#for like 45 minutes until I tired myself out and mellowed out

[sluttyspiderkinnie]

Holy shit, not to make things about me just trying to offer my input, but I HAVE ALSO BEEN TRIGGERED BY THE WAY KORVO INTERACTS WITH TERRY. So you are definitely not alone!! I didn't wanna say anything because I was afraid I was exaggerating and being unfair, but reading people say that he's right to yell made me have Bad Times too... I think I appreciate your effort to see their relationship in an unbiased way, even if it hurts a little, I personally can't do it, I kinda hate Korvo. But anyway, don't worry. It really hurts to be reminded of past trauma, I know you're doing your best, and you're a lovely person.

Having feelings wouldn't make you any less of a qualified clinician, if anything, being able to empathize with the people you'll work with will be a strength. You're human, of course you'll have feelings, and issues and illnesses, but they don't discredit your abilities. You can do this, you've done this before. You're not alone!

aaaaaaa *oprah voice* you’re valid and I’m valid and we’re all valid!!!!!!

I’ve ice dived six times so I’ve calmed down a lot enough that I’m not currently splitting so I can respond more levelheadedly. I think a lot of the things Korvo is mad/frustrated about are valid but it’s the way he communicates them that’s really hostile and inappropriate. lol last week my roommate who I have never once bothered when he did something to upset or irritate me screamed at me bc of his inability to effectively communicate things and I cried and panicked so hard I puked. And then I started cleaning the apartment even harder!! He gave me a shitty non apology days later and I called him out and stood up for myself but using dbt effective communication skills and was very level. And I realized that once again I had set the pattern that I’d just go with what someone wanted and they could basically dominate with little to no regard over what I wanted or my feelings because 1. I didn’t want conflict and 2. It was someone I liked. This is what Terry does. I hate seeing Terry do this stuff because like, yeah I know it’s wrong and hurts me when I do it but seeing anything and anyone I love doing that is so much more painful. I want him to please fucking stop because I’ve also talked about how I don’t think Korvo can read cues so unclear communication is gonna go right over his damn head. But I also think Korvo’s being (or at least trying to be) better about communicating and genuinely trying and I hope we get to see more of that progress. I love Korvo even if I don’t always like him (which is true for like.....literally everybody media or irl ppl in my life) and part of my love language is holding people/aliens I love accountable for when they behave inappropriately.

It took me a very long time to even be able to think this way, I can totally say a year ago I would’ve just villainized Korvo because coping w PTSD and trauma and I know that. So I get where you’re coming from and where it sounds like mentally you’re at and understand. I also understand if your opinions don’t change because everyone is entitled to their opinions and I also get that if you’ve been triggered and been through trauma it is a whole different thing.

Fr tho you are so kind and sweet to say the nice things you did to me to validate me abt me being a clinician and I appreciate it and you so so so much. I hope this ask wasn’t too rambly 🥺💗

[twdbegins]

A Little R&R

__

Simon x Fem. Reader

Warnings: Some sexual references.

Word Count: 2,110

“Mmhm, well, you’re gonna see a noticeable change if you keep that up.”

__

Nobody has ever said that being a doctor is easy work. As a matter of fact, being in any job in medical field is probably one of the most demanding jobs there can possibly be. However, you had gone through a lot of school to become a doctor and while it was hard work, it was rewarding work. Nothing filled you with more joy than helping others. It was something that made you super passionate. It reminded you that, despite the fall, there’s still good in the world. 

With that being said, there were still times when the workload did sometimes get to be a bit much. At least before, when you were in a legit hospital, you had nurses and other doctors to provide their hands-on help. Now, it was pretty much just you. If you were lucky, Simon or another savior might be able to offer some minimal help, but in an overall sense, you were on your own. Another challenge refers to the more sanitary side of things. Since you weren’t in a hospital, the infirmary wasn’t as sterilized as you wanted it to be. You cleaned the infirmary from ceiling to floor every single day and as often as you could. You always deep cleaned your tools and sterilized them, but at the end of the day there was no way for everything to be completely clean. 

