Thanksgiving Day traditionally is the time of year when we gather together with family for a delicious meal with foods of the season. Should we only be giving thanks on this one day or should we be thankful on a daily basis?

I am thankful for the wonderful six months we spent in Grand Isle. We managed to avoid any hurricanes and the mosquitoes were a small price to pay for the beauty of our surroundings. Many nights we watched the full moon rise over the Gulf of Mexico and were awake to capture the vivid sunrises and sunsets later that same day.

I am thankful to the fresh seafood that this wonderful state has to offer. We get spoiled eating fresh fish and shrimp along with the fresh vegetables produced in Joe C’s garden.

I am thankful for my circle of fiends. This includes my early morning ladies at Curves. We start our day sharing stores and a lot of laughter. This is a great start to get a jump on the day.

I am thankful to April and Margie in my office. We work together as friends pulling together to support each other during the day. We respect each other and depend on each other to make the best working environment possible. My dog Keno helps us through the day with his unconditional love. And we have regular customers that have to see him before they leave.

I am thankful that I was able to spend a long weekend in Grand Isle with Alison, my college roommate. We had not spent any length of time together since the 1980’s and it was a delightful visit. There were enough memories made that weekend that could later become an article for next year.

I am grateful for the new front bumper Ricky gave to Nez for her Taurus and to the D’ville Glass and Body Shop for installing it. This should last her another ten years.

I am grateful to Anna Lee and Piyou Gautreau for picking Nez up three nights a week for Bingo. They also invite her on a few day trips to casinos. Nez says if it wouldn’t be for Edwin Edwards all the old people wouldn’t have anything to do.

I am grateful for having known Kirk P. Landry. He was my neighbor on Landry Street. We went through his many casts of characters, from Clint Eastwood in “A Fist Full of Dollars” to “Apocalypse Now” when he would move my coffee table so he could lie under my ceiling fan and recite the opening lines from the movie. We went through Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen when he would follow me in my kitchen singing and playing the guitar as I loaded my dishwasher. We went through the time he customized his new Ford Pinto that his father bought by spray painting X-19 on it and doing some four wheel driving (with a two wheel drive vehicle) behind the levee. We went through his Rick Flair wrestling days when he came out of my bathroom wearing my one piece swim suit. You never knew when he would put you in a head lock or an airplane spin. I had him house sit while Alison and I spent two weeks in Miami and the Keys. He stayed in my house for ten days, mowed the grass once and painted the top of my redwood picnic table white. He and Slimmy (you know who you are) put on my night gowns, laid in my bed and threw a pie on my bedroom ceiling that was freshly painted. There were still crumbs when I got home. One Christmas they surprised me with a gift…..a sweater that they took out of my closet, wrapped, and put it under my tree. I would let him do it all again if that would bring him back.

I am grateful for a winning season for the Saints. I have found a love for football in climate controlled environments. I am learning more about football as we attend the games and can even call an occasional “holding” call.

I am grateful to the great job Becky and Pam are doing to continue the message of THE CHAMBER VOICE. By turning the publishing over to the Chamber I actually have free time at work. It has also allowed the Chamber to bring in extra revenue. If you don’t advertise in the VOICE think about participating. It has evolved into a publication our city can be proud of and lots of readers look forward to receiving.

I am thankful to find my newspaper at my door each morning by my great neighbors, to have my garbage can back in place after the trash truck passes, and to coming home to Peter and my beloved pets, Chynna, and Keno.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

As you’re no doubt aware, the long and deep recession has resulted in the highest unemployment rate in decades. But if you’ve been laid off, or if you fear a layoff may soon be coming, you’re less interested in statistics than in your immediate financial future. How will you get by until you land a new job?

This is a scary question, of course. And it can cause you to look at all your available financial resources — including your 401(k), which may well be the largest single financial resource you have.

But before you cash out your 401(k), make sure you understand what’s involved. Your former employer is required to withhold 20% of your account balance to prepay federal taxes. Also, all your 401(k) proceeds will be taxed as ordinary income. And if you’re under age 59½ when you liquidate your 401(k), you may also be subject to a 10 percent penalty. And worst of all, the money may not be available to you when you retire.

