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.
Thank you, I have recently been looking for info approximately this topic for
ages and yours is the greatest I have found out till now.
But, what concerning the conclusion? Are
you sure concerning the supply?
protraderacademy – Great mix of guides and tips, really helps beginners gain confidence quickly.
кракен официальный сайт
kraken vpn
https://www.2imu.com/melbet-2025-obzor-bk-medicisoft/
торкретирование стен цена http://www.torkretirovanie-1.ru/ .
торкретирование бетона цена м2 torkretirovanie-1.ru .
https://secondstreet.ru/profile/salvat456/
yourtradingmentor – I check this site every morning, it keeps me focused and calm.
protraderacademy – Love how clearly the lessons are explained, makes trading way easier.
Seobomba.ru/shop — магазин «вечных» ссылок и SEO-услуг: статейные и форумные размещения, линкбилдинг по Ahrefs, усиление Tier2, аудиты и соцсигналы. Ассортимент закрывает задачи продвижения под Яндекс и Google, акцент на ручной работе, низком спаме и трастовых площадках. Удобные тарифы «Эконом», «Бизнес», «Премиум» и разовые услуги под кампанию. Откройте витрину на https://seobomba.ru/shop/ — прозрачные цены, быстрый заказ и дополнительные инструменты вроде анализатора текстов и семантики помогут ускорить рост позиций и конверсий
торкретирование торкретирование .
https://ular69.org/melbet-kazino-oficialnyj-sajt-skachat-2025/
торкретирование стен цена https://torkretirovanie-1.ru .
https://airavataswimwear.com.co/skachat-melbet-na-android-obzor-2025/
Оператор вполне одыкватный и понимающий:ok: Сколько раз он мне бонусы делал, за это конечно одельный +… купить кокаин, меф, бошки через телеграмм да конспирацию отработали ;) стараемся
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
Yeri gelmisken, eger Modern Mobilya Tasar?mlar? ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://modernsturk.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
yourtradingmentor – The lessons feel personal and easy to apply to real market moves.
Cilt bak?m?na dair dogal guzellik s?rlar?n? ogrenmeye haz?r m?s?n?z?
“Turk Mutfag?n?n Geleneksel ve Modern Lezzetleri” konusuyla ilgili olarak oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
[url=https://turklezzeti.com]https://turklezzeti.com[/url]
Sagl?kl? ve dogal bir cilt icin duzenli bak?m sart.
https://precisionrods.com.au/melbet-obzor-2025/
https://marylandplumbingcompany.com/melbet-rabochee-zerkalo-2025/
QQ88 media là thương hiệu cá cược uy tín top đầu tại Châu á, mang đến kho game đồ sộ cùng nhiều khuyến mãi hấp dẫn
кракен зеркало
кракен vpn
Please let me know if you’re looking for a writer for your site. You have some really good articles and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d really like to write some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please blast me an email if interested. Thanks!
https://babu123.net/melbet-2025-obzor-bk/
https://ion66.com/melbet-igrovye-avtomaty-2025-obzor/
yourtradingmentor – The tone here is motivating and realistic, love the balanced perspective.
https://alecrid-ambalaje.ro/skachat-melbet-s-kazino-2025/
торкретирование торкретирование .
https://universal-maritimes.com/skachat-melbet-oficial-android-2025/
BusinessConnectWorld – Excellent value for professionals seeking reliable global networking opportunities now.
Ich schatze die Spannung bei Cat Spins Casino, es bietet eine Welt voller Action. Das Angebot an Titeln ist riesig, mit klassischen Tischspielen. Der Willkommensbonus ist ein Highlight. Der Support ist zuverlassig und hilfsbereit. Die Zahlungen sind sicher und sofortig, in manchen Fallen gro?ere Boni waren ideal. Zum Schluss, Cat Spins Casino bietet ein unvergessliches Erlebnis. Zusatzlich die Plattform ist optisch ansprechend, eine tiefe Immersion ermoglicht. Ein gro?artiges Plus die vielfaltigen Sportwetten-Optionen, die Teilnahme fordern.
Website prГјfen|
I was able to find good information from your
articles.
Ich bin total angetan von Cat Spins Casino, es verspricht pure Spannung. Die Auswahl ist atemberaubend vielfaltig, mit modernen Slots in ansprechenden Designs. Mit blitzschnellen Einzahlungen. Der Kundensupport ist erstklassig. Der Prozess ist klar und effizient, jedoch ein paar zusatzliche Freispiele waren klasse. Insgesamt, Cat Spins Casino ist perfekt fur Casino-Liebhaber. Au?erdem die Navigation ist einfach und klar, das Spielvergnugen steigert. Ein tolles Feature ist das VIP-Programm mit besonderen Vorteilen, die die Motivation erhohen.
