Check out our November newsletter!
OVERRULED
New Orleans Covington Injury & Estate Lawyers
November 2024
(504) 384-7978
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The Importance of Gratitude HOW SIMPLE ACTS CAN BOOST YOUR WELL-BEING
the now , and instead focus all of our attention on what our future holds. The same is true when we dwell too much on the past, and what could have been, rather than focusing on our present actions. It’s a matter of perspective, and perspective can be vitally important. My advice: Be where your feet are. Rather than worrying about what you cannot control, live in the present — it makes life so much easier. Walk in Nature When I am looking for a way to distract myself from the toil and tribulations of life, I like to take a morning walk. Right at sunrise, out by the lakefront, is where I find I can best reflect on life and get away from it all. I can enjoy the water, nature, and the sunlight as it rises from the horizon. There, I can be myself and reflect on my day and what I am thankful for. Keep a Journal With how fast-paced life is, it can be difficult to slow down and focus on what is truly important. However, taking the time to think on and write down what you are thankful for can go a long way to improving your mental well-being. A study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that subjects who keep gratitude journals for just two weeks had better sleep and a decrease in blood pressure. Personally, I keep a weekly Gratitude Journal to help me prioritize what’s important and to remember what it is I am thankful for. You simply write down a handful of positive things that happened to you each day. Even on your worst days, there are still highlights you can pick up on, and writing them down can really help you change your perspective on life. When you really can’t think of anything, it can help to just look up at the sky. Appreciate the colors of the sunset and the shapes of the clouds. It can seem like a simple thing, but the practice is truly beneficial, and I can attest to that firsthand.
We need a lot to keep us going every day. There are the bare necessities, like food and water, but our body is driven by more than our diet. Companionship, togetherness, shelter, those are all important, too. However, with Thanksgiving coming up, I think it is important to emphasize one of our needs that often goes overlooked: vitamin G, or gratitude. Now is the time of year when, as a nation, we express gratitude, which is a more powerful sentiment than you might think. At one point or another, everyone has been told to, “Count your blessings.” Being grateful for what you have is a surefire way to help you appreciate and enjoy life. There is a great book, “The Little Book of Gratitude” by Robert A. Emmons, that expresses this well. On that note, here are some lessons I learned from Emmons and my own personal experiences about gratitude. Stay in the Present When you have a lot on your plate — whether a domestic dilemma or a busy schedule at work — it can be easy to forget
– Brad Scott
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Part of what makes special occasions special is the foods they are synonymous with. We have cake on our birthdays, candy on Halloween, and turkey on Thanksgiving. How these culinary staples became linked with these holidays is rarely questioned because we all enjoy sweets, and blowing out candles is fun. But is that reason enough for them to be integral to our holidays? Why is Thanksgiving Day, the celebration of harvest and gratitude, synonymous with turkey dinner? The Original Menu Many in America believe we model our Thanksgiving cuisine after the menu of offerings available during the original feast. But in 1621, the Plymouth Pilgrims and Wampanoag did not eat like we do today. Moreover, they did not see their meal as a special occasion. Thanksgiving dinner has been used to celebrate the autumn harvest for hundreds of years and is a tradition that predates the colonies. The Wampanoag people brought venison to the party, and the Pilgrims supposedly brought wildfowl. While an estimated 10 million wild turkeys were prowling the Americas at the time, the Pilgrims more likely dined on duck and goose — which begs the question: If the Pilgrims didn’t eat turkey on the “original” Thanksgiving, why do we? A Love/Hate Relationship Turkey became the staple of Thanksgiving dinner due to a few contributing factors. Unlike chickens and cows, which can provide eggs and milk, turkeys are only useful to farmers as a source of meat. As gruesome as it may sound, that fact also makes turkeys disposable. Additionally, one turkey can typically feed a whole family, so it became a popular source of protein in America. However, it may be cultural staples, like Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and Sarah Hale’s novel “Northwood,” both portraying decadent turkey meals, that played a more significant part in its popularity on the holiday table. Hale was also a key campaigner for Thanksgiving to bring together families across America and repair a nation splintered by the Civil War. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln granted her wish and made Thanksgiving an official national holiday. She was likely the biggest factor in turning turkey into the star of Thanksgiving dinner and, as a result, is likely the nemesis of turkeys everywhere. In 2022, about 210 million turkeys were farmed across the country, and Americans consumed 46 million on Thanksgiving alone. GOBBLE, GOBBLE The Thanksgiving Turkey Tradition
OVERRULED TAKES A LOOK AT THE ‘INTERNET GENERATION’
A recent study has highlighted that many Generation Z graduates are entering job interviews unprepared, struggling with maintaining eye contact, dressing inappropriately, and even involving their parents in the process. These behaviors are making employers reluctant to hire younger candidates. But what is the root cause? Gen Z is the first generation never to know the world without the internet. Brad and David explore the impact of social media, especially platforms like TikTok, on the social skills and mental well-being of Gen Z, often referred to as the “loneliest generation.” The prevalence of misinformation on social media has also compromised critical thinking skills in various situations, which is a concern they share. They also address how parents can help their children navigate these social challenges and avoid common pitfalls that many young adults in Gen Z encounter. A significant challenge for parents is managing social media usage,
but it’s crucial for fostering more in-person interactions, which are vital for enhancing long-term social competencies. Having mastered the current digital realm, it will be interesting to observe how Gen Z fares with future face-to-face interactions.
