I was delighted to watch David receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his innovative work with adolescent treatment
I met David Gust in 1980, when I became Director of the addiction program at Total Health Medical Center Oakland, which now operates as Thunder Road, a program for adolescents. As I surveyed the many needs of the program at that time, the brightest spot in the facility was the youngest staff member, David, who was already a seasoned and highly proficient counselor. I relied heavily on David's expertise and his total commitment to his work in upgrading the program to new standards. He was always a joy as a colleague, then and ever since. I moved on to another position in 1981 and while we never worked directly with each other after that, we stayed in touch professionally and have enjoyed a long and trusting relationship of referral to each other's programs. It has been my delight to follow his outstanding career, read his books and to know that if I referred a client to David or to his organization, they would receive the finest attention. When he referred a client to Mountain Vista Farm, where I retired as Executive Director in 2017, he followed his client's progress carefully. (more…)
My first real professional accomplishment, still proudly displayed on my office wall
On August 28, 1978, I graduated from a 28-day treatment program for substance addiction. Less than a year later, in July 1979, I was accepted as an intern at Total Health Medical Center in Oakland, California. This internship was a result of a Vocational Rehabilitation program. My training remained mundane for the first several months, and I received paltry instructions until October 15, 1979. On that day, when I came into work as usual, I walked into the main office and unexpectedly encountered a handsome young man. He introduced himself as David Gust, immediately sharing his infectious and lovely smile. Apparently, he had been hired as Treatment Lead for our unit, thereby becoming my training supervisor. At that time, I was unaware of my new, important, and lifelong friendship that had kindled simply due to employment circumstances. (more…)
I highly recommend David Gust for those struggling with addiction.
The medical staff at Health Associates Medical Group including myself and our Physician’s Assistants have referred many of our patients and their families who are struggling with addiction to David Gust for counseling since 1995. The feedback has been excellent, the results gratifying. I highly recommend David Gust for those struggling with addiction.
David Gust is a leader and innovator in this field.
I am a clinical psychologist practicing in the Sacramento area for 30 years. I have a specialty in chemical dependency issues and strong ties to the addiction treatment/recovery community. David Gust is a leader and innovator in this field. I have had many opportunities to refer, collaborate, and consult with him. He has extensive knowledge and experience in the treatment of adolescent and adult chemical dependency. He developed a treatment and training program that today is a model in the community. He has superb Clinical Skills. He is dedicated to his clients and always adheres to the highest ethical standards. His reputation in the community is that of a trusted leader and mentor.
I have nothing but the highest regard for him.
I have known David since February 28, 1978, when we were both in Counselor Training in the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. I have nothing but the highest regard for him. He was the youngest in our class, but handled himself in a professional and Mature manner. Over the years, I have been impressed with his accomplishments in the field, including his work with adolescents. As you know, there is a desperate need for adolescent treatment in the State of California; he not only worked directly with adolescents but created trainings for others in the field to help them work with this population. I visited his offices when I was the Director of the Department of Alcohol & Drug Programs and was pleased at the quality of services he offered.
The material is concise, realistic and specific.
David and Ted have produced a book that will be helpful to counselors working with drug/alcohol addicted adolescents. The material is concise, realistic and specific.
Regarding the book Effective Outpatient Treatment for Adolescent by David Gust and Ted Smith:
This is the most comprehensive manual I have ever utilized for training counselors. It has helped with developing and implementing all facets of intensive outpatient programs for adolescents. Philosophically and programmatically, it gives valuable guidelines to help addicted adolescents and their families put their lives back together. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anybody trying to implement outpatient treatment programs for addicted adolescents.
He has never said “no” to helping me, no matter the reason I called.
David Gust has been a mentor and teacher to me for over twenty-five years, whether he knew it or not. I first met David at a community training he brought to El Dorado County. I remember the room being full of therapists, public health and school professionals, outreach specialists, and a young twenty-five year old addiction counselor really wanting to do good work for our teens struggling with drugs and alcohol. I had been one of those teens myself, fully in my addiction by fifteen, dropped out of high school and in my first inpatient drug treatment program by sixteen, followed by two more years of terrible progression before hitting a heavy bottom at eighteen, and finding a new direction into real recovery for the past thirty-two years. (more…)
David was always generous with his time, encouragement, and practical experience with me and countless others.
