30th Edition - January 2013

F R E E TA K E O N E

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SLIDELL

Dedicated to the families of Newtown, CT

magazine Vol 30 January 2013

Our prayers are with them

TAILgating PAWty! Hosted by THE CAMELLIA CITY BARK PARK for KREWE DE PAWS OF OLDE TOWNE!

Sat, Feb. 2, 2013 • 10am - 2pm

Corner of Robert St. and Front St.

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(in the parking lot behind KY‛s Restaurant in Slidell, LA.)

Come watch the local pups strut their stuff at the parade!!

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Slidell Business Owners: Want to INCREASE your sales?

Size Celebrating the season with Charmagne Simon and Lisa Harris of Bayou Title, Inc.

Editor’s Letter

By Kendra Maness

It was another amazing Christmas! And, I have Slidell to thank for it!

I have a pretty small family (mom, 2 sisters, 1 nephew). We don’t do much in the way of celebrating Christmas – just a simple brunch, compliments of my sister, on Christmas morning. We reserve gift-giving for my nephew primarily and, as he’s grown (he’s now 13), even that has become less dramatic compared to the frenzy of his childhood days when we would gather to watch him tear open dozens of packages, with cameras flashing to capture each moment of childhood Christmas excitement.

Three years ago, when I first moved back to Slidell, it was a pretty meager Christmas.

I didn’t have many friends yet and I was in the hectic start-up mode of opening a new business, affording me very little time or money for holiday cheer. I felt lonely and sorry for myself.

Fast forward to this year – CHRISTMAS WAS AWESOME! Did I suddenly win the lottery, become the most popular gal in town, and have a thousand new friends that I could

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lavish with presents? Not exactly. What I did have, however, was the accumulation of three years of living and working in a tightknit community that promotes business, charity and friendships.

This year, I had invitations to more than a dozen Christmas parties – most of which I attended. (I was the one with the HUGE smile on my face, soaking in every minute of the Christmas spirit!) Every invitation was an added bonus to the relationships that have been built through the magazine and charitable work. I shared the holidays with people I had previously only known through business or networking, but now I can call friends. I met new people too, forging relationships that will grow over this next year. And it didn’t require a lot of money or presents. Instead, I brought my camera along and happily snapped pictures of the hosts and their guests. Not only did the pictures make great post-Christmas presents, they also captured permanent memories of a beautiful Christmas 2012, filled with love and friendship.

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Kendra Maness - Editor/Publisher Editor@SlidellMag.com Alan Lossett - Graphic Design Jennifer Rieck - Sales Photography: ImkePhoto.com Contributing Writers: Alex Carollo Gay DiGiovanni Nancy Richardson Lee Kreil Carol Ruiz Dr. Dennis Peyroux The Storyteller, John Case

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ef o

Extraordinarily Fascinating “Ordinary” Person of the Month

C.J. Bennett

by Nancy Richardson

January 2013 All that C.J. Bennett ever wanted was to be ordinary. And in his opportunities and struggles to attain that goal, he became extraordinary. C.J. Bennett is a coach, a referee, a mentor, a certified Olympic trial-level weight-lifter – all very extraordinary accomplishments. But his achievements become that much more impressive when you know that C.J. Bennett was born with cerebral palsy.

A very self-determined individual, C.J.’s life story is compelling and inspirational. Growing up, there were no federal or state laws giving C.J. access to early intervention, education or other services. He had to do it on his own. And, boy how he did! As we begin a new year of resolutions, C.J.’s story is a reminder to all of us that, with enough hard work and determination, goals can be accomplished and dreams can come true.

An accident occurred at birth, which threatened both his life and his mother’s life, and left C.J. with the crippling neurological condition known as cerebral palsy, a group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous system functions, such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing, and thinking.

Cerebral palsy is caused by injuries or abnormalities of the brain. Most of these problems occur as the baby grows in the womb, but they can happen at any time during the first 2 years of life, while the baby’s brain is still developing. There are several different types of cerebral palsy, the most common being spastic cerebral palsy. With this condition, C.J. had

to overcome the tragic but common effects of the disorder, such as speech, hearing and vision problems, muscles that are very tight and do not stretch, tightened joints that do not open up all the way (called joint contracture), jerky and sudden movements, and extreme muscle weakness. There is no cure for cerebral palsy.

C.J. has never let the condition stop him from an active life; in fact, it has encouraged him to improve the quality of his life through sports and fitness. Through his volunteer work, he has helped others improve their lives as well. “All it takes is determination and a willingness to do more than just wish it and dream it,” says C.J. “You gotta get up off your butt and quit feeling sorry for yourself!”

“If you have CP or some other disability, the first thing you have to do is accept it and go on,” says a very positive C.J., as we spoke in his Slidell home. “You make the best of your life.”

Making the best of things has meant a lot of hard work for C.J. His father died of tuberculosis when C.J. was eight years old. His mother had to go to work to support her two children, leaving C.J. alone with his younger sister most of the time. But when she was there, his mom did not treat him as someone with a disability. Always encouraging her son to do things for himself, C.J.’s mom was a major influence in his can-do attitude towards life and his situation. “You can do anything you want to, my mother told me constantly,” says C.J.

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Growing up in New Orleans, C.J. attended McDonogh #9, where all disabled children were put into a special class. By necessity, C.J. was forced to learn to do things for himself. This challenge, he believes, gave him the strength to deal with life successfully.

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C.J.’s volunteer work is legendary and long. As a board member of the Greater New Orleans Cerebral Palsy Association, C.J. was instrumental in founding the New Orleans Hurricanes, a group of area CP athletes who participated as a team in competitive sports. The philosophy of the program was that team members compete equally. To achieve this, they were categorized according to physical ability ranging from Class 1 participants, who had very little motor control and were confined to wheelchairs, to Class 8 members, who were minimally disabled. C.J. was a Class 6 athlete, since all four of his limbs were involved but he was still ambulatory.

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Throughout his adolescence, C.J.’s doctors had been concerned about his light frame and had implored him to gain weight and improve his mobility with exercise. A fateful visit to meet his cousin, Don, in Shreveport, LA would change C.J.’s life forever. Don was a swimming instructor at the local YMCA and began weight training with C.J., strengthening many of the muscles which had been weakened as a result of CP. Returning home, C.J. continued his training at Lee Circle YMCA in New Orleans. Says Don, “I first met C.J. in 1959. At the time I met him, I can truthfully say that it appeared he had as bad a case of cerebral palsy as one could have. He could not eat by himself, dress himself, and it was difficult for him to walk or talk. At 18 years of age, he weighed only 118 pounds. I told him that I could only help him if he listened and did what I told him to do. He would have to be a regular [at the gym] if he wanted to improve his balance, coordination, flexibility, and strength.

He started with a ten pound bar and iron boots. I don’t know how many times he went up and down the stairs with those iron boots on to improve the coordination and strength in his legs.

He never complained and, from the start, he improved.” After only one year, C.J had gained 25 pounds and was on the road to becoming completely independent. He was able to dress himself, eat by himself, and his speech had improved. Inspired by the success brought to his life through training, he became very active in helping the new lifters and became well versed in body building and weight lifting. C.J. even got a new job, at L.A. Frey and Son Meat Packing Company, where he was, believe it or not, an egg packer!

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As his form and technique got better and he became stronger, an eager C.J was ready for competitive lifting – and winning! Each success propelled C.J. on to the next level.

In weight lifting, the next level seemed to be coaching, then refereeing and judging, and ultimately, one of the most important jobs of all (especially in the Olympics), timekeeping.

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As a coach, C.J. recalls, “Three of my athletes competed in the 1988 Paralympics in Korea.” He coached the Jr World Games for all Cerebral Palsy Class VIII athletes, and in 1991, he served as assistant coach for the USA Cerebral Palsy Power Lifting Team at the Pre-Paralympics competition in Wolver Hampton, England where the team of nine athletes competed and brought home nine medals! C.J. boasts, “In 1992, two of my athletes made the Paralympics Team in Barcelona, Spain.” In C.J.’s office at home hang dozens of Olympic badges, a testament to his world class abilities.

Dottie, his wife of 32 years, enjoys and shares in C.J.’s enthusiasm for life. She says, “We begged, borrowed and hounded people for help to be able to send C.J. to these many Olympic contests around the world.” One of C.J.’s proudest moments was being selected to carry the 1996 Olympic torch into Jackson Square, New Orleans, for the 100th Anniversary of the Olympic Games. That impressive (and very heavy) torch rests on the Bennett’s hearth in their home in Slidell. A beaming C.J. proudly shows it off and jokes with visitors, telling them he had to buy it!

Besides his main goal of striving for a normal life, C.J.’s second goal was to “pay it forward”. He has spent his entire life giving help, hope and inspiration to others with and without disabilities. He has always led by example, especially in his coaching work. C.J.’s infectious laugh and attitude have made him a most likeable guy. He also provides invaluable information to medical students on care and treatment of CP from the point of view of one who has had to deal with the condition his whole life. Recently, he happily provided coaching for one of the Cross Gates CrossFit trainers who was in training for a female weightlifting competition.

Two years ago, at the age of 70, C.J. was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, which put a damper on some of his activities, such as dancing (which he and Dottie loved to do). But it didn’t stop him from continuing to coach, teach and inspire others through his public speaking.

C.J. was admitted to Hospice early in 2012. His positive attitude connected with his caregivers who just would not give up on him. With help from his aides and an indomitable spirit, C.J. recovered. And, just in time to receive something very, very special!

C.J. was inducted into the National Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 2012. As he was physically unable to travel to California to receive the honor in person, his cousin Wayne Vizzin, his sister Sandra, and numerous friends arranged to have the impressive plaque sent here by UPS, arriving just in time for the big celebration at South Side Café one Sunday afternoon in early December, 2012. Friends and family came from thousands of miles away to be there for C.J.’s big day, including his cousin Don, bringing C.J.’s career in sports full-circle.

They all had stories to tell about their pride in C.J., his help in their weight-lifting careers and his friendship - testimonials to his “pay it forward” philosophy.

