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.
Cilt bak?m?na dair dogal guzellik s?rlar?n? ogrenmeye haz?r m?s?n?z?
Bu arada, eger Moda ve Stil Rehberi: En Yeni Trendler ve Kombinler ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya goz at?n.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://modaruhu.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
PureValue Creations – Inspiring and interactive site for design inspiration.
узаконивание перепланировки нежилого помещения pereplanirovka-nezhilogo-pomeshcheniya17.ru .
рейтинг seo студий reiting-seo-kompanii.ru .
перепланировка нежилого помещения перепланировка нежилого помещения .
оптимизация сайта франция http://www.optimizaciya-i-seo-prodvizhenie-sajtov-moskva.ru .
J’adore la vibe de Betway Casino, on ressent une ambiance festive. On trouve une profusion de jeux palpitants, avec des machines a sous aux themes varies. Il offre un coup de pouce allechant. Le support est rapide et professionnel. Les gains sont transferes rapidement, malgre tout des recompenses supplementaires seraient parfaites. Pour faire court, Betway Casino est une plateforme qui fait vibrer. A noter la plateforme est visuellement dynamique, ce qui rend chaque partie plus fun. Un point cle le programme VIP avec des niveaux exclusifs, propose des privileges sur mesure.
Parcourir le site|
seo partner program http://www.optimizaciya-i-seo-prodvizhenie-sajtov-moskva-1.ru .
PureValueOutlet – Inspiring and interactive site for creative thinkers.
Tarz?n?z? 90’lar?n unutulmaz modas?ndan esinlenerek gunumuze tas?mak ister misiniz? Oyleyse bu yaz?m?z tam size gore!
По теме “Evinizde Estetik ve Fonksiyonu Birlestirin: Ipuclar? ve Trendler”, там просто кладезь информации.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://anadolustil.com
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmek, tarz?n?za farkl? bir boyut kazand?rabilir. Denemeye deger degil mi?
статьи о маркетинге статьи о маркетинге .
seo компании seo компании .
швейное производство https://www.arbuztech.ru .
смартвей сайт https://www.sajt-smart-way.ru .
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
Faydal? Dekorasyon ve Mobilya Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki yaz? dikkatimi cekti.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://cilginmobilya.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
Je suis completement seduit par Betway Casino, ca transporte dans un monde d’excitation. La variete des jeux est epoustouflante, offrant des experiences de casino en direct. Avec des transactions rapides. Le support est efficace et amical. Le processus est transparent et rapide, mais encore des recompenses supplementaires dynamiseraient le tout. Pour finir, Betway Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. Par ailleurs l’interface est fluide comme une soiree, amplifie le plaisir de jouer. Particulierement cool les evenements communautaires pleins d’energie, assure des transactions fluides.
DГ©couvrir davantage|
маркетинговые стратегии статьи маркетинговые стратегии статьи .
seo top agencies http://www.reiting-seo-kompanii.ru .
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
Bu arada, eger Modern Mobilya Tasar?mlar? ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya goz at?n.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://modernsturk.com
Cildinizin dogall?g?n? ve sagl?g?n? korumak sizin elinizde.
Обратитесь в сц для решения проблем с вашей поломкой
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
Yeri gelmisken, eger Faydal? Dekorasyon ve Mobilya Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://cilginmobilya.com
Dogal guzelliginizi koruyun ve her zaman en iyi versiyonunuz olun.
Rabatterte generiske medisiner: Hvilket apotek pa nett er best i Norge – apotek pa nett
Hello colleagues, its wonderful article on the topic of teachingand fully defined, keep it up all the time.
услуги сео http://reiting-kompanii-po-prodvizheniyu-sajtov.ru .
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
“En Iyi Mobilya ve Dekorasyon Trendleri 2023” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin cok faydal? bilgiler buldum.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://anadoludekor.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
J’adore le dynamisme de Betify Casino, on ressent une ambiance festive. Le catalogue de titres est vaste, incluant des paris sportifs pleins de vie. Il propulse votre jeu des le debut. Le support client est irreprochable. Le processus est clair et efficace, mais des recompenses en plus seraient un bonus. En fin de compte, Betify Casino assure un divertissement non-stop. De surcroit la navigation est simple et intuitive, ajoute une vibe electrisante. Egalement genial les paiements securises en crypto, cree une communaute vibrante.
http://www.betifycasinoappfr.com|
материалы по маркетингу https://www.statyi-o-marketinge6.ru .
90’lardan gunumuze uzanan guzellik anlay?s?na ?s?k tutan bu rehberle, zaman?n otesine gecen bir tarz elde edin.
Зацепил материал про Ev Dekorasyonunda Modern ve Estetik Cozumler.
Вот, делюсь ссылкой:
https://evimturk.com
Tarz?n?zda 90’lar?n esintilerini hissetmeye baslad?g?n?za eminim. Gecmisin izlerini tas?maktan korkmay?n!
бамбуковые электрожалюзи http://www.avtomaticheskie-zhalyuzi.ru .
производство одежды miniatelie.ru .
Хороший магазин тоже не раз уже к нему обращался я считаю что этот магазин достоин огромного внимание ! Мир тебе бро и процветания удачи в работе !:ok:;)ОБРАЩУСЬ ЕЩЕ К ТЕБЕ БРО ОБЯЗАТЕЛЬНО !) ЕЩЕ РАЗ УДАЧИ https://www.rwaq.org/users/kkvpmxtm82fa0n-20251106151755 Два часа, ребята в клубе,
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 Modern ve Estetik Cozumler, загляните сюда.
