
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.
J’ai une passion debordante pour Betify Casino, il cree un monde de sensations fortes. On trouve une gamme de jeux eblouissante, incluant des paris sur des evenements sportifs. Le bonus de depart est top. Le support est fiable et reactif. Le processus est fluide et intuitif, occasionnellement des bonus diversifies seraient un atout. Pour finir, Betify Casino offre une aventure memorable. En bonus l’interface est lisse et agreable, permet une immersion complete. Egalement super les options variees pour les paris sportifs, qui booste la participation.
Visiter en ligne|
clickmetric.click – Overall, professional vibe here; trustworthy, polished, and pleasantly minimal throughout.
Je suis sous le charme de Gamdom Casino, on y trouve une vibe envoutante. La selection de jeux est impressionnante, incluant des options de paris sportifs dynamiques. Il propulse votre jeu des le debut. Disponible 24/7 par chat ou email. Les transactions sont fiables et efficaces, malgre tout plus de promos regulieres dynamiseraient le jeu. Dans l’ensemble, Gamdom Casino est un immanquable pour les amateurs. De surcroit l’interface est simple et engageante, ce qui rend chaque partie plus fun. A mettre en avant le programme VIP avec des avantages uniques, propose des privileges sur mesure.
Aller plus loin|
автоматическая рулонная штора https://avtomaticheskie-rulonnye-shtory77.ru/ .
J’adore l’ambiance electrisante de Betway Casino, c’est une plateforme qui pulse avec energie. La bibliotheque est pleine de surprises, offrant des tables live interactives. Le bonus initial est super. Disponible 24/7 par chat ou email. Les transactions sont d’une fiabilite absolue, occasionnellement plus de promos regulieres dynamiseraient le jeu. En resume, Betway Casino est une plateforme qui fait vibrer. A mentionner l’interface est simple et engageante, amplifie le plaisir de jouer. Un bonus les options de paris sportifs diversifiees, offre des bonus constants.
DГ©couvrir la page|
поставка медицинского оборудования поставка медицинского оборудования .
techify.click – Navigation felt smooth, found everything quickly without any confusing steps.
1x giri? 1xbet-giris-5.com .
перепланировка офиса согласование https://www.pereplanirovka-nezhilogo-pomeshcheniya16.ru .
Je suis accro a Betify Casino, ca pulse comme une soiree animee. Il y a une abondance de jeux excitants, offrant des tables live interactives. 100% jusqu’a 500 € + tours gratuits. Le support est pro et accueillant. Les retraits sont ultra-rapides, a l’occasion plus de promotions variees ajouteraient du fun. En resume, Betify Casino est un endroit qui electrise. A signaler la navigation est claire et rapide, apporte une touche d’excitation. A noter le programme VIP avec des recompenses exclusives, offre des recompenses continues.
Consulter les dГ©tails|
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
“Turk Mutfag?n?n Geleneksel ve Modern Lezzetleri” konusuyla ilgili olarak harika bir makale var.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
[url=https://turklezzeti.com]https://turklezzeti.com[/url]
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
организация трансляции организация трансляции .
codespark.click – Content reads clearly, helpful examples made concepts easy to grasp.
организация онлайн трансляций под ключ организация онлайн трансляций под ключ .
1 x bet giri? https://1xbet-giris-8.com/ .
bahis sitesi 1xbet bahis sitesi 1xbet .
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
Modern Mobilya Tasar?mlar? ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki yaz? ozellikle hosuma gitti.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://modernsturk.com
Guzelliginizin ve sagl?g?n?z?n anahtar? dogru cilt bak?m?nda sakl?.
рулонные шторы автоматические рулонные шторы автоматические .
1xbet g?ncel giri? 1xbet g?ncel giri? .
видео трансляция заказать https://zakazat-onlayn-translyaciyu5.ru/ .
1xbet giri? adresi 1xbet giri? adresi .
Je suis enthousiaste a propos de Gamdom Casino, il propose une aventure palpitante. On trouve une profusion de jeux palpitants, avec des machines a sous aux themes varies. Il amplifie le plaisir des l’entree. Les agents repondent avec rapidite. Les gains arrivent en un eclair, par contre quelques free spins en plus seraient bienvenus. En resume, Gamdom Casino offre une aventure inoubliable. Par ailleurs l’interface est fluide comme une soiree, donne envie de continuer l’aventure. A mettre en avant les paiements securises en crypto, assure des transactions fluides.
DГ©couvrir les faits|
Tarz?n?z? 90’lar?n unutulmaz modas?ndan esinlenerek gunumuze tas?mak ister misiniz? Oyleyse bu yaz?m?z tam size gore!
Кстати, если вас интересует Guzellik ve Kozmetik: 90’lar Modas?ndan Ipuclar?, посмотрите сюда.
