PHOTO INDEX: COVER OF NEW BOOK, "THE 26 RULES OF LIFE" NOW ON SALE AT BARNES AND NOBLE, ARENA HUB PLAZA AND DOWNTOWN WILKES BARRE,TUDOR BOOK STORE, KINGSTON AND AT ALUBIRP54@AOL.COM. LIVING BY THE RULES Everywhere you look, some famous person or personality tries to tell you how to live your life. Donald Trump has a “Get Rich” set of maxims out as well as Oprah, Doctor Phil and even cooking diva Rachael Ray looking out for us. But what is a “regular guy” put down on paper his philosophy of life, his rules. Would you listen? Would you buy what was written on his stone tablets? David Yonki, Author of “The 26 Rules of Life” (“Leges Vitae”) hopes you do. Yonki, who has one big literary project under his belt, last year’s funny novel “A Radio Story/We Wish You Well In Your Future Endeavors” is back again but this time with a short little book on his philosophy of life. The book is compiled in countdown style, with rule number 26 starting the book and the rest of the topics winding down until you reach number one. The topics are slices of life from Yonki’s well traveled existence and career right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The writing is an extension of his disability from a car accident that has given the once physically active sports enthusiast a new calling. The concept of the rules started naturally enough in a workplace environment some ten years ago. “I never knew I was such an observer of human behavior until I began to reflect on the many jobs I’ve had in my life and the people I met along the way,” said Yonki. “Everybody has a story, but they don’t have an ability to tell it, hopefully with this book and the small vignettes I’ve compiled, I can communicate to people that the real stories in this world are the ones about the little guys and gals struggling to live their life. What they have to say and teach us is open to every one of us. But the key point is we’ve got to listen.” In one of the stories, Yonki tells of his days as a cab driver and the night he picked up two mentally challenged men who had just lost their caregiver mother. It is a poignant telling of a tale that reveals what is truly important in life. Other chapters deal with bosses, religion, relationships and love. “Yep” laughed Yonki, “I had to throw the biggies in there, love, religion, work, all those things. But I wrote about them from a pretty non traditional view. People may agree, disagree, like or dislike, but that’s what I was aiming for. These rules are mine, but they are certainly open to discussion, interpretation and even ridicule if need be”. The 26 Rules of Life began as a project after 911 when Yonki began e mailing a collogue in Salisbury Maryland about his take on things big and small. It was suggested to him that he began to write his pearls of wisdom down and compile them as a teaching guide for other human beings. “That suggestion came from someone who obviously overestimated my talent and ability to sway people,” continued Yonki. “But the recommendation that I put down on paper my rules of life was a pretty good one. I mean we both decided that the only difference between me and Doctor Phil was only twenty million dollars!” Well, the book’s cost is nowhere near twenty million dollars. As a matter of fact, the book costs under $6.00 and is available at Barnes and Noble at the Arena Hub Plaza and Downtown Wilkes Barre and the Tudor Book Store in Kingston. “You could pay more for a pizza, an 8 pack of Coors Lite or a pound of good provolone cheese” chuckled the author. Yonki will be signing copies of “The 26 Rules of Life” on Saturday, Feb. 24th from 2 to 4PM at Barnes and Noble, Arena Hub Plaza, Wilkes Barre. In addition to his publication of books, Yonki is also the author of the highly successful and well read political blog that covers politics in northeastern Pennsylvania, “The LuLac Political Letter”. Yonki can be reached via e mail from his publisher at ALUBIRP54@AOL.COM