To all those who lead monotonous lives, in the hope that they may experience at second hand the delights and dangers of adventure.

No time for a proper post, so this is just a compilation of all the cool internet things that accumulated while I was gone.  Sadly, I was not able to make it over to the abandoned Wizard of Oz theme park on the one day it was open.  Maybe next year!

Bizarre:

• Any animal that touches this lake turns to stone.  Terrifying and beautiful, the best combination.
• Yukon bar patron swallows famous sourtoe.  Whatever you’re thinking, this is 10x more gross.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
• Please enjoy this video of a Pallas cat being defeated by a blanket to the accompaniment of Tuvan throat singing.
• Tiny town tries to stop Neo-Nazis from taking over.
• Portraits from the National Beard and Mustache Championships.
• Nature is red in tooth and claw.  Also entitled, Don’t turn the baby rabbit loose while the kids are watching.
• Dismembered feet are still washing up on beaches.  What gives, guys?
• TRUST FALL.

Literature:

• 25 best author acknowledgments.  I’m glad they got a lot of my favorites in there.
• I’m firing every hipster on tumblr who attributes this quote to William Shakespeare.
• Radiolab Reads.
• Peru turns book writing into a spectator sport.
• Why you should learn a dead language.

Adorable:

• Elephant and dog are best friends who love to go swimming together.
• Little white lion cub tries to roar.
• Baxter the dog sings Vampire Weekend.
• You know, the usual: fireman saves kitten.
• Russian librarian cat.
• Everyday people conducting an orchestra.
• Kafka and the doll.

Fascinating: 

• John Green’s frighteningly accurate assessment of US healthcare.  Trust me, you should watch this.
• The incredible dinosaur wall of Bolivia.
• Airplane view of a distant storm.
• The ruins of Bannerman’s island.
• Three dudes motorcyle around the US and take great pictures.
• Chipotle: the first food advertisement to make you weepy.
• Kid President’s pep talk to teachers and students.
• Treehouse Masters: a show on Animal Planet that was apparently made just for me.
• Seascapes.

Geekery:

• They’re making another Narnia movie!
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug trailer.
• Bigfoot map.
• Awkward reference photos: a tumblr devoted to art students and the weird photos they take of themselves as sources for art projects.

Music:

• “Emphasis” by Sleeping at Last.
• Cover of Band of Horses’ “St. Augustine” by Kyle Langdon.
• Cover of The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy” by Joanna Coda and Ryan Chriscoe, more cool people I know.
• “Ghost” by Damion Suomi.
• I’m newly intrigued by the Oh Hellos.  Check ’em out on NoiseTrade.
• What does the fox say: the fox’s backstory.