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August 2025
FROM CLEMSON TO THE COURTROOM
As a high school senior, I knew little about applying to college. I had no one in my family to ask because I was the first to go. Today, they tell students to pick a couple of safety schools, a few reach schools, and a dream school. I just picked Clemson. That was the only place I applied. Fortunately, I got in. I started at Clemson in the fall of ‘82 as a computer engineering major. My favorite high school teacher told me to go that route since I was good at math and science, so I did. But about halfway through, I got called into my advisor’s office, and he said, “You drink a lot of beer, don’t you, boy?” I’d never had a drop of alcohol in my life, so I told him that. And he said, “Well, how do you have such good grades in high school and such itty bitty grades here?” He asked if I actually liked the subject, and I said, “Sure,” but then he followed up. “If you see something in the news about computer engineering, do you sit up and read it?” I said, “Not particularly.” That’s when he told me something I’ve never forgotten. “You’ve got to find something you like. If you don’t, you’re going to be dead before you’re 40.” That was the advice that changed everything. I switched to economics and decided to go to law school. I stayed at Clemson an extra semester but never once thought about quitting. Looking back, I believe it was providence. Something greater was guiding me before I even understood what I needed. I always tell people I was educated at Clemson University but served three years in Columbia at the other school in our state to get a law degree. I didn’t love law school, but it gave me what I needed. Columbia was hot and humid, and the University of South Carolina coursework was intense, but I stuck with it. The old saying about law school goes: First year, they scare you to death. Second year, they work you to death. Third year, they bore you to death. That all tracked for me. Law school doesn’t teach you how to work with clients or actually practice law, but it teaches you how to think like What One Advisor Got Right
a lawyer. You learn to look at a case or a situation and ask, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Then you figure out how to avoid it. Then you find out what the next worst thing is and repeat the process. That kind of analysis helps you protect people, and that’s what I’ve always wanted to do. When I started law school, though, I didn’t plan on practicing personal injury law. But my first client, back when I was still waiting on my bar results, was a guy who got hurt on a construction site using a jackhammer. He didn’t fully understand his rights. I helped him finish the case once I was licensed, and his settlement paid off his house. The satisfaction that comes from helping someone in need is what this work is all about. Looking back on my college days, I can see the old advisor was right — you’ve got to find something you like doing. I didn’t know it then, but helping people, fighting for them, and walking them through hard things is what I was meant to do. That first case showed me just how much that mattered. And once I found that feeling, I didn’t want to let it go. I’ve been doing this work ever since and still believe I was meant for it.
Call00.com | 1 –Bryan Ramey
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Rethinking Retirement
The Rise of Part-Time Retirees
These days, more people are scaling back on long working hours, especially Gen Z and millennials. Many pick up part-time work or projects that give them space without completely severing ties to working life. It’s a slow shift — not a sudden stop — and it’s gaining traction. And for those approaching retirement, it’s something to consider. Retirement doesn’t have to mean walking away for good. This shift is partly fueled by remote and flexible work options, making it easier to downshift without leaving the workforce. A recent study from Fidelity Investments found that 66% of younger workers would prefer a
phased retirement, and more than half of all respondents said they plan to work part-time during retirement. The reasons vary. Some want more time for travel, hobbies, or personal projects, but still value structure and purpose. Others want to stay active or involved in their field. Working in some capacity can also help with cash flow, delay Social Security, or cover insurance, which is especially important for those retiring before age 65. That said, partial retirement brings its own planning challenges. Health coverage is often limited for part-time workers. Income from consulting or
part-time jobs could also reduce early Social Security benefits. And scaling back hours usually means scaling back contributions to retirement savings. Still, for those who plan ahead, semi- retirement offers a flexible way to ease into the next stage of life. It provides space to try new things without giving up the financial or emotional benefits work can offer.
FOOD ON WHEELS THE NUTTY CRUISER ROLLS OUT
Food companies have tried every trick in the book to get your attention, but few can
on tiny parachutes, just in case the giant almond wasn’t enough to grab your attention. Inside, it has room for 10,000 snack packs, making it one of the tastiest vehicles on the highway. The Nutty Cruiser tours state fairs, sporting events, and festivals and draws a crowd wherever it goes. Drivers say it handles surprisingly well, thanks to its smooth, aerodynamic design — though they still get pulled over by curious police officers who just want a closer look. From hot dogs to nuts, food-shaped vehicles have a strange way of sticking around. Maybe it’s because they’re fun, a little bit ridiculous, and impossible to ignore. In a world full of billboards and pop-up ads, there’s still something special about spotting a giant almond cruising down the highway.
