Despite Perforations

[minoanmiss]

A good day.

My original title was going to be rather more frightening, ahaha.

"Blood for Paperwork"

Today's first errand was to go to Occupational Health, on the side of Assembly Sq that is difficult to walk to/around, for evaluation. I peed in a cup (ugh) and had a TB test implanted (perforation #1) and was given the option to hunt down and turn in my childhood immunization record or to do a blood test for my titers. I chose the latter. Hunting down paperwork is more enervating than bleeding.

The phlebotomist was 1) skillful (I hardly felt it) and 2) had awesome skin art, so we talked about that. I love asking people about their tattoos. (Perforation #2)

Also, people were pleased I gave their kids stickers, which was nice. Sometimes people are suspicious and I can't blame them, really. A random woman gallivanting around distributing stickers is unexpected to say the least.

My next Lyft driver was adorable and funny and an anti-vaxxer. *sigh* I tried to gently talk about the science of vaccination and about death vs statistics, while weaving in some swipes at Big Pharma for common ground. Anyway we drifted from that to Boston traffic, espeially when a SUV nearly hit us, fun fun.

The HR lady had told me to bring my passport to HR, but had not emailed me where to go. I found out when I got to the hospital that she had wanted me to go to a different place, which I could not have reached a half hour after my OH anyway. So I will have to go in Monday. whee.

I stopped to grab some food and the cashier was so honestly cheerful and cheering that I gave her stickers. And there was a young man with beautiful monochromatic tattoos which he told me he got in jail. I told him it was amazing that he came out of such a horrible situation carrying such beauty, and wished him well, and he smiled at me like a blessing. I hope he goes good places.

On the bus was a young woman who had walked out of Bridgerton, with perfect spiral curls handing around her perfectly rounded cheeks and a blue empire waist dress that glowed like the sky against her glowing warm brown skin. It always amazes me how beautiful so many people are.

ANyway, after some traipsing around I made it to the Watertown Farmer's Market, talked to a delightful lady about bunnies, gave her daughter stickers, found the one seller selling fruit, and made the BLESSED discovery that the neighboring library has a water fountain which includes a bottle filling station, hooray!

Now I'm home in the A/C after awesome chats with both roommates, and aside of worrying about the fact that I'm going to have to make 4 hours of energy laast for 8, I'm doing okay.

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

Accomplishment unlocked!

[amaebi]

WTG!

[kore]

And there was a young man with beautiful monochromatic tattoos which he told me he got in jail. I told him it was amazing that he came out of such a horrible situation carrying such beauty, and wished him well, and he smiled at me like a blessing.

I love this. You are really amazing.

[magid]

Congrats on doing All the Things and chatting with folks as well!

I think you made the right choice on gettinng titers checked; I had that done recently, and discovered that of the 3, one was definitely no longer there, one might be, and the other was just dandy. (Um, this is also a good reminder to myself that I have to schedule thhe follow-up shot, given this info.)

[just_ann_now]

You are a blessing!

[acelightning73]

There are some extremely talented artists, musicians, and poets in prisons. And I agree that our "officials" ought to offer people in prison opportunities to educate themselves in how to use their talents to get off the streets. Johnny Cash used to brag about how he'd been in prison (arrested for possession of amphetamines), and he sang "Folsom Prison Blues" to an audience of inmates at Folsom Prison itself.

I know a young man who lives in Woodstock, NY, who writes incredible shamanic poetry. He supported himself by prostitution, and he's HIV positive but under excellent care. And he once became emotional in the course of a large group ritual, and I helped him leave the room and find a quiet place to calm down. And everybody told me how brave I was to do this, and to hug him! (My son was a volunteer in a hospital when he was in high school, and his main task was to hug the AIDS babies, because babies need physical contact to survive. My son and I and I both knew that hugging an HIV positive person isn't dangerous - just don't exchange fluids. And it's always good to be kind to people.

[acelightning73]

There are a lot of people in prison who are very talented artists, musicians, and poets. Johnny Cash used to brag about how he'd been in prison (he was arrested for possession of a controlled substance - amphetamine pills) and he sang 'Folsom Prison Blues' to an audience of inmates at Folsom Prison itself. And I know a young man who lives in Woodstock, NY, who writes beautiful shamanic poetry. He supported himself on the street by prostitution, and he's HIV positive, but getting very good care. He once became emotionally overloaded during a large public rital, and I helped him leave and find a quite place to calm down, and I hugged him and helped him chant and calm himself until he could rejoin the ritual. And everybody told me how brave I was to do this. Well, I know that hugging an HIV positive person is perfectly safe. When my son was in high school, he worked as a hospital volunteer (a boy "Candy Striper") and his main job was to hug the AIDS babies, because babies need skin contact to thrive. The other volunteers were too afraid .

Some prison tattoos have specific meanings - a teardrop near the outer corner of the eye indicates that the wearer is in prison for having murdered somebody. Anybody who wears one of the special tattoos without having earned it will probably have a lot of trouble.

[lavendertook]

What a great day you made of it and brought back great stories to tell us! *hugs*

[minoanmiss]

blushes I mean, I don't alwys manage it. yesterday I basically sat in a/c and then in no a/c and I wasn't very talkative. But I try to be a net good. hugs you