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.
Технологии — это прогресс kraken зеркало kraken онион kraken онион тор кракен онион
J’ai une passion debordante pour Pokerstars Casino, ca invite a l’aventure. Les titres proposes sont d’une richesse folle, proposant des jeux de casino traditionnels. Le bonus de bienvenue est genereux. Le suivi est d’une precision remarquable. Les transactions sont fiables et efficaces, neanmoins quelques tours gratuits supplementaires seraient cool. En somme, Pokerstars Casino est une plateforme qui pulse. Notons aussi le site est rapide et engageant, amplifie le plaisir de jouer. Egalement genial les competitions regulieres pour plus de fun, garantit des paiements rapides.
https://pokerstarscasino365fr.com/|
Эта модель идеально подходит как для городских поездок, так и для дальних путешествий.
benelli 800 https://benelli-rublevskiy.ru/leoncino_800/
Je suis completement seduit par Mystake Casino, c’est un lieu ou l’adrenaline coule a flots. On trouve une gamme de jeux eblouissante, comprenant des jeux optimises pour Bitcoin. Il rend le debut de l’aventure palpitant. Les agents sont toujours la pour aider. Les retraits sont fluides et rapides, par moments quelques spins gratuits en plus seraient top. Pour conclure, Mystake Casino est un endroit qui electrise. En extra le site est fluide et attractif, booste l’excitation du jeu. Egalement super les evenements communautaires vibrants, garantit des paiements rapides.
Cliquer maintenant|
Лига ставок 1win – динамично развивающаяся платформа, предлагающая широкий спектр возможностей для любителей азартных игр. 1win официальный – это ваше окно в мир больших выигрышей, где безопасность и надежность стоят во главе угла. Здесь вы всегда можете рассчитывать на честную игру и своевременные выплаты.
Admiring the time and effort you put into your site and detailed information you provide. It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed material. Wonderful read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
продолжить kraken актуальные ссылки
J’ai une affection particuliere pour Casinozer Casino, ca invite a plonger dans le fun. La variete des jeux est epoustouflante, offrant des experiences de casino en direct. Il offre un coup de pouce allechant. Disponible 24/7 par chat ou email. Les retraits sont fluides et rapides, bien que des bonus plus varies seraient un plus. En resume, Casinozer Casino offre une aventure inoubliable. Notons egalement l’interface est intuitive et fluide, permet une plongee totale dans le jeu. Egalement excellent les nombreuses options de paris sportifs, garantit des paiements rapides.
Commencer Г naviguer|
читать kraken darknet ссылка
Je suis fascine par Stake Casino, ca offre un plaisir vibrant. Les jeux proposes sont d’une diversite folle, offrant des tables live interactives. Avec des depots rapides et faciles. Le service client est de qualite. Les gains arrivent sans delai, cependant des offres plus consequentes seraient parfaites. En resume, Stake Casino offre une aventure memorable. En complement le site est fluide et attractif, incite a rester plus longtemps. A noter les transactions en crypto fiables, propose des privileges personnalises.
https://stakecasinobonusfr.com/|
J’ai une affection particuliere pour Mystake Casino, c’est une plateforme qui deborde de dynamisme. Les options de jeu sont infinies, avec des slots aux designs captivants. 100% jusqu’a 500 € avec des spins gratuits. Disponible 24/7 par chat ou email. Les gains sont verses sans attendre, par contre des bonus plus frequents seraient un hit. Pour finir, Mystake Casino est un must pour les passionnes. Notons egalement le design est moderne et energique, incite a prolonger le plaisir. Un bonus les evenements communautaires engageants, qui dynamise l’engagement.
VГ©rifier le site|
промокод при регистрации 1win http://www.1win5520.ru
Капельница от запоя — это важный этап в лечении алкогольной зависимости. Капельница помогает детоксикации организма‚ избавляя от токсинов и нормализуя баланс жидкости и электролитов. После капельницы пациенты часто отмечают улучшение психоэмоционального состояния.Помощь нарколога в этом процессе играет важную роль. Он анализирует абстинентных симптомов и разрабатывает план лечения запоя. Восстановление после запоя включает обе стороны: физическую и психологическую. Роль близких существенна‚ позволяя преодолеть последствия запойного состояния. помощь нарколога Реабилитация — следующая стадия в лечении‚ где пациент получает медицинскую помощь и обучение для избежания рецидивов. Анонимная помощь предоставляет анонимность и защиту. Необходимо помнить‚ что лечение алкоголизма — это долгий путь‚ который требует как усилий‚ так и поддержки.
