The Magnificent Modern Mature Woman

What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?

Having the privilege and the blessing of growing older independently brings responsibilities below.

Six mornings a week, I drink breakfast tea hot without sugar or cream with a bagel smeared with cream cheese. Lunch is peanut butter protein and jelly fruit on whole grain bread with a red delicious apple. “A apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Dinners are usually Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice. While at work, I cold brew green tea and drink it chilled out of my pink Stanley. My fun day includes my horrible McDonalds breakfast and Chick-Fil-A for lunch/dinner. Tea has many benefits including appetite suppressant.

Movement is crucial plus Alzheimer’s runs in my family so I do yoga stretching bringing blood to my brain because a couple of years ago, I found myself forgetting things. Walking and riding my bike are my favorites. The small city that I’m moving back to, I used to walk and ride my bike to get away from my family plus the joy of being on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Brain activity is important. Currently, working helps it plus writing and watching British vintage crime dramas from Agatha Christie books turned into television and movies that draws the viewer in to become the sleuth too. Most British mysteries are part of the Christie library or are influenced by her. Truthfully, I appreciate Miss Marple and Piorot are both well over the age of forty and both use their wisdom and insight to solve crimes. Actress Angela Lansbury worked with Christie starring in one of her films thus inspiring, “Murder, She Wrote.” Reading an actual book not online best for brain stimulation.

Finally, sleep is critical at any age to maintain a healthy life at any age. Eight hours for adults and more for toddlers and for newborns to avoid health related problems including illness, weight gain and brain development or function. On the weekends, I love taking an afternoon nap with my felines, Bella and Luna, as a group activity that bonds us together.

Obviously, all the above of eating healthy, movement and sleep should have started when one is born and throughout our lives. One has periods of growth like independence when one’s night life will negatively affect rest and diet which, hopefully, might only be college years.

Eat, sleep and movement.

Leslie Elizabeth David.

What could you do differently?

The big change is when I move back up north, the one thing that will be different is what I choose to eat of foods that are locally grown.

Michigan is a farming State such as cherries, apples and strawberries to name a few which the areas that have intensified growing celebrate the harvest with festivals such as The Cherry Festival in Traverse City. The bounty also includes venison and “white fish” even wild turkey.

Prior to my move to Texas, I enjoyed the splendor of making turkey chili and turkey spaghetti made with whole grain noodles and sauce of locally grown veggies. The meal was inexpensive yet filling.

Spartan stores are linked to the Michigan State University, College of Agriculture, that sold the remaining bounty from the students efforts. The Dairy at the school’s student union on the campus of Michigan State University also makes homemade ice cream from the farm students cow milk.

Fred Meijer who started supermarkets under his name pledged to the people of Michigan that the products sold in his store will be from Michigan first, then the rest of the Great Lakes region, next national and international last. His buyers have spurred small businesses in Michigan to help him keep his promise.

Looking forward to shopping differently of being able to shop locally owned stores, purchase locally grown food products and eat them happily knowing that I’m supporting local families.

Pure Michigan at its best.

Leslie Elizabeth David.

If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?

My freeway build board along I-75 in Detroit near where crime is normally higher than other parts of the City and most of the suburbs. Although, I haven’t lived there for years, I still consider it home plus it’s my birthplace.

Despite being the original home of Motown Records that only produced songs of love, during the riots and the violence afterwards, the City of Detroit proved otherwise during the 1960s through the 70s. The City has gotten better but always needs attention.

My billboard where I-94 meets I-75 in Detroit would be, “Take a Step Back & Breathe. Practice Pause in Anger & Madness.” Similar to billboards of the Catholic Charities signs found in some metro areas across the country.

My hope is that those who would need to be reminded of it would see it or listen to the conversations around it. Resolving conflict with a calm and peaceful heart wins every time although it requires patience with less emotion and more thoughtfulness. It requires maturity and wisdom.

My Hometown of Motown,

Leslie Elizabeth David.

Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?

Yesterday, my small project was home security to have the peace of mind of safety. The logic of doing this was from past events to create a peaceful and safe future in my home environment.

When I started at my current position at my current employment, I was and am stunned by my fellow employees who presume that I am stupid and that I can be fooled. All have been proven wrong gracefully and legally.