In a testimonial letter on the occasion of his induction into the Weightlifting Hall of Fame, Cindy Arceneaux writes: “C.J. agreed to coach my son, Bobby, (who has, among other attributes, Autism) in weightlifting and it has made a huge impact on Bobby’s life.

Bobby has trained and competed in Olympic Weightlifting and in Power Lifting and has learned the importance of working to achieve a goal—that people with disabilities can’t sit around hoping the world will knock on their door. Bobby has gained a great deal of self-determination from his experiences of being mentored and coached by C.J. I know Bobby will be very excited for C.J., as am I. No one deserves recognition for promoting and participating in USA Weightlifting more.

Congrats C.J. – You done Louisiana proud!!”

The national motto of the United Cerebral Palsy Sports Athletic Association is “Sports

by Ability; Not Disability.” It could be said that this is C.J.’s personal motto as well. He also wants to help parents of CP kids face the reality of their children’s disabilities, and encourages the parents to allow their children

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to accept themselves. He says, “I tell them ‘It’s nobody’s fault; it just happened that way.’” C.J. is a believer in what he calls “hard love” – letting the person with CP struggle in order to grow in strength and self-respect. “It does the disabled more harm by helping them too much,” he comments. “Let them do things for themselves,” as his own mother did for him.

C.J. carries the Olympic torch into Jackson Square, New Orleans, in 1996

And, he takes life with a smile. “If you can’t laugh, you can’t succeed! You have CP, big deal! Pity is more limiting than the condition itself,” says C.J. He laughs, uproariously, unselfconsciously, contentedly for a life well spent and quite well earned. C.J. Bennett may have started out life with a huge bowl of lemons but he made one gigantic pitcher of lemonade! Congrats, C.J.! (And from all of us at Slidell Magazine, we say WAY TO GO!)

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“Into the Woods” Slidell Little Theatre • 2pm

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Hornets vs Houston HOME • 8pm

WED

Storytime • Slidell Library Ages 2mo–2yrs: 9:30am Ages 3-5: 10:30am

Hornets @ Los Angeles AWAY • 10:30pm

Storytime • Slidell Library Ages 2mo-2yrs: 9:30 AM Ages 3-5: 10:30am

Storytime • Slidell Library Ages 2mo-2yrs: 9:30am Ages 3-5: 10:30am

Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting H&R Block Premium 3-5pm

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Hornets @ Utah AWAY • 9pm

Storytime • Slidell Library Ages 2-3: 9:30am Ages 3-5: 10:30am

Storytime • Slidell Library Ages 2-3: 9:30am Ages 3-5: 10:30am Children’s Program “Beautiful Snow” Ages 5-11: 4:30pm

Hornets @ Boston AWAY • 8pm

Storytime Slidell Library Ages 2-3: 9:30am Ages 3-5: 10:30am

Chamber Luncheon “Being an Economic Driving Force..”

Lisa Babin Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting President, LA Sports HOF Express Party Supplies Young’s Restaurant • 11:30am 3-5pm

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Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting Fox’s Pizza Den Sports Bar and Grill • 3-5pm

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Storytime Pearl River Library Ages 0-5: 10:30 AM

Storytime Pearl River Library Ages 0-5: 10:30 AM

Storytime Pearl River Library Ages 0-5: 10:30am

Storytime Pearl River Library Ages 0-5: 10:30am

THU

Hornets vs Minnesota HOME • 8pm

Public Policy Committee Chamber Boardroom 8am

FRI

FEBRUARY

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Krewe of Selene 6:30pm

“Into the Woods” Slidell Little Theatre • 8pm

1

Hornets vs Houston HOME • 8pm

“Into the Woods” Slidell Little Theatre • 8pm

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Starry, Starry Nights in the East Chamber Annual Awards Northshore Harbor Center 7pm

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SAT

Every Saturday Camellia City Farmer’s Market

Krewe of Bilge 12noon

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Krewe of Slidellians Ball Harbor Center • 7pm

Mystic Krewe of Titans 6:30pm

Krewe de Paws Olde Towne • 10am

“Into the Woods” Slidell Little Theatre • 8pm

Mona Lisa and Moon Pie Olde Towne • 7pm

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Hornets vs Golden State HOME • 8pm

“Into the Woods” Slidell Little Theatre • 8pm

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Krewe of Bilge Mardi Gras Ball Harbor Center

Volunteer Work/Play Day Bayou Lacombe Center

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J A N U A R Y

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One nvit I e s m i Co ne ryo e v E

Hornets vs Phoenix HOME • 8pm

Storytime • Slidell Library Ages 2-3: 9:30am Ages 3-5: 10:30am

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Krewe of Salt Bayou 2pm

Every Saturday Camellia City Farmer’s Market

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January 18th, 2013 • 7-11pm • Northshore Harbor Center

Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting Iberia Bank 3-5pm

Storytime • Slidell Library Ages 2mo-2yrs: 9:30am Ages 3-5: 10:30am

2 0 Starry, Starry Nights in the East 1 Celebrating our 50 Anniversary Chamber Awards & Membership Appreciation 2

Ambassador Meeting TBD • 12Noon

Hornets vs Sacramento HOME • 1pm

“Into the Woods” Slidell Little Theatre • 2pm

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Events Committee Chamber Boardroom 8:30am

Hornets vs San Antonio HOME • 8pm

Events Committee Chamber Boardroom 8:30am

MON

Education Committee Chamber Boardroom 8:30am

Pearl River Lions Club Parade • 12 Noon

Krewe of Slidellians 1pm

Hornets @ New York AWAY • 12Noon

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Krewe of Perseus Krewe of Dionysus • 1pm

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SUN

REMINDER! JANUARY 18 Salad Days Art Exhibit Opening Reception City of Slidell Gallery 6-8pm (Show runs thru Feb 16)

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A New Years Story My Life as a Firework Terrorist would boil and bubble to the top with a dull thud. We would wait with heightened expectation to see what we had killed.

Then the fish would float to the top, belly up. All we had to do was dip them out.

We knew that fishing with dynamite was a felony. Virgil Greer’s daddy spent two months in jail for doing that, but it never occurred to us that we were doing the same thing, just on a smaller scale. If we had been political I suppose we would have been a 1950’s Timothy McVay. We did do some damage to a few mailboxes, but mostly our fireworks raids were harmless.

I liked it when my relatives gave me cash for Christmas. They probably gave cash because they had no idea what a boy my age would want or because they were too busy and did not have time to shop.

I knew what I wanted and what I would buy with the cash. It would be fireworks. I loved fireworks as much as Purvis Smith loved his sawdust pile.

I usually got a large pack of Black Cat fire crackers stuffed in a new pair of socks.

That was a standard Christmas gift from my parents each year. I would light them on Christmas afternoon, and that just set the stage for the destruction and terror I and my friends would unleash on the community starting on New Year’s Eve.

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Hopefully, I had saved a few dollars to add to the Christmas cash and with this money I would stock up with firepower. Cherry Bombs, Silver Salutes, M-80s, Roman Candles, Sparklers and Screaming Bangies would round out my arsenal. All this and we were only about ten years old.

Our pyrotechnical education was self learned and it started with a Prince Albert tobacco can. We would put rocks in the bottom to weigh it down, poke a small hole in the top for the fuse and, for a dime, we had a depth charge that the U.S. Navy would have been pleased with. Drop one of these babies in a shallow creek and stand back. The water

In a year or two we stepped up to pipe bombs. With all the terrorist hype, pipe bombs have gotten a bad rap, but they were essential to our arsenal in those days.

They provided a loud blast and when they worked, they killed more fish than the Prince Albert bomb. But due to waterproofing, they were not as dependable. I think there is a federal law that forbids me to describe how we made them but everything we needed could be found in most homes back in those days.

Back then adults could buy dynamite at the local hardware store. They would not sell it to us kids, but they would sell us the fuse. We probably used a mile of this fuse in our campaign of terror.

We learned if you really wanted to arouse the neighbors, you needed to make an acetylene bag bomb. Acetylene mixed with oxygen is a combination of gases that is very explosive and used in welding and the metal cutting process. Every farmer had an acetylene torch, so the gases were readily available.

First, we got a plastic laundry bag from the dry cleaner.

We taped all openings, as if to fashion it into an airtight bag, then filled it with the gas. We would coil some of the dynamite fuse under the bag and run it several yards away. Finally, it was the night of reckoning, the moment when we would announce to the world that a New Year had dawned.

We would wait until we saw a few small bottle rockets being fired and heard a few small firecrackers. This meant it was close to midnight. None of us had a watch, so this was accurate enough. We would draw straws to see who would light the fuse and, while the sparkle of the fuse was racing its way to the bag, we were running to put a lot of distance behind us.

Finally, there was the explosion. For a second, everything was dead silent. Our world was in shock. Then the world came alive with the barking of dogs, the screaming of neighbors and cattle stampeding. Within minutes, pickup trucks were circling the area to see what had exploded and how much damage had been done. Some of these first responders would only be dressed in their night clothes. Our band of disturbers-of-the-peace was hidden in a nearby culvert, watching and filled with pride on a job well done.

We called this our “moment of terror” and we must have done it for five or six years. Never did we do it in the exact same place and never did anyone find out who was doing it, but they were suspicious.

Next, we built hot air balloons. Again, we started with a dry-cleaning bag and fastened a light circular wire to the mouth of the bag to keep it open. To this wire, we attached a gondola made of aluminum foil and filled it with sterno.

With luck, the heat-filled bag would ascend and the glow of the flame flickering off the plastic bag made a ghostly sight as the wind took it across the sky. There were a lot of superstitious people that lived near us. We imagined that some people thought Jesus was descending on a pillow of fire, but mostly we just enjoyed the success of having it work successfully.

When we were about fourteen we decided that NASA had nothing on us.

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We would make a rocket. All the ingredients you needed to make the fuel could be bought at the local drug store. No questions were asked, regardless of how young you were.

There were three main ingredients, which a wiser me refuses to divulge, as my grandchildren may read this someday and want to be just like their granddad.

