Perhaps the most challenging yet boring writing assignment is preparing an introduction of oneself. Especially if your life has been heavy on appetite and light on accomplishment.

Those who know my background are surprised to see me here. Many who know my background are surprised to see me anywhere. But my editor said "do it" and the article you're reading is what "it" is (wasn't there a U.S. President who said "it" had multiple meanings?). Oh, well!

In Ann Arbor, if I walked on water, there would be dozens of unimpressed souls. The remainder, simply wouldn't believe it. No one in Tree Town is in awe of anyone else.

A native of Dixboro, I matriculated at Dixboro School (only one day in the one-room schoolhouse), the new Dixboro School, Dicken School, Ann Arbor (Pioneer) High School and Slauson Junior High School, not necessarily in that order. Later, I earned bachelor's and master's degrees from EMU and U-M, respectively.

My young love in school was public speaking, more specifically, radio broadcasting. Like many budding broadcasters, as a kid I had a make-believe radio station in our home, in the basement. Later, I read the announcements over the P.A. system in high school.

And after breaking into commercial radio (1966), I worked at a potpourri of stations: WYSI (later WSDS), WDMJ (Marquette), WNRS (Ann Arbor), Alaskan Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS), KFAR (Fairbanks, AK) and WATH (Athens, OH).

A marriage, a family and a new home in Ann Arbor (1979) encouraged me to opt for the better salary to be earned in our family retail business, Leslie Office Supply, Inc. in Ann Arbor. But the successful evolution of the "Big Box" office supply retailers in the 90s forced us to sell the business in 1997.

My former wife, Linda, and our two sons are musicians, which means I am resigned to the eternal role of playing one piece of music in our quartet; I am a dynamite typist in Leroy Anderson's novel composition, "The Typewriter." Dr. Drew Leslie is the trombone professor in the School of Music at the University of Missouri-Columbia and our son Graham has done an outstanding job of keeping foreign invaders off our eastern shores as a member of the U.S. Navy. He is a former member of the Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band. Linda, who plays the piano, works in the U-M School of Music,Theater & Dance. Naturally!

To be published on your hometown news Web site among skilled, experienced journalists and other professionals is the realization of a life-long dream. Dave Bishop, who served the News in a variety of positions, including managing editor, ombudsman and columnist during a 35-year career at the Ann Arbor News, used to kid me, saying, "Leslie, why don't you buy a newspaper? You know, in one of these small towns around here. It would be a perfect fit."

I feel what I write is archival because my Memories and Musings remind us of Ann Arbor's lore and its unique Quality of Life. So, thank you, annarbor.com. I won't let you down. Go Blue! Dale Leslie can be reached at 734.660.1023 or via daleleslie@comcast.net

Photos and some text: www.aadl.org/gallery/pictureAnnArbor/Dale+Leslie/dixboro