The founder of the first and, arguably the best, model of treatment of adolescents and young adults with substance use disorders is David Gust. A combination of life experiences, as well as training at the Hazelden Foundation In Minnesota, provided David with the necessary insights required for his approach to addiction treatment. David used the Minnesota-Model principles of treatment and recovery and, from the ground up, diagrammed and implemented the New Directions Model. What David developed took advantage of the techniques of intervention applied over time (necessary for adolescents) and ingeniously outlined an application of “assessments” addressing the behavioral, physical, familial, emotional, spiritual and social dimensions of substance use disorder, particularly substance dependence. (more…)
With David, any errors or room for improvement were always met with constructive feedback.
I currently work at Turning Point’s Free to Choose Program as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC-III). Prior to this, I worked in several capacities within the field of Chemical Dependency treatment (CD). I first began working with David Gust in September of 2017 when he hired me to work under his supervision as a counselor-in-training (RADT-I) at New Directions Program (NDP) in Fair Oaks, CA. In addition to the many hundreds of hours of regular supervision David provided as I pursued my certification (CADC-I), David devoted an equal amount of his time to help me with some of the practical aspects of being a counselor that are not as frequently addressed: these included self-care, stress tolerance and management, and personal growth and development. Among these aspects, I also had the opportunity to learn from common mistakes. (more…)
David is a remarkable human being and true leader, pioneer, and unmatched counselor
The purpose of this letter is not only to detail and explain the nature of my relationship with David Gust, but also share my beliefs regarding his character and values. First off, I have known David for twenty-five years, since 1995. Since then, our relationship has taken varying differing dynamics, ranging and progressing from mentor, to eventually colleague and trusted confidant. Over the stages of our relationship, David has always had my best interests in mind, truly focusing, striving, and guiding me to ensure I reached my personal and professional goals, all while avoiding being self-serving in nature. (more…)
Even to this day, some 35 years later, I have a deep respect for David’s work and appreciation for his innovative and inspiring leadership.
I am honored to have the opportunity to whole-heartedly endorse David and the New Directions program treatment model. I joined David and New Directions in July of 1985. I felt privileged to be on staff with David, and to have the opportunity to learn David’s comprehensive treatment model that allowed each of us (staff members) to consistently utilize a structured and effective program. He later published this program Effective Outpatient Treatment of Adolescents, which is a compilation and reflection of his work. This was a model way out in front of any other known adolescent program at that time. This was a transformative, pioneering approach to treatment and recovery that instilled David’s standing amongst the leaders in the field. (more…)
Our time with David Gust remains a touchstone we celebrate together as a family.
We feel extraordinarily grateful to have David Gust as our son’s counselor. The crisis that brought us to David was incredibly painful. He was a vital part of the support system that got us through that crisis, and beyond it to healing and growth. He worked with us as an entire family while focusing on the needs of our son. He brought his exceptional expertise and years of experience to his work, helping our son recognize and realize his own capacity for growth. Many years later, our time with David Gust remains a touchstone we celebrate together as a family.
David Gust has helped so many individuals and families not only survive but thrive in recovery
David Gust's counseling is top notch! As a provider in the field I can attest that you and/or your family will be working with a highly experienced and respected professional in the field of addiction recovery. David Gust has helped so many individuals and families not only survive but thrive in recovery.
His passion to help young people was not only impressive but infectious.
In 1989, while beginning my education to become a Drug and Alcohol Counselor, I encountered David Gust. David was teaching a course on Cultural Differences in Teenage Addiction. His passion to help young people was not only impressive but infectious. It was during this class that I decided to work directly with drug and alcohol addicted teenagers. Six years later I became an AOD counselor for teenagers involved in the juvenile justice system. Because of David’s passion and infectious attitude working with adolescents, I started my career in the Group Home system eventually becoming the agency’s Executive Director for 22 years. Over the last 30 years, I have continued to attend workshops that David has presented. He continues to offer excellent workshops and share his passion just as he did when I first met him. David Gust is an excellent teacher, an effective counselor and a wonderful mentor. Thank you, David.
There are a few people we encounter in our lives who help us become more than we imagined we could be. David Gust is one of those people for me.
