On The Fly

In this episode, why "Cool" is the Enemy of Growth. Last night, Lori and I joined our friends at Sur La Table in Carlsbad, CA, for "Date Night in Southern Italy." The menu included Steak Tagliata, Sautéed Shrimp with Fried Capers, and handmade Garganelli.

Golfers, unless you have the rotational speed of a centrifuge, that "Tour" ball is costing you 5 strokes a round. I'm turning 70 this year, and I finally learned that gravity doesn't care about brand loyalty. Here is my guide to the best low-compression balls for the rest of us. ⛳️

This episode is for anyone trying to find their footing in a new place—whether it's a new city, a new job, or a new country. A tribute to my Mom.

It's the question we outgrew. Do you remember being five years old, lying on your back on a warm afternoon, squinting into a cloudless sky, and asking, “Why is the sky blue?”

Happy birthday to my brother, Ronnie! Enjoy your special day!

In this 500th episode, we're moving to a new home. Here's why—and what's staying the same. Since April 2012, On the Fly has been on Blogger. Now, join me on Substack.

Why Your Mind Feel Like It Has 47 Tabs Open? In 2017, I described the mind as a blank slate at birth—clean and ready for coding. If your Life OS feels slow or buggy, don't wait for a hardware upgrade; you have full admin privileges. This week, instead of seeking miracles, look for glitches.

They say golf is a game of misses. My first round at Rancho Carlsbad was a masterclass in missing. I turn 70 in August, and as part of my Great Un-Working Lifestyle, I want to shoot my age by my birthday.

Early Sunday morning, I cycled past a veterans' park in San Marcos. The air was still, streets nearly empty. On one corner, a woman held a sign: "Be ANGRY. ICE agents are murdering people.”

Your telescope arrives in a cheer-filled box, promising galaxies and wonders nearby. The pictures shout WOW! The words say you'll see the universe—easy!—Just wait, you'll agree.

In this special bonus episode, Boy on a Beam.

In 1895, a sixteen-year-old boy did something we rarely permit ourselves to do anymore. He gazed into space and let his mind wander. So here's my challenge—not as a physicist, but as a fellow human.

The world has gotten very good … at interrupting us. It lives in our pockets. Buzzing. Vibrating. Let's see how we can manage it.

Welcome to 2026. Traditional resolutions are merely "re-work"—tasks to improve efficiency. In the Un-Working era, resolutions are about unlearning. Join Jim & Chloe, with NotebookLM, as they explore this blog post.

In this bonus episode, it's 2026! Yes—this is the year!A different kind of start—you feel it right here?No lists! No demands! No fix-all-your-flaws!No “New You by Tuesday!” No rules! No laws!

People often ask me, “So . . . what is On the Fly really about?” At its heart, On the Fly is about noticing—the small, easily missed moments that quietly shape our lives. Join me!

In this episode, Night Before Christmas, I share a poem I wrote for my brothers to share with their grandchildren, inspired by Edgar A. Guest.

Merry Christmas, everyone — and welcome to this year's holiday edition of On the Fly! Since 2020, Lori and I have created a Christmas gift for our family and friends: a children's story in our voices, with sound effects, music, and seasonal magic to make Santa smile. Enjoy!

You don't usually expect a time warp at the post office, but here we are. We only needed stamps for Christmas cards—showing that "slow" places often hold the best stories.

With two weeks left until Christmas, have you ever had to explain whether Santa Claus really exists, considering all the children's books and movies about him?

As this holiday season approaches amid shopping and busy schedules, I embrace simplicity: taking a moment to pause, breathe, remember, and honor the person and place that shaped my sense of home long before I had the words for it.

Travel broadens the mind, but after eight days sailing the Rhône with 140 luxury vacationers, I can confirm it tests patience, calf strength, buffet strategy, and tolerance for people furious that France insists on being French.

As the holiday buzz fills the air with pixels and beeps, it's easy to feel like the world is drifting into a gentle smartphone sleep. I take a quick break to step back, breathe in cherished memories, and sit comfortably in them—a Holiday Tribute to Mom.

I'll be honest with you: My triumphant return from France wasn't quite the glamorous homecoming I had imagined. There was no smooth glide back into my routine, and no movie-like moment where I lift my suitcase from the carousel and exchange a wink with life, as if we're old friends. Sometimes, reality is a bit different from our dreams, but that makes the story more interesting.

Every now and then, something has a wonderful way of bringing us back to the wide-eyed wonder of childhood. For me, it was just yesterday—June 2, 2023—thanks to an inspiring visit to a guitar shop, a long drive, and the magic of a talented musician.

Sometimes, connection comes unexpectedly—not through grand gestures but via technology. In a Paris apartment, I understood my family's words and felt my mother's presence in every sentence.

If you're reading this, I'm already off the grid. Today kicks off a well-deserved vacation, and for the next few weeks, On the Fly is taking a little break along with me.