We did not hide our amateur rocketry, as we deemed it scientific. Our rockets had little or no science behind them.

We would make the body of the rocket out of the cardboard center from a roll of paper towels. We would then line the interior and exterior with aluminum foil to make it fire resistant. Finally we would devise a nose cone and add some stabilizing fins. We would then pack it with powder, take it to the launch pad (also known as the front yard) and fire it up.

The word got around about what we were doing and it was not uncommon to have thirty or forty spectators on launch Saturday. There would be as many adults as children and they mostly left disappointed.

As I recall, we never got one to go more than a foot off the ground, but we would tell the crowd that they should have been there for the test launch earlier that morning. We told them the earlier rocket went at least a mile high.

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Probably our most dangerous invention was building the “Hell Senders”. We would take the inner tube from an automobile tire and fill it with gasoline. Gas was cheap then. There was no tax on farm gas, so it cost about fifteen cents a gallon.

If we could not afford it, we would siphon it from some unattended tractor.

We would then place it on the highway right of way about thirty feet off the road. We would light a cigar and place it under the inner tube. When the cigar burned through the tube, it would melt and explode. Flames would shoot forty or fifty feet in the air.

Imagine some random, unexpecting motorist passing by when this happened. He or she had no idea what kind of phenomenon they had just witnessed. The next morning, an embellished account of the explosion could be heard at the local service stations and cafes. The possibilities were endless - from a small plane crash to a UFO. I truly believe most children have a guardian angel.

We never got injured in any way and, as I said, we did not cause any lasting property damage.

Well, that is not totally true if you consider Purvis Smith’s sawdust pile.

To understand Purvis Smith you have to know a little history about southern Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana.

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Around the turn of the century, there were several large sawmills scattered around the country side. Virgin longleaf pine was in great demand in the north and the lumber barons made and lost fortunes in its harvest.

Combined, these mills had hundreds of miles of small gauge railroads that extended into the woods in order to transport the logs back for processing. With this equipment, most all the timber that was deemed worthy had been cut, and the mills closed by 1925. Engineers, loaders, sawyers and filers were laid off.

Within a few years after their closing, small sawmills began to spring up all over the community. It was an attempt to make a living cutting the sparse amount of timber that remained. They were called “Peckerwood” mills - so named because they could not cut much more timber than a woodpecker.

Owning a Peckerwood mill, however, did give the entrepreneur some degree of status. He at least owned something. Owning something was not a luxury everyone in the south had in the 1930’s. The depression was at its height. A few mills did well, but most only lasted a few years and closed.

Regardless, where they stood they left behind a large pile of sawdust. These piles may be as tall as a three story building and have a base 200 feet across. Having one on your property was a testament of success and those owners, now old men, wanted to preserve them. It was their monument, visible evidence that they once owned something.

They had been standing for years when we were kids.

They were considered dangerous, as they would rot from beneath and if you climbed on them, you could fall through and suffocate. It had happened more than once to people we knew of. That sounded like a bad way to die so we stayed away.

Occasionally, these sawdust piles would catch fire from no apparent cause. Each year, a few more caught fire than the year before. A pile could smolder and smoke for years and it was a serious nuisance.

It was such a nuisance that the state sent investigators and it was determined they were igniting due to spontaneous combustion. The heat produced by the rotting rich pine sawdust would finally catch fire.

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His wife had left him when his mill closed down and ran off with one of the sawyers.

Now he lived alone. From sun up to sun down he sat on his front porch watching his sawdust pile and a couple of dozen cows he pastured. He was a bitter old man to say the least.

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One night his barn caught on fire and burned to the ground. It was in late January and he was sure that we had done it. He said he saw one of our homemade hot air balloons land in the hay beside the barn.

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Purvis Smith had once owned a Peckerwood mill. He probably never was a very likable person but by now, he was the most disliked man that you have ever met. He did not like kids and in fact, I’m not sure he liked anyone. He shot any dog that happened to cross his property and if a neighbor’s cow got out of its pasture, he would put it in his own pasture. By the time the owner found out where the cow was, Purvis would claim large boarding fees and, more likely than not, the farmer just walked away.

After all these years I would admit it, but this was just not true. If it was a balloon, it was not ours and I don’t think anyone else knew how to make one. We did not have any defense however. When questioned by the sheriff, we admitted we had been responsible for the “moment of terror”, the hot air balloons and, in our confession, we even admitted to bombing the fish. But we denied we had flown a hot air balloon that night.

Saturdays we had to do community service. We didn’t like it, but it was better than six months at the county farm where they sent small time criminals.

We served our sentence - not patiently - but we served it.

Each weekend that we could not be with our friends gave us more reason to hate that old man. When we had served our punishment, we had revenge on our minds.

Purvis Smith had been one of those who did not believe in spontaneous combustion. He reasoned that nothing just caught fire and started making accusations that we had been responsible for the dozen or so sawdust pile fires in the last couple of years. This literally added fuel to the fire. So we planned our mission carefully.

On a hot August night, we proved him wrong about spontaneous combustion. His sawdust pile just caught fire. After acquiring a tube, gasoline and a cigar, we watched the flames from a hillside a quarter of a mile away. Even at that distance, we could hear the old man cursing.

We were taken to a juvenile hearing and circumstantial evidence convicted us. Our parents did not protest our conviction, as I think they thought we may be guilty. The judge slammed his gavel and said six months. We were stunned. But then he explained that we were grounded for six months. We had to be home by 6pm, unless in the company of our parents, and

That sawdust pile was still smoldering when I graduated from high school.

John Case January 2012

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Making ₵ents

of your money

by Mike Rich

PAINT A NEW FINANCIAL PICTURE IN 2013 My daughter Heather is a fitness and wellness consultant. Now, I know a lot of people, when they read “consultant”, actually think “unemployed.” I’ll admit, I do too, sometimes.

But, Heather is different. She is a fitness consultant and certified wellness coach who gets paid to help people get and stay fit and well.

She built her business from scratch after leaving a very well-paid corporate job more than a year ago.

Business is booming, she tells me. How did she do it?

She had a vision, and she acted on it.

Heather told me that she was tired of what she called her “full-time, life-sucking, no-future, no-flexibility,

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depressing, and frustrating job” (during this rant, she forgot that it paid extremely well), and she wanted something different. She wanted to work less, earn the same amount of money (or more) while working from home so she could spend more time with my two beautiful grandsons, do the work she really wanted to do, and basically, escape the rat race and follow her passion for making and keeping people healthy. To reach her goal, she created a “vision board.” It’s nothing new, and you can find lots of references to vision boards on the Internet. The difference with Heather is that after she created her vision, she actually followed through on it and built a successful business. By the way, if you want to meet her, do an Internet search for “Healthy Heather.”

Like Heather, lots of successful people use visualization to achieve their goals. Athletes, movie actors, artists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and a whole host of other movers and shakers swear by it. They paint mental and physical pictures (their vision boards) of what they want, how they will get it, how they will feel when they get it, and what they’ll do after they get it. Here at Pontchartrain Investment Management, Andy, Chris, Steve, and I are big on visualization.

The way we see it, mental pictures can work wonders for our clients by helping them see how – with some effort and commitment – they can work towards financial independence. Plus, there’s no better time than at the beginning of a brand new year to make a positive change in the way you look at money. Consider these financial pictures for 2013 – and beyond: 1.) Picture yourself paying for an emergency repair at your house without having to use a credit card. One of the foundations of a solid financial plan is to make sure you have enough cash on hand to handle emergencies. Out there in the financial world, you can read all kinds of guidance about having two, three, or six months of living expenses on hand. If that seems overwhelming, then start with a few bucks in a jar in your kitchen cabinet. Build it up every month from there, and keep it only for emergencies.

Note: a pizza delivery during the Saints game is not an emergency.

2.) Picture yourself receiving a check in the mail every month for the rest of your life. Employer pensions are disappearing, and fast. If you don’t have one, you can build one yourself. Our guess is that getting a check in the mail or your bank account every month during retirement (and maybe for as long as you or your spouse live) will paint a pretty nice picture for you. If you agree, call us, and we’ll discuss several strategies with you.

3.) Picture yourself with a “permission slip” to spend your assets freely during retirement. By using plain old, boring whole life insurance, you might be able to increase your cash flow during retirement. Visualize what that might look like: more cruises, gifts for the grandchildren, a new fishing boat, whatever. Here’s how it works: When you are no longer around to enjoy that extra cash flow, the death benefit replaces the money you spent so your spouse can live out his or her days with dignity and financial security.1 This is a pretty cool strategy, and a lot of people don’t know how incredibly powerful it can be. Now you do. Call us to find out if it can work for you.

4.) Picture a time when you can no longer take care of yourself. This is a biggie, folks, and it’s getting bigger. Many of us are likely to live longer, but we’re not necessarily living any healthier. Seven out of ten of us are going to need some type of long term care,2 and the costs are shaping up to be staggering. So, draw a mental picture of yourself when you are old and might need care. What does it look like? How do you want to receive care? Who’s going to provide it? How will you pay for it without ruining your retirement and maybe putting your spouse in a financial pickle? If you don’t have good answers for these questions, call us and we’ll help you figure it out.

5.) Picture yourself working with a financial advisor who takes the complexity of designing and maintaining a financial plan for you and your family off your plate so you don’t have to worry about it and can enjoy life. You are not alone. You are expected to be an expert in your job, but you don’t have to be one about money. Let us handle it.

It’s what we do, and it’s our passion.

My daughter Heather can tell you from experience that the problem with all this visualization stuff is that it’s easy to do, but not so easy to make real. It takes work, discipline, commitment, and implementation.

We can’t help with the first three, but we can help you implement your vision and keep you on track.

Call us, and we’ll start painting your new financial picture.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

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Benefits depend on the claims paying ability of the issuing company.

2

Probability of needing LTC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National

Clearinghouse for Long Term Care Information, 10/22/08 Securities and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

19

Frankly

By Frank Davis

Huntin’ for the Elusive Brer Rabbit!