For the past few years, my coworker who has insecurities of not being able to control others has lead her to trespass onto my property at night to scare me too many times to count. Her way is pretending to be one’s bestie although screwing one in the back that I learned early and distanced myself for protection. Since then, she feels that it’s okay to trespass onto private property to feed her insecurity which she did many times because, unfortunately, I didn’t replace the lock. Finally, I relocked the gate that made her mad so she shook the gate then slammed herself against my house about ten days ago.

My small project that has added an element of personal safety was to add cameras of the interior windows of my home that face outward. Being from Amazon, they’re small but have a large range of coverage with appropriate app to send video proof to law enforcement if needed. Peace of mind.

Bonus is that my neighbors have adopted a German Shepherd. My coworker did talk to the man of that house early one Monday morning in November. She likely thinks that he is nice and is his friend totally unaware of his violent past in another State. Now, they have a dog as their security system.

In closing, please do what you can legally to protect yourself from the least likely person who everyone believes that the person who is everyone’s friend. That person isn’t your friend genuinely. True friends are a rare gift.

Peace of Mind,

Leslie Elizabeth David.

What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

Time is finite for all of us. It’s the thing that one thinks one has a lot of but not aware of our last moments in time. Time is a gift.

The quality of time spent with someone, in my opinion, is not going shopping or an extravagant trip but the small things that make a difference. For example, everyone was there for my wedding but not when I discovered of his cheating then eventual divorce. Just being there without big conversation more like small talk. Surprisingly, my sister showed up.

Myself, the quality of time spent is/was serving others in an arranged setting such as infant daycare at church that I loved holding newborns and playing with toddlers but not always for leadership in a singles group which some members blamed me for them not finding someone to marry. Providing a Thanksgiving meal at a local Ronald McDonald House was a gift of time and nourishment for strangers who needed the love.

As like everyone says,”it’s the small things,” that have the biggest impact on lives that show caring and love. For me, when someone opens the door or holds the elevator, and, when a man who walks me to my car out of kindness and respect.

As a feline Mom, my cats love our group naps when all three of us are covered in blankets to stay warm plus the love of treats. The acknowledgement of their ownership over me such as me calling my girls,”Princesses,” is small but huge impact of love.

Being 64 years young, I believe that God has given us a purpose to make the world a better place. Trust your intuition, listen to the quietness and see the doors open to walk through.

Easy like Sunday morning,

Leslie Elizabeth David.

What colleges have you attended?

For myself, I technically have taken classes at four of them for various times in my life. Truthfully, they only proved that I’m capable of learning when a skilled trade might have proved better.

My high school lost some academic status so in order to attend the better universities, one had to attend junior college first except if one’s grade point average was above 3.8% with a 4 point/A grade in a class of one’s intended major. Unfortunately, like most of my class, I graduated with a C. 2.0. Accreditation.

My freshman year, I studied at Northwestern Michigan College (junior college) part of Michigan State University that also has The Great Lakes Maritime Academy plus a flight school for pilots. Wish I stayed to earn my associate degree because my gpa went up enough to attend Michigan State but instead I listened to someone who proved her questionable character later.

My Bachelor degree in Business Management with emphasis in Auto Parts Replacement was attained at Northwood Institute. One year of living in the dorms and two living in a house named, The Animal House, in a neighborhood of local residents working assembly for Dow Chemical and Dow Corning. Plus, I worked the Northwood Auto Show for Toyota and tried cheerleading for partial season. Found out that was better as an independent than being a Greek.

Well into my career of banking/finance, I found myself getting my MBA from the infamous University of Phoenix. Yes, I was accepted with a lower grade point average for advanced learning. I did get threatening calls when I bombed my first three classes. Later on, my grades improved dramatically but the school’s reputation didn’t help me change into healthcare administration. My grade point average at graduation was a 3.8 which I earned. Later on, I was part of the school’s for profit investigation which my degree lost its value.

Afterwards, I took a class at The University of Michigan, College of Engineering, School of Professional Development where I earned my Six Sigma Greenbelt certificate on my own ability. Was one of the few women in the class and only one of mature years which I excelled. My grandpa was an engineer at Ford Motor Company which I sensed pride from above.

Looking back that happened when it was completed, I should have stayed at NMC and earned my associates degree in general studies then moved to Michigan State University as a incoming junior like my youngest brother that would’ve allowed me to live in upperclassmen housing on campus with a degree in Business and minor in Communications particularly writing. Yes, I have regrets on this but I have lived a full life of adventure anyways.

Yours Truly,

Leslie Elizabeth David.