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THE KONECKY
OCTOBER 2018
JOURNAL
561.671.5995 | 954.272.6187 | www.matthewkoneckypa.com 110 SE 6th Street, Suite 1700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 4440 PGA Blvd, Suite 600, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
AN EYE FOR
HALLOWEEN
I t’s no secret that Halloween is my favorite holiday. From an early age, I looked forward to the big day at the end of October. Even today, I look forward to the holiday. This love of Halloween was instilled, in part, by my mom. She made it a point to skip the store-bought costumes and would make ours from scratch. This usually meant a trip to the fabric and sewing store to get all the necessary materials. And while my mom wasn’t a seamstress, with the effort she put into our costumes, you would never know. In fact, one year, she made me a full vampire costume, including a spooky- looking double-breasted vest and a double-sided cape. It was one of my first intricate costumes, and it was incredible. The following year, my mom helped me repurpose the vampire cape into a Jedi cloak. I got a lot of mileage out of that cape. When I was about 10 years old, I was really into “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” That year, you can bet my Halloween was all about Freddy Krueger. Instead of getting a Freddy Krueger mask like all the other kids, I got my hands on some special-effects makeup. For the knife hands, I found an old gardening glove and attached some Popsicle sticks and tin foil. That was a really good Halloween. During high school, my school put on a Halloween costume contest. Naturally, I had to enter. This was the year I was able to buy some real Hollywood special-effects makeup. I applied some fake skin to my face, building it up around my eye; then, with a fake eye, I made it look like my eye was hanging out of my skull. It may have been a little graphic, but I did win! These days, though, between work and being a father, I don’t have as much time to put together an intricate costume, but I love it all the same. Instead, my wife and I have been giving our daughter, Jade, the reins during Halloween. Our daughter is enamored with just about everything Disney. Last year, she was really into “Toy Story,” so she
dressed up as Jessie, while I donned a cowboy hat and vest as a bit of a thrown-together Woody.
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This year, I expect we’ll be going as Disney characters once again. Jade is into “Frozen” and “The Incredibles.” Between these two, I can see us getting away with some really “incredible” costumes. But, we’re going to wait until she makes up her mind before we commit to anything. I know that, no matter what she decides on, we’re going to have a lot of fun as a family. I will admit, I do look forward to the Halloween when the three of us dress up as Star Wars characters and bring the galaxy far, far away to our annual Halloween festivities.
–Matthew Konecky
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Even the Most Frightening Ghouls Need to Be Careful Have a Fun and SAFE Halloween!
Happy Halloween, you goblins, ghouls, witches, and spooks! It’s that time of year again when kids and adults alike can dress up and roam the streets as their favorite heroes, frights, or princesses. While kids are eager to show off their outfits and fill their pillowcases with sugary treasures, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential dangers on Halloween night. Practice Street Safety Make sure your kids understand basic road safety. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, “Children are more likely to be struck by a vehicle and killed during Halloween than any other day of the year.” Before heading out for some good old-fashioned trick-or-treating, take the time to go over basic safety tips. Teach kids to look both ways before crossing, use crosswalks and traffic signals, cross streets on the corners, and never run across the street. Making eye contact with drivers before walking in front of their cars is also a good way to make sure the driver knows the child is there. Choose Smart Costumes Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without costumes! They should be fun, but you can also make them safer by following a few simple guidelines. Add reflective tape to candy bags and costumes and wear light colors to stand out in the dark. Buying or making the right-sized costumes is also important. If they’re too large, they create a tripping hazard, and if they’re too tight, they can restrict movement. If your child “I was simply in search of someone knowledgeable on the law concerning my position. After multiple calls to other offices, Matthew returned my call and spoke with me regarding my case. He was extremely helpful and communicative without asking for a retainer just to provide information. I will gladly work with him in the future. Other firms I called belligerently expressed to me that what I was looking for was impossible, even though under the current law I knew it wasn’t. Matthew is literally the only person who could openly, honestly, and intelligently discuss my options, and I am incredibly grateful that this man exists.” –Cory S. CLIENT SUCCESS STORY
wears a mask, make sure they can see out of it properly.
Make a Plan Before heading out to trick or treat, create a plan and discuss it with every member of your family. This ensures that if someone in your group wanders off, they’ll know where to look for you or where to go. In case you’re separated, label your child’s costume with your name, address, and phone number. If your children are old enough to trick or treat without adults, make sure that their cellphones are charged and on them at all times, and schedule regular check-ins.
Download these books today ! YOUR LEGALRESOURCE When it comes to the legal process, you have a lot of questions. Well, I have answers! Right now, I am offering my two resource books for free. “One Bad Night”
If you or a loved one has been arrested for domestic violence, you probably have a lot of questions. Get answers and find insight into the criminal justice process. “What You MUST Know About Your DUI Case Before You Do Anything” Being convicted of a DUI charge can drastically change your life. Learn what goes into a DUI case and what your first step should be. Head over to matthewkoneckypa.com today for your free downloads!
