infintiePlus Magazine

infinitieplus November 2023

DR. BRIAN ZIEMER to Lead East Texas Advanced Academies

How CEOs Can Save the Office Facts About

Veterans Day

VOL. 13 NO. 11 LONGVIEW BUSINESS MAGAZINE

plus

MELISSA AZZAM:

A SUCCESFUL, REDEMPTIVE LOVE STORY

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Winter Home Maintenance Tips

Tips to Simplify

Sudha Yanamandra, MD

Thanksgiving Entertaining

Passionate about her patients.

FLIP THIS MAGAZINE

Community Business

Education

Butcher Shop turns 40

Dr. Brian Ziemer

to Lead East Texas Advanced Academies "Mr. Brewer's commitment to education and our students was unwavering. I hope to honor his legacy through my service in this role. The new title is intended to express our shared belief that our most important role is to be a lifelong learner alongside our students and their families."- Brian Ziemer, Ph.D.

By IP STAFF REPORT

T

he East Texas Advanced Academies, (ETAA) Board of Trustees recently held its regular October meeting.

The Board unanimously approved the appointment of Brian Ziemer, Ph.D., to serve as ETAA's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Learner. He replaces former interim CEO Mr. James Brewer, who passed away earlier this year.

"Mr. Brewer's commitment to education and our students was unwavering," said Dr. Ziemer. "I hope to honor his legacy through my service in this role. The new title is intended to express our shared belief that our most important role is to be a lifelong learner alongside our students and their families."

Board President Mr. Judd Murray added, "We are grateful for Mr. Brewer's many years of outstanding service to Longview ISD and these last couple of years at ETAA. Though he is sorely missed, we know he would be pleased with the appointment of Dr. Ziemer."

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Ziemer's two-year contract runs through July 2025 with an annual salary of $150,000.

Additional compensation includes a $500 monthly car allowance and paid Blue Cross Blue Shield personal health insurance.

The contract does not include stipends, performance bonuses or a signing bonus.

Ziemer is a Texas certified superintendent and certified public accountant. He joined ETAA and Longview ISD as Deputy of Operations in August 2021, bringing 25 years of education experience in teaching and administration as well as private sector experience in conflict resolution, organizational restructuring, and financial management.

Ziemer earned his Ph.D. in education administration focusing on conflict resolution in schools and the effects of life trauma on student learning outcomes. His wife, Dr. Cherilyn Ziemer, also serves Longview ISD as a gaming and coding teacher at Hudson PEP

STORY BY JOYC E LYNE FA D OJUTI MI W W W.I NFI NI TI E P LUSMAG.COM

Dr. Brian Ziemer

Elementary.

In addition, the board unanimously approved the minutes from its September meeting; received updates from Dr. Ziemer on ETAA's financial status and rebranding efforts. The board did not take any action on the report.

Furthermore, the board met in executive session to discuss the CEO and Chief Learner's appointment before reconvening in open session and unanimously approving Dr. Ziemer for the position.

Murray added that Dr. Ziemer's experience and passion for education “will help propel ETAA to even higher levels of innovation and achievement."

Ziemer stated, "I am humbled, honored, and excited to be selected by the board to serve in this vital role. We are so pleased to be in Longview, and I look forward to helping ETAA meet our community’s highest expectations as we work together to reach our full potential."

"We unanimously approve his appointment with great confidence in his abilities," Murray said.

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utcher Shop needs no introduction as the best fresh food joint. Gina Moody Burton and her aunt, Linda Moody Lewis with their manager, Lamar Richardson are always excited about restaurant business. This thanksgiving, they are offering. Turkey, Ham with all the trimmings for their customers to purchase.

Gina and her aunt Linda say everything is still made fresh every day from 12am when the baker comes in and fires up the ovens.

The bar is fresh with homemade beans. Best of all, they are Texans to the core - they have kept portion

sizes the same – as big as Texas despite COVID and inflation.

In addition, Bison and turkey burgers are on the menu. Moreover, their other services includes catering breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 50 people and up. Their biggest catering job to date is Longview Regional Medical Center.

Gina and her Aunt Linda are excited that their business remains family owned. “We are happy that we have not changed management.

Hence, we offer the same homemade chili, same Texas-sized burgers,” they said. “We are still family owned and operated, we cut our meat, grind it, make our own bread, buns, and deserts with no preservatives.”

Linda Moody Lewis, Lamar Richardson, and Gina Moody Burton

Besides making wedding cakes, they offer an amazing fresh meat market. Furthermore, they brag on their long-term employees who work as a team. “Thank you, Longview, for trusting us to make you fresh delicious food,” they said.

“We are here to serve you anytime you step into Butcher Shop.”

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Editor's Note whole village is involved.

Question, did you notice anyone on life’s journey lately?

Everyone faces the same issues at one time or another: good days and bad ones, successes and failures, sickness and health, life, and death.

Hello infinitieplus magazine Unfortunately, many whom Family and Friends. we see every day face their Our team at infinitieplus problems alone because no magazine hope you are all one is willing to provide help doing well. A big shout out or hope. Be inspired to assist to the citizens of the famed others with the inspiration LOBO NATION. We use this article on page 10. opportunity to congratulate the Furthermore, our awardBig Green Marching Machine winning insurance magnate for its 74th consecutive is Melissa Azzam. So, flip this SUPERIOR University magazine and get to know Interscholastic League marching this altruistic, lovely, young, contest rating. Thanks to and incredibly successful parents, grandparents, entrepreneur. There are more aunts, uncles, cousins, stories in the magazine. We brothers, sisters, neighbors, hope that you will read and well-wishers, teachers, share them with family and VOLUNTEERS, SPONSORS, friends. who support the Big Green Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

Marching Machine. Make no We look forward to serving mistake, the Lobo Band is a you again in December by community affair where the God’s grace.

