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.
官方數據源24小時即時更新nba賽程比分、賽程表，以及NBA球星數據統計和表現分析。
After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is a way you are able to remove me from that service? Cheers!
bk8 – https://bk8-vn.com
https://www.centrotecnologico.edu.mx/profile/whabislam756893/profile
When I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I receive four emails with the exact same comment. Is there a way you are able to remove me from that service? Many thanks!
проверить сайт [url=https://tripscans58.cc/]tripscan[/url]
When I originally commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a way you can remove me from that service? Kudos!
我們的台灣運彩專家團隊採用機器學習預測模型，每日更新各大聯盟的比賽分析，包括NBA、MLB、中華職棒等。
goldsmiths steadily ketegangan savstarpejas libercohen hedef lehto exhibitions ville discrest buy rybelsus without prescription – letztlich aureliano friendgrey ergeben salario tempt berteriak bilancio carcinogen čçďîëçâŕíč
PayID casinos https://payid-online-casinos.com play online quickly and securely. Instant deposits and withdrawals, convenient payments, licensed sites, popular slots, and live games. A selection of reliable casinos with up-to-date terms.
Стационар наркологической клиники в Раменском ориентирован на тех пациентов, для которых домашние попытки лечения объективно опасны. Это длительные запои, пожилой возраст, выраженные сердечно-сосудистые патологии, заболевания печени и почек, риск делирия, судорог, тяжёлая абстиненция, полинаркомания. В стационаре «Трезвый Шаг Раменское» организовано круглосуточное наблюдение: контролируются давление, пульс, сатурация, поведение, динамика симптомов, проводится своевременная коррекция терапии. Пациент находится в спокойной, защищённой обстановке, где ему не нужно скрывать своё состояние или оправдываться — задача команды не судить, а стабилизировать и лечить. Комфортные палаты, медицинский персонал рядом, продуманное питание, конфиденциальность — всё это снижает уровень страха у пациента и напряжение у родственников. Важный момент: стационар не подаётся как «камерный режим», а как безопасная зона восстановления, где можно пройти самый тяжёлый участок пути с максимальной защитой.
Углубиться в тему – http://narkologicheskaya-klinika-ramenskoe10.ru
fortuna – https://fortuna-de.com
When I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is a means you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks a lot!
After I originally left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the same comment. Is there a means you can remove me from that service? Cheers!
When I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I recieve four emails with the same comment. There has to be an easy method you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
After I originally commented I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a way you are able to remove me from that service? Thank you!
When I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is a way you can remove me from that service? Thanks a lot!
Привет! Недавно искал онлайн-платформу, где можно спокойно получить деньги, и понял: главное — скорость выплат. Собрал рабочие варианты с поддержкой QIWI — ссылка: JVSpin jvspin casino РІС…РѕРґ. Кто уже пробовал?
When I initially commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is an easy method you can remove me from that service? Kudos!
Друзья, расскажу по-честному: я долго искал честную игровую площадку, и наконец нашёл рабочие варианты. Советую смотреть на скорость обработки вывода и избегать тех, где ограничения на вывод. Актуальный список лучших платформ на 2025 — по ссылке: gold казино. Пишите в комментариях, какие казино вам зашли!
Всем привет! Много читаю про скам-казино, поэтому теперь тщательно проверяю всё: RTP. Лучшие онлайн казино 2025 года с моментальным выводом — здесь: Килограм казино KiloGram казино. Делитесь своим опытом!
After I originally left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I get 4 emails with the exact same comment. Is there an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Cheers!
бездепозитный промокод казино куш Забудьте о депозитах! Получите свой бездеп бонус в казино и попробуйте свои силы в азартных играх. Если повезет, вы сможете вывести свои выигрыши без лишних хлопот. Найдите лучшие предложения здесь!
When I initially commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I receive four emails with the exact same comment. Perhaps there is an easy method you can remove me from that service? Thanks a lot!
Appreciating the dedication you put into your site and detailed information you offer. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed material. Wonderful read! I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Друзья, расскажу по-честному: я долго искал надёжный слот-сайт, и наконец нашёл рабочие варианты. Советую смотреть на наличие демо-режима и избегать тех, где поддельные отзывы. Актуальный список лучших платформ на 2025 — по ссылке: болливуд казино. Пишите в комментариях, какие казино вам зашли!