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A 5-Star Focus How Matthew Konecky Went From Criminal Law to Personal Injury
Fresh out of law school, Matthew’s first job was with a high-volume criminal defense firm. Within two years, the firm split up, and Matthew went to work with one of the partners. At first, Matthew was on track to practice more criminal law, but that quickly changed. On his first day at the new firm, fresh from the split, Matthew’s boss had a change of heart. The firm had completely shifted focus from criminal law to personal injury. It was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. Those first days were trial-by-fire, though, as Matthew and everyone at the firm was forced to refocus in order to best assist personal injury clients. Matthew found
this area of law both challenging and rewarding. Eventually, Matthew split off from that firm to pursue his dream of opening up his own law practice: The Law Offices of Matthew Konecky. Practicing personal injury law does come with its unique set of hurdles. One of the largest obstacles for Matthew has been learning how to reframe client expectations. When you drive down the interstate, you’ll find billboard after billboard showcasing personal injury attorneys and clients. These billboards proclaim the millions of dollars you can win when you hire the right attorney. Of course, as Matthew advises folks, these myths couldn’t be further from the truth. When you’re a small, independent personal injury law firm, it’s challenging to go up against the firms promising all kinds of money. For clients, it’s tempting, but they are not often aware of the additional legal fees and expenses that come with filing such lawsuits. As a personal injury and criminal defense attorney, Matthew says he loves to help people in any way that he can. That’s what drives him every day. “I answer to my clients, not to a boss,” he says. He makes sure he and his clients are on the same page, and it shows in the feedback that Matthew and the firm have received over the years. If you look on Google, Avvo, or Martindale-Hubbell, you’ll find well over 100 five-star reviews. And as Matthew says, “It makes me happy to think those people felt I did a five-star job.”
Cooking With Ashley
MEME CORNER
The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
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1 cup whole wheat pastry flour plus 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
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3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips or cranberries 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons puréed pumpkin
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1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus 2 tablespoons for sweeter)
•
• • • • • •
1/4 cup brown sugar
• • • • •
1/2 cup nondairy milk 3–4 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2–4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 3–4 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
Pumpkin seeds or vegan mini chocolate chips for topping (optional)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 365 F. 2. In a large bowl, whisk dry ingredients until well- combined. Mix in the nuts or chocolate chips. 3. Add wet ingredients and mix well until there are no pumpkin or
flour streaks in the mixture. Add a tablespoon of nondairy milk if needed to combine. 4. Transfer mixture to a parchment-lined or well-greased and floured loaf pan. Top with chocolate chips or pumpkin seeds. 5. Bake for 50–60 minutes or until toothpick from the center comes out almost clean. 6. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan. Cool completely before slicing.
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Another Year, Another Halloween! Trick-or-Treating Safety!
What Our Clients Are Saying Spotlight on Matthew Konecky The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread 3 of the Weirdest Cryptids in Pseudoscientific History
The Monsters Some Believe Are Real
3 of the Weirdest Cryptids in Pseudoscientific History
The Bunyip
There are people who would have you believe that monsters live among us all year long. These individuals, referred to as cryptozoologists (or just “wishful thinkers” by their skeptics), believe a hidden animal kingdom exists just beyond the edge of mainstream biological science. Here are three of the weirdest, almost-certainly imaginary “cryptids” to ever capture the human imagination.
When European settlers began edging into the territory of Aboriginal Australians, they heard whispered, frightened tales of a man-eating “water spirit” that lived in the lakes and rivers of the area. Descriptions of the creature varied wildly. The monster was alternately described as an enormous starfish, an alligator-like creature with the head of an emu, or a massive bulldog-faced beast. But accounts held one thing in common: The monster claimed the lives of any who dared camp near its watery domain.
The Jersey Devil
According to legend, the 1.1 million-acre Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey are home to more than just birds and deer. The story goes that when one Jane Leeds gave birth to her 13th child, she was dismayed to add yet another kid to her responsibilities. She cried out, “Oh, let this one be the devil!” Shortly after the child was born, the boy was transmogrified into a twisted creature with the malformed head of a goat, leathery wings, and a thrashing, forked tail. After slicing the midwife with its ragged claws, the beast flew up the chimney and fled into the trees. Hundreds of years later, the beast is still said to creep the backwoods on its cloven hooves, glowering from the blackness with shining, red eyes.
The Loveland Frog
One night, near Loveland, Ohio, a man reportedly beheld a trio of bipedal frog- people slapping their webbed feet along the side of the road. If that wasn’t enough, one even had a magic wand, which shot sparks as the man ran off. Apparently, not all mythical beasts are bloodthirsty monsters; some are a little more Kermit than Cthulhu.
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