The Pez Man Speaks....Really!

I have been blogging and using MySpace for several years now. I am one of the few people that I know that likes MySpace. My blogs were all in rhyme, so I will use this one for non-rhyming thoughts and other "mind projects." I work with young adults and for some reason, MySpace is their main way of communication on the Internet. MySpace has given me lots of thoughts on the actual vision of the world and society seen by youth today, which I will get into in future blogs. But first and foremost, I should introduce myself.

My name is Ron and my claim to my "15 minutes of fame" is my PEZ Collection. Having collected PEZ for years, and having an article in the newspaper, which was picked up by the Associated Press, I quickly became known as "The PEZ Man." Even my local television station came by to interview me briefly. I had a small display of my collection at the local library as well, which I was told was one of their most popular exhibits. There is power in Pez. I have over 3,000 Pez on display in my basement and people who visit tell me I must have one of the largest collections in the world. I laugh and tell them that my collection is considered very small in the Pez Collector Circles. I like PEZ because it makes people smile, laugh, communicate, and share. It is that simple.

I am a huge believer in what i call "LPD." It stands for "Lasting Positive Difference." LPD is simply a way of living. For years I have amassed a file that I label "LPD." In this file I place all the letters, cards, notes, scribbles, or any written form of compliments. And when I am having a bad day, where I think I am useless, or not worthy, or some other form of negativity, I go to this file and I begin to read. There I find the words of family, friends, and others who think I am great, or who tell me what I did for them made a difference. Yes you could think this was an ego file, but more importantly, it tells you how YOU do life changing things; sometimes without even knowing it.

Whether we like it or not, we are mentors to everyone around us. And believe it or not, we all change the world, we all impact lives. Why not reflect upon it in a time of need for ourselves?

When I began working as a Mentor Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters, I had no idea how much this file would help me. I now teach this concept in all my mentor trainings. A few mentors have actually started these files and they talk about them in such a positive manner. Imagine what their file will look like in 20 years from now! Do you have a file?

I would challenge you to create a LPD file. And remember that as technology increases, so does your LPD file. Create a home file or place them in a binder. On your computer, you can create an LPD File and place mail messages in this file. There is no excuse for not having an LPD file!

This concludes my first post. You will soon learn that my position at Big Brothers Big Sisters means a lot to me. In many ways, I feel that this is the area that I can really change the world in my own comfort zone. I work very hard for this organization and love what I do. BBBS itself is a Lasting Positive Difference because I have seen so many youth in my community positively change because of being involved in this program.

Your comments are always welcome...some may even become a blog topic.