
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.
click for source https://navigator-exchange.org
a knockout post https://beraborrow.cc
best site https://looksrare.cfd
more information https://avalonfinance.cv/
look these up https://safeglobal.club/
Refined Home Finds – The interface is tidy, showcasing functional and stylish items.
Fashion Trend Deals – Products are nicely displayed, browsing feels smooth and enjoyable.
This was such a well-structured and thoughtful read.
Creative Design Marketplace – Rich assortment of styles, everything is presented clearly and invitingly.
view it now https://dexrp.buzz/
Worldwide Design Studio – Enjoyed the collection, each item feels thoughtfully chosen and well presented.
FashionVaultSpot – Good selection of items and the site runs smoothly.
FDS Online Picks – Fashion selections look appealing, exploring categories feels smooth.
browse around these guys https://hyperliquid-wiki.cv/
пин ап бонус пин ап бонус
my website https://d2finance.cc/
пин ап демо слоты https://pinup5013.ru
moved here https://kinetiq.lat/
their explanation https://theo.exchange/
deal finder shop – Deals are easy to browse, experience is smooth and quick.
advice https://kittenswap.buzz
FashionTreasureHub – Great variety of items, site navigation felt seamless.
Преимущество стационара — предсказуемость и скорость. Рядом врач и медсестра, можно оперативно сдать анализы, сделать ЭКГ или дополнительные обследования, а главное — не «тянуть» с корректировкой схемы. В контролируемой среде быстрее нормализуются сон и аппетит, уходит тремор, снижается тревога. Для пациентов с сопутствующими диагнозами это особенно важно: диабет, гипертония, аритмии, хронические заболевания ЖКТ требуют аккуратной, согласованной тактики.
Детальнее – http://narkologicheskaya-klinika-moskva8.ru/chastnaya-narkologicheskaya-klinika-v-moskve/https://narkologicheskaya-klinika-moskva8.ru
Essential Living Collection – Easy-to-use design highlights practical and modern home goods.
Visit This Link https://prjx.space
Curated Home Essentials – Easy navigation and clean design make exploring products enjoyable.
a href=”https://discoveryourpurpose.click/” />YourPurpose Journey – A calm look with nicely sorted pages ensures a smooth browsing rhythm.
fresh deals hub – Items look appealing, browsing feels fast and convenient.
https://otzywok.ru/forums/topic/melbet-promokod-2026-big777/
пин ап авиатор взлом https://www.pinup5013.ru
Клиника располагает изолированными палатами с возможностью круглосуточного мониторинга состояния пациента. Оборудование соответствует гигиеническим требованиям и регулярно обновляется. В лечебный процесс включены:
Ознакомиться с деталями – наркологические клиники алкоголизм рязанская область
FashionJourneyHub – Stylish choices displayed nicely, moving through pages was effortless.
Your content is consistently insightful and inspiring.
visit https://g8keep.org
their website https://palladiumlabs.net
website here https://snake.credit
I really love your website.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you create this site yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my very own website and would like to learn where you got this from or what the theme is named. Thank you!
форум казино ру Игровые автоматы, также известные как слоты, – это один из самых популярных видов азартных игр в казино и онлайн-платформах. Их принцип работы довольно прост: игрок делает ставку, запускает вращение барабанов, и если выпадает определенная комбинация символов, он выигрывает. Современные игровые автоматы предлагают огромное разнообразие тем, от классических фруктовых слотов до захватывающих приключений и фантастических миров. Они привлекают игроков своей простотой, возможностью быстрого выигрыша и яркой графикой.
pin up humo orqali pul o‘tkazish http://pinup5013.ru
This hit me with pure positivity — THANK YOU!
browse around these guys https://theo.sbs/
Global Design Treasures – Impressive selection, navigating through all the designs was seamless.
look at here now https://gluex.io
Design Picks World – Layout is clear and inviting, each design feels unique and curated.
Hi there, after reading this remarkable article i am as well cheerful to share my knowledge here
with colleagues.
Иногда достаточно переработать и актуализировать старые, но успешные материалы на сайте, чтобы получить новую волну внимания, и здесь дается четкий алгоритм действий: https://dogvoyage.ru/2025/12/jeffektivnoe-prodvizhenie-sajtov-i-razvitie-biznesa-v-internete/
from this source https://gluex.io/
Northern Peak Market – Peak-themed selections look appealing, browsing is simple and pleasant.
content https://plasma.credit/
Another excellent post — you never disappoint!