If You Could Have an ATM for Anything, What Would It Be?

Yesterday CNN had a story on a new kind of ATM - a cupcake ATM! In her CNN article, "Cupcake ATM Vends Sweet Treats Around the Clock," Sonya Hamaski states the idea was inspired by the late night pregnancy craving of Sprinkles Cupcakes founder, Candace Nelson.

Now, 24-hours a day, seven days a week, you can satisfy your sweet tooth with a variety of yummy cupcake flavors. Though at a cost of $4.00 each, and currently only available in Beverly Hills, it does give us something to hope for.

Anyway, it got me thinking. If you could have a vending machine for anything, what would it be?

Here are some of the first things that came to my mind:

1) Fried rice
2) Ebooks - plug your Kindle, Nook or smartphone in.
3) Audiobooks - plug your iPhone, iPod or MP3 player in.
4) Makeup

And when I thought outside of the box, went wild, fantasized beyond reality, here are a couple of things I wanted vended:

1) Get your fortune told. Of course, you could have do-overs if you didn't like the first one.
2) Be granted three wishes. Caveat: As with all my thoughts on three wishes, the third wish would be for three more wishes.
3) Choose a date. (No, I don't need a date now that I'm married, but it seemed the natural course online dating might take in the future. Why not move on to selecting your date from a vending machine?)
4) Choose a job. That'd be great for the millions still unemployed. And just think, we wouldn't have to listen to all the political rhetoric about creating jobs.

Hey, come to think of it, maybe we should have an ATM for choosing government officials! But then, even in our wildest fantasies, we probably couldn't afford them.

What would YOU like to see dispensed in a vending machine?

Telling Tuesdays 2/7/12-"The food in the refrigerator looked gross."

Welcome to Telling Tuesday, a day reminiscent of those in school when I looked forward to seeing what everyone brought for show and tell. This weekly feature was inspired by an article on WriteToDone.com, called "How to Show (Not Tell): A Writing Lesson from John LeCarre."


It is one of the best articles I've seen on the rule all writers know--show, don't tell--because it doesn't just tell us how not to tell, it shows us some of LeCarre's very own examples.

" . . . descriptions can set the scene, convey the inexpressible, and turn the reader into a witness, instead of remaining a mere bystander." -- Mary Jaksch, author of the article

Each week, I'll give a "telling" prompt, and invite you to show us, to make us a witness, not a mere bystander. Feel free to use the prompt, or the photo (if a photo is shown.) Of course, if you have a completely different "telling" prompt, you can "show" us that, too.

As always, I invite you to leave a link to your website or blog with your comments.

THIS WEEK'S PROMPT:

The food in the refrigerator looked gross.

     Ms. Human Resources smiled and opened the break room refrigerator. "And this is where our employees keep their lunches."

     I had two simultaneous and inseparable urges. One, to turn away quickly, lest I breathe spores the strange life forms surely exhaled upon being exposed to light. At the same time, I couldn't turn away, overtaken by a curiosity almost as strange as that of a passerby at the scene of an accident. 

     I'd never seen cheese with such a thick five o'clock shadow. The pizza, apparently bored with Parmesan, had decided to grow its own blue cheese.

     But strangest of all was the tiny voice I heard coming from the tomatoes. "I'm melting. What a cruel world. I'm melting."

     I felt myself turn green as I feared the aliens inside the refrigerator had already infected me with their spores. I held my breath and ran out of the building as fast as my turning stomach would allow.

     "Wait! Wait!" cried Ms. Human Resources. "I'm not finished with my orientation yet. And you forgot your employee badge!"

     Bursting through the door and into fresh air, I bent over my knees and gulped deep breaths. When my lungs felt clear of contamination, I straightened again and stared at the entrance of the building. I couldn't help laughing at the sign I'd missed earlier:

ESPIAL LABS, Inc.

Bringing new life to those in need. 

     

Morrill's Monday Morning Mashup - "Gone to the Dogs" - 3/5/12

I know you're probably tired of hearing about my Internet woes, though not as tired as I am of experiencing them. But, thanks to the fantastic Windstream technician who arrived at my door this morning, I think the problem is fixed. Amazing the problems one little loose wire can cause.

Since I've obviously  missed my morning deadline for my mashup, this week I'm doing something a little different. Instead of writerly links, I've  posted a mashup of a few of my favorite dog YouTube videos.

A little fun for your viewing pleasure!

TWO DOGS EATING

TODDLER AND DOG PLAY THE BLUES

SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE FISHING

STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN

BEAR AND JUBIE ON GROUNDHOG DAY

If you have a favorite YouTube dog video, post the link and I'll add it.

"Read an E-Book Week" Begins March 4

Beginning March 4 through March 10, to celebrate READ AN E-BOOK WEEK, download any of my Smashwords stories for FREE.


Click on the title links below to go to Smashwords for download.

Xs and Os

This Pushcart nominated story takes place in Arkansas during World War II. When Jubie Lee Franklin meets Sachiko Kimura, they find though their skin color is different, they have something in common.




 
 
 


The Red Kimono
 
Life is pretty dull at the internment camp in Rohwer, Arkansas. That is, until Sachiko meets Jubie Lee Franklin. Two girls couldn't be more different. That is, until something magical happens.




 
 
 



Sacrifice Rock
 
What happens when three brothers spend the day with frogs and war games? Nothing but trouble!

Captain Josie and The Whale


Josie knew her life would change when she left California for Alaska to study whales. But little did she know just how much. 

#FlashFriday #FridayFictioneers: "Glittering"

Strange that this week's photo prompt by Madison Woods screamed "HAIKU!" Maybe it's because it was so challenging I couldn't think of a full 100 word flash fiction. So, instead, I settled for seventeen syllables. Click here to take a look at what others wrote about the jewels in the photo.

Glittering jewels

pale in comparison to

the brilliance of love.