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October 2022 FLATTMANN FILES “Quality Is No Accident” Have a Frightfully, Spooky Halloween Night
Carve Out Some Good Times
My family and I live out in the country, so for the past six or seven years, our routine has been to grab the kids and head over to our close friends’ home to celebrate Halloween! We always look forward to going over to their house and getting together — even if Halloween falls on a weekday (for instance, a Monday, like this year!). We have all been friends since high school — the four of us — and Halloween has given us an excuse to get together and hang out. They also have kids around the same ages as mine, so they always have fun. It’s sort of like a big potluck: We bring over all kinds of different things and our friends cook up the main dishes. Typically, it’s delicious, homemade chili with all the fixings. I always look forward to it! Now that my daughter is getting older, she leans toward a “what is cool nowadays” type of costume. I guess as a 14-year-old, you need to have a cooler costume since you’re older now. So, we try to order the costumes early, and there have been times the kids would do themed costumes with one another. They have done “Star Wars” characters, and I believe one year they did the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” revamp that came out not too long ago. Turtle power! Down here in the deep South, even on Oct. 31, it can be really hot and muggy. We’ve had Halloween nights where it’s still in the mid-80s, so you have to be really careful about what you wear. Most kids don’t wear face coverings or any heavy costume because they know exactly how hot it can get around here. And did I mention the mosquitoes?! I’m a huge “Back to the Future” fan, so for the last couple of years, my costume has been just my “Back to the Future” hat (the one from the future … 2015)! I do have a hot dog costume somewhere hidden in my house, but again, it’s way too muggy and hot to be wearing that. I can’t imagine running around in a hot dog costume in that weather. I’d probably pass out, and someone would find a big hot dog lying in the street!
takes a few blocks for the kids to get their candy rounds in. There’s always that one house giving out those huge candy bars, and I think last year or the year before, a couple was actually giving out old books they had, which I thought was a really kind gesture. The kids start getting tired after a little bit of trick-or-treating and carrying around the heavy bags, so thankfully, we don’t need to be out there for hours and hours. Once we get back to our friends’ house, the kids start trading their candy with each other, and I have to stop my kids from giving away all the good stuff! They never want the Baby Ruths or the Mounds, and those are some of my favorites, so I gladly take those off their hands. Halloween is a great night filled with goblins, ghouls, and mountains of candy, but it can also be a potential risk for pedestrian and vehicle accidents. I’ve heard a lot of horror stories about accidents on Halloween: pizza deliveries gone wrong, ATV accidents, and bicycle and car wrecks (guess who gets the brunt of those?)! Please be safe, make good decisions, and be mindful of what’s around you. As an attorney, I recommend any kind of costume idea with lights on it — always a good idea! Make yourself visible, and drivers, please be extra cautious driving through neighborhoods. You should always be aware of your surroundings so everyone can have a safe, fun, and spooky night.
-Grady Flattmann
The neighborhood our friends live in is really great. It’s very family- oriented, so everyone is friendly. And for an added bonus — it only
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Teenager Saves a Woman’s Life After Taking One First-Aid Training Class
a first-aid class through the Red Cross. In this class, she learned the Heimlich maneuver, which Raley used to dislodge the chicken nugget the woman had eaten. Although the woman was in shock after what she endured, she felt grateful for the teen and her act of heroism. Her bravery didn’t go unnoticed by Paul Ostergaard either, the owner-operator of the McDonald’s where Raley worked. He told CNN, “Sydney truly personifies what it is to be a hero.” In addition to this recognition, Raley also received $100 from a fund first-responders use to reward people who do brave work within the community. Thank you, Sydney, for showing us that not all heroes wear capes — they are in our community everywhere we go. We encourage everyone to take a first-aid training course, so all of us can become the heroes of tomorrow. Plus, you never know when that knowledge will come in handy.
It was a typical day at work for 15-year-old McDonald’s worker Sydney Raley — she was taking orders, engaging with customers, and delivering food. Everything went as planned for Raley until the unexpected happened. After handing a woman part of her order, Raley left the drive-thru window to retrieve the rest of her food. But when she returned, something strange happened. “She was coughing like crazy, and I noticed she was gagging … I immediately knew, ‘Oh, no, she’s choking,’” Raley told CNN. The woman’s daughter freaked out because she felt so scared for her mother. Even some of the McDonald’s employees seemed shocked and momentarily unable to take action. Luckily, Raley knew what to do. She immediately told her colleague to dial 911 as she dove through the drive-thru window to help the choking woman. Besides working at the fast-food chain, Raley was also a babysitter and had taken
Never a Dull Moment Why We Should Live for Today
When mindful, we concentrate on what others say and become more fully present. We also start to notice the small things we usually overlook: the cool breeze on our skin, the sound of the birds, the feel of a sweater, or the sight of our loved ones smiling. Our lives become fuller. And our stress decreases because we’re not clinging to things beyond our command. No one ever stops worrying entirely, and some planning is necessary to live a successful life. But too much can leave us with no energy or time to enjoy it. John Lennon once sang, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” Start living in the present so you don’t blink and miss yours.
