The Medl in News
FEBRUARY 2020
little sailboat showed me that the fastest route to your destination isn’t always the most direct. Sometimes, you have to take a different track to make headway against the wind. But I’ll be honest, the most important lesson I took away from Boy Scouts is simply the value of having fun.
SCOUTING FOR MEANING
What I Learned From Boy Scouts
On Feb. 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America were incorporated, making this month their 110th birthday. As a former Scout myself, I couldn’t let this event pass by without doing a little reminiscing. Like many people, being a Scout was a formative experience for me that left a positive impact on my life. But more than anything, it’s a source of great memories.
More so than when I was a kid, I feel like so many childhood experiences are advertised on their long-term value. As a father, so many of the afterschool activities, clubs, and groups that exist for my daughter to join are billed as important, formative stepping stones toward her professional future. Personally, I don’t think kids or their parents should have to look that far ahead. GETTING OUT ON THE LAKE IN A LITTLE SAILBOAT SHOWED ME THAT THE FASTEST ROUTE TO YOUR DESTINATION ISN’TALWAYS THE MOST DIRECT. SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT TRACK TO MAKE HEADWAYAGAINST THEWIND.
My daughter, my Valentine
Now, not all of them were so great at the time. My most vivid memory has to be when a few other Boy Scouts and I tried to pitch a tent just as a tornado rolled in nearby. There must have been six of us, including a boy’s father, trying to keep that tent from flying away. Had we been on our own, we may have blown away ourselves. It was a thrilling moment, to say the least. In fact, experiences like that one really fostered my love of the outdoors. Even in extreme weather conditions, I loved being in nature and adventuring through the wilderness. Of course, I learned many valuable skills along the way, from leadership to sailing.
For all the benefits and life skills of the Boy Scouts, we shouldn’t undersell the value of plain old fun. Not everything has to be a
resume builder or material for a college application essay down the road. Sometimes, it’s okay for kids to just be allowed to laugh and play under the open sky. Heck, there are more than a few adults who could use the same lesson.
Here’s to fun and games,
Leading patrols taught me a lot about delegation and taking personal responsibility for a group. Getting out on the lake in a
– Gary L. Medlin, Esq.
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LEAP INTO 2020
Facts About the Leap Year
Who The odds of being born on Feb. 29 are 1 in 1,461. That means that of the roughly seven billion people in the world, only about five million of them are “leaplings.” The number of leaplings currently living in the U.S. is roughly 187,000. Some famous leaplings include motivational speaker Tony Robbins, rapper Ja Rule, and singer Mark Foster of Foster the People. However, the most famous leapling is probably Superman. When you invent a super-being, you might as well give him a super-birthday. Where Anthony, Texas/New Mexico (a single town that straddles the two states’ borders), claims the title “Leap Year Capital of the World.” The city throws one massive birthday party for all leaplings but invites everyone to join the celebration. Two leapling neighbors from Anthony began the tradition in 1988, and it’s blossomed into a festival with thousands of participants every four years. It includes banquets, hot air balloons, a carnival, concerts, parades, and more. When you have four years to plan in between each shindig, there’s time to go big. Celebrate this leap year by doing something unusual or new. It’s a special day that doesn’t occur often, so make the most of it by doing something you’ll talk about for another four years.
Like the Olympics and presidential elections, leap years only occur once every four years, which is why many people look forward to Feb. 29. But there’s a lot that you might not know about this quirk on the calendar. Why To keep the calendar in sync with Earth’s orbit around the sun, an extra day is added to it every four years. Earth takes exactly 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds to orbit the sun. Those extra hours add up over time, so another calendar day becomes necessary. But a leap year doesn’t occur every four years. Adding that extra day still doesn’t quite keep Earth on track, so the calendar skips leap years that occur during century years not divisible by 400. For example, 2000 was a leap year, but 2100 won’t be. Gary here again. With Groundhog Day coming up and a certain Bill Murray movie on my mind, I want to take the time to address an issue that many of our clients face: feeling trapped in a repetitive cycle. It’s something I see on both the criminal defense and the personal injury side of my work, and while both have their own unique challenges, I can’t help but see the similarity in the ways people express being trapped in their circumstances. Relapse and Recidivism The “revolving door” of the prison system is an unfortunate and well-known reality in this country. According to the Department of Justice, over 40% of people released from prison are arrested within their first year after release . A recidivism rate that high speaks to major institutional problems within the criminal justice system itself, but that’s part of a larger conversation. My primary concern here is how I can help individuals avoid becoming part of this statistic. What we’ve seen is that addiction can be a major cause of repeated arrests, which is why we believe so strongly in rehabilitation over incarceration. Overcoming chemical dependencies and ingrained behaviors is an immensely BREAK THE CYCLE
Protecting Your Future Doesn’t Stop at the Court Room
uphill battle, but you don’t have to do it alone. There are tools, resources, and professionals that can help you along every step of the recovery process. We’ve connected many clients with these resources and are proud to say that time and time again, we’ve seen them break the cycle. Rehab and Recurring Pain Moving on after a traumatic accident can be its own vicious cycle. The many doctors’ appointments, repetitive regimens of exercises and/or prescription meds, pain that won’t go away— this is a story I’m all too familiar with. Since college, my battle with chronic back pain has felt like a bit of a “Groundhog Day” situation at times. But make no mistake, real progress is possible. Again, breaking the cycle should involve reaching out. If you feel that a treatment isn’t working, talk to your doctor. We know many resources for pain management and rehabilitation, so please know you can reach out to us for guidance. After all, our firm knows that helping people doesn’t stop at resolving their legal matters — it means giving them the support they need to make their next step forward.
