For the new year ahead...

Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.  13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

mind your pipes...

We got a little winter coming up again.  33 consecutive hours of below freezing in the forecast.  65,78,38,0,B

a friday night film

time for some new input...

A Christmas present for my computer.  50,65,35,0,C

last purchase of the year...

Been on the lookout for a pre order deal on a roll of twenty 2018 silver eagles with free shipping.  This one is the best I found at $19.19 per coin. ($2.50 over the spot price of silver which was $16.69 at the time of my order)  They should arrive by the end of January.  36,45,39,0,W

Figi's

Every Christmas, my Aunt Mary Lou in Colorado sends me one of these Figi's samplers.  Takes me back to the time when I got one right after I broke my leg.  It was great comfort food.  64,77,35,0,C

Christmas 2017

Pascal's Wager...

I really hate to see these kinds of in your face "christian" shares on Facebook (especially this time of year) that try to use some kind of convoluted logic to suggest why a belief in God is a good idea and then throw in a little denial shaming.  To use the failed argument that, " I would rather live my life believing in God and serving Him, and find out I was right, than not believe in Him and not serve Him, and find out I was wrong" is not a very effective debate tactic because it assumes you yourself are not sure but it is better to be safe than sorry.  I also have a problem with the phrase "belief in God".  After all...people say they "believe" things for any number of reasons - many of which may not in reality be true, but they continue on regardless.  The word "belief" has a certain connotation which leads people to assume that you merely choose to think something is true because you prefer to.  When it comes to a debate about the existence of God, using words like "belief" and "faith" won't get you very far.

If you want the ever illusive "empirical evidence" to back up your belief in God, you won't find it in scientific or philosophy textbooks.  Just open yourself up to Jesus Christ and personally experience the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your daily life.  Faith is not about stretching your imagination - it is about coming to know that He will keep all His promises to you.

Romans 12I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be yer transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

prop guards...

A little close proximity rehearsal for the next 

monday (Christmas) matinee...

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a friday night film

a few grams of flesh...

Last trip to Alpine for the year...followup with Dr. Butt Jabber in Alpine today.  Good news - no sign of any bugaboos in the tiny polyp he removed.  Stocked up and hunkering down till 2018.  Slight chance of rain tonight.  68,77,35,0,B 

the legal drone...

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Drone Tax

Well...the drone tax is back.  When the FAA lost a case for mandatory registration of all RC aircraft over 250 grams (including recreational drones) earlier this year, the plan was shelved for the time being.  Rather that fight another legal battle, the FAA managed to get the mandate lumped into H.R.2801 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 that was just signed into law last week.  It is buried deep in the bill under section 1092 part(d) - Collaboration Between Federal Aviation Administration And Department Of Defense On Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

I really don't have too much of a problem being forced to register my DJI Mavic Pro for five bucks, but I'm not so sure I trust the motive by including the requirement in a defense bill.  While this is being instituted to provide some level of accountability for the huge amount of unmanned aerial vehicles being operated in the US (especially with recent skyrocketing drone sales), there have never been any major problems with them and it is doubtful that a terrorist is going to bother with the registration process if he is planning on using an RC plane or a drone for an attack.  Funny thing is...I own 8 guns and not a single one of them is required to be registered with the Federal Government. If only our forefathers had the foresight to add this to the bill of rights - "A well regulated bunch of YouTubers, being necessary to the enhancement of their creative content, the right of the people to keep and fly drones, shall not be infringed."  60,69,44,0,W

a monday matinee...

beware of fleshy things...

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  

fuel

All stocked up to make it through 2 months of "winter".  

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a friday night film

last look of Alpine...

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in'n'out...

Prep wasn't so bad and the procedure was a breeze.  It sure was clean in there.  No complications...nothing out of the ordinary...one tiny polyp removed.  The bottom right photo is the ileocecal valve - the valve between the ileum of the small intestine and the cecum of the large intestine; prevents material from flowing back from the large to the small intestine.  No special diet requirements after the procedure today and won't have to enjoy this experience again for 5 years.

It's what's for dinner...

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a monday matinee...

religion...

Having a personal relationship with God begins the moment we realize our need for Him, admit we are sinners, and in faith receive Jesus Christ as Savior and know the truth that is The Holy Spirit. God, our heavenly Father, has always desired to be close to us, to have a relationship with us. Before Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis chapter 3), both he and Eve knew God on an intimate, personal level. They walked with Him in the garden and talked directly to Him. Due to the sin of man, we became separated and disconnected from God.  Joining a church will not necessarily enhance that relationship.  Don't rely on a self worshiping cult...skip "playing church"...just Jesus in the environment He has created is all you need.
James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.   

stuck

A friend got stuck in the mud yesterday.  Did a drone survey this morning.  Rescue tomorrow when the road is dried out.  44,55,27,0,B

a friday night film

On this day 10 years ago...

