Warm Day in the Park

[Aurora]

Finally, the weather was warming up and the sun would be warm on the skin. The cut of her top showing off the scarification on her shoulder blades.

She could stay inside and train, or she could head outside and enjoy the weather. Going outside won out, and she found herself in one of the city parks.

It wasn’t crowded, only a few joggers and people with their dogs. So she found a quiet spot under a tree, with a good view of the park. Spread out a blanket and set to stretching. But her stretches weren’t normal stretches, they included various contortion positions, held for a few minutes each time. A peaceful smile on her face she felt her back and muscles awakening with each pose. But the ease of each transition was that of a well trained professional. The tension releasing and calm coming over her.

[Kaze]

Kaze is jogging through, actually looking like he's warming down with a leisurly pace from what must have been a pretty strenuous hill trail run given the amount of perspiration pouring off him! He's wearing a tank top and shorts and running trail shoes.

Seeing Aurora he debates a second whether it would be rude to interrupt, and then decides it would probably be alright to join her for some stretches to complete his after work out warm down.

"Oh hey! Mind if I join you? I need to cool down and stretch." Kaze says by way of cheerful greeting!

[Aurora]

Smiling as she saw Kaze, a foot, resting on top of her head, lifted and waved, “Hey!” she replies untangling herself and sitting up. “Not at all, have a seat.” Motioning to the blanket.

Grabbing a bottle of water, she offers it to him, before grabbing an energy drink for herself, “Stretching is great! It’s like all your muscles and bones align as they should.” Or that could just be her. If she missed a day of stretching, she was in pain for day.

“How you doing? Enjoying the amazing weather?”

[Kaze]

Kaze smiles and accepts the bottle of water. "Thanks." He says, taking a sip and then setting it down. He does some typical 'vanilla' post-run stretches of his hamstrings, glutes and periformis, chest and quads. Nothing he does looks particularly impressive, but his form is good and perfectly functional.

"That's really interesting." Kaze says. "It sounds a little like chiropractic care or Tai Chi or acupuncture."

He sits on the blanket the edge of the blanket and is quiet for a minute, apparently taking in the day. "It is pretty awesome." He agrees. "I really like it here, in Sacramento I mean. I've been thinking, instead of doing the whole formal medical thing, maybe get certified as an EMT sure, but really focus on alternative medicine--I already have some experience from learning Kung Fu--and maybe, some day, set up a little clinic in the neighborhood, maybe a martial arts studio combo."

Kaze looks over at Aurora, "I guess I feel like I'd rather be part of a neighborhood than be on call city wide for emergencies. I'd like to know the people I am taking care of." He says. "I am thinking maybe that's what our Company Work Groups are really about, staking out a little area and doing good really focused on that one area. Maybe I could do something like that without having to be part of a group, or without needing the other people in a group to stay in town or stay together."

[Aurora]

Taking a drink from the energy drink, she puts the cover back on and stretches as well. For her, it was sitting in a split and reaching forward until her face and chest were on the ground. Arms stretched in front. It was actually quite comfortable, well, for her.

“I don’t perform anymore, but if I don’t stretch every day, it causes pain. So for about three, sometimes, four, hours a day, I do these stretches. But there is no denying how amazing it makes the back feel!” maybe you had to be a contortionist to understand that.

Feet come together as she places her weight on her forearms, raising her legs above her head, then stretching them over her head and onto the ground. Yah, that was the stretch.

But she was clearly still listening to Kaze, her eyes on him. “Oh? Had you thought about leaving?” she asks, curious. “EMT?” one leg reaches toward the sky, then switches with the other, “That’s a great idea! I could totally see you doing that!” the alternative medicine thing gets left alone. It wasn’t her thing. “A clinic? With what, more traditional healing type things?” that’s what they called the witch doctors right? Traditional?

Legs stretch back, as she brings herself into a sitting position, “I could see the benefits of either. But it sounds like you think you’d do the most good with your own clinic. Which is great.” Always good to have. “There are benefits to being part of a group. I miss it sometimes, but I now think I might be better suited to be on my own.” A thoughtful look. Phoenyx and Campys words were still fresh in her mind. But so was what happened. No one wants to be in a Cabal with a murderer, “Not sure yet though, a lot has changed.” A lot. “Though doing it on your own means if someone leaves, it doesn’t mess up what you’ve been doing.”

[Kaze]

Kaze nods, smiles as Aurora talks about her performing days and her remaining dedication to serious stretching and its benefits. He grins as she skips lightly over any comment on the alternate medicines he had compared it to. No worries. People have faith in what works for them. You never know until you try something, and then, when you try something and it works, that can change your whole perspective.

"I think I would do the most good if I was happy with what I was doing, and I think I would be happy being part of the community, seeing the same people every week." Kaze says thoughtfully. "I am originally from Los Angeles, so yeah, I think about going back sometimes. I don't really know a lot of people down there anymore though."

"I am kind of thinking I should plan on doing it on my own." He admits, "Even though I do like being part of a team." He looks at Aurora, "What kind of thing would you want to get going if you did something on your own here?" He wonders.

