Karli Strauss, MD

"When you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe, then you will be successful." Karli Strauss, 26, Surgical Intern, Addict.

[karli-strauss]

→ Another State of Affairs

Hey guys. So after a lot of thinking I decided that I will no longer be roleplaying on the iRP dashboard for a majority of reasons, and I'll probably be moving her to CV, [here], like a lot of you are and have been doing. However I did decide that I wanted to revamp her biography, something that I've been meaning to do for a long time now.

College has been kicking my ass though, which is why I haven't been very active in the first place. That said, I just wanted to say that you all are wonderful and if I was plotting with you I'm sorry to break things off like this! For personal reasons I believe this would be a better choice for me to make. My Skype is iz.mercer if you'd like to add me to keep in touch, but if you do decide to add me please let me know who you are in advance.

You can unfollow this account, it'll most likely be retired later on anyway.

[onthe-pursuit-ofhappines]

[karli-strauss]

.

[karli-strauss]

ten layers → questionnaire

LAYER ONE : THE OUTSIDE

Name: Karli Isabelle Strauss

Eye Color: Blue-ish grey.

Hair Style/Color: Long, dark brown - but lighter in some lighting and in the sun. Karli usually wears it in a ponytail or a bun in and outside of work (though she always leaves her bangs in front of her ears), but there are some times she'll wear it down.

Height: 5’8

Clothing Style: Cardigans, scarfs, jeans, boots or shoes; her style is more artsy then she actually is. 

Best Physical Feature: Eyes.

LAYER TWO: THE INSIDE

Your Fears: entrapment and mystery, uneasy with the idea of not know what will come next, and worse, not being able to get out of it.

Your Guilty Pleasures: Sleeping in when she can, romance movies. Cigarettes, alcohol, adderall.

Your Biggest Pet Peeve: People who leave the cap off of the toothpaste, ignorance, unnecessary movie sequels, people who snap their gum, people who chew with their mouths open.

Your Ambition for the Future: To make it to be a medical attending and radiology fellows.

LAYER THREE: THOUGHTS

Your First Thoughts Waking Up: "Is it really 5 in the morning already?"

What You Think About the Most: Adderall, her brothers, medicine.

What You Think About Before Bed: Everything.

You Think Your Best Quality Is: Compassion, empathy, listening skills.

LAYER FOUR: WHAT’S BETTER?

Single or Group Dates: Single

To be Loved or Respected: Both.

Beauty or Brains: Brains

Dogs or Cats: Dogs, Karli hates cats.

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU?

Lie: Everybody lies.

Believe in Yourself: Most of the time.

Believe in Love: Yes.

Want Someone: Yes.

LAYER SIX: EVER?

Been on Stage: No - she’s naturally afraid of speaking in front of large crowds.

Done Drugs: Yes (adderall addiction)

Changed Who You Were to Fit In: Never.

LAYER SEVEN: FAVORITES

Favorite Color: Maroon.

Favorite Animal: the Hedgehog.

Favorite Movie: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Favorite Game: She doesn't have a favorite, but she's played Xbox and PlayStation with her brothers before.

LAYER EIGHT: AGE

Day Your Next Birthday Will Be: July 10

How Old Will You Be: 27

Age You Lost Your Virginity: 18

Does Age Matter: Depends on the age gap. 

LAYER NINE: IN A BOY OR GIRL

Best Personality: Someone who can make her laugh but could also have their serious moments. Someone more out-going than herself so that it could balance them out. Smart, but not obnoxious about it. 

Best Eye Color: Brown.

Best Hair Color: No preference.

Best thing to do With a Partner: Movie/TV show marathons.Travel. Sleep.

LAYER TEN: FINISH THE SENTENCE [IC]

I love: my brothers, my dog, my job.

I feel: upset.

I hide: everything.

I miss: my father.

I wish: that my brother didn’t have cancer.

[karli-strauss]

Karli || Sophie - Burn Back the Sun

[sophie-anne-lawrence-deactivate]

The day hadn’t been a particularly hard one for Sophie, a lot of meetings and conferences in preparation for the open house they would be hosting that upcoming weekend for potential new students.  It was honestly a lot of hassle over a lot of bullshit.  Parents already knew if they were sending their children to Moremont, the weekend activities were always just to make them feel less guilty about sending their children away during their formidable years.  In truth, it took a lot of patience for Sophie to deal with the organization and fake smiles that everyone plastered on their faces for these open houses.  It just reminded her too much of being shuffled from school to school as an adolescent and generally made her a more grumpy individual than she usually was.  And when she was in the kind of mood she was on, there was only one solution: Ketel One.