The worst part of it, though, was the fact that you had every single solitary patient. Obviously, if you’re the only doctor, then everyone is going to come to you. Some days you would have one person come in and some days you would have 40 people come in. It just varied from day to day. Your absolute least favorite day was check-up day. After you had been at the Sanctuary for about a year (and Negan realized you were there to stay) he found it necessary for every savior to have an annual checkup. Everyone. On the same day. 

The first year you had to do it was absolute hell. Everyone showed up at random times during the day and there was no order whatsoever. However, the next year, you put a system in order. Every savior would have to come at a specific time, starting with the highest in command to the lowest (this was per Negan’s request). So, Negan always went first, Simon next, and so on and so forth. You usually averaged about one savior every fifteen minutes. Which doesn’t sound that bad, but considering there’s an average of about 150 to 200 saviors, it makes out to be a long day of work. 

It was checkup day, November 11th to be exact. You had made sure to hydrate plenty the day before and get a good night of sleep, because you were not taking any breaks to try and get this over with quicker. Sure enough, you heard Negan’s familiar voice in the doorway at 6:00 A.M. sharp;

“Well, good morning, doc!” He chirped. 

You gave a smile;

“Negan.” You said acknowledging his presence.

Negan always went first because he was indeed highest in command. He also liked to just get it over with so he could still get a useful day of work. He knew the drill. He stripped off his signature leather jacket, setting it on the chair in the corner with his beloved Lucille. He had this rather unsettling smirk on his face. As much as you respected him as a leader, he could be quite disrespectful to you. Not in a “I don’t respect your feelings kind of way”, but he was known as a ladies man (his multiples wives as evidence to that). It didn’t at all offend or bother him to have a woman put her hands on him, in a professional way or not. He sat on the table as you began his checkup exam. He stayed silent for a little while, but you knew it wouldn’t last. As you were listening to his lungs and overall breathing, he spoke;

“You know, if you really want to see how I can handle myself, you can close that door and I’ll just show you.” He prided. 

You hushed him, waving a hand in front of his face. You couldn’t properly hear what you were listening for if he was talking. You stayed quiet as you finished listening to his lungs before you answered. You hung the stethoscope around your neck as you tested his reflexes.

“Now, that’s not a very professional thing to say to your doctor is it?” You said grabbing the reflex hammer off of the counter. 

He shrugged;

“I mean, doctor-patient confidentially, right? Or does that not apply anymore?” He asked. 

“No, it does...depending on who you are,” You said truthfully. 

You tested Negan’s reflexes on his knees, noting that his response was a little slow;

“Reflexes are delayed,” You said taking the back of his hand and checking for dehydration. Nada. “Did you drink last night?”

He nodded as you wrote it down on his chart. He was healthy as a horse. 

“Well, other than the reflexes, you’re good to go,” You said truthfully. 

Negan smiled;

“Sweet,” He said getting off of the table and retrieving his jacket and weapon of choice. 

“Will you send Simon in, please?” You asked.

Negan zipped his jacket;

“As long as you two promise to behave in here.” Negan said approaching the doorway and motioning for Simon who was right outside. 

Simon walked in, Negan giving him a slight glare as he left. Simon raised a brow and looked at you;

“What was that about?” He asked. 

You rolled your eyes;

“Turned him down. Again.” You said referring to his advances. 

That wasn’t at all an uncommon occurrence. Negan was always trying to pick you up and had even thrown a marriage proposal your way before. All to which you denied and continue to deny every time. It was kind of a running joke between you and Simon now;

“Shocker,” He said pulling you to him, “Mornin’, baby.” 

You gave him a quick kiss;

“Hi.” You replied. 

He sat on the exam table, eager to get this over with. He hated going to the doctor, although he was willing to make an exception. You checked his eyes and ears first, both in perfect condition. You checked his lungs and breathing next, as you had done with Negan.

“Take off your shirt, please.” You asked. 

He smirked as he lifted it over his head;

“Yes ma’am.” He set his shirt aside and winced at the cold metal of the stethoscope against his back. 

