‘Twas the beginning of December
that time of the month
for me to remember
to write some new stuff.

My oh my how the months
Have flown by.
What will I write about
As seen from my eye?

I hurriedly scan my memory bank
And hopefully I won’t draw a blank.

I’ve lived my life to be happy and cool
Because we all know Nez didn’t raise a fool.

I have crossed paths with friends from long ago
And regardless if we are friends or foe
My life would make a good reality show.

What to my wondering eyes should appear
Yet another one of my bright ideas.

Maybe I should write a book.
Ted Kennedy and Edwin Edwards have a hook.
Oh yes, that’s right, I’m not a crook.

Drew Brees is my main man of the year,
The NFL teams now have the fear.

We cheer and scream to support our team.
There’s Elvis, the Pope, and us on the big screen.

With umbrellas, pom-poms, and a foam finger in tow,
We cheered the Saints to 12 & 0.

We’ve seen Jimmy Buffet, Kloe and Kim Kardashian,
The owners of Dash.
They love athletes because of the cash.

You’ve read the thoughts in my head to my toe
And all about Nez’s love to mow.

I’ve written this rhyme for a real good reason,
To wish all my readers a great holiday season!

Merry Christmas

We’ve pretty much seen it all this past year— a bear market, a long rally and even a period of neither-up-nor-down. But even though we’ve only got a few weeks left of 2009, you still have time to make some moves that can pay off for you in 2010 — and beyond.

Here are a few suggestions to consider:

• “Max out” on your IRA — and make regular contributions next year. For the 2009 tax year, you can contribute up to $5,000 to a traditional or Roth IRA, or $6,000 if you’re 50 or older. And you have until April 15, 2010, to fully fund your 2009 IRA. Of course, it’s not always easy to come up with lump sums of money, but do whatever you can to make up for any shortfalls in your IRA for 2009. And in 2010, consider setting up automatic monthly contributions to your IRA — it’s a much more efficient way to maximize a great retirement-savings vehicle.

• Increase your 401(k) contributions. If your employer permits it, try to add more money to your 401(k) or other retirement plan before the year ends. By increasing your 401(k) contributions, you can lower your adjusted taxable income while you potentially build more resources for retirement.

• Convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Depending on your individual situation, a Roth IRA, which offers the potential for tax free growth, provided you meet certain conditions, may be a better choice for you than a traditional IRA, which offers the potential for growth on a tax deferred basis. Consequently, if you meet eligibility limits, you may want to convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. However, this conversion is likely going to be a “taxable event,” so you’ll need to have money available outside your IRA for the tax bill. You’ll want to discuss this move with your tax advisor.

• Sell your “losers.” If it’s appropriate for your portfolio balance and long-term goals, you may want to sell some investments that have lost value to take the tax losses. If these losses exceeded your capital gains from selling appreciated stocks, you can deduct up to $3,000 (or $1,500 for married couples filing separately) against your other income, reducing the amount on which you must pay taxes. And if you lost more than $3,000, you can carry over the excess into subsequent years. Consult with a tax advisor before selling investments to claim a tax loss.

• Consolidate your investment accounts. Instead of having an IRA with one firm, some other investments with another and a cash-value insurance policy with a third, you might want to consolidate all your assets with one provider. That way, you’ll be better able to align all your assets with a central, unified investment strategy.

• Review your insurance coverage. Over the course of a year, you could experience significant changes in your life: marriage or divorce, the birth of a new child or the departure of an older child from your home, the start of a new job or retirement from an old one, and so on. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you have the right amount and type of insurance to protect your family and your financial future.

By making these moves, you can close out 2009 on a positive note — while positioning yourself for progress on your long-term goals.

The “WHO DAT” Nation is alive and well after the Saints put the finishing touches on a 26-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons to move to 13-0. What a season for the Black and Gold from New Orleans, take a moment to ponder the season that Sean Payton and the Saints have had. A club record 13 wins, a first round bye in the playoffs, an undefeated season through 14 weeks, a opportunity to clinch “Dome” field advantage for the playoffs with a combination of 2 wins and/or Vikings losses. The Saints can join the 2007 Patriots and the 1972 Dolphins as the only teams that finished the regular season undefeated. The Saints can also join the Dolphins as the only undefeated Super Bowl champ, the Patriots lost in the Super Bowl in 2007. The Saints are the talk of National media and Drew Brees has appeared on every national show, even Jay Leno. I would venture to say that Brees could throw his name into the Mayor’s race in New Orleans and probably win. The Saints have won big and have also won close games as well. This franchise known for mediocrity since its inception in 1967, has had several breaks go its way, but good teams find a way to win. The Saints are 3 wins away from perfection in the regluar season but most importantly 3 more wins in the playoffs would make 2010 start off with a bang. The now deceased Buddy Diliberto of WWL 870 in New Orlearns always said he would wear a dress if the Saints ever won the Super Bowl. Hey Buddy, start picking out your favorite color, you might get that wish...stay tuned.

