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November 2018
The Year Is Coming to a Close Changes Both In and Out of the Office
A lot is happening this month as she prepares to graduate from college and catching as many hockey games with my family as possible. The VA is changing the eligibility rules for veterans and their spouses who are seeking Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefits in order to remain living at home. If you or a family member are a veteran and you haven’t come to see us to talk about how this might affect you, please call us to do so right away. More on this in a minute. Grace, my oldest daughter, has been busy over the past few months. Not only is she graduating in December, but she is also presenting her honors thesis this month, which she’s been working on since January. I couldn’t be more proud of her! While she prepares to graduate, she’s also getting ready to move. As I have mentioned before, I’m definitely not looking forward to moving her in the middle of a Minnesotan winter! But it will be awesome to watch her take this next step in her life. as the year slowly and steadily comes to a close. I’ve been busy supporting my oldest daughter
changes were first proposed in early 2015, and frankly, I never thought they would actually be implemented, mainly because it adversely affects surviving spouses of veterans much worse than it affects the veterans themselves. After three years of delay, the VA has finally decided to alter the eligibility that grants veterans and their spouses financial aid for long-term health care. The change in question will affect A&A asset limits, primary residence, and asset-transfer look back regulations. This change took effect on Oct. 18 and puts a strict limit on the assets of a veteran and/or spouse and what they can receive financially. If you are a wartime veteran or a spouse of a veteran and are concerned about needing help with long-term care, I advise you to keep an eye out for this change and how it will affect you or your loved ones.
game we ever went to was when Grace was about 5 or 6. It was a minor league game in Austin, and we both had a blast rooting for the Austin Ice Bats. Though I think she had more fun jumping on the bounce house and eating cotton candy. As she became more interested in the game and overall experience, we would try to catch a game every Friday night. But the tradition became harder and harder as we grew older and became so busy. I often try to include the rest of the family in the festivities and bring them to the games when the season starts and the opportunity presents itself. My youngest daughter, Kaity, is also a huge fan of the game. And although we never get to attend as many as we’d like, the games we make time for are always great occasions to enjoy each other’s company and stay connected.
When we’re up there getting her settled into her new place, I’m hoping that we’ll have the time to watch a University of Minnesota hockey game. Hockey is a sport we’ve enjoyed together for a long time, and attending a game is something we always try to do when we have the chance. The first
I’ve been busy supporting my oldest daughter as she prepares to graduate from college and catching as many hockey games with my family as possible.
All the best,
-Aaron Miller
As I mentioned earlier, the VA has been making some huge changes to the A&A benefits. These
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Thanksgiving Prep for the Whole Family
work together to bring some seasonal flare to the dining room. Maybe this means picking up some thanksgiving coloring books, or perhaps the family can venture outdoors to collect autumn trimmings for crafts. It’s a great way to let each family member put their own personal spin on the holiday! HAVE A ‘ROLLER DERBY’ Finally . While an adult should be the one to put these delicious baked goods in the oven, the whole family can help shape the dough. In fact, Care.com recommends making this a contest. Set aside a time when everyone can vie for the title of Fastest Roll Maker, and you’ll have plenty of warm, flaky, delicious treats come dinnertime. Letting everyone play a part may take a little more planning and add slightly more chaos to your Thanksgiving preparations. But it’s sure to produce a lot of great memories and bonding moments among your loved ones. And by the time you sit down to eat, you’ll all have something to be thankful for right in front of you— Those. Delicious. Rolls.
Thanksgiving is more than just a feast; it’s about coming together as a family and being thankful for one another. So why wait to get into the spirit until everyone is seated at the table? Here are a few ways you can make the actual preparation of Thanksgiving dinner fun and engaging for the whole family! GIVE EVERYONE A ROLE No, not those rolls — yet . Making the feast a family project can turn the day from a hectic list of chores into a magical bonding experience. It’s important to match each family member to a job that best fits their abilities. Young children can mash potatoes or rinse ingredients in the sink. Older kids can take on more responsibility, like measuring ingredients, keeping an eye on timers, and setting the table. Teens and young adults can supervise their younger siblings and cousins in these important tasks and may be called upon to stir what’s on the stove while an adult checks on the football game. ROLL OUT THE DECORATIONS Still not talking about bread . Not everything in Thanksgiving preparation needs to be tied to the kitchen. Creative family members of all ages can
3 True Crime Shows You Have to See MOVE OVER, SITCOMS, THERE’S A NEW TREND IN TOWN
‘MAKING A MURDERER’ Directors Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos take viewers through an experience that feels like the most maddening game of ping pong ever played — in any given episode, your view may bounce from one polarizing opinion to another. After watching 10 mind-bending episodes of Steven Avery and his attorneys going back and forth during the trial, you’ll have questions that demand answers. So many, in fact, that Netflix has confirmed the production of a second season and a spin-off series titled “Convicting a Murderer.” ‘THE JINX’ Forty years of conflicting reports on three murders make for one compelling HBO series. Robert Durst goes under the spotlight after speaking for the first time about the death of three people connected to him. A web of lies, convolution, and gritty storytelling comes to one bone-chilling conclusion that will make your jaw drop. ‘THE STAIRCASE’ Did Michael Peterson kill his wife? Did the American justice system tear apart the dream it so righteously attempts to protect? What is considered fact in a murder trial? These are just a few of the questions you’ll contemplate as you go on a 16-year journey told over 13 gripping episodes. Questionable expert testimony and crime scene evidence are juxtaposed with a competent defense team and a convincing defendant, making for a story that begs viewers to take sides. In the end, the only fact you’ll know to be true is that you can’t trust your intuition.