His hands were on yours hips, rubbing in circles as you listened to his breathing and heart beat. His heart rate was a little elevated, but that was most likely from the fact that he was raking you over. You were asking just some general questions (all of which you knew the answer to) along the way. You had your hands at his neck, feeling for any swollen or tender lymph nodes;

“Have you had skin irritation or any noticeable changes to your body lately?” You asked as you felt his neck gently, his skin sensitive to the feel of your touch.

He groaned;

“Mmhm, well, you’re gonna see a noticeable change if you keep that up.” He said. 

You pulled your hands away and tried not to laugh;

“Sorry. I’m almost done.” You said reaching for a tongue depressor.

“What time do you think you’ll be done?” He asked curiously.

You shrugged and gave a questionable look; 

“Late for sure. Open wide,” You instructed, “Maybe midnight?” 

You checked his throat for any signs of inflamed tonsils or strep throat as he attempted to speak a response that was just muffled;

“Huh?” You asked taking the depressor away. 

“I said to come to my room when you do get off. I’ll be up.” He repeated.

You nodded, jotting the final notes on his chart;

“You don’t have to wait up for me.” You kindly said.

“Sure, I do. I want to.” He retorted.

You smiled, and sighed contently when you finished his examination;

“Well, my love, you are in perfectly good health.”

He laughed at your monotonous tone and slipped his shirt back on, before standing back up;

“Do you have any breaks today?” He asked.

“Nope. Straight shot from start to finish.” You replied.

He nodded with a slight grimace. He hated seeing you work yourself too hard. But you wouldn’t do it any other way. He kissed you again before leaving;

“I’ll see you tonight. Don’t work too hard.”

__

The day went by horribly slow. Person after person came through. You repeated the same tests over and over until you felt like you’d freaking pass out. Finally, low and behold, you examined the very last savior at around 12:15 AM. Basically 18 hours of straight work with no breaks. Honestly, it should’ve been longer than that, but some exams didn’t take as long as others. You were exhausted and drained. You cleaned the infirmary as usual, used the shower, and finally were lights out at 12:45. You locked up and straggled to Simon’s room, which felt like miles away. You walked into his room and, sure enough, he was awake and waiting for you. 

You looked tired, to say the least. He offered a comforting smile;

“Hey. All done?” He asked. 

“All done.” You affirmed. 

Your legs and feet had never hurt so bad in your entire life. You quite literally collapsed onto the bed, letting out a sigh of relief that you felt in your soul. He sat on the end of the bed as you just took a moment to mellow out. Your feet were a horrible shade of dark pink, borderline red from the heavy blood flow from being on your feet all day.

“126. 126 saviors came through. That’s a personal record.” You said with a laugh.

Simon shook his head in disbelief;

“I don’t know how you do it. Anybody that you think will kick the bucket this year?” He asked slightly joking but also not. 

You scoffed;

“From a physical health standpoint, no. Mentally though, that new guy Derek might be in for it if he doesn’t change his attitude,” You stated honestly. 

“Oh, yeah. The tall redheaded guy, right? I think Richie got into a tussle with him a few weeks ago.” Simon said recalling the big fight that went down. 

You hummed in affirmation as you watched him trace circles on your leg lazily with his index finger. You groaned and rubbed your face;

“My feet hurt so bad. I feel like I’ve been standing and walking all day.” You growled. 

Simon got up from the bed and laughed;

“That’s because you have,” He grabbed a bottle off of the dresser and sat back down. You suddenly felt a cold presence and rubbing sensation on your leg. You looked down and let out a groan of relief upon realizing Simon was rubbing your legs and feet;

“You are an absolute angel, you know that?”

He smirked;

“I do my best.” 

His hands worked wonders on your aching lower limbs and appendages. You raised a brow;

“Where did you get lotion from?” You asked examining the dark red, label-less bottle. 

His hand gently gripped and slid down from your knee to your ankle;

“I have my ways,” He grinned; “I thought you outta know that by now.”

“You’re still full of surprises. I never know what tricks you have up your sleeve.” You laughed heartily. 

He still grinned;

“Yeah, well, I gotta keep it interesting,” He joked, “No, but I found this last week. I’ve just been meaning to give it to you.” 

