Take a look at our June newsletter!
JUNE 2024
Throughout our lives, we get countless opportunities to try out new hobbies and activities. Each of these fresh experiences provides us with ample social, mental, and emotional benefits that can improve our lives for years to come. In December’s newsletter, I discussed starting a recipe club with my kids to help us stay better connected. In addition to bringing us all closer together, my son has really started to enjoy cooking for the first time in his life, which is just one example of the benefits you can experience when starting a new hobby. I’m always looking for new adventures and activities that will help broaden my horizons. This past February, I decided to buckle down and do everything I could to learn Spanish. Learning a new language has been a ride, but committing myself to this desire to learn has helped me connect better with our clients and the community. We assist many individuals who speak English as their second language, and I want to be able to interact with them more directly. My legal assistant, Jessica, is fully fluent in Spanish and creates wonderful relationships with our clients. After seeing her interactions, I realized that learning Spanish could help me represent them more effectively and establish a more comfortable environment for all who walk through our doors. Learning Spanish has been no easy task, and I’m certainly not fluent yet, but I’m improving daily. I’ve involved myself in many different activities to help me better grasp the language. Like many others trying to learn a new language, I keep up with daily exercises on Duolingo, but I’ve also enrolled in various classes to boost my skills. Every Monday, I go to the 100% Spanish Language Center and take small-group classes with Michaela Ames, which has been great for learning the basics of conversing in Spanish. However, since I want to use my Spanish-speaking skills in my business, I need to learn more than simple pleasantries and how to ask basic questions. Through the language learning app Italki, I was able to connect with an attorney in Peru who has been teaching me how to say certain legal verbiage in Spanish. These are just a few of the ways I’ve tried to learn the language. HOW NEW HOBBIES ENHANCE CONNECTION AND OVERALL WELL-BEING UNLOCK NEW WORLDS
Getting involved in new hobbies is a great way to improve your mental health and learn new things, but it also helps us connect with others. Whether playing a sport, taking a baking class, joining a book club, or playing music with a band, you’ll meet other people who share a similar interest. Learning a new language has led me to conversations with people I never would have been able to communicate with before. One night, I had to stay late at the office and was still there when the person who cleaned our building showed up. He didn’t speak English, but through my new skills, we were able to exchange pleasantries and introduce ourselves. As my vocabulary has expanded, we’ve been able to have more conversations and learn all about each other. It’s been a wonderful experience. While we’ll often try out new hobbies due to newfound interests or desires, there might be moments when we have to explore something due to unforeseen circumstances. Your life changes after a wreck, and you might not be able to participate in your favorite activities for an extended period of time. It might be difficult, but this is a time to involve yourself in something new. That way, you’ll have a better chance of maintaining your mental health and improving your overall mindset. It doesn’t have to be learning a new language. It can be anything from painting to gardening and everything else in between! If you’re forced to learn something new, try to explore it and enjoy the experience. Starting a new hobby is a great way to expand your horizons and work your mental muscles. There will be challenges and struggles along the way, but sticking with and participating in hobbies will bring a host of benefits to your life.
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EXPLORING THE RICH HISTORY OF SCRABBLE
Hiring someone new for your business can be a stressful situation, but it becomes much easier when you’re already familiar with the person you plan to bring onto your team. This past April, we welcomed Eric Moser to the Emery Law Office family as our newest attorney. Over the past few months, he’s already proven himself to be a vital asset to our efforts, and we know he will continue to support our clients with whatever they may need. Eric Moser Joins the Team Eric’s interest in law started when he joined the mock trial team at Bellarmine University while an undergrad. After graduating from Bellarmine, he attended the University of Notre Dame and worked at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. Eric spent many years in the legal field before taking a job with Phil Rich Law, a small personal injury firm based in his hometown of Louisville. Melissa worked with Eric at Phil Rich Law for two years, where she experienced his work quality and ethics firsthand. Eric continued to work at Phil Rich Law after Melissa left to open Emery Law Office, but the two reconnected to co-counsel during the past year. Phil Rich had accepted a position as an administrative law judge in Kentucky and closed his practice as a result. Eric still wanted to work in the legal field and In 1931, the Great Depression — the worst economic crisis in American history — had thoroughly dampened the country’s spirit. Amidst the crisis, Alfred M. Butts, an out-of-work New York architect, decided to create a game to take his mind off the economy. Aspiring to develop a classic to join the ranks of other timeless card and board games, Butts came up with the idea for a board-and-tile game he non- committedly named “Criss Cross,” which we now know as Scrabble. The Architect’s Plan At its core, Scrabble was inspired by crossword puzzles and always featured the iconic lettered tiles, each with separate quantities and point values. Butts determined the point values by surfing through his collection of local newspapers and counting how often each letter appeared. To prevent players from creating too many cheap plurals, he included only four “S” tiles in each box and assigned the letter a measly 1 point. Butts was eager to share his idea with the world, but the world was not as eager to receive it. He pitched the game to several publishers and retailers, but all rejected it. Butts had to retail it on a small scale, and the game did not become the surefire hit he expected it to be. It wasn’t until fellow New Yorker ADDING VALUE, ADDING TALENT
James Brunot discovered the game that things changed for the better. Brunot offered to mass-produce the game and, in exchange, would provide Butts with a portion of the profits, which Butts happily agreed to. Brunot’s Bargain As soon as Brunot secured the rights to the game, he began making significant changes to it. These included redesigning the board, its color, players’ starting position, and the location of various score multiplier tiles. But his most important contribution was changing its name to Scrabble! The owner of Macy’s then discovered the game and offered to carry it in his stores. Brunot went from creating 12 copies of the game an hour when he first acquired the rights to 2,000 sets per week by 1952. By 1954, millions of copies were sold. Today, the game has been translated into over 20 languages and has sold over 100 million copies. People play the game worldwide, in tournaments and living rooms alike, and it has allowed millions to share in the joy initially envisioned by a down-on-his-luck architect in a time when hope was a distant prospect.