J’adore l’ambiance electrisante de Pokerstars Casino, ca offre un plaisir vibrant. Le catalogue de titres est vaste, comprenant des jeux crypto-friendly. Avec des transactions rapides. Le service est disponible 24/7. Les paiements sont securises et rapides, de temps a autre des bonus plus frequents seraient un hit. En resume, Pokerstars Casino est une plateforme qui pulse. Notons aussi l’interface est intuitive et fluide, permet une plongee totale dans le jeu. Un bonus les evenements communautaires pleins d’energie, offre des recompenses regulieres.
Visiter pour plus|
Savings Hub Link – Found a solid offer here that felt genuinely useful.
кракен сайт
The cross-chain transfers tools are trustworthy service and useful analytics.
J’ai un faible pour Casinozer Casino, on ressent une ambiance festive. Les titres proposes sont d’une richesse folle, proposant des jeux de table sophistiques. Il booste votre aventure des le depart. Le suivi est impeccable. Le processus est transparent et rapide, par ailleurs des offres plus genereuses rendraient l’experience meilleure. Pour faire court, Casinozer Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. Par ailleurs l’interface est intuitive et fluide, permet une plongee totale dans le jeu. A mettre en avant le programme VIP avec des recompenses exclusives, offre des recompenses continues.
VГ©rifier le site|
Перейди на сайт компании : http://ruptur.com/
Value Boost Page – Saw a helpful deal that made the whole visit feel productive.
Value Discovery Page – Got some unexpected savings here that were worth checking out.
Top Value Picks – Got a useful price break that definitely made visiting worth it.
Подробнее kra ссылка
TrendSpot Fashion – Lots of vibrant trends today, and the site structure made it easy to look around.
안녕하세요, 이 대단한 포스트을 읽고 나서 저도
여기서 제 노하우를 동료들과 공유하게 되어 즐겁습니다.
After looking into a handful of the blog posts on your web site,
I truly like your way of blogging. I added it to my bookmark site list and will be checking back
soon. Take a look at my website too and let me know your
opinion.
Your website is a treasure trove of valuable 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? Keep it up!
정말 멋진 사이트네요! Tadalafil y juntos sildenafil에 대한 설명이 너무 명확하고 흥미로워요.
이 주제에 대해 더 많은 포스트를 보고 싶어요.
RSS 피드로 계속 업데이트 받겠습니다!
감사합니다!
Savings Insight Link – Found some helpful pricing info that made exploring useful.
Хочу выделить раздел про Финансовая грамотность: советы и ошибки заемщиков.
Смотрите сами:
https://kreditmedia.ru
Trend Spot Market – Great mix of trendy goods, and exploring categories was quite seamless.
Trendy Spot Store – Fresh and fashionable items everywhere, with a clean and enjoyable browsing flow.
TrendSpot Essentials – Had no trouble finding new items, and the browsing process felt natural.
Je suis enthousiaste a propos de Stake Casino, on ressent une ambiance festive. La bibliotheque de jeux est captivante, proposant des jeux de table sophistiques. Il donne un elan excitant. Disponible 24/7 par chat ou email. Le processus est clair et efficace, de temps a autre des recompenses supplementaires seraient parfaites. Au final, Stake Casino vaut une visite excitante. En plus le site est rapide et immersif, ajoute une vibe electrisante. Egalement top le programme VIP avec des privileges speciaux, offre des recompenses regulieres.
Touchez ici|
Thanks designed for sharing such a fastidious idea, paragraph is pleasant, thats why i have read it fully
Кстати, если вас интересует Ипотека Онлайн: ставки, калькуляторы и инструкции, загляните сюда.
Ссылка ниже:
https://sneps.ru
Shop TrendSpot – Plenty of stylish pieces available, and exploring the site felt smooth.
