Sue:
Leigh Anne Jasheway's book I'm Not Getting Older; I'm Getting Better at Denial is a hilarious look at aging. Leigh Anne, a humor writer with 8 published books,a humorous speaker,  and a stand up comic is from Eugene, Oregon.  Her wit and writing comes from her unique position as a woman facing mid-life.   Leigh Anne uses her sense of humor to help us get over the bumps of the "middle years" and encourages us to look at life with laughs, not tears.

Her book made me laugh from beginning to end and made me realize that I should embrace my middle years; not deny all the wisdom I've gained.

Thanks Leigh Anne for a terrific book.
I read it while waiting for my 14 year old daughter who was having her hair cut.  I was feeling especially "old" while watching all the younger gals (the ones who wear size 2s) getting their hair done.  Your book made me feel so much better;  I laughed so hard I was almost crying ( and almost wet my pants- not enough Kegel exercises I guess)!

Sue:
What prompted you to write this very funny book?

Leigh Anne:
Last year I was working on a book on midlife women's sexuality with a nationally-acclaimed sex therapist. I was in charge of making it funny and creative, as in "Here, Leigh Anne, here's the chapter on vaginal dryness. Can you lighten it up?"

And, in the course of doing research, I read twelve or so books on midlife women's issues and they were all soooo depressing. So I decided to try to write something that wasn't, based upon my stand-up comedy.

Sue:
How has becoming "seasoned" affected the way you look at life?

Leigh Anne:
How did you know I was seasoned?
Mostly it's ground red pepper, but occasionally a little cumin as well. I think we always see life through our own eyes, even if they are a little presbyopic.

For me, becoming older
(which I only deny on odd-numbered days and only if I've taken enough Gingko to remember what an odd number is) has lessened my inhibitions. I think if more middle-aged women expressed themselves with humor, we'd all have a better time. This aging stuff happens to us all eventually, so why clam up about it?

And, if you talk about things like Kegel exercises
with a sense of humor, I do think more people are willing to listen. I once told the cashier at my grocery store, when she apologized for the wait, "Not to worry, I just did 500 Kegels!" She, of course, was 17 and had no idea what I was talking about. I think she thought I was referring to some type of German baked good I had just consumed in mass quantities!

Sue:
Comedy is such an effective remedy for challenging situations and your book I'm Not Getting Older ( I'm getting better at denial) is hilarious. How did you acquire your comedic talent, what prompted you to go in the direction of comedy?

Leigh Anne:
I was not voted class clown in high school; I was voted most likely to depress people. Really, I didn't think I had a proclivity and I certainly wasn't raised in a family environment that fostered a sense of humor (none of my three stepmothers or four stepfathers was very funny, although the concept of them is now!!) In the midst of a divorce from "the evil" one (the guy who used to say "Grown ups don't laugh out loud," I decided on a whim to take a comedy writing class (it was cheaper than therapy, and Prozac hadn't yet been invented).

That led to a stand-up class
(during which I insisted I would never stand-up before a real live audience), which led to my current career of humor writer, stand-up comic, and corporate comic. Professionally, at the time I ran the wellness program for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and was looking for a more effective method of stress management in a corporate setting. And, I discovered a bunch (that's the scientific term) of research on humor as a stress management technique. So, my first foray into humor was for managing stress. Today, my corporate humor focuses on stress management and conflict resolution.

Sue:
What do you think is the most important thing for women facing mid-life to remember as they go through these changes?

Leigh Anne:
The most important thing to remember is... what was the question again? The most important thing to remember is that you always have a choice regarding the perspective you choose to have on life. Midlife and beyond is at least half (depending on your definition of "midlife") of our lives. If you choose to be angry and depressed about aging, that's a long time to be angry and depressed. I plan to get less serious and less inhibited every year. By the time I'm 85, not only will I wear purple, I'll wear a purple velvet g-string. I don't care what the people in my retirement community think! Of course, I'll wear it on my head because I don't believe in being uncomfortable.

