In this episode, Jon talks about how important it is to keep all the balls up in the air as you juggle through life. Some of the balls like work, play, health, and hobbies are made of rubber. Those ones you can drop, they bounce, and then you grab it to put back in the juggle. But the glass ball is your family or those who are close to you. That ball you can’t drop or you could drop all the other balls in life. As Jon recovers from the busy Christmas season, he reflects on how it is really important to keep that glass ball up in the air.
Jon has two airplanes that he owns and flies.   One is a 1969 Beechcraft Bonanza and the other is a Pitts S-1-11B Aerobatic Bi-plane.   The Bonanza is an FAA Certified aircraft while the Pitts Bi-Plane is considered experimental.   With certified airplanes, they require an annual inspection by a qualified aircraft mechanic.  Then it has to be inspected by a qualified aviation inspector.  This must be done annually.   The experimental aircraft only have to be inspected by an aircraft mechanic.
By the end of the month, Jon has to have the Bonanza annual inspection completed or the airplane is not legally airworthy.   So with Christmas time shopping, seasonal parties, work, aircraft certification requirements, and family…life becomes a juggle.   Jon has many things in Jon’s life that he is juggling, these include:

* A day job as an IT Manager
* Playing hockey and maintaining his health
* Playing guitar in a band
* Running the airshow business and podcasting
* Taking care of the family

Each of the first four areas of Jon’s life are critical for a life balance.  But the 5th area is actually the first, because it is family and if that ball drops…it breaks.  When that 5th ball breaks all the other ones become out of balance and get dropped.   So the entire life falls apart.
The question Jon asks in this episode is How well are you juggling the balls of life?   Are you taking time out to make sure your glass ball doesn’t drop?   Ensure that you keep a balanced life, but do everything you can to not drop that glass ball.   Go the extra mile to pay attention to the needs of that glass ball.  This includes the very busy Christmas and holiday season and any other time of the year.