After spending 2 weeks in Alpine planning, McCoys dropped off my first load of building supplies on December 7, 2007.  I was camped on a spot 7 miles from my property where I began building the panels for my house.   Bottom photo is the virgin spot where TFL emerged.  

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3 years ago

34,45,45, .64",B

the butt doc

Met my colonoscopist today...former New Yorker so we exchanged big city stories.  I told him I bet he didn't expect to see another a**hole from NY since he moved to Texas.  Procedure is scheduled for next Wednesday.  Stocked up on supplies and now hunkering down for 2 really crappy days with a slight chance of snow on Thursday.  47,58,46,0,B

a monday matinee...

I pray about my path daily...

Jeremiah 6:16  Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

Really...they are friends

As for Ben vs the drone.  I used to see this kind of horn action a lot when there were wild longhorns loose around my property.  I find it particularly interesting that Ben instinctively knows how to use his horns without being taught by a herd.  Among other uses, their horns allow them to attain a stature beyond the compactness of their bodies to serve as a warning.  They are not used as weapons - but instead they are used in a species specific manner to push (not poke) and to hold or deflect an attack.  They are frequently used to hold their heads together preventing them from slipping off during a head to head trial of strength - the means by which they establish their place in the herd. (I established my place with Ben a long time ago.)  Horned cattle also exhibit quite specific grooming behavior - using them to scratch their backs or using the tip of another cow to scratch and clean their own eyes.  Each animal is acutely aware of the size and form of its horns and where they end.  Benita took it to the next level by using her horns to scrape the fruit off of prickly pear cactus, making them easier to eat without getting a nose full of spikes.  64,76,45,0,C

a friday night film

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.  

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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.  

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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...

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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?  

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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

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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

not out of the woods yet...

So I did the long (7 hour) round trip to Odessa yesterday for a 30 minute consult with my cardiologist.  Nothing too horrible from my stress test results - just a tiny blip that may indicate blockage or may just be nothing.  To be on the safe side, I am going back next week for an angiogram.  Seems all my vacations involve a hospital visit now...

To help take my mind off health issues, I had my first chili head visitors today.  Pat comes by every year during chili cook-off season - always wearing his Benita t shirt.  This time he brought Cathy, Zoe (the bee), and Molly (the lady bug).  These are my first official trick or treaters.  Ben and Chupa approved... 62,69,46,0,B 

a monday matinee

On the road today...can't embed the video from mobile - so click on this Link.

trip scripture...

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

gotta go back...

Got the dreaded call yesterday afternoon that my cardiologist wants to have me back for a followup right away on Monday.  Good news is they didn't suggest I go to the ER immediately.  Bad news is, based on the images from my stress test there might be some blockage to contend with.  I asked if I needed to make immediate plans for a couple of days in the hospital and all they would tell me is that the doctor most likely will want to schedule an angiogram next (the gold standard for detecting blockages in the arterial system).  Best case scenario is that they don't end up finding any blockage.  Second best scenario is that I am only a candidate for balloon angioplasty and/or stent placement - which really isn't so bad considering how common this procedure is.  Worst case scenario would be if I need surgical bypass surgery (which would kind of suck but not really that bad considering how common that procedure is).  Planning on doing the long round trip on Monday (without getting another speeding ticket) for the consult.  Already have my house sitter in place in case I have to stay a couple of days (if they can schedule whatever right away).  59,63,40,0,B 

a friday night film

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my spidey senses are tingling tonight...

Technetium (^99mTc) sestamibi (INN) (commonly sestamibi; USP: technetium Tc 99m sestamibi; trade name Cardiolite) is a pharmaceutical agent used in nuclear medicine imaging. The drug is a coordination complex consisting of the radioisotope technetium-99m bound to six (sesta=6) methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) ligands. The anion is not defined. The generic drug became available late September 2008. A scan of a patient using MIBI is commonly known as a "MIBI scan."

Sestamibi is mainly used to image the myocardium (heart muscle). It is also used in the work-up of primary hyperparathyroidism to identify parathyroid adenomas, for radioguided surgery of the parathyroid and in the work-up of possible breast cancer.  82,90,59,9,W

lovely odessa