What the Rich and Influencial Haven't Taught me

Patrick Bruce

“What the rich and influential haven’t taught me, the streets of Pittsburgh have . . .”

Weasels, bullies, hypocrites, flakes, closed or narrow-minded people and people that take advantage of others tend to test my patience; but I usually try to hear them out anyway, and when I think something should be changed I try to change it.

“I like to tell people what they need to hear not what they want to hear.. . In fact I was paid to do that for over 15 years as a business analyst

Stupidity really should be painful if it's caused by laziness or dishonesty as opposed to some kind of brain damage. 

“The difference between dumb and stupid is dumb is when you don’t know any better because you haven’t been told.”

I'm creative, easy going, open minded, and fair, and love to speak in front of groups of people.

People classify me as a good communicator. I do what I say I'll do.

I'm a hopeless romantic; my marriage lasted 19 years & ended on good terms. My current relationship is best described as the love of a lifetime – I am very happy, despite not finding true love until I was 50.

Professional, entrepreneurial, & committed but maybe a bit too diversified in my interests, probably a result of my attention deficit disorder as a child, but if it’s a brilliant idea you are looking for I’ve got one!

I'm a survivor, a true survivor, maybe you'll find out about it sometime, No matter how bad things get I know that I will figure out a way to make it better. My goal is to be happy doing it.

Just your average Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania born and raised, Irish, Italian; artsy rebel, former hippie, classic type-A personality; I bleed the black and gold of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and am genuinely upset with the what has happened to my Pittsburgh Pirates, to me Major League Baseball is a joke. I worked for the Pittsburgh Penguins and I’m happy for their current success. When I worked for them they were bankrupt; Mario Lemieux changed that.

I have worked for three of American’s biggest marketing companies including Walt Disney Productions, McDonald’s and Red Lobster – where I learned that to be successful in a corporation you have to tell people what they want to hear and not what they need to hear . . . I haven’t had a corporate job in over 25 years; instead I love working with independent owners that can make a decision and write a check. I have a big problem with people that want you to work for them but don’t want to pay. That’s an insult to my intelligence and I generally end up telling them to pound salt.

Most people seem comfortable talking to me about just about anything or nothing in particular, and I enjoy starting conversations with people I never met, I’ve met a lot of cool people doing that.

Spirituality… Hmmm. . . Yes I'm sure it runs deep, just not in any conventional, organized or prejudiced direction. I was raised Catholic and do not trust organized religious zealots.

Let's just say that I am driven to find the beauty & truths in all things, beings & concepts as they cross my path. I don't make a habit of seeking them out or trying to pretend that I know the secrets of the universe, but I’m pretty smart and think I can help others solve complex problems.

My children, grand children, and friends are important to me, I’ve had the same friends for over 40 years but I’ve made a lot of new friends, but generally I stick with my tried and true friends.

I'm currently semi-retired, living on an island in South Carolina, (1 short block from the beach) working as search engine marketing analysis, and internet business consultant, and enjoying life one day at a time since I’ve almost died three times in my life I feel I’m living on borrowed time.