Session May 18 2013

http://jetsetta.com/travel/utterly-unusual-vending-machines-of-asia/

"On the distant horizon the erupting volcano was barely visible to us."
by RMAF

On the distant horizon the erupting volcano was barely visible to us. We knew the hot lava was coming because the highly intelligent robotic coca cola machine stood up and began walking away from the volcanic eruption. We all followed the robot hoping it would know the way to safety.

http://www.aquiziam.com/strange-places-people-live.html

"I said to myself: "what ought a boy to do who has stolen a green watermelon?"
by PV

You get a lot of unanswered questions spending time on an offshore platform. We are a pretty close-knit bunch, each of us for the most part adept at scooting around each others' idiosyncracies - so, one night we talked about stealing, everying from snatching a sister's life savers off her dresser, to grand theft. It is paradoxical that a strange sort of approval follows anything grand in scale, however heinous. So here I was, staring at the bright moon in a gigantic melon patch, luscious globes everywhere. And I said to myself, "What ought a boy to do who has stolen a green watermelon?" I remembed what an older (much older) friend, who had a melon patch, once said: "You know, stolen fruit tastes best." So I ate the melon.

http://blog.rampantphoto.com/post/659821600/years-ago-before-i-really-got-into-photography-a

"Now, yes, I have a ten thousand times worse decision to make."
by TT

"I'm the one. I ordered the forest to be turned into chipboard and more softee tissues. I am CEO of the large corporate conglomerate that manufactures many products using timber. We have almost taken all the trees out of the Northwest and the Southwest of the U.S. We buy raw material from Japan who exploit islands and large areas in Indonesia. Many animals have gone extinct because of the devastation. I made billions of dollars and gave quite a few jobs away to big machinery. Loss of habitat, loss of jobs. Now, yes, I have a ten thousand times worse decision to make. Climate change is my favorite hobby - disasters in particular fascinate me. I enjoy reading the newspaper about them and imagining how desperation affects these people. This is my own little hellish perversion.

http://www.tweakwindows.nl/wallpapers/animals/4732/Eekhoorn.html

"Staring at my reflection."
by CC

I'm staring at my reflection and liking it. It suits me, this full-cheeked gravitas. Greed is good, or so I hear. But pretty soon I've got to let it all go. Can I, though?  It's so tempting to just hang on to it all. I wish someone would take my picture like this. I'd like to hang a copy of it in my hole. Mrs. Munk would be impressed. Tail, up! I look sort of Chinese this way, don't you think?

http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/andrew-zimmern-wild-seafood-adventures\

"I saw a nuisance that I was trying to learn to respect."
by AD

I saw a nuisance that I was trying to learn to respect. I saw a man born on these islands when I went there for a fishing trip. The man's name was Vega, or "Bright Star." He looks to the moon and stars for hours on end and takes up the strength and skills of animals. The raw power of a bear, the eye of a hawk, he swims in the extremely powerful ocean currents with the ease of a sea lion. His skill is amazing and he should pass down his skills to the next generation, but I wish he would stop stealing the fish off my line for his dinner. What he had eaten off my line could have given me a day's worth of California Rolls.

weird_stuff_cool_crazy_offbeat_only_in_africa_200907241502163503.jpg

"I've learned not to fight to be right"
by GS

I had a feeling there were too many of us to make it to the picnic in Marvin's old pickup, but they were determined to try anyway! When the truck's frame broke loudly we all cheered. I've learned not to fight to be right.