On The Fly

Vista’s mornings start with a thick, gray marine layer from the coast, giving everything a damp, muffled feel. Around 4:30 a.m., driveways are packed with commuters either sleeping or stumbling to showers, clinging to their last moments of peace before work. I’m more laid-back.

Last Saturday, as I entered the modern County of San Diego branch on Eucalyptus Avenue in Vista, I instinctively scanned the floor for the familiar sight of varnished oak cabinets and brass pull-handles. Instead, I found no card catalog, wooden drawers, or rows of index cards. What happened?

As we age, many imagine a machine that handles the tough stuff. Some celebrate retirement with a flashy red Corvette, while others choose a Harley-Davidson, thinking retirement is just a fancy word until you have enough chrome to be seen from outer space.

Just checking in from the trail, folks, where I have apparently missed the dress code, the social norms, and possibly the entire point of this neighborhood park. I arrived this morning, armed with my trusty hiking poles, ready to commune with nature and improve my fitness. Within thirty seconds, I realized I was the only person who hadn't seen the instructions posted at our community mailbox.

Sometimes the greatest discoveries aren't on the water but in an old fishing vest's pockets. While sorting gear, I found a 1996 Michigan trout stamp and an Al Caucci fly-fishing course booklet for the Delaware River. Join me!

Catching Up with Sierra. What happens when you combine a little imagination, modern digital tools, and the willingness to make a glorious, muddy mess?

You get our guest’s latest project. Please welcome Sierra.

It all started innocently enough. Lately, my mind has drifted back to the simplicity of my younger days, standing in the backyard with a classic recurve bow sending arrows toward whatever target we had rigged up. Join me . . .

It always makes me smile. The moment people learn I've officially entered what I like to call the Great Un-Working (retirement), they almost immediately ask the same question:

“So . . . What do you do now?"

In this episode, setting a golf challenge, stepping out of your comfort zone, and surviving with dignity and equipment intact is a unique satisfaction.

In this reflective analysis, we recount a transformative summer in 1983 spent cycling through France's Charente-Maritime region. While training on a borrowed Motobécane, Patrick navigated vast sunflower fields and shared lighthearted meals with family members who teased him about his Tour de France ambitions.

On Feb. 6, 2026, I set a Golf goal of 70 before 70. Today (July 16, 2026), I've achieved that goal. Instead of a boring account of today's game, I'm sharing my victory as a poem.

Welcome to the first official morning of the rest of my life. With no alarms and no meetings, chasing a little white ball around The Lakehouse—a par-58 canvas—felt like the perfect way to christen retirement. Golf!

250! That’s a lot of birthdays. To celebrate this historic milestone, I need your help. For one day only, all kids—and adults—at our neighborhood parade can become an Official On-the-Fly Parade reporter. Listen to learn how you can participate.

I've been thinking about the "R-word" lately, not because I'm worried about boredom. I'm curious why retirement makes us nervous while a job—no matter how stressful—feels comforting.

This week, I want to explore a deeply relatable, universally feared workplace character: the "know-it-all" and how they unwillingly throw out ridiculous acronyms.

When I meet someone, instead of the usual greetings, I'll ask: "What's the good word?" How would you respond?

On Memorial Day, I took my first bike ride since the accident, seeking proof that my legs, lungs, and nerves still remembered the road. Here's what I found.

Future civilizations will remember May 22, 2026, as the day humanity reached its peak in suburban engineering. Today, my neighbor Steve and I finished the most overbuilt property divider in North County. The Fence!

You never say the E-word out loud. That word is a cosmic tripwire. It is the verbal equivalent of tempting fate while standing barefoot on a rake. Do you know the word?

Sometimes the best way to experience the world isn’t to search for it, but to sit still and let it come to you.

Honestly, I’ve been struggling with noise lately. Much is my own fault—overwhelmed by nonstop headlines. But some hits closer to home. How do you find it affects your outlook?

This past Saturday, April 25th, 2026, I was effortlessly and completely transported back in time at the 20th Annual Sinkankas Symposium on the GIA campus in Carlsbad. Join me!

The 24-hour news cycle is like a bad gym membership: you pay with stress, don’t get stronger, and canceling is harder than signing up. Many run Outrage 2026, which causes insomnia, lost perspective, and online arguing.

For over 80 years, gemology students have grappled with spectra, birefringence, and pleochroism. This sonnet will bring a smile and remind us that students of life and gemology rediscover nature's gifts daily.

Today, instead of cycling on the roadway, I've ventured down a creek-side trail with my old neighbor, Henry David Thoreau. The thick brush obscures the neighborhood, and his words resonate in the fresh air, finally tuning me into their frequency.

It was a beautiful day for our usual 30-mile Sunday ride to Escondido. The weather was moody with dark clouds threatening rain, but the streets were mostly empty. Traffic was light, and bike paths were eerily quiet, creating a false sense of peaceful sanctuary. Really?

Picture this: an email arrives. A colleague—perhaps a friend—needs a favor, a second opinion, or your time. You sigh, look at your screen, and type: “I’d love to help, but I’m busy right now.”

This morning, a glowing light crept through the window as I sat in my reading chair. Outside, the nearly full Moon sank in the West under a clear sky, with the Big Dipper visible above. I had to step outside to see the Moon and reflect.

In our last chat, we discussed Chef Adamas, our sometimes delusional AI friend, who hallucinates blueberries into your Carbonara. We learned to manage his quirks by organizing our “digital pantry.” Today, we must look beyond the chef and consider the size of the kitchen we're building for him.

The Art of the AI Tall Tale. Let's chat with Adams, the Chef, about hidden recipes causing digital hallucinations. Sit back, pour coffee—and, for your sake, taste it first. We will talk about why your computer reimagines reality with the confidence of a five-star chef who has lost his mind.

AI has no ego. Do you? In Part One, we explored the Mental Spam Filter—an invisible barrier that restricts our understanding by filtering out new information. This was evident at the 2026 Annual Team Event, where many attendees focused on their phones instead of the important updates being presented.

Approaching AI or any new frontier with a training mentality is a mistake. It implies giving colleagues a complex tool to learn a few buttons and repeat tasks, which is rigid, uninspiring, and ineffective. This approach ignores the most powerful processor: the human mind.

A Return to the World of Seuss: Let’s revisit March 2, 2022. I was naive and asked an innocent question that still resonates in pediatric offices: Where did Dr. Seuss get his name?

This week, the Cenergy team visited Aliso Viejo and Anaheim for our annual 2026 team-building event. It’s time to step out of routines, recognize staff, and brainstorm. On Thursday afternoon, the company faced a key philosophical choice—like a "choose your own adventure" moment.

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!