Joycelyne Fadojutimi PhD Publisher

Proud member of:

Table of Contents The Magazine for Living Life Beyond, Plus One… Publisher / Editor Joycelyne Fadojutimi, PhD Photography Joycelyne Fadojutimi Graphic Designer Kuneho Designs Contributing Writers Glenn Miller Mechele Agbayani Mills Mary Hunt Robert Goldman Dr. Michael Guido

For advertising Email: joycelyne@easttexasreview.com www.infinitieplusmag.com OUR MISSION

Features

To enrich the local-global community with the “just in time knowledge,” to assure future successes

P. O. Box 12473 Longview, Texas 75602-2473 www.infinitieplusmag.com Phone: 903.918.7706

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In Every Issue

Trisha Broughton

Spotlight

Inspiration

To become an information oracle of functional and constructive reports that serves the needs of businesses and communities.

Submission Deadline: The first of every month prior to month of issue. infinitieplus magazine is not responsible for any discrepancies or changes since the publishing of this issue. At the time of publication, to the best of our knowledge, all information was accurate though not guaranteed. The entire contents of infinitieplus magazine is copyrighted 2023.

Any reproduction or use in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. infinitieplus magazine reserves the right to edit and make appropriate modifications.

The opinions published by contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the views of infinitieplus magazine or its advertisers.

Amelia and Libby Bryson

Women Today

OUR VISION

VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 11

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Asst. Sups. Drs. Wayne Janetta Hiraldo, Janarius Guidry, James Williams, and Principal Hockenberry and Comm. Nikita Mumphrey Dir. Matthew Prosser

Business and Finance Puzzle Grubs Up Community Connections Drs. Gana, Samir and Son Alec Germanwala at a recent SBN/LISD fun run/walk

PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES FOR LISD KIDS

About the Cover

Sudha Yanamandra, MD; is an internal medicine doctor at Longview Regional Medical Center. Her husband N.S. Jatavallabhula, MD; is a neurosurgeon making them a boon to Longview residents. Yanamandra’s life is steeped in medicine.

She attended a Catholic missionary school in India. She was blessed with a father in the medical field-he ran a diagnostic center in India. Hence, she became passionate about medicine.

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Cover Story

Cover Story

Sudha Yanamandra, MD: Passionate about medicine and Longview residents udha Yanamandra, MD; is an internal medicine doctor at Longview Regional Medical Center.

Her husband N.S. Jatavallabhula, MD; is a neurosurgeon making them a boon to Longview residents.

Yanamandra’s life is steeped in medicine. She attended a Catholic missionary school in India. She was blessed with a father in the medical field-he ran a diagnostic center in India. Hence, she became passionate about medicine.

Hanging around her father influenced her journey to medical school. "I chose medicine as I have always been passionate about treating patients and making them better," she says. "My dad was in the medical field, and he used to run a diagnostic clinic in India, and I have seen many patients with different ailments - that inspired me to become a physician."

After her graduation from the Catholic missionary school, her passion took her to medical school.

-Upon graduation, she took her

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medical studies several notches higher and attended her post graduate program in United Kingdom.

Later, she and her family pulled up stakes and headed for united State of America.

"We decided to move to USA for family reasons, and then I wanted to practice medicine, which is one of my passions - to treat all medical problems," she says. "I decided to do internal medicine, which I really enjoy practicing every day."

Dr. Yanamandra is first an OBGYN physician. “I really enjoyed my career in OBGYN,” she said. She has no regrets because she brings her OBGYN expertise to internal medicine which is often times beneficial for her female patients.

She wears many hats.

- Sudha Yanamandra, MD husband have 2 daughters. The first daughter, Hyndavi, is a pre-med student at the University of Texas in Austin. Following in her parents footsteps, she wants to become a physician. The second daughter, Samskruti, is a junior at Longview

High School. Their family is immensely proud of the Lobos.

“Our family is a Lobo family.

We attend games, donate funds to TSA, Lobo band, tennis, volunteer for different activities, Contd. on Page 9

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starts with an early morning prayer, then getting her daughter ready for school. Dr. Yanamandra arrives to work at 8:15am and starts seeing patients at the Regional Clinics till 5pm. When she gets home, she practices what most doctors tell their patients – exercise - after which she prepares delectable dinner for her family. But that is not all. If there is any time left in the evening, she would watch a movie or two with her family.

Dr. Yanamandra and her

"I chose medicine because I have always been passionate about treating patients and making them better."

Catch the Spirit of Texas!

Drs. Gana Nadiga, Sudha Yanamandra and Samir Germanwala at the recent Bare Necessity’s walk/race honoring the late James Brewer, LHS principal

Yanamandra is a physician, a wife, a mother, a volunteer, a runner and much more. Her days are remarkably busy to say the least.

According to Yanamandra, her day

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Cover Story “Our family is a Lobo family.

We attend games, donate funds to TSA, Lobo band, tennis, volunteer for different activities, and engage in fundraising.”

- Sudha Yanamandra, MD and engage in fundraising.” Besides being a strong Lobo supporter, Yanamandra “runs, walks, for charities including Texas Oncology and the Newgate Turkey fun run.

Nonetheless, her passion is medicine. Yanamandra even takes phone calls from patients with relatively minor health problems,

saving some the trouble and expense of going to emergency rooms. She has lately stayed especially busy with this because of COVID. When needed, she directs callers to local health care facilities. Still, she and her family are about more than medicine.

Somehow, despite her hectic,

selfless schedule she squeezes time for travelling, haute cuisine, playing the sitar, jogging, and again, movies. She describes her favorite food as, "All Indian desserts!" Still, her passion is the well-being of those around her most especially women.

"I can screen for cervical cancers, take care of menopausal problems and hormone replacement therapy," she says.

"Most of my female patients can benefit from these treatments."

Hence, women in Longview do not have to travel far and wide for the care they need. As it is, they have it right here with Dr. Yanamandra at Longview Regional Medical Center.

