Scotty Mac With Cheese! (And Everything Else On It)

Erika Sanders is a very special lady. She's not only a bonus daughter (NOT stepdaughter), Erika is a stroke survivor who is always positive about life, and one who freely offers genuine encouragement to others. To me, she was the perfect choice to co-host this podcast, since she has a great deal of patience and tolerance with me and my quirky ways. And I am putting ALL that love and support to the test with this world-class cheddar presentation! And-after you’ve made it through all the groans of pain, be sure to stick around for Erika's Thanksgiving blessing. That’s legit.

While I recognize this year's Thanksgiving celebrations are taking on a more serious tone because of Covid, we don't have to take it all too serious. Which is why we did this podcast. For a smile--or nausea . Which is why I need to tell you - up front - if you don't like puns, this podcast is not be for you. But I know deep down you're probably gonna listen anyway just to see how bad/good they are!

Let me start off with a Captain Obvious statement: The world is not the same place it was a year ago. Last year, we had the fun October stuff like Halloween, fall wardrobe shopping, and every major sport to watch. Stadiums were packed with screaming fans. Then, this Covid-19 Pandemic came in like a mutant lion in March, sweeping the nation like LSU swept through their football schedule last year. Hundreds of thousands lost their lives, and thousands more were forced to mourn the losses of family and friends without even being able to say goodbye.

But, the mourning didn’t stop there. So many of the things that were so much a vital part of who we were was suddenly ripped away with the Quarantine. For me, it was a real sense of other losses. Like so many others, there was the loss of a job. Loss of social interaction. Parties. Church. Restaurants. Weddings. Reunions. In the beginning, most of us thought that- at the most – the socially distancing thing would go away in 3 months. It’s still here 7 months later, and we’re still feeling it. Stronger than ever.

That’s why I enlisted the help of my friend – and licensed therapist and counselor – Lori LeBlanc. In this podcast, my wife Melanie joins me in this 27-minute session to walk through this valley. The emotional stress and trauma. And the feelings of isolation. I’m sharing because I know it’s important. Improving our emotional state is imperative, and it’s not that hard to do. Please take a moment to hear. And share with those who need to be encouraged during these isolation moments. Lori says, “Be KIND to your MIND.” We can do this.

There are your standard issue questions in that manager's office (or NOW with Zoom video). You know these. "Where do you see yourself in 5 years," or "why should we hire you?" Fine. Got those. But what about the oddball questions? Spoiler Alert: Most of those strange questions have no right or wrong answer. Lucky us. I'll give my answers to three of these really-way-out-there ones.

(Easy for me to say, right? Since I did not have the face-to-face experience.) But WAIT, there's more! I have enlisted a couple of friends in the media industry to help me do a deeper dive into the World of The Weird Questions. Creative? Or just stupid? You decide.

This is a podcast I recorded about a year ago at the radio station, and I’m bringing it back, because it still has “traction in analytics.” Those fancy words are from the former Digital Content Director at iHeart Media-London Marchand. The way this all came down was over a conversation I overheard on the elevator. These two women were trying to decipher a text message from a guy one of the ladies liked. The problem was, she was trying to read between the lines searching for meaning, and getting nowhere.

I mentioned this conversation to London-who is single-and we came up with some very inciteful ways to interpret “manspeak;” ESPECIALLY when it come from a guy’s mysterious texts. Together we came up with the 15 ways to know he’s interested. Even if he’s being somewhat mysterious. Here are just 5 of the of the 15 signals we will discuss.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

The damage resulting from Hurricane Laura hit hard for me personally, since my hometown of Lake Charles was ripped apart from the highest winds in 150 years. Damage was everywhere, from the Capital One high-rise building downtown (losing most of its windows), to KPLC's TV steel studio transmission tower bent in half like a cheap coat hanger. Even with all of the devastation, it was a miracle that the loss of life numbers were kept under a dozen.

There was a last-minute saving grace for Lake Charles that WWL Channel 4's meteorologist Dave Nussbaum talks about here, and the latest tracking for two MORE systems in the Atlantic. Great, huh? Well, we are in the peak part of hurricane season right now, and that's just the way things roll. We just want them to roll away from us.

Finally, the 15-year anniversary of the most-deadly storm in New Orleans is August 29. Hurricane Katrina rocked the Crescent City with high winds and rain, but the levee breaches from the storm, surge proved deadly to thousands. Dave looks back. And ahead.

You’d probably have to go back to 2005 to get the same kind of tropical storm/hurricane activity in the Gulf of Mexico like we’ve had recently. Dr. Josh Eachus- chief meteorologist with WBRZ Channel 2 breaks it down for us.

Those of us who are old enough to remember the Saints from the very beginning, know about the very unique moments in their infancy years. In their first season, the Saints won five of their six preseason games, then opened the regular season on Sept. 17, 1967 against the Los Angeles Rams. Over 80,000 packed themselves into old Tulane Stadium to watch, as John Gilliam took the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. Just like that. Then, the Rams calmed everyone down and would go on to win that game.

Three years later on November 8, 1970, Tom Dempsey made one of the most historic plays in Saints' history, as he kicked a record-breaking 63-yard field goal with just two seconds on the clock to beat Detroit 19-1. (OK, that play made #7 on this list) Play-by-play announcer Al Lester got just a LITTLE excited.

The other soundbytes will include games in the Sean Payton/Drew Brees era. So buckle up the earbealts for an awesome 15 minute ride down WhoDat memory lane. But don't be surprised to find out that the Super Bowl win was the #2 highlight on my list. Yep, there was one better. Well at least, I think there was. Take a listen.

Caregivers. And those future ones. Or the ones who want to understand. We hope our story will help encourage you. You're not alone in this.

When it comes to social media, many companies get stuck in trying to do too much based on too many different opinions. Enter Jenna Winzenburg. A voice a clarity that's refreshing. And right.

Jenna is a 10 year veteran of social media, website creation, and a former regional Digital Content Manager for national companies like Universal and iHeartMedia. Having worked with Jenna for several years, I can tell you she can analyze statistics and research with the best of ‘em. But Jenna never sacrifices common sense. And I’m here to tell you, that’s rare. Here are some examples from this podcast.

Google ads are not as hot as you think. Just expensive. And if you’re with an ad agency that says digital advertising alone will make your company successful, you might want to define what “success” means. Likes? Clicks? Or Sales? Most agencies are all about showing the clicks, while the clients want to be shown the money.

“The number one thing most new clients tell me is how they have been advised by sellers to spend thousands of dollars a month on digital ads to grow their leads. Here's the thing you must remember: CONTENT still wins.” Alright, so let’s take 25 minutes with Jenna Winzenburg and get Social. Results.

Public health actions, such as social distancing, can make people feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety during this pandemic. It’s something that does not get a lot of attention, but something that needs to be said. Here, I offer some info from what I’ve learned with my family, and what the experts from the CDC are offering. I look forward to hearing your experiences in the comment section of my social media platforms.