Photo © 2012 Markus Spiering
Click here for original image.
A hundred geeks with cameras. Yup, and I was buried smack-dab in the middle of ’em. Didn’t want to be there. Didn’t mean to be there.
I remember in a high-school science class, we saw a film of an amoeba eating a paramecium. The amoeba’s body flowed around its prey, and after it had the poor bug surrounded, it just, kinda… digested it, right there, just like that. The paramecium squiggled and squirmed, tried valiantly to escape, but too little, too late. And then—poof!—it shimmered and was absorbed into the predator. It was gone.
That was me, that poor, little paramecium. My goofy boyfriend pulled me in before I knew what was going on. And by the time I realized what was going on, I was surrounded, and being digested by an amoeba, and unable to escape.
Chet had begged me to come along. He said I’d enjoy it. For the record, I didn’t. But I was glad he was finally enjoying something. He’s been so bent out of shape since he lost his job last April. Laid off on April the first, if you can get that joke.
We scaled back on our standard of living. That didn’t bug me so much. But what really surprised me was how much it got him down. He stopped doing anything constructive, spent all day watching TV, wasn’t looking for work, said we’d do fine on his unemployment check.
We’ve been surviving on peanut butter and ramen noodles and pasta and frozen burritos. I don’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal.
I started by bugging him about his lack of work. He said he wanted a little vacation. I gave him a little vacation, then asked again. He said he was trying, but that nothing was available. I didn’t believe him, not that much. I asked him what job ads he had responded to each day. Most days, he just ignored me. Some days, yelled at me. I told him we could no longer afford cable TV. He convinced his parents to pay the bill.
I thought of getting ahold of a sledgehammer and having an “accident” with the TV set, but then I thought twice: we might need to sell it someday.
He was partially right, of course. There were no jobs in his field. But what bugged me most was that he was letting it get to him. His mind began wasting away to nothing, nothing at all, all day everyday. And as each day continued, he sank lower into the couch, and further into pity party.
I didn’t know how to snap him out of it. But his birthday gift did. One of his old office buddies sent him a digital camera, along with a really cool-looking book about how to take fun pictures about anything at all.
So when he threw himself into the hobby, and the hobby became an obsession, and a obsession became an endeavor, and when he began studying photography and framing and composition and lighting, and posted photo after photo to Flickr, and when he began hanging out with other camera-heads, and started talking about pursuing it professionally… I wanted to object. But not for the reason you might think. I wanted to object, because I was beginning to feel ignored.
But at least he was smiling again, and I had missed his smile. And the TV remained powered-off, except for the weekly exhibitions of his latest photos, which he would force me to watch, no matter how many hours I had worked that day.
Then, when he begged me to come to this big gathering of camera-heads, I gave in. I didn’t want to at first, but he pushed me and pressed me, and then he cuddled up next to me and told me about how much fun it was going to be to get away and that we hadn’t had a vacation in forever and that I needed a break—which was true. And he kissed me, and I melted and said yes. Sigh.
I hated it, didn’t enjoy it at all. There were no other camera-head-significant-others there. The food was okay, but the guest speaker spoke only camera-ese, and told only stupid camera jokes and camera stories. Then those assembled talked all afternoon about gadgets and techniques and awards, and showed each other the contents of their camera cases. Chet even got some business advice, which may or may not have been good advice, but he was enjoying himself, even though I had no idea what anyone was talking about.
“This is my girlfriend, Katy.”
And I smiled and faded into the background, maybe fondled a drink and tried to look interested in what they were saying while pondering the intricacies of the room’s potted flora. Too much, too far, too long. I was out of it. I so wanted to go home.
We started toward the door, walked out into the afternoon sun. I made a move toward the car, but Chet grabbed my hand and pulled me in the opposite direction. I looked up and saw that we were surrounded by a growing crowd, which was closing in around us on all sides. I was trapped, and one of the geeks with a camera was pointing it right at me. The other targets pointed their cameras back at him, but I was defenseless, hair akimbo, probably with a piece of spinach stuck between my teeth… not that it mattered, as no one could see my teeth.
The geek said, “Alright! Ready everybody?! Cheeeezzze!”
And everyone said, “Cheeeezzze!”
“Hold on!” He interrupted them, futzing with his camera. “Okay…”
“Quick!” said Chet. “Somebody fire before he reloads!” And raised his camera and took aim.
And that’s when the geek pulled the trigger.
aintree betting offers existing customers
Also visit my web page greyhound racing today live (Micheal)
8 starz https://888-uz4.com/
Reading this gave me a quiet moment of intellectual pleasure that I had not been expecting, and a stop at shamrockswan extended that pleasure across more pages, the unexpected reward of stumbling into careful writing is one of the small ongoing pleasures of reading the open web and this site is delivering it reliably.
