The Medl in News
OCTOBER 2020
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN ABOUT BORSCH AND BITKI
How Our American-Ukrainian Household Eats at Home
traditional Ukrainian food tends to be highly caloric (to match the hard, heavy labor demands of the country’s history), my wife is very healthy with the dishes she prepares. Our daughter is learning quite a lot in the kitchen, as well. She and I recently made pizza together, and that turned out very good. My wife has taught her some easy dishes, like eggs, and practical weeknight meals, like making soups from whatever ingredients you have. She also taught her how to make blueberry pie, which was simply wonderful. We took that into the office, and it vanished nearly immediately. For the holidays, my wife always makes cookies and many other Ukrainian desserts. I honestly don’t know the names for all of them, but they’re always very good and perfectly sweet, and I’m half-convinced that she makes them up as she goes along. I realize I’ve only talked about her Ukrainian food, but she can honestly make anything from the ingredients we have. Her improvisational skills are mysterious to me.
I’m sure many of us are looking forward to the holiday season a little more than usual this year, myself included. One of the best parts of the holidays is being with loved ones near and far whether by Zoom or car. In that spirit, I thought we’d talk about the second best part of the holidays: food. This month is Cookbook Month, a time when we can reminisce about the recipes in our lives that bring us closer together. While food is a big part of the Medlin household today, I did not find out that my wife is a wonderful cook until over a year into our relationship. My cooking skills are fairly limited, although I can put meat on the grill, steam vegetables, and make a pretty mean beef stroganoff. So, initially, I always cooked for my wife and myself. It took over six months of dating, six months of engagement, and then three more months of marriage for me to find out that my wife was, in fact, a brilliant cook herself! If you happen to recall the story of howwe met back in February’s newsletter, you may recall that she’s Ukrainian. Well, she’s always humble about it, but she makes absolutely delicious traditional Ukrainian food. While growing up, it was quite traditional for her to learn how to cook as a young girl. The very first time she broke out the pots and pans and cooked a meal for me, I tried borsch (a beet soup) and bitki (Ukrainian cutlets) for the first time. I loved it. Normally, I’m not a beet person, but borsch is on a different level. And bitki might be hard to imagine, but it’s like a lighter, healthier cutlet than you’d find in other cuisines. Although
I’m very glad to have discovered them, even if it was a year after we met. Whether it’s food that she prepares or food that we’ve learned to make all together, her talent continues to bless our household with plenty of memories all year long.
– Gary L. Medlin, Esq.
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Spooky City Regulations
Halloween Laws Across the U.S.
Halloween can be a mischievous holiday. The most innocent of us reserve it for backyard parties and trick-or-treating, but some like to get a little rowdier than others. That’s exactly why various city councils across the U.S. have passed some seemingly unusual laws to regulate spooky festivities.
mess left behind became a strain on sanitation workers, and the city sympathized with them.
Belleville, Illinois: No 8th Graders
Trick-or-treating is most often viewed as an activity reserved for younger generations, but how do you determine what age is “too old” for this type of generally good-natured fun? Well, the city of Belleville settled the ambiguity by passing a law restricting teenagers who are past the eighth grade — generally older than 13 — from going door to door on Halloween.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: No Sunday Trick-or-Treating
If Halloween falls on a Sunday, children in Rehoboth Beach are required to trick-or-treat the night before. The explanation in the city code is simple, but ambiguous: to prevent children and their guardians from going door to door on Sunday evenings. Rehoboth Beach law also forbids children from roaming the streets on Halloween “with the intent to cause trouble,” but what exactly that means is ambiguous as well.
Walnut, California: No Masks Without Permits
In a simpler time, there was no paperwork required to celebrate Halloween to the fullest. But in the city of Walnut, no one can wear a mask or other disguise on public streets without a permit from the sheriff. The law doesn’t specify any exceptions, so residents are left to assume that everyone from age 5 to 100 must abide. Whatever your Halloween celebrations might look like this year, it’s important to have fun, but remember to abide by any rules or laws your city might have in place in an effort to keep its citizens safe.
Hollywood, California: No Silly String
The Los Angeles City Council has banned Silly String and all other brands of aerosol string from use on Halloween in the Hollywood area. From midnight on Oct. 31 until noon on Nov. 1, no one is allowed to spray, sell, or distribute Silly String in public locations. Use of Silly String got so popular in the city on Halloween that the
IS IT EASIER TO GET AWAY WITH A DUI OR DWI DURING THE PANDEMIC?
While most people have returned to the roads in Texas, many might enter the holiday season by going to bars and enjoying drinks with their friends again. We encourage responsible drinking, but we also want to talk about what happens when people make the mistake of drinking and driving in these unique times. As we’re several months into the pandemic without a vaccine, it’s fair to speculate that the pandemic will still affect restaurants and bars throughout the holiday season. The lessened traffic makes it easier — not harder — for police to make DUI and DWI arrests. Police are still making drug arrests and issuing tickets for everything frommarijuana possession to more serious drug crimes.
is a minor misdemeanor that can often be dismissed with an attorney on your side.