Bundles Bundles Bundlesof of ofjoy. joy. joy.

It’s It’s It’swhat what whatwe we wedeliver. deliver. deliver.

From From From the thethe day day day you you you find find find out outout to tothe to thethe day day day you you you deliver, deliver, deliver, there’s there’s there’s nothing nothing nothing more more more important important important to toLongview to Longview Longview Regional Regional Regional Medical Medical Medical Center Center Center than than than your your your and and and your your your baby’s baby’s baby’s health health health and and and well-being. well-being. well-being.

This This This isiswhy why is why we wewe provide provide provide extra extra extra amenities amenities amenities such such such as asprivate as private private rooms, rooms, rooms, spacious spacious spacious birthing birthing birthing suites, suites, suites, childbirth childbirth childbirth classes classes classes and and and breastfeeding breastfeeding breastfeeding support. support. support.

And And And ififyou you if you and and and your your your newest newest newest addition addition addition need need need aalittle little a little extra extra extra help, help, help, we wewe offer offer offer perinatal perinatal perinatal services services services that that that include include include maternal-fetal maternal-fetal maternal-fetal medicine medicine medicine specialists specialists specialists and and and aaLevel Level a Level IIIIIINICU. NICU. III NICU. For ForFor more more more information information information about about about our our our labor labor labor and and and delivery delivery delivery services, services, services, visit visit visit LongviewRegional.com/baby.

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2901 2901 2901 N. N.Fourth N. Fourth Fourth Street Street Street • • Longview, Longview, • Longview, TX TX75605 TX 75605 75605 • • 903-242-3490 903-242-3490 • 903-242-3490 • • LongviewRegional.com LongviewRegional.com • LongviewRegional.com www.facebook.com/InfinitiePlusmagazine | https://twitter.com/infinitieplus | infinitieplus | November 2023

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Inspiration

National Heroes

Facts about Veterans Day

E OUT OF SERVICE

By DR. MICHEAL GUIDO

R

ecently, while waiting for a bus to take me to an airport parking lot, bus after bus passed by the “waiting zone” without stopping or even pausing. Tired and exhausted, I was puzzled and frustrated until I noticed that they had signs in their windows that read OUT OF SERVICE! There I stood waiting and wondering, part of a crowd but still alone, left in the exhaust and noise of empty buses. I waited for quite some time until one came to take me to my vehicle.

While waiting I thought of those standing around me. No doubt they, too, were anxious to get to their destination. Perhaps

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they had been on a long, lonely journey and were discouraged with the results of their efforts. Maybe they were fearful of what might be awaiting them, knowing that a loved one was sick and in pain.

And, of course, some were filled with joy and the expectations of a happy homecoming to a welcoming family or friends.

As I waited with them, I was reminded of all the people that God brings into my life, who like me, are on life’s journey. Everyone faces the same issues at one time or another: good days and bad ones, successes and failures, sickness and health, life and death.

Unfortunately, many whom we see every day face their problems

alone because no one is willing to provide help or hope. Like the buses, we neglect to recognize their needs; we are “OUT OF SERVICE.” Jesus said, “Look around you!

Vast fields are ready right now for the harvest.”

Prayer: Help us, Father, to willingly serve You by serving others. Open our eyes to see the needs of others, open our ears to hear their cries, and share Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.

John 4:34-38

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ach November, millions of people recognize the service and sacrifice of military veterans on Veterans Day. Initially commemorated as Armistice Day but renamed Veterans Day in the United States in 1954, the holiday is a federal holiday throughout the country. The first Armistice Day was observed in 1919. Despite that lengthy history, the general public may still have questions about Veterans Day.

When is Veterans Day observed?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs notes that Veterans Day is always observed officially on November 11, regardless of which day of the week that happens to be. In 2023, Veterans Day is Saturday, November 11. Because Veterans Day falls on a Saturday in 2023, the federal observation date is Friday, November 10.

Why is November 11 so significant?

November 11 is a significant day in world history because it marks the signing of the armistice between the Allies of World War I and Germany at 5:45 a.m. on November 11, 1918. Though the formal peace treaty, the Treaty of Versailles, was not signed until 1919 and hostilities between the

sides continued for hours after the armistice was signed, the day is still viewed as the end of World War I.

What distinguishes Veterans Day from Memorial Day? The VA notes that Veterans Day honors all those individuals who served honorably in the miliary during both wartime and peacetime. Memorial Day is a day to honor and remember military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who lost their lives in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

Do other countries honor their military veterans?

Many countries across the globe honor their military veterans, and many do so on November 11 as well. For example, Canadians and Australians observe Remembrance Day in honor of their nation’s respective veterans on November 11.

Veterans Day is a day to honor and commemorate the brave men and women who have honorably served in the U.S. military during wartime and peacetime.

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Community Body.

Soul. Spirit Connections

Community Body.Connections Soul. Spirit

Arya, Alec Germanwala doing good deeds Longview ISD faculty, staff participate in the James Paul Brewer Fun Run

I

S TORY BY JOYCELY N E FADOJU TIM I WWW.IN FIN ITIEPLU S M AG .COM

Alec Germanwala speaking to walkers and runners. Dr. Guidry looks on.

n 2020, Arya and Alec Germanwala, a sister and brother team, founded Simple Bare Necessities, (SBN); a 501 C3 nonprofit organization.

Their goal was to assist underserved Longview ISD students with hygiene products. Their grandmother’s example of community service inspired the formation of their organization. In Longview ISD where 80% of the students are economically disadvantaged and socially underserved, Arya and Alec’s organization is a breath of fresh air.

This sister and brother team were in Longview High School’s International Baccalaureate

program. Besides getting good grades, the IB program is also about develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who assist communities in creating better and harmonious world through multicultural appreciation and civility. One way to create a better world is to start from your own community.

And this is exactly what Arya and Alec Germanwala are doing with the organization they started 3 years ago.

