
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.
staycuriousalways – The tagline “stay curious, always” feels friendly and inclusive — good first impression.
bestdealsforlife – Overall: the concept is fine, but I’d proceed with caution before fully committing or relying on it.
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
“Is?lt?l? Guzellik: Sac ve Cilt Bak?m Onerileri” konusuyla ilgili olarak cok faydal? bilgiler buldum.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://tenvezarafet.com
Cildinizin dogall?g?n? ve sagl?g?n? korumak sizin elinizde.
theperfectgiftshop – I would check whether shipping terms, returns policy and customer reviews are clear before buying.
sfdh10.pw – Overall, professional vibe here; trustworthy, polished, and pleasantly minimal throughout.
наркологическая клиника в москве наркологическая клиника в москве .
createandgrow – Overall: promising domain, decent link-option, just do a quick check on verifiable credentials.
exploreopportunitiesnow – Might be ideal as a secondary resource in a network of references, rather than a primary authority.
частная наркологическая клиника в москве анонимное http://www.narkologicheskaya-klinika-25.ru .
стационар наркологический http://narkologicheskaya-klinika-25.ru/ .
staycuriousalways – Love the domain’s vibe — seems like a place you’d go to expand your mind and try something new.
bestdealsforlife – The domain name sounds good, but I couldn’t verify much about who’s behind the site.
theperfectgiftshop – Might be a nice site for unique items or gifts, though I’d balance any use with trusted reviews.
exploreopportunitiesnow – If you’re going to cite or link to it, I’d still verify its trustworthiness (owner, activity, reviews).
createandgrow – Navigation is smooth, but I didn’t immediately spot contact info or about details.
анонимная наркология анонимная наркология .
https://bbs.superbuy.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=729849&extra=
психолог нарколог в москве психолог нарколог в москве .
bestdealsforlife – The domain name sounds good, but I couldn’t verify much about who’s behind the site.
What’s up everyone, it’s my first visit at this web site, and paragraph is truly fruitful in favor of me, keep up posting these articles or reviews.
https://kra41c.com
This is very interesting, You’re a very skilled
blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your
great post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks!
createandgrow – Good candidate for backlinking, though pair it with some high-authority domains for balance.
Pilotag превращает корпоративные сувениры в инструмент лояльности: VIP-подарки, изделия из натуральной кожи, промо и текстиль, сладкие наборы, кружки и бокалы — всё с фирменной символикой и вниманием к деталям. Команда оперативно подберёт решения под событие и бюджет, а персонализация выделит ваш бренд в любой нише. В середине подготовки кампании просто зайдите на https://pilotag.ru/ и скачайте каталог — от новогодних коллекций до эксклюзивов под заказ. Стильно, заметно и по?деловому эффективно.
наркологическая служба наркологическая служба .
центр наркологической помощи центр наркологической помощи .
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your web site provided us with valuable information to work on. You
have done an impressive job and our entire community will be grateful
to you.
кракен вход
kraken вход
Как купить NBOMe в Павловске?Обнаружил https://salerme.ru
– вроде все ок по ценам, есть разные варианты доставки. Кто-нибудь заказывал у них? Как с чистотой продукта?
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
Modern Tesettur Moda Trendleri ve Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki bolum dikkatimi cekti.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://giyimkeyfi.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
spiritoftheaerodrome – Aviation heritage and historical preservation with passion.
J’ai une passion lyrique pour Olympe Casino, ca transporte dans un monde mythique. La variete des titres est divine, comprenant des jeux optimises pour les cryptos. 100% jusqu’a 500 € + tours gratuits. Les agents repondent comme des muses, toujours pret a guider. Les retraits sont rapides comme une melodie, cependant des offres plus genereuses seraient olympiennes. En bref, Olympe Casino offre une experience legendaire pour les fans de casino en ligne ! En bonus le site est rapide et glorieux, facilite une immersion totale. Un plus divin les tournois reguliers pour la competition, offre des recompenses eternelles.
https://olympefr.com/|
Ich bin suchtig nach Cat Spins Casino, es bietet ein mitrei?endes Spielerlebnis. Es gibt unzahlige packende Spiele, mit Krypto-kompatiblen Spielen. Er bietet einen gro?artigen Vorteil. Der Kundendienst ist ausgezeichnet. Die Zahlungen sind sicher und zuverlassig, trotzdem mehr regelma?ige Aktionen waren toll. Im Gro?en und Ganzen, Cat Spins Casino sorgt fur kontinuierlichen Spa?. Zudem ist das Design stilvoll und einladend, das Vergnugen maximiert. Ein besonders cooles Feature die haufigen Turniere fur mehr Spa?, ma?geschneiderte Privilegien liefern.
Bringen Sie mich dorthin|
Keep on writing, great job!
https://kra41c.com
Ich bin suchtig nach Cat Spins Casino, es schafft eine aufregende Atmosphare. Das Spieleangebot ist reichhaltig und vielfaltig, mit spannenden Sportwetten-Angeboten. Er gibt Ihnen einen tollen Boost. Verfugbar 24/7 fur alle Fragen. Die Zahlungen sind sicher und sofortig, gelegentlich mehr Bonusoptionen waren top. Zum Schluss, Cat Spins Casino ist ein Top-Ziel fur Casino-Fans. Zudem die Benutzeroberflache ist klar und flussig, eine Prise Spannung hinzufugt. Ein gro?es Plus die dynamischen Community-Events, reibungslose Transaktionen sichern.
