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AUG 2025
Notebooks and New Worlds From Curious Kid to Global Grown-Up
After several months, I returned to California and enrolled at Santa Barbara City College. There, I met my first girlfriend. When she decided to return to Brazil, I followed her — spending a year living abroad yet again. That relationship ended, but my passion for travel didn’t. I was soon back in South America, exploring for another six months. Eventually, I made my way home to California, earned my undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley, and later enrolled in law school once I had clarity on its purpose in my life. I was ready for a greater academic challenge and excited about the opportunity to explore a new city — Chicago. Every chapter of that journey deserves its own newsletter. But here’s the thread that connects it all: my parents’ approach. They weren’t prescriptive or overbearing. They were patient and curious. They gave me space to make decisions — even messy ones — and encouraged me to learn from them. That support gave me the confidence to follow an uncharted path. I want to offer that same spirit of support to Luke and his sister, Nora. Whether their dreams take them across the globe or just across town, I want them to know they can trust themselves, take action, and grow through experience. My path has never been traditional, but every step taught me something meaningful. I’ve learned that confidence isn’t something you find — it’s something you earn through movement, decision-making, and learning by doing. If you’re watching a child take those first steps into the world of school, I hope
It’s almost time for me to go back to school — just not in the way I’m used to. Although it’s been a few years since I was a student, I get to relive the school-day magic through my children. My 5-year-old, Luke, is starting kindergarten this year. Watching him take this huge step in his educational and emotional development is awe-inspiring. Where will he go in life? Will school keep him close to home, or will his path take him far away from Mom and Dad? These questions have me reflecting on my own school years. If Luke’s educational journey resembles mine in any way, it will be anything but linear. I spent my K-8 years in West Marin County, a rural pocket of Northern California known for its progressive take on education. I was part of the school’s experimental “progressive class,” which included students from first through fifth grade in the same room. It wasn’t
the whole school — just our little corner of it — but it shaped the way I learned and saw the world. We spent more time learning outside the classroom than inside it. Field trips were frequent, often involving overnight stays. Creativity and hands-on learning were at the heart of everything. We had a jewelry shop and experimented with pottery, woodworking, drawing, and painting. We learned anatomy using real animals, made pinhole cameras to understand photography, and ground our own glass telescope mirrors for astronomy. Looking back, I can see just how untraditional — and remarkable — those early school years were. After eighth grade, I commuted 35 minutes each way over a winding mountain road to attend Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley. It was a stark change from the small, eclectic community I had grown up in. While I had some great teachers and experiences, I never quite found my people there. That sense of not fully belonging kept me curious, kept me hunting for more — and ultimately fueled my eagerness to explore the world beyond my hometown. Instead of jumping straight into college, I took a gap year and traveled around Europe. With $4,500 I’d saved from construction work, I stretched every dollar — living on bread and cheese, chasing new experiences, and letting the road teach me. When the money ran out, I joined a program called Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), which landed me a gig on a farm in Italy in exchange for room and board.
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you embrace the wonder in their journey. May they move forward with courage, curiosity, and the confidence to make their own way.
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Taco Bell Tried to Rebrand 50 Cent
It Ended in a Lawsuit
Photo: River North Photography
Rapper 50 Cent was seemingly everywhere in the mid-2000s. His hit albums, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” and “The Massacre,” took the country by storm, and nearly everyone was familiar with at least one of his iconic songs. He appeared in commercials for Reebok, Vitamin Water, and other consumer goods, but one popular fast food enterprise attempted to use his name without the artist’s approval. As you might expect, 50 Cent didn’t take kindly to this and promptly sued the chain. In 2008, Taco Bell unveiled an ad campaign promoting the low cost of items within their Why Pay More!? Value Meal. Offering burritos, nachos, and other signature Taco Bell items for 79¢, 89¢, or 99¢ got people’s attention, but their marketing experts thought the campaign needed more punch to drive business. The brand suggested that 50 Cent change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent, or 99 Cent. Unfortunately, Taco Bell did not contact the rapper to see if they could use his name while promoting their new menu. He was bothered by this and filed a lawsuit against the fast food giant. The lawsuit claimed that Taco Bell made 50 Cent the star and focus of their nationwide campaign without seeking or obtaining his authorization. Notebooks and New Beginnings A Post-Divorce Plan for the School Year
A spokesperson for Taco Bell claimed that the company “made a good faith, charitable offer to 50 Cent to change his name to either 79, 89 or 99 Cent for one day by rapping his order at a Taco Bell, and we would have been very pleased to make the $10,000 donation to the charity of his choice.” 50 Cent sued Taco Bell for $4 million. He won the lawsuit, but the settlement terms were not disclosed. This case serves as a great lesson to any business owner. Do not use a celebrity’s name or likeness for a marketing campaign without permission!
HELP YOUR CHILD FIND THEIR VOICE.
Back-to-school season can be hectic for parents and children alike, but the situation can be even more stressful for newly divorced families. If your child’s impending school year will be your first as divorced parents, tackling the social and scheduling challenges of the change requires considerable communication, organization, and grace. Here are three tips to help make the transition as stable for your little student(s) as possible. TEAM UP WITH TEACHERS. As the school year begins, informing your child’s teachers and guidance counselors of the change in your family dynamic is a good idea. Looping them in may help them identify behaviors or emotional responses that could indicate that your child is struggling to adapt to the new structure at home. Even if your young child appears to be handling these changes well when spending time with you or your former spouse, their genuine reaction to recent events may manifest in their actions while away from you, at school. By expanding your support network to include educators, you have more eyes and ears open to see how your child is processing your divorce and to spot red flags that need to be addressed to help them feel and act positively.
If your child hasn’t seen many of their school friends since your divorce, they will likely get plenty of questions from their peers — and perhaps their peers’ parents — about what happened. If your child is reluctant
to discuss the matter with people outside the family, assure them it’s fine to politely refuse to discuss the subject. You may consider role-playing so they feel more comfortable answering or declining questions and more confident expressing themselves in
potentially uncomfortable social situations. CREATE CONSISTENCY IN BOTH HOMES.
Of course, raising school-age children as divorced parents is often as logistically challenging as it is emotionally demanding. If your child will split their time between separate homes this year, ensure each location has a designated space for them to do their homework. This will help your child prioritize their studies regardless of which parent they’re with once class is out for the evening.
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True Talk for Tender Times How to Find (and Be) a Post-Divorce Friend
There are three keys to successfully persevering through the emotional strains of a divorce: • The courage to progress • The strength to overcome • The knowledge that you are not alone Concerning the last point, here are some things to consider when seeking support during a divorce or separation, or when you want to help a friend or loved one through theirs. SAFE SPACES TO UNBOTTLE BURDENS Even when it occurs under the most amicable circumstances, a separation or divorce can still be a highly emotional experience. In these situations, bottling your feelings is one of the worst things you can do for your peace of mind and physical well-being. When the strain and stress build up, it’s not a question of when you’ll open up, but instead to whom . If you don’t have a therapist, your attorney may be able to recommend one for you. If you’d
prefer to share your feelings with a friend or family member, never be afraid to be the one to reach out first. With everyday lives so demanding, even the most compassionate and supportive people in your lives may need you to nudge them for their time and not wait for them to offer comfort or perspectives. Perhaps most importantly, be mindful of how much you lean on your children for support, even if they’re of adult age. Our kids should never be our ad-hoc therapists, especially as they may wish to remain neutral as they process the split. STRONGER FRIENDSHIPS IN FRAGILE MOMENTS You know your closest friends better than anyone, but they may be difficult to read when they’re experiencing a divorce. Sometimes, leading conversations by asking them how they’re feeling and if there’s anything they’d like to talk about will be enough to break the
ice when they seem reluctant to engage. No matter how you get them to share, remember that your presence and ears are often more valuable to them than your unsolicited advice. Sometimes, allowing those we care about to simply vent is the best gift we can give them.
TAKE A BREAK
Barbecue Chicken French Bread Pizza
Ingredients • 2 tbsp vegetable oil • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces • 1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt • Fresh ground pepper, to taste • 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp barbecue sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce • 1 loaf French bread
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion • 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking sheet with foil. 2. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. 3. Reduce heat to medium and add 3 tbsp barbecue sauce. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, remove skillet from heat, and set aside. 4. In a small bowl, combine remaining barbecue sauce and marinara sauce. 5. Cut French bread in half and place on prepared baking sheet. Coat with the sauce mixture, top with chicken and red onions, then add shredded cheeses. 6. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until cheese is melted. 7. Remove from oven and top with chopped cilantro. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving!
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161 N. Clark, Ste. 1700 Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 488-1938 rbbfirm.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
1.
When Education Meets Adventure
2.
The Value Menu Joke That Cost Taco Bell a Lawsuit
Chalkboards and Clear Paths
3.
From Silence to Support
Barbecue Chicken French Bread Pizza
4.
Why Pets Beat Pay Raises
The $100K Reason to Get a Pet
New Study Says Pets Are Worth Plenty
Most pet owners already know their furry friends make life better, but according to a new study, the value might be higher than anyone realized. Some researchers say it’s close to $100,000.
their neighbor’s house while they’re away. That behavior is linked to pet ownership but not directly to happiness, which helped researchers isolate the impact of pet ownership.
Researchers in the U.K. aimed to measure how much happiness dogs and cats bring to people’s lives. Using data from more than 700 people, they found that owning a pet can boost life satisfaction as much as getting married or landing a massive raise. In economic terms, it’s the emotional equivalent of earning nearly $93,000 more per year. To determine whether pets actually improve happiness, rather than the opposite — happy people are more likely to have pets — the team factored in things like age, income, personality traits, and family size. They also used a clever workaround: They asked people whether they look after
It’s not just a fun fact, either. Experts say findings like this could affect everything from housing laws to public health programs. If pets fight loneliness and lift people’s moods, it might make sense to rethink rules that prevent pet ownership in some apartments and assisted living facilities. While the researchers focused only on cats and dogs, the message came through clearly. Pets matter, maybe even more than we thought. And if you already live with one and know how they benefit your well-being, the science now backs you up. That wagging tail or soft purr might be worth more than you ever guessed.
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