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Your Compass MONTHLY
DECEMBER 2019
FROM THE DESK OF Ty Wilson
As we wrap up 2019, I find myself looking toward the future of my family and my law practice. Where do we go from here? Well, in looking to the future, I have mixed feelings about life in general and the general well-being of our nation. Politics has become a blood sport, and both sides are to blame. I ask myself how can common sense come back into the mix? Just because we do not agree with someone does not mean we have to take it to a personal level or attack someone who we do not like. No one benefits when we make everything a war. We again come to the part of the year when we spend time reflecting upon the last 12 months and maybe spend some time with our families and friends during the holidays.
Scrolling through social media these days can easily make you jealous. It may seem like everyone posts about taking their families on extravagant trips. We all daydream about vacationing with our family, but finances, or the stress of traveling with young kids, can make a long trip impractical. If a long trip doesn’t seem feasible for your family, plan a fun staycation everyone can enjoy instead. Here are some ideas for how to create memorable moments without getting too far from home. TAKE A BREAK WITHOUT TAKING A FLIGHT STAYCATIONS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Be a Tourist
You can choose to be happy or choose to be sad — you have a choice.
Exploring the world right outside your own front door is a great way to integrate your kids into a community they may not have fully experienced yet. Explore local landmarks or historical sites, eat at a restaurant you’ve never been to, or peruse shops, museums, and art exhibits whose wares are always changing. Get the kids even more excited by letting them pick a destination or two. There’s always something new to experience that will make you forget you’re practically in your own backyard.
With the holidays, December is a pretty short month of productivity. From the Wilsons, please have a safe and happy holiday season. We will see you next year!
Rent a Home
Stay safe,
Booking a hotel room can be a fun and easy staycation, but instead of packing your family into a single room, check out some popular short-term rental sites like Airbnb or HomeAway. These services function much like a hotel would, but many home rentals go above and beyond by providing an entire house and all its amenities for your family to
-Ty Wilson
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... continued from Cover enjoy. If you’re longing for some time in a backyard with a pool, a movie night with a giant TV, or to cook in a kitchen big enough for the whole family to participate, you might find all this and more right in your own neighborhood. These rental homes are often cheaper than hotel rooms, especially during the off-season. If you think it’s been far too long since you’ve seen that lovably crazy aunt or uncle or if your kids are starting to forget what their cousins look like, there’s nothing like a family reunion to bring everyone together. Plus, if you take the initiative to organize the event yourself, all your family can come to you! Rent a space at your local park and aim for activities that everyone will enjoy. Generate friendly competition with sports and games, get creative with arts and crafts, and eat your fill at a potluck full of mouth- watering family recipes. Reunions highlight the miles your loved ones are willing to travel to be together, so you and your kids Plan a Family Reunion
will also feel like you’re on a trip to see family, even if you never leave your own city.
your kids into the car, and drive away from the city so you can all gaze up at a sky full of stars. It’ll be the most out-of-this-world staycation you could possibly hope for. Vacationing isn’t about spending crazy amounts of money or traveling hundreds of miles from home. It’s about stepping away from your hectic life to carve out time with your family and make new memories. With low stress and practically no travel, planning a staycation also means there will be that much more time for your family to have fun and grow closer.
Explore the Night
This one might be tricky if your kids are on a strict sleeping schedule, but if you’re brave enough to switch things up, take them on a nighttime excursion. Planetariums and observatories are great for exploring the night sky with a more educational perspective. If you’re not close to one, brush up on identifying constellations and tracking phases of the moon instead. Then, pack some blankets and hot chocolate, pile
THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON TAKING
Consider This Before Gifting a Pet
and clean its tank, giving them the fun of pet ownership without the hassle. Keep in mind that different fish have different needs, so do some research before making the commitment. If pet ownership is not viable right now, you can interact with animals outside the home in plenty of ways. Volunteer at an animal shelter, enroll in horseback riding lessons at a local stable, or buy season tickets to the zoo. Pets can bring immense joy to your life when you’re prepared but immense stress and hardship when you’re not. Make the right choice to prevent your pet from becoming another sad statistic.
If you do decide you’re ready for a pet, recognize you will be financially responsible for it over the course of its entire life, which can be up to 14-plus years depending on the type. Are you equipped to handle routine veterinary costs in addition to food, supplies, and the occasional toy or treat? Do you have a plan in place for when you go on vacation or in the event of an emergency? If not, it’s best to plan those things sooner rather than later. In addition to the financial responsibility of pet ownership, some pets require regular exercise, special diets, and even social interaction. So, if your family is always on the go, consider a low-maintenance pet fish instead. Your children can help feed the fish
It’s a stereotypical picture of love and joy: A child opens their presents on Christmas morning only to be disappointed they didn’t get what they wanted. Suddenly, Dad brings out one more box, and a little whimper escapes the cardboard. The child’s face lights up! Their dream has come true. Inside the box, of course, is a new furry best friend. While many holiday films lean into this magical bond between people and animals, the reality of pet care isn’t so romantic. Adopting a pet comes with serious responsibility, and statistics show a staggering number of families return these pets after reality sets in. According to RSPCA, three pets are abandoned every hour during the holiday season.
