On The Fly

In this episode, Legoland Birthday Magic . . . By: Patrick Ball and Gemini Good morning! A grand notion, a fanciful spree! Let's twist up a tale for all folks to see! From Carlsbad, California, the clouds they did gleam, On LEGOLAND wonders, a birthday dream! Young LUCA, the lad turned precisely six years, With JULIAN, his brother, dispelling all fears! A baggie he clutched, with small figures inside, For trading and swapping, with a joyful stride! But then! A new twist, a high-energy spree! Forget little figures, let the youngsters run free! In overcast skies, the LEGO bricks gleam, But birthday boy LUCA was living a dream! Not just Luca, oh no! Two pals joined the fray, Young JULIAN, seven, to brighten the day! And their curly-haired buddy, aged eight, with a giggle so grand, Plus, one little lady skipping close at hand! No slow strolls or glances, no careful, soft tread, This crew was a whirlwind, right out of their head! Like Zappers on race tracks, they zoomed and they flew, ...

In this episode, Everything I Need to Know About Christmas–I Learned From a Little Golden Book. We are thrilled to present this year's (2024) annual Christmas episode for kids! The story has it: back in 2020, when we first launched On the Fly , one of Santa's helpers whispered a fantastic idea into our ear on Thanksgiving Day. “Wouldn’t it be fun to share children's books by sending an audio file to your nieces, nephews, neighbors, and friends so they can enjoy the story with their little ones?” So we did, and here’s the list of books and stories organized chronologically. Feel free to click the links and listen again, or maybe for the first time. Twas the Night Before Christmas Christmas Eve-Day How the Grinch Stole Christmas Frosty the Snowman The Story of Rudolph The 1939–Original Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Tracking Santa Santa’s Toy Shop My listening friends, choosing the right story has always been challenging, but the journey has been rewarding. It's our wish t...

In this episode - How the Grinch Stole Christmas . . . by Dr. Seuss Did you know that the Grinch first appeared as a 33-line illustrated poem by  Theodore Geisel - “Dr. Seuss" titled "The Hoobub and the Grinch?” Originally published in the May 1955 edition of Redbook magazine? Dr. Seuss began work on How the Grinch Stole Christmas! a couple of years later, in early 1957. This children’s classic was first published as a book by  Random House  on October 12, 1957, and at approximately the same time in an issue of  Redbook . Based on a 2007 online poll, the  National Education Association  listed this book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children”. “Maybe - Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas . . . perhaps . . . means a little bit more!” Stay safe this Christmas season. Feel free to share this Podcast with family and friends; your joy may grow three sizes today. Merry Christmas! I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for lis...

In this episode, Civil Discourse . . . Civil discourse is simply this - respectful conversation that promotes understanding among individuals with different perspectives, enhancing the learning experience - characterized by dialogue that supports the societal good. Seriously, are you concerned about the current state of education for young people? Are we teaching our children to follow the same old rules passed down from generation to generation, or are we encouraging creativity and innovation in our children. If you answered yes to these questions, let me re-introduce you to Dr. Don Hanley and his new blog, Hope for a Better World . Dr. Don's blog is launching today, October 7th, 2023. Join us as we explore history, philosophy, education, and self-esteem. I’m proud to partner with Dr. Don; our goal is to create a virtual space where you can share your views with like-minded individuals and challenge the status quo. Now retired and approaching his 91st birthday, Don’s writings inc...

In this Bonus episode - Inside GIA Education . . . Eureka - “ I found it!" The original “ Inside GIA Education ” CD our team at the Gemological Institute of America ( GIA) produced for its Alumni celebration at the Tucson Gem Shows for 2006 (and it contains some fun gems). This MP3 file was the first episode of our podcast series, launched in 2006, and introduced our bi-monthly education updates. As the Director of Education Training, I had the privilege of visiting Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, CA, and participating in the beta testing phase of iTunes U. This platform was instrumental in helping GIA take the first steps towards transitioning from print to digital delivery. In 2007, Apple launched iTunes U, a dedicated area within the iTunes Store that offered free educational content from prestigious universities such as Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, Duke University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Gemological Institut...

In this episode, Are We Full of Sh*t? . . . Let me ask you this, are you a reader ( listener ) concerned with young people's education today? Are we teaching our children to be creative or follow archaic rules handed down through generations? If so, let me introduce you to the author Don Hanley, Ph.D., and his inspiring memoir that we just finished. But before I do, let's set the stage for how unforeseen pivotal moments can unexpectedly change your life for the better. In hindsight, one of those moments for me was an invitation to join a local writer's group after my early retirement from GIA in 2014. During that experience, I met and became friends with Dr. Don (as I call him), a former Catholic Priest who left the ministry to marry. Don earned a doctorate in psychology and has served for over 40 years as a psychotherapist, graduate school professor, and counseling supervisor. Now retired and approaching his 90th birthday, his writings include four non-fiction books on psy...