Obviously, if you have no other financial resources, you may have no choice but to tap into your 401(k) plan.

However, if you can find an alternative way to tide yourself over until you’re working again, you may be better off in the long run by not cashing in your plan.

If you decide against the “cash-out” option, what can you do with your 401(k)? Here are two possibilities:

• Keep the money in your former employer’s plan. If your former employer permits it, you may able to leave your money in your 401(k). You won’t have to pay any immediate taxes, and your money can continue to grow tax deferred. But you may no longer be able to add funds to your account.

• Roll your money over to an IRA. If you roll over your 401(k) assets to an IRA, you’ll avoid paying immediate taxes, and your money can continue to grow tax deferred. Furthermore, you can fund your IRA with many types of investments, as opposed to a 401(k), which may offer only a handful of choices. And when you can afford it, you can make additional contributions to your IRA. Also, when you retire, you may find that an IRA gives you more flexibility in making withdrawals than a 401(k).

While there are some clear benefits to keeping your 401(k) with your former employer or moving it to an IRA, neither choice helps you answer the question of how you’ll make it, financially speaking, until you’re working again. If you’ve built up a cash cushion in the preceding years, you can turn to it now, of course. And if you’ve created an investment portfolio outside your 401(k), take a close look at it. You can consider adjusting your investment mix to add more income-producing investments, if appropriate. Keep in mind that your portfolio should reflect your risk tolerance, long-term goals and time horizon.
A layoff is never easy — and it can force you to make some tough choices. But if you can help protect your 401(k) today, you’ll be helping yourself tomorrow.

Hello from the Press Box, just watched the Saints put the finishing touches on a 30-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The Saints are 8-0 for the 1st time in franchise history.

At the midseason point, I figured I would give some grades to this Saints team.

On offense, the passing game led by QB Drew Brees gets a A-. Tight end Jeremy Shockey has been a pleasant suprise, the always flamboyant Shockey is finally healthy. Marquis Colston has been steady and Devery Henderson is having his best season with hardly no drops. The running game has improved and I will give them a B-. Losing fullback Heath Evans for the season to a knee injury has hurt but the tandem of Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush and Mike Bell have been better than average. The ability of the Saints to run the ball has allowed Brees to not have to win every game with his arm. On the defensive side, the Saints have shown improvement in terms of stopping teams on 3rd down. The run defense has been up and down, I will give them a C+, this has to improve. The pass defense is the strength and I would give them a B+. Safety Darren Sharper has 6 interceptions with 3 of those being returned for touchdowns. Injuries to DT Sedrick Ellis and LB Scott Fujita have hindered the Saints run defense, they need both guys back. Coach Sean Payton is being mentioned as the Coach of the Year at the mid point, my grade is obviously an A. The road to the Superbowl in the NFC should have to go through the Louisiana Superdome if the Saints continue winning. Staying undefeated would be a great story for the media and the fans but keeping home field advantage for the playoffs is more important.

The LSU tigers are 7-2 with losses coming to #1 Florida and #3 Alabama. LSU is #9 overall and #8 in the BCS standings, the highest 2 loss team (ahead of mighty USC). Most fans thought the Tigers would lose to both of these teams but the way they have lost is puzzling. The Tigers had opportunities to win both games with better play, which can be attributed to the opponent. LSU has a great deal to play for, a 10 win season, a top 10 finish, a New Years Day Bowl and a second place finish in the SEC West. Florida and Bama have punched their tickets to the SEC championship game in Atlanta with 3 games to go.

LSU has games remaining at Ole Miss, which is always tough and home game versus LA TECH and Arkansas. LSU has lost running back Charles Scott to a season ending collarbone injury, which will hurt. Look for Keiland Williams and Steven Ridley to step up plus more touches for Freshmen Russell Shepard. The LSU defense has been good giving up 12 points a game, top 15 in the nation.

High School football teams have ended their regular seasons and will be starting the playoffs as of press time. The DHS Tigers went 9-1 under Coach Terrance Williams and garnered a #8 seed in the class 2A playoffs. With 2 victories, DHS could meet State Champion John Curtis in the quarterfinals, that would be a challenge. Senior running back Bryant Dunn has been fabulous with over 1600 yds rushing. The Tiger D has been stingy giving up 12 points a game led by linebackers Aikee Turner, Jeremy Dunn, Justin Breaux and Tre Sullivan. Noseguard Henry Mitchell is tough to move and Safety Darvell Allen has great ball skills.