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HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CLIENTS AND ATTORNEYS
As couples around the world prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day this month, we want to talk a little about relationships. We won’t pretend to be experts on love, so we’ll leave any advice on romantic bonds to the psychologists and the poets. What we do understand, however, is the relationship between an attorney and a client. All About Communication Much like relationship experts say about healthy marriages, communication is key between a client and their legal representative. The client needs to be able to tell their lawyer the details of their case and any pertinent information that arises along the way. In turn, an attorney should always keep their clients up to date as the case progresses. A lawyer who doesn’t return phone calls is a recipe for anxiety and dissatisfaction among the people they’re supposed to represent. The Importance of Organization Despite the above statement, lack of communication is the No. 1 complaint lawyers hear. Often, this is due to attorneys being overwhelmed by their caseloads and losing sight of the needs of their individual clients. When this happens, organization can make a huge difference. Just as couples
need to conscientiously set aside time for each other, the best attorneys keep themselves strictly organized to ensure calls get returned and questions get answered. The Value of Trust Trust is the glue that holds together any relationship; without it, everything else falls apart. Just as a client deserves an attorney who has their best interests at heart, an attorney needs to know the person they represent is being forthright with them. The better a lawyer understands the details of the situation, the better they can defend the client’s interest. Sometimes, sharing certain life details relating to a case can be difficult, which is why finding a trusted lawyer to confide in can help the situation immensely.
Brain Buster
Date Truffles
Ingredients
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1 lb medjool dates, pitted (about 1 1/2 cups)
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1/2 tsp sea salt
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1 cup bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped
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Warm water
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1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
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1/4 cup peanut butter
Directions
1. Using a food processor, blend dates and sea salt until dough can be formed into a ball. Slowly add enough warm water to mixture to thicken dough. 2. Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Freeze for 20–30 minutes. 3. In microwave, warm 1/4 cup peanut butter for 30 seconds, then drizzle peanut butter on top of balls. Freeze balls for another 20 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, in microwave, warm chocolate with coconut oil until melted. Stir well. 5. Coat balls in chocolate and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 6. Top with additional salt and freeze for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.
Inspired by The Minimalist Baker
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1.
Gary the Boy Scout
2. Learn All About Leap Year
Get Out of ‘Groundhog Day’
3. Client-Attorney Relations
Date Truffles
4. Your Epic Adventure Awaits
CREATE YOUR OWN ODYSSEY
Mythical Adventures Await in the Mediterranean
Gozo, Malta While Odysseus’ journey was perilous, he did enjoy one peaceful stop. Odysseus spent seven years on the mythical island of Ogygia, home of the nymph Calypso. Historians suspect that Ogygia was Gaudos, now modern-day Gozo, Malta. Gozo is home to the Ġgantija temples, which are older than the Egyptian pyramids. In addition to exploring its archaeological marvels, Gozo’s visitors can also enjoy snorkeling, horseback riding, and other memorable adventures. Ithaca, Greece If you want to chart your own odyssey, make your final stop Odysseus’ home, the island of Ithaca. Covered in lush greenery and quaint villages, Ithaca is a wonderful place to relax at the end of your trip. Visitors can enjoy their morning coffee by a seaside cafe before lounging on a secluded beach for the rest of the day. It’s no wonder why Odysseus fought so hard to get back to Ithaca! With dozens of other islands to explore, the Mediterranean is the perfect place to plan your own odyssey — minus the mythical monsters, of course.
One of the oldest stories in Western literature is Homer’s “The Odyssey.” This epic poem tells the story of Odysseus and his long journey home after the Trojan War. While Odysseus’ travels were fraught with mythical monsters and magic, many of the places he visited are said to be inspired by real islands in the Mediterranean. Even today, travelers flock to these islands looking for peace, adventure, and epic stories of their own. Sicily, Italy One of the most popular stories in “The Odyssey” is the tale of Odysseus rescuing his crew from Polyphemus, a man-eating Cyclops. It’s said that Polyphemus made his home on what is now modern-day Sicily. Fortunately, there are no Cyclopes in Sicily today; there are only cultural festivals, world-class golf courses, and delicious food.
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