My Facebook account, that is. You heard it here first: social networking is dead.

In other news, as of immediately post this afternoons bike ride, I’m sporting the always controversial shaved head and full beard combo.
This might be as long as the beard has been. Growth since the first week or December or so. With judicious ‘stache and ‘burns trimming, regular use of conditioner, and cold temps, it is quite pleasent. I am tempted by the clippers a few times a week, but for the moment am holding out. We’ll see for how long.

I’ve also been working on school, a lot. Riding a bunch too, and this morning got out on my new shoes for a run. It looks like I’m relapsing again. The shoes are awesome. I’ll write more once I actually know much, but they’re light enough to make a shoe/sock/gaiter combo possible that is sub 1 pound for both feet. I am a weight weenie when it comes to shoes.

The Bedrock and Paradox 2010 Olympics Coverage can be said in one word: nordic. Were there other sports worth noticing? I didn’t find any. (I suppose some good hockey has been played thus far.) The biatholon relay was just the latest example of so many stellar races.

In other Olympic news, Bode Miller has lost all respect I may have had for him. You’ll have to make it to the second page to understand. The more I backcountry ski, the more I realize how kindergarten area skiing actually is. Even a year ago I would not have understood fully the difference, and that difference is 85% snow variability. The other 15% is the presence of randomly spaced things to run into. Remove the trees, rocks, and cliffs, and make the snow uniform, and it’s like turning all the worlds singletrack into what you find in city parks in the midwest. I haven’t bought a lift ticket yet this season, and while the number of turns I’ve done since November 1st is probably less than I could do in a 6 hour day riding lifts, I’m quite happy with myself. I’ll be off to Yellowstone tomorrow to keep the Yellowstone project alive. I was on the fence, with school and stress, but M insisted. More skiing to be done.

Last is this data dump is a selection of the documentaries I saw at the festival last week that I’d recommend you spend your time on, in order of preference.

1: Sweetgrass

http://www.youtube.com/v/AV9iah71iPQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1

The trailer begins pretty well to approach what the film is like. It quite intentionaly goes quite beyond description. So I won’t add useless verbiage.

2: Last Train Home

Another minimalist, gorgeously harsh work. The scenes of the train station, crowded beyond crowded during Chinese New Year 2007, are terrifying to a mild agrophobe like me. As with Sweetgrass, words are little help. Fair warning, this is one of the more saddening films I’ve ever seen (a strong statement after the last three semesters).

3: Miss Navajo

Trailer here.

A sentimenal favorite for me. Having as many Dine students as I did in Arizona, it’s rewarding to see more into their world than I was able to before. A succinct and well-balanced piece of storytelling.

4: Wounded Knee

Trailer

An interesting NPR story about the film

A truly remarkable work, in large because of the remarkable depth of archival footage and the way in which it is used. A good way to increase your distrust of government. The tea parties ought to like it. (sarcasm)

5: Garbage Dreams

Trailer available

A film about the caste of Arabic Coptic Christian who have hereditarily collected garbage in Cairo. Their comparabley primative methods result in 80% of what they collect being recycled. Culturally relevant, and a great human story to boot.

6: Journey From Zanskar

http://www.youtube.com/v/sdkCMqqrlww&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1

A beautiful film about Buddhist monks doing social work in far northern India. This is the most hopeful work of the lost, especially from a social justice workers perspective.

7: The Last One

Trailer

Bootlegging in Appalachia. If I hadn’t spent time in Nada, KY (nay-duh) in my day, I’d have thought people like this didn’t exist. Hilarious, rigorous, entertaining, educational. The perfect example of a documentary film. It probably ought to be higher on the list, but this isn’t figure skating.

I saw more, but they’re largely not worth the trouble.