Alec Germanwala became the chief executive officer in 2022 when his sister and cofounder, Arya went to college.

Since then, Alec has been running full speed with the organi-

Longview ISD Wellness: The James Paul Brewer fun run/ walk was well attended.

Dr. Wayne Guidry working LISD bond election and participating in LISD James Paul Brewer memorial fun/run

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Dr. Hockenberry . asst. super for district services walks for a healthy lifestyle.

Running for health and charitable cause

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Day Richardson, Patricia Salas, Marisol Juares and Ama Alvarez

zation. The organization continues to up its service to students who are living on the margins of society. In their first year, SBN served 300 students, and in their second year, they served 700 students. Last year, SBN served 1,100 students and this year, they hope to serve approximately 2000 students. In addition, funds have been rolling in from generous donors. So far, the project has raised $100,000.

Their service method is simple. They deliver attractively packaged full size hygiene kits to Longview ISD campuses who in turn distribute the packages to students in the Backpack program.

This year SBN’s annual fun

Showing off LOBO NATION!

run was juxtaposed with Longview ISD faculty fun run in memory of James Brewer, assistant superintendent for secondary school and Longview high school principal.

Mr. Brewer suddenly passed on to eternity to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this summer.

Furthermore, Dr. Wayne Guidry, Longview ISD assistant superintendent for business and finance was on hand with his music cheering walkers and runners on for a healthy lifestyle.

More importantly, he did not miss reminding everyone to vote for LISD bond.

Also, in attendance honoring the Brewer run/walk were Dr. James Hockenberry, assistant superintendent for district services,

Janarius Williams and Principal Nikita Mumphrey ready for a run at Brewer Memorial fun walk/run.

Bramlette elementary school principal Nikita Mumphrey, and Matthew Prosser, LISD director of communications; many teachers and staff. Dr. Hockenberry and Dr. Guidry encouraged LISD staff to vote for LISD Bond. “I will be waiting for you with a high five,” he said. I look forward to seeing you at ESC,” said Hockenberry.

“Do if for the kids. It is important for our kids,” added Guidry Alec Germanwala briefed the audience about SBN and thanked everyone for coming.

To support his organization and community endeavors, please send your tax-deductible gifts to Simple Bare Necessities, 5 Thorntree, Longview, Texas, 75601.

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Business and Finance

How CEOs Can Save the Office

By ROBERT GOLDMAN

(Warning: This story is for CEOs only.)

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I

f you're a CEO, you're probably in a bad mood right now. And rightly so.

Your stockholders complain every time the price of your stock drops a measly 50% or 60% or 70%. Your employees complain simply because you're paid 400 times the salary of the average worker. Most annoying of all, no one will come back to the office.

It's intolerable!

Provide an efficient workspace in a charming high-rise or a bucolic office park, and still, your ungrateful employees insist on working from the miserable hovels they call home. It's not like you're unwilling to compromise.

When your employees wouldn't come to the office five days a week, you offered the olive branch that is hybrid work. Come in for four days, you said. Or three. Or the third Monday of every month when Mercury is retrograde.

In other words, drop in whenever the mood strikes you.

And still they stay home.

Oh, they will jump on Zoom for a meeting now and then, but what fun is it to run a meeting when there's no one sitting at a conference table, shaking in their boots? Why, with no one in the office, you can't even fire your employees. How is it possible to send someone home when they're home already?

No wonder CEOs are fed up and not going to take it anymore.

Like Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who told employees who refused to return on his schedule, "It's probably not going to work out for you at Amazon." Or JP Morgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon, who announced that "managers may con-

Business and Finance sider attendance in performance reviews and take 'corrective action' if requirements are not met."

Whatever hardcore CEOs like Jassy and Dimon are doing, it isn't working. According to "The FiveDay Office Week Is Dead," a recent article in The New York Times

by Stanford professor Nicholas Bloom, today's office occupancy rates "were at 50% of February 2020 levels."

"That is shocking," concluded the professor. "Only half as many days are spent in the office compared with pre-pandemic times."

Is there a solution to this dilemma? Yes, there is.

Instead of putting all your effort into pulling employees into your office, where they can be supervised by your managers, turn it around and begin pushing your managers into your employees' home offices.

Starting with you.

Imagine the joy in your employee's face when they answer the doorbell at 6 a.m. to find you standing there. In you stride, stopping briefly to wipe the noses of your employee's children as they leave for their jobs at the poultry processing plant.

Since your employee will likely be working from the kitchen or dining room, you take the bedroom.

What a wonderful surprise when your employee's partner wakes up to find you in the closet, making an inventory of your employee's wardrobe blunders for inclusion in their quarterly review.

As a CEO, you spend your morning making phone calls, arranging golf games and discussing CEO matters, like company-wide

layoffs and moving headquarters to fourth-world countries where "people appreciate a steady paycheck."

If your employee hears you, no problem. It will increase their understanding of the pressure on you.

Generously, you take time in your busy morning to drop in on your employees and review their work in progress. After you have eviscerated their projects, turn your attention to other aspects of your employee's life, like how they could brighten their dreary home by upgrading the window treatments, and the how a regression analysis of their laundry basket indicates beyond statistical doubt their partner is cheating on them.

Given your CEO-level communications skills, you will have no problem convincing your employees they need couples counseling, which the company health plan will not pay for.

With your employee's life and home decor issues resolved, set up a light lunch of lobster and chardonnay at Chez Garage. Bring cottage cheese for your employee, who definitely needs to lose weight and will certainly appreciate your diet advice.

It will then be time to start discussing the afternoon schedule, but before you bring out the white boards, your employees will have changed out of their sweats, ready, willing and desperate to return to the office.

As your other executives start working in employees' homes, word will spread, and you will no longer have trouble convincing everyone to return to the office. At which point, you can start working from home.

It's quite delightful, and you deserve it.