There’s a genre of entertainment that many Americans are afraid to admit is their secret obsession. It’s as if you’re hiding a secret that you desperately want to confess, but you’re afraid of the judgment and concerned looks from your friends. Then one day, you muster the courage to casually mention a docu-series you watched — hoping for absolution but concerned the jury won’t understand — and the floodgates open. Suddenly your closest friends and family have passionate opinions on the justice system and can tell you they know exactly who murdered who and how. Deep down inside, everyone loves a good mystery. Here are three of the best.
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Coffee and Its Relationship to Your Health THAT MORNING CUP OF JOE What’s the first thing you do in the morning? For most of us in the United States, it’s one crucial task: getting that morning cup of joe. Our obsession with coffee is nothing new. A paper entitled “The Consumption of Coffee in the United States,” published July 18, 1861, noted that “the people of the United States habitually consume more coffee than the inhabitants of any other country.” Its popularity has only increased with time; people in the U.S. consume an estimated 400 million cups of coffee a day. Of course, we weren’t the first to find out how great coffee is. Long before anyone in the Americas enjoyed the beverage, legend has it that an Ethiopian goat herder discovered the amazing effects of coffee beans — on his goats. He noticed that after eating “berries” from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic they didn’t want to sleep. News spread around the Arabian Peninsula, and cafes began to pop up, known as “Schools of the Wise” for the intellectual conversations that happened there. In addition to coffee’s long-standing popularity, science has found several reasons to give our morning habit the thumbs-up. In 2015, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines evaluated the effects of coffee and caffeine for the first time, concluding that coffee can be part of a healthy lifestyle “along with other behaviors, such as refraining from smoking, consuming a nutritionally balanced diet, maintaining a healthy body weight, and being physically active.”The guidelines cite “strong and consistent evidence” that consuming coffee within the moderate range (3–5 cups per day, or up to 400 mg of caffeine per day) is not associated with an increased risk of major diseases. In fact, according to observational evidence, caffeine intake may be linked to reduced risk for certain diseases in healthy adults. Scientists think that antioxidants found in coffee, such as polyphenols, might contribute to its positive effects. There’s one major caveat, however. While coffee shows potential benefits when consumed in moderate amounts, the sugar and other additives that many of us like to put in it get a thumbs-down. The Dietary Guidelines also note that health alone isn’t a reason to start drinking caffeine. Folks with blood pressure concerns should be especially careful and should consult their doctor about how much coffee is okay to drink, as studies have shown evidence of increased blood pressure with caffeine consumption.
SPICY, CREAMY SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple, but they’re often the blandest thing on the table. Luckily that’s not the case with this recipe, which features Thai spices and coconut milk.
Ingredients
•
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
•
5 pounds sweet potatoes
•
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
•
1 cup canned coconut milk
•
1 tablespoon kosher salt
•
1 tablespoonThai red curry paste
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 F. On a large sheet pan, bake potatoes until very soft, approximately 75 minutes. 2. Let potatoes cool until they are safe to handle, then peel and mash. 3. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine coconut milk and curry paste. Once mixed, add the mixture, salt, half the sugar, and half the butter to potatoes. 4. 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 425 F. Spread potatoes in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. 5. Uncover potatoes, and dot with remaining butter and sugar. Broil until brown, crusty, and delicious. Serve hot. Inspired by The NewYork Times
Everything in moderation, as the saying goes, at least when it comes to caffeine.
CAFFEINE BY THE CUP
Type
Milligrams/ fluid ounce
Brewed or drip coffee
12 63
Espresso
Instant coffee
8
Decaffeinated coffee
2-5
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214.292.4225 www.AaronMillerLaw.com 101 E. Park Blvd, Suite 600 Plano, Texas 75074 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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From the Desk of Aaron Miller
Let Kids Play a Role This Thanksgiving True Crime Makes for Gripping TV Spicy, Creamy Sweet Potatoes A Closer Look at Your Cup of Joe
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A Historic Veterans Day
A Historic Veterans Day Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the End of WorldWar I
hour on the 11th day of the 11thmonth in 1918, though the war did not officially end until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles the following July. An estimated 16 million soldiers and civilians died in just four years, making it one of the deadliest conflicts inmodern history. VETERANS DAY Originally called Armistice Day, Veterans Day was first observed on Nov. 11, 1919, to honor the one-year anniversary of the armistice, and it became a U.S. holiday in 1938. Today, Veterans Day celebrates veterans who served their country honorably. The U.K., France, Australia, and Canada also commemorate their veterans in November. If you know a veteran, thank them for their service this month.
This year, Veterans Day takes on particular historic significance: Nov. 11, 2018, marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the FirstWorldWar. Countries around the world will commemorate the signing of this peace agreement withmoments of silence, centennial ceremonies, and historical exhibits.
eventually burn downmuch of Europe. A chain reaction of land disputes, pre-emptive attacks, and strategic alliances brought over 30 countries into WorldWar I. The GreatWar that ravaged Europe resulted in a devastating loss of life, but from those ashes rose a renewed appreciation for the importance of peace and a global effort to ensure its place in the future. THE RESTORATION OF PEACE In 1918, Germany surrendered unconditionally, and the armistice ended the fighting at the 11th
Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day is a celebration of life. It’s a day to honor the power of peace and the living veterans across the globe who have served their countries. This November, take a moment to remember the war that helped shape the international community’s dedication to peace and thank the individuals who served to defend it. THE GREATWAR By 1914, a world war had been years in the making, but the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by a Serbian nationalist provided the spark that would
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