
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 диплом дешево http://r-diploma2.ru .
FuturePath Picks – Products arranged neatly with intuitive browsing for a seamless experience.
Pin Up Casino is the official website of a well-known online casino for players from Russia Пин Ап
FuturePath Select – Smooth navigation and tidy product display make exploration effortless.
https://dabet.reviews/# trang ghi chú liên kết Dabet Vietnam
В мире крепких напитков ценится не только уникальный вкус, но и верность традициям, а также высокое качество используемого сырья. https://fortuna-distillery.com/ Настоящие мастера используют вековые рецепты и современные технологии для создания идеального букета. На сайте Дистиллерия Фортуна вы найдете широкий ассортимент премиальных напитков.
Решение о срочном выезде принимается не из «желания поторопиться», а когда домашняя стабилизация действительно снижает риски. Ниже — ориентиры, при которых не стоит откладывать звонок. Любой из перечисленных признаков — повод для консультации, а их сочетание — для немедленного осмотра.
Узнать больше – скорая наркологическая помощь на дому
look at here https://lumi-wallet.io/
browse around this site https://lumi-wallet.io/
Техника помогает, но не доминирует. Мы используем портативные приборы с мягкой индикацией и низким уровнем шума, чтобы не разрушать формирующуюся «ночную кривую». Контроль в остром окне чаще, вечером — мягче: так сохраняется физиология сна и снижается потребность в дополнительной фармакологии.
Получить дополнительные сведения – https://narkologicheskaya-klinika-petrozavodsk15.ru/narkolog-petrozavodsk-otzyvy/
try this out https://lumi-wallet.io/
Сначала короткий осмотр и проверка совместимостей, затем — инфузионная терапия с мониторингом давления/пульса/сатурации, после — инструктаж семьи и назначение контрольного контакта. Такой порядок снижает тревогу и делает ночь предсказуемой: понятно, чего ждать, когда отдыхать и в какой момент связываться с врачом.
Выяснить больше – vyvod-iz-zapoya-sergiev-posad8.ru/
Hello, always i used to check weblog posts here early in the morning, as i like to gain knowledge of more and more.
read the full info here https://lumi-wallet.io/
Read Full Article https://lumi-wallet.io
Маршрут помощи строится вокруг конкретных задач безопасности. С первого звонка администратор собирает короткий чек-лист: длительность нынешнего эпизода, что принималось в последние двое суток, хронические заболевания, аллергии, как прошла ночь, есть ли помощник на вечер и ночь. Дежурный врач, опираясь на эти данные, предлагает стартовый формат — выезд на дом по Воскресенску и району или немедленную госпитализацию. Решение привязывается к реальным рискам: стабильность давления и пульса, выраженность тремора и тошноты, эпизоды судорог в прошлом, возможность обеспечить «тихий режим» в квартире. После очной оценки и допуска к терапии мы запускаем детокс, а по завершении визита фиксируем правила на 24–48 часов и контрольные точки. Если состояние колеблется, сразу обсуждаем повторный контакт либо перевод в стационар, не теряя часы на бюрократию.
Углубиться в тему – http://
Lovers Fashion Picks – Appreciated the modern look and the simple layout that made scanning items easy.
FuturePath Corner Hub – Smooth page flow and well-laid-out items make browsing pleasant.
TDP Online Deals – Great selection of offers, navigating the site felt fast and effortless.
Все шаги фиксируются в карте наблюдения. Если динамика «плоская», меняется один параметр (скорость/объём/последовательность), и через оговорённое окно проводится повторная оценка. Это снижает риск побочных реакций и сохраняет дневную ясность.
Подробнее можно узнать тут – платная наркологическая клиника калининград
GlowFinder – Easy browsing experience and stylish products displayed neatly.
have a peek here https://lumi-wallet.io
Мы не используем универсальные «сильные капельницы». Эффективность даёт точное совпадение с задачей. Ниже — логика выбора профилей и маркеры, на которые мы ориентируемся при контроле эффективности и безопасности.
Углубиться в тему – http://vivod-iz-zapoya-v-sankt-peterburge16.ru/vyvod-iz-zapoya-sankt-peterburg-vyzov-narkologa-na-dom/https://vivod-iz-zapoya-v-sankt-peterburge16.ru
FuturePath Studio Hub – Smooth navigation with modern design ensures effortless exploration.
additional info https://lumi-wallet.io
купить диплом в казани отзывы купить диплом в казани отзывы .
their website https://lumi-wallet.io/
TDP Shop Online – Plenty of deals available, browsing through sections was seamless.
Homepage https://web-breadwallet.com
Apreciez efortul pe care l-ai depus.
additional hints https://web-breadwallet.com
Hello
https://zasvoih.ru/
Нужна поддержка по трудовым вопросам оаэ? Консультируем по трудовым договорам, рабочим визам, оформлению сотрудников, переработкам, отпускам и увольнениям. Готовим рекомендации, помогаем минимизировать риски штрафов и конфликтов между работодателем и работником.
my review here https://lumi-wallet.io
Таможенное оформление в внуково москва — всё чётко
https://git.ides.club/lakeishafeakes
Future Market Path – Clean, modern pages with smooth transitions make exploring products effortless.
Growth Journey Center – The site layout is tidy and finding information is straightforward.
find out here https://web-breadwallet.com
trang ghi chú liên kết Dabet Vietnam: latest Dabet Vietnam link – đường dẫn vào Dabet hiện tại
I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This piece of writing posted at this web page is truly pleasant.
Sunrise Finds Hub – Simple pages with well-laid-out products make browsing easy and enjoyable.
FuturePath Studio – Well-laid-out pages and clear product arrangement make shopping easy.
Sunrise Trail Hub – Cleanly structured pages with simple navigation make browsing products easy.
brawl pirates brawl pirates game, brawl pirates play, brawl pirates play online, brawl pirates online, brawl pirates login, brawl pirates official site, brawl pirates site login, brawl pirates access, brawl pirates no block, brawl pirates mobile, brawl pirates mobile version, brawl pirates register, brawl pirates online game, brawl pirates slot, brawl pirates casino game, brawl pirates start game, brawl pirates app, brawl pirates gameplay
gratis bonus ohne einzahlung sportwetten
Here is my website: ausläNdische wettanbieter mit paypal; Friend2Friend.In,
кракен сайт
кракен вход
VIP ESCORT SERVICE Elite escort services elite dating
discover here https://web-breadwallet.com/
his explanation https://jaxxwallet-web.org/
SLM Practical Living – Nice modern setup with clear sections, browsing was effortless.