Additional Thoughts On The Real Lesson From Ukraine

A while back, I did a post on the real lesson to be learned from Ukraine in year one. For all that people were jumping on drones, I pointed out that the real lesson was on data. Today, I would like to amend that to add flexibility in the form of innovation.

Don’t get me wrong, drones have reshaped operations on land and at sea. However, the real game changer has been the data and the flexibility to adapt and overcome. Right now, the usual bandits, beltway and otherwise, are out there with plans for specialized drones costing thousands (if we are lucky) and taking years to get into production. The procurement process in all its glory.

What really has made drones effective, and allowed Ukraine to prevent being overrun in the early days, however, was data and the ability to take that data and get inventive with responses. Data really comprises two interlinked facets.

First, there is the raw intelligence data: who is where, when, and what are they doing and saying? Thanks to Russian corruption, Ukraine and a host of others were literally listening in and getting massive amounts of data. Thanks to Starlink, wifi, cellular, and other data systems, they were able to not just collect data, but transmit information to troops and others and literally guide systems into place.

It still might not have saved them if not for the ability to be flexible, to innovate responses and tailor them to specific situations. The decisions to flood, blow select bridges and other infrastructure, blunted the major attack and gave Ukraine the ability to halt the advance against Kiev and go on the offensive. It gave them the opportunity to begin targeting not just Russian commanders at all levels, but to selectively engage effective commanders while leaving incompetent commanders in place. It also allowed them to engage in psyops and more.

That flexibility has carried over into drones, where innovation has come largely from the front, not the rear. Net result is observation drones turned into delivery platforms with good effect. Someone, somewhere, looked at all the anti-tank mines being collected after being helpfully left by the Russians, and got the idea of using about two feet of broomstick and a two-liter pop bottle to stabilize such, and then turn it into a grenade-detonated device with the punch of an artillery shell.

Inexpensive, effective, and developed and deployed within a very short time (hours/days). Devastating to Russian vehicles and positions thanks to data for intelligence and command and control. The same holds true for naval operations, and the Russian fleet has paid a price.

The key is, Ukraine appears to be allowing its forces to innovate, experiment, and modify on the front and down to unit level. This used to be a hallmark of U.S. forces.

Many years ago, I was part of some discussions on why American troops did so well in WWII, and how to shift that to modern battlefields. Two factors came out in our discussions in regards WWII. One was that rural, and even some urban, troops had extensive experiences with shooting and marksmanship. Thanks to the Great Depression, a lot of people got very good at hunting simply so they could eat. Guess who made good scouts, snipers, and general troops? The second was that American troops of all stripes were adept at improvised repair and adaptation. Truck or other vehicle break down? Rather than call for specialists, our troops quite often simply improvised a repair and kept going until a proper repair could be made. Something not working as it was supposed to? Adapt, improvise, and get creative.

The problem with translating that to modern battle was two-fold. First, the crucible that was the Great Depression was long gone. The hardship that had shaped and prepared so much of the population no longer existed, and by comparison modern youth had/has never truly experienced hardship (topic for another day). That, in turn, shaped a very different mindset. While there were, as always, a few exceptions it was clear they were exceptions. Even the drive to do your best and test yourself against others was being eroded by societal factors and education. It’s still there, just buried and vilified. Second, it was felt by many that where we needed that ability to improvise and adapt had shifted from conventional equipment to specialized equipment like computers.

Worse, to my mind, were those who did not like the idea of innovation and adaptation at all. At the root of that was both a desire to micromanage (can’t make the “wrong” decision if you are not allowed to make a decision) and a desire not to rock the boat. Innovation could interfere with current modes of operation, procurement, and development after all. Never mind that it might lead to better equipment, operations, or such… Sadly, I have seen this mindset expand.

A few years ago, when I was in the Indiana Guard Reserve (State Guard, not National), I had the pleasure of taking part in Junior ROTC. In fact, I got to teach basic landnav to the participants. The different teams then got dropped off to navigate a course to see how well they did. Most did fairly well, though I was betting we might have to go find a few as I watched them head in without orienting their maps.

