LEX CANIS THE Lee Berlin Kyle Killam
Abolish the 7th Place Trophy Learn to Love the Loss
There’s a moment I’ll never forget. I was at the awards ceremony my Freshman year for a high school debate tournament I had just competed in. The top seven “winners” would get to move on to compete for the state title, so, needless to say, I was excited. I ended up making it by the skin of my teeth — I got seventh place. That’s not what’s memorable about the experience, though. I look back on this little ceremony with bemusement because of how much my mom cheered for her bottom-ranking son and because I was handed a framed certificate for my “accomplishment.” Just having the event’s presenter announce I was going to the next round would have been fine. Was I supposed to feel good about seventh place?
I bring this up because I’ve heard a lot of talk about “participation trophies” going around and how they’re an invention of the millennials. I disagree. I think that as long as there have been parents, people have wanted to keep their kids from losing, even if it meant declaring, “Everyone’s a winner.” It’s a natural inclination; we want our children to have it better than we did. However, whether because of technology or societal shifts, this kind of “never lose, no pain” parenting has become far more common. I was reminded of this recently while I was interviewing interns. We met with plenty of young, bright professionals, but there were a few who seemed to think they had a shoe in the door. They turned in their resume and showed up for an interview, right? Don’t they deserve a job? I found myself in the perplexing position of having to deliver what felt like these young adults’ first real losses. Not that I’m a pessimist, but the world probably should have let them down once or twice before this, right? What I mean to say is that failure is an important part of life. It helps us figure out what our talents are and where to spend our energy. Sure, I got seventh place at that debate tournament, but I still made it out of regionals. The taste of near-defeat drove me to sharpen my skills and become an expert debater. On the flip side, when I came in dead last at a junior high track meet, I was pretty sure I was never going to the Olympics.
So, my message to parents out there is to reframe your view of failure. Removing adversity for your kids now is only going to create greater challenges for them later in life. Give them enough rope to make mistakes, and, when they do, hold them accountable. Chances are, they’ll learn far more from the experience than if you’d swooped in to save them at the last second.
“They’ll learn far more from the experience than if you’d swooped in to save them at the last second.”
1 Berlin Law Firm • DefendingTulsa.com didn’t have downs. If we ate lobster for dinner every day, it might as well be oatmeal. So, if you’ve taken a loss recently, then, no, I’m not going to give you a trophy. But you can bet I’ll be rooting for you to stand up and be prepared to take it on the chin again. It’s life, and it’s awesome! – Lee Berlin Losing is not a bad thing. It’s something we all have to face now and again, and believe it or not, our lives are richer for it. Loss gives life context — we’d never have ups if we
Taste Test With Lauren
Basil Berry Sorbet
If you live in Oklahoma, chances are you’ve been a victim of the recent heat advisories. My daughter turns into a Popsicle monster when the heat cranks up, so I’m always looking for different, healthier options. I have never made sorbet before, but the recipe in September’s newsletter looked so easy I had to give it a try. This recipe is so easy, in fact, that I had my 3-year-old help me make it. The first thing I like to do when I’m trying out a new dish is to set out all of my ingredients and tools, so anything I need is within arm’s reach. Today, all I needed was a bag of frozen fruit, sugar, basil, lemon juice, a blender, and a couple measuring cups. The basic formula for sorbet is puréed fruit with a little added sugar. Voila! That’s your sorbet base. The simplest way to add sugar is to make a simple syrup. Simmer equal parts sugar and water until the syrup is dissolved and let it cool. While my syrup was cooling, I tossed in fresh basil. Once cooled, I removed the basil with a strainer, and it was time to make sorbet! We put the frozen berries in the blender and poured our syrup and lemon juice over the top. This was Stella’s favorite part! She loves helping me scoop and measure. We blended it until it was the same consistency as soft ice cream. Next was probably the hardest step of the recipe: Transfer to a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and let it set in the freezer for two hours. It was very tempting to go ahead and dig into it, but we were patient and settled on licking the spoon instead. While we waited, I was able to clean the kitchen, and my sous-chef took a nap. Before we knew it, we were sitting outside, playing and enjoying our homemade sorbet. With just a few simple steps and even fewer ingredients, you, too, can wow your friends and family at your next gathering with a treat that sounds too fancy and upscale to have been made at home. This recipe turned out so well! I’m going to try it with lots of other types of frozen fruit. I’m thinking mango next, but what would you suggest I try?
Just in Time for Halloween NO-CARVE PUMPKIN DESIGNS!
Jack-o’-lanterns go hand-in-hand with Halloween, but digging through the inside of a pumpkin is not something everyone enjoys. If you aren’t keen on cutting open a pumpkin, here are a few no- carve ideas you can try this Halloween! HAUNTED HOUSE Take a few pumpkins, stack them on top of each other, and create a spooky pumpkin haunted house! Then, use paint, balsa wood sheets, and hot glue to create silhouettes, ghosts, windows, and doors for a haunting effect! CREATIVE WITH STRING Use cotton twine and hot glue to create a web-like design on the surface of your pumpkin. Don’t forget to add a few plastic spiders! You can also use string art to create ghostly words or images. Lay our your design with small pegs or nails and wrap the string around them to reach your desired effect. NOTHING BUT NET You can create eerie pumpkins using fishnet stockings. Spray- paint your pumpkin if desired — just make sure the design of the stockings will stand out. Once the paint is dry, cut the legs off the stockings, slide the pumpkin inside, remove the extra fabric around the stem, and use hot glue to secure it. COLORFUL PAINT Painting your Halloween pumpkins gives everyone a chance to participate. Be creative by using different designs, cutouts for silhouettes, drip paint to create a marble design, or nail polish and water to give white pumpkins a unique and vibrant look. A SPOOKY MONSTER By adding a witch hat, wrapping a pumpkin in cheesecloth, attaching spider legs, or tying on a vampire cape, you can create a pumpkin version of the most popular Halloween monsters. Along with these accessories, you can also use paint, construction paper, and other craft materials to add the details that will make your creation pop!