The lotion’s scent was so good and so calming. You definitely could’ve fallen asleep right where you were.

“At least I know I’ll sleep good tonight.” You stated. 

“Speaking of, I think it’s time to call it a night.” He said rubbing the last bit of lotion in and returning the bottle to the dresser.

You groaned and rolled over to your side of the bed with him quickly sliding into his side. You rested yourself against his side, immediately feeling like you were about to fall asleep. Before you drifted off, however, he softly said a few last words for the night;

“You really do keep this place running,” He said kissing your head, “I love you. And I’m really proud of you and everything that you do.”

You looked up at him sleepily, kissing him softly before falling asleep in the arms of the best thing that’s ever happened to you.

[tinkeringwithcannabis]

Tinkering with Cannabis: The First 90 Minutes Episode 66

Product: Strawberry Cough Flower

Company: Root 90

Dispensary: Sira Naturals

Location: Somerville, Ma

Cannabis Connoisseur: Devlin

Website: www.siranaturals.org

Hello again to all my cannabis loving and canna-curious friends and welcome back for another episode of The First 90 Minutes! Today we will be toking and talking about the awesome strain from Root 90, which I picked up from my friend Devlin at Sira Naturals in Somerville, Ma; Strawberry Cough! The top three terpenes in this strain are myrcene, pinene, and caryophyllene. It is these three terpenes which gives Strawberry Cough it’s happy, euphoric, uplifted, energetic, and relaxed experience. Myrcene, which’s found in mangos, is described as a musky, earthy, and herbal terpene, has been found to have significant effects on the brain as it reduces the resistance a cross the blood to brain barrier, allowing an increase in the ability for for blood and other chemicals to enter the brain faster and at a higher level, therefore maximizing the interaction with the brain’s CB1 receptors. This in turn Provides the consumer with a more intense level of psychoactive effects. It has also been found beneficial as a analgesics, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, antibiotic, and sedative.

Pinene, which is found in pine, balsamic resin, and some citrus fruits, has been found extremely beneficial in many ways as well. It has proven to be an effective anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator, expectorant, and anti-septic, as well as it improves focus. Last caryophyllene, which is known for its peppery, spicy, and/or woody scent and flavor profiles, has been found in basil, cloves, and cinnamon, so name a few sources. This terpene has been found beneficial as an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, helps with the GI tract, and has potential as a treatment for cancer patients. Ultimately, it is with these three terpenes that patients have found significant relief from stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue. As we taper off of our background portion of this strain, and prepare to launch into our testing portion of this segment, I would like to note that the potential negatives of this product are dry mouth, dry eyes, dizziness, paranoia, and headache. Ok, let’s prepare ourselves for our testing portion of this segment. Let’s light up, sit back, and relax as we toke and talk and about the First 90 Minutes!

I will be medicating a little more heavily than normal today as I am trying to combat extreme depressive symptoms related to my Bipolar disorder. I am having trouble getting motivated and I feel really painfully low. I am hoping that this strain will help relieve some of my bodily pain and physical and mental depression, allowing me to focus better and not feel so tired and on edge. Starting this medication session off with four hits from a bong, at 12:05 p.m. The flavor is earthy with sort of a spicy, berry aftertaste. The scent is earthy and lightly sweet. At 12:15 p.m., my entire body feels so relaxed and my physical depressive pain has decreased quite a bit. Mentally, my anxiety and stress has started to decrease, leaving me in somewhat of a floaty mindset that is moving in a positive direction. My focus is not great right now, but I’m enjoying some light socialization despite this.

At 12:35 p.m., I am so mellow and happy. My body is completely relaxed and my pain is gone. My anxiety has dissipated, and I am starting to feel more functional. My focus is improving, and I can follow talking and TV a little better now. I am not experiencing any negatives. At 1:05 p.m., the happiness continues leaving me feeling somewhat euphoric. I no longer feel as social, and am finding my focus is more on positive clips of funny videos. I am having a slight increase in bodily anxiety, as some of the relaxation seems to have been replaced with minor twinges of muscular rigidity in my shoulders and neck.

