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.
Je suis captive par Posido Casino, il procure une sensation de frisson. La selection est riche et diversifiee, avec des machines a sous aux themes varies. Avec des depots fluides. Le support est fiable et reactif. Le processus est clair et efficace, mais encore des offres plus consequentes seraient parfaites. Au final, Posido Casino offre une experience inoubliable. D’ailleurs la navigation est intuitive et lisse, facilite une experience immersive. Un avantage notable le programme VIP avec des privileges speciaux, propose des avantages uniques.
Explorer davantage|
Je suis accro a Vbet Casino, il offre une experience dynamique. La bibliotheque de jeux est captivante, comprenant des jeux compatibles avec les cryptos. Avec des depots rapides et faciles. Le suivi est impeccable. Les transactions sont d’une fiabilite absolue, malgre tout plus de promos regulieres ajouteraient du peps. En fin de compte, Vbet Casino est un endroit qui electrise. Ajoutons que l’interface est simple et engageante, facilite une immersion totale. A mettre en avant le programme VIP avec des privileges speciaux, renforce le lien communautaire.
Explorer maintenant|
гидроизоляция подвала гидроизоляция подвала .
Welcome to the world of financial management with TaleStrucker!
On the topic “Tips for beginner investors and saving money”, it’s a real treasure trove of information.
The link is below:
https://noobastro.com/
Continue to learn and apply new financial strategies!
мостбет официальное приложение mostbet12037.ru
If you are new to investing, these tips will help you save money.
I was hooked by the section about Practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely.
Here, you can read it:
https://cacticarely.com/
Your financial well-being is in your hands!
mostbet kg скачать http://www.mostbet12037.ru
1000 рублей за регистрацию вывод сразу без вложений в казино с выводом без депозита Хотите попробовать свои силы и, возможно, сорвать куш, не рискуя своими деньгами? У нас есть отличное предложение: получите 1000 рублей просто за регистрацию! Это идеальная возможность исследовать наш игровой ассортимент и получить первые выигрыши.
당신의 기사 몇 개를 인용해도 괜찮을까요?
제 웹사이트가 당신과 같은 관심 분야에 있고, 제 사용자들이 여기서 제공하는 정보로부터 정말로
혜택을 받을 것 같습니다. 괜찮으시면 알려주세요.
감사해요
Hi there to all, because I am in fact eager of reading
this blog’s post to be updated on a regular basis.
It contains good material.
Your site is a treasure trove of practical information! I especially enjoyed this post—it’s clear you
know your stuff. Have you thought about adding more visuals
to enhance the reader experience? Great job!
와, 이 블로그는 정말 인상적입니다! Házi에
대한 포스트가 너무 명확하고 흥미로워요.
친구들에게 공유할게요. 더 많은 시각적 요소를 추가하면 어떨까요?
고맙습니다!
Pinco oyunçuları hər gün qazanır. Mobil istifadəçilər üçün ideal seçim pinco casino yukle. Pinco oyunçulara böyük bonuslar verir.
Pinco qeydiyyatı sadə və rahatdır.
ремонт в подвале https://www.gidroizolyaciya-cena-8.ru .
мостбет официальный вход https://mostbet12037.ru
Je suis bluffe par Posido Casino, on y trouve une vibe envoutante. Les titres proposes sont d’une richesse folle, offrant des sessions live palpitantes. Avec des transactions rapides. Le suivi est d’une precision remarquable. Le processus est fluide et intuitif, mais des recompenses additionnelles seraient ideales. En somme, Posido Casino assure un fun constant. De plus le design est moderne et energique, booste l’excitation du jeu. Un atout les tournois reguliers pour la competition, propose des avantages sur mesure.
Voir la page|
Dogal ve etkili cilt bak?m yontemlerine dair tuyolar? kesfedin.
“Modern Mobilya Tasar?mlar? ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar?” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin cok faydal? bilgiler buldum.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://modernsturk.com
Unutmay?n, her cilt tipi guzeldir ve dogru bak?m ile daha da guzellesir.
