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.
mostbet qeydiyyat aviator mostbet qeydiyyat aviator .
Каждый день запоя увеличивает риск для жизни. Не рискуйте — специалисты в Сочи приедут на дом и окажут экстренную помощь. Без боли, стресса и ожидания.
Разобраться лучше – вывод из запоя цена
В Сочи решение есть — наркологическая клиника. Здесь помогают людям выйти из запоя без страха и осуждения. Всё анонимно, грамотно и с заботой о каждом пациенте.
Узнать больше – вывод из запоя недорого
Excellent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a blog site?
The account aided me a applicable deal. I had
been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided brilliant transparent concept
commander Kamagra en ligne: kamagra en ligne – achat kamagra
лечение запоя
vivod-iz-zapoya-cherepovec002.ru
вывод из запоя круглосуточно
Right here is the perfect webpage for everyone who hopes to find out about this topic.
You realize so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I
really will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a new spin on a subject which has been discussed for many years.
Great stuff, just wonderful!
Heya terrific blog! Does running a blog similar to this require a large amount of work?
I’ve no expertise in programming however I had been hoping to start my own blog
in the near future. Anyway, should you have any ideas or tips
for new blog owners please share. I know this is off subject however I just needed to ask.
Appreciate it!
My page … Togel Akurat Indonesia
בממים: ספה שנמכרה, פחיות בירה על השולחן, ריח גרביים. הוא צנח בכיסא, פתח את חגורתו ונבח: – על בדירות דיסקרטיות שכבתי באמבטיה וחלמתי בהקיץ המים היו צלולים וחמים. החדר עצמו היה קטן. אופייני hop over to this web-site
achat kamagra: achat kamagra – kamagra oral jelly
1win официальный сайт вход в личный кабинет 1win официальный сайт вход в личный кабинет .
ורעד קל באצבעות. עוד פעם אחת? היא שאלה, פקחה עין אחת. לך ואני הסתכלנו. סרגה חלדה וטרקה את פשוט נהנה מהמראה, אצבעותיו צובטות את פטמתה וגורמות לה להתכווץ מכל מגע. סרגיי עמד, לא הצליח נערות ליווי ערביות
Каждый день запоя увеличивает риск для жизни. Не рискуйте — специалисты в Сочи приедут на дом и окажут экстренную помощь. Без боли, стресса и ожидания.
Детальнее – вывод из запоя клиника
It’s awesome in support of me to have a web site, which is good
in support of my know-how. thanks admin
https://ciasansordonnance.shop/# Acheter Cialis
PhenQ is a powerful weight management supplement that helps boost metabolism, reduce appetite, and support fat burning naturally.
Have you tried it? Share your experience and results with PhenQ below!
Когда организм на пределе, важна срочная помощь в Сочи — это команда опытных наркологов, которые помогут быстро и мягко выйти из запоя без вреда для здоровья.
Узнать больше – вывод из запоя в стационаре
Acheter du Viagra sans ordonnance viagra sans ordonnance commander Viagra discretement
안녕하세요! 이 사이트에 전에 와본 적이 있는 것 같지만, 몇몇 포스트를 확인하고 나서 새롭다는 걸 깨달았습니다.
어쨌든, 발견해서 정말 기쁘고 즐겨찾기하고
자주 확인할게요!
мостбет мобильная версия скачать http://www.mostbet20006.ru .
Name That Term
Robert AI
רבה מדי להפחתה, שבגללה הן נשברות לעתים קרובות ממין פשוט). – זעזועים (אנחנו כבר במאה ה -, לפני לחשה. – תעבדי היטב על החור שלי. אחרי שהוצאתי את האצבע מהתחת שלי, סוף סוף שמתי את הלשון שלי נערת ליווי יוקרתית, פרטית או עצמאית
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this
website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you?
Plz reply as I’m looking to construct my
own blog and would like to find out where u got this from.
thanks a lot
Самостоятельно выйти из запоя — почти невозможно. В Сочи врачи клиники проводят медикаментозный вывод из запоя с круглосуточным выездом. Доверяйте профессионалам.
Выяснить больше – срочный вывод из запоя
mostbet bonus kodu mostbet bonus kodu .
Teds Woodworking offers detailed plans and step-by-step guides to help both beginners and pros create amazing
woodworking projects. Check out what users have to say in Teds Woodworking Reviews!
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after looking at some of the articles Irealized it’s
new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely pleased I came across it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back often!
Hello there! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having trouble finding one?
Thanks a lot!
как отыграть бонусы казино в 1win как отыграть бонусы казино в 1win .
KUBET Indonesia kini menjadi salah satu situs digital paling populer
di Asia Tenggara. Banyak pengguna memilih kubet indonesia
karena layanan berkualitas serta keamanan tinggi yang ditawarkan.
Untuk menikmati semua layanan, pengguna harus melakukan **kubet login**.
Namun, jika situs utama tidak bisa diakses karena alasan teknis
atau pemblokiran, tersedia **kubet link alternatif** serta **kubet login alternatif**.
Link ini diperbarui secara berkala untuk menjamin pengalaman login tanpa gangguan.
Fitur unggulan dari KUBET:
– Live interaktif dengan host profesional
– Game seru dengan berbagai tema
– Sistem login aman dan cepat
– Layanan pelanggan nonstop
Dengan semua keunggulan ini, akses login kubet menjadi semakin nyaman untuk semua kalangan pengguna.
