My Personality Test

I'm a dynamic director. As a DIRECTOR, I combine an unusual openness and passion for beauty and style with confidence and a down-to-earth sensibility that allows me to realize my vision. I am practical and pay attention to the details that others tend to miss. Even when problems present themselves, deep down I know I will overcome these challenges. I am not overly concerned with what others may think about me, which leaves me free to be thoroughly involved in the world around me.
There are those who find being around people exhausting—but not me! Interacting with others, whether at a party or in conversation, gives me energy.

Thanks Julie this was really cool! If anyone is interested in this test, go to http://personaldna.com/.

Tis da Season to Be Jory! Frah Ra Ra Ra RRRh

Christmas is almost here and I have yet to watch A Christmas Story. It's one of my all time favorites but I just haven't had the time. I'm still unpacking boxes and trying to get things right since the move and I haven't found the time to watch all my holiday movies. Plus now that I live alone and can't aggreivate my mom by watch A Christmas Story (she absolutly hates this movie) it's just not as fun! lol
It's nice to be back in my house. I just wish I could snap my fingers and have everything organized and neat like normal. I have been wanting to bake Christmas cookies but I'm torn between delaying unpacking and making more of a mess to bake.
I sure hope Santa's elves in brown make it here with all my gifts before our family dysfunction on Saturday...otherwise there will be some disappointed people when they have nothing to open for Christmas. The sad part about shipping gifts is I can't remember all the places I had them shipped to lol...some are going to my new address, some my parents address, some to the office and some to my old address. It's going to take me until the new year to track down where I have sent all these presents!

It's Chenal...not Chanel!

Well I have some exciting news. I have moved back to Chenal! I am renting some property from my cousin and it is so nice to be back in the country. I know some of you think New Roads is the country also. But I have a beautiful view of a pasture and woods out the back and the view out the front is the one I have always been familiar with...It's home, It's where I grew up! For the past 3 weeks I've been living on an air mattress in my parent's living room (you know me nothing is ever easy...the move was delayed two weeks in a row because of rain). If I ever had any second thoughts about moving out 2 years ago, I have confirmed that I made the right decision. I love my family but I need my space as do they. Hopefully I will have electricity and be moved back in to my house in the next couple days.

Christmas before Thanksgiving

My family decided this year that we would pick out and cut our Christmas trees this year before we even ate Thanksgiving dinner. I'm a stickler for celebrating one holiday before decorating or planning another, but my family insisted that we go get trees to beat everyone else out to the tree farm.
In my family being on time means absolutely nothing. The plans was to meet at my grandmother's for 12:30 to catch the 12:45 ferry to St. Francisville. However my uncle who will never be on time for anything...ever was running late. Now most people would think of running late as 10-15 minutes...oh no try an hour or an hour and a half. Never in a hurry!
Well my father has an attitude because first and foremost he hates Christmas and thinks decorating is pointless and to make matters even worst my uncle is running late. So now our traditional holiday trek is filled with bitching and moaning.
Needless to say the price of the tree my mother picked out was an issue and my father spent his time leaping over rows to find the cheapest Charlie Brown tree he could find. But I'm proud of Mom, she stood firm and got the tree she wanted.
My brother and I were just along for the ride...Mike will get a tree when he gets back home and well I have the trusty artificial tree that prevents me from spending the holidays in the doctors office with allergies.
The Christmas tree cutting ceremony in recent years has been solely for the women in our family only and we usually bring my godchild along to actually cut the trees for us. We would all eat lunch together for Thanksgiving and then when all the men had fallen asleep we would go to the Christmas tree farm. In my opinion I think we need to reinstate that holiday tradition. Leave the men home!

I Got Employee of the Month

Thought I would post the press release about me being employee of the month.