One team, however, did something of which I am still pleased and a bit proud. Once in the exercise area, they stopped, improvised camo/ghillie suits, and decided to essentially E&E their way to the endpoint, avoiding detection by other teams — and our monitors. They pulled it off brilliantly. To my horror, an officer in the command tent huffed up and wanted to reprimand them for their actions. Think he was surprised when several of us, of all ranks, dogpiled him and told him that was a stupid fucking idea and that we needed to be commending them as that type of innovation and creative thinking was exactly what troops (esp. combat troops) need. He backed down, somewhat reluctantly as I remember, and the rest of us went out to congratulate and commend that team.

That mindset now, however, appears to have grown and become the dominant mindset in far too many commanders. Troops that innovate might do something that attracts negative publicity from the media, rights groups, and others. It can upset plans in place, even though in many cases it might allow those plans to be improved, and that can’t be allowed.

A few weeks (?) ago, Cdr. Salamander did a good post on inexpensive drones and giving troops a chance to experiment with them. It is a good post, and I agree that if we did so we probably would be richer by several new concepts/adaptations for a very low price. I just don’t think our current leadership, at almost any level, is capable of doing something that smart and simple. Isolated cases, perhaps, but not in the whole.

In looking at the decision to flood and destroy infrastructure in Ukraine in those first days, I wonder if any of our current leadership would make that decision or implement it? If raised, I fully expect a chorus of ‘environmental damage, destruction of expensive property, impact to indigenous people’, and a host of other dreck to come out.

To my mind, if you want to win, data and flexibility are going to be the key. To borrow from John Ringo, he who thinks fastest will be the one to laugh last. Thinking fast, and taking decisive action, have always depended on data and innovation. In future conflict, that will be even more important.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Week Wrap Up

There is a lot happening on and in the world. I’ve not been saying a lot because in both cases it’s hard to know what is really happening.

First up, in tales of the improbable, I’m starting to like John Fetterman. He has been a staunch supporter of Israel and Israel’s right to defend itself. To the point of mocking protestors (even making fun/use of his own brain damage) and hanging the posters of the hostages at his office. He has also been mercilessly trolling Bob Menendez and pushing to have him expelled from Congress a la Santos. His hiring Santos to make a video on Cameo to use in said trolling was a master-level move. Whatever else may come, I can respect and even admire these actions.

Next up, the situation in Yemen and the incompetent response to same. In this case, it’s not just the Biden Regency, but the senior leadership of our military which has reportedly not even briefed Biden and others on options for dealing with the situation. That is coming from multiple sources, and for some reason said leadership seems to know nothing about the history of such attacks or other pertinent information long in the public domain. It is to the point that I wonder about both Intelligence failures and the failure of basic intelligence in senior military (and political) leadership. At least someone seems to be paying attention and taking proactive steps, though everyone is keeping quiet about it. Pretty much rules out DC as that feckless bunch would have been leaking the news and taking credit before the strike ever hit. Wish I could find the video I saw the other day, as the secondary explosions are spectacular.

There are rumbles that part of the reason senior leadership hasn’t briefed Biden or others is because of the Biden Regency’s unwavering support of Iran. The Houthi are Iranian-backed and full proxies for the Mad Mullahs. Again, multiple sources are discussing that behind the scenes the Biden Regency has been pushing Israel hard to not destroy Hamass. To the point an open rift between Israel and the U.S., or at least the Biden Regency, is a growing possibility. The dance has been diplomatic so far, but it appears Israeli leadership is increasingly fed up with the pressure and interference. So much so, there is no guarantee the dance will stay diplomatic and papered over. Israel is in a fight for survival, and I don’t care who is getting ten percent, the Biden Regency needs to pull its sense organ cluster out of its ventral orifice and back off.