Rounding the corner to our 90-minute mark at 1:35 p.m., my mind still has a slight fog, but I feel really good. They physical anxiety stopped, and although I’m not fully relaxed, I am relaxed to the point where most of my body feels more comfortable. Mentally, I feel happier with less mental anxiety, depression, and stress. This is a great strain for just chillin out on a lazy day at home. Before this session, I did not want to be around anyone, and now I have been enjoying some social time which is also helping to keep my depression away. No new negatives.

The effects of this strain lasted until 1:54 p.m., which gave me close to 2 hours of relief. I found Strawberry Cough to be a great option for getting myself past the limitations imposed by the anxiety, depression, and stress I experience during a severe depressive low. I enjoyed the energy boost, and it was great that I did not experience any couch lock despite taking four his from my bong. I want to note that normally, I would not medicate with four hit, I generally use one or two hits for my medication sessions. Today I needed a heavier dose to deal with my symptoms, And I knew this because I have used this strain previously and was aware of the strength and how it would react with my body chemistry prior to this testing session. I always, I would recommend taking one to two hits, waiting at least 45 minutes to see how it effects you, and then taking more if needed. I found this to be a top notch strain, and the relief I experienced coupled with the longevity of the effects has led me to give this strain 5 stars! Sira and Root 90, another great product for the books, keep up the amazing work!

If you are a patient, or adult above the age of 21 in Massachusetts, check out the following link for where you can purchase this product:

https://www.siranaturals.org/where-to-buy-cannabis-massachusetts

Well my friends, we have reached the end of this review. Thank you for joining me and stay tuned for more product reviews!

Disclaimer:

*****Please remember, this blog is an account of my personal experience with this product. Not everyone has the same experience with every product and that is okay. I always recommend starting out with one or two hits to see if that is enough , and you can always increase your dose from there.*****

[smallsliceoflife-blog]

Panic Attack

It was about 4:30 in the morning, I woke up drenched in sweat. I’m not sure but I may have had that dream where I was raped again. I can hardly remember my dreams. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t have blacked out that night. I just want to remember exactly what happened, even if it hurts. 

I was awake for the next hour and a half. It was 8:00 AM when I finally crawled out of bed. As soon as my feet touched the ground, the song “When I Die” by Blood Sweat and Tears started ringing through my head. I’m still convinced that it means that I’m going to die sometime very, very soon. The thoughts of suicide have been clouding my brain recently. As I aimlessly wander the streets of Downtown Beaverton, I am constantly contemplating my own mortality. Should I just slit my wrists and end all of this? Or should I stick it out in the off chance that things get better? I don’t want to die just yet, but I don’t really want to live either.

Let it be noted that as I write this, I am on the verge of another panic attack. I really, really sincerely hope that I don’t black out again. It always scares me when I’m not in control of myself or my actions.

I could’ve left the house today. But what for, so I can kill time at the library? That place is getting so boring; it seems as if I spend almost all of my time there recently. Just browsing the DVD section for new movies to watch or new books to read. Or maybe I could’ve gone to grab a bite to eat at Panda Express. I always get the same thing, Beijing Beef and Orange Chicken with a little bit of Chow Mein. Maybe I could’ve gone to the arcade at Fantasy Adult Video. That’s a good way to waste 5 dollars and kill an hour or two. Or perhaps, I could’ve went to that little pagan bookstore and bought a new obsidian stone. Or I could’ve gotten stoned and gone to the park. But it’s too late for that; I have no way to get around town unless I want to walk 45 minutes in the cold to the Max Station. I don’t have the money anyways, so it’s just a lazy day at home.

I don’t feel comfortable being here when it is just me and my stepdad. It’s not just because of the way he treated me when I was a child, although that’s part of it. But he’s just so volatile, totally unpredictable. You never know whether he’s going to be mellow and laid back or if he’s going to snap.  He used to be a lot more violent when I was a kid, now he’s just a sad old man who occasionally screams. He has dementia; he sits around all day reminiscing about the best years of his life that are long gone. Goddamn, I just get so fucking sick and tired of listening to him talk, every time he opens his mouth I want to punch a hole through his face. Even when he isn’t telling me how worthless I am.