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Business and Finance

Inspiration Business and Finance

Thirteen Winter Home Maintenance Tips B y M EC H E L E AG B AYA N I M I L L S

W

eather Fall is here, and winter will be here before you know it. With the change in weather comes a list of home maintenance that all homeowners should tackle before the cold weather arrives.

BBB offers these tips when preparing your home for the colder weather:

Clean those gutters.

Clean out gutters to prevent ice dams and water buildup. A buildup of leaves and other debris can cause your gutters and downspouts not to drain correctly. Improper draining can make water spill over your gutters, leading to foundation/ basement damage and damage to your fascia boards. In the winter, ice dams can form that can let snow melt underneath your shingles. Get a listing of gutter contractors near you.

Test your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors.

Making sure these essential safety tools are in proper working condition is manageable and vital to ensuring the safety of those in your home. The National Fire Protection Association offers excellent information on installing and maintaining smoke alarms. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has information on carbon monoxide detectors.

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Check your window and doors for air leakage.

Protect pipes.

Organize your garage.

Prepare the garden and keep it pest free.

Adding caulk and weather stripping helps prevent cold air leakage into your home and prevents spiders and insects from entering. Also, check where pipes and wires enter your home.

You will undoubtedly use your garage a lot more in the colder months. Get rid of trash and clutter, and make sure your snow shovel and other winter-use items are easily accessible. Fill/repair any cracks or holes you see to prevent bugs and rodents from entering that will be seeking refuge from the cold. Find garage organizers near you.

Inspect your driveway.

Fall is a great time to fill cracks and seal coats to prevent wintertime water/ice damage. Find driveway repair contractors near you.

Schedule HVAC maintenance.

A professional Heating contractor near you can help service your heating unit and potentially save you up to 25% in energy costs according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Insulate pipes in unheated areas, like attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Cover up your outdoor water fixture (s). Spigot covers are reasonably priced at your local hardware store and help keep the exterior pipes from freezing.

Trim trees and bushes away from your home to prevent heavy snow or ice damage. Clean up leaves and debris to prevent pests from finding shelter. For additional help, find a BBB Accredited pest control company near you.

Store patio furniture and other outdoor items.

Put away or cover outdoor furniture, grills, and other summer items to protect them from winter weather. Sweep your chimney.

Clean and inspect your fireplace before using it. Ensure the damper works properly to prevent drafts when it’s not in use. Having the soot and possible blockages or creosote build-up helps reduce the risk of a chimney fire and can improve the efficiency of your fireplace. Find a chimney sweep near you.

Contd. on Page 18

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Brain Teaser

Business and Finance “The best time to prepare for winter weather is before the potential ice, sleet and snow set in. A bit of prevention can save you time, money, and headaches.”

Reverse ceiling fans.

Turn your blades clockwise to help direct warm air downwards during colder months.

Test backup generators.

If you have a backup generator, test it to ensure it's in working condition in case of power outages.

Check for BBB Accreditation for any

professionals you may hire.

Go to BBB.org to find a business you can trust. Always look for the BBB seal. It’s the sign of a better business.

For more information Tips on hiring a contractor to work in or around your home.

Learn more about maintaining your home on BBB's home maintenance HQ. Look to businesses that adhere to the BBB Standards for Trust.

Read more about BBB's Accreditation Standards.

LET'S GET YOUR HOME

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the Graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

Subject: HISTORY (e.g., He led expeditions that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. Answer: Hernan Cortes.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. Which battleship was not raised after being sunk at Pearl Harbor?

Answer________ 2. Adolf Hitler was born a citizen of _____.

Answer________ 3. He was proclaimed “El Libertador.”

Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL 7. Name the first company to issue stock.

Answer________ 8. This captain sailed 4,000 miles in a small boat to reach safety on the island of Timor.

Answer________ 9. His predecessor was Sun Yat-sen.

Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL 4. Who was the most famous prisoner held at Devil’s Island?

Answer________ 5. When first elected prime minister, whom did Winston Churchill replace?

Answer________ 6. What was the date “... which will live in infamy”?

Answer________

SCORING: 18 points - congratulations, doctor; 15 to 17 points - honors graduate; 10 to 14 points - you’re plenty smart, but no grind; 4 to 9 points - you really should hit the books harder; 1 point to 3 points - enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0 points - who reads the questions to you?

Super Quiz is a registered trademark of K. Fisher Enterprises Ltd. © 2017 Ken Fisher North America Syndicate Inc.

ANSWERS: 1. Arizona. 2. Austria. 3. Simon Bolivar. 4. Captain Alfred Dreyfus. 5. Neville Chamberlain.

6. Dec. 7, 1941. 7. Dutch East India Company. 8. Captain William Bligh. 9. Chiang Kai-shek.

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19

Grubs Up

Tips to simplify

Thanksgiving entertaining

T

hanksgiving is a foodand tradition-centric holiday, and all eyes will are typically on the dinner table.

Pulling off a feast of this magnitude takes considerable effort. These tips, tricks and timesavers can be a Thanksgiving host’s saving grace.

Pick the menu early

Don’t leave menu planning and shopping to the last minute.

Prepare side dishes- baked macaroni-and-cheese casserole, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and cornbread stuffing in advance and reheat them on Thanksgiving.

Brine your bird

Turkey is the centerpiece of the feast, so give it every opportunity to shine. No one wants a dry turkey. Food Network personality Alton Brown has a five stars fanfavorite roast turkey recipe with an aromatic brine on his show Good Eats at www.foodnetwork.com/ recipes/alton-brown/good-eatsroast-turkey-recipe-1950271

Start prep work a few days before Thanksgiving

Cut all vegetables and/or prepare some dishes a few days early. Make extra room in. Plan your table settings and label which

bowls and other serving dishes will be used for which items. This will make it much easier to set the table on Thanksgiving.

