The Leslie Show

Number One on the ThreatDown: BEARS!

Everyone who has known me since I was young knows that I have a fascination/connection with bears.  Read this today and couldn't resist posting it (with apologies to Stephen Colbert):

*IN MY NEXT LIFE I WANT TO BE A BEAR*

"If you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months.

I could deal with that.

Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid.

I could deal with that, too.

If you're a bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute cuddly cubs.

I could definitely deal with that.

If you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too.

I could deal with that.

If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling.
He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat.
He KNOWS not to get between you and the food.

Yup..... Gonna be a bear."

Soaring Crane, Crouching Kitty

Or something like that.  This video makes me laugh big, whooping, horsey laughs whenever I watch it:

Busy Busy Busy

Hey, y'all - Just wanted to apologize in advance if I'm not posting much these days.   I am PSYCHOTICALLY busy this summer.  With the hopes that the following doesn't bore you too badly, here are some of the major things I am scheduled to do in the next 13 weeks:

1. AROMATHERAPY SCHOOL:  Attend 32 hours of class.  Write a 10 page research paper.  Begin my 14 case studies.
2. REFLEXOLOGY SCHOOL:  Attend 12 hours of class.  Continue documenting any and all reflexology sessions I perform.  Continue to FIND those reflexology sessions so I can acquire my practice hours to get my certificate.
3. BREAST CANCER 3-DAY:  Walk 453 miles.  Yes, if I do all of the suggested training AND the full event (which I am planning to) that's how far I walk.  And that doesn't include any extra walking I do anywhere else, that's just the training walks.  I'm very glad to be a part of this event, but I sure didn't think as hard as I could have about how much TIME the training would take.  The good news is, I'm more than halfway to my required fundraising goal of $2200!
4. TRAVEL:  A long weekend in Vancouver, then two weeks in South Africa then London.  Awesome!  But a LOT of work getting kids, pets, house, etc. all settled and where they need to be when this goes down.  Guess who's job it is to plan/arrange all that?  (Hint:  It rhymes with "Nestlie".) 

That's all.

No.  Wait.  It's not all.  These are only the EXTRA things I'm doing in my life besides trying to run my own massage practice AND be a wife, mother, and homemaker.  (Guess which role is getting the shortest shrift?  Let's just say Domino's and Maid Brigade LOVE ME.) So, life is good, but Leslie needs to learn to stop trying to do everything at once, and Leslie apologizes in advance if she is irritable or non-responsive or doesn't post much.

Amazon.com Context Links

I'm trying out something new here.  Amazon.com associates program is now offering "context links", which should automatically add links to Amazon products from whatever I type.  Which should be interesting.  If it works.  I just clicked on the widget button and said "Make it so!", but so far I'm not seeing anything.  Hmm.

Tap Tap....is this thing on?

Almost out of my 30s

Monday, April 16th, is my 40th birthday  Thank God!  Because, generally, my 30's sucked.  I got fat, I got sick, I had marriage problems (the 2nd two things got better), and I spent a lot of time being worried and stressed.  So I'm actually quite glad to bid farewell to my thirties. Much wisdom was gained, but I hate gaining wisdom because you never get it from really lovely, tickle-y things happening to you. 

I'm having a big party here tomorrow night ('cause the party in Las Vegas was super-lovely but most of my friends couldn't go), catered by Lisa Dupar catering.  A catered party!  Now THAT'S mature!  We're having champagne and a chocolate fountain.  Woo-hoo!  I hope to have some swell pictures to share of that event.

Then, frankly, I'll be glad to be done with it.  I've been "about to turn 40" forever, it seems.  Let's get on with it, already. 

Brilliant Prank

Was reading a thread on The Straight Dope bulletin boards about funny names, and remembering when I heard an airport page "Wa Hu", when I was led to this page.  Some pranksters got some great PA pages out of the staff before they were figured out.  Very funny.  (Not outrageous but not particularly safe for work.)

Quote of the Day

"As a teenager you are at the last stage in your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you." - Fran Leibowitz

Allergies, ho!

Ugh, it's that time of year again.  The time of year when my allergies, which usually hold steady at a low-grade pitch, go absolutely insane.  It's the birch and alder going to pollen in the late winter/early spring that does it.  For some reason I am exquisitely allergic to birch and pollen.  The main symptom I have is that my eyes get really, really itchy.  But I can also get a stuffed up nose, and when it gets really bad I develop asthma.  Whee!

It usually starts at the very very end of February or beginning of March.  The earliest I remember is February 28th, which was the day of the big Nisqually Earthquake.  I figured the pollen all got shaken off the trees about a week early.  But this year I've been feeling it since Valentine's Day.  Lucky lucky me!  It usually ends by my birthday, April 16th.  So, here we go.  About 7 weeks of hell.  I went to the allergist and they gave me all sorts of drugs, so hopefully the season won't be too dreadful.  Wheeze me luck!

Quads of Steel

A looming 40th birthday makes a person start acting strangely. 

I told you of the Joy of Cooking project (** which now has its own website titled:  Joy or Death**).  Well, now I've got
another "project" going.  One with a much smaller timetable. 

I'm going to participate in the 21st Annual Big Climb for Leukemia.  It's a fundraiser for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  They're GREAT at fundraising.  I did a half-marathon with them in 2002, and a full marathon in 2003 with their Team in Training program.   Well, I don't quite have the motivation or time to sign up for another marathon, but this one seems a bit more doable.  Approximately 30 minutes of stair-climbing (if I train well). 

I need this sort of dramatic structure to motivate myself to exercise.  Ironically enough, I found the brochure for this event while I was at Cupcake Royale. 

It would be awesome if you, dear reader, would make a donation.  My goal is to raise $350.  Here's a link to my donation page.

What's new?

Wow, this might be a record for the longest I've gone between posts.  Here's why:

• I traveled to Michigan to help take care of my sister and her 2 year old daughter.  I was there for a week and it was awesome to visit and to help but MAN 2-year olds keep you busy!
• I've been taking a lot of reflexology classes.  And practicing, too.  Your tootsies will be mine!
• I became a Young Living distributor.  Basically so I could get good rates on their essential oils.  I'm really into aromatherapy now, and they have lots of good stuff.  I hope to be certified in aromatherapy within the next year or two and add that as a feature to my massage practice.
• I've been Christmas shopping.  Thank God for Amazon.com and Zingermans.
• I've been exercising and dieting.  Ha.  Well, exercising, anyway.  A little.  That plan I outlined in my last post?  Typically overambitious.  But I have lost about 2 pounds and I am getting in slightly better shape.  Slog, slog, slog.
• My house is being painted. The interior.  Almost the entire house. We've lived here for 6.5 years, which is approaching being 3x longer than I've ever lived in one place my entire life.  You know, when you move every 2 years or so it's a really good way to manage your possesions.  Keeps things tidy, y'know?  But 6 years in one place with no moving equals piles o'junk.  I gotta get the junk piles cleared away so the guys can paint the walls.  YOWZA!
• We're going to Whistler for Christmas. That involves arranging to board all our pets, holding mail and papers, and various and sundry other tasks.  Oh yeah, and I'm going to learn to snowboard. 

So, that's what's new with me.  I hope to write more often. Until I do,  Happy Holidays!