ACHS lost their last 4 games down the stretch to end the season at 3-7. The Dogs missed the playoffs by percentage points. ACHS was led by Junior running back Myron Dominique with 1300 yds and a solid offensive line. Wideout Matt Pearce caught 8 touchdowns from QB Charles Caballero on offense. The defense was led by linebacker Taylor Landry, defensive end James LeBoeuf and Safety Jesse Pizzalato. Coach Bolotte will return for his 4th year and is very excited about next years team.

The ACHS Volleyball team finished 2nd in district and will be playing White Castle for a chance to go to the State Volleyball tournament as a quarterfinalist. Coaches Tricia Pearce, Cliff Rome and Chandra Ewen have been pleased with their teams play led by Elaine Pearce, Alayna Poirrier, Anna Lassere and Sarah Ball. Good luck to the Lady Bulldogs.

I will preview the Hornets , the LSU Tigers and our high school teams in next months issue.

Stories and or comments can be sent to troyleboeuf@hotmail.com
Tune in to KKAY 1590 AM or www.globalradiokkay.com for local sports.

We all know how important an accessible, professional website can be. Over-the-top fonts and dead-end links are the today’s equivalent to a coffee-stained shirt and scuffed up shoes. But while you tend to your company’s online image, are you neglecting your own? More than fifty million professionals have resolved this question by turning to the business-networking site LinkedIn.

The site’s user-friendly interface lets professionals set up an account and build a network of friends, colleagues, and clients, then connect with professionals in their networks. The site is free and easy to join, but can seem at times a little overwhelming. Luckily, whether you’re networking online or face-to-face, the same rules apply. Here are a few familiar tips to help you make the most of LinkedIn:

Make Your First Impression a Good One
Your profile will be the first thing that other LinkedIn users see when they arrive at your page. It will also be available, in limited form, to anyone who searches for you online. The more frequently people visit your LinkedIn site, the more quickly your public profile raises in Google search results. At a minimum, your profile should be accurate and up-to-date. You’ll also want to be sure to include a profile picture: not only will it put new contacts at ease, but it will also allow for easier recognition when you do meet face-to-face.

Keep Your Pitch Short and Clear
Your profile page is divided into sections. The most important of these is the summary. Your marketing company can help you develop a clear summary of your business idea or project plan, one that will quickly capture the attention of potential contacts and let them know why they want to connect with you.

Your profile should also include an experience & education section, which will look a lot like a traditional resume, and an additional information section, where you can list awards and memberships in professional associations and provide links to your company’s website or professional blogs.

Don’t Wait for Others to Come to You
Your first step will be to connect with current and former colleagues and clients. The simplest way to reach out is to search for contacts by name. But you can also perform an “advanced people search” (under the “More” tab) that lets you find a specific person based on a combination of factors, including industry, company, title, school, or location, even if you’re not sure of their full names.

To get others to contact you, you may want to join one of the site’s Groups, which can put you in touch with others who share your interests or professional or educational background. Joining a group connects you with colleagues and potential clients, letting you learn best practices while also reaching out to those interested in your services.

If you don’t find a group on the site that meets your interests, work with your marketing company to develop a short description and a logo -- LinkedIn allows users to add groups to the site.

Ask Good Questions and Make Yourself A Resource
Make use of the site’s Answers forum. Posting a question here invites feedback from colleagues and industry experts. You can also offer answers to questions posted by others. LinkedIn even provides members with “expertise points” for each question they answer, and maintains a list of “experts.”

While the same rules apply whether you’re networking online or in person, there are some undeniable advantages to online business networking. While we’ve provided a brief outline of the site here, you’ll find even more resources provided by LinkedIn if you sign up. In the past six months alone, more than ten million users have joined. And none of them are looking at your shoes.

To read other informative articles like this, join the dezinSOURCE mailing list at www.dezinSOURCE.com. dezinSOURCE is a free e-newsletter provided as a service of Dezins – Web and Multi-Media Marketing (www.dezins.com.)