They need to be looking a bit closer to home at a potential Monroe Doctrine violation. Iran’s good friend Maduro in Venezuela is making a move to “annex” a portion of neighboring Guyana. A portion that just happens to be a good chunk of Guyana, and that has recently discovered rich oil deposits. Right now, I’m skeptical that this is all part of some overarching plan by Iran against the U.S., but I also have no doubt they are encouraging this. I’ve read some who say that if we had only done more to help Ukraine Maduro would not be doing this. I don’t agreee: Maduro is stupid, venal, and desperate enough to do this even without any encouragement. His recent vote on doing this has blown up in his face not just internationally, but apparently internally as well. The U.S. has been making deals with him recently (once bought, they do tend to stay bought), so I don’t see the Biden Regency as being all that eager to stop him. I think Brazil may be the major player in such, at least for now. Hoping this may stay below a boil, but…

Also, keep an eye on Chad. Something’s going on there, possibly more than just the upcoming election. Odd data patterns.

Going back to Iran and our incompetent leadership, rocket and other attacks against U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq continue. No effective response has been made yet to those attacks, which just encourages more. The lack of concern for our troops (and national interest) is beyond appalling.

Now to Iran’s fastest growing client, Russia. Lots going on beneath the surface. In fact, it sort of reminds me of one of those huge family get togethers where everyone is being super polite to each other openly because if not it will result in a fight where police from multiple jurisdictions have to be called in and the family gets invitations to be on whatever replaced the Maury Povich show.

Somebody on X joked that the sanctions were supposed to put pressure on Vladimir via his fellow oligarchs. The problem is, the oligarchs decided they preferred to be alive, if poorer and grouchy, than to experience defenestration. There’s a lot of truth to that. There is a lot going on beneath the quiet facade however.

Vladimir is having to allow (or create) at least some dissent on the war in order to legitimize upcoming elections. There are those who are pushing for a cease-fire (or more) in regards Ukraine. Just as his own re-election is a given, the results are going to show Russia wanting the war to continue. Allowing some token of opposition, despite the brutal and expanding crackdown on speech and more, can be used to put a flimsy veneer of legitimacy on the election. Russia now is not the Russia I visited or of 20 years ago. There is no free speech, no basic freedoms of any type left. It is toe the line or else.

Which apparently is a memo Kiva did not get. It’s easy to get on Vladimir’s bad side these days, as several of the turncoats are finding out. Yes, I do think it was Vladimir and not Ukraine.

This is something to keep an eye on as well. There continues to be a lot of shakeup/shakedown in regards Wagner and Africa in the wake of the death of Pringles. Interesting how some of the power and perks are shaking out.

Despite the repression and brutality, two things seem to be getting clearer. There are some who oppose the war with Ukraine and their numbers are growing. There also appears to be something of a resistance forming as well, as I’ve noted before. It seems to be mostly local and not some grand organized conspiracy, and is clearly separate from sabotage efforts by Ukraine. As to who is behind this I can’t say; but, there are a number of such incidents happening across Russia, far more than I think Ukraine is capable of doing on its own. Rail accidents, fires, and more that keep popping up. Given the restive nature of many of the non-Rus ethnic populations, as well as ongoing political conflicts, things could get really interesting.

Do I see this flaring up to severely damage or take down the Russian Federation? No. Not yet, and possibly never as it would take a fairly large event to rip the lid off. Could such happen? Yes. I can think of two or three scenarios right off the bat that would do it, but don’t see them likely at this time. For all that I think Vladimir’s control is slipping a bit, I don’t think – barring something off the wall – that he is in imminent danger of being deposed. Kadyrov still has his back for one thing, and he still controls a lot of power. Springtime? That may be different.

Now, if his health suddenly deteriorates much faster or more noticeably than it is now; or, if there is a major defeat (political or military), then we probably will see moves against him. If he makes a major political blunder (in Russian political terms), there are those who would move to take him out in a heartbeat (pun intended).

I will note that while I am sure Vladimir sees Russia as the senior partner in the Russia-Iran activities, I am not sure Iran sees it that way. In fact, I’m pretty sure they don’t which raises interesting possibilities.

Russia and Vladimir are presenting an image (illusion) of calm and unity to the world. It reminds me a lot of the USSR which did so even when literally bloody infighting was ongoing. Much was kept out of the public eye, at least until a new group stood in review along the Kremlin walls. That is happening right now I think, and while we could end up with a public meltdown I get the feeling a number of people/groups are trying to keep things out of the public eye.

