Small Town Life

In this episode, Small Town Life . . .

With this Bonus segment, I want to address a recent comment, from a listener, posted on my Blog - On The Fly. It was this,

"Please tell of your favorite moments growing up in Cuba, Illinois.”

That’s a great question. Hmmm, maybe we could make this a series . . .

First, let me say this, it was 1985 when I moved to California to pursue a completely transformed life as a gemologist, and educator. My blog posts over the years have focused on memories from my youth growing up in that small Midwestern town.

A few examples are:

Those documented memories are the synthesis of many years of listening to motivational tapes, Podcasts and reading books that trigger these special memories and allow me to embellish them as a writer.

So, let’s just jump right into a couple of my favorite moments not documented.

During my Jr. High years, one of my most treasured experiences was time spent with my little red beagle Pixy. What a special pup!

Every afternoon she was there to enthusiastically greet me when I came home from school. Her tail wagged so vigorously her hind end would leave the ground. She loved to run rabbits. So, I would grab my Daisy BB gun and take her to the woods.

Now we didn’t have to go very far, (about 3/4 of a mile) just cross the tracks, down the street, and into the woods. All those trips with Pixy I don’t think we ever killed a rabbit. It was simply the joy of watching her work the tracks, listening to her animated barking as she circled the woods. That image of only her tail visible, wagging above the brush, makes me smile to this day.

Another treasured memory was my regular trips to our local Post Office. Every other Saturday, with pride, I would present the money collected on my paper route to pay my monthly bill. In hindsight, this was a valuable lesson in respect and basic business practices.

Our Postmaster (Arnie Pederson) taught many of us young boys a valuable lesson during those visits. How to count money. Yes, I know that sounds trivial. You see, he would not accept a pile of money for the postal money order needed to settle our bill.

We were required to have all denominations in order. All bills face-up and facing the same way. And all the change in order from the smallest to largest value. We would wrap the pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters if there was enough to warrant that.

Once we paid the bill, he would prepare our money order. It was our job to address the envelope to The Daily Ledger office, purchase the stamp, then present it to him for mailing, the money left over was our earnings for the week.

My listening friends, when you hear someone speak of Small Town Midwestern values the following comes to mind; family first, neighborly, friendly, honest folks, dedicated to hard work, integrity, and faith.

These are just two of my “favorite moments growing up in Cuba, Illinois.” Stay tuned . . .

This is Patrick Ball, thanks for listening, see you in the next episode.

That's Funny

In this episode – That’s Funny . . . My boss said, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” So - I went to work as Batman. This week, we tackle a topic that (hopefully) tickles your funny bone: What makes something funny? Have you had a good laugh recently? Why not? In today’s critical, cynical world of stupid politics, with Trump on the news day after day and protests at many Universities, we need a break from all this strife and tension. I’m here to say we need a good laugh. Lately, I've been rolling with laughter while watching stand-up comedians like Jim Gaffigan, Jerry Seinfeld, Jeff Foxworthy, and Trevor Noah on Netflix. Laughter has been hailed as the best medicine, but not everyone finds the same things funny. What one person finds hilarious, another might find dull. For example, check out the new Netflix movie Unfrosted, directed by Jerry Seinfeld . My listening friends, there is hope for those seeking comic relief. Let’s face it: humor is a fascinating part of

The Who Was - Series

In this episode, the Who Was? - Series . . . With over 250 titles, Penguin Random House Books Who Was? - Series tells the incredible stories of trailblazers, legends, innovators, and creators. Are you a bibliophile, an individual who loves and frequently reads books (a bookworm)? What is it that compels you to pick up a book? Is it the cover, is it the title, how about an interest in a specialized subject, or just - perhaps it's a whim? One of my ultimate goals with these podcasts is to reach a young audience. I've found that reading children's books is a gratifying and educational experience. Yes, even grown-ups can understand difficult concepts. To my surprise, both children and adults seem to appreciate the experience. With education such a hot topic in the news right now, we need to be reminded that whether it's going to school, visiting a museum, or online learning, the goal of education (both young and old) is to nurture an interest in learning. William Butler Ye

What Time Is It

In this episode – What Time Is It . . . In the era before smartphones, let’s say we’re on a telephone call, and you ask me, “What time is it?” As a five-year-old, my reply is, "The big hand is on the two (2) and the little hand on the eight (8).” You would then say, "Alright, it's ten minutes after eight o’clock or eight-ten, right?" This is how we learned to tell time as children–remember? Well, what happened . . . During dinner last week in Westfield, NJ, a retired high school teacher told our group, “Did you know that children today cannot read the time on a traditional watch with an analog face?” “Why not?” we asked. “Because of smartphones and the proliferation of digital clocks.” “Wow! That’s hard to believe.” Welcome to this week's episode of "On the Fly." Today, we'll compare classic mechanical watches to modern quartz watches and explore an unexpected social shift. To begin with, let me take you back a few days. I’m a traditionalist and pre

Power For the People

In this episode – Power For the People . . . People often ask me, "You work for a solar company; don’t you have solar on your home?” Nope! “With an astonished look, they exclaim, “Why not?” Here’s the short answer: "I monitor our yearly electricity consumption, which totals approximately 2,500 kWh.” For comparison, a Walmart Supercenter could use about 10,000 kWh daily on average. Okay, I get it. Most people might not be familiar with this terminology; they only care about how much they're billed monthly. Welcome back to On the Fly! Today, our virtual assistant, Professor Watts, will join us to discuss a program called Community Choice Aggregation, or CCA, that helps Californians choose a cleaner energy future with better rates. San Diego County is known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant community. Now, the cities of Solana Beach, Del Mar, Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, and Vista are leading the way in sustainability thanks to their participation in a Co

On The Fly

Search This Blog

Small Town Life

Comments

Most Popular of All Time

That's Funny

The Who Was - Series

What Time Is It

Power For the People