In this special 500th episode, On the Fly is moving to a new home.
Here’s why—and what’s staying the same.
For a very long time (since April 2012), On the Fly has lived on Blogger.
Blogger has been a reliable host—dependable, quiet, and never complaining when I arrived late with another half-baked idea, a guitar riff, or a story that needed a little air. It faithfully archived my thoughts, my music, and more than a decade of curiosity.
But the internet has changed.
It’s louder now. Flashier. More insistent. Every thought is nudged to perform. Every sentence wants to be optimized, monetized, or interrupted by something that really wants your attention right this second.
I’ve been craving the opposite.
So today, On the Fly is moving to Substack.
If you’ve been with me for a while, you know my quiet obsession: the Art of Seeing. I’m interested in the moments we rush past—the Aversion Trap, the discipline hidden inside a guitarist’s daily practice, the small revelations that appear when you wander Paris without a plan.
As a writer, a lifelong cyclist, and an amateur astronomer, I’ve learned something simple yet stubborn: The best views don’t show up when you’re in a hurry. They show up when you pause.
Why the move?
I wanted a home that feels less like a cluttered website and more like a conversation. A place where the words and the music can breathe.
Here’s what that looks like:
- No ads. No noise. Just the story, the song, and the space between them.
- Direct delivery. New episodes and essays arrive in your inbox—no refreshing, no algorithms pretending to know you better than you know yourself.
- An actual listening experience. You can now listen to all 480+ archived episodes in the Substack app (once moved), which pairs well with walking, riding, or staring thoughtfully out a window.
What’s staying the same?
Pretty much everything that matters.
The Friday Morning Pause isn’t going anywhere. My curiosity about heritage, creativity, baseball, and the odd poetry of everyday life remains fully intact. I’m still Patrick. Still asking questions–and I’m still occasionally surprised by the answers.
I’m also bringing the entire On the Fly archive with me, so feel free to wander. There’s a lot back there—some of it still holding up surprisingly well.
To longtime readers: thank you for crossing the digital border with me. To those just joining: I’m glad you’re here.
Let’s look up from our screens now and then and see what we can discover— On the Fly.
Stay curious. Ask questions. I’ll see you in the next episode.
— Patrick
Join 495+ episodes on our new home.
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