happy living and is paramount for hosting over the holidays. With these tricks up your sleeve, you are now a cleaning expert!

When it comes to ceilings, especially if they are textured, thoroughly cleaning off dust, dander, and cobwebs can be challenging. When you use a broom, chunks typically go flying around and make a larger mess. However, if you whip out a painting roller, dampen it, and roll your ceilings just like you are painting, you are sure to get the job done! Socks on Your Hands Have you ever run a finger along a panel of your blinds and it comes up black? Blinds tend to be huge dust collectors. By throwing some socks on your hands, you can get back to clean blinds. All you have to do is find a pair of old socks, “glove up,” and dampen them. From there, if you grip each individual blind panel

M eet J unior P aralegal K etevan M amuliia ! GEORGIAN IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE

opportunity with The Manely Firm’s Russian-speaking attorney and clients. “They gave me an opportunity to see if I could do the job and be a part of a TMF team,” she says, “and it’s worked well for both the Firm and me.” In her role as a Paralegal, Ketevan is responsible for ensuring that client’s hopes, dreams, and aspirations are met accordingly and keeping up steady communication between attorney, clients, and the courts. “I like to be behind the curtain and see how everything plays out,” she says. “I get to help prepare the cases so the attorney can take them to court and represent our client’s best interest.” She also enjoys that her job allows her to help other people. “I like talking to clients and hearing their life stories. Once upon a time, they believed their lives were going to be happily ever after — and now they have to find the way to build a new future. Our job is

to determine how we can help them move forward and achieve that desired happily ever after.”

Ketevan was born in the nation of Georgia and grew up in Ukraine. She moved to the U.S. five years ago to be near the rest of her family in the Atlanta area. “We’re a big, loud, happy Georgian family.” She especially enjoys spending time with her 20-month- old nephew, David, and her niece, Mary, who, she jokes, is “9 years old going on 13.” In her spare time, Ketevan likes to find, rehabilitate, and paint old furniture as well as spend quality time with her family and friends, since family is all that matters. “My life is really settled at this point, which I love,” Ketevan says. “I’m glad to work at the firm with these people on these cases, and then have a little energy boost from my big family when I get home.”

Ketevan Mamuliia has been a Junior Paralegal at The Manely Firm for a little over a year, and she came a long way — roughly 6,000 miles — to be where she is today. She is a student at Georgia State University majoring in Criminal Justice and, during her senior year, began to explore careers in law. Ketevan speaks four languages, one of which is Russian, which she leveraged into an

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Gray Divorce

Splitting in Your Golden Years

When are you too old to get a divorce? People may have strong opinions on the subject, but the truth is that it’s never too late to change your life if you’re unhappy.

“G ive light and people will find the way .” — E lla B aker

“Gray divorce” refers to a split between people who are older and have been married for a very long time. Those who have gray divorces are at least 50 but can be much older. The trend was widely discussed early this year when Bill and Melinda Gates announced an end to their 27-year marriage. We’ve also found that gray divorce has only increased since the start of COVID-19. When noting the common reasons for divorce, Michael Manely points to infidelity and financial concerns but adds, “The Grand Canyon wasn’t caused by a flash flood. It was a steady stream over many years.” Different stressors may have been eating at couples for decades, but the additional strain since 2020 started has caused them to come to a head. Michael notes, “People who previously would have tried to struggle through are now saying enough is enough.” Unfortunately, people who decide to divorce later in life are often given a lot of grief from family and friends. Adult children, especially, can take the news badly, asking questions like “Why now?” and “How could you?” The guilt can be hard on people choosing to initiate a divorce, as can the implication that it’s not worth seeking happiness at an advanced age. If you’re considering a gray divorce yourself, know that you’re not alone. Michael recently noted, “Of the last five consultations I did, four were gray divorce cases.” At the firm, we’re not in the business of judging, and we understand that divorce is a highly personal decision. We also believe that no matter how many years you have left, you deserve to spend them as happily as possible. Divorce is always complicated, but when someone has been married for 40 years, the emotional and historical baggage is enormous. You should weigh your options carefully and seek the advice of a professional. But if divorce is what you truly want, we can say from experience that, despite the difficulties, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

S low C ooker S quash , K ale , and S ausage S oup

Inspired by SugarAndSoul.co

This healthy, savory soup is the perfect lunch for a cool fall day.

I ngredients

• •

1 tbsp vegetable oil

• • • • • •

Salt and pepper, to taste 4 cups chicken broth 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp Italian seasoning 3 cups kale, chopped 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

4 Italian chicken sausages, sliced to bite-size pieces

• • •

6 cloves garlic

1 onion, chopped

6–7 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

D irections 1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring often, then remove from the pot and set aside. 2. Add garlic and onion to the pot. Sauté 4–5 minutes. Add squash, salt, and pepper. Sauté 8 minutes. 3. In a slow cooker, combine sautéed vegetables, sausage, chicken broth, and seasonings. Cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes. 4. Open the pot and add the kale. Cook another 20 minutes, then add the red wine vinegar and stir to combine. Cook 10 more minutes, then serve and enjoy!

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

211 Roswell St. NE Marietta, GA 30060 (866) 687-8561 www.allfamilylaw.com

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Michael Reflects on Staying Sane in a Mad World

Deep-Cleaning Hacks for the Holidays Meet Junior Paralegal Ketevan Mamuliia!

The Gray Divorce Trend Slow Cooker Squash, Kale, and Sausage Soup

Corn Mazes Date Back to Ancient Greece?

C orn M azes D ate B ack to A ncient G reece ? A Historical Look at This Wacky Fall Tradition

Exploring a corn maze is a great way to get outside and enjoy the fall season with friends and family — but who came up with the idea of wandering around a corn field for fun? As it turns out, outdoor mazes are an ancient tradition, and the American corn maze of the ‘90s sprouted from the mazes of 17th-century European gardens. Don’t believe it? Here’s a quick tour of corn maze history. The Minotaur and the Maze Have you heard of Theseus and the Minotaur? This ancient Greek legend tells the story of the hero Theseus, who ventured into an elaborate maze to kill the half-man, half-bull imprisoned there. The monstrous Minotaur was known to eat heroes, and the labyrinth was known to trap them, but Theseus managed to slay the Minotaur and find his way home with the help of a string that he unspooled as he walked. This story isn’t the first recorded example of a maze or labyrinth — according to the World History encyclopedia, “[L]abyrinths and labyrinthine symbols have been dated to the Neolithic Age in regions as diverse as modern-day Turkey, Ireland, Greece, and India, among others” — but it’s perhaps the most famous ancient tale. If you’ve ever navigated a Halloween corn maze staffed by ghouls and ghosts, you can see the parallels! Garden Art to Get Lost In Mazes formed from bushes began popping up European gardens in the 17th century. They were a popular artistic feature of upper-class gardens in England, more for looking at than solving. One famous example is the half-mile-long Hampton Maze, which was planted in 1690 and still stands today.

The Corn Maze: An American Invention Garden mazes eventually hopped the pond to America but didn’t become interactive puzzles until Don Frantz, Creative Director of the American Maze Company, came on the scene. In 1993, Frantz created the “first ever cornfield maze for private and public entertainment” to attract college kids in Pennsylvania. Today, every small-town corn maze is a descendant of his “Amazing Maize Maze.” To learn more about that wacky history, visit AmericanMaze.com.

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