i'm feeling inadequate

i watched happy people: a year in the taiga, a documentary about trappers in a village on the yenisei river. i found it surprisingly interesting. the main tool the trappers use is an axe, and they can bootstrap up some amazing things from random trees using just their axes. and the segments on other traditional crafts, like how to make a dugout canoe or a log cabin, were also fascinating.

the trappers spend most of the year preparing themselves and their equipment for trapping season, which is winter. in siberia. which they spend by themselves, with only their dogs for company. their self-reliance is incredible, as is their work ethic: they make farmers look lazy. i simply can't measure up. (fortunately, i don't have to.)

so, if you're looking for a documentary that's rather far off the beaten path, i recommend it. it's well done.