another live view

Figured out how to live stream from the drone to Facebook this morning.  Pretty much the same procedure as YouTube - not intuitive or simple.  Pretty tricky to do without cell service and without a mobile device like a smart phone since that is what these platforms are primarily configured for.  It's a matter of mirroring the screen of the tablet I use to control the drone so that it appears on my laptop through my local wifi network.  Then I have to use broadcasting software that can utilize screen capture as a source to upload from my laptop to the internet.  There are a few more steps involved but they are too difficult to explain.  I remembered to also record video from the drone for this trip.  Tune in tomorrow night... 71,79,41,0,C       

live view

Successful live stream from the drone tonight.

Archived here.  

58,67,44,0,B

My tiny world...

Just updated the firmware and android app for the Mavic Pro.  One of the new features enabled is a 360° panorama automatically stitched together after the drone shoots an autonomous 34 photo sequence.  This is pretty much how I see the world most of the time.  75,84,43,0,B

a monday matinee...

the possibilities...

Matthew 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?  26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

BLING

Chupa got an early Christmas present.  My friend Dwight Brooks (of the Panther Mountain Clan) made this with the spur Chupa lost 2 years ago.  OK - it really wasn't for Chupa, but you get the idea... 72,85,49,0,B

a friday night film

Happy Thanksgiving!

The TFL tradition continues...video tomorrow.  

65,76,36,0,B

fartbarn

One of my regular live stream viewers from east Texas is on vacation in the area and stopped by for a visit today.  He goes by "fartbarn" in the chat room.  58,65,42,0,B   

doctors

Follow up visits with my cardiologist and my primary care physician today...in Alpine.  Sure beats the hell out of that 7 hour round trip to Odessa.  Cardiologist says there is no reason for me to see him again.  Primary care physician was happy to see my slightly high cholesterol is back to normal with just a simple diet change and a couple of months on low dose atorvastatin.  Last on the list of diagnostics will be a colonoscopy.  I find out tomorrow if they can schedule the procedure before the end of the year (before my insurance deductible resets to zero).  66,82,45,0,W 

a monday matinee...

72,61,37,0,B

don't get lost...

Psalm 25Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.  3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.  4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.  5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

a monkey's uncle...

I have to admit I was beginning to suspect something about Javier when I kept spotting him with little Harvey.  From what I have read about javelinas, the kids don't hang out with their dads.  During last night's live stream, little Harvey started nursing on Javier at the 14 minute mark!  Turns out all this time Javier has been a she.  That makes me feel a little better about the love affair Ben was having with Javier for over a year...  68,81,46,0,W

a friday night film

TED

An old college friend of mine recently gushed on Facebook about a TED talk she had recently seen.  I shared some of the thoughts you are about to read in a comment to her post and while she certainly was compelled to share her opinion about a subject on Facebook- she was not at all interested in hearing a different opinion.  I used to really like TED talks and even thought for a time that I might like to give one someday in regard to my decision to move off the grid and how that impacted my life - I even started to write one years ago. I figured that my story could be just as compelling as any other TED talk.  But then I started to think about why they are so compelling and why they seem to resonate with people. While there are certainly interesting ideas being expressed, TED talks have become almost mystical in their public appeal - an appeal that I think grows more undeserved with each new 18 minute spin that gets produced.  In case you hadn't noticed, they all sound very similar regardless of the subject matter - as if all the speakers graduated from the exact same online course on how to hook an audience.  Let's face it - great ideas are a dime a dozen and when you dissect TED, it all comes down to extremely refined public speaking taken to the highest level - not so much imparting earth shattering revelations (or as they like to say "ideas worth spreading").  All the talks follow a very precise formula (including the time frame) that is meant to do one thing and one thing only - engage an audience by yanking all the right chains.  Don't get me wrong, I love ideas that make me think...but I also love to know what makes one idea more appealing than another. When my chain gets yanked, I get very curious about how and why that happens.  After reading and reacting to my friend's post, I started thinking about shooting a parody TED talk...but then I found this one that pretty much sums up my thoughts.  70,85,45,0,B

head

Just got a new life experience enhancement tool.  

How did I ever survive without one of these?  

79,92,51,0,B

rooster pedicure

Chupa lost a spur almost two years ago.  It actually grew back but was curling around and just about to start poking into his leg.  I have been trying to figure out how to deal with this for awhile now and finally decided to try my Dremel tool with a cutting wheel.  Cut off the pointy tip after several attempts while he was perched on my porch.  He kept moving around but didn't seem to mind the procedure (although he specifically stated that he DID NOT want me to paint his toenails too.)  78,87,52,0,B

a monday matinee

rejoiceth

PROCEDURE: XR Chest 2 Views CLINICAL INFORMATION: Pre-op. COMPARISON: None. FINDINGS: LUNGS: No significant pulmonary parenchymal abnormalities. VASCULATURE: Unremarkable. CARDIAC: Normal cardiac size and configuration. MEDIASTINUM: Radiographically unremarkable. PLEURA: No effusion or pleural thickening. 

BONES: No acute or currently significant findings. OTHER: Nothing significant. IMPRESSION: Normal exam. 

     The LORD is my strength and my shield;

      my heart trusted in him, and I am helped:

      therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth;

      and with my song will I praise him.

      Psalm 28:7 

EXOSEAL® Vascular Closure Device

Still resting easy so I don't pop the plug.  Will be interesting to see how much my insurance company gets billed for this.  I bought a titanium tibial nail just like the one they fixed my leg with for fifty bucks on ebay...my insurance company got billed $9,000 for the one in my leg. 70,83,49,0,C

a friday night film

good to be home...

Angiogram success!

No blockage found...

my first bathroom selfie with a cell phone...

all ready for my angiogram in the morning...

a monday matinee...

not a fan of Catholic saints, but...

Saint Isidore of Seville was an amazingly learned man, he was sometimes called “The Schoolmaster of the Middle Ages” because the encyclopedia he wrote was used as a textbook for nine centuries. He required seminaries to be built in every diocese, wrote a Rule for religious orders, and founded schools that taught every branch of learning. Isidore wrote numerous books, including a dictionary, an encyclopedia, a history of Goths, and a history of the world—beginning with creation! He completed the Mozarabic liturgy, which is still in use in Toledo, Spain. For all these reasons, Isidore has been suggested as patron saint of computers and the internet.  (I figured out how to live stream from my drone today.)  
John 1:3  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

low tech

Did a little live streaming drone flight tonight with the webcam watching the tablet controller.  I think it worked.  79,90,50,0,B

a friday night film

83,90,47,0,C

BEWARE

Broke down and bought a cheap smart phone ($48... pre-loaded with 1000 minutes, 2000 text messages, and 2GB of data with 60 days of service) so I can be sure to be able to keep in touch during my little trip back to Odessa for my angiogram.  I didn't have one when I broke my leg and had to borrow one from a nurse to let a friend know my situation right after I got out of surgery.  I haven't owned a cell phone in 9 years.  I never seemed to need one back in my NYC days and the last time I had one on me was when I traveled across country on my move to the desert.  Once I got out here, I noticed I didn't get any service so I chucked it out the window of my truck.  From what I have observed, smart phones are more addictive than prescription pain killers... 81,88,46,0,B 

more chili visitors...

Curtis Rose (far right) and company stopped by for their annual visit today.  77,84,43,0,B