On The Fly

In this episode: The Most Deadly Disease  . . . Criticisms, constant complaining, and derogatory comments about fellow co-workers. While working retail, I repeatedly heard remarks like this: “ You can’t imagine how miserable it is working with these clowns.” Admit it, you’ve caught yourself sharing the misery of your “difficult co-workers” with other people on break, at lunch, before or after work. It’s been said, “Misery loves company.” Don’t join the crowd. Zig Ziglar called it stinkin’ thinkin’ - boy, was he right on! Did you know the most deadly disease on Earth is not COVID-19, although, right now, it may seem that way? It’s Hardening of the Attitudes . Thankfully there is a way to reverse this destructive tendency. It’s a simple daily process. Author Ken Blanchard shares the secret in many of his parables, “Catch people doing something right.” Did you pick out the keyword in the previous statement? Simple . However, I must warn you it’s not easy. This takes ...

From The Desk Of Patrick Ball Cherished friends, During this COVID-19 lockdown, social distancing has allowed us to return to the basics; reading, writing, and arithmetic. Me, I'm learning to read music, write out chords, and work out the math ematical patterns to play guitar. Music is a very calming influence. It's also a lot of fun when you can recreate a recognizable tune. And now, to add to the confusion, I'm learning to play the ukulele. Check out Ukulele Mike on YouTube. What have you been up to lately? One primary skill that has gone by the wayside is writing a letter. The acceptance of email, text messaging, and Facetime videos has made it too easy to throw a few emojis or partially spelled words in a message and hit send. Being a valued friend, I'm using this ancient medium to close our social distance gap. There is something therapeutic about the process of putting your thoughts on paper. But the real question is this, Is it worth mailing a sin...