Every culture tells stories as a means of preserving its way of life. In South Louisiana, the raconteurs or storytellers pass along our history, culture, and perspective to the next generations. Cajuns love to gather around campfires or sit on the porch swing and hear stories of Cajun lore passed down through multiple generations. Continue Reading

If you’ve ever spent time in Bayou Country, you know that Cajuns love to talk. And depending on their passion for their subject, they can gesture wildly as they speak. It doesn’t matter where they are — a family gathering, a church function, a PTA event, a business meeting, or even a wake or a funeral — Cajuns get animated when they talk and don’t care who else is talking at the same time. Continue Reading

Where I come from, sugarcane is King! Sugarcane arrived in Louisiana with the Jesuit priests in 1751, who planted it near their church in what is now downtown New Orleans. The sugarcane industry has continued to grow and flourish (pun intended) lo these many years. Continue Reading

I was chatting with a client recently, and she said, “Well, you know, we’re really in the relationship business.” As I noodled that concept, my first thought was, “Well show me an organization that’s not in the relationship business.”

The client happened to be an international non-profit organization and one could clearly make the connection that relationships play a vital role in their “business”. The next day, as I spoke to a group of bankers, I thought, “well these guys and gals are surely in the relationship business!” My clients in the healthcare, insurance, engineering, manufacturing, and technology industries are all in the relationship business. Continue Reading

It was really a spur of the moment decision. We didn’t plan for it; we certainly didn’t budget for it. My family’s decision to take off for a 10-day California vacation was one of those “carpe diem” moments. But one of the best decisions we’ve ever made for our family. Continue Reading

There are some people who are content with the status quo. Well, maybe they’re not exactly “content” but they are just not willing to take the action necessary to create a different outcome. Continue Reading

Here in South Louisiana the summer heat is in full force, and you can tell just by looking at my yard. With severe drought and daily temps in the 90′s , my grass looks, well, a little piqued. Since I’ve begun a daily watering campaign, though, the grass has perked up a bit and I’m seeing less brown and more green every day. (And green contributions – towards my water bill, that is – are welcome!) Continue Reading

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives…

Is your workplace culture more like that of a daytime soap opera? Do new workplace dramas unfold every Monday morning? Are spats and tiffs between co-workers the norm? (Do you often hear music crescendo in the background and then cut to a commercial break?) Continue Reading

It’s no great comfort for the flying public that air traffic controllers have been nodding off on the job and pilots have been forced to land unassisted. As scary as that may be, personally, I don’t blame the controllers. They were set up for failure. Continue Reading

Last week here in South Louisiana we celebrated Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday”. What a fun time! Mardi Gras Day is the culmination of the Mardi Gras season, which officially begins on Twelfth Night, or January 6th each year. It runs until the day before Ash Wednesday and is a time for celebration, revelry, and often, indulgence. Ash Wednesday begins the austere, reflective time of Lent. Continue Reading