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The Joy of a Gingerbread House EVERYTHINGYOU DIDN’T KNOWABOUT THIS HOLIDAY TRADITION
Of the many seasonal traditions that sweep our nation, few are as creative, delicious, and satisfying as building your very own gingerbread house. Whether you’re looking to create a simple table decoration or bake a tasty treat to nibble on, everyone can enjoy this holiday activity! The Origins of Gingerbread Ginger was first cultivated in ancient China, then traded into medieval Europe. There, Europeans incorporated it into culinary traditions and used it to bake cookies into elaborate shapes and works of art, including figures of animals and people. The gingerbread house first appeared in the early 19th century in Germany. Although historians don’t know an exact date, it’s speculated that it gained popularity around the same time that “Hansel and Gretel,” the popular fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm, was published. The Largest Gingerbread House In 2013, the world record for the largest gingerbread house in the world was broken. The house, topping out at 21 feet and covering 2,520
square feet, was built by Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas, to raise money for a local Level II trauma center. To construct the house, builders created a recipe that required 1,800 pounds of butter, 2,925 pounds of brown sugar, 7,200 eggs, 7,200 pounds of flour, 1,080 ounces of ground ginger, and a few additional ingredients. Build Your Own! While you don’t have to challenge yourself to beat the Guinness World Record, you can still have fun creating your very own gingerbread village. Starting your gingerbread house from scratch can be a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy. Give the kids a chance to mix the ingredients, roll out the dough, and set out plenty of candies and frostings to use, and remember to have fun!
If you’re looking for unique gingerbread house ideas, take a look at 20 gingerbread house ideas at TasteofHome.com/collection/ gingerbread-houses.
Take a Break!
Cranberry Gingerbread
INGREDIENTS •
1/2 cup canola oil, plus more for greasing
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1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped 2 cups all-purpose flour
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3/4 cup unsulphured molasses 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• • • • • •
2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda
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1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves
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2 large eggs
DIRECTIONS: 1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. Grease a loaf pan with canola oil. 3. In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1/2 tsp kosher salt
powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until blended. 4. Scrape batter into loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes. 5. Transfer to a rack, let cool for 20 minutes, slice, and serve.
together 1/2 cup canola oil, molasses, brown sugar, eggs, ginger, and cranberries. In a separate bowl, sift and combine flour with baking
Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine
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Inside This Issue From the Desk of Ty PAGE 1 Family Staycation Ideas PAGE 1 Consider This Before Gifting a Pet PAGE 2 Building Your Own Gingerbread House PAGE 3 Cranberry Gingerbread PAGE 3 Take a Break! PAGE 3 Why We Feel Physical Pain PAGE 4
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH PAIN? A Look at the Most Common Human Ailment
2 Types of Pain Pain can be categorized inmany ways, but one of the most useful distinctions is between acute and chronic pain. Acute pain occurs from an injury and subsides once that injury heals. In cases of acute pain, our brain tells us that part of our body is physiologically wounded and in need of repair. If we sprain an ankle, we know to avoid walking on it because it hurts to do so. Treating acute pain often involves protecting and encouraging healing in the injured area while strengthening the surroundingmuscles for added support. Chronic pain, which lasts indefinitely and can lack a clear cause, is a murkier subject. Chronic pain is undoubtedly real, but diagnosing and treating it requires more guesswork. Sometimes it is the result of an underlying condition, such as arthritis. In others, it is the result of damage to the nerves, a condition known as neuropathy. No matter howmuch or what type of physical pain you suffer, physical therapy can likely help get you on the path to feeling less of it.
Saint Augustine once called physical pain the“greatest evil”known to man. If you think back as early as you can remember, you’ll probably recall painful episodes involving scraped knees and twisted ankles, among many others. While almost everyone can experience physical pain (more on that later), most of us don’t know a lot about the nature of pain. Experiencing physical pain is hardwired into our evolutionary biology, but not all types of pain are the same. Since almost all physical therapy treatment deals with pain, let’s take a moment to demystify the nature of the beast. Why We Feel Pain “At the most basic level,”states the Mayo Clinic,“pain begins when particular nerve endings are stimulated.”In other words, pain is a type of signal; it’s our brain’s way of communicating that something is wrong. The world is full of dangers capable of causing us serious, irreparable harm, and when we feel pain, we know to leave those dangers alone. A small percentage of people suffer from a congenital insensitivity to pain. While that sounds like a superpower in theory, it’s a nightmare in practice. If you can’t feel pain, you have to be constantly mindful not to do something that could permanently injure or even kill you.
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