Nachsehen|
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
“Faydal? Dekorasyon ve Mobilya Ipuclar?” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin cok faydal? bilgiler buldum.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://cilginmobilya.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
https://cm777.org/skachat-melbet-na-android-zerkalo-2025/
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
“Faydal? Dekorasyon ve Mobilya Ipuclar?” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://cilginmobilya.com
Guzelliginizin ve sagl?g?n?z?n anahtar? dogru cilt bak?m?nda sakl?.
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
“Zamans?z S?kl?k ve Klasik Giyim Onerileri” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin cok faydal? bilgiler buldum.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://klasikstil.com
Sagl?kl? ve dogal bir cilt icin duzenli bak?m sart.
Где купить Лирика в Карабановое?Обнаружил на https://deafrm.ru
– приличные цены и отзывы. Есть курьерская доставка. Кто-то пробовал их услугами? Насколько качественный товар?
https://navandhra.com/skachat-prilozhenie-melbet-2025/
When discussing how results fluctuate, it helps to consider dispersion—the extent to which outcomes are spread out around the average. Slots with many small line outcomes tend to display smoother curves over short spans; slots with fewer but larger outcomes can feel choppier. Either approach can align with the same RTP; they simply allocate the return differently across the outcome distribution. Because dispersion settings for Wild Worlds were not supplied, this review does not characterize its specific pattern. However, the 50-spin sample above illustrates a common experience in line-based games: a mixture of no-hit spins with occasional clusters of line outcomes, and no guarantee of seeing a special round in a short window. Betfair uses Playtech live casino software, enabling the gambling expansion package to overwhelmingly clear the Senate on Dec. In these cases, JackpotCity encourages players to support their Know Your Customer (KYC) processes by submitting verification documents as soon as possible. Free Spin bonus is every pokie players favourite coup, weve found some good bonus codes for you to use.
https://wiki.petale07.org/?horsselube1970
For the safety of other visitors and our animals, we reserve the right to refuse admission to any visitors under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Upon your first visit to Alton Towers Resort, Chessington World of Adventures Resort, LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort or Thorpe Park, you can then collect your physical Ride Access Pass ID which card which is valid for 3 years. Online Slots Guru Wild Worlds is no ordinary slot game. Instead of the typical spinning reels, it uses Avalanche™ mechanics—symbols drop into place, and every win causes them to explode. This clears space for new symbols to fall, creating more chances to win. The avalanche keeps going as long as you keep landing combos, so one spin could lead to multiple wins! Wild Casino online kicks off your experience with 250 free spins when you make your first real money deposit of $10 or more. With no Wild Casino promo code required, you’ll receive 25 free daily spins for 10 days. The free spins are allocated on different slots daily, keeping the action fresh and exciting.
https://tungduong.tonydangevents.com/2025/10/11/zerkalo-melbet-na-segodnya/
В этой публикации мы предлагаем подробные объяснения по актуальным вопросам, чтобы помочь читателям глубже понять их. Четкость и структурированность материала сделают его удобным для усвоения и применения в повседневной жизни.
Почему это важно? – http://www.janethancock.com/2010/07/28/brief-history-of-janets-battle-with-cancer
https://hindipedia.net/ofitsialnyy-sayt-bukmekerskoy-kontory-melbet-2025/
yourtradingmentor – Feels like a true mentor experience, not just another trading website.
https://hotelpatagoniainsular.cl/melbet-kazino-obzor-2025/
I am in fact happy to glance at this website posts which contains lots of helpful information,
thanks for providing these kinds of data.
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
“Turk Mutfag?n?n Unutulmaz Lezzet Hikayeleri” konusuyla ilgili olarak oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://turksofrasi.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
BusinessConnectWorld – Excellent value for professionals seeking reliable global networking opportunities now.
kraken СПб
кракен vpn
В Екатеринбурге найти надежные лестницы и стремянки просто: официальный магазин KRAUSE предлагает профессиональные решения для дома, сервиса и стройки с акцентом на безопасность и ресурс. В ассортименте представлены Corda, Monto, Stabilo, телескопические платформы, вышки-туры и лестницы с площадкой — все по фирменным стандартам производителя с 30-летней историей в РФ. Бесплатная консультация помогает точно подобрать высоту, тип и нагрузку, а доставка и гарантия упрощают покупку. Ищете лестницы купить? Подробности и заказ на сайте — krause-ekb.ru
Ich bin vollig uberzeugt von Cat Spins Casino, es verspricht pure Spannung. Die Spielesammlung ist uberwaltigend, mit Spielen, die Krypto unterstutzen. 100 % bis zu 500 € mit Freispielen. Die Mitarbeiter sind immer hilfsbereit. Zahlungen sind sicher und schnell, jedoch gro?ere Boni waren ein Highlight. Kurz und bundig, Cat Spins Casino bietet ein unvergleichliches Erlebnis. Zusatzlich die Plattform ist visuell beeindruckend, eine vollstandige Immersion ermoglicht. Besonders erwahnenswert die breiten Sportwetten-Angebote, exklusive Boni bieten.
Website erkunden|