“Ya’know why that is, huh Frank?” I remember my old hunting buddy Glenn Brock once telling me, as we put together a big ol’ pot of Rabbit Sauce Piquante in his kitchen. “It’s because of what we’re doing right now, converting a bunch of these little hippity-hoppers into Southern gourmet tablefare. And we’re fixing to put a whole potful of ‘em on the table in just a little bit! So get the French bread out of the oven, Frankie!”

And the story goes. . .

“Do what you want with me, Br’er Fox,” Br’er Rabbit pleaded. “Drown me, skin me, hang me, roast me over a hot fire, but please, Br’er Fox, whatever you do don’t fling me into that briar patch!”

With that Br’er Fox snatched Br’er Rabbit off the tar baby and flung him right into the middle of the briar patch!

There was a flutter where Br’er Rabbit landed, then “Ooo, Oww, Ouch” he screeched and squalled. Then by and by, after a while there was only a brief whimper from under the briar patch. And Br’er Fox listened.

“I got him,” Br’er Fox shouted. “Br’er Rabbit is dead!”

But then Br’er Fox heard a scuffling away at the other end of the briar patch. And low and behold who does Br’er Fox see scrambling out of the briar patch but Br’er Rabbit hisself!

“Born and bred in the briar patch, that’s me,” laughed Br’er Rabbit. “I told you not to throw me in there! But you did. . .and in the entire world that’s the one place I love best!”

Then Br’er Rabbit, with a lippity clip, hopped away!

So there, from the original Uncle Remus writings of author Joel Chandler Harris way back when, we know and have always known, that the best-est place in the whole wide world to find (and hunt for) rabbits is the famed, notorious, briar patch!

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Down through the eons, though, South Louisiana hunters (and especially St. Tammany Parish hunters) have discovered many, many other habitats that native marsh rabbits have come to claim as permanent residence.

Among the sites are thickets, field edges, fence rows, brush piles, railroad rights-of-way, back-road farm lands, scattered honeysuckle patches, blackberry bushes, downed treetops, public wildlife management areas, dried out stretches of marshland, and yes, briar patches - the thicker and thornier the better!

Looking back through the annals of history, it appears that from the beginning of time, we (and I’m referring now to the entire brotherhood of man) have always maintained and cherished our relationships with rabbits. I mean, after all, look how many of the critters we’ve been introduced to in almost every situation! In addition to Br’er Rabbit, there’s been. . .

Roger Rabbit, Peter Rabbit, Bunny Rabbit (Captain Kangaroo’s buddy), the White Rabbit (from Alice in Wonderland), The Trix Rabbit, Harvey the Rabbit, and Thumper the Rabbit, to say nothing of Bugs Bunny, the Easter Bunny, the Energizer Bunny, and, thanks to Hugh Hefner, the Playboy Bunny!

But aside from the rogues gallery of the fictional rabbits we all grew up with, the hunting genre is well aware of two species prevalent in Slidell and its surrounding environs: the native marsh (or swamp rabbit) and the cottontail rabbit.

The fact is... me and you and your brudder-in-law and all his friends aren’t the only ones who relish the exquisite taste of well-prepared rabbit. Biologically, the furry creature is on the menu of just about every carnivorous predator in the wild. Rabbits are a principal species on which the rest of the meat-eating wildlife world sustains its existence. Rest assured too, that they, and we, aren’t gonna run out of supply any time soon (rabbits can have six litters a year and their gestation period is only 28 days).

Of course, with us - me and you - being at the apex of this food chain, it only stands to reason that we would continue to convert the plentiful critters into tasty and highly nutritious foodstuffs for us and our families. And here’s the good news - even if you don’t hunt the wild ones at some of the places I pointed out earlier, you can attain the very same end result by retrieving a butchered, cleaned, and frozen rabbit from the freezer case at your neighborhood superstore. And remember that cooking techniques are exactly the same for wild or domestic animals.

So, may I make a suggestion? With the present Louisiana rabbit hunting season extending through February 29, and with the state allowing us a daily bag limit of 8 and a possession limit of 16, why not haul out the hiking boots, the briar-buster pants, a hunter orange jacket, your 16 gauge over-and-under shotgun, and a pocket full of #7-1/2 shells and head out to collect the prime ingredient for a great winter’s meal!

Here’s one of my favorite ways to prepare rabbit, deep fried!

Frank’s Deep-Fried Country Rabbit

St. Margaret Mary Catholic School

Marinate a batch of young, tender, cut-up marsh rabbits in milk and onions, dust them with a spicy flour coating, and deep fry them until they’re golden brown and crunchy-crispy. . .and you got some finger-lickin’ going on there, son!

2 or 3 young wild or domestic rabbits, cut into pieces 2 cups coarsely chopped yellow onions 2 cups evaporated milk 4 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce 4 cups all purpose flour, sifted 3 tablespoons kosher or sea salt 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons coarse-ground black pepper 1 quart peanut oil for deep-frying First, take the rabbit pieces and wash them thoroughly under cold running water, making sure you remove all the globular fat, mucus membranes, silverskin, and other residuals that may not have been removed during field dressing or kitchen processing.

Then, after they’ve been totally cleaned, set them into a glass, Corningware, or stainless steel bowl.

At this point sprinkle the chopped onions evenly over the rabbits and immediately mix them in with your hands so that each piece picks up the flavor of the onions. Then, in a separate bowl, blend together the evaporated milk and the hot sauce and pour it over the rabbit pieces and the onions to form a marinade. If you can allow the rabbits to marinate overnight, that’s ideal. If overnight is not do-able, at least let them soak in the marinade for about 3 hours.

When you’re ready to fry, heat the peanut oil in either an electric or stovetop fryer to 350 degrees. Then pour the all purpose flour into a high-sided bus pan and sprinkle on the salt, cayenne, and black pepper (it’s important to take a moment to blend everything uniformly to disperse the seasonings throughout the coating).

All that’s left now is to lift the rabbit pieces from the marinade, liberally dust them in the coating mix, shake off the excess flour, and drop them into the hot peanut oil, one piece at a time. The cooked rabbit will come out just perfect if you allow the pieces to fry for about 16 to 22 minutes. The outside should be crispy and golden brown, the inside should be light and delicately tender from the onion marinade. And each bite should be rich with natural juices!

Chef’s Notes: 1. I suggest you serve the rabbit pieces piping hot right from the deep-fryer after draining them for a moment or two on several layers of paper towels.

2. Electric deep fryers are okay, but for best results I recommend a black cast iron Dutch oven. It distributes heat evenly, cooks the rabbits uniformly, and doesn’t give you “hot spots” that will burn the batter. Of course, if you don’t have cast iron, Club aluminum is a good second choice.

3. The only way to get perfectly-fried rabbit (or chicken, or shrimp, or anything for that matter!) is to be sure the frying temperature is perfect. And to do that, you gotta use a thermometer —you can’t guess at it. Clip it to the side of the Dutch oven so that the tip is fully submerged in the oil but doesn’t rest on the bottom, and be sure it reaches 350 degrees before you drop in the first piece of rabbit. Do it this way and you’ll be guaranteed your rabbit won’t be greasy!

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21

acts W

We have all heard sports heroes, actors, or wealthy businessmen say they want to “give back to the community,” especially here on the Gulf Coast. We have been the recipients of many people giving back to us. I specifically remember a man returning home from Indiana, barely a week after Hurricane Katrina, making a huge pot of jambalaya from the back of his truck in the parking lot of Bethany Lutheran Church.

He was compelled to help and knew just what we needed - good New Orleans comfort food, when no one had electricity

by Gay DiGiovanni and many had no clean pots. How grateful I was for his kindness, and that of many, many others who selflessly came to help during that dark time.

Some of you may have seen the movie Pay It Forward, released in 2000 staring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment (the boy who saw dead people).

The young boy was given an assignment in school to devise a plan and put into action something that would change the world.

His idea was that when someone does you a favor, don’t pay it back, pay it forward, by doing something totally unexpected and generous for another person. The movie progresses and the chain of events is revealed as more and more recipients follow through to “pay it forward”.

After the tragedy in Connecticut, we now have “26 Act of Kindness” going virile on social media. Started in a

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tweet by journalist Ann Curry, it tells us of people and their acts of kindness in honor of each victim of the school shooting.

Bringing blankets to the homeless, teddy bears to the rest of the children in Newtown CT, a policeman giving his boots to a shoeless man. These are just a few of the 26 Acts described.

When faced with unimaginable tragedy with no way to “fix it”, we are left with feelings of shock, anger… helplessness.

This tragic shooting has touched a friend in Slidell, whose great-nephew was one of the children who died. From Grace Marshal, “As broken as my heart is, it is also full of pride for my niece.”

Her niece, Nicole Hockley, mother of Dylan Hockley (a beautiful, blue-eyed 6 year-old boy who was diagnosed with autism) wrote in a statement obtained by NBC news, “We take great comfort in knowing that Dylan was not alone when he died, but was wrapped in the arms of his amazing aide, Anne Marie Murphy. Dylan loved Mrs. Murphy so much and pointed at her picture on our refrigerator every day. Though our hearts break for Dylan, they are also filled with love for these and the other beautiful women who all selflessly died trying to save our children.” Nicole Hockley bravely chose to focus on the love she has for those who have helped her, rather than anger

towards the one who has caused so much hurt. She closes her statement, using Dylan’s nickname, “We love you Mister D, our special gorgeous angel”.

This tragedy has touched us all. We all have at least one child in our life and somehow can’t help but imagine, What if that happened to my child, my grandchild, my niece, or nephew or neighbor? The image that comes to mind is horrific, and hard to erase. We can’t make sense of it.

What can anyone say or do that will make it better?

under Acts of the Apostles, 2:26 for guidance. These are King David’s words as he speaks about Jesus after his death and resurrection: “My heart has been glad and my tongue has rejoiced, my body will live on in hope.” We can pray that Nicole Hockley is correct, and that little Dylan is an angel and is rejoicing in God’s presence.

We can talk about gun control, or mental health screenings, or registration requirements for all gun owners. All of these things should be in the conversation about reducing gun violence, so maybe this won’t happen again. Changing policies and laws are up to our legislators and leaders, and it is important to let them know how we feel. For most of us, though, this plan of action seems out of reach, and out of our control.

