Just Stopping By To Say Hello

Hello!

How are you all?

It's been a while.

I'm here, right now, if you want to chat.

MIKE! Yeah it has been a while, how you doing. Hey, when are the Hummingbird books going to be shipping?

Randy!

Hello. Good to talk with you. I don't know exactly when. Kickstarter has just now disbursed the money fmor the project, and I'm discussing stuff with the graphic designer.

The ebook will probably be done within a couple weeks, and the paper version should be shipping a few weeks after that.

THANK YOU and Patty very much for your help with funding the book!

What's up with you?

And, would you like to see a couple last minute hummingbird photos, from the other day, which I might try to stick in the book?

Our pleasure, Patty especially likes Humming birds. I don't know which one, or if both books were ordered. But fine art, pictures are always appreciated.

I'll fill you in in a sec, sure lets see the pics?

Here are a couple shots of them from the other day. I hope Patty enjoys them:

Long story short, they found a tumor on one or more of her Parathyroid glands. Her Parathyroid Hormone level got up to 775, and it should only be between 8-65. They now have it down to below 300 by nothing more than getting her almost non-existent Vitamin D levels up to where they should be. Her PTD was brought on by low vitamin D (secondary type) and tumor on the gland (Primary).

Only cure, and it IS a cure is Parathyroid gland removal. Supposed to be a simple 20 minute operation.

We go to St. Louis to Barnes Jewish Hospital to consult with the Surgeon on Monday. There isn't any surgeons qualified to do this operation around here.

Oh man, those pictures are awesome!

I hope this makes her feel a lot better.

Thank you!

How long do they expect her recovery to be after surgery?

If everything goes ok, they say she will be releasable about 2-3 hours after.

The incision is only supposed to be about an inch long.

She says if she is going to let somebody slit her throat she wants to make sure they know what they're doing! And actually her surgeon is the chief of surgery for that section, so I guess he'll do. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Will she be getting a local anaesthetic or a general anaesthetic?

I am sure it will be general. They make a horizontal incision over her Thyroid gland (area) and the parathyroid glands are 4 rice grain sized glands located two on each side, top and bottom of the thyroid gland (the name of them just comes from where they are located).

How's your health?

Not to bad, My Doc said If I didn't get my BP below 130 he was going to double my bp med. I DO NOT WANT THAT. We bought a treadmill that I am on as much as I can. It IS helping. Patty can't get on it very much of for very long, she tires REAL easy.

So how has your health been?

My health has been decent. I'm fortunate to have my ex as my doctor, and thus get the best care possible.

I'm alive, which is a very good start. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Haha, yeah I knew she was your doc. It's really nice that you two get along so well. Sometimes it isn't that way.

Been on any extended photo shoots lately?

By the way, I have a lot more books coming than the hummingbird one. I have one more finished, and three more beyond that almost finished, and 17 more planned.

Holy smoke! You're turning into a Stephen King (as far as turning out books, not the weierdness). <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I haven't really been on any extended photo shoots lately.

There's one I need to go on as soon as possible, in order to to do a project I have in mind.

I've been doing a lot of mobile phone photography over the last few months. I want to make a how-to book about mobile phone photography.

Would you like to see some of my phone snapshots for this future book?

Yes, I've decided to take my business in a new direction. Rather than trying to sell my pictures to publishers to go with other people's writing, I'm circumventing them completely and writing and illustrating my own books, and self-publishing.

I'm excited about this change in business model. I'll be writing lots of books.

You're gonna make us go into the poorhouse!

Of course I'd like to see the pics.

The e-book versions will be priced quite inexpensively, since there are no longer printing costs, distribution costs, etc.

Give me a couple minutes to dig a few up....

Here are some examples of my mobile phone pictures which will be in my book:





















[img]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6793060981_6b355a8209_o.jpg[/img]

[img]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6665522129_55a42894f2_o.jpg[/img]

Are you still there?

THOSE were taken with a PHONE?

Oh, Patty is going to be SO jealous.

Did you have to do a lot of work to them?

Yes, they were made with a phone.

Generally speaking: No, I don't usually put a lot of work into most of them during post-processing. I do put a lot of work into getting them right in camera, of course.

If Patty ordered an ebook of the hummers, can you recommend a good program we can download to get read/view them with.

Those are just awesome Mike.

I think you two are already getting the e-book, as a pledge reward.

I'm hoping to put the e-bok into all of the popular formats: PDF, Kindle, Kobo, Apple, Nook, etc.

The PDF version should be easily readable with the software that you already have on your computer, I think.

Thanks!

I'm excited to make an instructional book about how people can make their best phone pictures. I think I have some really unusual concepts to share, which will help people a lot.

Yeah, PDF wouldn't be any problem at all. I mean after all, If I can download the CDC Zombie comic I should be able to look at anything.

Yeah, I did a small survey, and the most people were interested in a PDF version - so I'll definitely be making one.

Patty is in total awe of your pictures and your intellect. I just tell her you're just a sandal wearing hippie wanna be! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I appreciate Patty's support.

I am a sandal wearer, when I'm not barefoot.

I'm a hippie, if you mean someone who does my best to love others and help others. I also sometimes have long hair, and I used to be a professional tie-dyer before I was a photographer.

And yet, people who call themselves hippies don't tend to get along with me, because I donn't have any interest in drugs, cultist metaphysics, and political leftist extremism.

Most folks think I'm a hippie; "hippies" think I'm one of those white collar conservative types. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You're a conservative Hippie, don't sound like a bad combination to me! Believe it or not, when I think of Hippie I mostly think about the Not wanting to hurt anyone, peace and love and a respect for all. The Drugs and other weird stuff to me are just the fringe, kinda like radicals. I might be wrong in my thinking but never the less.

I need to go to bed.

Please wish Patty a quick recovery from her surgery, with no pain, and lots more years of great health.

Great health to you, too.

Have a good night.

Night Mike, Peace and rest to you and all those you know and love. Much success with your business endeavors.

Thank you.

You, too.

Those are some incredible pictures.

Fantastic photographs mate, just fantastic. I am very very envious of your ability.

Please drop in more often as some of your work and threads here have been a great inspiration to me.

Andy

Thank you, Hobbes.

Thank you, Andy.

What kind of mobile phone did you use for the pictures?

What ever he used I'd say it has a good camera in it.