The LSU football team finished the regular season with a 9-3 record, most people predicted that, including myself. So why are LSU fans ranting and raving about the record? Slim losses to Florida and Alabama gave LSU fans a false hope that the Tigers could have beaten the best 2 teams in the SEC. I am here to tell you, not even close except the final score. The Gators and the Crimson Tide physically whipped LSU with suffocating defensive performances. Now onto the other loss, 25-23 to OLE MISS. That game has to go down as the game that LSU forgot how to tell time. With precious seconds running off of the clock in the 4th quarter, Coach Les Miles failed to use a timeout or as he put it, “time got away from me”. A desperation heave by QB Jordan Jefferson was caught near the 15 yard line by WR Terrance Toliver but the Tigers did not have enough time to spike the ball and bring on the field goal unit to try a chip shot kick for the win. I can think of about 4 million reasons why the clock management error should not happened, meaning the salary that LES MILES makes every year. Are you telling me that the 15 plus coaches on the sideline had not sense of how much time was left, that just doesn’t sit well with me.

The Tigers did benefit from those same Rebels losing to MISS STATE to push the Tigers into the Capitol One Bowl on January 1 versus the PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS and the ageless wonder, JOE Paterno. I like the Tigers chances of winning this game due to speed and preperation time. Les Miles is 4-0 in bowl games with 4 blowouts. LSU has made some changes on the staff with Larry Porter taking the Memphis Job and DJ Mccarthey resigning.
Taking their places will be Frank Wilson, a New Orleans native, from Tennessee and Billy Gonzales from Florida, nice hires I must say. You can open 2010 by watching the Tigers at noon on ABC versus the Nittany LIONS, not a bad way to spend NEW YEARS DAy.

The HIGH school football season has ended and 5 new champions were crowned in the Superdome. West Monroe in 5A, Neville in 4A, Notre Dame of Crowley in 3A, Evangel in 2A and Haynesville in 1A.

The LSU Basketball team is very young and inexperienced this season. They are led by Senior Tasmin Mitchell, Junior Bo Spencer and Sophomore Storm Warren. LSU is thin at every spot but you better get the Tigers this season because they bring in a top 10 recruting class for 2010-11...watch out next season and beyond.

OUr high school basketball teams are off and running with all 4 teams playing very well. District play starts after Christmas and I expect each team to battle for District honors and make the playoffs.

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Stories and comments can be sent to
troyleboeuf@hotmail.com

In the spirit of the holiday season, we wanted to take a moment and say thank you to the many clients, peers, vendors and friends who make what we do possible.

Below is a list of the top things we are grateful for in 2009. We look forward to being a continued part of your team in 2010 and for many more years to come. Happy Holidays.

Our clients.
We couldn’t talk about all the things we’re thankful for this year without first mentioning our wonderful clients. So here’s to the great partnerships we share with so many. We couldn’t do it without you!

Family & Friends.
After all, who would console us after a rough day at the office if it weren’t for our families and friends? But seriously, thanks to the family members and thanks to our extended group of friends! What would we do without you?

Technology.
Whether it be our awesome iPhones and Blackberries to social media applications like Twitter and Facebook, technology is pretty awesome and we’re thankful for it! After all, could you imagine what work would be like without it?

Innovation.
As individuals and as a company, we are constantly looking for opportunities to improve ourselves, our processes and our resources.

Google.
Need we say more?

Free Learning.
On any given day you can find at least one person taking advantage of free learning. Whether it’s catching up on an industry blog, watching a webinar or reading through a tutorial, we are constantly learning and working to improve ourselves in order to better serve our clients.

Extended Timelines.
Who doesn’t love finding out they don’t have to stay late at the office because their tight timeline has been extended?

The Vineyards of Sonoma and Napa Valleys.
Who would we all be if the miracle of wine weren’t an option?

Music.
If it wasn’t for music, all we would hear all day is the sound of a roaring hard drive, and that’s enough to make a person go crazy.

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