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Review Brooks & Crowley
September 2023
781-251-0555
www.brooksandcrowley.com
439 Washington Street Dedham, MA 02026
*Services Throughout Massachusetts
A few weeks ago, my wife Kim and I drove to Washington, D.C., and back, to help our daughter move into her college dorm. While it may not be ideal or fun to take an 18-hour round trip, I couldn’t be happier — it seemed like things were returning to normal! In 2020, students worldwide (grade school and college) weren’t traveling to a building to learn; they attended school in the comfort of their homes, thanks to Zoom. When the world shut down due to COVID-19, everything changed. For myself and all of you, we had to change how we conducted our lives. Everything was impacted by the pandemic, from our jobs to supermarkets and how we operated in society. A Return to ‘Normal’ WHAT DOES POST‑PANDEMIC LIFE LOOK LIKE?
remote or hybrid. The commercial buildings in Boston that housed dozens of offices are trying to find ways to transition into apartments or social settings since so many employees are working from home. I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters how nearly everything went online for legal proceedings. At first, it was a hard adjustment because conducting hearings, meetings, and mediations through Zoom was so foreign. But as I became accustomed to the features, I realized being remote provided tons of flexibility! Clients could contact me from anywhere in the world, people didn’t need to miss work to attend hearings, and we could access documents and pull records more easily since the courts made significant upgrades to their systems. This alone saved my colleagues and I many trips to the courts just to copy documents. Today, many legal procedures are now back to in-person. While I did enjoy some aspects of being online, I missed conducting “traditional” real estate closings where everyone got together at the table either in my office or at the registry of deeds, speaking to other attorneys and court and registry employees, and physically being around others. I forgot how much I missed these interactions until they were gone for a year or so. In the end, it’s the little things that matter and always add up. And while Zoom is certainly an efficient tool, there’s really no substitute for an in-person meeting when something important is at stake. As society begins to pick back up, I’m looking forward to all the events and memories we’ll have a chance to create. But this time, I want to be more mindful and grateful for the people, places, and things around me. I didn’t realize how much I would miss it, and I don’t want to take these things for granted — you never know when things could change! –Steve Brooks
“I forgot how much I missed these interactions until they were gone for a year or so. In the end, it’s the little things that matter and always add up.”
These past few years have been challenging and stressful for everyone. But as I look at all the events quickly filling our calendars, the natives and tourists flooding the streets of Boston, the sound of Red Sox fans cheering in Fenway Park, and court hearings returning to in-person procedures, I can’t help but think that things are returning to “normal.” And helping my daughter get ready for another year of college is one of those activities that wouldn’t have happened the same way two or three years ago. However, while society is starting to pick back up, and it seems like the pandemic was a thing of the past, some things are different. Although technology is always improving, we were more dependent on it beginning in 2020, and it remains part of our daily routines. Online shopping, ordering takeout, purchasing groceries, and attending school or work began to see significant advancements at the peak of the pandemic. The devices people used to take orders and some websites seemed to change overnight. It’s incredible to see how quickly we can adapt to our surroundings, but I don’t miss being forced to read restaurant menus on my iPhone!
In the career world, some businesses and employers worked remotely before 2020. But now, it’s more common to have a job where you’re fully
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The Real Sea Monster A Giant Whale That Terrified the Byzantine Empire
Social media lit up in spring of 2023 with news that orcas were attacking boats off the coasts of Portugal and Spain. Experts can’t agree on the reason behind this aggressive behavior, but history tells us it’s not the first time whales have gone rogue against sea vessels in their midst. Citizens of the Eastern Roman Empire (aka the Byzantine Empire) dealt with a similar problem in the form of a fearsome giant whale they named Porphyrios. Porphyrios struck terror into the hearts of fishermen, merchants, and soldiers who frequented the waters around Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) during the 6th century; he spent roughly 50 years attacking boats of all sizes throughout the area. Then he would disappear for years at a time, but the locals never knew when he would reappear to sink more ships. The whale caused so many problems for commerce and defense that Roman Emperor Justinian I reportedly prioritized capturing or killing him. But even the greatest war strategists could not devise a way to take Porphyrios down. He was like a natural disaster, and leaders could stop him no more than they could hold off a hurricane. As with today’s killer whales, experts are unsure what drove Porphyrios’ behavior. Since cameras would not be invented for more than 1,000 years, there are no photographs of Porphyrios, and it’s impossible to know
what species he was. Due to his enormous size and apparent long life, many marine biologists believe he was a sperm whale. However, others point out that sperm whales rarely live in the region where Porphyrios caused his mayhem and think he was an orca — perhaps an ancestor of the modern-day boat bashers around Europe. Unfortunately for Porphyrios and animal lovers, the whale’s antics eventually caught up with him. While chasing a school of dolphins, Porphyrios beached himself near the mouth of the Black Sea and struggled unsuccessfully to push his
body back into the ocean. Meanwhile, Byzantines caught wind that their enemy was helpless and attacked with ropes and axes, giving Porphyrios a gory death and themselves a feast of whale meat. Despite his inauspicious end, Porphyrios is still the only whale to threaten the Roman Empire. We can only hope he will be the only marine life ever to pose such a threat.
Don’t Let Mediation Get the Best of You!
3 Ways You Can Prepare
How you’re dressed will make a difference! First impressions are everything. How you dress and carry yourself will influence the way the mediator and insurance adjusters value your case. You want to wear comfortable and casual business attire because you may be sitting for a few hours during the process. The main goal is to be respectful and strengthen your case in any way possible. Ensure you’re mentally prepared. While your attorney will prep you on what will be discussed during mediation, are you mentally prepared for those conversations? You will need to re-live your accident and talk about the pain and suffering you endured. Sometimes, opposing parties will try to downplay your experiences, which can be frustrating. Therefore, it’s essential you’re mentally ready for anything and remain calm during the process. If you or someone you know is dealing with a personal injury, you need an attorney by your side who will present your claim and prepare your case like it’s going in front of a judge. That’s why you should consider having Brooks & Crowley assist you. Please don’t hesitate to call us with questions or concerns.