It wasn’t too long of a walk from her apartment to her favorite bar, heels giving a satisfying ‘click’ with each step on the pavement.  The night was cool enough for her favorite swing coat, the upturned collar not necessary as there wasn’t any wind but she liked the look so did it anyway.  Just being in the open air rather than cooped up in their meeting room did much to help her spirits, she almost debated not turning into the bar but just continue walking.  In the end, she still ducked in, taking up residence at her favorite spot in the darkest corner.  Sophie loved it because it afforded her a view of most of the bar, let her watch the people that come in and out and stay as inconspicuous as possible.  So as soon as the pretty brunette walked in, she could see the metaphorical weight on her shoulders.

It was interesting watching her drink, the way that she interacted with the bartender, the rate at which she drank down each of her beers.  Even the way she held herself told Sophie quite a bit, and it took a lot of self-restraint not to spend her time just watching the younger woman drink.  As soon as the brunette slipped off the stool she downed the rest of her drink, following her outside out of a need for nicotine and a serious curiosity.  It didn’t take much to bore her and the brunette had piqued her interest, it didn’t even occur to Sophie that it might be considered a little stalkerish to just join the woman outside.  She pulls out a cigarette she had rolled before leaving her place and lights it before offering it to the other woman.  ”So what’s wrong with you?”  The couple of drinks Sophie had drank before coming back outside had whittled her filter down to nothing.  Oh in the back of her brain she knew there was a better way to put the question but she couldn’t quite bring it in her to care, too curious about the other woman’s situation and eager to forget about her own.

[karli-strauss]

Karli wasn't sure how long she'd been standing there, but it wasn't long until she was joined by another voice. A smaller part of her was more relieved that it was another woman and not one of the drunken men that had leered at her earlier inside, but another part of her honestly wanted a few more minutes to herself. Her eyes opened and she looked to the side at the sound of the voice. She was pretty, older than herself but pretty nonetheless. She remembered giving her a brief glance in passing when she'd first arrived at Ketel One, but with such dim lighting her features weren't as defined as they were now.

When the woman offered her a light, Karli felt an instant wave of relief and gratitude - at least now this would save her from walking all the way home or to the convenient store, where there would be no point in coming back. She pushed herself from her place at the wall and propped her abandoned cigarette gently between her teeth, and the cherry blazed when ignited by the small flame. Karli took a pronounced drag, handed back the lighter, and gave the stranger the slightest of smiles. "Thanks," she acknowledged simply, smoke exhaling from the small crease between her lips. The sting against her throat was well welcomed, not entirely foreign but strange even still. She leaned her back against the side of the wall again, one arm crossed over her abdomen - she wanted desperately to call her little brother, having not had the chance to speak with Nick himself yet, and she had to repeatedly tell herself that he was still at the hospital and she wouldn't get the chance even if she'd tried.

"I just," Karli hesitated, her gaze snapping from the older woman to the sidewalk beneath her shoes. She didn't like unloading her burdens onto people, much less anybody that she didn't know, but for some reason she felt that if she held it in for much longer then she might spontaneously implode - and somehow, she truthfully believed that would have been the least of her worries. She flicked the collecting ash from the cigarette with her thumb, gaze lingering on the embers as they gracefully cascaded toward the cement of the sidewalk, before refocusing on the stranger standing beside her. Her mind acted upon it's own accord, however, as the words elicited from her mouth next were not ones she planned on saying. "Nevermind. It just hasn't been a good day and I doubt you'd really want to hear me complain about my problems. It's nothing, really, but thank you." So it was clear even a couple beers in her system couldn't pull down even a single brick from the wall she'd carefully constructed for herself and her emotions some time ago after her father's death. Karli had a nasty habit, among many others, of keeping things that bothered her to herself - perhaps only because she was too busy and too used to putting the well being of others before her own.