Serve batched cocktails

It can be challenging and expensive to have a full bar for guests. Mulled wine, hot cider and punches are ideal ways to serve

a crowd looking for delicious, spirited drinks.

Create simple centerpieces

Use seasonal sights for your centerpieces or place settings- small squashes, gourds, nuts, or acorns. A hollowed-out pumpkin filled with fresh flowers can be eye-catching.

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21

Business and Finance

12 improvements that will

Business and Finance

improve home selling price

S

By MARY HUNT

elling soon? You're about to learn that when it comes to selling a house, you (SET ITAL) can (END ITAL) judge a book by its cover.

Some call it curb appeal. I call it the little things that get potential buyers through the front door, and that's what matters most.

If you have a limited budget -- and these days, who doesn't? -- here are 12 home improvements to help you sell your house for the highest price.

number and mailbox appear worn, consider replacing them.

No. 1: Refresh the landscape.

No. 4: Clarify space to clear up confusion.

Spread new mulch in flower beds and around the base of trees. Lay down new sod; swap out failing bushes with fresh ones. Introduce color, either in the flower beds or with potted flowers. Even a small touch can make such a big difference.

No. 2: Spruce up the entrance.

Invest in a new front door or give the current one a fresh coat of paint. Make sure the porch is immaculately clean. If your house

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No. 3: Swap your light fixtures and plumbing fixtures.

If yours are no longer in style, change them out. Let your local home improvement store be your guide for what is most popular now. Updating old ceiling lights and bathroom faucets can give your home a modern look without breaking the bank.

Make sure to fix any areas that might leave potential buyers puzzled. If you have an unusual alcove, consider adding a desk or a dresser to show how the space can be utilized most effectively.

Many homes have quirks or issues that can be fixed visually, so don't leave potential buyers wondering.

No. 5: Think about removing popcorn ceilings.

Some people may be deterred by these ceilings, but be cautious because those in homes built

before 1979 may contain asbestos.

This isn't a DIY task, so you should hire a licensed professional to handle it. For newer ceilings, you can wet and scrape them.

Alternatively, if the ceilings are high enough, consider placing drywall over them to create new ceilings.

No. 6: Take down window treatments unless they're modern and of high quality.

This reduces the chance of discouraging potential buyers with different tastes. Uncovered windows also allow more natural light into the rooms. As Christian advises, you can't predict what buyers prefer when it comes to window coverings. If you have a contract, you can always offer the window treatments you removed.

No. 7: Opt for partial renovations.

Instead of completely overhauling an outdated bathroom, think about getting a new vanity and updating the current bathtub's appearance.

In the kitchen, keep the existing cabinets but swap out the countertops and hardware.

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No. 8: Revert rooms to their original purposes.

If your dining room has become an office, convert it back to a dining room. If your third bedroom serves as an office, transform it back into a bedroom. You can still showcase a photo of the room's alternative potential use.

No. 9: Replace the stained or shabby carpet.

You can attempt cleaning it initially, but buyers are usually put off by dirty carpets. In certain situations, it's more advantageous to remove the carpet if it's covering up hardwood.

No. 10: Remove personal touches.

This involves storing family photos and clearing the refrigerator of children's drawings (and any other personal items). You want prospective buyers to imagine their own family living in the house.

No. 11: Clean meticulously.

Give the entire house a thorough cleaning before listing it to make everything sparkle. Don't forget to clean the windows.

No. 12: Repaint.

While your daughter may adore her pink room, potential buyers won't. Choose neutral colors for all rooms. A fresh coat of paint also gives the house a

more contemporary and updated appearance.

It goes without saying but let me say it anyway: You won't get a second chance to make a first impression!

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23

CAREER TIPS

CAREER TIPS

Racing ahead of your career: Better learn to drag your feet

W

By ROBERT GOLDMAN

hat do you do when a new assignment comes around?

If you immediately raise your hand, you're making a big mistake. What you should do is duck your head. And if that new assignment does land in your lap, you certainly shouldn't put your nose to the grindstone and start working. What you should do is hold your nose, and start dragging your feet.

Alas, in today's dog-eat-dog, AI-eat-AI business world, being a procrastinator gets a bad rap.

This is not justified. The less work you do, the fewer careerending blunders you make.

Plus, with a project you haven't finished, you're far less likely to be included in the next round of layoffs. How can you be fired?

You have work to do.

Duke University professor Dorie Clark doesn't agree. In her recent Harvard Business Review article, "5 Ways to Actually Move Forward on That Task You've Been Avoiding," we learn that procrastination is "actually a

8 WOMEN TODAY

subconscious strategy to avoid negative emotions," in which we "fill our time with what we recognize as comparatively trivial matters."

The fact that you are wasting your time reading this extremely trivial column shows that you have the making of a great foot-dragger. All you have to do is take each of professor Clark's five steps, and do the exact opposite.

No. 1: Get clear on the vision.

Ambiguities surrounding an assignment can result in a "freeze response," as you try to determine "what they're actually looking for." Of course, at your company, you can easily answer this question: What "they're" looking for are reasons to throw you under the bus. Though you may want to jump in and save the day, it's far better to procrastinate and save your job.

No. 2: Identify concrete steps.

If an assignment looks doable, it's probably because you don't understand what

will be required to do it. To help you understand what steps are needed to finish a project, you are advised to hire a consultant. Unless you want to pay someone $500 an hour to schmooze your boss, throw shade on your abilities and steal your job, I don't agree. As Benjamin Franklin famously said, "Lie down with fleas and wake up with consultants."

No. 3: Take (small) action.

"Taking even a tiny action creates positive momentum," says Stanford professor BJ Fogg.

This is why you must be careful when starting an assignment, lest you are swept away by a wave of momentum madness and wake up one afternoon to find that you've finished the project. Displays of competence like this must be avoided, since they could result in you being given more projects, and more, and more, until you no longer have time for important activities, like mastering "Street Fighter 6" and discussing the latest episode of "90 Day Fiancé" with the hot new hire in Accounting.