When dealing with a personal injury case, multiple parts move simultaneously. As you collect evidence and attend doctor appointments to strengthen your case, your attorney is developing an argument to get you the best result possible. On top of that, the opposing side and insurance adjusters are making their calculations about your injuries. And at some point, both parties must try to come to an agreement. One process you’ll face during your personal injury claim is the option of mediation. It’s vital that you understand how this process works and what to expect during the hearing. The events during this meeting can impact your claim in more ways than one — so it’s best to be prepared! Understand what happens during mediation. Before your mediation date, your attorney will outline topics to be covered during the session. You can review what points you want to bring up, discuss some questions you may be asked, and learn who will be present during the hearing. Please don’t enter your hearing anticipating a set dollar amount. It’s best to keep an open mind — you never know what the outcome will be.
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SAY GOODBYE TO INSOMNIA: Discover the Brain Tapping Technique
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14.5% of Americans have trouble falling asleep every night — that’s more than 48 million people! If you’re part of this sleepless group, we’re pretty sure counting sheep isn’t cutting it. That’s why we’re sharing a sleep strategy that works naturally with your brain and can help you to fall asleep in less time than it would take to eat a bowl of cereal. The strategy is called “brain tapping,” and it involves using your hands to create “repeated rhythmic patterns,” which our brains naturally love. The auditory rhythm will trigger the brain to “switch over” to the parasympathetic nervous system. If this sounds familiar, you’ve likely heard of it before. Evolutionarily, our bodies have two states: fight or flight and rest and digest. The sympathetic nervous system controls our body during a fight or flight situation, and the parasympathetic nervous system controls rest and digestion. So, to fall asleep more quickly, we want to “trick” our bodies into activating our parasympathetic nervous system, or the rest and digest state.
with about one second between each tap and alternating between each hand. You don’t have to hit your legs hard, just loud enough to hear the sound. Do this for 30 seconds. Then, after following the four-tap rhythm for
30 seconds, you’ll slow the taps even further to just two taps with about two seconds between each tap. Do this for about a minute or a minute and a half.
Finally, you will slow the tapping to almost three seconds between each tap. You’ll do this for about four minutes, and during this phase, you also close your eyes and take slow deep breaths.
So, how do you do it?
After those final four minutes, you’ll be surprised how tired you feel and how quickly you can fall asleep. Sweet dreams!
To start the brain-tapping process, sit on your bed or a chair. Then, tap your thighs lightly using your hands with palms facing down four times,
Have a Laugh!
Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
With summer over and fall here, pecan and honey reign supreme in this sweet chicken recipe. The honey provides a perfect caramelization while pecans pack on the crunch factor!
Ingredients
• 2 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp black pepper • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp butter • 3 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp finely chopped pecans
directions
1. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat; brown chicken on both sides. Cook covered until chicken is no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes, turning once. 3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pecans. Cook covered until chicken is glazed, about 2–3 minutes.
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Inside THIS ISSUE
1 The Little Things Make the Biggest Impact 2 The Real Sea Monster: A Giant Whale That Terrified the Byzantine Empire Don’t Walk Into Mediation Blindly! 3 Can’t Fall Asleep? Try This Brain Tapping Technique Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts 4 Don’t Miss These Fun Fall Events!
What’s Going On, Boston? 3 FALL EVENTS YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE!
As summer comes to an end, people may think the number of events will slowly begin to dwindle. But that’s not the case! You and your loved ones can participate in many great activities this fall. Here are some of our favorites. Boston Lights: A Lantern Experience Aug. 4 – Oct. 29, 6:00–10:30 p.m. Franklin Park Zoo 1 Franklin Park Road ZooNewEngland.org/engage/boston-lights Watch as the Franklin Park Zoo’s 72 acres light up with all new lanterns! In the zoo’s frozen wonderland, you’ll encounter an ice-breathing dragon and other mythical creatures. This year, you’ll have a chance to explore ancient Egypt and observe lantern replicas of the magnificent pyramid and 33-foot sphinx. Then, dive under the sea to adventure through a coral reef as you explore its amazing wildlife.
And the fun doesn’t stop there — you’ll also see traditional Chinese lanterns, including a 200-foot-long display of pagodas, cranes, lotuses, and dragon tunnels! Swimming With Sharks: A Deep Dive Into Shark Biology and Behavior Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023 Harvard Museum of Natural History 26 Oxford Street HMNH.Harvard.edu/swimming-sharks While Shark Week ended in July, you still have a chance to learn about these remarkable fish at the Harvard Museum of Natural History! In this exhibition, you’ll discover why sharks prey on the smallest critters, how and why their jaws give us dietary clues, and how tiny teeth on their skin help them move through the water. Don’t miss out on this awesome exhibition, as it is open for a limited time!
Sunset Helicopter Tour of Boston Sept. 1 – Dec. 31 Helicopter Tour Boston 125 Access Road HelicopterTourBoston.com/sunset-tour
When you see the sky light up with beautiful reds, pinks, blues, and yellows, you can’t help but stop and take a picture. However, we’re mainly looking at the sunset as we walk through the city or in our front yards. Wouldn’t it be great to view the magnificent colors of the sunset as you fly over Boston’s skyline? With Helicopter Tour Boston, now is your chance! You’ll not only see breathtaking sights during your trip, but after your flight, you can unwind in a comfortable and cozy lounge as you’re treated to complimentary snacks, beverages, and coffee.
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