Pat & the Purple Probe

 Aloha & Happy Wednesday, Reader,

As we approach Saint Patrick's Day, thought I'd share a few fun Boston stories with you! Boston, MA is definitely one of the best places in America to truly experience a fun Saint Patrick's Day celebration. My current knowledge of attending events is very outdated, but I did attend many celebrations from 2005-2007 and even did a famed Irish car bomb at one point.

Some of my most fun memories involve outings with coworkers from Feeley & Driscoll, my first full-time accounting firm. Many of these coworkers went on to become managing directors, partners, business owners and other fancy titles I'd observe on LinkedIn over the years, including Patrick ("Pat"), who inspired today's article.

Patrick was my closet cube mate when I began my position at Feeley & Driscoll. We shared so many laughs over the years and our friendship cemented within the walls of a very strict accounting firm. After I moved from Boston to San Francisco, we lightly kept in touch, but as we both grew our careers in very different ways (me getting into nutrition, often declining multiple offers of greater responsibility within the accounting field, while he climbed the corporate ladder), we lost touch. Our friendship has always been platonic and woven into a network of a lot of fun times with many of our coworkers. If I sit and think about it, gosh, we had a lot of fun times in downtown Boston. Also, many of us attended baseball games, gulping down bottles of over-priced water beer (Bud light) to ease the pain of the old Fenway stadium seats! :)

One of the most fun specific things that comes to mind when I think of Pat is the used purple Probe that was made fun by our coworkers. But Pat didn't care because he, like me, was a person on a mission back then to get on our professional feet, pay off student loans and upgrade our lives, in many ways. I always appreciated that about him - his focus on what matters in life! We both agreed experience gifts were/are worth more than material gifts. Having stated that, after months of living in my car and surviving all of the targeted crimes my perpetrators did for decades, you bet I'm ready to get iced with diamonds and comfort! 

Deep down, I know and own myself and don't want to be comfortable all the time (no fun in that), but come on now, don't you think I deserve an extra long spa vacation? But come on, could you really blame me for alternately choosing a retired life, at this point? Didn't think so. I bet you my son would agree and throw me a retirement party grander than any of the birthday parties we attended in the Bay Area, should I desire. And that's saying a lot, reader. The parties we attended included valet parking, endangered species and fancy cocktails.

Cheers to the good memories, humbling upbringings, upcoming Saint Patrick's Day and early 2000 vibes!

With Positive Vibes,

Heidi