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.
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простые советы
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Welcome to the world of financial management with TaleStrucker!
On the topic “Master financial management with TaleStrucker”, I found a lot of useful information.
Here, you can read it:
https://talestrucker.com/
Continue to learn and apply new financial strategies!
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?yla gunumuzun trendlerine meydan okumaya ne dersiniz?
Зацепил раздел про Ev Dekorasyonunda Modern ve Estetik Cozumler.
Смотрите сами:
https://evimturk.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
If you are new to investing, these tips will help you save money.
By the way, if you are interested in Master financial management with TaleStrucker, check out here.
Here, you can read it:
https://talestrucker.com/
Use this knowledge to achieve your financial goals!
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
Modern Moda: Zarafet ve Stil Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki yaz? dikkate degerdi.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
[url=https://modaevreni.com]https://modaevreni.com[/url]
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
Start your journey to financial freedom with our guide.
Incidentally, if you are interested in Practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely, take a look here.
Here, you can read it:
https://cacticarely.com/
Choose your strategy and start your journey to financial freedom.
производство футболок https://miniatelie.ru/ .
пошив одежды на заказ http://www.miniatelie.ru .
Welcome to the world of financial management with TaleStrucker!
For those who are looking for information on the topic “Practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely”, it’s a real treasure trove of information.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://cacticarely.com/
We hope these tips will help you become financially successful.
Start your journey to financial freedom with our guide.
I want to highlight the material about Practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely.
The link is below:
https://cacticarely.com/
We hope these tips will help you become financially successful.
If you are new to investing, these tips will help you save money.
I especially liked the section about Practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://cacticarely.com/
Continue to learn and apply new financial strategies!
If you are new to investing, these tips will help you save money.
I especially liked the section about Tips for beginner investors and saving money.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://noobastro.com/
Use this knowledge to achieve your financial goals!
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изначально догадался..
for fans of “Gothic” who prefer the usual methods of settlement for, credit cards, transfers from traders to him, checks, https://bulqbox.com/?p=10899, and credit transfers, although they most often have lower limits and can include a processing fee.
швейное производство https://miniatelie.ru/ .
Dogal ve etkili cilt bak?m yontemlerine dair tuyolar? kesfedin.
“Modern Mobilya Tasar?mlar? ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar?” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://modernsturk.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
Modern Mobilya Tasar?mlar? ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki bolum ozellikle hosuma gitti.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://modernsturk.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
Dogal ve etkili cilt bak?m yontemlerine dair tuyolar? kesfedin.
“Estetik ve Fonksiyonellik: Ideal Mekan Tasar?m?” konusuyla ilgili olarak cok faydal? bilgiler buldum.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://evsahnesi.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
Kad?n Modas?nda Stil ve Fonksiyonel Oneriler hakk?ndaki yaz? dikkatimi cekti.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://giyimtarzi.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
Learn how gamers can improve their financial management skills.
I especially liked the material about Financial strategies for gamers: tips and tools.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://esportsgrind.com/
Use this knowledge to achieve your financial goals!
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швейный цех санкт петербург http://www.arbuztech.ru .
90’lardan gunumuze uzanan guzellik anlay?s?na ?s?k tutan bu rehberle, zaman?n otesine gecen bir tarz elde edin.
Особенно понравился материал про Ev Dekorasyonunda S?kl?k ve Fonksiyonellik.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://evimsicak.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
пошив худи оптом спб https://arbuztech.ru .
Welcome to the world of financial management with TaleStrucker!
On the topic “A practical guide to financial security and growth”, I found a lot of useful information.
See for yourself:
https://codefortots.com/
We hope these tips will help you become financially successful.
Learn how gamers can improve their financial management skills.
I especially liked the section about A practical guide to financial security and growth.
The link is below:
https://codefortots.com/
Choose your strategy and start your journey to financial freedom.
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment.
Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
Thanks a lot!
