Apostacy and Pregnancy

Here's what my beard and my new hat look like. Occasionally people ask when I started the beard, and I say August 9. Then sometimes they ask "This August?" I'm pretty happy that I can produce such awesome bushiness, but it's not that bushy.
Here's a few pics from my Christmas Day run from the Embarcadero to the top of Mt. Tamalpais and back. I think it was about 42 miles.
Me and my friend John that ran the part through the city with me

Yes, even 3 years after the election, I'm still wearing the same running shirt.

The top of Tamalpais

The view from the top

The day after Christmas I rode Amtrak to Utah. It was pleasant enough. It would be better in summer with longer daylight hours so you could see more. I had fun in Utah, except for when the missionaries randomly knocked on my friend Paul's door, refused to engage in idle non-religious chit-chat, preferred to discuss my past in detail, said things like "how long has it been since you apostatized?" and "I'm sure I've studied [this] more than you," and sorely tested my resolve not to slam the door on them. But the next day I almost peed my pants because I was laughing so hard, because my friend Elisa prank called Marcus' younger brother pretending to be his ex-girlfriend. She said she'd been stalking him and that she was pregnant, and then asked him "Are you opposed to being a father to another man's child?" She totally sold it.

Then I went to North Carolina and hung out with my brother and his wife. We hiked in the park that the Umstead 100 is in, played with their dogs (confirming my suspicions that I should totally get one, although it likely won't be for a while), ate good food, and watched a bunch of movies:
Transformers--loved it. My disbelief was fully suspended.
Ocean's Thirteen--decent enough, nothing new or special
Simpsons--maybe it was my bro's HD TV, but I did enjoy the better animation, although the story could've somehow been more epic, perhaps by including every single character ever to appear in any episode or something ridiculous like that.
Half Nelson--very good
The Kingdom--much better than I rottentomatoes-expected, but I love this sort of action thing
Hot Fuzz--absolutely hilarious
Zodiac--good and creepy, especially since I live in the Bay Area
Ray--good, but too long
The Lookout--pretty good, interesting premise
Shooter--disappointing. Perhaps it's obvious that it's bad, but I had faith in Antoine Fuqua.

I also saw Knocked Up while in Utah, which was pretty good.

Well, now I've had my post-CDT movie binge that I've been craving and I can go back to normal.

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