Remembering Lesli

Longest night of the year, and I'm tossing and turning, dipping in and out of sleep. It's not visions of sugar plums but rather snippets of to-do lists that dance in my head. And not really dance, either. More like lords a'leaping, these last-minute lists are.

But what's really gotten me up out of my warm bed this longest night to shiver in the glow of my computer screen is the thought of Lesli. Today (actually, 12/21/09) would have been her 50th birthday, and I forgot all about it until today had become tomorrow.

When the story of a friendship begins with two babies' being plunked into the same playpen while their moms visited, you know the reminiscences must be many and varied. But since this blog's overarching theme is a celebration (alright, and a commiseration) of aging, let me focus -- as Lesli did -- on the wrinkles across her brow.

Of course, she didn't have any! Being a tender young teen, she glowed with a porcelain perfection inherited from her mother. But with a bluster more like her father's, she'd point at her forehead and implore me, "Key! If you ever see me doing this," {eyebrow raise} "tell me to stop, okay?" What's that? "Seriously," she went on, her eyes like saucers and one hand now tracing the furrows created by her sharply elevated eyebrows. "Don't let me do this. I don't want to get wrinkles."

"Pippin," I said (we always called each other by our last names), "you're 16. I don't think you really need to worry about wrinkles just yet."

As it turned out, she didn't really need to worry about wrinkles ever. Cancer took her at age 44, and if by then her furrowed brow had begun to stick, well, I just don't remember. To me, her face will always glow with porcelain perfection -- rather like the sky outside my window this very moment.

How long have I dwelt in reverie?! The longest night is at an end.

Happy birthday, Lesli!

We're On Facebook!

We have joined the swelling ranks of midlifers doing social media networking on Facebook. Come visit our page and become a fan!

Our page title is the same as the book title.

See you there!

Late 80s and Still Limber

In the category of Way #5: S-t-r-e-t-c-h---I-t---O-u-t, comes this Facebook message from an old classmate of mine:

"A friend of my Mom's who is in her late 80's dropped a container of sugar packs. She was helping set up the dining room for after Mom's funeral. I go over to help her but she gets down on her knees like she is still in her 40's and we pick them up. So knowing how slow my mom was, I asked, 'How do you stay so limber?' She said, 'Yoga!' Maybe I should start walking and doing calisthenics again so I can stay in my 40's and not age so fast."

Tell it, Dean! Dean and I, together with all our classmates from Williston (N.D.) High School's Class of '78, are now "leaving our 40s," right on schedule. Nothing we really can do about that. Oh, but we CAN do daily stretching and strengthening exercises, as he suggests. Thus we may enjoy many more years -- indeed, decades! -- as limber lads and lasses, effectively s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g---o-u-t our quality of life.

If you're like me, one of the first things squeezed out by an over-full schedule is exercise. I hope, during this busy holiday season, that you'll find the time each day to walk for 15 minutes or more, and to s-t-r-e-t-c-h through all your hard-working muscle groups. As Tony the Tiger likes to say, "It's grrrrrrrrrreat!"

T minus 3 months and counting...

Okay, I'm actually a week late with this (Thanks, flu, and good riddance!). But as of seven days ago -- i.e. the 10th -- I'm within 3 months of The BIG FIVE-OH. Gosh, listen to me, slinging the numbers: "seven days," "the 10th," "3 months," "Five-O." Not that anyone's counting, right? But YES!! The sense of DREAD is starting to MOUNT! And this despite even writing a book about the joys of "leaving your forties."

Help! Help! Anyone else out there feeling the dread of 'reeling in the years'?

I see from Facebook that Val, one of my Williston (ND) High School classmates, is turning 50 today. Yeah, I guess the entire Class of '78 is lined up to do so, now, right? Who else is with us? Stand up and be counted, Dear Ones!!! "Turning 50 and proud of it!"

Alright then, how 'bout "Turning 50 and there ain't nothin' we can do about it!"

Happy Birthdays, Boyzz

With two birthday boys in the house this weekend, it's been an indulgent couple of days, and I expect my Weight Watchers weigh-in on Monday will confirm as much. Sigh... But why complain? My beautiful son is stretching toward teendom, and my beautiful husband is almost three years past cancer treatment and going strong. Life is sweet! So let us eat cake and have it, too, and may all groaning scales be damned. Happy Birthday, everyone, whenever yours happens to be.

It's that Wonderful, Colorful Time of Year

...and I'm not talking fall foliage -- though that's always a sight for sore eyes, too. No, I'm referring to the painted skies over Albuquerque during this city's signature event: BALLOON FIESTA! Shutter bug that I am, I naturally do my level best (or, let's say, my upwardly shooting best!) to help win this Kodak-sponsored spectacle the distinction of World's Most Photographed Annual Event. Here's a tiny (and yet, gigantic) sample from my accumulated scads of balloon pix, doing double duty as a shout out to all my old pals in Tucson and the surrounding Sonoran Desert, where the majestic saguaros grow. Yeehaw!

Okay, I'll give you another hint

As I launch the CHANGING MOON journaling group tomorrow (Sat., 1/10, 5-7 p.m., at The UPS Store at Central & Yale SE in Albuquerque), the focus of my talk will be CREATION MYTH. Bring your journal, come listen to a lovely little creation myth of Caribbean origin, and be prepared to apply the creation-myth concept to yourself.

What are YOU creating in your life in this New Year?

I can't wait to meet you! Bring your friends, too, okay? 'Cuz I can't wait to meet them either.

Love Love Love
Sheila

Please come this Saturday!

You know what this Saturday is?

It's 2009's first Full Moon. And it's the official start of StudioFiftyForty's premier journaling series: CHANGING MOON.

I've been running all over the Duke City posting posters*. Have you seen any of them? Are you wondering, "What the heck is journaling, anyway?" Yes, well, sometimes the posters I design forget to mention the most helpful tidbit. In this case, for instance, I should'a thought to include the words "FIRST SESSION IS FREE." Because it is.

So -- hey! The rest you can learn when you come over on Saturday, right? Please join me and a small, wonderful group of others at CHANGING MOON's Official Launch, this Saturday, Jan. 10, from 5-7 p.m., at The UPS Store at Central & Yale, near UNM in Albuquerque.

Looking forward to seeing your smiling face,
Sheila

* Don't let me forget to thank Peggy Spencer, the right-good doctor and my beloved coauthor, who did offer to help with poster distribution. Bless her heart! Thanks, Peggy!)