On The Fly

🇫🇷 Lost in Transition: Our Journey to Avignon (Part 1) When everything that can go wrong—does—sometimes grace still finds you. Our Monday morning trip began on the quiet island of Noirmoutier , where salt marshes and sea breezes whisper of simpler days. From there, our early morning drive was uneventful; we arrived at the Nantes station with plenty of time to spare. From Nantes to Paris Montparnasse, everything went smoothly—so we thought, until it didn't. That's when things started to unravel. If you've never traveled the Paris Metro , imagine a vast underground maze pulsing beneath the city—corridors twisting into one another, trains roaring in and out of the dark, staircases that rise and fall like riddles. It's efficient, yes—but only if you know where you're going. We had over an hour and a half to make our next train to Avignon —plenty of time. Or so we believed. We needed to reach the Gare de Lyon station, where our TGV (high-speed train) was headed south...

In this episode, When Beauty Stops By . . . “Beauty does not linger; it only visits.” When was the last time you let that thought settle in? Most of us don’t. We’re too busy chasing beauty—buying it, booking it, or photographing it. But maybe beauty isn’t something you pursue. Perhaps it’s what shows up when you finally stop sprinting. It lives in the periphery: an uninvited smile, a few notes of music on the wind, the velvet green of grass, a breeze through autumn’s gold. Beauty doesn’t send a calendar invite. It just arrives—quietly, undeserved, right on time. The problem is our default setting: Hurry. We scroll, reply, refresh, repeat. We treat silence like a software glitch. But beauty only visits when you stage a small act of rebellion—when you step off the treadmill and allow yourself to be still. This trip to France isn’t about museums or monuments. It’s about reconnecting with the genuine beauty of family—the kind that doesn’t need you to be your best, only your real self. The...

✈️  In this special episode: Paris – the End of Silence Sometimes, connection arrives in the most unexpected form—not through grand gestures, but through a quiet voice carried by technology. In a Paris apartment, I finally understood my family’s words . . . and felt my mother’s presence in every sentence. Since I was a little boy, France has been both a beautiful and frustrating paradox in my life. Every six to nine years, my mother, Mauricette, would take my brothers and me back to La Rochelle to visit our French family. The moment we arrived, the air would fill with a sound I loved but couldn’t share in—the rapid-fire, musical rhythm of French. My aunts, uncles, and cousins would warmly sweep me into hugs and kisses, their words flowing like a lovely melody I couldn’t quite catch. I’d smile brightly, trying to communicate with my eyes and hands. But as soon as we stepped off the plane, my mother and her sister-in-law, Joséan, started talking animatedly. They were gone, chatting h...

In this episode, Unplugged and Strumming . . . Welcome back to On the Fly. Today, we're exploring the joy of summer vacation and the significance of taking a break. Yes, Summer is winding down, and the lazy vacation days are ending for many of us. Whether you hit the beach, explore a new city, or relax at home, it's important to take some time to recharge. Summer vacation is about biking, exploring new cities (like last week’s episode, Tecate, Mexico) , and immersing myself in playing chords and melodies on my guitar. Getting lost in the music is deeply satisfying, and it's a powerful way to unwind and let my creativity flow. And let’s not forget the 2024 Paris Olympics! The energy and excitement were electric. It was inspiring to watch athletes push their limits and achieve greatness. A special shoutout to Michael Phelps for his incredible commentary on the swimming events—his insights and passion for the sport were unmatched. Remember, it's okay to unplug and disconn...