Refocusing on the good things
We’re living in wild times. The world as we know it continues to change before our eyes. Almost everyone whose path I cross has had to change and re-evaluate the way they think about their lives. Many people who were contemplating retirement in the coming years must now plan to work longer. Lots of hard-working people have been laid off not because they were not talented enough, but because employers must eliminate certain positions to keep their companies alive. College graduates who graduated just last month are faced with the challenging job market. And the impulsive era of spending and charging on credit cards is apparently a thing of the past. Uncertainty is in the air, but one thing we all need to remember is this is just a season. Seasons all have a beginning and an end.
Our community has been through many downturns before. There was the real estate bust of the ‘80s. The dot-com bubble burst. The shock of 9/11. The horrors of hurricanes Katrina and Gustav. Yet the upside to all of these events is we survived—some would even say we emerged—with a strong local economy marked by innovation, creativity and persistence! Entrepreneurs with drive, energy and passion led the way. The relentless spirit of the people of Louisiana is second to none. After speaking to some of my friends in the publishing industry who work on the east and west coasts, I’m convinced we live on the best coast! I believe that same spirit will help our community and state flourish in the months and years ahead. In the meantime, I’m going to continue to focus more on the things that really matter most to me: friends and family. If we only focus on what is wrong or what is not going our way, we miss the joy of the blessings in our lives: family, friendships, health and freedom. We have to offset any discontent by finding contentment in the life we have been given and confronting the challenges in our midst. This may not be the most robust season but it’s an ideal time for appreciating the most important things in life.
Every move you make
Traffic cams are showing up all over the Baton Rouge area, the latest way for law enforcement to make our roads safer, and to catch and punish lawbreakers. Private contractors with state-of-the-art gear help local governments monitor streets remotely and at a much lower cost. Is government going too far? Are the cameras really to make streets safer, or is boosting government revenue the higher priority? Contributor Chuck Hustmyre delves into the business of traffic cameras in this month’s cover story here.
That’s good stuff, cher!
225 thrives on spotting new talent, highlighting fresh ideas and helping readers sort through our dizzying marketplace to find interesting new people, quality entertainment and delicious cuisine. Sometimes the gems we unearth are right in front of us, but we forget to give them the attention they deserve. While Baton Rouge continues to enjoy a steady flow of new restaurants and bars, there are dozens of places that have earned cult-like followings because they provide great food and service. This month, we bring you our review of Brunet’s Cajun Restaurant. It may not be in the thick of new construction, but for years it has refined its take on authentic Cajun food and good times. Check out what you’ve been missing here.
Supporting our schools
People always say we must get the community involved with our schools. It happens often in private and parochial schools. But businesses and churches care about our public schools too. And they are willing to help if given a clear mission and are joined with others. This was recently evidenced at Prescott Middle School when Advance Baton Rouge pulled together volunteers from Healing Place Church and many local businesses to do an “extreme makeover” of the teachers’ lounge in eight days (during Easter break while the teachers were away). What a surprise when they came back and what a message from the community: THANK YOU for the job you do. We believe in you. Check out the photos here.
