Day 94 - I Need a Medic!

Next to Paella Republica is a posterboard
with a lot of cool-looking ones.

July 11th, 2015

Kicking off today, I’m heading to the doctor. It’s convenient enough, I just googled “walk-in clinic Perth” and there was a clinic that allowed me to book an appointment online. The price isn’t really listed, but I figure I’m going to have to go anyway. I'd would rather make sure things are all working as they should before I go to Bali or Beijing. The place is also in a central location, and it’s relatively expedient. I throw the word “relatively” in there because my tolerance for boredom/passing time is olympic level right now, and a half hour wait can feel fairly short.

Just to see the doc, it’s $95 flat. I get in to see him, he orders a urine test and gives me antibiotics. $18 for the antibiotics, and an unseen bill for however much the lab will charge me. Next challenge: figuring out how the health care works. As much as people complain about the Canadian healthcare, I’m missing it right now. 

Stop off at the gym on the way home, work out, clean up, and head to the grocery store. I have to work at 5:30, but it’s a breeze getting around once I’ve figured out the bus system. So nice, so easy. Shimou has complained about having to wait 10 minutes for the train, but not having to wait a half hour to an hour for the bus is nice enough when comparing it to Waterloo.

Someone put this guy behind la Republica

Laden down with groceries, I approached the bus stop to see a man speaking at no one in particular. I’m not certain if he was speaking to me, but I settle one arm’s worth of groceries on the space next to him on the bench. He addresses me directly, but doesn’t entirely make sense. Immediately, I find myself assuming he’s probably schizophrenic as he reminds me of a man I worked with in Canada. His attire is similar, as is his beard. He’s quite friendly; why not make conversation? I ask him where he’s from and if he has any fruit trees there. He doesn’t, which prompts me to explain that most of the fruit trees they have here won’t grow in the area I’m from. I’m jealous that they can grow mangos in their back yards. "Oh really? That's fascinating" he says and means it. He spouts random, pleasant comments to people around the street. He wonders aloud to no one in particular if he, the bus, will be here soon. It just so happens that "he" will be.

We get on, and he makes sure his $2 coin is good enough for a trip. Before leaving the driver, he tells him that he knows him from somewhere, and that they’re very good friends. The man settles next to a guy behind me, but the guy gets spooked and opts to stand instead of sit next to him. He occasionally shouts out “no worries” and other positive things, while another guy at the back of the bus, apparently similar in character, shouts out that this bus goes to X station*. My friend yells back a “thank you,” pausing for a few moments, then repeating “X station…” as if contemplating something profound. At my stop, he wishes me a good day, and offers help. I wish him the same back, and “thank you, but I’m alright!”

As I’ve said, I’m obsessed with 4h Work Week right now, and anything Tim Ferriss. I’ve realized that there are other sources of content that he’s put out there, and have started going through his stuff on Youtube. Interesting stuff; check it out. While listening to one of his talks, I fry up some lamb chops, devouring them before heading off to work.

'Hey' yourself, Mister.
I walk by this nearly everyday.

Work is dead. I find something to do, cleaning menial things, and prepping whatever can be prepped. It seems that they like me, and that is made all the clearer when my fellow new-hire arrives. Their patience for him is thin, and I feel like he’s sort of resenting me because they are treating me better. He tries to tell me what to do, but I’m not really having that because he’s not my superior and I’ve been here enough that I have a feel for how the place operates. We bump into each other, figuratively, a few times, and I try to focus on the work, ignoring whatever tension might be building. I get cut at 8:15.

Walking the half hour home, I listen to Tim Ferriss’ podcast at 1.5x speed, and continue thinking about what direction I should move in. I research some of my ideas, write, and pass out relatively early by my former standards.

*: I can't remember the name of the station