Kaze sighs, "Honestly, I am just still figuring out how much I don't know about the Company rules and policies, though. Like, I know there's a big emphasis on work groups. I think I read somewhere that if you go it alone and get a place all set up, and a work group decides they need it, they can just move in and take it for their own. Do you know if that's right? I am not sure if I read that right." He asks Aurora as if assuming she knows the policies by heart or even had a hand in writing them.

[Aurora]

An eager nod, “Oh for certain! I think there’s a saying about doing what you love or something.” What the saying was exactly? She didn’t know. “But you should get into a field you love, something that keeps you going.” Then you won’t end up like her, looking for that thing.

“Being part of a team is great. Always someone there if you need them.” The apartment isn’t as quiet as tomb. “Plus it’s nice to have someone tell you when you’re being stupid.” She might be a Master of Life, but she still had dumb moments. “Think that’s why I’m having a hard time moving back to my apartment, it’s been nice knowing someone else is around.” Was never an issue before, maybe she was just maturing?

She looked thoughtful as she took a sip of her drink, “I don’t remember that rule to be honest. But then again, I did change departments and haven’t really looked over the rules in detail in some time. So maybe I missed something. If it is a thing, I’ve never seen it in practice. Seems like there would have to be some oversight by HR about it. I can look into it if you like? But I think the groups around here are friendly enough that fair terms could be reached.” A shrug.

“How’s everything else going?” she asks, “I remember you mentioning struggling with some of the rules. Have you been working on them?”

[Kaze]

Kaze smiles at Aurora's encouraging words and her own thoughts about possible reluctance to move out on her own. He nods at her talking about 'the rules' about 'work groups'.

"I probably have that wrong, but...yeah, thank you, if it's convenient some time, I would feel a lot better about putting in the work, if you were sure it wouldn't become, like community property." Kaze says thoughtfully. "I was in a department and in a work group of people all in the same department, and it all kind of fell apart. Honestly, I don't know if there even are any intact work groups now. At least since I've been here, they all seem kind of temporary."

He drinks from the water bottle for a moment when Aurora asks about his own issues with the rules. "I still have a lot to learn, but I think I am finally getting the hang of my basic problems with how to comply with the NDA policy." Kaze sighs. "It's not really that hard; I just have to pay attention."

[Aurora]

A shrug as she got back to stretching, “I could be wrong too, it has been known to happen.” She jokes with a smile. Laying on her stomach, she pushes herself up and then reaches back to her feet, holding her legs for a few moments. “And no worries about it be convenient or anything, if it’s something in the manual for work, and I don’t remember it, then I need to review it.” Only made sense. Especially for a former Ladder. Releasing her grip, she sits up, “I’ve been in a few groups like that. It sucks, because you invest time into it, and all the work, and then, *poof*. But, it seems to be how life is sometimes.” Sucks, but, what could you do? “It’s part of the reason I’m thinking of going on my own this time. Only depend on myself working and all that.” would it be lonely? Yeah. Maybe it was easier that way. Cause her love life really sucked as well.

“Well, you know you have a problem with it, so you’re aware. Meaning you’re probably paying attention to what you want to say. As I see it, that’s a good thing.” Grabbing her energy drink and taking a sip, “I always thought of it like this really super cool secret, and no one else was allowed to know.” Which was, in a sense, the truth. “But if it will help, I can call you when I’m out somewhere busy and full of people, keep you working on it.” And if it failed, well, that would suck.
Cause then she got herself involved.

“That aside, how’s everything else?”

[Kaze]

Kaze smiles and looks impressed at Aurora's humility in admitting that she doesn't know everything about the charter off the top of her head!


He listens quietly and attentively interested as she shares a little of her perspective on going it alone, too.




"Thanks!" Kaze says at her encouragement about his problem with discretion.


When she asks how 'everything else' is going, Kaze gets a goofy grin, "You know, it's funny. I mean, I have really learned a lot since I got here, and a lot of how I learned came from things that sucked, honestly, but...I'm figuring out, the key is to be me." He says.


"I mean, my 'problems'," Kaze deploys actual finger-air quotes, "are really 'opportunities', if I choose to see it that way." He says. "They're all connected, because they all have to do with who I am, and the key, I'm figuring out, is for me to stop trying to fix my problems by fixing myself--basically trying to change who I am--and start looking at just doing things differently by figuring myself out, and looking for ways to work with what is a natural fit."


Kaze sighs. "Okay, sorry that might not make any sense. If I'm not boring you already, let me give you an example: I am basically just an extrovert, the kind of guy that tells people his life story and hugs people." He says. "I wasn't in touch with that--probably because I thought there was something wrong with that--and I thought I had to 'fix' that by making myself into an introvert who was totally content to keep everything to myself." He explains. "And then that kept not working, because it's just not me. I felt bad and ashamed that I couldn't do it, but really I just needed to change my approach."


Kaze smiles, "Now, I basically don't worry about trying not to be friendly or trying not to talk too much, but I try to pay attention to how I say things and what I really want to say without sharing a bunch of details I don't need to anyway. I can still be myself, basically a friendly, hopeful, optimistic guy; just when I talk about work, I don't need to go into detail and really, I don't need to talk about work much to connect with people anyway." He explains.


"So, long story short, I have definitely been going through some rough times, all of my own making, but I am seeing how every time whatever is going on can be a good thing, and opportunity, and that's actually been working out for me, I think." Kaze says with a smile.