Skip to main content

Keep Smilin' Alex

In this episode – Keep Smilin’ Alex  . . .



Welcome back to this week's On the Fly. The Cenergy Team wants to recognize the dedication, steady hand, and contributions of our Senior Accountant, Alex Shoushtari. As he takes the next step in his life's journey to serve others and fulfill his mission, we want to express gratitude for his hard work, integrity, and commitment.


This special tribute episode features lyrics to the iconic Dion Warwick song "That's What Friends Are For” by Burt Bacharach. Click the link to listen to the original song "That's What Friends Are For" as you read the lyrics.
Music by: Burt Bacharach - Lyrics by: ChatGPT, Kevin Osborne, & Patrick Ball 



Keep Similin' Alex


Verse One


For years, you’ve always led the way,


Shuffling checks and books each day,


I’m so glad I got the chance to say,

                 

With every balance, every call,

                 

You stood tall and gave it all.


And if I should ever go away,


Well, then close your eyes and try.


To feel the way we do today


And then, if you can remember . . . 


Chorus


Keep smilin’, keep shinin’ knowin’ that it’s time to celebrate–for sure.


That’s what friends are for.


Your journey’s been so truly great,


At seventy-nine, it’s your time to shine,


In this time of life, it’s time to unwind.


That’s what friends are for.


Verse Two


You kept our finances all so clear,

               

With every audit, every year,

               

Balancing books with a steady hand,

             

You’re the rock, the steady man.


In good times and bad,


And then, if you can remember . . .


Chorus


Keep smilin’, keep shinin’ knowin’ that it’s time to celebrate–for sure.


That’s what friends are for.


Your journey’s been so truly great,


At seventy-nine, it’s your time to shine,


In this time of life, it’s time to unwind.


That’s what friends are for.


Bridge


From balance sheets to cash flow streams,

                     

You brought to life our biggest dreams,

                   

Now it's time to chase your own,

                       

The world is yours; the seeds are sown.


Verse Three


Your legacy will linger on,

                 

In every ledger that you've drawn,

                 

Here’s to the memories, to laughter and cheer,

               

Thank you, Alex, we hold you dear.


Chorus


Keep smilin’, keep shinin’ knowin’ that it’s time to celebrate–for sure.


That’s what friends are for.


Your journey’s been so truly great,


At seventy-nine, it’s your time to shine,


In this time of life, it’s time to unwind.


That’s what friends are for.


Outro Music


So here’s to Alex, CPA,


May your retirement bring brighter days,


With gratitude, we sing this song,


That’s what friends are for,


For in our hearts, you’ll always belong.


I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. Until next time, Keep smilin’, keep shinin’. 

Comments

Don Hanley said…
You and he are real poets as well!

Most Popular of All Time

A Mother’s Day Reflection

With Mother’s Day here and the world bustling with cards, brunches, and busy schedules, I find myself reflecting on something a bit simpler: taking a moment to remember the person who helped shape my earliest sense of home. Mauricette Elaine (Bontemps) Ball. My Mom. We arrived in Cuba after leaving La Rochelle, France, in 1959—a transition whose enormity I only fully appreciate now. My mother, barely in her mid-twenties, stepped into Midwestern life with remarkable courage. Her smile could warm the coldest Illinois morning, and her hugs lingered long after she let go—quiet reminders that you were deeply loved. Born February 16, 1934, the third of four children, she grew up in Nazi-occupied La Rochelle. As kids, we listened wide-eyed to stories of soldiers patrolling her streets and fear shadowing everyday life. Yet she carried none of that darkness forward. What endured was resilience and an unwavering devotion to family—qualities she carried across the Atlantic and planted firmly in C...

Time Travel, Roving Mics, and Muscle Memory

In this episode, the 2026 Sinkankas Symposium. Let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t arrive in a DeLorean. No flux capacitor, no dramatic lightning strike—just a Saturday parking pass and a name badge. And yet, somewhere between the rotunda doors and the first handshake, it happened anyway. This past Saturday, April 25th, I was transported—effortlessly and completely—back in time at the 20th Annual Sinkankas Symposium on the GIA campus in Carlsbad. Walking into that magnificent main campus rotunda early with my colleagues, Paul Mattlin and Glenn Wargo, felt like wrapping myself in a familiar, gem-encrusted blanket. It was less a building, more a family living room where nobody ever really forgets your name. The halls were quiet (a rare and beautiful thing), and the soft echo of our footsteps on the polished floors sounded exactly as I remembered it. For a moment, it wasn’t 2026—it was April 1997, my first time walking onto the beautiful, brand-new GIA campus as Director of Alumni. Som...

Freedom 7 - 65th Anniversary

Podcast - Freedom 7; 65th Anniversary . "Man must rise above the Earth - to the top of the atmosphere and beyond - for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates, 500 B.C. May 5, 2026, marks the 65th anniversary of Freedom 7's launch. Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr. became the first American in space. A 15-minute sub-orbital flight, a day for the history books; the entire world was watching. NASA and the world had witnessed many trial runs explode violently on the launch pad. The space program was in its infancy. Unlike today, there were far too many unknowns. This prompted me to pull out one of my favorite books from my office library,  Light This Candle , by Neal Thompson, copyright 2004. Light This Candle is a biography of Alan Shepard, Jr., you won't be able to put down. It's - "Story-telling at its best . . . every page is alive," says David Hartman, U.S Naval Institute. In the opening pages, you read endorsements fr...

Ode To Gemology

For over 80 years, students of gemology have struggled with spectrums, bewildered by birefringence, and simply plagued by pleochroism. The following sonnet is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, a glow to your heart, and a simple reminder that students of life and gemology rediscover nature's gifts every day.  Ode to Gemology , by a GIA on-campus student. Dispersion, fire, adventurescence. Orient, sheen, or iridescence. Refractive index, high or low. The luster should indicate that, you know. Polarization, double or single. What to do now, they intermingle. Pleochroic colors you really should see. Was that only two, or actually three? Birefringence should help you a lot. Use your polarizer and watch the spot. Now, did it jump most on low or high? Sure, you can get it if you really try! Your liquids should be an aid, I think. Does it float, suspend, or slowly sink? Just use your imagination now. (He doesn't see me wiping my brow.) Solid inclusions or only bubbles? Huh, th...