Домашний визит нарколога — это быстрый и конфиденциальный способ стабилизировать состояние без госпитализации. «РеАл Мед» организует выезд по всему Жуковскому и близлежащим посёлкам (Быково, Кратово, Ильинский, Островцы) круглосуточно: врач приедет с оборудованием, оценит риски на месте и запустит инфузионную терапию, чтобы снять интоксикацию, тремор, тошноту и тревожность. Процедуры проводятся по медицинским протоколам, с индивидуальным подбором схем под показатели пациента и сопутствующие заболевания, а вся коммуникация выстроена максимально деликатно — без лишнего внимания соседей и персонала дома.
Получить больше информации – psihiatr-narkolog-na-dom
узнать kraken актуальные ссылки
Je suis bluffe par Mystake Casino, on ressent une ambiance de fete. La gamme est variee et attrayante, incluant des options de paris sportifs dynamiques. Il donne un avantage immediat. Disponible 24/7 pour toute question. Les retraits sont ultra-rapides, mais des offres plus genereuses seraient top. En resume, Mystake Casino est un choix parfait pour les joueurs. A mentionner le design est style et moderne, permet une immersion complete. Un atout les evenements communautaires dynamiques, assure des transactions fiables.
DГ©couvrir dГЁs maintenant|
Если по ходу первичного осмотра выявляются «красные флаги» (спутанность сознания, нестабильное давление/ритм, кровавая рвота, подозрение на делирий), врач немедленно предложит госпитализацию и аккуратно организует перевод — безопасность всегда выше удобства.
Получить дополнительную информацию – нарколог на дом анонимно
J’adore l’energie de Casinozer Casino, ca transporte dans un univers de plaisirs. Il y a une abondance de jeux excitants, incluant des paris sur des evenements sportifs. Il donne un elan excitant. Le suivi est impeccable. Les retraits sont ultra-rapides, par ailleurs plus de promotions variees ajouteraient du fun. En fin de compte, Casinozer Casino assure un divertissement non-stop. Pour couronner le tout l’interface est simple et engageante, booste l’excitation du jeu. Egalement top le programme VIP avec des avantages uniques, qui booste la participation.
Ouvrir la page|
What’s up to every , since I am actually keen of reading this webpage’s post to be updated regularly. It contains good material.
бонус leebet casino
Кстати, если вас интересует Просто и понятно о валютных курсах, посмотрите сюда.
Смотрите сами:
https://exchangetrade.ru
бонус код 1хбет Найдите промокод на http://www.google.iq/url?q=https://bergkompressor.ru/news/artcles/?1xbet_promokod_pri_registracii_bonus_5.html и активируйте бонус 100% на первый депозит, чтобы получить максимальный стартовый бонус.
Между прочим, если вас интересует Обсудите лучшие советы по ипотеке, загляните сюда.
Смотрите сами:
https://best-ipoteka.ru
Перейти на сайт kraken ссылка на сайт
Je ne me lasse pas de Mystake Casino, on ressent une ambiance de fete. On trouve une gamme de jeux eblouissante, avec des slots aux graphismes modernes. Avec des depots instantanes. Le support est pro et accueillant. Le processus est clair et efficace, occasionnellement des offres plus importantes seraient super. Globalement, Mystake Casino est un immanquable pour les amateurs. Notons aussi la plateforme est visuellement vibrante, donne envie de prolonger l’aventure. Particulierement interessant les transactions crypto ultra-securisees, qui stimule l’engagement.
http://www.mystakecasinoappfr.com|
Хочу выделить раздел про Лучшие советы для культурных и бюджетных путешествий.
Вот, делюсь ссылкой:
https://tourismstore.ru
Incidentally, if you are interested in Effective Income Allocation and Personal Finance Strategies, take a look here.
Смотрите сами:
https://histamineeats.com
Читать далее kraken ссылка тор
I quite like looking through a post that will make people think.
Also, thank you for allowing me to comment!
Refresh Renovation Southwest Charlotte
1251 Arrow Pine Ꭰr c121,
Charlotte, NC 28273, United States
+19803517882
Backyard improvements accessibility (https://raindrop.io)