2024–In Review

In this episode, 2024–In Review . . .

Wow, can you believe another year has passed? Time flies. I hope this year has been an incredible journey for you, too! Looking back at 2024, I’m so grateful for the moments I’ve captured On the Fly; without it, all those experiences would be a blur.

As we wrap up this year, let’s summarize some of the highlights of 2024.

We begin with a January post titled Childhood Revisited, which reminds us to embrace our childhood dreams and creative notions as a delightful escape from challenging moments.

February brought us the Netflix special The Greatest Night in Pop. This documentary beautifully shares the inspiring story of creating We Are the World and reminds us of how creativity, charity, and the power of music can truly uplift others.

In March, my colleagues and I enjoyed chasing whales. The weather in Dana Point was perfect for a delightful “three-hour tour,” and we enjoyed every moment without any island landings interrupting our adventure!

In April, we visited our dear friends Bill and Linda in Westfield, New Jersey. Then, we took a delightful day trip to New York City to revisit our favorite friends and memories.

May kept us chuckling as Netflix hosted the hilarious Jerry Seinfeld movie Unfrosted. The blog post "That’s Funny" sparked my enthusiasm for exploring standup comedy and what makes people laugh.

June: “Say hey—say, Wille.” The baseball world lost the incomparable Willie Mays. This post, More than Just Stats, highlights baseball of the 1960s.

In July, inspired by our friend John Prock, we bravely stepped out of our comfort zone to celebrate Lori’s milestone birthday! If you didn’t get a chance to join us, we’d love for you to check it out now!

August is my birthday month, and we did something special for this year's celebration: a hike through Griffith Park, one of my favorite places to visit in Los Angeles.

In September, after reading a series of science fiction stories by Isaac Asimov, I started writing The Silent Grid (Gridbot), which I intend to develop throughout the next year.

October was yet another adventure in the Sierras with my good friend Brendan. It was not my best adventure, but sometimes, things happen that you simply cannot control.

November, The Power of the Thank you note. It was an important reminder to cherish relationships with your neighbors.

And finally, December: Everything I Need to Know About Christmas–I learned from a Little Golden Book, this year's Children’s podcast; it summarizes all the audiobooks and poems we’ve created as unique gifts.

Listeners search for pball001 and click On the Fly to find embedded links to each episode.

Thank you all for your encouragement and well wishes for my creative endeavors. Remember, it’s not about my accomplishments; On the Fly is designed to serve as a simple example for everyone to explore their unique gifts.

I challenge you to become the best version of your exploratory self.

As my good friend Dr. Don Hanley says, “When you wake up in the morning, decide to have an enjoyable day; that is “life-giving.”

I'm Patrick Ball; as always, thanks for listening. Have a Happy and prosperous New Year. I’ll see you in the next episode.

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