"They're my SUPER POWERS Boss!"

Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be going to the funeral home to pay my last respects to a former client; a most interesting guy, to be sure! I was lucky enough to know and work with this man for over a dozen years. He could be moody, a bully, a sweetheart, a clown...in short, he was a regular guy. He had his good and bad days just like everyone else. He also happened to have Downs Syndrome. His name was David.

David was just a few years older than me and our birthdays were just weeks apart, so that gave us some similar points of reference. He had an infectious laugh and his own unique sense of humor and style. For a large man, he loved to dance! He would literally spin himself in time with the music and few people have ever enjoyed music quite the way he did.

David's appetites in life were voracious. He loved food, he loved his friends and most of all, he loved his Super Powers. His "super powers" were large markers that he would occasionally talk to. While this may sound odd to most people, I understood it. These "super powers" helped David cope with the world, they boosted his self-confidence, and they were his solace when he was frightened. Most of us have a crutch of some sort...maybe its cigarettes, or drinking, or maybe its a certain someone in our life. David was lucky; his crutch was replaceable. Whether an over sized Sharpie or a bingo dauber, he had his "super powers"...and they worked magic!

David had a lifelong struggle with weight. Simply put, the man loved food! At one point, he was working really hard to get his weight under control. He often admired my black leather biker jacket, and I promised him that should he get his weight under 200 pounds, I would give it to him. He succeeded and I gave him the jacket. He rarely wore it as he felt it was too stiff and heavy but a deals a deal. So far as I know, he had that jacket until his last days.

David lived only a few blocks from me and I often saw him in the neighborhood. He enjoyed walking to the corner convenience store (usually to get soda or snacks) and many in the area knew him by name. While not a terribly loquacious man, David would always give a wave or when he saw me a "Hi Boss!". He almost always had his "super powers" with him. Once I ran into him while he was out walking and I asked if he had them with him. He gave me the most incredulous look and explained, as if I was simple, that his "super powers" kept him safe. I guess we can add talisman and good luck charm to their magic powers!

David will most definitely be missed. He will be missed by his friends, family, co-workers and his residential and vocational staff, past and present. He could always bring a smile to my face and I'm sure that I'm not alone in this.

In times like these, I wish I had my own set of Super Powers boss! Rest In Peace my friend.

How the US can save over $62 million per year!

It's time for more of my whacky numbers...numbers that you might not have given much thought to.

The average member of the US House of Representatives & Senate "earns" an annual salary of $174,00. The Majority and Minority leaders "earn" $193,00. The Speaker of the House "earns" $223,500. Add up these numbers.

Then there are pensions:

Members of Congress are eligible for a pension at age 62 if they have completed at least five years of service. They are eligible for a pension at age 50 if they have completed 20 years of service, or at any age after completing 25 years of service. The amount of the pension depends on years of service and the average of the highest three years of salary. By law, the starting amount of a member’s retirement annuity may not exceed 80 percent of his or her final salary. As of October 1, 2000, the average annual pension for members of Congress who have retired is between $52,464, and $46,932.

I haven't been able to ascertain the exact number of pensions are being drawn or the exact figures...but suffice to say, it's a large amount of OUR money.

In MY opinion, these folks are using US to live a lifestyle that most of US will never be able to afford. And WE are paying for it!

Do YOU think that these career politicians are worth this much? Do YOU think it's time for some serious political reform? Term limits? Salary reforms? If so, take a few minutes and contact YOUR representatives! Tell them that YOU DEMAND CHANGE!!!!!!

Or, you can sit back and watch OUR money go to waste. Once again, I'm just putting this info out there for you, my friends, to ponder....

Metzgerisms to Live By: A Positive Approach to Life in the 21st Century

Nothing really new here...but sometimes we all need a reminder.

• One is only insignificent if one refuses to live the life they have been given.
• Change is as constant as time.
• One must be willing to make change.
• One must be willing to be effected by change.
• If life isn't going the way you want it to, change it.
• Hate your job? Go find a new one.
• If your environment disagrees with you, move.
• Let no one rule you but yourself and your own judgement.
• Don't accept second place.
• If you fail, assess the failure and fix what needs fixed.
• It's better to try and fail than to not even bother.
• The smallest stone can cause a ripple.
• A microscopic germ can wipe out a nation.
• Drops of water can erode a mountain.
• Smiles, like yawns, are contagious.
• Known when enough is enough.
• Stand up for something.
• Treat your enemies well. You created them.
• Do right because it IS right.
• There is humor to all things. Find it.

More to come.....