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
Is?lt?l? Guzellik: Sac ve Cilt Bak?m Onerileri hakk?ndaki yaz? dikkate degerdi.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://tenvezarafet.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
90’lardan gunumuze uzanan guzellik anlay?s?na ?s?k tutan bu rehberle, zaman?n otesine gecen bir tarz elde edin.
По теме “Evinizde Estetik ve Fonksiyonu Birlestirin: Ipuclar? ve Trendler”, есть отличная статья.
Ссылка ниже:
https://anadolustil.com
90’lar?n buyusunu modern dunyaya tas?mak hic bu kadar kolay olmam?st?. Unutulmayan bu donemin guzellik s?rlar?n? unutmay?n!
Discover practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely.
By the way, if you are interested in A practical guide to financial security and growth, take a look here.
The link is below:
https://codefortots.com/
Your financial well-being is in your hands!
На сайте game-computers.ru собраны обзоры актуальных игровых сборок, с подробными характеристиками комплектующих и рекомендациями по их совместимости. Блог помогает выбрать оптимальные конфигурации, дает советы по апгрейду и настройке системы для комфортного гейминга.
Start your journey to financial freedom with our guide.
I was hooked by the section about Tips for beginner investors and saving money.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://noobastro.com/
Continue to learn and apply new financial strategies!
TopTool https://www.toptool.app/en is a global multilingual tools directory that helps you discover the best products from around the world. Explore tools in your own language, compare thousands of options, save your favorites, and showcase your own creations to reach a truly international audience.
Cilt bak?m?na dair dogal guzellik s?rlar?n? ogrenmeye haz?r m?s?n?z?
“Cilt Bak?m? ve Dogal Guzellik S?rlar?” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://turkbakimi.com
Cildinizin dogall?g?n? ve sagl?g?n? korumak sizin elinizde.
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пошив пижам опт miniatelie.ru .
Обзоры игровых компьютеров на game-computers.ru позволяют сэкономить время и деньги. На страницах блога размещены обзоры моделей для разных бюджетов, советы по подбору комплектующих и рекомендации по апгрейду. Вы сможете подобрать систему, которая идеально соответствует вашим игровым требованиям и возможностям.
TopTool https://www.toptool.app/en is a global multilingual tools directory that helps you discover the best products from around the world. Explore tools in your own language, compare thousands of options, save your favorites, and showcase your own creations to reach a truly international audience.
growthbeacon.click – Loved the layout today; clean, simple, and genuinely user-friendly overall.
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
Guzellik ve Bak?m: Trendler ve Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki yaz? ozellikle hosuma gitti.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://ciltruhu.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
Great post.
Tarz?n?z? 90’lar?n unutulmaz modas?ndan esinlenerek gunumuze tas?mak ister misiniz? Oyleyse bu yaz?m?z tam size gore!
Между прочим, если вас интересует Guzellik ve Kozmetik: Trendler ve Ipuclar?, посмотрите сюда.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://guzellikturk.com
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmek, tarz?n?za farkl? bir boyut kazand?rabilir. Denemeye deger degil mi?
Learn how gamers can improve their financial management skills.
On the topic “A practical guide to financial security and growth”, there is an excellent article.
The link is below:
[url=https://codefortots.com/]https://codefortots.com/[/url]
We hope these tips will help you become financially successful.
Discover practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely.
Incidentally, if you are interested in A practical guide to financial security and growth, take a look here.
See for yourself:
https://codefortots.com/
Continue to learn and apply new financial strategies!
adnectar.click – Loved the layout today; clean, simple, and genuinely user-friendly overall.
marketfusion.click – Mobile version looks perfect; no glitches, fast scrolling, crisp text.
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
Yeri gelmisken, eger Cilt Bak?m? ve Dogal Guzellik S?rlar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://turkbakimi.com
Sagl?kl? ve dogal bir cilt icin duzenli bak?m sart.