And maybe we can do more. Just a simple act of kindness will restore and reinforce our belief that people are good. Here in the Gulf South, we know first hand that although bad things happen - people are overwhelmingly good, and tragedy can bring out the best in all of us. Person to person connections - the act of giving and receiving - seems to restore the balance of good over evil. Perhaps you can start your own list of 26 Acts of Kindness. It sounds like a simple idea, but it’s not easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is. This requires creativity, compassion, commitment to action, and the courage to be uncomfortable. The rewards could change your life, and just maybe change the world.

We can pray. Inspired by the 26 Acts of Kindness and remembering there is a chapter of Acts in the Bible, I looked

This is my first Act of Kindness to Kendra, our editor, and to her readers.

25 more to go, and maybe more than that…

Editor’s Note When Gay DiGiovanni called me, just days before this edition went to print, and proposed that she write 26 Acts of Kindness, my first thought was…Slidell Magazine is supposed to happy. I can’t run a sad story like the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. Being the eternal optimist that I am (sometimes to a fault), I talked to Gay about writing the story with a positive view, shying away from the horrors of reality. The story was already written, she said, with the positive view I was asking for. However, she reminded me (in the thoughtful and loving tone she is so known for), I couldn’t hide from or ignore bad things. I can’t live in a bubble of sunshine, going about my daily work, pretending this never happened. And neither can the magazine.

Slidell Magazine was created to represent our beautiful, loving and caring community. To ignore the tragedy in Newtown would not be representing Slidell. America is in mourning, and our community mourns with her.

Gay’s call affected me deeply. Later that night, while researching another story, I saw the news reel on the side bar of the Google browser. The top 5 stories were all about the funerals being held for the Sandy Hook Elementary children. For the first time since the tragedy, I found myself crying, giving in to the overwhelming sadness of losing so many innocent young lives.

After allowing myself to feel what I had done so well to ignore, my next feeling was just as Gay had said – I have to do something. I began searching for the words and images to express my feelings about the shootings.

For the first time ever, we actually “stopped the presses” on the magazine and scrapped January’s original cover design.

It was replaced with the simple, sweet, and sorrowful child angel that appears on the cover of this month’s edition. It is our way to pay respect to the children and the community that we had never heard of before December 14, 2012 - but now we will never forget.

We also opted to remove the Slidell Magazine motto, “We Say Keep It Fresh, Keep It Positive”, which has been on every cover since the first edition. Instead, the motto appears below, contained in this story about the good deeds to be done and the optimism that our community will rise to the challenge and do them.

Just like they always have done before.

WE KEEP IT FRESH

SAY KEEP IT POSITIVE 23

acts ‘If you do good, you’ll feel good’: Ann Curry explains origins of #26Acts of Kindness (nbcnews.com) A massive, unexpected wave of goodwill began online with a simple idea: “Imagine if we all committed 20 acts of kindness to honor the lost children of Newtown.”

NBC News National and International Correspondent Ann Curry sent the message on Twitter and Facebook. The idea has evolved into a viral effort known as “26 Acts of Kindness,” in honor of the students and faculty who died at Sandy Hook Elementary.

By Ann Curry, NBC News After being in Newtown, I woke up the next morning and thought about what could be done. What is the answer to this kind of national suffering? And I remembered a moment on the edge of Darfur, when I came upon a woman who was elderly and in the hospital, recovering from burns after an attack by Janjaweed militias. She was surrounded in the hospital, by younger

women carrying babies, and I asked her to tell the story of how she had suffered these terrible burns all over her body. I learned that she had tried to rescue her invalid husband when her village was attacked and her house was set on fire. She tried to carry her husband out of her house and stayed so long that the thatched roof of her house came down, the hot embers giving her 3rd degree burns. But she was unable to save her husband. Her husband died.

I remember walking out of that hospital, and the producer saw the look on my face.

He said, “Are you okay?” And I said, “No.” And without even thinking, I remember going to our team van and pulling out a Polaroid camera I had brought on that trip.

And then I went to all of these women with their children who were in the courtyard of the hospital, knowing that they had never owned a photograph – ever – of their child.

I went around from woman to woman, and I took pictures of them, I took pictures of them with their child, or just of their child alone – without even thinking, just snapping pictures. The first time I did it, I remember giving a photograph to a woman, and she looked at this black square with this quizzed look on her face, and I said, “Just wait one minute! Just wait one minute,” holding up one finger. And then I watched her face melt as she watched her child’s face slowly appear on that Polaroid.

It made me feel better. So I went from mother to mother to mother until I ran out of film.

Mark A. Myers Civil Mediator Divorce Mediator Elder Mediator Arbitrator Attorney*/Notary Public

Tel. 985.768.9015 • Fax 985.781.1191 • myers24ma@aol.com • www.facebook.com/resolutionsadr MEMBER: Louisiana Mediator Registry (Qualified Civil MEdiator, R.S. 9:4106: Qualified Child Custody/Visitation Mediator, R.S. 9:334), Association of Attorney-Mediators, Association for Conflict Resolution, Association of Family & Conciliation Courts, International Association for Mediated Divorce. *Of Counsel to Pajares & Schexnaydre, LLC. Mandeville, LA

“Thanks to our clients and business referral partners for making 2012 our best year ever. May 2013 be your best year and we wish you a year of peace and prosperity.”

Mark A. Myers Mediator|Arbitrator|Attorney

Services in Southeastern Louisiana and Southern Mississippi Offices in Slidell and Mandeville, LA.

www.resolutionsadr.com

24

After the experience in Newtown, I thought, “What if? Imagine if everyone could commit to doing one act of kindness for every one of those children killed in Newtown.” So that’s what I tweeted. And guess what? People committed. I said in my tweet, “I’m in. RT if you’re in.” Not only did they commit to 20 acts of kindness, they wanted to up it to 26 acts of kindness for every child and adult who was lost at the school. Some even debated maybe we should include the mother, who died, at 27 acts. Some debated maybe we should include the killer as well as he was struggling and in pain.

What’s really remarkable to me is how many people responded. They are the ones who carried the ball. They are the ones who chose what to do. People would tweet back, “I’ve done two!”, “I bought coffee for a guy in line!”, “I bought toys for homeless children!”, “I’ve got 18 more to go!” or “24 more to go!” – whatever number they were trying to reach.

I was inspired by them. So I started tweeting about what people were doing. Some people thought it was boasting when they would say “I’ve done this” or “I’ve done that.” I don’t think so. I think that whenever you show by example an act of kindness – big or small – something that spends a lot of money, or because you don’t have the money, something that doesn’t, all of it is welcome.

There is no judgment. I think that’s the key. If people want to do it, great. But I think that if they do it, something great happens to you.

When I was tweeting, I noticed that the number one trending topic was something like “ThingsIlikeaboutmyself.” I thought, “Well, if you do an act of kindness, I bet you’ll like even more about yourself.” So that’s what I tweeted.

I know the truth: if you do good, you feel good.

It’s the most selfish thing you can do. Right now, this country wants to heal. I think the only thing comforting in the face of a tragedy like this is to do something good with it if you can. Be a part of that wave.

Health & Fitness

By Dennis M. Peyroux D.C. It’s that time of the year again! Your pants feel tight around your mid section because you went to every holiday party and sampled every holiday goody that was made available to you. You’ve been drinking

and eating like a Viking for over two months. And, your New Year’s resolution remains the same ever year. How do you lose those extra pounds you put on and get back into shape?

Get ready, here it comes: “The Five Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss.”

1. Stop dieting! A breakthrough study by Dr. P. Webb published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealed that calorie intake alone was not sufficient to predict weight loss. It is a proven fact; the reduction of calories alone can not be sustained for long periods of time. It is almost impossible to starve yourself and sustain permanent weight loss without experiencing the “yo-yo” effect. The secret is in your metabolism. How does your body convert food into energy or fat? Your metabolism is dependent upon the amount of muscle you have and whether your hormones are in balance.

2. Eat and drink only those things that are healthy for your body! When shopping at the grocery, a great thing to remember is to stay on the outside perimeter of the store. Remember processed foods, foods high in hydrogenated oil, foods full of imitation flavorings and colors, and foods with little or no nutritional content can be found up and down every aisle in the grocery. These foods are not good for you and should be avoided.

The average American drinks mostly carbonated sodas, fruit juice, milk, coffee and tea. Most people do not drink enough plain, crystal clear water. Yes, water has numerous beneficial effects on the body. Water is the most important way to maintain proper hydration, even on a cellular level. Most people are not properly hydrated. A good rule of thumb is to drink approximately one half of your body weight in water measured in ounces each day. Your body will thank you.

3. Avoid unnecessary drugs! All medications have side affects. Even over-thecounter drugs can be potentially harmful for people, especially when abusing the recommended dosage. Health Sciences University estimates that drugs like Ibuprofen are responsible for as much as 20% of all end-stage kidney disease in America. Doctors have known for years that people with chronic pain tend to develop a tolerance for certain medications and must increase the dosage to experience the same effect. Most of the side effects of these drugs are worse than the actual condition that people are taking the medications for.

4. Move your body every day! A ten minute walk is enough to increase energy, alter your mood, and affect a positive outlook for up to two hours. Therefore, to lose weight, you must first examine how active you are. All exercise programs should begin on a gradient scale. This means the exercise program chosen must gradually become more intense as your fitness level improves.

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The weight of the box, a lifetime of dreams encased in cardboard, mirrored the heaviness she must have felt in her heart. Her head hung low, she finished her solemn march to the elevator with the ding of the elevator door. Going down was much more than just a press of a button, it was what she had to look forward to at present and for the future.

As she turned and commanded the elevator to the ground floor, I swear I saw the gleam of a tear on her face as the doors slid shut. It was the first and hardest step of a glorious rebuilding process, but Rita Benson LeBlanc and I both knew there was only room for one future owner in Benson Tower and that was me. I, Corey Hogue Benson, the son of the nephew of the cousin twice removed of Tom Benson, was the right man for the job.