NOVEMBER 2023

No. 4: Create forcing functions.

Tempted to start or complete a project?

Build in "accountability mechanisms" for yourself.

This could be a regular "check-in with a trusted colleague," assuming you can find one in the pack of jackals with whom you work. By constantly sharing your problems, a volunteer may take on the project just to shut you up. You're not only off the hook, but when your boss sees how good you are at avoiding work by delegating it to others, they'll recognize you as management material.

NOVEMBER 2023

No. 5: Limit competing distractions.

Rather than tackling a major project, humans are wired to "choose the quick dopamine hit of crossing off a minor todo item, like checking email or ordering your sandwich for a lunch meeting."

If you think any work assignment is as important as ordering the right sandwich -- "Just say no to chicken salad," as Benjamin Franklin famously said -- you may be a hopeless case. The advice Clark provides to avoid high-dopamine distractions is to hide your phone or use a computer that's not

connected to the internet.

To develop quality distractions, I recommend you stop paying your phone bill and use a computer that's not turned on. This will provide a bottomless time suck as you spend hours waiting on line for customer service at the phone company and complaining to IT about your company's internet provider.

With distractions like these, it will be impossible to work on your project, which is one more reason we say, "Procrastinators of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your jobs."

And if you doubt it, ask Ben Franklin.

WOMEN TODAY

9

COVER STORY

HEALTH & WELLNESS

"I recommend getting to know your community and supporting it every chance you get. The people that feel supported by you will support you in return. I just love getting to know people."

– Melissa Azzam, Owner, Rose Agency.

Melissa Azzam does not keep her past life as an abused child a secret. She aims to show as many as possible that abusers are not beyond redemption and reformation, and neither are their victims. Her support for the Crisis Center stems from how her own experience with it taught

her even the most severely broken families can be healed, and in many ways. Her family's recovery is proof of this.

"Thanks to the tools we were given, my mom retired as a nurse and lives near me in Longview, and my brother is a Navy veteran that's starting his

own excavating company," she says. "I'm a registered nurse that owns an insurance company, and my dad died in peace with a family that loved him very much."

Knowing how fairy tales may not always have happy endings, and that tragedies need not invariably end in tragedy, Melissa Azzam, finds time to assist the Crisis Center by hosting a yearly toiletry drive and to spend three terms on the Womens' Center board of directors. These rescue missions literally save untold lives, but need support from the communities they serve. She makes this clear to those who donate their resources to keep the facilities running: "Thank you for supporting an organization that helped my family have our happily ever after. You are all heroes to someone like me.

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www.infinitieplusmag.com

T

he following are four significant and less publicized women’s health issues, recognition of which could potentially save lives.

1. Heart disease:

A 2020 report from the American Heart Association indicated that, in 2009, 65 percent of women were aware that heart disease is their leading cause of death. By 2019, that figure had dropped to 44 percent. In addition, in its 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimated there are 275 million women around the world with cardiovascular disease. Often and incorrectly considered a disease for men, heart disease poses a significant threat to women as well.

2. Diabetes:

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that African American, Hispanic/ Latina, American Indian/ Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander women are more likely to have diabetes than white women. But any woman can get diabetes, and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reports that type 2 diabetes is more common in adults who are 45 and older.

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4 conditions not often characterized as women’s health issues

NOVEMBER 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

3. Urinary tract infections:

The Office on Women’s Health notes that women get urinary tract infections up to 30 times more often than men. The OWH indicates urinating when the need arises, drinking between six and eight glasses of water per day and additional hygiene measures are some ways to potentially prevent a UTI.

4. Alzheimer’s disease:

The Alzheimer’s Association notes that almost

two-thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer’s are women.

Figures are similar in Canada, where data from the Alzheimer Society indicates that just under 62 percent of those living with dementia in 2020 were women.

The life expectancy of women is still longer than it is for men, which may explain the greater incidence rates of Alzheimer’s among women.

Recognition of less publicized issues that affect women’s health can be the first step toward reducing the risk for many conditions.

WOMEN TODAY

7

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

"My husband and sister-in-law each have successful agencies. My mother-in-law recently retired from Allstate after twenty years. It's our dinner talk, and we all enjoy it. We love the communities we serve, so that makes the career so enjoyable."

– Melissa Azzam, Owner, Rose Agency.

According to Melissa, once upon a time there was a 7-yearold girl from a broken home who wanted peace in her family because it was filled with love but also alcoholism that prompted various kinds of abuse.

"My mom and dad met, fell in love and had two kids. This whole time my dad struggled with alcoholism. It continued to progress, and he couldn't control it even after several stints in rehab and trips to jail. I remember seeing my brother picked up by his neck and sneaking him food because he'd be locked in his room and wasn't allowed to eat.

I remember hearing my mom's screams from behind closed doors. When I cried for her, I was punished for taking her side. I remember sneaking over to my brother's bed at night just to hold him, because he was so terrified.

We lived in constant fear."

Like her mother, Melissa could not help but love her father because when he was sober "he

4 WOMEN TODAY

was a wonderful person." She considered herself a daddy's girl who found it heartbreaking to oppose her father, but eventually the pressure became too much, and she suffered an emotional, tearful collapse in school one morning. When a concerned teacher asked what the problem was, all Melissa could say was "my daddy hits my mommy and my brother." The teacher relayed this information to the school principal, who alerted Children’s Protective Services, leading to an investigation, but also helpful resources.

The subsequent counselling, she received helped some, but the police were called repeatedly to the home. After one visit the officers told Melissa’s mother that if they had to come again her children would most likely be taken from her. Shocked, her mother worked with her counsellor to arrange an escape from this abusive situation and move into the Crisis Center

Melissa Azzam

shelter. As in most cases, the mother's and children’s departure was a dangerous moment, and sure enough Melissa’s father attacked her mother when she told him, but that was the last time. Again, the police came, protecting the mother and

NOVEMBER 2023

children as they packed a few belongings before leaving. They drove away as Melissa’s father stood outside the car, begging for another chance.

