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.
вывод из запоя в стационаре в спб вывод из запоя в стационаре в спб
анонимная наркологическая помощь анонимная наркологическая помощь
Such writing is increasingly rare and worth supporting through attention, and a stop at keenfern extended that supportive attention across more pages, the conscious choice to spend time on sites that produce careful work rather than convenient consumption is itself a small form of patronage and this site is receiving that conscious patronage from me.
tadalafil dosage for erectile dysfunction cheap tadalafil is tadalafil the same as cialis
visite site https://www.houseofnova.nl/sitemap.xml
найти это зеркало vodka bet
check it out dmail usdt
vavada potvrda broja mobitela vavada potvrda broja mobitela
vavada jak działa aviator https://vavada82614.help
my link https://www.houseofnova.nl/
navigate here dmail airdrop
подробнее здесь vodka bet casino
В данной статье рассматриваются проблемы общественного здоровья и социальные факторы, влияющие на него. Мы акцентируем внимание на значении профилактики и осведомленности в защите здоровья на уровне общества. Читатели смогут узнать о новых инициативах и программах, направленных на улучшение здоровья населения.
Смотри, что ещё есть – Частные наркологические клиники в Луганске
how long does cialis stay in your system difference between cialis and viagra cialis for women
Allow me to explain something most septic companies will not: there are two types of people in this life. Those who believe septic systems are simply “subterranean tanks for waste,” and those who’ve had raw sewage erupting into their property at midnight. I learned this distinction the hard way in 2005—standing in mud, shivering in a Washington rainstorm, as my family and I helped a veteran installer fix our family’s failed system. I was 14. My hands were raw. My jeans were ruined. But that moment, something crystallized: This ain’t just manual labor. It’s families’ lives we’re preserving.
This is the ugly truth: most septic companies just pump tanks. They are like temporary salesmen at a demolition convention. But Septic Solutions? These guys are different. It all started back in the beginning of the 2000s when Art and his siblings—just kids hardly tall enough to carry a shovel—aided install their family’s septic system alongside a grizzled pro. Imagine this: three youngsters buried in Pennsylvania clay, learning how soil absorption affects drainage while their friends played Xbox. “We did not just dig holes,” Art explained to me last winter, warm coffee cup in hand. “We understood how ground whispers mysteries. A patch of cattails here? That’s Mother Nature shouting ‘high water table.'”
http://www.zillow.com/profile/septicsolutionsllc
next page https://www.houseofnova.nl/collections/pellets
посетить сайт зеркало водка бет
article https://www.houseofnova.nl
site web dmail price
review dmail depin union partnership
узнать вотка бет
Эта статья освещает различные аспекты освобождения от зависимости и пути к выздоровлению. Мы обсуждаем важность осознания своей проблемы и обращения за помощью. Читатели получат практические советы о том, как преодолевать трудности и строить новую жизнь без зависимости.
Узнайте всю правду – наркологическая клиника в донецке
he has a good point dmail network foundation ltd
Check This Out https://www.houseofnova.nl/sitemap.xml
view publisher site dmail network foundation ltd
bupropion cost without insurance cvs
bupropion cost without insurance cvs
have a peek at this site https://www.houseofnova.nl/collections/others
Эта публикация содержит ценные советы и рекомендации по избавлению от зависимости. Мы обсуждаем различные стратегии, которые могут помочь в процессе выздоровления и важность обращения за помощью. Читатели смогут использовать полученные знания для улучшения своего состояния.
Где почитать поподробнее? – детокс24 луганск
Эта публикация посвящена актуальным вопросам современной медицины и здравоохранения. Мы обсудим новейшие технологии диагностики и лечения, а также их влияние на продолжительность и качество жизни. Читатель найдет здесь информацию о научных исследованиях и перспективных разработках, доступно изложенную для широкой аудитории.
Детальнее – снятие ломки
Эта публикация содержит ценные советы и рекомендации по избавлению от зависимости. Мы обсуждаем различные стратегии, которые могут помочь в процессе выздоровления и важность обращения за помощью. Читатели смогут использовать полученные знания для улучшения своего состояния.
Кликни и узнай всё! – детокс24
кодирование от алкоголизма кодирование от алкоголизма
можно проверить ЗДЕСЬ vodka bet casino
Skipped the comments to avoid spoilers and came back later to find them genuinely worth reading, and a stop at numenoat extended that surprised respect, when the discussion below a post matches the quality of the post itself you have found something special and this site appears to attract that kind of audience.
useful source https://www.houseofnova.nl/collections/liquid-rcs
Смотреть здесь vodkabet
В этой статье мы рассматриваем разные способы борьбы с алкогольной зависимостью. Обсуждаются методы лечения, программы реабилитации и советы для поддержки близких. Читатели получат информацию о том, как преодолеть зависимость и добиться успешного выздоровления.
Лучшее решение — прямо здесь – капельниц от запоя в Луганске
Honestly enjoyed every minute spent here, that is not something I say lightly, and a look at trendlyo confirmed I will be back, the bar for spending time online is high for me these days but this site clears it without effort which is high praise indeed from this reader who is usually rather demanding.
click reference https://www.houseofnova.nl/collections/others
Reading this triggered a small change in how I think about the topic going forward, and a stop at mavlizo reinforced that subtle shift, the rare content that actually moves my thinking rather than just confirming or filling it is the kind I most value and this site is providing that kind of impact today.
Decent post that improved my afternoon a small amount, and a look at xenoframe added a bit more to that, sometimes the small wins online add up over time and a useful site like this one is the kind of place that contributes consistently to those small wins for me lately across many different topics I follow.
вывести из запоя в стационаре санкт петербург вывести из запоя в стационаре санкт петербург
в этом разделе вотка бет
check my source dmail token
A genuinely unexpected highlight of my reading week, and a look at navqiro extended that pattern, the surprise of finding excellent content rather than the predictable mediocre is one of the few real pleasures of casual web browsing and this site delivered that surprise cleanly today which I really do appreciate.
Decided after reading this that I would check this site weekly going forward, and a stop at stylevilo reinforced that commitment, deciding to add a site to a regular rotation requires meeting a quality bar that very few places clear and this one cleared it cleanly without any noticeable effort or marketing push behind it.
official website https://www.houseofnova.nl/collections/pellets
Easy to recommend, the content speaks for itself without needing additional praise from me, and a stop at purplemilk only adds more reasons to send people this way, the kind of generous resource that benefits its readers without demanding anything in return is increasingly rare and worth recognising clearly today across the broader open internet.
Now appreciating that the post did not require me to agree with the writer to find it valuable, and a look at narrowmotor maintained the same useful regardless of agreement quality, content that informs even when it does not convince is content with broader utility and this site reads as useful even when I disagree.
лечение наркомании на дому лечение наркомании на дому
Reading this triggered a small but real correction in something I had assumed, and a stop at queenmshop extended that corrective effect, content that updates my beliefs through evidence rather than rhetoric is content with intellectual integrity and this site has earned that label consistently across the pieces I have read so far today.