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.
смарт вэй https://sajt-smart-way.ru/ .
https://maxim2025w.bandcamp.com/merch/maxim2025w
переустройство нежилого помещения переустройство нежилого помещения .
смартвей сайт http://www.sajt-smart-way.ru/ .
Dogal ve etkili cilt bak?m yontemlerine dair tuyolar? kesfedin.
“Guzellik ve Bak?mda Yenilikci Yaklas?mlar” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin harika bir makale var.
Kendiniz bak?n:
[url=https://zariften.com]https://zariften.com[/url]
Dogal guzelliginizi koruyun ve her zaman en iyi versiyonunuz olun.
clickreach.click – Found practical insights today; sharing this article with colleagues later.
J’ai une affection particuliere pour Belgium Casino, ca offre une experience immersive. On trouve une gamme de jeux eblouissante, incluant des paris sportifs pleins de vie. Le bonus de depart est top. Les agents sont toujours la pour aider. Le processus est clair et efficace, par ailleurs des bonus diversifies seraient un atout. En bref, Belgium Casino merite un detour palpitant. D’ailleurs l’interface est lisse et agreable, ce qui rend chaque session plus excitante. Particulierement interessant les transactions en crypto fiables, qui dynamise l’engagement.
Lire plus|
mostbet kg http://www.mostbet12039.ru
leadlaunch.click – Bookmarked this immediately, planning to revisit for updates and inspiration.
advisionpro.click – Appreciate the typography choices; comfortable spacing improved my reading experience.
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
Lezzetin Zirvesine C?karan SofraKeyfi Hikayeleri hakk?ndaki yaz? dikkatimi cekti.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://sofrakeyfi.com
Dogal guzelliginizi koruyun ve her zaman en iyi versiyonunuz olun.
J’adore la vibe de Gamdom Casino, ca donne une vibe electrisante. Le choix est aussi large qu’un festival, proposant des jeux de casino traditionnels. Avec des transactions rapides. Le suivi est impeccable. Le processus est simple et transparent, occasionnellement des recompenses supplementaires dynamiseraient le tout. En somme, Gamdom Casino offre une aventure inoubliable. Ajoutons que le site est rapide et engageant, booste le fun du jeu. Un element fort les evenements communautaires pleins d’energie, offre des recompenses continues.
Visiter la plateforme|
Je suis totalement conquis par Belgium Casino, ca offre un plaisir vibrant. Les options de jeu sont infinies, proposant des jeux de table sophistiques. Il booste votre aventure des le depart. Le support client est irreprochable. Les transactions sont d’une fiabilite absolue, de temps a autre quelques tours gratuits en plus seraient geniaux. Dans l’ensemble, Belgium Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. Pour completer la plateforme est visuellement electrisante, apporte une touche d’excitation. A noter les paiements securises en crypto, offre des bonus exclusifs.
Plonger dedans|
пошив пижам оптом http://miniatelie.ru/ .
продвижение сайтов топ агентство продвижение сайтов топ агентство .
J’adore la vibe de Gamdom Casino, on y trouve une vibe envoutante. La selection de jeux est impressionnante, comprenant des jeux crypto-friendly. Avec des depots instantanes. Le service est disponible 24/7. Les gains arrivent en un eclair, a l’occasion des recompenses supplementaires seraient parfaites. Pour conclure, Gamdom Casino vaut une visite excitante. Par ailleurs le design est style et moderne, amplifie le plaisir de jouer. Particulierement fun le programme VIP avec des avantages uniques, garantit des paiements rapides.
http://www.gamdomcasino365fr.com|
интернет провайдеры астана – выбрать стабильный национальный цифровое пространство с дополнительными услугами
швейный цех http://www.miniatelie.ru/ .
growthmind.click – Content reads clearly, helpful examples made concepts easy to grasp.
швейное производство miniatelie.ru .
нанять экскаватор цена [url=http://www.arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-1.ru]http://www.arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-1.ru[/url] .
startfreshjourney – Uplifting and positive vibe, perfect for inspiration and fresh beginnings.
90’lar modas?n? hat?rlayanlar burada m?? Sizlere gecmisin moda ikonu olan donemden ilhamla ipuclar? sundugumuz bu yaz?ya davetlisiniz.
По теме “Guzellik ve Kozmetik: 90’lar Modas?ndan Ipuclar?”, нашел много полезного.
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!
рейтинг seo компаний рейтинг seo компаний .
seo агентство москва https://reiting-seo-kompanii.ru/ .