There are a few people we encounter in our lives who help us become more than we imagined we could be. David Gust is one of those people for me. As I was entering the field of substance abuse counseling, David had the vision to see what could be possible, and the expertise and experience to guide me toward achieving my goals. His openness and ability to understand what I was seeking - even before I could recognize it myself - gave me the confidence to take the next steps in this field. His practical direction let me see what those steps were. And, his ongoing availability and support has, in many ways, made this journey possible for me.
David is a pioneer in the development of outpatient treatment for adolescent and young adult chemical dependency
David is a pioneer in the development of outpatient treatment for adolescent and young adult chemical dependency. I have also had the opportunity to experience first hand his skills as a trainer. In my view David is very passionate regards to providing the highest quality of care for young people.
I will always be grateful.
What often gets overlooked when discussing addiction is the effect it can have on the addict's loved ones. I met with David Gust in 2016 in what felt like my darkest hour. My wife was battling alcoholism and I realized I needed help in dealing with her condition. David was phenomenal. He gave me a better understanding of the disease, and the tools necessary to cope while she battled to overcome her addiction. I will always be grateful.
David provides a comprehensive and well organized training experience.
I had the pleasure of two trainings with David Gust and his colleagues back in March of 2001. David provides a comprehensive and well organized training experience. His depth of knowledge and warm personality create an optimal learning environment. Topics I found of particular interest included (1) the contrasts between adults and adolescent drug users, (2) dry drunk syndrome and (3) chemical abuse and the effects on family. David is truly a pioneer in the field of chemical dependency and I look forward to his continued contribution to the recovery field.
If you are blessed to be able to work with David, know you are working with one of the legends in this field.
If you are blessed to be able to work with David, know you are working with one of the legends in this field. David has incredible skills and knowledge in the matter of healing and growing beyond addiction and into a life worth living! David also is one of the few counselors that understands the connection between diet and sobriety. It matters!
If I, my family, or a friend called and wanted a referral I would recommend David Gust.
As a counselor, the litmus test of exceptional treatment can be found by asking, “who would I send family members or friends to for substance abuse counseling?” My sister called and asked me this very question about my addiction troubled nephew. Without hesitation I emphatically said “David Gust.” Through David's skillful interventions and caring, my nephew is now 9 years sober. It is really as simple as this: If I, my family, or a friend called and wanted a referral I would recommend David Gust. It is not only his expertise, which spans decades, but also his creativity and kindness that create results that change lives.
We spent many hours re-reading, role playing and collaborating to enhance our skills.
More than two decades ago my wife, who is a marriage and family therapist, my best friend who specializes in at-risk adolescents and myself a school counselor, set off to find training to improve skills and helping addicted adolescents. At the time David Gust was (and still is) pioneering the most effective treatment program for adolescents. We were three highly ambitious professionals willing to travel anywhere in or out of the country. David Gust’s effective outpatient treatment for adolescents became the backbone to our practices for adolescents with addictive issues. We spent many hours re-reading, role playing and collaborating to enhance our skills. EOTA remains at center-stage of our practices.
I have been incredibly grateful for all the years of the practical, real world applications of his decades of knowledge and how that undoubtedly improved my skills as a therapist.
David Gust has been professionally offering his guidance and support for substance use issues with treatment information and recovery. In 2000, I started at Kaiser’s Chemical Dependency Recovery Program and that opportunity, in retrospect, catapulted my career to today. Now, after countless moving experiences in the recovery community over these past decades, and despite entering with merely a base level of knowledge like all therapists entering the professional sphere, my compassionate drive and overall desire to better serve the broader community, is matched only by David. I have been incredibly grateful for all the years of the practical, real world applications of his decades of knowledge and how that undoubtedly improved my skills as a therapist. (more…)
David Gust exhibits the values, consistency, honesty and tenacity that has been valuable in Sacramento and in the addiction treatment field.
Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of working with David Gust as a student, Peer and a Colleague. In all 3 capacities I appreciated being guided and mentored by Mr. Gust. In 1989 he was one of the instructors at Breining Institute, who helped shape my understanding and compassion for youth in addiction. In addition to adding to the value that shaped me into an effective counselor, David’s program helped to add value to my behavioral health organization through implementation of his adolescent treatment model. David Gust exhibits the values, consistency, honesty and tenacity that has been valuable in Sacramento and in the addiction treatment field. In this field there is constant change, but one thing that has always remained the same throughout the years is David Gust and his desire, compassion and love for the recovery community. David Gust has always worked diligently to create services that are innovative and life enhancing
David’s creative instincts were spot on with the drug testing protocol
David Gust was truly a pioneer. I remember specifically when he walked into my laboratory (Drug Detection Laboratories, Inc) in the early part of 1986 and asked if we could design a drug testing protocol for testing adolescents with addiction problems. He explained that he needed a test to be specific but also to be capable of producing a reliable report when a specific drug (or alcohol) was not there. This was in contrast to typical drug testing procedures at the time, which were focused on identifying the drug confidently but not concerned about false negatives. We designed a specific protocol under David Gust’s suggestions, which was focused on (more…)
David has been very effective and well-received by physician groups
I have asked David to speak to physician groups where he has been very effective and well-received. I am very pleased that he is continuing to offer consultation to individuals and families seeking understanding and hope regarding diagnosis, and to professionals and institutions seeking practical, meaningful, effective treatment for substance use issues.
David has been a source of information for me, and a resource for families in crisis
David opened my eyes to the depth and the breadth of substance abuse rampant in Sacramento as well as the nation. To compensate for my son’s absence, I met with David for training, guidance, and support. For over 38 years David has been a source of information for me, and a resource for families in crisis.
He has always been my first choice for referrals
As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I have referred adolescents and adults with chemical dependency issues to David Gust for over thirty years. He has always been my first choice for referrals for young people and their families and I have greatly appreciated and enjoyed our collaboration. David fully appreciates the need to address primary mental health issues and the role of careful psychiatric treatment including appropriate medications for those dealing with substance use and mood, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. He is calm, caring, consistent, professional and personable, and is a very knowledgeable and skilled clinician.
His wisdom from the trenches is a great resource.
I have known David for over thirty years. When I began my private practice I immediately was confronted with the terrible burden of drug and alcohol related problems for my patients and their families. As I engaged the battle in our community David and I were providentially connected and he has continued to be my first line of intervention for these young men and women and their families. I have received outstanding feedback from all. I give him my highest possible recommendation and hope he will continue to fight the good fight for years to come. His wisdom from the trenches is a great resource.
You are about to embark on a journey with David Gust.
You are about to embark on a journey with David Gust. I was fortunate enough to have been taught by him when he was a guest lecturer at Breining Institute. He is a humble, intelligent, and compassionate person whom I have learned so much from. An excellent teacher who gets your attention with both extensive subject matter and humor.
I am always grateful for my time in counsel with David Gust
I had the opportunity to work with David Gust for a period of over three years. This was a very turbulent time in my life when I was dealing with addiction, divorce, alienated children, and full-time employment. Mr. Gust's professional skills, empathy and compassion were incredible in assisting assist me in seeing through the fog and finding my path to living a healthy, spiritual, and fulfilling life. Today I am on the cusp of celebrating seven years of sobriety, have an excellent relationship with my kids and am experiencing success in my career. I am always grateful for my time in counsel with David Gust and would recommend him highly.
His remarkable listening and questioning skills allowed us to better understand our past and future paths
On June 1, 2017, my husband had just come out of a thirty-day rehabilitation center for alcoholism. We were both feeling a bit nervous, yet very positive and open to any and all forms of maintaining his sobriety. Ron, my husband, received the name of someone who could possibly help him through his recovery, from a speaker he had met in rehab, and made an appointment with our soon to be counselor, David Gust. What a gift that recommendation would turn out to be! From that first day, three and a half years ago, both Ron and David began working and studying Ron’s disease inside and out. I soon became very involved in the weekly meetings as well. (more…)
David’s office has always been a safe place for me
How David has contributed to my life? Well, just to sum up 4 decades in 8 sentences. David’s office has always been a safe place for me to vent my frustrations, bounce my issues/problems off of, and has provided the roadmap to recovery. David has helped me through many trying times in my life starting as a young boy that was confused and angry that my family had continued addiction related issues. He continued to provide professional prospective as a grown man with my marital and children issues. David always provided me with the tools I needed to address the negativity in my life. David helped guide me through my parent's divorce, my relationship with my parents, my career, my addictions, my marriage and raising my kids.