I returned to my corner office with the next most important priority on my first day, my resolutions for our New Orleans Saints. ...Ok so I’m not the new head of the Saints organization (can you see me frowning?).

But something that all Saints fans can agree on is that some changes need to be made after the season we have had to endure. What with the bounty mess, the contract of Drew Brees, and the dreadful losses, things cannot be expected to stay the same. But a new year brings a fresh slate and what better way to

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1. First of all, before a cleansing can even begin, Sean Payton and his contract have to get ironed out. His contract was nullified because he wanted it to say “I’m only a Saint if Mickey Loomis is a Saint”. Ok, so he is a little attached to Mickey. But voided, shmoided, he is the Saints coach. The best way to fix this is to erase the problem with money. Pay the man, be done with it. We will NOT have another silly Brees-like situation.

2. Next, we have to move past the bounty mess. Everyone is tired of talking about it. It’s more annoying than listening to announcers drone on about the opposing team (future issue to fix, maybe 2014).

But I’ve got a pretty simple solution.

Do you remember growing up and your mom told you to ignore anything bad that the other kids said to you? We, the Saints organization, in any interviews, documentaries, or any other kind of media will act as if the 2012 season did not exist. This also helps to smooth away this abominable season. There was 2010, 2011, and now there is 2013.

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Reporter: “Hey Drew, now it seems that the Saints are finally able to move on from the Bounty-saga, what are some lessons you learned from last year?”

Drew: “Um, what? Bounty?”

Reporter: “Yes, the bounty controversy the Saints had to go through last season.”

Drew: “There was no bounty controversy.

We just got over losing in the playoffs to the 49’s, we have a lot to try to correct in the offseason.”

Reporter: “...what?”

3. Now, what bothers hardcore Saints fans more than anything? Besides Roger Goodell and the era of QB Aaron Brooks (if you don’t know who he is, trade memories with me), fair weather fans are a thorn for those who sat through all of the “Aints” seasons. This season saw a lot of ticket holders sell or even give away their tickets.

The best way to keep these people coming back, besides making sure the Saints win?

Give them a chance to touch the Lombardi Trophy. Wouldn’t you want to touch it?

Think about the lines of people wanting to touch the trophy. Even Disney during the summer wouldn’t be able to top that line.

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Or, better yet, have a line to touch Drew Brees. The only problem is holding back the women that would get a little TOO close.

4. Now, we all know how much the fans love the Saints offense. So why wouldn’t we want to put more of these players on the field?

This is a 2 option plan: A) Petition the NFL to change the rules. Having 11 people on the field is just not enough. Changing the number of people on the field to 15 would mean having Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, Jimmy Graham, Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas, Jed Collins, and Drew Brees, along with the offensive line. What a lineup! Who wouldn’t tune in to see that lineup on the field all the time? You even have Joe Morgan and Tavaris Cadet you can substitute in every now and then. The problem would be giving the ball to just ONE of them. Hmm, maybe we could change the rules to have two balls on the field at the same time?

And another quarterback? What an awesome idea! Maybe just the 15 people rule change for now.

B) If the rule change doesn’t work (let’s face it, the NFL is not the Saint’s best friend right now), the next best thing is to teach the offense players how to play defense. Imagine if Darren Sproles caught an interception. Or if Jimmy Graham sacked a quarterback.

Wow. That would really make fans forget when they drop a pass or fumble the ball. I personally would like to see Mark Ingram and Chris Ivory combine on a tackle of another running back. That would be one nasty tackle.

5. Finally, for the year, I have one more resolution. Occasionally, Sean Payton allows country singer Kenny Chesney to wear a Saints uniform and play a down during the Saint’s annual training camps.

I say why stop there? We have a plethora of celebrities in New Orleans or who are from New Orleans. Lets throw them out on the field for a pre-game scrimmage.

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Imagine Brad Pitt throwing the ball to Harry Connick Jr., or Richard Simmons taking the snap and holding the ball while Ellen DeGeneres kicks a field goal?

You can even have Archie Manning and Bobby Hebert coach the teams. Who wouldn’t want to come see that?

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Those are my resolutions for the Saints this year. I will even throw in a bonus one for the Hornets...or the Pelicans, as Mr. Benson desires. If this name change is really going to happen then we have to make the pelican mascot look really cool. The bird needs to look like a bird of death. Maybe he has bombs in his mouth? Or what if we mix dinosaur DNA with pelican DNA and have a hybrid monstrosity...Now that is a pelican I can really get behind.

If Mr. Benson ever turned the keys of his business over to me, I would probably botch the whole thing and we would be talking about the Los Angeles Saints or something like that. But I do feel that resolutions are needed for our team.

Not just for how the Saints played on the field, but also for the reputation of the organization. Understandably, the Saints won’t get back to looking “pristine” for a while. But time heals all wounds and we will get back to our former glory. Moving past all of this mess from last year, we have the Superbowl in New Orleans to look forward to as well as a new season with our head coach back to lead us to victory.

Corey Hogue January 2013 Jockularity@SlidellMag.com

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Slidell Memorial Hospital Volunteers Making a Difference

By Susan O’Rourke, SMH Volunteer Have you ever wondered how you could make a difference in the lives of others? Many feel a calling to contribute to their community but are unsure of the opportunities available. Slidell Memorial Hospital (SMH) has a volunteer program that not only offers a variety of opportunities for people of all ages, but also helps to make a fuller, richer life for those who give back to their community.

Paul had always had the strong desire to help others, but his fast-paced, challenging career sidetracked him from the pursuit of this goal. After a much longed-for retirement, he traveled, slept late, dined at all of his favorite restaurants, visited with friends, and kept his lawn perfectly manicured. Initially, retirement was

“

everything he had hoped. But, it wasn’t long before he began to feel somewhat directionless and useless. Throughout his career, he was a highly respected employee whose knowledge and talents were essential for the success of his organization. He missed that feeling of being truly needed. A close friend encouraged him to focus on helping others instead of dwelling on the life he no longer lived. That day, Paul went to SMH and signed up to be a volunteer. With that step, the next fulfilling chapter of Paul’s life began.

of care and services for patients, families, and visitors, as well as support for the hospital staff.

The purpose of the SMH Volunteer Services Program is to provide an efficient and compassionate support staff of volunteers who offer an extra dimension

One day this summer, after volunteering for the early shift, Paul stopped by his bank.

While waiting in line for the bank teller to call him to her window, Paul reflected on the patients he visited that day and the older

“The volunteer program supports an organizational culture that encourages and acknowledges the importance of collaboration between members of our community and the hospital,” Laurie Manley, SMH Volunteer Services Coordinator, asserts. “This culture promotes a positive climate in which everyone works together to enrich the hospital community.”

This volunteer was very kind to my 4-year old. She put on the Disney channel while we waited, talked to her and even gave her a cute hospital doll. She made my daughter very comfortable. She was wonderful! – Patient

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Volunteering makes me feel needed.

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gentleman he escorted to the chapel. He could not believe that a year had passed since he first became a volunteer. He had met so many new people who enriched his life, he had developed many new interests, and learned new skills that helped to support the hospital staff. Hearing a voice calling him to the teller’s window, he stepped up and handed the teller his paperwork. The teller looked at his name on the check and paused momentarily to place where she had heard his name. “Are you the Paul Mahoney who works at Slidell Memorial Hospital?” she asked. Paul acknowledged to the bank teller that he was the person in question, but he worked at the hospital as a volunteer. “My grandmother was in the hospital and she told me about this angel named Paul!” the teller excitedly explained. “Grandma told me she was feeling scared and lonely, and you walked into her room and asked if she’d like a magazine. She told me you stayed with her for several minutes, talking to and reassuring her, and then checked in with her throughout her stay. Your visits brightened her days and comforted her during her recovery. Thank you so much, Paul, for your 130-175 kindness!”

Number of people Paul blushed and (depending on season) accepted her thanks.

He who volunteered at left the bank SMH, equating to feeling both humbled and approximately joyful that a few 30,500 hours words, and just a little of his time, in 2012 could make a difference

in somebody’s life. He realized that volunteering at the hospital helped others, and it also enriched his life far more than he could ever have dreamed.

Like Paul, Linda also wanted to make a change in her life. She heard that volunteers were needed at SMH and decided to sign up. She immediately began to secondguess her decision, and wondered how she could be of help

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Making A to the staff and patients at SMH. She had never worked outside the home and was recently widowed.

She had become increasingly lonely, and although she had a great desire to reach out to others, she did not feel confident about volunteering at the hospital. When Linda contacted Laurie Manley about her concerns, her fears were put to rest.

Laurie reassured Linda that everyone had gifts to offer as a volunteer, and they would work together to find tasks in which she would excel and feel comfortable.

Volunteers make sure that visitors to SMH are welcomed by festive fall decorations each year

On the day of Linda’s volunteer training, she was treated to lunch in the hospital cafeteria. Seasoned volunteers joined her and reassured her that SMH was a great place to volunteer. Linda went on to make many friends, felt a new sense of purpose, and found that one of her most cherished volunteering tasks was to flash a warm smile at patients, visitors, and staff who needed a little extra encouragement and love.

People sign up to volunteer at SMH during different stages of their lives.

Jane was a college student who wa on her path to her dream, becoming a nurse.

Before she entered nursing school, she was required to intern, or volunteer, at a medical organization. Jane was so pleased to learn that SMH, the hospital around the corner from her Slidell home, embraced high school and college students who want to volunteer their time.

$581,330 Annual value of SMH Volunteers hours

Difference Jane wore a smile the entire day during Volunteer Orientation Training.

She was living her dream! She soon became immersed in learning about the different departments of the hospital.

Jane witnessed first-hand how everyone throughout the hospital strived to collaborate to meet the needs of the hospital community. As a result of her time as a SMH volunteer, she had a clear vision of the path she wanted to pursue in her nursing career. She hoped to one day return to her hometown of Slidell and work as a nurse at SMH, giving back to her community.

