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.
План по продвижению должен быть неотъемлемой частью общей бизнес-модели, отдельные аспекты этой интеграции рассматриваются по ссылке: https://yana-troyanova.ru/stati/jeffektivnoe-prodvizhenie-sajtov-i-razvitie-biznesa-v-internete/
helpful resources https://safeglobal.club
bets 10 – https://bets-10-mx.com
pin-up cash out https://pinup2003.help/
Greetings! Very useful advice in this particular post! It is the little changes that make the biggest changes. Many thanks for sharing!
This paragraph is actually a nice one it assists new web people, who are wishing for blogging.
官方授权的iyftv海外华人首选，第一时间提供最新华语剧集、美剧、日剧等高清在线观看。
Вывод из запоя нужен, когда попытка «перетерпеть» сопровождается тремором, бессонницей, тошнотой, скачками давления, тревогой и потливостью. Наша задача — не просто «поставить капельницу», а быстро и безопасно снять интоксикацию, восполнить жидкость и электролиты, стабилизировать вегетативные симптомы, вернуть аппетит и сон. Выездная бригада приезжает по любому адресу в Королёве, проводит экспресс-диагностику (АД, ЧСС, сатурация, температура, неврологический статус, уровень обезвоживания), оценивает длительность запоя и текущие лекарства пациента. Далее врач формирует персональную схему: инфузии для регидратации и детоксикации, витамины группы B и магний, противорвотные и анксиолитики, гепатопротективная и антиоксидантная поддержка по показаниям. Процедура выполняется одноразовыми системами с соблюдением стерильности, дозы рассчитываются индивидуально, а динамика состояния контролируется каждые 15–20 минут. После стабилизации пациент и семья получают чёткие рекомендации по режиму, питанию, сну, физической нагрузке и запретам на ближайшие сутки, а также маршрутизацию: амбулаторные визиты, дневной стационар или полноценное отделение при необходимости.
Получить дополнительные сведения – https://vyvod-iz-zapoya-korolev10.ru/vyvod-iz-zapoya-v-stacionare-korolev/
Read Full Report https://berapaw.org
Pretty! This has been an incredibly wonderful post. Thanks for providing this info.
site link https://hyperliquid-wiki.cc
see this site https://yieldfi.pro/
I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic information I was looking for this information for my mission.
This site truly has all the information I needed concerning this subject and
didn’t know who to ask.
Extra resources https://palladiumlabs.net/
UEFA Super Cup live scores, Champions League vs Europa League winners clash
explanation https://hypperswap.cloud
next https://dexrp.wtf/
Запуск помощи — это не «одна капельница», а последовательность осмысленных шагов, каждый из которых приближает к устойчивому сну и ровным витальным показателям. Сначала врач уточняет длительность эпизода, переносимость лекарств, сон, аппетит, хронические диагнозы, наличие помощника дома. Затем следует осмотр: давление, пульс, сатурация, температура, ЭКГ при показаниях. Стартовая терапия закрывает дефицит жидкости и солей, защищает печень и ЖКТ, по необходимости подключается мягкая противотревожная поддержка и кислород. Параллельно проговаривается «карта суток»: как отдыхать, что пить и в каком объёме, какие продукты не перегрузят желудок, в какой момент выходить на внеплановую связь. Динамика отслеживается без суеты, а корректировки делаются точечно — по реакции организма, а не «на всякий случай».
Подробнее тут – [url=https://narkologicheskaya-klinika-ehlektrostal0.ru/]наркологическая клиника помощь на дому[/url]
Visit Website https://prjx.online/
yak casino – https://yak-casino-mx.com
click this https://daodao.cfd/
see here now https://toast-wallet.net/
Right away I am going to do my breakfast, once having my breakfast coming over again to read further news.
pin-up android quraşdırma http://pinup2009.help/
important site https://beratrax.org/
website link https://toast-wallet.net
Continued https://dexrp.buzz/
Definitely believe that which you stated. Your favourite reason appeared to be on the web the easiest factor to understand of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed even as other people think about worries that they just do not recognise about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest and defined out the whole thing without having side effect , other people could take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thanks
see this site https://toast-wallet.net/
content https://hlp0.cloud
huarenus官方认证平台，专为海外华人设计，24小时不间断提供高清视频和直播服务。
This design is wicked! You most certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Excellent way of describing, and good piece of writing to get facts concerning my presentation topic, which i am going to convey in institution of higher education.
my website https://hlp0.online/
Перед тем как показать примерные программы, важно подчеркнуть: реальный план всегда персонализируется, но понимание базовых форматов помогает семье и пациенту не теряться в терминах и сразу видеть логику.
Получить дополнительную информацию – [url=https://narkologicheskaya-klinika-kolomna2-10.ru/]наркологическая клиника коломна[/url]
These are genuinely fantastic ideas in concerning blogging. You have touched some good things here. Any way keep up wrinting.
look at these guys https://toast-wallet.net
view publisher site https://etherealtrade.lat
try this https://boros.cfd
Wonderful, what a webpage it is! This website provides valuable data to us, keep it up.
find out https://etherealtrade.rest/
Interesting blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your design. Appreciate it
pop over to this website https://yieldfi.pro
useful source https://looksrare.cfd/
I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest but your sites really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back later. Many thanks
you can try these out https://kittenswap.buzz
I relish, lead to I found just what I used to be looking for. You have ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
see https://ethereal.credit/
flames – https://flames-br.com