Ссылка ниже:
https://evimturk.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
yelkovanyachts.com/ – Web Location Blue Water Sailboat Builder
аренда экскаватора погрузчика в москве срочно arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-1.ru .
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
Yeri gelmisken, eger Modern Mobilya Trendleri ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://evimtarzi.com
Sagl?kl? ve dogal bir cilt icin duzenli bak?m sart.
Je suis epate par Betify Casino, ca offre une experience immersive. Le catalogue est un paradis pour les joueurs, avec des machines a sous visuellement superbes. Avec des depots instantanes. Disponible a toute heure via chat ou email. Le processus est transparent et rapide, occasionnellement des bonus plus varies seraient un plus. En fin de compte, Betify Casino vaut une visite excitante. Notons egalement le design est moderne et energique, apporte une touche d’excitation. Un avantage le programme VIP avec des recompenses exclusives, cree une communaute soudee.
Tout apprendre|
Guzellik ve kozmetikte her zaman gecmisten al?nacak dersler bulunur. 90’lar?n modas?ndan guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmeye haz?r olun.
Для тех, кто ищет информацию по теме “Guzellik ve Kozmetik: Trendler ve Ipuclar?”, есть отличная статья.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://guzellikturk.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
“Cilt Bak?m? ve Dogal Guzellik S?rlar?” konusuyla ilgili olarak oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://turkbakimi.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
Строительный портал https://6may.org новости отрасли, нормативы и СНИП, сметы и калькуляторы, BIM-гайды, тендеры и вакансии. Каталоги материалов и техники, база подрядчиков, кейсы и инструкции. Всё для проектирования, строительства и ремонта.
J’adore l’energie de Belgium Casino, c’est une plateforme qui pulse avec energie. Il y a une abondance de jeux excitants, incluant des paris sur des evenements sportifs. Il donne un elan excitant. Disponible 24/7 pour toute question. Les gains arrivent sans delai, cependant des recompenses supplementaires dynamiseraient le tout. En bref, Belgium Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. Pour ajouter l’interface est intuitive et fluide, incite a prolonger le plaisir. A noter le programme VIP avec des privileges speciaux, offre des bonus constants.
DГ©marrer maintenant|
Всё для стройки https://artpaint.com.ua в одном месте: материалы и цены, аренда техники, каталог подрядчиков, тендеры, сметные калькуляторы, нормы и шаблоны документов. Реальные кейсы, обзоры, инструкции и новости строительного рынка.
Je suis completement seduit par Gamdom Casino, c’est une plateforme qui pulse avec energie. Les titres proposes sont d’une richesse folle, incluant des options de paris sportifs dynamiques. Il donne un elan excitant. Disponible 24/7 pour toute question. Les paiements sont surs et fluides, quelquefois plus de promos regulieres ajouteraient du peps. Pour finir, Gamdom Casino merite une visite dynamique. Pour ajouter l’interface est intuitive et fluide, incite a rester plus longtemps. Un point cle les paiements securises en crypto, propose des avantages sur mesure.
Visiter maintenant|
швейное производство в питере arbuztech.ru .
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
Yeri gelmisken, eger Cilt Bak?m? ve Guzellik: Trendler ve Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya goz at?n.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://bakimruhu.com
Dogal guzelliginizi koruyun ve her zaman en iyi versiyonunuz olun.
Строительный портал https://6may.org новости отрасли, нормативы и СНИП, сметы и калькуляторы, BIM-гайды, тендеры и вакансии. Каталоги материалов и техники, база подрядчиков, кейсы и инструкции. Всё для проектирования, строительства и ремонта.
Je ne me lasse pas de Belgium Casino, il cree un monde de sensations fortes. On trouve une gamme de jeux eblouissante, proposant des jeux de table sophistiques. Il offre un coup de pouce allechant. Le support est efficace et amical. Les gains sont verses sans attendre, de temps en temps des offres plus consequentes seraient parfaites. Pour finir, Belgium Casino est un must pour les passionnes. A souligner la plateforme est visuellement electrisante, facilite une experience immersive. Particulierement cool le programme VIP avec des niveaux exclusifs, propose des avantages sur mesure.
https://casinobelgium366fr.com/|
J’adore l’ambiance electrisante de Gamdom Casino, ca transporte dans un univers de plaisirs. Les titres proposes sont d’une richesse folle, incluant des paris sur des evenements sportifs. Il donne un elan excitant. Le service client est excellent. Les gains sont verses sans attendre, cependant des bonus plus varies seraient un plus. Globalement, Gamdom Casino assure un divertissement non-stop. A noter le design est moderne et energique, incite a prolonger le plaisir. Un bonus les tournois reguliers pour la competition, offre des recompenses regulieres.
Obtenir les dГ©tails|
Je suis enthousiaste a propos de Gamdom Casino, il propose une aventure palpitante. Le choix est aussi large qu’un festival, incluant des paris sportifs pleins de vie. Avec des depots fluides. Les agents sont toujours la pour aider. Les paiements sont securises et instantanes, par moments des bonus varies rendraient le tout plus fun. Pour finir, Gamdom Casino est un immanquable pour les amateurs. Notons aussi l’interface est lisse et agreable, ce qui rend chaque moment plus vibrant. Un avantage notable les transactions en crypto fiables, assure des transactions fiables.
Ouvrir la page|
Guzellik ve kozmetikte her zaman gecmisten al?nacak dersler bulunur. 90’lar?n modas?ndan guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmeye haz?r olun.
Особенно понравился раздел про Evinizde Estetik ve Fonksiyonu Birlestirin: Ipuclar? ve Trendler.
Смотрите сами:
https://anadolustil.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
рейтинг digital seo агентств https://reiting-seo-kompanii.ru/ .