15 Minutes of Fame

My goodness! For someone who HATES attention, I seem to be collecting lots of it lately. I had another showing of my "Extreme Makeover: Joplin Edition" on Sunday afternoon, May 18. There were 55 people there to see it. Dale was my lovely assistant who set up the computer and projector, set up chairs, took care of the lights. Everyone said it was a great program.

Then Monday, May 19, was proclaimed "Leslie Simpson Day"!!! What a hoot! And not just by the Mayor of Joplin but by our State Representative, Ron Richard. Now how does one celebrate Leslie Simpson Day? Is there candy involved? Or flowers? Or does some rodent just emerge from the ground, see its shadow and go hide for 6 weeks? Yeah, that fits! Oh, too bad--that's already been taken.

Actually I thought the whole thing was kind of silly and surreal. It was nice to be recognized after decades of working without any thanks or recognition, letting other people get credit for my work. The curse of an introvert who doesn't like attention. Last night was kind of scary. I had to go up on the dais with the City Council. Our State Representative presented me a huge plaque and read a resolution by the State Legislature honoring me for all my work and proclaiming it Leslie Simpson Day. Then the mayor did another one. Of course, this was all televised, and lots of people were watching since there's a big controversy brewing over one of the council members who is in trouble for some ugly stuff he did when he was mayor.

Here are links to the Joplin Globe coverage of my program and the BIG DAY.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_139210052.html (Skip down to the end for my part, unless you want to read what the former mayor is in trouble for)

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_139211024.html

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_137184425.html