В этой статье мы обсудим процесс восстановления после зависимостей, акцентируя внимание на различных методах и подходах к реабилитации. Читатели узнают, как создать план выздоровления и использовать полезные ресурсы для достижения устойчивых изменений.
Читать дальше – выезд нарколога на дом
Эта доказательная статья представляет собой глубокое погружение в успехи и вызовы лечения зависимостей. Мы обращаемся к научным исследованиям и опыту специалистов, чтобы предоставить читателям надежные данные об эффективности различных методик. Изучите, что работает лучше всего, и получите информацию от экспертов.
Прочитать подробнее – вызов наркологической помощи на дом
horse racing sheffield dog results today; https://grayhound-betting.com/, at wolverhampton
Easy to recommend, the content speaks for itself without needing additional praise from me, and a stop at forever-m only adds more reasons to send people this way, the kind of generous resource that benefits its readers without demanding anything in return is increasingly rare and worth recognising clearly today across the broader open internet.
Now recognising the editorial wisdom of letting some questions remain open at the end, and a look at tv93g continued that intellectual honesty, content that does not force closure on contested questions is content that respects the limits of knowledge and this site has clearly developed the maturity to know when to leave space.
нажмите кракен onion
rera rental increase calculatorfamily room for rent in rashidiya dubaiproperty store dubai https://summonertft.com dubai property mortgage can i service from overseasal wasl trading group1 bdr apartment for sale in discovery gardens dubai
Эта публикация исследует взаимосвязь зависимости и психологии. Мы обсудим, как психологические аспекты влияют на появление зависимостей и процесс выздоровления. Читатели смогут понять важность профессиональной поддержки и применения научных подходов в терапии.
Это стоит прочитать полностью – принудительное лечение от алкоголизма наркология
gambling casino usa, casino 2021 no deposit uk
and are what is there to do at turning stone casino (Adrienne)
casinos in montreal united kingdom, or casino in montreal united states
I read this piece of writing fully about the comparison of most up-to-date and previous technologies, it’s
remarkable article.
узнать больше kraken ссылка зеркало
Thanks for the clean writing, no broken sentences and no awkward translations like some other sites have, and a quick stop at shoreskipper kept that polish going nicely, it really does make a difference when a reader can move through a page without tripping on every line or going back to reread.
Купить Мефедрон, Бошки, Марихуану, Гашиш, Экстази САБЖ САМ ПО СЕБЕ НЕ ПРЁТ !! МУТИТЬ НА НЁМ МИКСЫ СМЫСЛА НЕТ !!! ЭТО АНТИДЕПРЕССАНТ !!можете хотя бы в лс скинуть веточку, а то поиска нет, так как новый акк и не допускаетс до поиска, раньше сидел на легал-рс.бизвот это уже наводит на мысли
Компания «Технология Кровли» специализируется на элитных кровельных работах в Москве и Московской области, применяя стандарты храмового зодчества к частным резиденциям: медные покрытия, двойной фальц и сложная геометрия кровель исполняются с инженерной точностью, исключающей компромиссы. Посетите https://roofs-technology.com/ и убедитесь сами: компания предлагает проектирование цифрового двойника объекта, инструментальный технический надзор и полную прозрачность всех скрытых узлов в режиме 24/7 — итоговая смета не меняется в процессе работ, а гарантия на результат составляет 15 лет.
Bookmark added with a small note about why, and a look at flankisle prompted another bookmark with another note, the bookmarks I annotate are the ones I expect to return to deliberately rather than stumble into and this site is generating annotated bookmarks at a higher rate than my usual content sources by some margin.
этот контент кракен onion сайт
canadian online live blackjack, $10 deposit bonus casino nz and
fast payout casino australia, or the top online pokies and
casinos in australia day
Also visit my website … Bingo hall Promotion Ideas
В этой публикации мы предложим ряд рекомендаций по избавлению от зависимостей и успешному восстановлению. Мы обсудим методы привлечения поддержки и важность самосознания. Эти советы помогут людям вернуться к нормальной жизни и стать на путь выздоровления.
Дополнительно читайте здесь – вызвать наркологическую помощь на дом
Found this through a friend who recommended it and now I see why, and a look at gooseholm only strengthened that recommendation in my own mind, word of mouth still works for content that actually delivers and this site is clearly earning recommendations the old fashioned way through quality rather than marketing.