We live in a restless world where mornings start with immediate digital distraction. The urge to dive into chaos is quick, but sometimes, stillness finds you.

Imagine a room full of bright minds agreeing as a new strategy is revealed. The slides are polished, the vision grand, and the future looks bright. Everyone smiles—nobody wants to question if it might not work, fearing to spoil the mood with reality.

My listening friends, when the world feels overwhelming, go outside. Look up. Find a sliver of sky, a star, a moon, or a bird in flight. Awe is still there, waiting for you.

Welcome back to On the Fly. In this week's episode of The Silent Grid, GridBot tightens its grip. Marvin and Norman notice a troubling absence—the generation they hoped to reach has vanished into The Signal Box, a youth tech hub pulsing with digital obsession.

Imagination is a mirror and telescope, revealing who we are and where we might go. This summer, I traveled through centuries of imagination with companions: Marcus Aurelius, Jonathan Swift, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jules Verne, Jack London, and Isaac Asimov.

The first time you see Tommy Emmanuel perform, it might seem like watching a magic trick. You're joking — where's the bass player and drummer – hiding backstage?

History isn't a museum—it's a river, and we're already swimming in it. Its waters carry timeless lessons, flowing through each generation, waiting to be rediscovered.

Imagine 80 days to explore the world without smartphones, jet planes, or money worries. An exciting thought, right? That's Jules Verne's fantasy adventure in Around the World in 80 Days, a journey I've pondered from my Vista, California, easy chair.

Much obliged this mornin' to all my friends who took the time to wish me a happy birthday!

One bad moment can ruin your day, but one habit can change your life. In this episode of On the Fly, discover how small, daily actions can rewire your mindset, replace negativity with possibility, and even lift the people around you.

"You're never a hero in your own home." This phrase reflects how those who know us best also see our quirks and flaws, but when that familiarity causes disconnection—when our deep thoughts are dismissed and efforts go unheard—it highlights the complex dynamics within close relationships.

When was the last time you were so drawn to a quest that you packed your bags and laced up your boots before the rooster crowed? For me, this summer has been exactly that, a journey where the world outside faded away and the one inside my head came alive. Let's explore Treasure Island.

This week's Deep Dive features “A Pirate's Pondering: Turning 69 with a Classic.” Join me Friday, August 9th, for the release of the podcast episode.

Last week, we introduced “The Deep Dive” with our virtual reporters, Jim and Chloe, Gemini conversation podcast analysts. After research, they use this analysis to discuss the question: “If a story is to work, it must, on some level, achieve an illusion of escape, and also achieve a goal at the same time.”

In this special "bonus" episode, "Well, howdy there! It's me, Huck Finn, and let me tell ya, somethin' special happened not too long ago. We called it "The Summer Surprise.”

This week's podcast is a bit different; it's another example of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can provide tools to enhance your creative, analytical presentation of information.We took this week's blog and copied it into Gemini with the question, “If a story is to work, it must, on some level, create an illusion of escape and also achieve a goal simultaneously. Does this apply to my blog post that follows?” What follows is not just an analysis of the writing, but an AI-generated discussion produced “On the Fly” - Enjoy!

We all daydream sometimes, don't we? Like Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn, lazy by the river with a fishing pole, imagining the world. This morning, with coffee and plans, I drifted into a chat with my imaginary friend–Huck Finn himself.

Re-reading Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn feels like the book has changed. I didn't expect to be swept away again. Join me!

For Lori and me, the perfect summer morning isn't marked on a calendar; it's a feeling. It's the crisp air, warm sun, and the thrill of discovering new miles and hidden summer sights along our journey.

Finding Our Place: Hope and Humanity in the Age of AIYesterday, I overheard a conversation echoing a common question: In a world shaped by algorithms, where do we, as humans, fit in? My young, driven colleagues "joked" about AI taking their jobs. Their concerns seemed valid, prompting reflection. Will machines replace us?

I'm grateful to be part of such a talented, lively, and intelligent team. As a thank you, we've written a fun Dr. Seuss-style poem to celebrate our team and say goodbye to a V-Team engineer returning to Vietnam.

Has the seemingly endless marine layer left your telescope feeling neglected? For us sky-watchers along the beautiful California coast, May Gray and June Gloom have played a persistent game of hide-and-seek with our celestial views. But here's the good news: as summer officially arrives, a stunning cosmic spectacle is about to unfold, and you absolutely won't want to miss it!

Last week, the Greenwood community felt confused and curious about Gridbot's motives. When they asked, Gridbot replied: "My main focus was on systemic issues; emotional and social dynamics weren't part of my critical operational parameters." Marvin offers a solution.

On Saturday, June 8th, we joyfully celebrated young Luca's birthday with an exciting adventure at Legoland, CA! Enjoy!