beat the simple charm of a giant snack rolling down the street. It all started early in the 20th century when
people dressed up cars with quirky decorations to drum up business. The most famous example came in 1936, when the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile hit the road and turned heads everywhere it went. The tradition is still alive today, and the newest edition is as nutty as they come. Blue Diamond’s Nutty Cruiser is a 20-foot-long almond on wheels, designed to spread the love for almonds across America. It even has an almond cannon that will shoot small bags of almonds
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TAKE A BREAK
The $100K Reason to Get a Pet
Beer Family Leo Lunchbox Mustard Peridot
New Study Says Pets Are Worth Plenty
Poppy Sisters Twins Vacation Watermelon Zucchini
Most pet owners already know their furry friends make life better, but according to a new study, the value might be higher than anyone realized. Some researchers say it’s close to $100,000. Researchers in the UK aimed to measure how much happiness dogs and cats bring to people’s lives. Using data from more than 700 people, they found that owning a pet can boost life satisfaction as much as getting married or landing a massive raise. In economic terms, it’s the emotional equivalent of earning nearly $93,000 more per year. To determine whether pets actually improve happiness, rather than the opposite — happy people are more likely to have pets — the team factored in things like age, income, personality traits, and family size. They also used a clever workaround: They asked people whether they look after their neighbor’s house while they’re away. That behavior is linked to pet ownership but not directly to happiness, which helped researchers isolate the impact of pet ownership. It’s not just a fun fact, either. Experts say findings like this could affect everything from housing laws to public health programs. If pets fight loneliness and lift people’s moods, it might make sense to rethink rules that prevent pet ownership in some apartments and assisted living facilities. While the researchers focused only on cats and dogs, the message came through clearly. Pets matter, maybe even more than we thought. And if you already live with one and know how they benefit your well-being, the science now backs you up. That wagging tail or soft purr might be worth more than you ever guessed.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE ICE CREAM BARS
Ingredients
Inspired by ThePioneerWoman.com
• 1 pt strawberry ice cream • 1/4 cup strawberry preserves • 1 pt vanilla ice cream
• 1 5.25-oz package crispy sugar cookies • 1 0.8-oz package freeze- dried strawberries
Directions 1. Stir strawberry ice cream in a large bowl until spreadable. Fold in preserves until evenly streaked throughout. 2. Stir vanilla ice cream in a separate large bowl until spreadable. 3. Spoon 1 1/2 tbsp of the strawberry mixture into the bottom of 8 (1/3-cup) popsicle molds. Spoon 1 1/2 tbsp of the vanilla mixture on top of the strawberry mixture into the molds. Repeat, alternating the 2 mixtures, until each mold is full. 4. Place sticks into the popsicles and freeze until solid, 4–6 hours. 5. In a large zip-lock bag, crush sugar cookies with a rolling pin until pieces are rice-size; pour into a shallow dish. 6. Repeat with freeze-dried strawberries and stir the pieces together. 7. Run the ice cream molds under warm water to wiggle popsicles out. 8. Coat bars evenly with cookie mixture. 9. Eat immediately or place on a cookie sheet and freeze.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Find Something You Love Doing
A Softer Step Into Retirement
2
The Nuttiest Car in America
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
3
Why Pets Beat Pay Raises
The Ghost Flight of L-8
4
The Day a Blimp Lost Its Crew WWII’S REAL-LIFE AVIATION GHOST STORY
In August 1942, a Navy blimp called L-8 floated over a neighborhood near San Francisco. But when it came down, something vitally important was missing. The L-8 had taken off on a routine patrol that morning, scouting for enemy submarines off the California coast. Around 7:50 a.m., the crew radioed that they were checking out a suspicious oil slick. After that, the blimp went silent. Witnesses later reported seeing it drift far off course, rise too high, and then lose altitude and bump into rooftops and power lines. By the time it landed, thousands of locals had gathered. Everyone had the same question: Where did the crew go? Inside the gondola, nothing seemed out of place. The life raft, parachutes, and even a
briefcase full of classified documents were still there. The engines and radio worked, yet Lt. Ernest DeWitt Cody and Ensign Charles Ellis Adams were gone without a trace. Theories popped up fast. Maybe one man fell out, and
the other tried to save him. Maybe both jumped into the ocean and
vanished. Some even whispered about secret missions gone wrong or unknown equipment failures, but no hard evidence ever surfaced.
Following the incident and a thorough review, the Navy repaired the blimp and returned it to service. But the crew’s disappearance never made sense — no wreckage, no radio calls, and not a single clue.
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