I can’t get over what he did to me, those awful things he said about my girlfriend Jenny after she hung herself all of those years ago. The way he victim shamed me after some junkie raped me down in Albany, he said that since I like to suck dick then I am nothing more than a common prostitute and that I brought it on myself. I wish he were dead. I know it sounds awful, but every day I just wake up praying to whichever god is listening that he died in his sleep.

I’m 26 and I live in fear of him, I’m 26 and I live at home with my mom. It’s been tough ever since Destiny broke up with me and kicked me out on my ass. That’s how I got here.  Five long years and she don’t even want to remain friends. I think that’s what hurts the most. It’s not the fact that she turned my life upside down by booting me out. It’s not the fact that I spent 6 months living in a meth-house with a bunch of drug addicts because I couldn’t afford to get better roommates, It’s not the fact that she only gave me a month to find a place even though my name is still on the lease for the old apartment that we shared for the final year of our troubled relationship and legally she had no right to kick me out. It’s not even the fact that her roommate talks all of this shit about me behind my back and she does too.. It’s the fact that she just tossed me aside as if I don’t matter.  And now that I’ve hit rock bottom she can’t be bothered to talk to me and help me out. I need support, emotional support that nobody on this planet except for one person but he’s too busy to talk recently. It’s just as well. I feel lonely; my life has devolved into nothing but an endless string of boring, pointless yet stress filled, days. So that is why I started this blog, to vent my frustrations and anger.  I live in purgatory; my life remains static while everyone else is getting ahead and I don’t know what to do with myself. I’m nearing 30 and I still don’t have my GED but at least I’m working on it. I still don’t have a car, I’m unemployed although I’m looking for work but nobody will hire me. I could get another job as a dishwasher or a busboy. It’s about all that I’m qualified for. As of right now I live on SSI. I have schizophrenia, I often hallucinate. Every time I walk into a room I hear voices belonging to the people around me. Their lips aren’t moving but I can hear them loud and clear. The message they’re sending me is that I’m not welcome anywhere.  

Instead of spending my nights drinking heavily and smoking pot I wish I could just be sober. But why should I? I can barely tolerate the people around me as it is. Hell, I can barely tolerate life and all of the absurdity that it throws my way. But that’s enough whining for today. I’m going to jerk off and watch a movie, maybe go back to sleep, until I feel up to living this sad excuse for a life again.

[eminperu]