Thanks to David Gust and my hard work, I will have 8 years clean and sober 3/26/21
David Gust has been a huge part of my new path, helping me with his guidance and development of life skills such as reconnecting with family and support in career choices, sober living environment ideas and and even providing me with guidance and support of personal choices regarding healthy living. During my sessions with David Gust, he was very much engaged in my path of setting goals and reaching them, ready to tackle whatever I had going on on my life. Thanks to David Gust and my hard work, I will have 8 years clean and sober 3/26/21
David was always there for both of us.
I want to express my gratitude for what New Directions and specifically, David Gust, has meant to my son and to me. My son has been on a multi-year journey which at times felt helpless and hopeless. But David was always there for both of us. His skill, knowledge, many years of experience, care, support, and dedication to his work and his clients, changes lives. My son now has over 8 years of sobriety and is doing well. Whatever the future holds for him, I know that David Gust has played a big part in his success, and has helped him understand and access the tools he needs to continue to succeed.
David Gust is directly responsible for saving my life, and myself and my family will never forget that.
When I met David it was on my 40th birthday. At that point in my life it felt impossible not to drink and use drugs on a daily basis. I had gotten to the point where the momentum of my disease was threatening to end my life, and I was terrified and helpless. David had helped a couple of people I knew, and I reached out to him. Through my journey of discovery of into what I was contending with, David shepherded me in a way that was comprehensive, knowledgeable, and consistent. After a 30 day stay at a treatment center I began meeting with David on a weekly basis. (more…)
I am extremely grateful for meeting David, as he changed my life in many ways.
From an addict/alcoholic, to a new man. I was 16 years old when I first went to see David. I came in high on marijuana of course, and we chatted. I instantly felt a connection. He asked when the last time I got high was, and I said last week. He just looked at me, and continued with his questions. 20 mins later, he asked me again, and I said last week. But when he asked me a third time, I knew he obviously knew something or could tell, so he smiled and said “Thank you Trace, I know.” I started counseling twice per week (one on one and then a group session). I was wanting to get clean, but I was addicted, and still hanging out with my old friends. I ended up purse snatching again, while going to counseling, and got caught. I ended up in juvenile hall (more…)
He made me feel like sobriety was possible and that I deserve it
I'm 33 years old, and my clean date is 3/10/2019. At first, I came to my sessions with David Gust begrudgingly and at the request of my parents. But I quickly came to look forward to my appointments with him upon learning that his office was a place free of judgments; a place where I could talk honestly about issues surrounding my relationships (with both people and drugs), my family life, and my mental health. Through my sessions with David I learned that I was angry about being an addict and that I was scared of the work I knew I needed to put into recovery if I wanted to stay clean. Once David helped me come to this conclusion about myself, he helped me lay the foundation for my recovery- which I eventually dove into by working a 12 step program with a sponsor. David is kind, intelligent, and very easy to talk to. He made me feel like sobriety was possible and that I deserve it- which I now know I do.
David saw a potential in me that I did not see.
I met David Gust in 1990. We both had recently participated in three-day men’s retreats me in Southern California and David Santa Fe New Mexico. We were both on similar journeys committed to our personal growth. We both attended same men’s groups for over 20 years which included a yearly men’s retreat. Early in these experiences we developed close relationship and became friends. In 1998 he saw that I was in a pivotal moment in my work life and suggested to me to consider being a drug and alcohol counselor. David saw a potential in me that I did not see. I have been a successful Drug and Alcohol Counselor for the past 20 years. I was 48 years old at that time and took a huge risk, with David’s encouragement and support. I completed the program, in which David was one of the experienced instructors, and launched a new chapter and career in my life. I am grateful for David’s persistence and insight. David had insight and (more…)
David has spent decades helping parents and I have been thankful for his advice.
Through my own experiences as a parent, I was able to connect with other parents, currently experiencing these very issues. The depth of the pain my family endured, helped me connect to families/parents. David was extremely helpful and supportive, particularly in ensuring my statistics and data were accurate and current. This support included, along with learning about the substance abuse problem, preparatory time for the many presentations I made as a member of the organization’s speakers bureau. Being determined to make a difference I expanded my exposure into the substance abuse arena, by mentoring both adolescents and training parents using the Parent Project, Inc. ® model. David would lend strong support as a visiting expert for the parents, including the invaluable Q&A. In the summer of 2019, while I was on vacation in Sacramento, David and I met, he brought me up to date regarding the state of the adolescent addiction recovery field. David has spent decades helping parents and I have been thankful for his advice.
