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 here to investigate https://toast-wallet.net/
from this source https://kinetiq.lat
read this https://etherealtrade.lat/
We stumbled over here coming from a different web page and thought I might as well check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to going over your web page yet again.
Ставки на футбол Хоккей КХЛ – это российская лига, объединяющая лучшие клубы страны и ближнего зарубежья.
useful link https://plasma.credit/
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!
Желаете узнать подробности? – https://ryparquitectos.pe/hello-world
What i do not understood is in reality how you are not actually much more well-appreciated than you might be right now. You are so intelligent. You understand thus considerably in terms of this subject, produced me individually believe it from a lot of varied angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be interested until it is something to do with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs outstanding. All the time care for it up!
Вывод из запоя в Раменском — это не просто «поставить капельницу и отпустить домой», а комплекс медицинских действий, от которых напрямую зависит здоровье, а иногда и жизнь человека. Длительное употребление алкоголя приводит к тяжёлой интоксикации, нарушению работы сердца, печени, головного мозга, сбоям давления, риску судорог, психозов и резких обострений хронических заболеваний. Попытки самостоятельно «сойти с дистанции» дома, с помощью случайных таблеток, седативных препаратов и новых доз алкоголя, часто только усугубляют состояние. Наркологическая клиника «РаменМед Трезвость» в Раменском выстраивает вывод из запоя как безопасный, контролируемый, поэтапный процесс: от экстренного купирования симптомов до формирования плана дальнейшего восстановления. Пациент получает помощь без осуждения, анонимно, с участием специалистов, которые берут на себя ответственность за каждое назначение и каждое действие. Для родственников это означает: больше не нужно гадать, чего бояться и что давать — есть конкретное место и команда, к которым можно обратиться сразу.
Получить дополнительные сведения – https://vyvod-iz-zapoya-ramenskoe10.ru/srochnoe-vyvedenie-iz-zapoya-v-ramenskom
Website https://daodao.cfd
look here https://d2finance.cc/
bookmarked!!, I love your blog!
about his https://unich.icu
have a peek at this web-site https://hlp0.online/
his response https://alchemix.center/
special info https://toast-wallet.net
i thought about this https://dexrp.buzz
сервис дайсон в спб pylesos-dn-kupit-7.ru .
More about the author https://beratrax.org
great post to read https://hlp0.online/
That is a really good tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere. Brief but very precise information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read post!
he said https://toast-wallet.net
doce – https://doce-br.com
Howdy, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam remarks? If so how do you prevent it, any plugin or anything you can advise? I get so much lately it’s driving me insane so any support is very much appreciated.
I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back in the future. All the best
https://guides.co/g/code-promo-1xbet-tours-gratuits-2026-hasard200-bonus-130/715084
I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be precisely what I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind composing a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write concerning here. Again, awesome blog!
click this link here now https://etherealtrade.lat/
great post to read https://avalonfinance.cv/
visit https://looksrare.cfd
Sprint speed, fastest players and distance covered statistics
Very shortly this web site will be famous among all blog visitors, due to it’s nice articles or reviews
see it here https://beraborrow.cc
dyson пылесос спб pylesos-dn-kupit-6.ru .
navigate here https://prjx.online
Thanks , I’ve just been looking for information approximately this subject for a while and yours is the best I’ve came upon so far. But, what in regards to the conclusion? Are you sure concerning the supply?
read https://beraborrow.cc/
site link https://rangerfinance.xyz/
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again as exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this increase.
byueuropaviagraonline
betmaster – https://betmaster-777.com
An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a friend who has been conducting a little research on this. And he actually ordered me breakfast because I discovered it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending some time to discuss this topic here on your site.
check this site out https://unich.icu
Un best-seller che è molto più di un semplice libro di successo. Una vita come tante tocca corde profonde dell’anima. Se stai cercando il file PDF, preparati a entrare in sintonia con il dolore e la speranza di Jude St. Francis. Il formato digitale è perfetto per chi vuole leggere in mobilità senza rinunciare alla qualità letteraria. La prosa della Yanagihara è ipnotica e ti trascinerà in un vortice di emozioni. Non perdere l’occasione di leggere questo capolavoro moderno sul tuo dispositivo preferito.
Ticket availability, match day access and pricing information
Когда запой длится не первый день, а состояние уже сопровождается тремором, потливостью, резкими перепадами давления, бессонницей, тревогой, тошнотой или рвотой, попытка «перетерпеть» или лечить самостоятельно таблетками становится опасным экспериментом. Сочетание алкоголя с сильнодействующими успокоительными, обезболивающими или сомнительными «антипохмельными» легко приводит к нарушению дыхания, провалам в сознании, аритмиям и скрытому развитию предделирия. Домашние средства не учитывают ни электролитные сдвиги, ни состояние печени и сердца, ни уже принятые лекарства. Выездной нарколог «СерпуховТрезвие» в Серпухове выстраивает ситуацию иначе: ещё по телефону врач собирает ключевую информацию — длительность запоя, примерные объёмы и виды алкоголя, наличие гипертонии, ИБС, диабета, заболеваний печени и почек, неврологических проблем, какие препараты уже давали и в каких дозах, были ли судороги или эпизоды дезориентации. На месте проводится объективная диагностика: измерение давления, пульса, сатурации, температуры, оценка тремора, степени обезвоживания, психического состояния, неврологического статуса. Только после этого принимается решение: проводить детокс на дому или сразу рекомендовать стационар. Такой фильтр защищает от грубых ошибок, позволяет точно подобрать схему и не терять драгоценное время, пытаясь «угадать» лечение.
Исследовать вопрос подробнее – [url=https://narkolog-na-dom-serpuhov10.ru/]нарколог на дом в серпухове[/url]
click to investigate https://daodao.cfd
Un complotto che attraversa i secoli sta per essere smascherato. “L’ultimo segreto” porta Robert Langdon al limite delle sue capacità deduttive. Avere il libro in pdf significa poter consultare mappe e riferimenti storici mentre si legge, arricchendo l’esperienza. La trama è avvincente, costruita su basi solide e documentate, ma con quel tocco di fantasia che rende tutto più magico. Non lasciarti scappare l’occasione di vivere un’avventura che ti porterà a dubitare di tutto ciò che ti circonda.
Extra resources https://looksrare.cfd
check over here https://boros.cfd
вертикальный пылесос дайсон купить спб вертикальный пылесос дайсон купить спб .