approached Melissa about an opportunity with her firm. She knew he would be a great fit and was thrilled to welcome him to the team.
The rest of the team at Emery Law Office quickly determined that Eric was a welcome addition to the team during their first get-to-know-you lunch. In addition to asking about his vast qualifications as a lawyer, they asked the most critical question possible: “Do you own a dog?” Per Emery Law Office standards, Eric proved he was the right person for the team thanks to the fact that he is a proud dog owner!
We’re so glad Eric is on our team and know that he has been diligently helping clients since starting this past April.
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As a dog, I love nothing more than going for a ride with my parents. However, I’m not the biggest fan of my dad’s vehicle of choice during the summer months. It can be loud, and there’s never any room for me to accompany him once he hits the road. If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m talking about motorcycles! June 21 is World Motorcycle Day. In honor of the occasion, I’d love to share a few stories and some valuable advice for any puppy parents in our community. My grandpa used to love motorcycles as much as my dad, but I’ve never seen him ride one in my life! His dog, Sadie, explained to me what caused his opinion to change. A long time ago, before Sadie was around, he was riding his motorcycle through his subdivision when he rode near a woman walking her dog. This dog was outside without a leash and did what almost any of us would do in that situation — they chased after the motorcycle. Thankfully, Grandpa was paying attention to the road, but he had to take drastic action since it happened so fast. He laid down his bike, breaking his thumb on his mirror to avoid hitting the dog. It wasn’t a bad motorcycle wreck by any means, but it was enough to convince Grandpa to sell his bike and never ride again. This story serves as a great example of why it’s so BARKS FROM BELLA Motorcycle Insights From a 4-Legged Friend
HAVE A LAUGH!
important for us dogs to always be on a leash when out for a walk. While everyone was okay during my grandpa’s accident, the situation could have proved dangerous or even
fatal for all involved if his reaction time was a split-second slower.
If you’re a motorcyclist, you should also understand that there will be wildlife occasionally running through the roads that can put you at risk. We can’t ask raccoons to put on leashes, so it’s up to the rider to stay aware.
As the weather warms up, you will see more dogs and people going for walks, as well as motorcyclists out for a ride. Keep your pups on a leash to help ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer!
INGREDIENTS
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1 13-oz can unsweetened coconut milk
–Bella
1 bag (12–16 oz) frozen mixed berries or 3 cups fresh berries and 1–2 cups ice
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Honey or maple syrup, to taste (optional)
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1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Put coconut milk, frozen berries or fresh berries and ice, honey or maple syrup (if using), and vanilla into a blender and cover. 2. Blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately. DIRECTIONS
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INSIDE
HOW TRYING SOMETHING NEW CAN TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE 1
THE APPEAL AND EVOLUTION OF SCRABBLE
MEET OUR NEWEST ATTORNEY, ERIC MOSER 2
BELLA’S THOUGHTS ON MOTORCYCLES
REFRESHING FRUIT SMOOTHIE 3
HOW A PET HUSKY PREVENTED DISASTER 4
On Dec. 15, 2023, pet owner Chanell Bell of Philadelphia was taken aback when she noticed that Kobe, her 4-year-old miniature Alaskan husky, had dug a hole in her home’s front yard. This was a stark departure from Kobe’s usual behavior, which Bell initially dismissed as boredom and promptly refilled the hole. However, when Kobe began to dig again in the same spot, Chanell realized something was amiss. HERO HUSKY SAVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD
“We’ve been here at our home for a while now, and he never digs holes,” Bell told USA Today. “So, I knew something was up.”
She investigated further, reviewing footage from the family home’s security camera overlooking Kobe’s newfound digspot. Then, she witnessed Kobe sniff the air around the area before digging the hole in the same spot again.
Thinking something Kobe smelled must have alarmed him, Bell phoned Philadelphia Gas Works, which sent a crew out to investigate. The engineers discovered that the gas lines beneath the Bell household were old, dilapidated, and beginning to leak. After fixing the issue, the company told Bell that if Kobe had not discovered the leak, the line would have posed significant health and safety concerns for the whole neighborhood.
“They told me something as simple as a light switch turning on could’ve caused an explosion,” Bell told USA Today.
After Bell shared Kobe’s story on social media, it caught the attention of PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who awarded the young husky the Heroic Dog Award. Inspired by Kobe’s efforts, Bell wrote a children’s book dedicated to him called “The Dog That Saved the Block Before Christmas.”
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