Which is what makes Russia/Soviet watching so interesting. It’s trying to see past the illusions and find out what is going on beneath the surface. That there is a lot of movement underway right now is a given; but, the hard part is trying to see where the movements and currents from the movement lead. The big fish/strong man may not be what they seem, for the solid position they hold may be in whole or in part a Potemkin village. The person or persons who move against them often don’t seem to last long, as the next big fish/strong man was simply using them. Stalin and Khrushchev come to mind in that case.

Right now, Vladimir is standing tall and showcasing a mighty position of strength. How much of that position is real, and how much is illusion, is the key. There are people lined up and ready to take his place however they have to. Which, if any, of them survive to do it is the question. The ones to watch are those who profess loyalty and actively support Vladimir, and have privately and quietly indicated they would only consider stepping up at great need (and in the absence of Vladimir) for the good of Russia.

Sometime soon I need to do a post on the real lessons from Ukraine, focusing on data and flexibility. Quite a few are fixated on drones, and missing a key point.

That’s a run down of some of what is happening on the world. For more on what is going on inside the world, check out Volcaholic on X. There is a lot of volcanic activity underway beneath our feet, and his posts on strange and interesting weather and other phenomena are fun and interesting. Check it out.

More soon.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

History

Those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. If you don’t teach history, it is much easier to deliberately repeat it because the marks don’t know any better. Also, keep in mind that it’s not a perfect repetition as there are some differences with each repeat.

Sarah has a good post up on history, red of tooth and claw, and why what happened Oct. 7 is not a surprise in a historical context. In fact, I agree it probably is the norm in more parts of the world than people think.

I simply watch our borders, especially the Southern, and all the military-age males who are coming in all alone. Quite a few of them are from the Middle East as well as other Muslim countries. It is documented that hundreds have made it in, one wonders what the real numbers are given the millions of people that have been allowed to flood in by the Biden Regency.

First the Saturday people. Then the Sunday. They say what they mean, and we should be making note of it. If you think it can’t happen here…

Keep your friends and family close, and your things where you can find them in the dark. Be prepared.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

A Christmas Village And Inklings

Or, how I spent my weekend having exhausting fun. I’ve recently begun attending an Orthodox church, which had it’s annual Christmas Village and Market this last weekend. The structure itself was built a bit more than a hundred years ago by a Protestant group, and the Village proper, seen above, is in what was the original sanctuary but converted into general use space when they built a new sanctuary adjacent to it. The Village is made up of different vendors ranging from a man who makes stained glass items to one who does homemade soaps and such. There is even a special shop for the children, where most everything is a quarter, so that every child can afford to shop there.

I missed getting a photo of the bakery and cafe it seems, but there is food available. The cafe side had to raise prices this year for the obvious reasons, but there was a range of options and I stayed as far away from the bakery as I could. Lead me not into temptation…

There was a “General Store” area as well, with a variety of items for sale. This shows about half of it. I also failed to get a shot of the bookstore, which is one of the better religious bookstores in the area IMO. I love bookstores, though they are a danger to my budget.

Where I spent my time was in The Lamp Post. You may ask what a bar is doing in a church, even if it is right now strictly a coffee bar? There lies a tale, and it is part of what led me to visiting in the first place.

Look carefully at the bar. Very English, no? If you are familiar with good fiction, and modern Christian apologetics, you might even find it tugging at a corner of your mind. That’s because it is a reproduction of the bar in the “Bird and Baby” as the Inklings called The Eagle and Child pub where they met once a week. That’s why there are photos of C.S. Lewis (Anglican) and J.R.R. Tolkien (Catholic) on the wall.

I still don’t have the full tale, but somehow a C.S. Lewis museum at a university contacted the Church to see if they would like to have the reproduction. Given that the priest is a fan of C.S. Lewis, he said yes. A group rented a truck and made the trip to get it. I understand some refinishing and other work was done, and it now has a new home where it is hoped it might inspire discussions and conversations similar to what the Eagle and Child did for the Inklings.