We can’t change the past, nor can we predict or guarantee the future. In the end, all we have is the present, yet most of us live our lives ignoring its many possibilities. It’s easy to tune out the life around you, especially if you do many of the same things every day. Taking care of the kids, commuting, working, and running errands can blur together. Just as bad, when life isn’t going the way we want, it’s easy to fantasize about how things “should” be or how they once were. When we live busy or stressful lives, worrying or planning can also make us feel more in control. The problem with these strategies is that they don’t change anything. They help us discount the only thing we can control: what we do now. Life can pass you by that way if you’re not careful. The solution is to exist in the present moment as much as possible and enjoy the good things around us while we have them. Studies show that living this way makes people happier, healthier, and more likely to form strong relationships. But how do you even get started? The process requires a different way of thinking called mindfulness. Mindfulness is about focusing on what is happening in the present moment — not that work deadline, the movie you just watched, what’s for dinner, or the kids’ extracurricular schedule. It takes practice, and many people use meditation or breathing to help.
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IT’S WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY! 3 Ways to Show Gratitude
TAKE A BREAK
SOLUTION
Teachers have impacted you and your children’s lives in more ways than one. Maybe they inspired you to take a certain career path, always understood you, or were there for you or your child when it was needed. Teachers have a demanding job, so in honor of World Teachers’ Day on Oct. 5, let’s take some time to appreciate them. Here are three ways to show your gratitude this month. Donate school supplies. Some teachers spend personal funds to purchase school supplies for their classrooms. This expense can become costly, especially if they provide for multiple students. Donate unused notebooks, pencils, pens, or other school supplies to a teacher. Some teachers even have wish lists available if you want to purchase new items for their classrooms. They will appreciate your kindness, and the children who need these supplies will also be grateful. Write thank-you letters. If you had a teacher who impacted your life, or if your child has a favorite teacher, write them a thank-you note. Handwritten notes are more meaningful than ones you buy at the store. It shows you put in time and effort to create something specifically for them. You can write about a favorite memory you had with them or the ways they’ve inspired you. If you’re feeling extra generous, add a gift card to the note! A small message can go a long way in turning someone’s day around. Volunteer when you can. In addition to teaching in the classroom, teachers need to chaperone students during field trips, recess, lunch, and standardized tests. Contact your child’s school and see when they need volunteers to help with these activities. Teachers will greatly appreciate it because they will have a chance to take a break or organize their materials for the next class. Even if it’s just for the day or a few hours, teachers will appreciate the extra assistance. Teachers play a vital role in preparing our children for the real world. They teach them vital social skills and problem-solving strategies that will assist them as they age. So, let’s take some time to show appreciation for their dedication to our children.
CREAMY BAKED PUMPKIN RISOTTO
Ingredients
• Salt, to taste • Pepper, to taste • 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese • 2 tbsp olive oil
• 5 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth • 2 cups Arborio rice • 2 cups of pumpkin, diced • 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin purée • 1/2 yellow onion, minced
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 400 F and arrange a rack in the middle. 2. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine broth, rice, diced and puréed pumpkin, and onion. 3. Season with salt and pepper, then stir until evenly combined. 4. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until water has been absorbed and rice granules are puffed. 5. Remove from the oven and stir in basil, grated Parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, and olive oil.
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
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Flattmann Law (985) 590-6182 FlattmannLaw.com 213 W. 21st Ave. Covington, LA 70433 “Quality Is No Accident”
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
How My Family Celebrates Halloween
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Fast-Food Hero Taking Each Moment as It Comes
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Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto It’s World Teachers’ Day!
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Age Is Just a Number
Wanted to Legally Change His Age The Man Who Felt 20 Years Younger
He alleged that he experienced age discrimination because, being 69, he is limited in what he can do. If he were 49, he could buy a house and car and work more hours, and his chances on the dating app Tinder would improve if he were younger. What was the court’s decision? Ratelband’s argument did not convince the district court in the Dutch city of Arnhem. The court said there was no evidence that Ratelband had experienced age discrimination. It stated that, unlike legally changing your name or gender, changing your age causes many problems such as the many rights and duties related to age, such as voting, attending school, military obligations, and pension. Although Ratelband has the freedom to feel 20 years younger, mentally and physically, he cannot legally change his age because of the legal and societal implications that would follow, the court added.
We’ve all heard about people legally changing their name or gender, but have you ever heard about someone trying to change their legal age? In 2018, a 69-year-old Dutch man named Emile Ratelband petitioned a court for permission to change his age. He wanted to alter the year he was born on his birth certificate by 20 years so he could be 49 years old. So, how did this case end? Let’s find out. What was his reasoning? Ratelband wanted to change his age because he argued that he felt 20 years younger. He said his doctors told him that he had the body of a younger man, and his health was far better than most men his age.
The district court rejected Ratelband’s request, but he plans to appeal.
In the Netherlands, the public doesn’t take Ratelband’s claims seriously. They even make fun of his international exposure and willingness to provide interviews worldwide to justify his wishes. So what do you think of this legal case? Is age just a number? Let us know your thoughts!
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