Now here are answers to questions you didn't ask.

Yes, yes, occasionally,
same as my hipsize,
and only once that I remember.

That's all for now.
Talk to you soon.
And thanks for the opportunity to be interviewed.

Leigh Anne ;-)
(I'm not winking at you,
I've got something in my contact)

Introduction | "Strong Women" | HotFlash Hilarity

PinkSunrise.com Life's Little Lessons presents...
Meet the Author - Michael J. Murphy
and read a FREE excerpt from his book
"Popsicle Fish" - Chap 5: Big Boys Do Cry
Dr. Michael Murphy has written a wonderful book called "Popsicle Fish" which is an anthology of many of life's lessons and we have the privilege of asking Dr, Murphy a few questions about himself. He is a licensed psychologist and is certified as forensic psychologist. He has worked with men’s groups for ten years and his work has been included in an anthology of the best of the award-winning Family Therapy Networker magazine and in the best-selling book Chicken Soup for the Soul.

click here to get a FREE newsletter & join our health, education, craft, cooking & other support groups

"Nothing Nice to Say?
The Unspoken Word"
by Tammy Faye
Words CAN and DO Hurt People
There is an old saying,
"Sticks and stones may break my bones
but words will never hurt me."
That old saying is FALSE!
Words CAN and DO hurt people
Every one of us needs to start putting ourselves in other people's shoes. Try to think of yourself as the brunt of what you hear yourself saying.
Find out more.

I'm Not Getting Older;
I'm Getting Better at Denial
by Leigh Anne Jasheway, Deborah Kaye

Leigh Anne Jasheway, a stand-up comedian and humor author, reminds us that middle age has its hysterical moments in her funny little book, "I'm Not Getting Older (I'm Getting Better at Denial). Jasheway's humor hits the spot (or, at least where the spot used to be.) Some examples: Did you know that 20% of women say their sex life is better after menopause? Of course, that could be due to memory loss.... So what if your breasts have lost some elasticity. It's not as if you were going to shoot them across the room. Were you? ... If you decide to get that procedure done in which a doctor injects fat from your thighs into your lips, ask yourself this first: "If I go through with this, will I always wonder if my pants make my lips look fat?"

For Better or for Best
by Gary Smalley, Steve Scott

also see:
Relationships & Philosophy
Gary Smalley explains what motivates men and how women can use their natural attractive qualities to build a better marriage. He helps women understand not only the way men think, but also how to move a man's heart.

Don't Get Mad-Get Funny!:
A Light-Hearted Approach to Stress Management
by Leigh Anne Jasheway, Geoffrey M. Welles

What's the easiest, most practical, and most affordable way to cope with stress? Respond to stress-filled days with the transforming power of laughter. Use this resource to enhance your stress management seminars as you add punch to your presentations and engage your listeners through the power of laughter.

Meet the author
Stephanie DeGraff Bender, MA
Author of "Power of Perimenopause"
She has been in the forefront of women's hormonal health for the last 20 years. Her work in unearthing the seemingly mysteries of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) has led to her current expertise in perimenopause. The Power of Perimenopause has sold thousands of copies and is a well respected women's health guide. Her appearances on Oprah, CBS Morning News, Donahue have left no doubt that she is a women's advocate in the best sense of the word.

Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul:
101 Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the Spirits of Women
by Jack Canfield (Editor), Mark Victor Hansen, Marci Shimoff, Jennifer Hawthorne

Featuring contributions by such authors as Robert Fulghum, Kathy Lee Gifford, and Ann Landers, an addition to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series offers women inspiration on such subjects as love, motherhood, and aging. The #1 New York Times bestseller with definite feminine appeal. This delightful audiobook will light up the spirits of women everywhere- from the career woman to the stay-at-home mom; mothers and grandmothers; the woman of the world and the girl next door.