There is still some work to be done on the room itself, and with luck I hope to be helping with that a small bit this winter. Mostly decorative, though the Deacon hopes to one day get the gas fireplace working, and they do need to have some rewiring done. Yes, it is possible that the ‘they’ may become a we as I am open to exploring and possibly joining the Orthodox Church. Not rushing anything, but I will say this Church has been amazingly welcoming and encouraging.

We did have a visit from Santa Lucia both Friday and Saturday (if you look behind her you can see the entrance to the bookstore). Saint Lucy was martyred by the Romans for feeding Christians hiding in the catacombs. To find her way around, and to help those hiding to find her, she wore a wreath of candles and white. I did not know of her following in Scandinavia however, in particular Sweden. It seems that during a famine, a ship was seen approaching a town with a woman in white, wearing a wreath of candles, standing in the bow. The ship came in and docked — and there was no one on board. Only much needed food. As a result, she’s extremely popular there. It’s hard to see, but there is a basket being held by our Lucia filled with a special bites of sweet bread which she gives out to everyone present.

There was a very good turnout this year, and I spent most of my time as greeter, explainer, and got into several good discussions on the Inklings, woodworking, and even into differences between Catholic and Orthodox services. Even clean-up wasn’t too bad. That said, I was dragging Sunday and noticed that a number of people who had worked the event skipped Sunday. Monday I rested a bit, but doing grocery shopping via bus and shanks mare yesterday have me a bit tired again.

More soon, but that’s what I’ve been up to since early Friday. My Christmas treat to myself is a book on the Inklings, which may be the first new book I’ve bought in almost two years. I think the last time I bought new books was just before I ended up having the open heart surgery.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

More Soon!

I’m still going, but was exhausted yesterday from how much I did over the weekend. I did indeed help out at the Christmas Village and Market, which turned into the most activity and the most time I’ve been active in a while. Noticed a number of those who were in charge of various parts were not in Church Sunday morning, and could tell others that did make it were dragging. No one actually nodded off, but suspect it may have been close in a case or two.

Today is errands and such, having to take the bus which means a lot more time spent on getting to the stores. Tomorrow should see some soup being made at the least.

Off to the next round, back soon. Will share a little of the Christmas Village, my Charlie Brown tree, and maybe a bit on the world.

Quick Friday Update

Weather is doing a number on me, which bites on more than one level. Had hoped to do some baking today, wanting to experiment with smoked brown sugar in some chocolate cookies. Thinking it should pair well with dark chocolate. Not looking good for that. Was able to make a fresh batch of chili-lime mayo yesterday, which is a start towards being able to do real cooking again.

Also, no matter how I feel, plan to go help with the Christmas Market and Village at the church I recently started attending. I’m still limited in what I can do, but thing is I can do a bit and want to help out as they have been most welcoming to me.

Started active range of motion work yesterday and am happy even though feeling it a bit. So happy to be able to do it. Few more weeks then we can kick it up even more.

Got some sleep for a change, but between weather and melatonin, had some of the weirdest dreams in a while. One set included the Indiana Guard Reserve (state guard, not national) being federalized (! though it has happened) to go deal with an alien incursion/landing (in southern Indiana?). Some of my least favorite officers active duty or otherwise popped up in that one either as themselves or combined into one character. Throw in a civilian contractor who wanted everyone to use the old green cylinder duffels and was refusing to transport anything else (or weapons), and it was wild.

Especially as the “leadership” was assuring us that looking sharp and strong words were all that were needed, as the aliens were an unknown group called the Posleen. If you read science fiction, you know them. Two of us had a clue, but… I can live without more dreams like that for a while, thank you.

Also, if anyone expected Hamass to do anything other than refuse to follow the rules, kill multiple in a terrorist attack, and otherwise launch multiple rockets against Israel while under cease fire, please hang your head in shame. If you honestly are surprised corporate media is pinning all the blame on Israel, please put a paper bag over your head as you stand there in abject shame. I really didn’t expect them to release those women, especially since they are all of an age to be considered spoils of war. Forget the exact proper term for that type of slave, but…

More soon.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

GOTH Matrix

I mentioned yesterday that I want to implement my GOTH (Go/Gone To Hell, the plan for when it has gone to hell and plans A-Z are out the window) plan to move out West early next year. Between texting with a friend and some exchanges elsewhere, thought it might be good to lay out the plan and the decision matrix behind it. Or behind them, as I actually have a couple of them, one for getting out West and one just to get out of Indy at need. Let me explain a bit.