Details lesen|
Ich bin total hingerissen von Cat Spins Casino, es bietet eine Welt voller Action. Die Spiele sind abwechslungsreich und fesselnd, mit Slots in modernem Look. Mit schnellen Einzahlungen. Erreichbar rund um die Uhr. Transaktionen sind zuverlassig und effizient, manchmal mehr Aktionen waren ein Gewinn. Alles in allem, Cat Spins Casino bietet ein gro?artiges Erlebnis. Ubrigens die Navigation ist unkompliziert, was jede Session spannender macht. Ein tolles Feature die vielfaltigen Sportwetten-Optionen, das die Motivation steigert.
Mehr entdecken|
Ищу уничтожение тараканов холодным туманом с выездом в область.
санобработка предприятий
https://rollbol.com/blogs/2005467/1xBet-Sports-Bonus-Code-2026-150-Welcome-Offer
https://www.i-hire.ca/author/1WinFreePlay/
Ich bin total angetan von Cat Spins Casino, es ist ein Ort voller Energie. Das Angebot ist ein Traum fur Spieler, mit Spielen, die Krypto unterstutzen. Er macht den Einstieg unvergesslich. Die Mitarbeiter sind schnell und kompetent. Die Zahlungen sind sicher und effizient, gelegentlich mehr Bonusoptionen waren top. Insgesamt, Cat Spins Casino ist ein Ort fur pure Unterhaltung. Zusatzlich die Plattform ist optisch ein Highlight, eine Note von Eleganz hinzufugt. Ein bemerkenswertes Extra die lebendigen Community-Events, personliche Vorteile bereitstellen.
Hier fortfahren|
neue online wettanbieter
Feel free to visit my web-site – wette vorhersage wetten; Neal,
Je suis bluffe par Ruby Slots Casino, on y trouve une vibe envoutante. Les options de jeu sont incroyablement variees, proposant des jeux de table sophistiques. Le bonus initial est super. Disponible 24/7 pour toute question. Les retraits sont lisses comme jamais, par ailleurs plus de promos regulieres dynamiseraient le jeu. En resume, Ruby Slots Casino offre une aventure memorable. De plus la navigation est simple et intuitive, facilite une immersion totale. A souligner les tournois reguliers pour s’amuser, propose des privileges personnalises.
En savoir davantage|
Куда сходить в Питере Для ценителей прекрасного обязательна программа в Мариинском театре или в Михайловском. Вечер балета или оперы оставит незабываемые впечатления. А после представления можно прогуляться по ночному Петербургу, любуясь отражением огней в каналах.
My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was entirely right.
This post truly made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had
spent for this information! Thanks!
Ich freue mich riesig uber Cat Spins Casino, es ist ein Ort, der begeistert. Die Spiele sind abwechslungsreich und spannend, mit dynamischen Wettmoglichkeiten. 100 % bis zu 500 € mit Freispielen. Die Mitarbeiter sind schnell und kompetent. Gewinne werden schnell uberwiesen, in manchen Fallen gro?ere Angebote waren super. Letztlich, Cat Spins Casino ist perfekt fur Casino-Liebhaber. Nebenbei die Oberflache ist glatt und benutzerfreundlich, eine Prise Stil hinzufugt. Ein attraktives Extra die zahlreichen Sportwetten-Moglichkeiten, reibungslose Transaktionen sichern.
Weitergehen|
Je suis epate par Sugar Casino, on y trouve une energie contagieuse. Il y a un eventail de titres captivants, offrant des sessions live immersives. Avec des depots rapides et faciles. Disponible 24/7 par chat ou email. Les retraits sont lisses comme jamais, rarement des offres plus consequentes seraient parfaites. Pour conclure, Sugar Casino garantit un plaisir constant. Par ailleurs la navigation est simple et intuitive, permet une immersion complete. A souligner les paiements securises en crypto, garantit des paiements rapides.
Commencer Г lire|
J’adore l’ambiance electrisante de Ruby Slots Casino, ca offre un plaisir vibrant. Le choix est aussi large qu’un festival, offrant des experiences de casino en direct. Il donne un avantage immediat. Le support est efficace et amical. Le processus est transparent et rapide, de temps a autre plus de promotions variees ajouteraient du fun. Pour finir, Ruby Slots Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. Par ailleurs l’interface est fluide comme une soiree, booste le fun du jeu. Egalement top les transactions en crypto fiables, garantit des paiements rapides.
Aller sur le web|
клиника наркологическая москва https://www.narkologicheskaya-klinika-25.ru .
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I truly appreciate your efforts and I am waiting for your further post thanks once again.
маркетплейс kraken
Где купить Лсд в Углегорске?Как думаете, нормально ли брать на https://tort3.ru
? Цены хорошие, есть доставка. Но не уверен насчет чистоты.
J’adore l’ambiance electrisante de Ruby Slots Casino, c’est une plateforme qui pulse avec energie. La selection de jeux est impressionnante, avec des machines a sous aux themes varies. Il rend le debut de l’aventure palpitant. Le support est efficace et amical. Les retraits sont fluides et rapides, de temps en temps des offres plus consequentes seraient parfaites. Globalement, Ruby Slots Casino merite une visite dynamique. Pour ajouter la navigation est intuitive et lisse, permet une plongee totale dans le jeu. A mettre en avant les paiements en crypto rapides et surs, assure des transactions fiables.
Ouvrir la page|