For more detailed directions for these pumpkin designs and more ideas, visit WomansDay.com.
2 Berlin Law Firm • 918-770-0172
LOCAL BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT:
Baker Sleep
Customer service and satisfaction are their top priorities. Baker Sleep’s mission is to provide a sleeping experience that will improve your health and increase your energy. Their mattresses are specifically designed for you and your sleeping partner to enable you to reap the rewards of stages three and four every night. REM and deep sleep are crucial to your health, and, with quality sleep, you can fight diseases and achieve your fitness goals. Baker Sleep takes pride in their U.S.-made product. Their mattress materials include a removable and machine-washable bamboo mattress topper. They use only 100% natural latex, which is nontoxic and noncarcinogenic. The customized support of their mattress is provided by premium microcoils. This innovative combination of comfort layers provides a softer, more luxurious sleep platform for regenerative sleep night after night. The Baker Sleep 3:4 mattress provides personalized comfort, and the folding design of their mattress frame allows for easy mobility up stairs and around tight corners. Baker Sleep 3:4 invites you to their showroom for a consultation. They will help you customize the perfect mattress for you and your loved ones. With their expertise, you can start the journey toward optimized sleep. When you sleep better, you recover faster and feel more energized! To set up a consultaion, please call 918-764-9334 or email them at sales@bakersleep.com
As part of our new monthly section, we highlight and feature local small businesses that “get it.” They are maxing out on customer service, living with an abundance mindset, and crushing it by example. This month’s featured local small business is owned by Dr. Roger Baker.
Imagine an activity that could do this …
• Have limitless energy throughout the day • Protect against neurodegeneration and diabetes • Lower your chance of dying prematurely by 13%
• Burn more fat and keep it off • Increase your cognition and concentration by three times • Make you appear and feel 10 years younger
GUESS WHAT: IT’S SLEEP
Sleeping is the neglected healer that we tend to forget about. We all could benefit from quality sleep. Tulsa resident Dr. Roger Baker has invented an innovative bed to enhance quality of life for all. Baker Sleep 3:4 is a mattress store located at 8014 S. Sheridan Road Tulsa, Oklahoma 74133. This beautiful mattress store is unique because they provide people with the ability to customize their mattress to their own bodies and comfort preferences.
Inspired Be
How to Assemble a Veggie Skeleton
Those who eat paleo may struggle to find a Halloween treat suitable to their diet. But no matter what your dietary restrictions are, everyone can enjoy some raw veggies with a healthy dip. Here are some tips for constructing your very own veggie skeleton — a spooky twist on a time-tested treat. FOR THE HEAD Your favorite paleo-friendly dip makes a great canvas for a face. Pour it into a bowl and build features on top using different veggies. FOR THE RIBCAGE Sliced cucumbers make for great vertebrae, and bell pepper slivers can be used to simulate ribs. Alternate between the two to give your skeleton some backbone. FOR THE ARMS AND LEGS Any long and straight vegetable will do the trick here. If you want to be anatomically accurate, consider using some spherical vegetables for joints.
Don’t be afraid to get creative and wacky with your veggie skeleton. The whole point, after all, is to have some fun and give people a reason to smile.
3 Berlin Law Firm • DefendingTulsa.com
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
8516 E. 101st Street, Suite A Tulsa, Oklahoma 74133
Phone: 918-770-0172 DefendingTulsa.com
Inside This Issue
In Defense of Failure Page 1
Avoid Getting Your Hands Dirty This Halloween Taste Test With Lauren Page 2 Local Business Highlight: Baker Sleep How to Assemble a Veggie Skeleton Page 3
HAYRIDES AND HEADLESS HORSEMEN Halloween Celebrations in Sleepy Hollow
In 1790, a school teacher named Ichabod Crane was riding home alone from a harvest festival in the village of Sleepy Hollow when he encountered a mysterious rider on horseback. Crane, horrified by the horseman’s missing head, turned and ran in the opposite direction. The Headless Horseman gave chase, hurling his own decapitated head at the terrified teacher. Ichabod Crane was never heard from again ... or so goes “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving. This story, first published in 1820, has become a Halloween favorite. The legend is so beloved that in 1997, the village of North Tarrytown, New York, where many events of the story take place, officially changed its name to Sleepy Hollow. Today, the town becomes one big Halloween party during the month of October. Sleepy Hollow is home to many historic landmarks, including the Headless Horseman Bridge and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery,
where Washington Irving himself was laid to rest. Evening lantern tours of the cemetery are a popular attraction, and Irving isn’t the only spooky celebrity buried there. Fans of the Gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows” will be delighted to enter the crypt of famed vampire Barnabas Collins. Another highly anticipated stop for many guests is Sleepy Hollow’s premier annual attraction, Horseman’s Hollow, an experience not for the faint of heart. During the event, the 300-year-old Philipsburg Manor is transformed into a living nightmare, where vampires, witches, ghouls, and undead soldiers lurk in the shadows. They all serve the dreaded Headless Horseman and are determined to make sure guests don’t leave alive! But it’s not all scares in Sleepy Hollow. There’s plenty of Halloween fun for all ages. Sleepy Hollow boasts relaxing hayrides, tours of Irving’s home, live readings of famous Halloween stories, performances of a
brand-new musical based on Irving’s spooky tale, and the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, an incredible exhibition of over 7,000 hand- carved pumpkins. If you want a real Halloween experience, you can’t go wrong in Sleepy Hollow. Just be careful not to lose your head!
4 Berlin Law Firm • 918-770-0172
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker