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APR 2018
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Perspectives PMB
DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW
as he grew up, he unfortunately started to behave more like them, and he forgot what it was like to view the world with the wonder of a child. Unlike the grown-ups, who were more interested in how much things cost and how much someone earned, the pilot knew (but had forgotten) that there were more important things to focus on, such as someone’s favorite color or favorite game. It was only after spending time with the little prince that the pilot remembered what is important in life. In the story, the little prince is unsatisfied with his life, so he decides to leave his planet to visit others. He meets various characters, like the pilot, and encounters different situations along the way. His journey helps him realize that what he had all along was very special and that he shouldn’t have left it. On one planet, he meets a fox. The fox tells the little prince that if he tames him, he won’t be like all the other foxes and that the little prince won’t be like all the other little boys. Taming represents the way someone who you once had no connection with becomes very special to you. Little details begin to remind you of them, and they hold a special place in your heart. You become responsible for them. The fox actually provided the most important advice to the little prince when he said, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What’s essential is invisible to the eye.” I have to confess that after discovering “The Little Prince,” I began to use it as a kind of test. When I would meet someone, especially someone I might start dating, I’d give them a copy of the book to read. Their reaction served as a gauge for me — I could tell a lot about them based on whether or not they understood the deeper meanings within the seemingly simple story. If they thought the book was silly, I knew it probably wasn’t going to work out. “The Little Prince” reminds you to really think about what’s most important in life. It’s a good lesson in how we can lose the sense of wonder that we had as children. But that wonder is still there — we just have to tap into it. In the Pages of a Book
I’ve always loved to read, though I struggle to find time for it these days. My favorite book is one that I first read in school, as I’m sure many of you did, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince.” It’s one of those books you can read over and over again. Most likely if I read it now, I’d remember a lot of it, but I’m sure there are details I’ve forgotten. With the best books, you discover something new each time you read them.
If you see “The Little Prince” in a bookstore, it appears to be a children’s book, but it isn’t, really.
It’s child-like story actually has many life lessons, some of which I’ve only understood as I’ve gotten older.
In the beginning of the book, the little prince ventures from his tiny home planet. He encounters a stranded pilot, and the story is told through the pilot’s point of view. As a child, the pilot saw the world very much like the little prince, but the grown-ups couldn’t relate to him. So,
–Wendy Bornstein
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DO YOU NEED A MEDIA DETOX?
The Dangers of Overstimulation
“In the same way we think about what we eat, we should think about what we read, what we’re seeing, what we’re engaging in, and what we’re interacting with every day,” Emma Watson told CNN in an interview about her selective social media use. If you’re not mindful of your media consumption and participation, it tends to pile up. When you detox, it’s a lot easier to identify which parts of your media diet are essential and which are only a burden. Another benefit of a media detox is that you’ll have more time to pursue new and dormant hobbies. Because most of us consume media in small chunks throughout the day, it’s easy to overlook how much that time adds up. All those hours you spend on Facebook could be used to start a garden, knit a quilt, or join a soccer league. Unless you have an unlimited supply of leisure time (and who does?), you need to be selective in the way you spend it. Remember, media isn’t the cause of all your ills. Used mindfully, it can actually increase happiness and satisfaction. The problem is that we are so mired in the media muck that we can’t get a perspective on how much is too much. A detox will allow you to reassess the media you’re consuming and build a better plan for the future. You can still keep up with your grandkids on Facebook, but it shouldn’t be the only way you interact with the world.
With the current trend of getting TV, social media, and news alerts sent to our phones, we have access to more media than we could ever consume. While constant connectivity is a boon for many aspects of our lives, researchers are discovering that too much stimulation is cause for concern. One study in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology found that too much social comparison, spurred by the likes of Facebook and cable news, can lead to an increased risk of depression. If you find yourself pressured to live up to the public lives of friends and family, or if you feel like you’re being bombarded with too much news and entertainment, consider a media detox. A detox doesn’t require you to unsubscribe from social media services or unplug your TV forever. Instead, think of it as a vacation from the overstimulation so many of us experience. Ask yourself which aspects of your media diet are causing more stress than they’re worth, and take a break from them for a little while. This past January, Lisa Pezzano Mickey was invited to speak at the 2018 Advanced Workers’ Compensation Law Conference, sponsored by the New Jersey Council on Safety & Health (COSH). It was an honor for our firm to be represented at this event, which featured several prominent attorneys in the workers’ compensation arena. We are always grateful for the opportunity to share our knowledge and collaborate with other members of the legal community. The conference covered the topics of temporary disability and light-duty work, both of which are critical issues for workers who are trying to return to the workplace following an injury. Lisa explained, “Insurance companies are pressuring employers to get employees back to work as soon as possible on light-duty, [and] that can raise a whole host of issues for clients who want to keep their job but don’t want to re-injure themselves by going back to work too early.” We believe that it is generally healthy for people to stay productive and remain in the workforce, both physically and mentally. However, in her years of practice, Lisa has seen too many cases where insurance companies pressure people to resume working prematurely following an accident. This increases the risk of a re-injury and jeopardizes the prospect of continued employment in the long term. Don’t Risk Re-Injury
of weight. She was sent back to work with a light-duty note, but her supervisor kept asking her to perform heavier tasks. When Sara reminded her supervisor that she could not lift more than 10 pounds due to her injuries, she was sent home and was not put on the schedule to work again. Sara’s temporary benefits had ended, but she was not being given an opportunity to work. The employer advised the insurance company that light-duty work was available, when in actuality, the opportunity was only available on paper. Lisa took on Sara’s case and filed a Motion to resume her temporary- disability benefits, since the employer was not providing light-duty work in good faith. Sarah was then able to focus upon her recovery, so that she could return to work to support her family without worrying about a re-injury. If you have experienced a similar injustice, call us to discuss your situation. We would be happy to help.
