Men we love: Jon Leslie
1. What makes Valentine’s Day a significant day for you?
Jon: Yes. I don’t know exactly what makes it significant, but I do like the idea of having a day when it’s OK to be maybe a little bit more affectionate than usual. After all, it’s fun to be in love, right? For me, Valentine’s Day is fun.
Neotha: Yes, it is a day when we can show each other how we feel. He does this every day, anyway, but on this day he has an excuse to be extra romantic.
2. What is one lesson your parent’s taught you about love?
Jon: In the way my parents have always treated each other, I think I learned how important it is to respect the person you love. Without that mutual respect, I think you’re probably heading for trouble.
Neotha: Support the one you love, even if you have to make sacrifices.
3. What inspired you to volunteer your time in New Orleans?
Jon: My biggest inspiration was Neotha’s involvement in the lower ninth ward through her landscape architecture program. She opened my eyes to a great many things about the environment, history and culture of the community, and when she offered me the opportunity to help her program build a platform to reconnect the ward to the bayou, I felt compelled to go.
Neotha: He saw how much it meant to me and wanted to share that experience.
4. If you knew you had a month to live, what would you do with that time?
Jon: I would want to hike the Appalachian Trail for a week with my brother, go with Neotha to Italy for a week, spend a week with my family in Maryland (including sailing on the Chesapeake Bay), and then find a quiet cabin in the mountains to spend my last week writing.
Neotha: Quit his job. Spend time with friends and family.
5. What’s your favorite way to spend your free time?
Jon: I love spending time with Neotha; we do lots of different things, but I have to say my favorite way to spend my leisure time centers around being with her.
Neotha: Playing sports: basketball, volleyball, softball. And watching sports. When he is done with that, making me a nice meal.
6. What is something about you we would never guess?
Jon: I failed the functional writing test in the ninth grade.
Neotha: He runs marathons, despite being a smoker.
What book are you reading?
“Blindness,” by Jose Saramago