Employee of the Month-October
Addie Armato

Each month PCEMC will highlight one of its valued employees. PCEMC understands the importance of its member owners getting to know the people who are instrumental in providing them with quality electric service.
This month PCEMC would like to introduce Addie Armato to its member owners. PCEMC is very fortunate to have Addie as part of their Member Services Department. Addie has been the Member Services Representative since joining the PCEMC team in September of 2004. Addie’s primary responsibilities include assisting with marketing/promotional items, planning and implementation of the cooperative’s annual membership meeting, press releases and economic development. She is also responsible for public relations visits with business members, schools and community leaders in the co-op’s tri-parish service area. She assists the safety coordinator with electrical safety presentations and is responsible for conducting energy efficiency presentations within the local schools and communities. Addie writes a monthly energy efficiency article in the local papers offering cost saving tips to our members. She also visits the schools to encourage the local students to participate in PCEMC sponsored programs such as the annual Washington D.C. Youth Tour Trip, Math and Science Awards and Continuing Education Scholarships.
Addie is an active member of the Iberville, Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge Chambers of Commerce, where she serves on their Economic Development Committees and their Organization and Community Development Committees. She is also a member of the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association (LIDEA) and the Louisiana Member Services Association. Addie enjoys working with the PCEMC members in the tri-parish services area as well as a wide number of people on a state and national level. She represents PCEMC as a volunteer and serves as co-chairperson on their American Cancer Society Relay for Life Team, and she is a 2007 graduate of the Leadership West Program.
Addie is a resident of New Roads. She is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Addie spends her leisure time traveling, enjoying the outdoors, watching LSU Football and Baseball, and spending time with her family and her godchild Devin Jarreau.

What a week

Not only has the entire month of October been absolutely crazy, but I have had a week from hell. We are down to the week before our tri-state conference we are hosting in Bossier City, so things have been very crazy with reservation changes, speaker changes and agenda changes.

Monday, I took the day off to take Mom to the doctor and to go for some annual check ups myself. Can you believe it's been a year since Mom had knee surgery? Well the doctor is very pleased with the results of the surgery and so are we and he told Mom he does not need to see her for 2 years. So that was great news.

Monday night Emily started having abdominal pains so we spent the wee hours of Tuesday morning in the ER only to be sent home with no results. She went to her family doctor that afternoon and he sent her back to the hospital for emergency surgery on her small intestines. She had a blockage, but they by passed it. She is doing fine and she will probably be in the hospital for a few days.

Needless to say I've been thrown into part time motherhood for the week. With my job I find it hard enough to balance my life. Now I have twelve year old who has to study and has a social/extracurricular life that makes me jealous. So Devin and my life has been in high speed--over drive this week.

Still Trying...

OK. I've got to get better at this. I've been keeping up with everyone through their blogs, so I really need to get on board with this. Here are some pics from my summer. Devin and I went to Houston at the end of July to visit Mike. We had a really great time and hated to leave. Mike really lives in an awesome suburb north of Houston called the Woodlands. We went to an Astros game and toured Minute Maid Park. We also went to Galveston and toured an oil rig museum.

New At Blogging

As you can see, I'm trying blogging out. Not that my life is interesting or anything, but I figured since I do a lot of traveling I will mostly use it to post some photos from my trips and to let you know a little about the trip. The month of July has been really slow at the office. It's good to have a break, but when you go at such a fast pace all year...it's hard to enjoy the down time. It is not going to last long around here. Not when we are staring down the barrel of August already. The pace should start picking up shortly. I'm hoping to post photos of my Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C. soon. Devin and I will be leaving soon to go visit Mike in Houston. We will be spending 6 days with him, so hopefully I will have some cool pictures to share from that trip as well.

Photos from Miami

Street Entertainer sitting in the Grass

Shaq's Mansion on Millionaire's Row

Breakfast on Ocean Drive in South Beach

Ocean Drive in South Beach

Miami

In May, I had the opportunity to go to Miami for the first time for a work conference. I had a great trip, but Miami was not what I expected. The scenery was O.K. The food was wonderful. The beaches were pretty but I think the Gulf Coast in Florida is way more beautiful. I saw some very interesting people...I was in Miami for 4 days before I saw someone that spoke good English. My favorite was the male street entertainer that wore a woman's bikini and roller bladed down Ocean Drive in South Beach. I was not impressed with the Nightlife. I'm sure we did not go to any of the real popular places, but the ones we did go to were not that great and at $14 for a drink and $8 for a beer...it was a little out of my price range. We took a boat tour of Millionaire's Row. I got to see Shaq's House plus many other famous celebrities and business people. That was really cool.