Her expression was blank and unwavering, difficult to read. If she was being honest with herself, she wasn't entirely sure if it was from the shock of the news earlier, or because she was emotionally numb. This would have been the fourth person cancer would have taken from her and in the back of her mind she found herself wondering who would be next - Owen had already been tested, so it was a relief she didn't have him to worry about. She chewed at the inside of her cheek thoughtfully, bringing the cigarette halfway to her lips before she halted, "I'm Karli, by the way."

[karli-strauss]

Visit Original Link

[islaharrison]

You know, i don’t even blame you. I would have been pissed. Like, you get this animal? You better take care of it. I know, tell me about it. Aw, wow, I’m sorry. Do you want to talk about it? Or we can go out for drinks later. If I’m feeling completely shitty, getting drunk usually helps. Well, until the next day. God, I’m sorry. I’m probably not helping at all, am I? Hey! Do you like cupcakes? Because, Karls, I make a mean batch of cupcakes. And it’s been okay. Not much to say about it, really.

[karli-strauss]

You know, it's rare that I drink at all, but I'd probably be more willing to talk about it over a couple drinks, so I think that I'll just have to take you up on that offer. Sometimes the killer hangovers the next morning are well worth the trouble though, and lucky for you I happen to know some quicker ways to get rid of them. Oh, I actually love cupcakes. It's almost like you read my mind - but seriously, you don't have to go through all that trouble for me.

[islaharrison]

Yeah, it’s disgusting if you ask me. And the laws on animal cruelty are so ridiculously terrible that it never even helps when they get caught for it. I just hate even talking about it because if I were ever to be a murderer, I swear to god Karli, it would be towards people that hurt animals. But I’m sorry for being a Debbie Downer; how are you today? Anything exciting happen?

[karli-strauss]

Oh, don't worry, I'm right there with you. One of my little brothers "forgot" to feed his hamster for three days and I nearly threw him out of the house. A lot of laws are ridiculous even outside of animal cruelty - it's appalling how it all works if you ask me. I'm not too sure how I am to be honest, and if by 'exciting' you mean upper GI endoscopies, then yeah, a lot of exciting things happened today. How about you, Isla? Hopefully today has been kinder and more exciting for you than it has been for me.

[islaharrison]

I cannot stand people that neglect their pets. Like, if you’re not going to care for them properly, then why even bother spending the money to get one? It seriously makes me sick to my stomach. 

[karli-strauss]

It's things like that, that make me lose all hope in humanity. I never understood how someone could have the audacity to neglect something so helpless without a care in the world. Some people shouldn't even be allowed to have pets.

[jstroup-deactivated20160928]

[karli-strauss]

Karli || Open - Burn Back the Sun

There were only three things that gave Karli a solid reason to pick up her pack of cigarettes and go to a bar, of all places - 1. Stress. 2. when something's wrong, and 3. when she knows she's in deep shit.

Luckily for her however, it was not the latter.

Karli had been looking forward to her day off all weekend, having been overwhelmed at work with several more emergency room transmissions than normal and a sudden bout of surgeries her resident allowed her to scrub in on, and had been in the middle of reading one of her recently purchased and highly anticipated books when Owen had called. She hadn't hesitated in picking up the phone, having not talked to her brother in quite some time (mostly due to work, and the fact that he was just in the prime of his college career), and she was just about to tell him about the shard of glass the size of her finger that she extracted from someone's face last night when he had interrupted her with the news. She was certain that the very moment the words left his mouth the air left her lungs because this was exactly the type of thing that she did not want to hear. Their baby brother, Nick, had tested positive for Stage III Melanoma just like their father had and was to start treatment straight away at Bismarck's local hospital.

Of course, upon hearing the news, the doctor side of her took immediate effect, analyzing every nook and cranny of her brain. The survival rates, which treatment would be when, the side effects - everything - and the older sister in her found herself both angry and horrifically upset that cancer had managed to threaten to take another person that she cared about, and wondering just how much all of this would cost, because she knew damn well her mother wouldn't pay a dime. Owen had insisted she'd changed and was regularly attending a 12-Step Alcoholic Anonymous group but Karli cut him off and she herself insisted that Nick was transferred to Baltimore immediately for the best possible care, because she was sure she couldn't fit time into her schedule to fly all the way out to North Dakota for regular visits. He'd said he would discuss it with Nick and get back to her later.

