I'm not going to lie: I had absolutely no idea what was going on when I spotted this scene Sunday afternoon in Dolores Park.  At first, this girl spent so much time hanging upside down from this fabric that I was just waiting for some blind-folded child wielding a bat to start hitting her until candy cam gushing out.  In fact, I had to use the googles a number of times, tossing in keywords like “dancing,” “fabric,” “acrobatics,” and “Darwinism” until I finally figured out that this sport (??) is called “aerial fabric acrobatics.”

Eventually, she ascended to the top of the fabric, began wrapping it all around herself and started doing spins and twirls and other stuff that would make ordinary people projectile vomit onto the spectators below.  Good times!

Image via Cranked, via some tv show.

The Daily Beast a few weeks ago reported on a new way to experience anonymous video-chatting— video-chatting WHILE HIGH. Seshroulette, is a new anonymous video-chatting service that promises you will never have to smoke alone, so long as you're 18 or older, and are smoking legal marijuana. However, there is no way of tracking whether the person you're getting “hella high” with is smoking legal greens. The site only tracks the city users are coming from, leaving authorities with some smokey rings to jump through if they ever want to actually bust a virtual toke fest. The site also doesn't permit any indecent exposure, so you can smoke assured that your high won't be ruined by some dicks later on…

Intrigued, I decided to try Seshroulette out myself one night under the guise of investigative journalism. The following is my story…

All users are currently smoking with each other. Press Next Sesh, or check 'Magic Stoner-Finder'. grinding the bud… packing the bowl… one sec, please…….

At 11:30 PM I'm connected to a scantily clad female sitting in a sun drenched room.  I say hello, ask her where she's from and try to engage, but she doesn't respond. This chick is here on a mission. Soon I realize that her bikini top is in fact “rasta” colors. She holds up a fat nug to the screen, takes out a large bong, packs a bowl, takes a huge rip, blows smoke into the screen, flips me off and I'm onto the next sesh…

All users are currently smoking with each other. Press Next Sesh, or check 'Magic Stoner-Finder'. grinding the bud… packing the bowl… one sec, please…….

11:46:06> Connected. Enjoy the session!

This time I'm connected to a burly man, reclined in a dark corner, illuminated by incandescent light, and strangely only using one hand to type to me… I introduce myself and find out that this dewd is smoking all the way from that scene stealing town otherwise known as Oakland. I tell him that I'm in San Francisco, and ask if he thinks that pot is better in Oakland than SF. He responds, “Fuck if I know, weed is weed.” I immediately recognize that this guy is awesome and we bond over saving money on the bridge toll by smoking via the internets. My new bff pipes up and squeals, “yea FUCk that bridge toll.”

I wanted to know more, how long has this mystery man been Seshrouletting? A: ive only  been on a couple times so far. 

What have his experiences been so far? A: i dont know, people smoking weed i guess.

What is his real name? A: call me poppa bear.

As soon as I go to ask my next question, Poppa Bear brings out a bong to really drive the whole Seshroulette experience home. Poppa Bear's bong is named “the wizard” because it takes him “to magical places” and he rips its shaft with true mastery. Then he brings out a blunt larger than Snoop Dogg's and I've decided that I've had enough when he starts complaining about getting ash on his couch. 

So, when those dirt bike riding cops in Dolores Park start cracking down on everyone's smoke seshes in the park, at least you know you have a virtual haven to find solace in.  Seshroulette, where you'll never have to worry about smoking alone bro.

Backseat Beat Episode 3: My First Earthquake from Brad Robertson on Vimeo.

Backseat Beat is a rad new show in which some cool kids drive some indie rock kids around SF in a 1980's Volvo and have them perform in random parts of the city.  Unfortunately this show does not involve the use of a murder van and kidnappings or a 1987 Ford Tempo without hubcaps, a stereo you bought from Caldor for twenty-five smacks and that you had to start with a screwdriver, but it does involve good tunes, fire and questionable jokes about eating Bald Eagles and Rebecca's life as a back-seat hussy, so it gets my nod of approval.

Be sure to also check out episode one, located at one of my favorite non-commercial spots in the city.

(link)

Artspin from Luke Lasley on Vimeo.