The Accomplishments Of Others

Sometimes I have found in life that it is the sheer happiness or accomplishments of others that truly bring light to your day. Sure, I am brought joy by reaching a new advertising revenue mark within my job, or when I receive a new watch worth more than the average American makes in one full calendar year, but I am not overjoyed.

Today, one of my closest and dearest friends Nico, graduated law school. He is the fun loving fuck to the left in the above photo.  I will not mention his last name for the chance that this post diminishes his chances of receiving any sort of gainful employment in the future other than working at the admissions office of a lesser law school. Yes, him and I did spend each and every night, snuggled up in a full size bed at a villa in the Bahamas. And yes, there were other sleeping options. And yes, we chose against those options. We also sipped the great nectar of the gods, more formally known as Malibu and Orange Juice. We did meet to native Bohamians that took us on a 1 hour drive in a 1996 honda civic in search for lost dreams in a green like plant form. We did cry during this act. In the same trip, a close, mutual un-named friend, did defy the laws of the human body by releasing bodily fluids out of two orifices simultaneously.

We did sip on 137 bottles of 70% Shiraz/30% Merlot Yellow tail wine until we saw the sunrise. We did make the Burnette's family $25,000 dollar in revenue throughout 4 years of undergrad, which is approx 3,125 liters worth of low grade vodka for those unfamiliar. We did laugh, we did cry, we did send 8 page text messages when verizon only allowed 7, it pays to know people. We made backyard firals, skip classes, dominated midterms, opened a flask in Thursday night science lab. Amphetamines burst in and out of our veins to assure the grades stayed up and the parents kept writing the tuition checks. We did succeed.

Today, as Nico crosses that stage, I am reminded about all the good things we have done and experience in this quarter century thus far. It also gives me a glimpse of the future, and the smiles, successes, nerves, scares, loves lost, and loves gained that are sure to come with a vengeance.

We are all proud of you Nico and your success. I know you are bound to do many great things with that degree and a few really really bad things. But that's the thing about this life - Balancing work and play, and being an all around, "winner." Today, you have won. Revel in it. There are sure to be hard times to come, and better times to follow.

Congrats buddy and god- fucking- speed.

Ryan