Вот, делюсь ссылкой:
[url=https://aynakirildi.com]https://aynakirildi.com[/url]
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
Pinco-da ən yaxşı slotlar səni gözləyir. Slot dünyasına başla pinco slot. Pinco slotları yüksək RTP ilə gəlir.
Pinco oyunu əyləncə və qazancın birləşməsidir.
1xbet giri? adresi 1xbet giri? adresi .
ролет штора ролет штора .
1xbet giri? 2025 1xbet giri? 2025 .
онлайн трансляция заказать zakazat-onlayn-translyaciyu5.ru .
bahis siteler 1xbet bahis siteler 1xbet .
организация интернет трансляций [url=https://zakazat-onlayn-translyaciyu5.ru]организация интернет трансляций[/url] .
рулонные шторы на кухню купить рулонные шторы на кухню купить .
Cildinizi s?martmak icin haz?r olun!
Yeri gelmisken, eger Guzellik ve Bak?m: Trendler ve Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://ciltruhu.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
Je suis emerveille par Betway Casino, ca offre un plaisir vibrant. Il y a une abondance de jeux excitants, proposant des jeux de table classiques. Il rend le debut de l’aventure palpitant. Les agents repondent avec rapidite. Les retraits sont simples et rapides, malgre tout quelques spins gratuits en plus seraient top. En conclusion, Betway Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. Pour completer la plateforme est visuellement vibrante, amplifie l’adrenaline du jeu. Un point fort les competitions regulieres pour plus de fun, offre des recompenses regulieres.
Visiter aujourd’hui|
автоматические рулонные шторы автоматические рулонные шторы .
1xbet tr [url=https://1xbet-giris-8.com]1xbet tr[/url] .
Dogal ve etkili cilt bak?m yontemlerine dair tuyolar? kesfedin.
“Cilt Bak?m? ve Guzellik: Trendler ve Ipuclar?” konusuyla ilgili olarak harika bir makale var.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://bakimruhu.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
готовые рулонные шторы купить в москве готовые рулонные шторы купить в москве .
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
Modern Mobilya Tasar?mlar? ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki bolum dikkate degerdi.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://modernsturk.com
Guzelliginizin ve sagl?g?n?z?n anahtar? dogru cilt bak?m?nda sakl?.
рулонные шторы купить москва недорого рулонные шторы купить москва недорого .
рулонные шторы электрические рулонные шторы электрические .
рулонные шторки на окна рулонные шторки на окна .
1xbet yeni giri? 1xbet yeni giri? .
автоматические рулонные шторы на створку http://avtomaticheskie-rulonnye-shtory77.ru .
автоматические рулонные шторы [url=https://avtomaticheskie-rulonnye-shtory1.ru/]автоматические рулонные шторы[/url] .
1xbet turkiye http://www.1xbet-giris-5.com .
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
“Turk Mutfag?n?n Unutulmaz Lezzet Hikayeleri” konusuyla ilgili olarak harika bir makale var.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://turksofrasi.com
Sagl?kl? ve dogal bir cilt icin duzenli bak?m sart.
Guzellik ve kozmetikte her zaman gecmisten al?nacak dersler bulunur. 90’lar?n modas?ndan guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmeye haz?r olun.
Кстати, если вас интересует Guzellik ve Kozmetik: 90’lar Modas?ndan Ipuclar?, посмотрите сюда.
Ссылка ниже:
https://aynakirildi.com
90’lar?n buyusunu modern dunyaya tas?mak hic bu kadar kolay olmam?st?. Unutulmayan bu donemin guzellik s?rlar?n? unutmay?n!
Sizi gecmisten ilham alan guzellik ipuclar?yla dolu bu nostaljik yolculuga davet ediyoruz. 90’lar modas?n?n s?rlar?na goz atal?m m??
Между прочим, если вас интересует Guzellik ve Kozmetik: Trendler ve Ipuclar?, загляните сюда.
Вот, делюсь ссылкой:
https://guzellikturk.com
Tarz?n?zda 90’lar?n esintilerini hissetmeye baslad?g?n?za eminim. Gecmisin izlerini tas?maktan korkmay?n!
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?yla gunumuzun trendlerine meydan okumaya ne dersiniz?
Хочу выделить материал про Evinizde Estetik ve Fonksiyonu Birlestirin: Ipuclar? ve Trendler.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://anadolustil.com
90’lar?n guzellik s?rlar?yla tarz?n?za yeni bir soluk kazand?rabilirsiniz. Eski moda, yeni size ilham olsun!
90’lar modas?n? hat?rlayanlar burada m?? Sizlere gecmisin moda ikonu olan donemden ilhamla ipuclar? sundugumuz bu yaz?ya davetlisiniz.
Зацепил материал про Evinizde Estetik ve Fonksiyonu Birlestirin: Ipuclar? ve Trendler.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://anadolustil.com
90’lar?n guzellik s?rlar?yla tarz?n?za yeni bir soluk kazand?rabilirsiniz. Eski moda, yeni size ilham olsun!