On The Fly

In this episode – A Catch With Dad . . . On Thursday, August 12, 2021, Field of Dreams came to life for so many devoted fans of that movie and baseball. Major League Baseball hosted a mid-summer game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox in Dyersville, Iowa, for the first time in its history. The central theme of that movie hinged on father and son bonding – “having a catch.” This reminded me of a story I wrote in 2012 about my Dad. This week would have been Dad's 89 th birthday; he’s been gone for eight years. My fondest baseball memories were not spring training or visiting a major league ballpark; it was not meeting a famous ballplayer. For me, it was learning to catch  lighting ; and field line drives with my Dad. Major League Baseball was always background noise from an old transistor radio tuned to 720  WGN  Chicago as a youngster. Devoted fans chewed over the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals in Cuba, Illinois. For our family, baseball wa...

In this episode - See You At the Top . . .   "You can get everything in life you want if you help enough other people get what they want." Do you believe that? If not, why not? This quote comes from the book See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar, first published in July 1974. While poking around in my library looking for something to share with you, I came across this old book. My book is copyrighted in March 1987 (Forty-first printing), still has its worn dust jacket, has been thumbed through my times, and is highlighted throughout the pages with a RED pen. I can hear you saying, "So, what's the BIG deal?" The deal is this, "Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness." In today's hectic world of instant gratification, I'm reminded of the importance of building a life one success at a time. And it was this book back in 1987 that changed my life for the better when I finally understood - ...

 "Each of us is, at this moment, is standing in the middle of his or her Acres of Diamonds." Welcome to On the Fly , a weekly podcast about whatever comes to mind. I'm your host Patrick Ball. People ask me all the time, "So, what's your podcast about?" My response, A smidgen of history, a dash of culture - a minute dedicated to making you smile. "It's whatever comes to mind - really!" But it's much more than that. You see, most people undervalue the power of goals and building a life one success at a time. Each episode is an informative five to seven-minute story that enlightens your day. You see, when you're learning, you're growing. However, learning is wasted 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 diamond mine in the world; your creative imagination. We're on Apple Po...

In this episode - The Rest of the Story . . .   Do you remember the radio segment "The Rest of the Story?" Boy, I sure do. And I'm sure many of you listening do too, especially if you had your radio on at Noon each day. On the majority of radio stations, it often served as a mid-afternoon drive counterpart to Paul Harvey's noontime News and Comment. These segments began as a part of Paul Harvey newscasts during the Second World War and then premiered as its series on the ABC Radio Networks on May 10, 1976, was a Monday-through-Friday radio program. The Rest of the Story consisted of stories presented as little-known or forgotten facts on various subjects with some key element of the story (usually the name of some well-known person) held back until the end. The broadcasts always concluded with the tag line, "And now you know...the rest of the story." This got me thinking; podcasts are simply radio broadcasts that have a global reach without syndicated sponso...

Podcast, " Summer 2021 - PV Solar ” Ah - summer is upon us; officially, the summer solstice occurred in the Northern Hemisphere on June 20, 2021, Father’s Day, at 11:32 p.m. EST. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, The June solstice marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun reaches its highest and northernmost points in the sky. Translation, daylight lasts until after 8:00 p.m. in Southern California. So, if you have a Photovoltaic (PV) Solar System on the roof of your home, you can expect the best production (usually between 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) from your system through the summer and early fall. And - you should bank some credits with your energy provider. Provided that you pay attention to Peak Time of Use (TOU) hours and the following two tips. Let’s start with peak Time of Use. In California, PG&E's peak rates occur from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., SDG&E and SCE are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. These are the highest rates charged when your PV...

Podcast - " Acronyms ." In today's language, we're bombarded with acronyms. And every profession has its own unique list of them. ICYMI (in case you missed it), acronyms, and abbreviations are ways to shorten phrases and ideas both in normal speech and through texting and email. But a common FAQ (frequently asked question) explains the nuanced difference between the two ways to save time LOL (Laugh out loud).  So, what is the difference between an acronym and an abbreviation? According to Lucie Turkel in a Readers Digest article, an acronym is a way of shortening a phrase by combining the first letter of each word to form a new pronounceable word. A common acronym is NASA, which stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It's easy, to form the acronym NASA, you take the first letter of each of the words in the phrase "National Aeronautics and Space Administration" and then pronounce the collection of letters as a new word, which is why we ...

Podcast, " We Remember Moments. " "We don't remember days; we remember moments." Wrapped in the cozy warmth of a down bag, I'm jolted awake from a deep slumber - nature calls.  The rustle of my sleeping bag shatters the silence. The sweet aroma of the mountain air fills the senses, and that ever-present biting cool crisp air on your cheeks! It's day three of my first wilderness-backpacking trip in the High Sierra Mountains (elevation 10,500 feet), 20 miles southwest of Bishop, California, camped at  Dingleberry Lake . The zipper moans as you free yourself, then the struggle to find your wool sweater, pants, and shoes to stumble into the brisk morning air. Another zipper whines as you quietly crawl to escape the protection of your mountain shelter. Darkness surrounds you. It's early morning, late summer. It's tranquil, except for the soft gurgle of the trout stream that lulled you to sleep last night. Finally - clear weather, the rains have stoppe...

Podcast -  Happy Birthday, Richie ! As hard as it is to believe, Rock-n-Roll legend Ritchie Valens would have turned 80 years old this past Thursday. He was born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, CA.  Among his peers, Sunny & the Sunglows, The Sir Douglas Quintet, and Thee Midniters, Ritchie Valens created themes heavily based on 1950s R&B music. Ritchie is considered a forefather of the  Chicano rock  movement and modern Latino rock music. And one of the pioneers of contemporary rock-n-roll music. As a young man, Ritchie Valens was a gifted guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Among his most recognized hits, Come on Lets Go, Donna, We Belong Together, and La Bamba, to name a few.  He made his national debut on American Band Stand hosted by Dick Clark on October 6, 1958, in Philadelphia. Sadly, Ritchie Valens' career was too short. His recording career lasted eight months, professionally active from 1957 through 1959. Along w...