Birthday Citation

An exercise from today's career development class: Birthday Citation - This exercise is projective in nature. Imagine that five to ten years from now you are having a birthday party celebration and someone has contacted you about a citation that wil appear in your local newspaper. Write a paragrpah or two that captures what you would like said about you at that time. Areas that you might chooose to include are your work (pace, setting, location, dress, compensation), hobbies, personal life (school, family friends, organizations, community involvement), civic activities, etc. - all of these are suggestive, certainly not mandated. Please include only those things that would make you proud and your birthday party a big success!

Date: 7/24/2016

LOCAL VISIONARY CELEBRATES 34TH

Today the founder of the Greater Boston Progressive Theater celebrates his 34th birthday, and we here at the Tribune wish him all the best. You may know him better as the leader of the "Renegade Republicans" the forward-thinking group of Massachusetts Senators who seem to have single-mindedly transformed the politics of the Commonwealth over the last six years, redefining community service, introducing tough crime bills, reinvigorating down-and-out school districts, and, most recently, getting one of their own elected to the govenor's office. It's hard to believe the wily political mind behind what could be considered a lifetime of achievement on the hill is an all-star center fielder for his district's softball league, and can be found more often playing Tiger Woods PGA Tour on his Xbox, than out on the links like some of his more infamous Beacon Hill colleagues.
You may recall the first victory on the road to success, the stirring defense of "Tax-achusetts" income law onm the steps of the State House by a still wet-behind-the-ears accountant. The speech made local news, but his victory in the following Senate campaign was reported on the national stage, the near-unanimous (99.3% of the vote) landslide against the seemingly popular incumbent. Well, that may be the answer you expect from him when asked about his biggest win, but he tells it different. This interviewer even noticed a mischevious glint in his eye as he turned to his wife of eight years and gave her hand a squeeze. "This is the biggest victory I'll ever have, winning her hand in marriage." Almost a decade and two children later he says he is just as happy as on their wedding day, and she offers no objections. He then mentions quietly five-year old David is already ten-for-ten three games into the T-ball season, and Margaret, now three, is getting some good movement on her curveball.
The family will be celebrating with friends and cousins for much of today with a barbecue at Devir Park. Our favorite once-accountant-turned-govenor-in-the-wings will be setting out with his climbing team for the Swiss Alps at the end of the month.

-Jay Petton is a contributing writer for the Tribune