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
“Modern Tesettur Moda Trendleri ve Ipuclar?” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin harika bir makale var.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://giyimkeyfi.com
Unutmay?n, her cilt tipi guzeldir ve dogru bak?m ile daha da guzellesir.
Dogal guzellik ve cilt bak?m?nda uzmanlar?n s?rlar?na yak?ndan bak?yoruz.
Yeri gelmisken, eger Is?lt?l? Guzellik: Sac ve Cilt Bak?m Onerileri ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://tenvezarafet.com
Guzelliginizin ve sagl?g?n?z?n anahtar? dogru cilt bak?m?nda sakl?.
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
Yeri gelmisken, eger Guzellik ve Bak?m: Trendler ve Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya goz at?n.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://ciltruhu.com
Dogal guzelliginizi koruyun ve her zaman en iyi versiyonunuz olun.
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
Estetik ve Fonksiyonellik: Ideal Mekan Tasar?m? hakk?ndaki yaz? dikkate degerdi.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://evsahnesi.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
internet seo https://optimizaciya-i-seo-prodvizhenie-sajtov-moskva-1.ru .
бездепозитные бонусы за регистрацию с выводом Ищете возможность испытать азарт и, возможно, сорвать куш, не вкладывая ни рубля? Бездепозитные бонусы – это именно то, что вам нужно! Это специальные предложения от казино и букмекерских контор, которые дарят вам стартовый капитал или бесплатные вращения просто за то, что вы решили присоединиться. Используйте их, чтобы изучить ассортимент игр, найти свои фавориты и, кто знает, может быть, именно этот бонус станет вашим первым шагом к крупному выигрышу. Это абсолютно безрисковый старт для всех желающих!
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 Modern ve Estetik Cozumler, загляните сюда.
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.
статьи о маркетинге статьи о маркетинге .
аудит продвижения сайта аудит продвижения сайта .
мостбет приложение http://mostbet12039.ru/
Je ne me lasse pas de Betify Casino, ca pulse comme une soiree animee. Le choix de jeux est tout simplement enorme, offrant des sessions live palpitantes. Le bonus de depart est top. Les agents sont toujours la pour aider. Le processus est simple et transparent, par contre des bonus plus varies seraient un plus. Pour conclure, Betify Casino vaut une visite excitante. De surcroit l’interface est intuitive et fluide, permet une immersion complete. Egalement top les tournois reguliers pour la competition, offre des bonus constants.
Cliquer pour voir|
https://drindiameds.com/# safe Indian generics for US patients
купить диплом фельдшера купить диплом фельдшера .
mostbet скачать на андроид https://mostbet12039.ru
услуги экскаватора в москве https://www.arenda-ekskavatora-pogruzchika-1.ru .
кожаные жалюзи с электроприводом http://www.avtomaticheskie-zhalyuzi.ru .
https://www.assurant.de/nachrichten-und-einblicke/newsroom-detail/2024/April/device-circularity-impact
блог про seo блог про seo .
mostbet kg http://mostbet12039.ru/
аренда экскаватора в москве цена аренда экскаватора в москве цена .
Je suis bluffe par Betify Casino, il propose une aventure palpitante. Il y a une abondance de jeux excitants, comprenant des jeux optimises pour Bitcoin. Le bonus de depart est top. Le support est fiable et reactif. Les transactions sont toujours fiables, cependant des bonus varies rendraient le tout plus fun. En somme, Betify Casino est une plateforme qui pulse. Ajoutons que le design est moderne et energique, incite a prolonger le plaisir. A noter les evenements communautaires vibrants, qui booste la participation.
Essayer ceci|
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
Cilt Bak?m? ve Guzellik: Trendler ve Ipuclar? hakk?ndaki bolum dikkate degerdi.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://bakimruhu.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
https://yelkovanyachts.com/ – Encrypted Link for Contact
J’adore la vibe de Belgium Casino, ca invite a plonger dans le fun. Il y a un eventail de titres captivants, offrant des tables live interactives. Avec des depots instantanes. Le support est rapide et professionnel. Les paiements sont surs et efficaces, parfois des recompenses supplementaires dynamiseraient le tout. Globalement, Belgium Casino merite une visite dynamique. A noter le design est tendance et accrocheur, amplifie le plaisir de jouer. A noter les evenements communautaires engageants, garantit des paiements rapides.
AccГ©der au site|
экскаватор погрузчик аренда москва экскаватор погрузчик аренда москва .