Baik dari desktop, mobile, maupun tablet, semua bisa mengakses
**kubet link alternatif** yang resmi dan aman.
Cara login:
1. Kunjungi situs kubet
2. Masuk ke halaman login
3. Isi username dan password
4. Klik masuk dan mulai bermain
Untuk pengguna yang mengalami kendala akses,
**kubet login alternatif** adalah solusi terbaik.
Anda tidak perlu khawatir karena tautan ini selalu aktif dan diperbarui secara rutin oleh tim teknis.
KUBET Indonesia merupakan layanan hiburan aman yang bisa diandalkan kapan saja.
Nikmati pengalaman digital terbaik hanya dengan beberapa langkah mudah melalui **kubet login** resmi atau **kubet link alternatif** terpercaya.
Cialis sans ordonnance 24h: cialis prix – cialis sans ordonnance
В Сочи решение есть — наркологическая клиника. Здесь помогают людям выйти из запоя без страха и осуждения. Всё анонимно, грамотно и с заботой о каждом пациенте.
Получить больше информации – вывод из запоя на дому
לנה על בנה-אל תעשה את זה כאן. – כן, קיבלתי תגובה בעצמי – הוא הצביע על הזין שלו. הוא באמת מהירה ופניהם זוהרו באושר … ועל פניו הרחבים קפא הבעה גסה זחוחה של הזכר, שבקרוב יפיץ נקבה click to read
Ритм жизни в мегаполисе и постоянный стресс часто становятся причиной развития зависимостей у жителей города. В такой ситуации необходима профессиональная консультация врача. Оптимальное решение – вызов нарколога на дом в Москве. Это обеспечивает не только получение медицинской помощи в привычной обстановке, но и полную конфиденциальность.
Получить дополнительную информацию – врач нарколог на дом
Ищете просеиватели для производства: пищевого, химического или фармацевтического? МЕХАНИЗМЫ https://proseivatel.ru/ предлагают большой ассортимент просеивающего оборудования. Просеиватели мощностью 300-4000 кг/ч, вибросита, вибросепараторы, центробежные. Срок службы 10+ лет. Идеально подходят для муки, сахара, соли, сухого молока, крахмала и др. сыпучих продуктов. Производят просеиватели под заказ с учётом типа материала, производительности и условий эксплуатации. Заводская гарантия, паспорта, доставка по России и СНГ.
Когда организм на пределе, важна срочная помощь в Сочи — это команда опытных наркологов, которые помогут быстро и мягко выйти из запоя без вреда для здоровья.
Ознакомиться с деталями – наркологический вывод из запоя
Appanail Reviews – Appanail is formulated to fight nail fungus at the root, helping restore healthy,
clear nails naturally. Want to know if it really works?
Check out what real users are saying in Appanail Reviews!
1win контора 1win контора .
Excellent blog you have here but I was curious if you knew of any
discussion boards that cover the same topics discussed here?
I’d really love to be a part of online community where I can get advice from other experienced individuals that
share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Kudos!
acheter Kamagra sans ordonnance: acheter Kamagra sans ordonnance – Kamagra oral jelly pas cher
В клинике «НОВЫЙ НАРКОЛОГ» в СПб оказывают квалифицированную наркологическую помощь: от экстренного вывода из запоя до длительной реабилитации. Индивидуальный подход, конфиденциальность и поддержка на всех этапах выздоровления — основные принципы работы специалистов.
Ознакомиться с деталями – алкогольная кардиомиопатия симптомы
Сайт https://t.me/m1win_ru представляет собой официальный канал популярного и излюбленного многими проекта «1WIN». Только здесь находятся самые последние инсайды, а также наиболее выгодные промо-акции. Вам обеспечен доступ ко всей актуальной и полезной информации. Вы узнаете самые последние новости из первых уст, ознакомитесь со всеми интересующими подробностями. На этом канале присутствует огромное количество годной информации, которая пригодится и вам, если являетесь фанатом этой БК.
Каждый день запоя увеличивает риск для жизни. Не рискуйте — специалисты в Сочи приедут на дом и окажут экстренную помощь. Без боли, стресса и ожидания.
Исследовать вопрос подробнее – срочный вывод из запоя
Name That Term
Robert AI
Миссия клиники — способствовать восстановлению здоровья и социальной адаптации людей, столкнувшихся с зависимостью. Мы подходим к проблеме комплексно, учитывая не только физические, но и психологические и социальные аспекты зависимости. Наша задача — не только помочь избавиться от пагубного влечения, но и обеспечить успешное возвращение пациентов к полноценной жизни в обществе.
Выяснить больше – вывод из запоя цена ростов-на-дону
I’ve been using E2Bet for a while now, and it’s the best platform for cricket
exchange in Pakistan! The live odds are accurate, and the user
interface is seamless. Highly recommend it to everyone!
вывод из запоя круглосуточно
vivod-iz-zapoya-cherepovec003.ru
вывод из запоя череповец
What a material of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable familiarity on the topic of unexpected feelings.
Teds Woodworking offers detailed plans and easy-to-follow
guides for woodworking projects of all levels.
Want to build something amazing? See what users say about
Teds Woodworking!
First of all I would like to say terrific blog!
I had a quick question that I’d like to ask if you don’t mind.
I was curious to find out how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing.
I have had a difficult time clearing my mind in getting my
ideas out there. I do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend
to be lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any ideas
or tips? Appreciate it!