But, I Only Cried Once: Settling into expat life

I've now been in Peru for what has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster of a week and a half. I think the saga might be better told and a series of peaks and valleys; it's the feelings, not the timeline, that I'm really trying to capture here. Valley: at the time of our last post, that old friend that loves to linger like a fucking Karen around us twenty-somethings--self-doubt--was just beginning to trap me in the corner of my party. What the hell was I doing here? I haven't had a single moment of my life not essentially planned for me, with clear expectations since birth. Hell, I haven't even not been in a school every September since I was six. I moved to an entirely new city on a new continent without any sort of program or safety net. This matters for several reasons: I have no set way to make friends, no set way to make money, no one looking out for me to ensure that things can't go ALL the way wrong. I am ultimately entirely responsible for myself, and lots of decisions I make come with a healthy dose of good faith and a sprinkle of risk, sometimes with an "oh shit" kicker. Peak: THINGS ARE CHEAAAAAAAP. As we explore more around our neighborhood, I find that the streets are littered with little markets and restaurants. We can easily grab a meal for about 8-10 soles, which comes out to be a bit over $2. Though there isn't a great selection of groceries, it's definitely adequate and we are able to cook fairly healthy and definitely delicious meals pretty cheap. Valley: A few days after arrival, my computer stops charging. Before anyone (everyone) starts lecturing me on 110 vs. 220 voltage and I have to threaten to shove an adapter up your ass: COMPUTERS HAVE BUILT-IN VOLTAGE CONVERTORS. I have only dropped this computer ONCE in it's life and that was from a height of about 1.5 feet. I've made a conscious effort to not destroy this one, guys. I take it to the Mac store and--thank God--find someone who speaks English. However, he uses said English to tell me they'll need my computer for up to 10 business days, and he's not sure what's wrong with it. Ten business days is a lot of days when everything you do depends on a computer. Peak: I walk the four or so miles home from the computer store and get to explore Lima. It feels cathartic. I'm asked directions to the church by a local woman (LOL on so many counts) and am able to communicate with several of the men who work in our condo building. I find a big grocery store that has American facewash for a reasonable price. Vaaaaa-aahhh-aaaaah-ley: Because I am sans computer, Meygan lets me use her iPad. In fact, peak-within-a-valley, Meygs and Mark are so nice and let me use their stuff for everything. I plug it in with a new plug-in I bought here. It charges. I plug it in with that same plug-in but in my room. It stops charging. CRY COUNT MOVES UP TO 1. If everything I touch could stop blowing up that'd be so cool. I have to prepare for an interview with VIP Kid--an online English teaching program--without any sort of electronics available to me. This is when I start really feeling on my own and out of my element. Who let me do this? WHY IS NO ONE WATCHING ME?! Peak: I go to a bar in Barranco (hipster district) for Mundo Lingo, a language exchange party. I meet a new Peruvian best friend--he's an official translator--and he helps me with my Spanish/general knowledge of Lima. After he leaves, I make another Peruvian friend (as well as some German friends) and we go to a really cool bar directly over a pebble beach and drink Piscos. Double Peak: I get passed straight through (no second mock class) to become a VIP Kid teacher! I will now be making American money to teach Chinese kids while in Peru (and in my pjs). This is a big stress relief, as I imagine I'll only have to teach about 10-12 twenty-five minute classes to pay my rent each month. Triple Peak: I send in my resume for a job at an English pub. I am called in for an interview the next day. The interview consists of an incredibly nice Peruvian co-owner telling me the logistics, handing me a tshirt, and telling me to come back at 7pm to start my first shift. I work with a hilarious and hungover British girl, a beautiful and kind Venezuelan girl, the most mellow Brit I've ever met, an incredibly kind kitchen staff of two, and my manager, Jimmy. Jimmy is a typical lad from England, argumentative, complains a lot, and is too kind to successfully kick anyone out of the bar. I like him. It's pretty crowded the first night, but we're arguably overstaffed. I meet an EXUBERANT Chinese-American boy from San Francisco and his friend who has lived here after moving from Georgia (state, not country, I clarified) for 9 years. I get free food at work and just have to mix simple drinks and hand out beers. There is an Australian football game on (WOW, what a sport, scantily clad huge men tackling each other with little shorts and even less rules, highly suggest giving it a watch) and we have some really fun live music. The bar technically closes at 3, but almost everyone is there til four and the band and regulars stay and hang out with the staff until almost 6 am. I'm not too tired, though, because I'm so excited to have found new friends and a cool spot to hang out while making money. Valley: Traffic in Lima is absolutely insane. It takes 45 minutes for me to get to work and 15 minutes for the uber to even arrive. Factor in a large thumping sound and a resulting stop alongside the road and I'm five minutes work for my first day of work. [It definitely doesn't matter, though. I'm day-of hired and no one even knows my last name]. Also, crossing streets is a dangerous game. I generally find people who look like they live here and scamper behind them like a lost duckling. Infrastructure and transportation is not Peru's strong suit. Peak: Not having my computer forced me to actually start writing my book. Well, to be fair, I started writing on my Eurotrip, but I really just focused with character development and all the ideas that were spilling out of me at the cracks with no cohesive storyline. It was going to be a play (it still might be) but now, I think I wrote my first actual chapter of my novel. I guess I don't need to end with pros and cons because my whole post was about them, but I will add: there are SO MANY PARKS HERE. It's awesome. It's also been sunnier than last week, so I'm very into the idea of exploring outside more. Goals: Ride in a tiny can (typo for van, but I'm leaving it because it also applies). Lima has tons of these little tuk-tuk type vans. Some of them even have lights under them at night, and I imagine us getting into a 90s street race when that kinda underglow. Also, buy supplies for my new virtual classroom. Word on the street is that mail is awful here, so this could be a mini-valley. Cry count: 1