It was “People Reaching Out” that introduced me to a young counselor, David Gust; He became my lifesaver.
Once I realized the acting-up behavior I had been witnessing for the past three years was not a normal teenage rebellion. We had a problem, not only did he have a problem, but I had one as well. I was in foreign territory. As the shock subsided and the problem started to be in clear focus I began working on myself. It was “People Reaching Out” that introduced me to a young counselor, David Gust; He became my lifesaver. At the same time as our meeting, my son was sentenced to Juvenile Hall. Now what? David visited my 15 year old son at the Juvenile Hall. David was successful in this meeting and spent some valuable time with my son. On his release my son left home. (more…)
He is without a doubt a professional and expert in all aspects in the field of substance abuse.
I am very happy to write a letter of recommendation for David Gust. I am a Clinical Psychologist who has an extensive practice which includes private pay clients, working as clinician /clinical director in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, and therapist in a full service federally funded family practice clinic. I have known David Gust professionally for over 30 years. Substance abuse concerns are common across all socio-economic levels and therefore have been and continue to be a primary therapeutic topic in all components of my practice. When I have had questions about substance abuse, Mr. Gust has been my first and primary professional consultant. He is without a doubt a professional and expert in all aspects in the field of substance abuse. I have always found Mr. Gust to be personable, easy to work with, and his advice and knowledge to be excellent. David Gust has my unqualified recommendation for any position in the substance abuse field and I believe he would be an outstanding asset in any such position.
David’s knowledge is incredible, and what makes that even more important is that he has a gift of being able to communicate his knowledge which resonates with his audience every time.
I am writing this letter of recommendation for David Gust who was an amazing force to the education of a school district and many of its community members, including local public agencies. As the Coordinator of the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Program in the late 80’s and 90’s for Yuba City Unified School District, I was responsible for implementing a district wide program to address alcohol and other drug abuse. I was extremely fortunate to discover that David had a very busy practice called New Directions in nearby Sacramento, counseling adolescents and their families dealing with these issues. He literally had written the book on these issues. As a result, I was able to contract with David to present on multiple occasions to district personnel and community members regarding alcohol and other drug abuse concerns. David’s knowledge is incredible, and what makes that even more important is that he has a gift (more…)
David Gust has helped our family in so many ways
David Gust has helped our family in so many ways over the years, with compassion, understanding, caring, insightfulness and at times a very great sense of humor. We have known David since 1999. He initially contributed to our understanding of addiction- how addiction works, the family dynamics, and what we needed to do as parents to stop contributing to the problem by being codependent. Over the years, David has also helped us deal with mental health issues of another family member and educated us on how nutrition plays a role in recovery. David has guided us with referrals for friends and family, some in different counties and even out of state. We were very happy with his referral for inpatient treatment as well. David has always been available. We have referred our friends to him and his associates and will continue to do so.
We cannot recommend David highly enough.
We first met David Gust in 1998. He came highly recommended by someone we trusted as we were dealing with a son who had drug addiction issues. We are so thankful to have met David as he significantly impacted our family in such a positive way. Recently, this December 2020, our son, who David worked with and counseled through his addiction, said that no one impacted his life like David did when it came to his drug addiction. My son’s actual words were “David saved my life”. What greater testimony can one have about someone in David’s profession? To me, I saw as David’s key purpose for his work was to help the individual see the destruction their addiction was having on their life, and the impact it was having on the life of those who loved and cared for them. David not only helped our son (more…)
David Gust was absolutely instrumental in my recovery
David Gust was absolutely instrumental in my recovery from active alcohol addiction. A significant part of the treatment he provided was assisting my wife and me in reassembling our badly damaged marriage. David gave us hope that walking away from drinking was possible, that returning to a fruitful life, having a loving and trusting marriage and rediscovering normalcy in life was not only possible, but was ultimately achieved. Thank you David for sticking with me through the ups and downs of recovery and guiding me back onto a track that will be with me for the rest of my life. I give David my highest possible recommendation...