The fact is, I do agree with those who have recommended I move out West for my health. I felt much better out there, and loved the area around Tombstone in particular. However, a two week trip is not enough time to explore, then explore in detail, any one area. The good GOTH plan for moving out West is basically to get out there, then explore and move to a final location if and as needed. The ultimate GOTH plan being, of course, to load up as much as possible if things come completely apart in the world and head West.

I do have a GOTH plan to stay in state and just get away from Indy at need. This would be activated if health issues cropped up that needed to be addressed or required long-term care. Since my insurance would not transfer out of state, I would need to stay in state but want to get out of very blue Indianapolis. I want out regardless, as the current administration has turned this city into a hellhole where I end up praying for the dead and wounded each morning. May rant on that a bit more later.

Thing is, the decision matrix behind each is much the same. While I do appreciate suggestions on where to go, they have to be evaluated in context of the decision matrix.

First Block: Housing Cost. After getting hit by lightning, I did take early retirement from Social Security (SS). I do have a small stipend to go with it, but pretty much wherever you draw the poverty line, I’m at or below it. Yes, I have filed for disability and am now in the kabuki dance that process has become. Initial claim denied, things dragging along while they wait for you to either die of natural causes or suicide. After all, the death benefit is a pittance compared to what they may have to pay out if you win your case. Yes, I am cynical at the racket and lawyer enrichment program the process has become. Not joking about the hoping you die in the years they drag it out either, as they really are hoping for that.

So, I have a limited range I can afford in regards rent, which is what I probably should do while I go out, explore, and look to settle. That said, I got some advice back a couple of years ago and have taken what steps I can to restore my credit rating and otherwise make myself a candidate to buy a home. Don’t have a down payment or anything, just working the score and to hopefully get where I might can build up such a payment.

Now, what I’m looking for is someplace where I can live and have all my stuff that is in storage there, whether still in storage in the house/garage or where I can use it. I miss my books and kitchen gear! It would be nice if I had some semi-secure area in which to do a bit of gardening. In fact, would love to build and use some raised beds for herbs and various vegetables.

I would consider an apartment or space in a senior residence if such location tolerated cigars, drinking, and was run by people who believe in preparedness. So long as I have my stuff and the the ability to do a small bit of gardening, and not have to put up with strict rules…

Second Block: Red area only. If things go as they seem to be going, blue cities and areas are going to become deathtraps. If you thought the summer of love a couple of years ago was bad, I’m very worried we ain’t seen nuthin yet (name that song!).

Third Block: Medical. Wherever I do settle down needs to be within about thirty minutes of a decent primary care facility. I hope not to need such, and really want to avoid doctors and hospitals as much as I can, but that’s not likely. On top of that, I need to be within one to two hours of top-level medical care. The local can treat routine, but if there are heart or other issues, I need to be within transfer distance or easy driving distance.

Fourth Block: Gun and Defense Laws. Thanks to people like Guy Relford, Indiana has some of the best gun laws in the nation. There are very few place I can’t enter while carrying, and our Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine laws are very good. I really wish we could get the law changed to allow you to protect your property/place of business, but don’t see that happening soon. Also, municipalities can’t do their own thing and override state law on firearms and self-defense. So, looking for as close to what we have here in the areas where I’m considering moving.

Fifth Block: People. As much as part of me would love to go be a desert hermit somewhere, I do need to be around people. I need to be where people can and will check on me. I also very much want to be around people who are into being prepared and share some similar interests. Which means I need to find people like some of you, or members of Baen’s Bar, the MHI crowd, etc. I also want enough community where I might could even look at dating. After all, I might find some sweet young thing with vision problems or such that might be interested in me. I can dream.