• Don’t take unnecessary risks when it comes to maintaining your safety. Many of our clients get arrested at drive-thru restaurants. Be careful! Going out for food isn’t worth a criminal record or a life- changing accident. Lastly, always refuse the breath or blood test and get an attorney as soon as possible. Texas laws are infamously complicated and strict when it comes to controlled substances and narcotics. That’s why you want Medlin Law on your side right away — we’ve fought this battle many times, and we know how to win. If you’d like more of our legal tips during the pandemic, download our e-book “Criminal Defense and the COVID-19 Outbreak: What Police Are Enforcing and How to Protect Your Legal Rights” on our website, MedlinFirm.com .
Know your rights and stay informed about the law by remembering these key factors for the holiday season.
• Never carry prescription drugs that aren’t yours. You can get in trouble with drug laws for this, even during COVID-19.
• Remember, marijuana in the form of pure THC (dabs, for example) is a felony case. Leafy marijuana
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courtroom during the trial. He won my case and got the DWI removed frommy record. He is also very smart — not only does he know the law, but apparently he’s also an expert in chemistry, as well. At first, I was extremely nervous going into trial, as it was my first time ever getting into any legal trouble. But he made me feel calm and confident. I highly recommend Medlin Law Firm for any legal issues! Thank you, Medlin Law Firm, for representing me, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”
Over the past few decades, our attorneys have earned the trust of not only our clients but also the legal industry and the public at large. On Google, we’re very proud to say that we have a solid five-star rating with 185 reviews total. Here are just a few of them. “I retained Mr. Medlin and his team to assist me in fighting my criminal case. My case was ultimately dismissed within two months after Mr. Medlin and his team were able to review all the evidence. I was extremely blessed to have found such a great law firm to represent me. This was my first time hiring the services of an attorney. I highly recommend this law firm to anyone in need of legal assistance.” WE’RE INTERNET FAMOUS: MEDLIN LAW FIRM’S 5-STAR GOOGLE RATING
–Carmen G.
“Love the way they handled my case in Dallas. Very professional, and they made it easier for me. With the payment plan option, I was able to pay with ease. Thanks again to Medlin Law Firm, my case was dismissed.”
–Cali T.
–Jason M.
Thank you so much for your support, everyone. If you’re pleased with your case outcome, don’t hesitate to leave us an online review. Your positive experience can hopefully inspire more people to find strong legal representation when they need it most.
“The moment I stepped into Medlin Law Firm, I was greeted graciously by Angela. Every time I called about a question or concern, she never hesitated to go above and beyond to help me. My attorney, Dean, is an angel sent from heaven! He fought hard and strong for me, and it definitely showed in the
Spooky Strawberry Ghosts
PUZZLE TIME
These adorable chocolate-dipped strawberry ghosts will be the stars of your Halloween party!
Ingredients
•
16 oz white chocolate, chopped
•
24 strawberries
•
1 package mini dark chocolate chips
Directions
1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the white chocolate at 50% power for 30 seconds. Remove it and stir, then repeat the process until melted.
2. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper.
3. One by one, dip the strawberries into the melted white chocolate and set them on the parchment. Allow the extra chocolate to pool to form a “tail” effect.
4. Before the chocolate coating fully cools, add three mini chocolate chips to each berry to form two eyes and a mouth.
5. Let chocolate set, then serve your spooky snacks!
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Inspired by Candiquik.com
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682-499-9222 https://www.MedlinFirm.com
Great clients refer great clients! Please think of Medlin Law Firm if you ever need an attorney. Leaving a review on Google, Avvo, or Yelp would mean the world to us.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. How Our American-Ukrainian Household Eats at Home
2. Weird and Wacky Halloween Laws
Is It Easier to Get AwayWith a DUI or DWI During the Pandemic?
3. Medlin Law Firm Is Internet Famous
Spooky Strawberry Ghosts
4. The Best Mental Health Apps You Can Use FromHome
3 GREATAPPS
to Maintain Your Mental Health at Home
When you lead a busy lifestyle, mental health often takes a back seat to other pressing matters. Thankfully, there are a number of easy-to-use apps to help address this concern. Even if you’re pressed for time, these apps can help you maintain your mental health. And if you’re just looking for some simple resources to guide you through mood-boosting exercises, they’ve got you covered there too. Moodfit (GetMoodfit.com) Think of this app as a fitness tracker for your mind. The mood tracker allows you to record your moods and thoughts and follow trends and changes over time. You can look at these trends yourself or set the app to monitor specific areas of your mood. This highly customizable app is packed with tools and resources to help you with your mental health. In addition to the mood tracker, Moodfit offers a range of breathing exercises and a guide to mindfulness meditation. MoodMission (MoodMission.com) If you’re struggling with mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, you may feel like this free, evidence-based app was designed just for you.
MoodMission asks you a series of questions to assess how you’re feeling, then suggests a series of “missions” you can complete to help you get into a better state of mind. Missions are short, achievable tasks, like taking a walk around the block or cleaning up a room in your home. Of course, like all the apps listed here, it is not a replacement for professional mental health care, but it offers evidence-based exercises and a level of support that’s not often found in smartphone apps. Talkspace (Talkspace.com) While this app contains a number of mental health tools, its primary purpose is to connect you quickly with one of the company’s thousands of licensed and experienced therapists you can message on a regular basis. Unlike traditional therapy where you schedule an appointment and meet in person, Talkspace allows its user to communicate with their therapist through the app’s encrypted messaging system. It also allows you to request a check-in from your therapist and provides a place for them to upload your therapy notes. Talkspace is more costly than some other apps, but depending on your specific needs, it may be worth it.
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