And so while she waited, Karli grabbed her purse and her jacket and headed for the bar a couple blocks away. She'd rarely ever drank, especially with such a bad history with everything alcohol and the fact that she had to watch how much she actually drank because of the adderall dosage she was taking, but at the moment it seemed like a necessary trip to take. So two beers later and she found herself outside, the filter of a cigarette between her teeth, searching her belongings for her lighter - and, of course, having no such luck.

"Dammit," she swore, a muffled exhale of frustration upon the realization that she must have left her lighter on her work desk back at her apartment - where it usually lay idle, collecting dust. It wasn't routine to take it anywhere anymore, but she figured her head must have been elsewhere if she'd grabbed her pack of cigarettes and completely forgot all about it. Karli removed the cigarette from her lips and let it settle between her two fingers. She leaned her back against the brick wall of the bar and with an exasperated sigh she closed her eyes. There was several options available to fix her dilemma; she could have just gone back to her apartment several blocks away, or she could go to the convenient store a little ways down the street and spend a couple bucks on a new one that would just end up sitting next to the old the minute she got home. She resisted the urge to slide to the ground. Today was just not her day.

[karli-strauss]

[karli-strauss]

→ Regarding Charleston

I just thought I'd hop on the bandwagon of ooc posts and say what I'll be doing. I'll be keeping Karli here in Annapolis, more so for personal reasons than anything else, but I do wish everyone who is moving to Charleston the best of luck! <3 I'm sure it'll turn out to be great. I feel bad for not going because I feel guilty over everything but I think it's best and less confusing for me to just keep Karli here. Sometime in the future I may apply with another character I had in mind, for the new RP, but I'll see!

So, if you're moving to Charleston I'll most likely be unfollowing you.

That said, if anybody who is staying would like to plot (because Karli needs some interactions tbh), then please let me know! I'm open for anything.

[warrenwd40peace]

Breaking in a New Mentality [[Karli & Warren]]

[warrenwd40peace]

The slight curl of her lips made him happier, the teasing tone even more so. He wasn’t sure he could actually call her a friend, they’d yet to meet anywhere that wasn’t hospital visit related, but he enjoyed her company while he had it. It was a sad fact that these were his preferred friendships, the light banter, the friendly smiles, and then back home until he was forced to leave his small apartment again. It was easy, sufficient, and he didn’t have to worry about having to answer too many questions about his history. Questions lead to more questions, the human spark of curiosity almost impossible to extinguish once you gave it tidbits to consume. He did like her though, she was interesting to watch as she worked, the sure gestures and professionally friendly smile that seemed to be warmer than most of the ones he’d seen through his life.

"Well it depends on how you do it. Don’t think I’d’ve minded if it had been done with a bit of tact." Grumbling as he fought the instinctive urge to pull his head away, he watched her face as she cleaned the wound before moving to start in on stitches.Truth be told he kind of liked the odd sensation of stitches, the way it itched, it was different. "If you think I’m goin’ to twitch while you got a needle so close to my eye, you’re crazy."

Her face was paler than he remembered, a bit more haggard, but he still felt more comfortable with her doing the stitchwork than doing it by himself. He could, given an empty bathroom and lighting that didn’t flicker, do it himself, but the work would be sloppy. Fifteen shots of Jack Daniel’s and a few mixed drinks still had his blood pulsing lightly with warmth, and he wouldn’t have put it past himself to accidentally stab himself in the eye. So he’d hit the ER and hoped she was around, the other staff was alright, but he much preferred Karli’s sass, the fact she could take his gruff teasing for what it was and not “accidentally” hurt him because she grew annoyed.

Taking in the way her pulse was beating against the skin of her wrist, he couldn’t help flicking his eyebrow upwards before hurriedly letting it drop with a rueful twist to his lips. If he didn’t know any better, and he was pretty sure he’d hit the nail on the head, she was tired, no exhausted. Skimming the tip of his tongue along his lower lip to play with the split, he smirked a bit before taking hold of her wrist.

"You ain’t too tired for this are you? ‘Cause I’d be just as good puttin’ a bit of glue in there and holding it shut, if you are. You’re pretty, but at the moment you look a bit shitty."