скачать mostbet casino https://www.mostbet12036.ru
автоматический карниз для штор http://www.elektrokarniz797.ru/ .
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
Dogal Guzellik Yontemleri: Cilt ve Sac Bak?m? Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki yaz? dikkate degerdi.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://ipekcilt.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
Thailand Thailand
Tarz?n?z? 90’lar?n unutulmaz modas?ndan esinlenerek gunumuze tas?mak ister misiniz? Oyleyse bu yaz?m?z tam size gore!
Зацепил раздел про Ev Dekorasyonunda S?kl?k ve Fonksiyonellik.
Смотрите сами:
https://evimsicak.com
90’lar?n guzellik s?rlar?yla tarz?n?za yeni bir soluk kazand?rabilirsiniz. Eski moda, yeni size ilham olsun!
Discover practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely.
Incidentally, if you are interested in Tips for beginner investors and saving money, check out here.
Here, you can read it:
[url=https://noobastro.com/]https://noobastro.com/[/url]
We hope these tips will help you become financially successful.
Yeni oyunçular üçün Pinco bonusu var. Ən son yeniliklər üçün bax pinco güncel giriş. Pinco az domaini yeni dizaynla işləyir.
Pinco oyunçular üçün faydalı təkliflər var.
Pinco casino Azərbaycanda populyardır. İdman mərcləri üçün etibarlı ünvan pinco bet. Pinco oyunları çox kateqoriyalıdır.
Pinco kazino yeni dizaynla fərqlənir.
электрокарнизы купить в москве электрокарнизы купить в москве .
электрокарнизы электрокарнизы .
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
Bu arada, eger En Iyi Mobilya ve Dekorasyon Trendleri 2023 ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya goz at?n.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://anadoludekor.com
Sagl?kl? ve dogal bir cilt icin duzenli bak?m sart.
Eski ama asla eskimeyen 90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?yla dolu bu yaz?da bulusal?m.
Между прочим, если вас интересует Ev Dekorasyonunda S?kl?k ve Fonksiyonellik, посмотрите сюда.
Ссылка ниже:
https://evimsicak.com
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmek, tarz?n?za farkl? bir boyut kazand?rabilir. Denemeye deger degil mi?
Discover practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely.
By the way, if you are interested in Financial strategies for gamers: tips and tools, check out here.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://esportsgrind.com/
Continue to learn and apply new financial strategies!
гидроизоляция подвала под ключ http://www.gidroizolyaciya-podvala-cena.ru/ .
If you are new to investing, these tips will help you save money.
I want to highlight the material about Financial strategies for gamers: tips and tools.
Here, you can read it:
https://esportsgrind.com/
Your financial well-being is in your hands!
торкретирование цена за м2 https://www.torkretirovanie-1.ru .
Discover practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely.
On the topic “A practical guide to financial security and growth”, it’s a real treasure trove of information.
Here, you can read it:
https://codefortots.com/
We hope these tips will help you become financially successful.
http://www.annunciogratis.net/author/xbetpromocode3567
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.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://codefortots.com/
Choose your strategy and start your journey to financial freedom.
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
“Faydal? Dekorasyon ve Mobilya Ipuclar?” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://cilginmobilya.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
90’lar modas?n? hat?rlayanlar burada m?? Sizlere gecmisin moda ikonu olan donemden ilhamla ipuclar? sundugumuz bu yaz?ya davetlisiniz.
Между прочим, если вас интересует Ev Dekorasyonunda S?kl?k ve Fonksiyonellik, посмотрите сюда.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://evimsicak.com
Nostalji dolu bu yolculukta bizimle oldugunuz icin tesekkur ederiz. 90’lar modas? ve guzelliginin ruhunu hissedin.
Cilt bak?m?na dair dogal guzellik s?rlar?n? ogrenmeye haz?r m?s?n?z?
“En Iyi Mobilya ve Dekorasyon Trendleri 2023” konusuyla ilgili olarak cok faydal? bilgiler buldum.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://anadoludekor.com
Sagl?kl? ve dogal bir cilt icin duzenli bak?m sart.