Lisa recalls one woman in particular, whom we’ll refer to as Sara. After suffering a workplace injury, Sara was only able to lift 10 pounds
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Employee Spotlight
DOREEN
Doreen is one of the newer members of our paralegal staff at Pezzano Mickey & Bornstein. Here, she shares her story with you. I started my journey as a paralegal in Bergen County for the General where I worked for many years. There, I observed firsthand the slip-and- fall personal injury and workers’ compensation cases that occurred in Counsel of a major supermarket chain,
When my husband’s profession brought us to the Flemington area, it took me on a different path for a while. I worked for several law offices in other areas of the law that I didn’t feel were my fit. I decided I wanted to work for a personal injury and workers’ compensation firm instead of going back to corporate law. I started thinking I wanted to be on the other side of the cases with the plaintiffs/petitioners. This is what eventually led me to accept a paralegal position for Wendy Bornstein. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I am proud to work for Wendy at an all-women firm. Wendy, Lisa, and the entire team put forth 150 percent every day for the clients. My primary position is to support Wendy in all phases of the lawsuits, from court filings, discovery requests, arbitrations and mediations, all the way through trial preparation. However, I really feel that the most important aspect of my job is working as a liaison between Wendy and our clients. I am proud of the outcomes we achieve for our clients. Seeing that we have changed many clients’ lives for the better has been such a rewarding experience for me.
hundreds of supermarkets all across the United States. It really opened my eyes to the importance of implementing safety precautions for employees and the general public, which is something we don’t think about when we enter public premises. I have seen everything from minor accidents to catastrophic cases over the years.
Doreen resides in Hunterdon County with her husband, Robert, where they have raised two children, Jennifer and Stephen, and have two shelties.
TAKE A BREAK
AND BROCCOLI Pasta With Turkey e
This simple, delicious recipe only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. It’s also a great way to encourage kids to eat their broccoli. The next time you make pasta, leave the canned sauce in the pantry and make this instead!
INGREDIENTS
• • • •
2 cloves garlic, chopped
• • • •
3/4 pound pasta (shells or orecchiette)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups broccoli florets 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound ground turkey
Salt
Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
and a pinch of salt. Cook while breaking up meat with a wooden spoon for 3–5 minutes. 3. Combine turkey with pasta and
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add broccoli when pasta is 1 minute from done. Drain both and return to pot. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet
broccoli mixture, adding the remaining olive oil as you stir. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan.
over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, garlic, crushed red pepper,
Recipe inspired by realsimple.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2
A Celebration of Books
Why You Should Consider a Media Detox
Issues of Temporary Disability and Light-Duty Work
3
Meet Doreen!
Pasta With Turkey and Broccoli
4
The Origins of April Fools’ Day
Fooled Again
The History of April Fools’ Day
HILARIA
Other historians have linked April Fools’ Day to the ancient Roman festival Hilaria, which was celebrated at the end of March. The festival honored Cybele, a mother of gods, and celebrations included parades, masquerades, and jokes to honor the vernal equinox, the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
‘CANTERBURY TALES’
Although April Fools’ Day has been celebrated for centuries by cultures around the world, the holiday’s origin is unclear. Historians point to a variety of possible beginnings, but the only solid conclusion is that the April Fools’ Day we know today is a blend of traditions.
Another origin story comes from Geoffrey Chaucer’s 1392 book, “The Canterbury Tales.” There are still questions about whether Chaucer really wrote the stories and whether they have any direct link to April Fools’ Day. In the book, Chaucer describes the date “32 March.” Some believe this was a joke, because March 32 doesn’t exist, but some medievalists insist it was a misprint. April Fools’ Day certainly has murky origins. Whether our traditions come from the Gregorian calendar switch, Hilaria, or even “The Canterbury Tales,” we can all enjoy our chance to let loose and play pranks on our friends and family at least one day each year.
THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR
In 1582, France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Some people were slow to get the news, and others failed to recognize that the start of the year had moved from April 1 to Jan. 1. Those who celebrated during the last week of March became the butt of jokes and hoaxes. People placed paper fish on the backs of March celebrators to symbolize young, easily caught fish and referred to them as “poisson d’avril,” or “April fools.”
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