On The Fly

In this episode – You're Not Convincing . . . Music and singing, "In the year 2110, folks decide to think again, Choosing life is always free, And it's the best in history, whoa whoa" . . .  Audio – Narration of Chapter 1 pgs. 2 - 5. Well, what do you think now? You've just heard an excerpt (part II) from the novel A New World of Hope by Don Hanley. Let's see if we can get Professor Mark Haloran to spend a few minutes with us on this week's podcast?  Last week we asked our listeners, "What would you do or think if someone from the year 2141 appeared in your home right now? Interview segment - "How are you on this fine day, Mark? "We have a few responses from our listening audience; the big question that came up was this, "Why on Earth would you pick 2018?” Mark's response . . . "Thank you, Mark, for your time; we hope to have you on another episode down the road.” The story continues; tune in next time, same  Pod   time, same ...

In this episode – In the Year 2141 . . . Music and singing, "In the year 2141, we truly are awake, We swim in every lake cause it's clean. Audio – Narration of Chapter 1 pgs. 1 & 2. What you've just heard is an excerpt from the novel A New World of Hope by Don Hanley that we introduced to you in last week's episode. Are you interested in hearing more? I'd love to know; if not, let me know as well. To help with your decision, allow me to share the Preface to Professor Mark Haloran's story with you. Audio – Narration of the Preface. Question – “What would you do if a man or woman from the year 2141 appeared in your house this morning? What would you think, and what would YOU ask them?” Tune in next time, same Pod time, same Pod channel, and let's see if we can get Professor Haloran on the phone to talk about the year 2141. If you haven't heard, this podcast is now available on Amazon Music! Just say, "Alexa play - On the Fly podcast by Patrick ...

Podcast – A New World of Hope . . . "Books are filled with ideas, and it's ideas that shape our lives." Sometimes, a book captures your imagination, motivates you to act, and fulfills a desire hidden deep within your soul. Let me introduce you to an author and his most recent novel that I just finished reading. But before I do, allow me to set the stage for how unforeseen pivotal moments can unexpectedly touch your life for the better. In hindsight, one of those moments was an invitation to join a local writer's group after my early retirement from GIA in 2014. It was during that experience I met and came to know Don Hanley, Ph.D. A former Catholic Priest who left the ministry to marry. Don earned a doctorate in psychology and has worked as a psychotherapist, graduate school professor, and counseling supervisor. His writings include professional articles and booklets, three novels, and he is currently working on a fourth. Don lives in northern San Diego County. During...

In this episode - Wisdom at 65 . . .   As a wise man once said, "There ain't no free lunch.” Yes, I realize the grammar is completely wrong. However, this statement reveals a lot when you take its meaning to heart. It's about work. At 65, I'm still wondering why more folks don't attempt to learn new skills? Challenge yourself, go beyond what you've comfortably achieved in the past. It's exciting, a little unsettling at times, but that's what motivates me every day. "You don't pay the price - you enjoy the benefit" of work that allows you to contribute to society. During my journey through this maze, we call life on earth. Here are a few nuggets that I've uncovered - not discovered, there is a big difference.  Please understand I don't claim originality to these timeless truths. Like everyone who has come before me, I'm just passing on what's helped me along the way. First, as we mentioned in a previous podcast, I attribute ...

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...