Volunteers have different reasons for signing up for the SMH Volunteer Services Program. Paul, Linda, and Jane are just a few of the many people who seek out opportunities to make a difference.

Under Laurie’s direction, members of the community are always invited and encouraged to volunteer at SMH. Once on board, she guides them to the help most suited to the volunteers interests and comfort.

4.2% of LA people who volunteer do so in hospitals

Patients at SMH are treated to daily visits from the volunteer “Comfort Carts”

“Working with SMH Volunteer Services allows me to witness the very best in people.

I am fortunate that I get to work with individuals who truly want to help others and make a difference,” Manley reflects. “Volunteers want no pay, no recognition.

They only want the joy and satisfaction of helping others. SMH is lucky to have these ‘angels on earth’ enriching our hospital community.”

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Making A Difference 14

Slidell Memorial Hospital’s CEO, Bill Davis, couldn’t agree more. “Volunteers are an integral part of SMH fulfilling its Mission to Improve the Quality of Life in Our Community. The volunteers certainly help to make a positive impact on every patient’s hospital experience. With their support, in addition to the hard work of the medical faculty and staff, SMH continues to be a high-quality medical facility that makes patient care and satisfaction the number one goal.”

Age of youngest SMH Volunteer

Attributes needed for volunteers to be successful, according to Laurie, include having compassion; being able to maintain a positive attitude; exhibiting professionalism; being knowledgeable, trustworthy, and responsible; willing to share time and energy; and open to learning new skills. These attributes enable volunteers to experience success with various tasks such as clerical

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Age of oldest SMH Volunteer

For those interested in making a difference and wanting to learn more about becoming a volunteer for SMH, please contact Laurie Manley, Coordinator of Volunteer Services, (985) 649-8531 or email: Laurie.Manley@SlidellMemorial.org.

Online volunteer applications may also be downloaded from SMH’s website, SlidellMemorial.org, under the News and Programs category.

NOTE: Last year, a high school volunteer was accepted into Loyola University. The recruiter mentioned that her application stood out from the rest because of her volunteer work at SMH! (To protect the privacy of the individuals discussed in the article, names have been changed.)

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Sli-Ku (koo-koo-ka-choo) The Japanese verse characterized by three unrhymed lines of 5-7-5 syllables can trace its origins back to the late 17th century. From the Japanese words hai (meaning amusement) and ku (meaning verse), the “Haiku” (Hi-Koo) for all its brevity and simplicity can speak volumes when properly constructed. A master of this ancient lyrical form can express profound concepts or can have the ability to breathe life onto a once-blank page and into the imagination of the reader with just 17 total syllables. Haikus often challenge the reader to see beyond one’s vision or to appreciate something as simple as a single flake of snow falling from the sky. I can imagine Mark Twain being a fan of this art form. Twain once famously wrote, “generally, the fewer the words that fully communicate or evoke the intended ideas and feelings, the more effective the communication.” Ironic that he chose such a wordy response when he could have just said “less is more” - but who am I to second guess one of the greatest American writers of all time?

Congratulations! You have just completed Haiku 101. Or at least you had a refresher course of that single day in four years of high school English classes that actually covered the subject of “What is a Haiku?” So now, after dropping a little knowledge, I feel obligated to tell a story out of school. A story when told could actually rock the very foundation that the history of the Haiku is built upon…and subsequently upset four or five people as a result. Did you know there is a local claim on this stylized verse form? Could the first Haiku crafted in the form that we recognize today have been written here in Slidell? Let’s find out. We’ll start with what we know to be true and go from there. Again, I must go back and quote Twain who once said, “Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.”

Many years before the town that would bear the namesake of John Slidell was even established… Many years before the early 1830’s, when the Gause family selected this area to homestead and start a lumber mill, just a few miles west of their log cabin home (the frequent travel back and forth between the two locations created a road which we know today as Gause Boulevard)… a unique poem would be discovered by the first settlers.

Towne. It is believed to be written by a Coureur de Bois, French for “runner of the woods,” since these French trappers were the earliest known travelers through this region. To honor that first poem and the history surrounding it, the townspeople would give this unique form of verse a special name - the “Sli-Ku” - after their newly named town, Slidell. And it is because of this history, the first residents of Slidell trumped the Japanese for bragging rights over a poetic form that less than one-half of 1% of the world’s population knows about!

Fast-forward to today. Slidell Magazine’s motto, which normally appears on each cover, is a hidden Sli-Ku. Slidell Magazine We say Keep it Positive We say Keep it Fresh I personally think the Haiku is an underappreciated literary art form.

In fact, with today’s hectic, fast-paced world, what better way to communicate…short and to the point! So, in the spirit of the people that made and make Slidell the unique city it is today, I offer up this homage, this modern tribute to that first poem, my Sli-Ku: On the Northeast shore My heart…my home…my people All living as one Who knew playing with poetry, or history, could be this fun?

Until next time…

Lee Kreil

After Hours Mechanic

Before reading any further, I think it’s a good time to remind you of the Mark Twain quote about facts and good stories… just saying…

Speculated to be some 200 years earlier than the Gause’s arrival, a short verse was found carved into the bark of an ancient camellia shrub which stood in the very heart of what we know today as Olde

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by Jeff Perret, DVM

DOC’S TOP FIVE

’m a sucker for the whole Christmas package. Totally into it. The music, the decorations, the family gatherings, the whole nine yards. But New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day? Not so much. Anyone who knows me can tell you I’m certainly not a December 31st party animal. And I’m not much into January 1st resolutions. After Christmas passes every year, though, my wife Lisa (truly a man’s better half if ever there was one) reminds me why I love the time leading up to the New Year. It’s all the year-end Top Ten lists.

Top sports stories, top news makers, top movies, and so forth. The whole year wrapped up into a neat highlight package.

That’s right up my alley.

So if you’ll indulge me a bit, I’d like to present an abridged Top Ten (and by that I mean it’s a Top Five) List of my own.

Sort of a New Year’s reflection I suppose, on why I love being a veterinarian. The veterinary profession has been so good to me in so many ways, and it’s a pretty nice way to make a living. In no particular order then, here goes: MY CREW The people I work with at Veterinary Medical Center are like a second family.

Every member of my staff has particular strengths and talents which, when added all together, give me a team that I wouldn’t

dream of trading.

When I’m away from the office, I know the place is in good hands with my crew. I’m a solo practitioner, and we’re a small “Mom & Pop” type shop. There are veterinary hospitals out there with staffs many times the size of mine. But I think people like the comfort of familiar faces and voices when they come in my door or call on the phone, whether they’re in crisis mode with a sick pet, or just picking up some pet food. I can’t count the number of times clients have reminded me how much they LOVE my staff. Sure, I’d like to think my clients come to VMC for Dr. Perret’s sharp mind, surgical skills, and witty bed-side manner.

But I’m well aware that my staff around me has as much or most of the real contact time with them and their pets. They deserve the lion’s share of the credit. They probably deserve raises as well, but don’t tell them I said that. I’m eternally grateful for what they bring to my office, and to me personally.

MY CLIENTELE Anyone who works with the general public knows that “problem” people will inevitably come along. But my over-all experience with the people who put their faith in

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me and my staff to care for their pets has been overwhelmingly positive. I’m humbled and honored that they entrust me with the job of preventing and treating the health problems that we strive to avoid. I’m amazed at the many close relationships I’ve formed over the years, especially since I’m very much an introvert. 25 years ago, I thought veterinary medicine would be a way to have a career in science and medicine without all the “people problems.” I could just work on the animals, right? Not quite. It seems that every sick dog or new kitten that comes through my door has a person attached.

Go figure! I quickly came to realize that those people aren’t liabilities, but assets, and potential friends even beyond their attachment to my patients.

The common goal of keeping these four-legged family members healthy and thriving can result in tight bonds that can even outlive the pets. God help me if I ever start to take my fine clientele for granted. But I’m sure they’d gently set me straight, as they should. They are, ultimately, the reason we can do the work we do, along with their pets. Speaking of which…..

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MY PATIENTS It’s all about the animals, right? There’s nothing that lifts my spirits quite like a big, goofy, friendly dog who wants nothing better than to lick my face while I’m looking him over. Unless it’s a cool, long, lean cat purring and rubbing her cheek against my shoulder between curious trips around the exam room. Every veterinarian is by nature an animal lover. If not, he should be in another business.

But I’ve become an even greater animal lover year after year, for the past 22 years. When I’m able to help make a sick animal better, or actually save a life, it’s obviously the ultimate reward for someone in my line of work. Having so many patients is almost like having a few thousand extra pets of my own, even though I don’t take them home every night. But they are part of the extended family, just like my staff and my clients.

THE SCIENCE I mentioned above that I’m an introvert. I’m also a nerd. A geek. A science guy. Equally as important as the emotional part of my job is the scientific, clinical part of my job. It’s a huge part of the reason I wanted to go in to some field of medicine, and eventually chose vet school. The mechanical nature of surgery, which is basically taking things apart and/or putting them back together; the logical process of going through diagnostic tests and laboratory results to arrive at a challenging diagnosis (like Dr. House!); the combination of physiology and pharmacology that allows a given drug to bring relief to a sick patient. I thrive on all these scientific aspects of my job, and I enjoy explaining things (sometimes, I’m told, in too much detail) to my clients. And the variety keeps it all fresh and new each day.

MY NICKNAME As strange as this may sound, I love it when people call me “Doc.” In my mind, it communicates the perfect combination of affection and respect, and it makes me feel good whenever someone refers to me that way. I’ll answer to Jeff, or Jeffrey, or Mr. Perret. And I’ve been called a few worse things, of course. But if you want to make me smile, call me “Doc.” I could come up with a Top Ten List, or an even bigger one. I love a lot of things about my work. Hundreds of little things every week. These 5 items are sort of a “big picture” view, an umbrella list that covers all the other little things.

So if you ever see me at the office with a spring in my step, you’ll know I’m just a lucky guy who enjoys what he does.

Looking back, it’s been a good year. With many more to come.