кликните сюда kraken официальные ссылки
Took a quick scan first and then went back to read properly because the post deserved it, and a stop at chiropractorsa kept me reading carefully too, the kind of writing that earns a slower second pass rather than getting skimmed and forgotten is something I value highly when I happen to find it.
888.starz 888.starz.
Thanks for the clean writing, no broken sentences and no awkward translations like some other sites have, and a quick stop at dwasgp kept that polish going nicely, it really does make a difference when a reader can move through a page without tripping on every line or going back to reread.
emaar dubai creek harbourgulf sky real estatevacation home rentals https://tama-gv.org Culture Villageroom for rent in dubairoi meaning in real estate
скачать 888 старз https://888-uz4.com/apk/
888starz apk https://888-uz4.com/apk/
каталог кракен ссылка
Hello !!
I came across a 179 fantastic site that I think you should dive into.
This site is packed with a lot of useful information that you might find helpful.
It has everything you could possibly need, so be sure to give it a visit!
https://soundsandcolours.com/subjects/travel/samba-a-lively-rhythm-that-defines-brazil-73402/
And remember not to forget, folks, that a person at all times are able to inside this article discover responses to the most the absolute tangled questions. We made an effort to explain all of the content using an very understandable way.
В этой статье рассматриваются актуальные вопросы, связанные с развитием медицинской науки и её внедрением в повседневную практику. Особое внимание уделено вопросам профилактики, ранней диагностики и использованию технологий для улучшения здоровья человека.
Продолжить чтение – принудительное лечение от алкоголя
зайти на сайт kraken рабочая ссылка onion
ЖК 26 ParkView объединяет удобное расположение, современные технологии строительства и высокий уровень комфорта, что особенно важно для премиального сегмента недвижимости: купить новостройку
Этот краткий обзор предлагает сжатую информацию из области медицины, включая ключевые факты и последние новости. Мы стремимся сделать информацию доступной и понятной для широкой аудитории, что позволит читателям оставаться в курсе актуальных событий в здравоохранении.
Всё, что нужно знать – клиника вывода из запоя со стационаром
888старз https://888-uz4.com/
top 10 ethereum casino no deposit (Michael) in canada, bingo online play usa and canadian roulette app, or poker
sites canada
Подробнее здесь kraken онион тор
Worth a slow read rather than the fast scan I usually default to, and a look at 98zb3 earned the same slower pace from me, content that resets my reading speed downward is content with substance worth absorbing and this site has produced that effect on me multiple times now over the last week here.
starz 888 https://888-uz5.com/
Now adjusting my mental list of reliable sites for this topic, and a stop at vitalsnippet reinforced the adjustment, the small ongoing curation work of maintaining trusted sources is one of the actual practical activities of careful reading and this site has earned a permanent place on my list for this particular subject.
В этой статье мы подробно рассматриваем проверенные методы борьбы с зависимостями, включая психотерапию, медикаментозное лечение и поддержку со стороны общества. Мы акцентируем внимание на важности комплексного подхода и возможности успешного восстановления для людей, столкнувшихся с этой проблемой.
Заходи — там интересно – услуги нарколога выезд на дом
If I had encountered this site five years ago I would have been telling everyone about it, and a look at neosurfcasino extended that retrospective enthusiasm, the version of me who used to recommend favourite blogs frequently would have made sure friends knew about this one and that earlier enthusiasm is partially returning to me here.
best online poker in the usa, is gambling illegal in the uk and online casino
in tbilisi (Joel) available in australia, or canadian pokies free spins
Купить Мефедрон, Бошки, Марихуану, Гашиш, Экстази Много тут кто согласенкто пробывал ркс подскажите как лучше сделать ?скока основы добавить??реагенты всегда чистые и по высшему??? сертифекаты вместе с реагентами присылают на прохождение экспертизы на легал?
online casino, http://openleft.ru/?p=2168287 presents an captivating way to participate in your favorite games from the comfort of wherever you are. Moreover, they often have attractive bonuses and promotions.
888starz скачать apk https://888-uz5.com/apk/
Публикация знакомит читателей с различными подходами к реабилитации. От традиционных методов до современных программ — вы узнаете, как выбрать оптимальный путь к выздоровлению и преодолеть препятствия на этом пути.
Ознакомьтесь поближе – вывод из наркозависимости на дому
Now wondering how the writers calibrated the level of detail so well, and a stop at flankivory continued the same calibration, the right level of detail is one of the harder editorial calls in any piece and this site has clearly developed an instinct for it through what I assume is years of careful practice publicly.
isle casino one club (Erick) sites uk no deposit bonus, casino ratings canada and united statesn pokies history, or deposit 10 play with 50 slots
uk