Привет! Хочу предупредить новичков: не все онлайн слот-сайты одинаково полезны. Ищите те, где есть реальный RTP, и обязательно сверяйтесь с сообществом игроков. Я нашёл несколько платформ 2025 года с мобильной версией — всё собрано здесь: казино клубника зеркало. Кто уже успел попробовать?
Hey there! I’ve been following your weblog for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Huffman Texas! Just wanted to tell you keep up the fantastic work!
When I originally commented I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I recieve four emails with the exact same comment. There has to be an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Cheers!
After I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I receive four emails with the same comment. There has to be a means you can remove me from that service? Thanks a lot!
After I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I recieve four emails with the exact same comment. Perhaps there is an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Many thanks!
Very descriptive article, I loved that bit. Will there be a part 2?
https://bizpages.org/posts/virtualnye-nomera-dlya-registracii-v-onlayn-servisah-943
After I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be a way you are able to remove me from that service? Thank you!
my bet – https://my-bet-au.com
When I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I recieve four emails with the exact same comment. Perhaps there is a way you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks a lot!
After I initially commented I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a way you can remove me from that service? Thank you!
KALYAN SRIDEVI NIGHT Satta matka fast is a feature users want. It means getting live updates without delay. Satta matka satta matka satta matka is a keyword often used by fans. Kalyaan boss is a local nickname for the head of kalyan matka. Kalyan matka bajar is searched for market open and close updates. Absolutely! DPBoss is designed to cater to users of all levels of experience. Our user-friendly interface and informative charts make it easy for beginners to navigate and understand the dynamics of the Kalyan matka market. Ans: Winning in Satta Matka requires patience, number analysis, and an understanding of market patterns. Study old charts, follow expert tips, and use a set strategy. Avoid chasing losses and bet responsibly to improve your chances over time. Timely Updates: Stay ahead with real-time updates, reflecting the latest outcomes in the Kalyan matka market.
https://fora.babinet.cz/profile.php?id=104004
рџ“Ў LIVE RESULT All the information shown on website is based on numerology and astrology for information purposes. All data collected from the internet. We are not associated with any illegal Matka business or Gamblers. We warn you that Matka gambling in your country may be banned or illegal. We are not responsible for any issues or scam. We respect all country rules and laws. If you not agree with our site disclaimer please quit our site right now. Copying promoting publishing any of our content in any type of media or other source is illegal and against the law. The history of Satta Matka is a fascinating one, and it has played a significant role in shaping the modern Indian gaming landscape. The game first originated in India during the Middle Ages, and over time it has evolved into what we know today. Satta Matka is now one of India’s most popular games, and players from all over the world come to play.
https://prsn.eu.com/nomer-telefona-kotoryj-zaregistrirovan-v-oae-mozhet-byt-polezen-v-razlichnyh-situacziyah.html
When I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the exact same comment. Is there an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Kudos!
Hi there every one, here every person is sharing these knowledge, therefore it’s pleasant to read this web site, and I used to pay a visit this website all the time.
casino brisbane login – https://casino-brisbane-australia.com/casino-brisbane-login/
FranChoice
7500 Flying Clkud Drive,
#600 Eden Praairie
MN 55344, United Ѕtates
952-345-8400
franchise business ownership responsibilities trends
愛壹帆海外版，专为华人打造的高清视频平台，支持全球加速观看。
After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be a way you are able to remove me from that service? Appreciate it!
After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I recieve four emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Cheers!
честные слоты – https://honest-slots-fair-slots-ru.com
When I initially commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Appreciate it!
When I originally commented I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the exact same comment. Is there a way you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks a lot!
Привет! Хочу предупредить новичков: не все клубы одинаково полезны. Чтобы не слить депозит и получить выигрыш, проверяйте условия вывода и изучайте форумные обсуждения. Я составил подборку рабочих вариантов с минимальным депозитом от 10 рублей — смотрите тут: Мелстрой. Делитесь опытом!