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July 2023
LESSONS LEARNED DURING TEEN JOBS
Early Positions Reflected Who I’d Become
Few of us knew what we wanted to do with our lives when we got our first summer jobs as teenagers — I certainly didn’t. But we often learn valuable lessons from that work all the same, and it often shapes who we become. The various jobs I had as a teen all have a throughline with the work I do today. Outside of babysitting, my first job involved working for an older woman, Lillian Leppke, who attended our church. Everyone over 40 seems ancient when you’re a teenager, so Ms. Leppke probably wasn’t as elderly as I thought at the time. But health conditions limited her ability to do yardwork on her own, and she needed to hire help. I came at the right price, and she trusted me because our families knew each other. I was a young teenager when my mom dropped me off at her house to mow, pull weeds, and do other assorted yardwork. It was hot, and I found the lawnmower somewhat frightening. But I remember best that Ms. Leppke always insisted on taking a break for lunch. She would make a meal, and we’d sit together to eat and chat. While many kids that age feel awkward socializing with an older person, it felt natural. I enjoyed sitting down to eat and enjoyed her company. I discovered early on that I felt comfortable spending time with people from older generations. I learned more about people different from myself during my next summer job at Kentucky Fried Chicken. My coworkers came from all walks of life. Some were teens like me looking for pocket money, others were working-class people with multiple jobs, and some preferred the environment to a desk job. One summer in fast food was enough for me, but I did learn a few things about the working world during my time at KFC. It was ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOP — ON DEMAND Promise Law now offers our 7 Hazards to Your Estate Plan Workshop on demand. This free workshop explains the key planning concepts, documents, and the factors in selecting a plan option that is right for you. Plus, enrollees who watch the video in its entirety can receive a complimentary attorney consultation with no obligation to retain our services. The workshop is available at PromiseLaw.com/estate-planning- workshop . Call (757) 690-2470 for more information.
my first experience working somewhere that had no downtime. If I wasn’t busy with customers, there was plenty else to do. I also enjoyed seeing how a business works at such a high volume. It might have been the start of my interest in operational procedures. The last job I worked during high school was as a nursing assistant. My school had a course that trained us, and we did clinical hours at the local hospital. That type of workplace isn’t for everyone, but I didn’t find caring for sick people stressful or emotionally overwhelming. Instead, the idea of helping them in some way energized me. Believe it or not, I also enjoyed being in the hospital. A hospital is like a little self-contained city with laundry, a cafeteria, and everything else you need. The systems and processing side of my thinking was thrilled, and for years, I thought I might end up spending my career in medicine. Of course, I became an estate planning attorney instead. But all three of those jobs taught me a little bit about myself to lead me here. Ms. Leppke taught me the value of a hard day’s work and that cross- generational communication comes naturally to me. KFC gave me a peek inside how businesses operate and taught me to work with all types of people. Finally, working as a nursing assistant confirmed my passion for structural organization and prepared me to stay level- headed during challenging and emotional conversations.
These are all skills I use every day in running Promise Law. It wasn’t necessarily what I was after, but in the end, the part-time jobs of my youth provided me with much more than a meager weekly paycheck.
–Geneva Perry
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Our Roads Are Becoming More Dangerous!
Protect Your Family From Road Rage Shootings Imagine this: You’re zooming down the interstate with your family, about halfway to your road trip destination. The windows are down, and you’re singing along to one of your favorite songs on the radio. It’s the perfect summer afternoon. Then, another car appears behind you and starts riding your bumper. doubled, with over 550 people being shot and 141 killed. And the violence continues — in April 2023, two fathers in Florida opened fire on each other’s cars, leaving a 5-year-old and 14-year- old wounded.
The Gas Fueling the Road Rage Fire Why are road rage shootings rising? Experts blame lingering anxiety from the COVID-19 pandemic, stress over the economy, political division, increased gun sales, and the fact that many Americans keep guns in their cars.
The vehicle won’t stop tailgating, so you tap your brakes, hoping to startle them into leaving you be. It doesn’t work. Instead, the car revs its engine, and a hand emerges from the driver’s side window. BAM! Your back windshield shatters, and your family starts screaming. This situation might sound dramatic, but it’s happening more than ever on American roadways. In 2019, 225 people were shot in road rage incidents across the country, resulting in 67 deaths. In 2022, both of those numbers had
steps to take to win and get compensation for your injuries.
Protect Yourself From Angry Drivers First and foremost, don’t be an angry driver yourself! Avoid driving when you’re upset, keep your car comfortable to prevent yourself from feeling irritable, and pick a strategy to calm yourself down (like a mantra or breathing exercise). If an angry driver targets you , stay calm, move away from them, and don’t respond to their behavior. The second you feel scared or unsafe, call 911.
Legal Recourse for Road Rage Victims
Should You Quit? If you or someone you know falls victim to a road rage incident, you can seek justice in court. After you get medical attention, call a personal injury attorney. They’ll tell you whether you have a case, what type of case it is (civil, criminal, or both), and what
When to Walk Away From a Friendship or Commitment
More Guidance on Quitting To learn more about paring down your life, check out the podcast “The Real Question.” As we write this, it’s in the middle of a season called “Should I Quit?” In each episode, host Vanessa Zoltan meets with a different guest and talks through whether they should quit a specific thing in their life — whether it’s a yoga subscription, a city, a choir, or the habit of telling a white lie — and how to do it gracefully.