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Questi o ns ...two shy with

Chris Hewitt

by Kendra Maness

Rise of the Guardians is a 3D computer animated fantasy adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was released in November 2012 to critical acclaim and was recently nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film. The film tells a story about the Guardians (Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman) enlisting the help of a young, mischievous Jack Frost to stop Pitch (the Bogeyman) from engulfing the world in darkness.

Slidell native Chris Hewitt is living a dream. Graduating from Northshore High School in 2008, Chris went on to study Radio, Television, and Film (emphasizing on Film) at the University of Texas. From there, Chris’ career in the animated film industry has been on the Hollywood fast track. The Slidell success story talks with Slidell Magazine about working at his dream job with DreamWorks Animation.

Slidell Magazine: Did you always think you’d be doing this for a living, work in the animated film industry?

Chris Hewitt: Yes. My ultimate goal is to write and direct animation. I’m always pushing in that path. I’m actually pretty bad at drawing. [laughs] I took a drawing class a long time ago and the teacher nearly flunked me. But, I took a couple of animation classes in college - not really in terms of me learning how to animate, but for me to learn how to communicate better with animators in the future.

SM: Why not live films?

CH: I’ve always had a much stronger emotional response to animated films. I remember my freshman year in college, I was wondering if I ultimately wanted to do live-action or animation.

One day I was watching Toy Story 2 in my dorm room and it just hit me that I didn’t get the same feeling watching live-action films that I did from watching animated films. That’s when I decided that I wanted to focus specifically on animation.

SM: How did you go from Slidell to working for DreamWorks Animation?

CH: I really have to thank Marty Sixkiller. [Slidell native, Salmen High School graduate, and now Post-Production/Research and Development Supervisor at DreamWorks]. I’d been trying to meet with Marty since I was a junior in high school. I had first read about Marty in the newspaper, I remember it like it was yesterday. There was a picture of Shrek with the sunflower fields in the background. Someone photoshopped a photo of Marty right next to Shrek. The article was about Marty’s journey from Salmen High to DreamWorks Animation. I remember thinking: 1) What a cool last name, 2) His life seems bad-ass, and 3) I had no idea someone from Slidell worked there, it’d be awesome to meet him. When I was at UT, I heard that Marty was coming back to Slidell to give some presentations on How To Train Your Dragon (the DreamWorks animated film phenom). I

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jumped at the opportunity [to meet him]. I sent an email to Marty who said he’d be more than happy to spend time with me. So, I flew in and went to his presentation at Salmen High. Afterwards, I introduced myself, and we spoke for about 20 minutes. He invited me to return the next day. That next day, I spent from 9-6 with him, setting up all of his presentations. Afterwards, a reporter interviewed Marty and asked, “How does it make you feel having someone like Chris fly in from Austin just to get a chance to meet you?” Marty said, “It means the world to me. When I look into Chris’ eyes, I see the same determination that I had when I was his age. I know for sure that I wouldn’t be where I am in the industry today if I hadn’t had a mentor help me break in. Ever since I got that help, I told myself that I’d pay it forward. And Chris is the guy I’ve been looking for my whole life.”

SM: That is huge! What were you thinking when he said that?

CH: I remember thinking HOLY COW! At the end of the day, Marty invited me and my family out to the DreamWorks offices in California. Six months later, I took him up on the offer. I flew out to Redwood City and spent the weekend with him and his family.

SM: How did your “big break” into DreamWorks happen from there?

CH: Marty helped by submitting my resume to HR and strongly recommended that they take a look at me and I was selected as one of the finalist to be interviewed for the post-production intern position.

SM: And, you got the job, obviously?

CH: Yes, but I was only a temp at first. My job was wrapping Digital Cinema Packages, or DCPs, which are files sent out to theaters that have digital projection systems. That’s how they’d show our trailers, short films and feature length films. There was something like 350-400 different trailers for Madagascar 3 that needed to go out all over the world. The studio was worried they wouldn’t get done in a month, so they hired me and another intern as temps to help speed up the process. After that, I got hired as a fulltime post-production assistant.

SM: What did that job entail?

CH: My main priority was managing actor recording sessions. There, I remotely controlled two lipstick cameras [a small video camera that records the actor’s mouth and facial features so the animators can draw the characters to mimic them]. There was a medium shot and close-up shot that I’d do.

I would record those and compress those files, and send them to our editorial department. Editorial would then pass it on to animation so the animators could view the actors’ physical characteristics and put them into the actual animations.

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SM: I always wondered which one they did first – if the actor played to the animation or if they drew the characters to mimic the actors. I guess by drawing the characters to match the actors, it gives a more realistic feel to the character?

CH: Totally. There’s a scene in How To Train Your Dragon with Gerard Butler where his character says, “Odin, it was rough.”

He looks up and puts his hands in the air. I remember seeing a video about how the director hated that line, but when Gerard Butler read the script and acted it out on camera, the director thought it was brilliant. It appears in the film exactly as Butler acted it out in the recording session.

SM: Did you like working on the lipstick camera?

CH: The awesome thing with lipstick cam is that it’s always been a side of animation that I’ve been fascinated with: How the directors deal with the actors. You don’t get that footage in Blu-Ray extras, you don’t read about it in books – you have to be there. I could see how all of our directors interacted with the actors. It was such a huge learning experience for me. It was almost like a film school after film school.

SM: What is your role at DreamWorks now?

CH: Currently I’m Post-Production Media Coordinator. I deal directly with all of our different departments including consumer products, marketing, custom animation and all the executives.

In post-production, we are very particular about what’s released because if something is leaked on the internet, it all comes back on us. It’s a fun job. I get to multi-task on a ton of different things every day and it’s been a huge networking opportunity. I’ve met a lot of people in just the past 4-5 months.

SM: Is Rise of the Guardians the first film you worked on?

CH: Yes. But I’ve worked on a ton more since then.

SM: What is the production you are working on now?

CH: The next film is The Croods. The great thing about postproduction is that we work on all the films at the same time. In addition to The Croods, I’m also working on Turbo, Mr. Peebody & Sherman, Me and My Shadow, How To Train Your Dragon 2, Kung Fu Panda 3, and How To Train Your Dragon TV series.

SM: This doesn’t ever get confusing to you, working on so many different productions at one time?

CH: It was for the first month or two because I just got thrown right into the media coordinator position and it was a lot of learning on the fly. But now I feel really comfortable. It’s cool to bounce from project to project and see how all our different films are evolving and changing. Our films couldn’t be more unique.

Our slate is full. You can’t put our films side by side and say this is all DreamWorks stuff. Because all of our directors and storytellers have very different stories that they want to tell us.

It’s a very exciting time at the studio.

SM: You have such an inside track. How long does it take from the idea for a story to a film’s release?

CH: I believe 6 years from the idea to film. A fast time for a film is 4 years.

SM: How has the reaction been to Rise of the Guradians? I haven’t seen a whole lot of promotion for it but it’s gotten great reviews.

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SM: It must be a whole different world, coming from Slidell and now you’re in California in the movie industry. Do you think that Slidell offered you a lot of opportunity and set you up for success?

Chris signs movie posters for fans at the premiere of “Rise of The Gardians” CH: The mood in the studio isn’t as high as I’d wish, because the movie’s been underperforming at the box office. But we’re really excited about The Croods coming out because we have a new distributor, Fox. Fox is very excited about it and are really working their tails off to promote the film. They really know how to market animated films – we’re all really excited about the future with Fox.

CH: Absolutely yes, 100%. And it started right from high school. Northshore High was one of the few high schools in the parish that used Avid Media Composer.

Just using that program alone, by the time I was a junior in high school, set me several rungs above my peers who wanted to go on the post-production path to break into Hollywood. It literally is the industry leading software. For me to have that experience made me instantly more legitimate and employable.

SM: Is it possible to see a movie now and just appreciate the pure movie aspect and story?

CH: Totally. When I watch a great movie like Rise of The Guardians, I always notice little details each and every time I watch it. To me, I look at films as both a viewing pleasure and a learning experience.

After my studies over the years, I enjoy watching movies even more than I use to.

SM: Slidell is really proud of you. Were you surprised at the huge turnout for The Rise of the Guardians movie premier?

CH: It was UNREAL. Just seeing all the people going into the film and having parents want their kids to take pictures with me…there were so many things about that night that I wasn’t expecting: the applause when my name rolled in the credits, signing posters for people afterwards, interacting with the kids about the film. To me, being able to see the kids react to the film meant the most. Because that was ME when I was their age. I’ll never forget that night!

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by Carol Ruiz Blue Star Pest Control It’s January 2013, is your Christmas tree still up? How about those outside lights?

It seems that just when you convince yourself to put them up, it’s time to begin the chore of taking them down. As we welcome this brand-spanking-new year, let’s tie up the loose ends from last year.

When taking down the family Christmas tree, remember to take the time to carefully pack fragile ornaments. Every year, I purchase a few bags of hollow chocolate ornaments to hang on the tree, along with all of our family treasures. Our kids love to search the branches for a treat each night! When packing up, be on the look out for any of those, as well as any homemade dough or macaroni ornaments.

Oh yeah, those candy canes too. As you can imagine, these will not store well. An infestation of stored pests can form quickly in dark, moist, undisturbed cardboard

boxes. Many stored pest infestations are discovered months later when we begin to cart our decorations down the next year.

Now here is the key - pack everything in plastic containers. NO CARDBOARD. This practice will deter silverfish and other cardboard-loving insects from harboring in the attic and closets where you store your decorations. Many local stores offer plastic wreath containers and specialty storage boxes.

We face a lot of heat and humidity in southern Louisiana. You will notice that, if stored in plastic containers, your decorations will look great from year to year. Plus, the plastic container itself will hold up better than cardboard, which tends to breakdown. This should significantly lower decoration fading, breakage, and chances of discovering creepy crawlies

when you re-open containers. If you have an artificial tree, toss out the box it came in and consider purchasing a large plastic storage container or tree bag. These items can be pricy, but usually go on sale from time to time during the Christmas season.

With a little pre-planned storage ideas, your attic and closets can remain pest free.

Have a Blessed and Happy New Year from Blue Star Pest Control & Pest Solutions

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