Sixth Block: Resources. The area needs to have a decent grocery store and be within reasonable driving distance (again, one to two hours) of specialty/larger food centers such as a good international grocery. Decent food is nice. It would be nice if they have the same pharmacy I’m using, but that’s workable. There also has to be a Y or gym that gives seniors a discount and has what I need for my workout and health. Also, looking at some fairly distinct religious options. If the area has a couple of other specialty options (cigar store, cough), that’s a plus.

Seventh Block: Water. Area needs to have decent water and no near-term water/aquifer issues.

Eighth Block: Border. Given all that is going on with the Southern border, prefer to keep my distance and ensure that where I do end up is defensible on several levels.

There are a couple of other minor qualifiers, but that hits the most important ones. Now, let’s take a quick look at how this plays out.

New Mexico is out, particularly given the current Reichsgovernor. Pity, there are some wonderful locations there and I love the area north of Santa Fe. Dean Ing used to highly recommend Ruidoso and the area around it.

Benson, Arizona is one area where I’ve looked. If I win the lottery and can convince the owner of the Titan missile silo to sell, I’d head there in a heartbeat. Near Tombstone, decent/acceptable primary care, easy transport by ground or air to advanced care in Tuscon, gym, don’t have to try to surf space debris down to it, etc. Drawbacks are primarily in the resource area, and the fact it is a blue area. Water is also an issue. They have a rental tax that pushes things out into barely afford/can’t afford area. Yes, there are nearby cities that don’t, but the resources, people, and water problems just get worse. Sierra Vista has a higher cost of living than I can go right now. The border is a huge issue for the area.

I really love the area around Ft. Davis, Texas. Alpine fits many aspects of the matrix, but between the border and being more than two hours to get to major medical and other resources…

Right now, two places that are under consideration are San Angelo and Abilene, Texas. Both offer a lot of good resources and fit pretty much all the right boxes in the matrix. Abilene is ahead in some ways because it has a few more resources and is a bit closer to Dallas/Ft. Worth.

I really would like to visit the area around Winslow and Flagstaff, Arizona as there may be some good options there.

One option that has been suggested by several parties is to find some place to store my stuff and use an RV to explore. The primary drawback to that is finances, but it would be a good way to go. If I can find a way to do it, it would be well worth doing I think.

In terms of in-state GOTH, the same considerations apply. I would probably need to be within one to two hours of Indy, probably not too far from either I-65 or I-74 south of Indianapolis. Well away from Indy and the ring counties (I have a very impolite way of referring to the area). North does nothing to mitigate weather and there are resource issues. South, while sparser pickings, seems to be the better option.

Rants on the hellhole Indy has become, the Indy GOP (the party of higher taxes and bigger government — seriously, when the Dems say you need to cut taxes…), and related issues can wait for another day.

If you have suggestions that fit the matrix, please do sound off.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Yes!

Just got back from my visit to the surgeon, and I am cold but happy. In fact, I’m very happy overall. Things are indeed moving along, and we do seem to be further ahead on things with the left shoulder compared to the right.

The incision has healed very well, no issues and in fact it did better than the right incision. Cleared to use moisturizer (a no-no during healing), which is great as much of the rest of the body is dry and itchy. Don’t think the back scrubber I bought will work well for that, but who knows.

For all I’ve complained about “only” doing range-of-motion work, the ROM is extremely good for this soon after surgery. We are now cleared to do “real” PT, for me to start back to the gym on that and my lower/core and cardio, and to use the inversion table. Once I talk to the therapist later this week and we map out a plan, the plan is to move out in a smart fashion.

I have two major goals for the next six to twelve weeks: get the shoulders into the best possible shape I can, and to get things where I can start to actually try to move out West. The recent fronts, along with this morning’s cold and snow are simply reinforcing that desire. It will take at least a year to get the shoulders where they need to be, but given the loss of mobility was gradual and over the course of years, that’s somehow appropriate. Recovery from the surgery is just the first part, the second is stretching things back out and rebuilding both strength and ROM lost over the course of years.

One reason for some of the recent silence is that I’ve been having to deal with some issues related to my care. The surgeon is part of Community Health Network, and they (like most of the larger networks) tries to take over ALL your healthcare. On top of the lack of care on the night shift after my most recent surgery, someone dropped some new diagnoses into my profile this month, including that I was suffering from Chronic Systolic Heart Failure (HCC).

