On The Fly

In this episode - EV Batteries . . . I've been reading a lot lately about battery storage and the electric power grid. We thought you might find the following article from MYEV.com helpful, especially if you own an Electric Car (EV) or a Hybrid. The first is obvious, an electric car has far fewer moving parts in its electric motor than a gasoline engine. An EV uses a single-speed transmission, and EVs do not require over two-dozen standard automotive components that will eventually fail and need replacing. However, one area of concern that keeps coming up in consumer surveys is an electric car's battery life. In a recent study conducted by Cox Automotive, 46 percent of those considering an electric vehicle fear the battery pack would only last for 65,000 miles or less. To be sure, replacing an electric vehicle's battery is an expensive proposition. According to MYEV.com, a new battery pack for a Chevrolet Bolt EV is reportedly priced at $15,000+, not including the labor co

In this episode - Juniors' Jungle Gym . . . Does a cat own you? Then I'm sure you know what it's like to be a Jungle Gym. You Don't? Well, allow me to explain. It begins early each morning (usually 4:30 a.m.) Whomp, you hear the cat, Junior, jump onto the bed. He climbs onto your chest and sticks his nose directly to mine. A friendly face greets me with two large, bright, golden-greenish eyes, white whiskers, and what appears to be a smiling face. Meow, translation - ”Time to get up.” "Good morning Junior. (Jr.) Ok, ok, I'm getting up.” Stretching, you make your way to the bathroom, have a seat, then Whomp , Jr. leaps from the floor to your shoulders and starts his motor purring in your ear. "What's up, Jr.? Where's Missy.” Both Junior and his sister Missy spend their days lounging around the house, mainly sleeping.  They are decidedly indoor cats. Over the years, we've lost too many cats to varmints that populate the open space behind our hou

In this episode, Our Two-Year  Podcast Anniversary . . . Welcome to Episode 152 of On the Fly. Believe it or not, we went live on the Anchor platform over two years ago! But there's more to the story. People still ask, "So, what's your podcast about?" A smidgen of history, a dash of culture - a minute dedicated to making you smile. "It's whatever comes to mind!" But it's much more than that. People undervalue the redemptive power of building a creative life one success at a time. Each episode reflects my experiences and life lessons. You see, when you're learning, you're growing. However, learning is frittered away until you put that learning into action. And the best way to do that is to share your newly found discoveries with others. When you do - you'll soon realize that you're digging in the richest gold mine in the world; you're creative imagination. The seed for this project was planted many years ago while listening to t

In this episode - Happy Birthday Rodger . . . Today in history marks a memorable day for our family. On May 5, 1962, my Lil' brother Rodger was born (he's not so little anymore). Growing up, we were a close-knit family. Every morning, breakfast together, and dinner around the table each evening. Mom insisted. We spent weekends romping around Grandma's yard in the country. It was the 1960s, a great time to be a kid. Recently, after attending a Celebration of Life , I thought, why don't we take time more often to celebrate someone's life while they're still with us? Do w e need to be slapped by the abrupt loss of a loved one to stop, take time out of our hectic lives, and show love, appreciation, and respect to a friend or relative? And to openly share special memories of that person with others. Well, not me; this podcast is designed to inspire a 60th birthday celebration of stories for Rodger Allen Ball. Allow me to start with a couple of treasured memories I