[karli-strauss]

Sutures were basic medical ABC's at this point for Karli. She had been assigned them so many times during her internship thus far that she held such a confidence in her abilities to be able to do it with her eyes closed. There wasn't a spec of skepticism that she could do her job even now, as exhausted as she was - but there was always a risk. There could be a moment that her state could cloud her judgement, that her hands would start to shake; in which case would be entirely unacceptable. And it wasn't until those chances ran through her mind that she realized that she was such an idiot. This addiction and the pathetic need that came a few hours without it, had spiraled too much out of control since the first month of medical school and if it didn't end soon Karli was left wondering if she'd still have a job or if she'd even make it to her second year of residency, where she could truly practice medicine on her own.

There was of course, the fact that she was at least able to admit that she had a problem. It had become so much a part of her life however that going hours without it in her system left her worrying that when she fell asleep she would never wake up. Karli had studied medicine long enough to know the side affects of adderall withdrawal as well as she knew the palm of her hand; anxiety, depression, change in heart rhythm, extreme fatigue. It's only been a few hours and she was already feeling half of them, and if that wasn't sad then she didn't know what was.

"Just being precautious," she responded, and despite her distracted thoughts the grin was on her face even still, "you can never be sure. Too many people involuntarily twitch with facial injuries, it's not an uncommon reaction." Karli kept her hands as steady as possible as she worked with the needle, prodding the material through the laceration to close it. She could feel the strain to not pull away, and she mentally prided him for resisting; not many patients did. But then again, this was Warren, Mr. Tough-As-Nails. She did not need to look to know that he was staring at her - she could feel his eyes on her face, and he always stared when she was working. Karli didn't feel it was as uncomfortable as it might have been, but that was maybe just because she was used to it.

Warren's eyebrow raised, for whatever reason, and the scold (something along the lines of "I told you so") was just at the tip of her tongue before she was silenced by his words.

And then there it was. What she was hoping wasn't noticeable, especially in his state, apparently was. His fingers gripped her wrist and in an instant Karli stopped what she was doing - if not just by force, but with the risk of mistake. Her eyes flickered to the much larger hand enclosed around her wrist, then back to Warren's face. The last time a patient got grabby like that she'd had half a mind to bring her knee up to a place where the sun didn't shine, and though she knew in these circumstances the action was entirely different, she couldn't help but feel a tad bit uncomfortable. She cleared her throat, one eyebrow quirking. "You're quite the sweet-talker, aren't you?" There was a sarcastic undertone in her voice that was made clear, but there was also one of slight amusement. "I'm completely capable of doing a couple stitches, I'm just a little tired. And if you think I'm letting you do something so unsanitary to yourself then you're the crazy one."

[karli-strauss]

fall

Karli holds a certain resentment for this time of year - for October 23rd marks the anniversary of her father’s death. Though it’s been nearly ten years since she’d last seen him alive, the death of a parent isn’t something one will ever get over, especially since she was once so close to him. Regardless, Karli finds the Fall weather the most pleasant (albeit she had grown up in one of the coldest cities and gradually learned to adore the winter more so than anything else), and she loves the change of color in the leaves and being able to wear heavier clothing.

[karli-strauss]

Saving lives.

If there’s anything that’s more exhilarating than holding someone’s life in your hands, Karli would very much like to know.

As an intern, Karli had scrubbed in on only a select few of surgeries, but had done her share in the emergency room when required. To be able to save someone’s life, to, as they say, play “God,” is perhaps one of the most exciting things she has ever experienced, as well as the most satisfying. That rush of adrenaline (though admittedly, most of that is amplified by the adderall), the responsibility, that feeling you get when you send a previously traumatic patient home and tell a worried family member good news: this is why Karli began to study medicine. Of course there comes the fact that you can’t save everyone, and it’s those times where she is at her worst. In short, she just wants to take care of people, because that is exactly what she couldn’t do with her father.

[karli-strauss]

how does karli act when she's sick?

Karli’s immune system has always been terrible - she’s often more sick than she is healthy, especially during the winter and the spring. And during those times when she is ill, she reacts like any other person would, but with her own little stubborn twist. She’ll put it off until the world spins and she could no longer stand on her feet without toppling over, because she has “more important priorities.” After admitting defeat however, Karli spends the rest of her illness cooped up in her bedroom like a miserable teenager.