"My heart never hurt so much," she says. "I always felt guilty for being the reason why

NOVEMBER 2023

all of this was happening."

En route to the shelter her mother made it clear they were going into hiding because they were in danger. Ever-fearful, Melissa recollects living in a room with bunkbeds, and becoming acquainted with other children who were in similar situations.

When attending school, she was not allowed to go to recess because of the threat of abduction. While in the Center, she attended therapy sessions in which caring, kind adults educated her on all aspects of domestic abuse, what is acceptable and what is not.

When her mother went to the police station to file an official protective order against her husband, one of his friends confronted her in the parking lot and informed her that her husband knew where she was and was watching her. Again, she had to run. Working with the Women’s Center of East Texas, the Crisis Center helped them relocate to Longview's Crisis Center. After several months there, her mom found work and moved with her children into an apartment where they started over from scratch.

"I don't remember much about that stay [in the Longview Crisis Center] because my mind has blocked out a lot to protect me," Melissa says. "My brother Marcos says he remembers being so excited to be given a new toothbrush when we arrived and being able to eat sugary cereal for the first time ever."

She credits the Crisis Center

with saving her, her brother's and mother's lives. She was thrilled to be surrounded by gentle, loving people who were both very nice and made her feel at home.

"The Crisis Center literally saved our lives," she says.

She spent years benefitting from the Center's resources, especially competent, compassionate counselling.

She learned to know which relationships were healthy, and which were not, and how to create safe places as she, her brother and mother built new and happy lives. It took years, but the communication abilities and learning boundaries she and Marcos picked up at the Center even enabled them to mend their relationship with their father.

Despite the love they had for each other Melissa’s parents never reconciled. Ten years ago, her father barely survived a serious car wreck. When he did recover, he was a changed man, leading to a new, loving relationship with his children.

When he was unable to get in touch with Melissa five years ago, he called her mother to find out if she was okay. This led to their burying the hatchet and again being friends. For a few weeks they frequently spoke on the phone, prayed together, and studied the Bible. One night, after one of these blessed calls, he died in his sleep.

Contd. on Page 6

WOMEN TODAY

5

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

MELISSA AZZAM: A SUCCESFUL, REDEMPTIVE

in their community service while recruiting new members. In this capacity she has participated in obtaining grants for the East Texas Crisis Center, the Womens' Center of East Texas, One Love Longview, and REEL East Texas.

Working via her agency and the chamber she participates immensely in serving her community at all levels. She believes that by cultivating everyone she encounters and interacts with, she creates a resource to make the East Texas region a better place in general.

"I recommend getting to know your community and supporting it every chance you get," she says. "The people that feel supported by you will support you in return. I just love getting to know people."

LOVE STORY

By JOYCELYNE FADOJUTIMI www.infinitieplusmag.com

I

n 2016, Melissa Azzam purchased an Allstate Insurance Agency from her father-in-law who was going on retirement.

In 2021, her agency became a Limited Liability Company with a new name - Rose Agency. This business is literally a family labor of love as husband Tony is also an Allstate agent. Tony and Melissa Azzam have been married for 10 glorious years.

Melissa has three big brothers in three different states following

their military careers. Hence, she stays close to her mother, Judy Arroyo, a Longview resident.

A Longview High School alumnus, she took her associate degree from Kilgore College before moving on to the University of Texas at Tyler to pull down a Bachelor of Science in nursing, which she made her first career. Despite her now-full-time vocation as an insurance agent, she retains her nursing license, enabling her to care for others in multiple ways. She covers a broad

range of insurance, specializing in home, auto, business, financial planning and life while also being licensed in securities.

"I got into the business because of how much my husband and his family loved being Allstate agents," she says.

She finds time to manage her staff while simultaneously handling writing and servicing policies, often attending local events and marketing ventures.

Her competent, well-trained staff enable her to leave the office

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Melissa Azzam and her mother, Judy Arroyo

for her various responsibilities without worrying about the agency being well-run in her absence. It is truly a family enterprise.

"My husband and sisterin-law each have successful agencies. My mother-in-law recently retired from Allstate after twenty years," she says. "It's our dinner talk, and we all enjoy it. We love the communities we serve, so that makes the career so enjoyable."

Rose Agency is known for top-notch community business.

As a result, her agency has achieved the Honor Ring level NOVEMBER 2023

award presented to nationwidebased agents for accomplishing significant growth. But that is not all The Rose Agency is very East Texas-minded. In 2020, it organized the Adopt-A-Cop program for Kilgore as a followup to Julie Woods starting this program in Longview. The agency orchestrated the Kilgore Hooray for Heroes parade to express that city's support and gratitude for the Kilgore Police Department.

Also serving as a chamber of commerce ambassador, Ms. Azzam assists fellow members

ABOUT MELISSA AZZAM Azzam is known for her thoughtfulness, selflessness, and kindness. Being kind to and helping others is a personal matter to Melissa. Coming from a broken, alcoholism home in Tyler made for a long, painful childhood. It led to the sanctuary of the East Texas Crisis Center and a blessed turnaround in her life. It was a case of desperate need.

Melissa have never thus far shared her story publicly because she did not want to bring shame to her family or dishonor her father who she loved very dearly.

However, after several requests to share her story, she decided to do so. She “wants people to know that there is hope and that the demons we struggle with do not define us.”

Contd. on Page 4

WOMEN TODAY

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WomenToday November 2023

PG. 07

4 conditions not often characterized as women’s health issues PG. 08

Racing ahead of your career: Better learn to drag your feet

Melissa Azzam Agency Owner - Allstate

Demonstrating the Significance of Ethics in the Insurance Sector

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