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

From Mailbox to Microphone

In this episode, catching up with Sierra . What happens when you combine a little imagination, modern digital tools, and the willingness to make a glorious, muddy mess? You get our guest’s latest project. I’m Patrick Ball. Welcome back to On the Fly . Today, we are diving into the world of native plants and guerrilla gardening with twelve-year-old creator Sierra. After watching her impressive, self-produced tutorial on how to make ‘Seed Balls,’ I had to know how she did it. It’s incredibly inspiring to watch Sierra evolve from a young artist wielding crayons and stationery into a savvy digital creator. She’s writing scripts, mastering voiceovers, and editing—all to make a positive, green impact on her local community. “She shoots, she scores, and she’s here to tell us all about it.” Please welcome Sierra to On the Fly ! Let’s get into it. Audio interview . . . For more blog posts showcasing Sierra’s talents, see: The Mailbox Surprise . . . and The Summer Surprise I’m Patrick Ball. Sta...

The AI Debate Was Settled in 1954

In this episode, what a 70-year-old sci-fi mystery teaches us. Welcome back to On the Fly. I’ve been looking for a clear way to explain how we should be handling Artificial Intelligence today. I finally found the answer hidden in a book I just finished. The twist? It was written more than seventy years ago. Isaac Asimov's The Caves of Steel was published in 1954, when a computer filled an entire room, consumed enough electricity to dim the neighborhood, and had roughly the computing power of today's microwave. Yet Asimov set his story nearly 3,000 years in the future—a world where humanity lives in sprawling enclosed cities (New York) and depends on advanced technology for nearly every aspect of daily life. The remarkable part isn't how much of the technology he imagined. It's how accurately he predicted us. In Asimov's future, society struggles with the introduction of highly sophisticated humanoid robots powered by "positronic brains." Naturally, a lou...

Resurrecting the '90s Graphite

Let’s face it, there’s a certain danger in reading John Gierach's Trout Bum . His wit, self-deprecation, and sharp, effortless satire are entirely infectious. If you aren't careful, his words will inspire you to drop everything, wade into a freezing river, and try to outsmart a creature with a brain the size of a lentil. In my case, re-reading Gierach recently didn't send me straight to the river. It sent me digging through the dusty, spider-guarded corners of my garage. In the early 1990s, seeking a natural escape from Manhattan's concrete canyons, I decided to learn to cast a fly rod. I bought an Orvis Rocky Mountain —eight-and-a-half feet, three ounces, built for a five-weight line—and had absolutely no idea how to use it. To avoid aimlessly whipping the water like scrambling eggs, I took fly-fishing lessons from Al Cucci, co-author of Hatches , on the Delaware River. With his guidance, I fished renowned waters: the AuSable in New York and Michigan, and New Jersey...

The Birth of a Cubs Legend

In this episode, The 162-Game Exhale — and the Birth of a Cubs Legend There’s a hush in the baseball world on Game 162 — a collective breath drawn in and slowly released. Scoreboards stop flipping. Dugouts empty. For six months, the game has been our steady heartbeat, pulsing from the cherry blossoms of Tokyo in March to the crisp, playoff-charged winds of late September. And now, as the regular season exhales, baseball fans everywhere pause to absorb the story we’ve just lived. For me, that story has been deeply personal. This season unfolded in the rhythms of my daily life. It was the summer soundtrack echoing beneath the constant turmoil of politics and sensational headlines. It was a handful of carefully chosen ballpark pilgrimages stitched together with countless nights in front of MLB.TV. And at the center of it all, for a lifelong Cubs fan like me, it revolved around one name — a young center fielder who turned hope into history: Pete Crow-Armstrong. The 2025 season didn’t begin...