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
Turk Mutfag?n?n Unutulmaz Lezzet Hikayeleri hakk?ndaki yaz? ozellikle hosuma gitti.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://turksofrasi.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
Eski ama asla eskimeyen 90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?yla dolu bu yaz?da bulusal?m.
Для тех, кто ищет информацию по теме “Ev Dekorasyonunda S?kl?k ve Fonksiyonellik”, там просто кладезь информации.
Вот, делюсь ссылкой:
https://evimsicak.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.
For those who are looking for information on the topic “Master financial management with TaleStrucker”, there is an excellent article.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://talestrucker.com/
We hope these tips will help you become financially successful.
Tarz?n?z? 90’lar?n unutulmaz modas?ndan esinlenerek gunumuze tas?mak ister misiniz? Oyleyse bu yaz?m?z tam size gore!
Хочу выделить раздел про Ev Dekorasyonunda Modern ve Estetik Cozumler.
Вот, делюсь ссылкой:
https://evimturk.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
Learn how gamers can improve their financial management skills.
I was hooked by the section about A practical guide to financial security and growth.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://codefortots.com/
Choose your strategy and start your journey to financial freedom.
Start your journey to financial freedom with our guide.
By the way, if you are interested in Practical tips for financial well-being with CactiCarely, check out here.
Here, I’m sharing a link:
https://cacticarely.com/
Continue to learn and apply new financial strategies!
steel sailboat builder – established explorer cruiser company Yelkovan
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?yla gunumuzun trendlerine meydan okumaya ne dersiniz?
Хочу выделить раздел про Ev Dekorasyonunda Modern ve Estetik Cozumler.
Ссылка ниже:
https://evimturk.com
Tarz?n?zda 90’lar?n esintilerini hissetmeye baslad?g?n?za eminim. Gecmisin izlerini tas?maktan korkmay?n!
электрокарнизы купить в москве электрокарнизы купить в москве .
Just recently tried this website to trade my Bitcoin into USDT TRC-20 tokens.
In my opinion, everything went perfectly fine. It surprised me how instant the confirmation came.
Previously, I also tried Solana to USD pairs on the
same platform. All transactions completed smoothly.
I love the accurate exchange calculator. No surprise deductions — everything was clear and fair.
The trading panel was intuitive, and even someone new to crypto could manage the whole exchange easily.
Moreover, security measures felt reliable. They didn’t require excessive KYC, while still the process
remained safe.
The only downside was a bit of lag when I contacted chat support.
It didn’t ruin the experience, still faster replies would make the platform even more complete.
Despite that, I received my funds properly.
USDT arrived immediately. Because of this, I strongly suggest everyone to
check out this page and go through the full review about crypto
swaps using TRC-20.
If you are thinking in doing fast crypto swaps,
this platform should be on your list. You can also trade over five major crypto pairs.
All in all, the general result was extremely positive.
This platform combines great rates and simplicity. I’ll keep using it whenever I need fast swaps.
Check it now! Learn more on their official blog — you’ll find it
helpful.
электрокарнизы цена электрокарнизы цена .
J’ai un faible pour Viggoslots Casino, ca transporte dans un univers de plaisirs. Les options sont aussi vastes qu’un horizon, comprenant des jeux compatibles avec les cryptos. 100% jusqu’a 500 € avec des spins gratuits. Le service client est de qualite. Le processus est clair et efficace, par ailleurs plus de promos regulieres ajouteraient du peps. Pour faire court, Viggoslots Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. Notons egalement l’interface est lisse et agreable, ajoute une vibe electrisante. Egalement top le programme VIP avec des recompenses exclusives, renforce la communaute.
Parcourir le site|
Start your journey to financial freedom with our guide.
For those who are looking for information on the topic “Financial strategies for gamers: tips and tools”, it’s a real treasure trove of information.
See for yourself:
https://esportsgrind.com/
Continue to learn and apply new financial strategies!
mostbet kg https://mostbet12037.ru