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.
купить филлеры оптом купить филлеры оптом .
What i don’t understood is in reality how you are no longer actually much more smartly-preferred than you might be right now. You are very intelligent. You already know therefore considerably relating to this topic, made me in my view believe it from so many various angles. Its like men and women are not involved unless it’s something to do with Girl gaga! Your personal stuffs great. Always handle it up!
Продолжение vodkabet
Vavada is a top-tier online casino for slot enthusiasts!
http://www.rk-ozalj.hr
сюда vodkabet
опубликовано здесь водка бет
содержание vodka bet casino
featured path – Products appeared quickly and the layout made searching simple.
Herkesin gozlerini kamast?rmak icin hangi guzellik ve bak?m trendlerini takip etmelisiniz?
По теме “Evinizde Estetik ve Konfor Icin Dekorasyon Ipuclar?”, там просто кладезь информации.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://evimtarzi.com
Guzellik ve bak?m konusunda paylasmak istediginiz baska oneri veya sorular?n?z varsa, asag?da bizlerle paylasabilirsiniz.
This absolutely energized my day — thank you!
выберите ресурсы https://kra48a.at/
corner items – Everything was organized nicely, making browsing effortless.
перейдите на этот сайт vodka премиум онлайн казино
softmeadowstudio – Product images and text looked clean and attractive, making selection easier and more enjoyable.
growselection – Interface is user-friendly, smooth browsing, and products are easy to explore.
Sunny Slope Corner – Quick to locate items and the layout feels friendly.
createpick – Fast-loading pages, easy to browse products, and smooth interface.
PineHill Studio Link – Tidy layout and neat product arrangement made the experience easygoing.
PineHill Market – The site has a clear, modern feel, making it easy to find and view products.
узнать больше kra48.cc
Этот увлекательный информационный материал подарит вам массу новых знаний и ярких эмоций. Мы собрали для вас интересные факты и сведения, которые обогатят ваш опыт. Откройте для себя увлекательный мир информации и насладитесь процессом изучения!
Подробнее – https://vivod-iz-zapoya-1.ru/
softmeadowstudio – Pages loaded fast and browsing felt fluid, no delays while checking different sections.
купить филлеры для косметологов http://filler-kupit1.ru/ .
soft collection – Navigation felt natural and items were easy to locate.
https://gravatar.com/kairibate2
1win промокод за регистрацию 1win промокод за регистрацию
здесь vodka bet
скачать 1win на андроид с официального сайта https://www.1win12042.ru
peacefulforestcollective – Very organized layout, products are simple to find.
страница vodkabet прямо сейчас
tranquilwoodshub – Layout is tidy, finding products is quick and easy.
филлеры купить цены http://filler-kupit.ru .
купить филлеры для косметологов http://www.filler-kupit1.ru .
https://rc.forum24.ru/?1-13-0-00004983-000-0-0-1761743436
Таможенное оформление в внуково москва сделали за сутки
https://withreliance.com/agent/louellac091891/
этот сайт kra47.at
1win официальный сайт промокод 1win12042.ru
Your writing style is so clear and engaging. Loved this!
филлеры для косметологии купить [url=filler-kupit.ru]filler-kupit.ru[/url] .
кликните сюда vodkabet онлайн казино
Hi Dear, are you actually visiting this website on a regular basis, if so then you will absolutely get good knowledge.
Explore Items – The thoughtful design and appealing visuals make browsing an absolute pleasure.
Wild Studio Finds – Easy-to-browse pages with well-laid-out items made shopping pleasant.
Wild Studio Market – Smooth interface with tidy listings made finding items effortless.
Go To The Shoppe – The items are presented beautifully, and the interface is wonderfully intuitive.
Sunny Slope Boutique Picks – Items are easy to find with a neat design.
читать kra47.at
Sunny Slope Select – Browsing feels natural and the interface is clean.
кликните сюда vodka bet
https://omsi2mod.ru/forum/12-9357-1