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Although the holiday season often enables us to reconnect with friends and loved ones in person, maintaining that spirit of tangible togetherness all year can often be a struggle. Sure, social media is fine for “likes,” but nothing beats sitting down with people whose company you enjoy. If you’re looking for a new way to stay connected with family members, friends from college, old work colleagues, or anyone else within a reasonable travel distance, starting a dinner club may be perfect! Conceptualizing Your Club There are no hard-and-fast rules to creating and maintaining a dinner club. You could start by giving your club a fancy name and deciding how often it should meet. From there, think about the people you want to invite. For example, maybe you know people who share a particular interest you also love (classic movies, model airplanes, etc.), or you have a group of old friends you’d love to catch up with over a great meal. The trick is to be mindful of your club’s membership size. Ideally, it should be large enough for guests to connect with several friends or new people but small enough to ensure intimacy. Choosing Your Dinner Destination Determining the best settings for your dinner club gatherings is key to their success. For example, hosting them at members’ homes on a revolving basis (with the host or other members doing the cooking) would help the invitees avoid cramming into a noisy restaurant and having to shout at each other while seated at a long table. Matching Mood and Menu Coming up with interesting themes for each meal adds a thrill to the festivities. Maybe one of your members would like to give cooking a vegan meal a try. Perhaps another member would love to share an amazing recipe they picked up while vacationing in Mexico. The possibilities are endless! Gather, Savor, Repeat TIPS FOR LAUNCHING YOUR OWN DINNER CLUB
WHAT’S NEW
At Scott | Vicknair Law, we celebrate National Gratitude Month in November with heartfelt appreciation for the friends, family, team members, and clients who make our work so rewarding.
Embracing gratitude allows us to recognize and cherish the small, often unnoticed blessings, fostering a profound sense of satisfaction and peace within us. The practice of gratitude is not only beneficial for our mental, physical, and personal health but also contributes to improved sleep and reduced stress. With Thanksgiving coinciding with this special month, it’s the perfect time to acknowledge and celebrate all the positive aspects of our lives. We extend our deepest thanks to everyone who plays such a valued role in our journey at Scott | Vicknair Law! What Our Clients Are Saying “The intake experience was very educational. Unfortunately, mine was a case they could not help with, but I sincerely recommend anyone in the earliest stages of succession contact them FIRST. Don’t waste your time letting another law firm mess things up. The Scott | Vicknair Law firm definitely will look into the nitty gritty of things. I just wish I had heard of them earlier.” – Monica M.
Thank You for Your Referrals!
No matter how you structure your dinner club, the goal is to have fun and spend time with wonderful people. Bon appétit!
This month, we’d like to thank Alisha L., Jenny W., Sara C., Jeananne M., Syris E., Fate I., David V., Howard E., and Ricardo S. for believing we are the right firm to help their friends and family. Your continued support gives us the ability to reach more individuals and make a positive difference in their lives.
Call us. If we cannot handle your case, we will work on finding someone who can assist you. CALL NOW – OPEN 24/7 (504) 384-7978
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Injury & Estate Lawyers
(504) 384-7978 www.ScottVicknair.com 909 Poydras St., Suite 1225 New Orleans, LA 70112
Inside This Issue
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Why Expressing Gratitude Can Change Your Life
How Turkey Became a Thanksgiving Staple The Effects of Social Media on Gen Z adults
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What’s New How to Make a Meal a Lasting Memory
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Hollywood Ending in the ‘Rust’ Trial
HOLLYWOOD ENDING
Alec Baldwin Walks Free After Case Dismissed
the swift decision. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison but has appealed, and what happened in July in Alec Baldwin’s trial may affect the outcome of that appeal. Hollywood Ending When the third day of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial in New Mexico began, it became apparent that something was amiss. The defense attorneys had something important to bring to the court’s attention. Assistant District Attorney Erlinda Johnson was absent. As it turned out, she had resigned from the case after allegations that Santa Fe police, in conjunction with Special Prosecutor Kari Morrisey, had conspired to hide evidence from the defense. The evidence in question was a case of ammunition matching those retrieved from the set of “Rust.” The ammunition was given to Santa Fe police before the trial, but it was filed under a separate case number — even though the witness who handed in the evidence claimed
About three years ago, on Oct. 21, 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by a live round fired by actor Alec Baldwin on the set of the movie “Rust.” You might believe this would be an open- and-shut manslaughter case. However, just like the scenes Hutchins brilliantly captured on film, this scene was more complex and layered than you may expect. Baldwin’s trial was dismissed just three days after it began, on July 13, 2024. Ironically, but perhaps fittingly, Baldwin’s criminal case came to a dramatic, Hollywood-esque conclusion. Is the armorer to blame? Previously, in May, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer for the film, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for her role in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The jury deliberated for just three hours before passing judgment; evidence revealing Gutierrez-Reed loaded the gun that killed Hutchins likely contributed to
Photo: Abhi Suryawanshi
it was relevant to the “Rust” trial. In light of these revelations, Santa Fe County District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice. Throughout the day, as the camera centered on Hollywood star-turned-defendant Alec Baldwin, viewers were treated to his wide range of emotions: first, annoyance, then sadness, and, finally, tearful exultation. This was his Hollywood ending.
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