It’s time to reframe quitting. Most of us think of leaving a commitment as a shameful, weak thing to do — but if you’re stressed and overwhelmed, it can actually be a mental health boost! That doesn’t just apply to walking out on a job. You should also consider quitting other things that weigh your life down. Maybe you’re in a book club that bores you or a friendship that feels like a chore. Quitting could reduce your stress and free up your personal time. The Right Time to Quit Consider these questions if you’re staring down the barrel of a commitment and aren’t sure whether this is the moment to walk away. 1. Do you dread spending time on this thing/with this person? 2. Does the commitment cause you stress or leave you in a bad mood? 3. Could you spend your time more happily and productively on something else? 4. Could someone else easily take over your role if you leave? If you answered “yes” to any of our questions, it may be time to quit — as long as doing so doesn’t put you or anyone else in physical, mental, or financial danger. Not convinced? Consider the philosophy of organizer Marie Kondo. Does this friendship, volunteer opportunity, or club spark joy? If not, thank it for its service and move on.
You can also pick up a copy of “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown. The philosophy of essentialism is about “challenging the core assumptions of ‘we can have it all’ and ‘I have to do everything’ and replacing them with the pursuit of ‘the right thing, in the right way, at the right time.’” McKeown’s book is packed with valuable lessons for anyone who struggles to say no or walk away.
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TAKE A BREAK
If you follow politics, then you may have heard the name “Constance Baker Motley” on the news or read it in the newspaper. Motley isn’t a current political figure (she passed away in 2005), but she inspired two of the most powerful women in Washington, D.C., today — Vice President Kamala Harris and newly minted U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts calls Constance Baker Motley the “Judiciary’s Unsung Rights Hero.” She was a key lawyer in the fight for civil rights in America and represented some of the biggest names in the movement, including Martin Luther King Jr! Motley’s potential was obvious from a young age. She grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, near Yale University, but her immigrant parents couldn’t afford to send her to college. Fortunately, her poise and intelligence caught the eye of a good Samaritan who offered to pay her way through school. On her way to the dorms, train station officials forced Motley to board the “Colored” car — and as the story goes, a civil rights hero was born. The humiliation of stepping into a “lesser” car for the first time was a defining moment in Motley’s life. To prove she deserved better, she went on to attend Columbia Law School, graduated in 1946, and accomplished more in a few decades than most of us achieve in a lifetime. Here’s a short list of her feats. The Inspiring Story of Constance Baker Motley MLK’s Supreme Court Lawyer
Barbecue Concert
Fishing Fourth Independence Larkspur
Park Pool Shade Stargazing Travel Vacation
Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com SAZON GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS
Constance Baker Motley was …
• The first Black woman to argue a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court • The winner of 9 out of 10 Supreme Court cases • Chief counsel and eventually the principal trial attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund • The first Black woman to become a federal judge • The lawyer who filed the original complaint in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka , which led to the integration of public schools • The first Black woman to serve on the New York State Senate
This versatile summer chicken recipe is packed with warm flavors to keep your tastebuds on alert. It’s perfect for family BBQ nights or as a protein for meal prepping!
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 tsp cumin • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp oregano • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) • 1/2 tsp salt • Freshly ground black pepper
That list is just the iceberg tip of Motley’s legacy! To learn more about her story, visit your local library and check out the 2022 biography “Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality” by Tomiko Brown-Nagin.
Directions
1. In a large bowl, add chicken, olive oil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper (if desired), salt, and pepper. Toss together to coat chicken; let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 2. Preheat grill to 400 F. Grill chicken thighs for 6–8 minutes per side or until fully cooked and an internal thermometer reads 165 F. 3. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm, then chop into bite-size pieces to use in salads, tacos, bowls, and more!
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PromiseLaw Life happens. Plan on it. ™ (757) 690-2470 12610 Patrick Henry Dr., Ste. D Newport News, VA 23602
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Work Experiences That Shaped Geneva
The Scary Truth About Road Rage Shootings Does Quitting = Healing?
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Sazon Grilled Chicken Thighs Meet Martin Luther King Jr.’s Lawyer
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3 Creative Ways to Grow Food Indoors
MOVE YOUR VEGGIES INDOORS! Get the Benefits of Gardening Without the Sweat
Create a mushroom-growing compost bin. You only need six things to grow
Gardening is incredibly satisfying — but in the summer, you may wonder whether the fresh produce is worth suffering through the heat, the humidity, and a stiff back. If so, try moving your garden indoors! Inside, you can get the same mental and physical benefits without the sweat. Here are three creative ways to grow food indoors. Grow your lettuce hydroponically. Lettuce is one of the quickest and easiest crops to grow inside because it thrives in relatively low light. You can buy a lettuce-growing kit for less than $100 at Walmart or off Amazon and either start the sprouts from seed in a moist growing medium (environmental journalist Katherine Gallagher recommends rockwool, lightweight clay aggregate, coconut fiber, or perlite) or purchase plant starts at your local nursery. Within a month, your lettuce leaves will be ready to eat!
mushrooms: a wooden tray, compost, mushroom spawn, a heating pad, a thermometer, and a spray bottle. Fill the tray with compost and a pinch of spawn, keep the compost at a toasty 70 degrees F with the heating pad for three weeks, and moisten it with sprays of water regularly until mushrooms appear. Go to Better Homes & Gardens for an online guide, or purchase a mushroom kit or terrarium. The more time, patience, and creativity you put into your indoor garden, the more it will reward you. To dig deeper (pun intended), pick up a copy of “Indoor Kitchen Gardening: Turn Your Home Into a Year-Round Vegetable Garden” by Elizabeth Millard or check out The Provident Prepper’s “Indoor Gardening” playlist on YouTube.
Plant peas or carrots under grow lights. Many people assume fruiting plants like peas and carrots are impossible to grow indoors. But with powerful grow lights, almost any plant can flourish! Try planting seeds or starts in pots and sunning them with fluorescent shop lights. The plants will take longer to mature than outdoors, but you’ll get there in the end. Other fruiting plants, like peppers and tomatoes, require hand pollination to thrive inside.
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