This was news to me, and news to my cardiologist. To make it even more fun, it wasn’t done by the surgeon or his office, and so far no one can tell me who made the diagnosis and on what basis. Given that I had to spend about seven years getting a false diagnosis of cancer removed from the Community system, I’m not even going to try to fight it this time Unless I develop symptoms, the plan is for my cardiologist and I to push forward with their current treatment plan. It did, however, make for several interesting days as this all came to light pretty much last week. Yeah, trying to get answers and things dealt with during Thanksgiving week was so much fun…

Oh, since I turned in my survey and comments on the care in the hospital, haven’t heard a word from Community about being on the patient advisory board and wanting my feedback. Strange. *grin*

I can highly recommend the surgeon and his group, I just have some issues with Community and with Community East hospital. The surgeon and two others I’ve dealt with in the practice on some other issues have been great. If you need a good ortho practice, or have shoulder issues, let me know and glad to recommend them.

Meantime, I’m going to be moving out on PT and trying to get set-up to work on moving. Doing all the meals ahead was a great idea, but now the larder is bare and I need to restock it, stock up on some other essentials, and do some general preparation work including stocking up on Vitamin A to keep the bad pew-pews away. Any help on these areas would be very much appreciated!

Someone has made me a very kind and generous offer in regards some training, and I hope to be able to take them up on it in a few weeks. I tried racking someone’s pistol a week or two ago, and it did not go well. At the rate I’m progressing, however, it may only be another week or two before I can rack and do. Really looking forward to that.

The car is running for now, though I do need to get it to the mechanic to figure out where the coolant is leaking and why, and get it fixed. For right now it’s not leaking much, at least as long as I have the heater engaged. Will be taking the bus as much as possible as I want to reserve the car for PT and other essentials.

So, for the most part we are go! Now in some areas I may be limping, but we are moving forward. Hopefully I can build some momentum and get moving literally and figuratively. Here’s to hoping the new diagnoses are indeed just BS, that things keep going well, and that I move from limping to walking to running in the days ahead so I can implement the GOTH move plan early in the new year.

Keep your friends close and your things where you can find them in the dark. Be Prepared.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Belated Happy Thanksgiving!

I had planned to post Thanksgiving, but got sidetracked with mostly good issues here. As I noted, I went very non-traditional since I still can’t do real cooking. That will hopefully change soon…

I did take the time to truly give thanks for all in my life, particularly the good. One thing for which I am very thankful is each and every one of you who come here to read, to comment, and to encourage. You are very much appreciated!

Had PT this morning, then ran some errands and had my tires pumped up at the tire place as one had dropped very low. So low I borrowed the landlord’s air pump to get it up enough to get to PT and the tire store. Right now, the coolant leak is behaving but still trying not to drive it that much.

I haven’t done much for Christmas in the last few years, as I’m renting a room and the landlord actually does a pretty good tree. Even if the cats do start singing ‘Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, Your Ornaments Are History’ as soon as they see it go up. However, for a number of reasons, I decided to do a small one in my room. So, today I found a Charley Brown tree for $6 and am going to see what I can do. There will be photos.

Not sure when I will get to post tomorrow as I have my six week with the ortho tomorrow morning early and I am hoping he gives the go-ahead to push into “real” PT. Have a few questions for him, but the goal is to get release to go back to full PT and the gym.

I’m also trying to find out who put some new diagnoses in my file at the health corporation where he works. You will be hearing a bit more on this, as it wasn’t him and right now no one in his office can tell me who did it. Considering that the diagnoses in question are in the areas of my GP, cardiologist, and maybe one other — and it’s news to them — well…

Oh, keep an eye on Gaza as I started hearing a few days ago that some of the hostages were being held by other factions who were refusing to give them up to Hamass. Yes, there are some other factions there, though they usually keep a low profile, and several of them regard Hamass as wimps. Sucks for the hostages, but will say one thing for which I am thankful is that so many have been gotten out. I seriously was betting only about a dozen were still alive, very glad to be wrong on that.

Lots to cover in the world and I am looking forward to getting back to it. More soon!

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.