diff --git a/foursquare/__init__.py b/foursquare/__init__.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f7a4617
--- /dev/null
+++ b/foursquare/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
+from typing import List, Dict, NamedTuple, Union, Any, Tuple, Set
+from itertools import chain
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+
+# TODO pytz for timezone???
+
+from kython import safe_get
+
+# TODO actually i'm parsing FSQ in my gmaps thing
+_BPATH = Path('/L/backups/4sq')
+
+def get_logger():
+    import logging
+    return logging.getLogger("fsq-provider")
+
+
+class Checkin:
+    def __init__(self, j) -> None:
+        self.j = j
+
+    @property
+    def summary(self) -> str:
+        return "checked into " + safe_get(self.j, 'venue', 'name', default="NO_NAME") + " " + self.j.get('shout', "") # TODO should should be bold...
+    # TODO maybe return htmlish? if not html, interpret as string
+
+    @property
+    def dt(self) -> datetime:
+        created = self.j['createdAt']  # this is local time
+        offset = self.j['timeZoneOffset']
+        tz = timezone(timedelta(minutes=offset))
+        # a bit meh, but seems to work..
+        # TODO localize??
+        return datetime.fromtimestamp(created, tz=tz)
+
+    @property
+    def cid(self) -> str:
+        return self.j['id']
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return repr(self.j)
+
+
+class Place:
+    def __init__(self, j) -> None:
+        self.j = j
+
+
+# TODO ugh. I'm not backing up lists, apparently...
+# def test_places():
+#     raise RuntimeError()
+
+
+
+def get_raw(fname=None):
+    if fname is None:
+        fname = max(_BPATH.glob('*.json'))
+    j = json.loads(Path(fname).read_text())
+    assert isinstance(j, list)
+
+    for chunk in j:
+        del chunk['meta']
+        del chunk['notifications']
+    assert chunk.keys() == {'response'}
+    assert chunk['response'].keys() == {'checkins'}
+
+    return chain.from_iterable(x['response']['checkins']['items'] for x in j)
+
+
+# TODO not sure how to make it generic..
+def get_checkins(*args, **kwargs):
+    everything = get_raw(*args, **kwargs)
+    checkins = sorted([Checkin(i) for i in everything], key=lambda c: c.dt)
+    return checkins
+
+
+# TODO do I need this??
+def get_cid_map(bfile: str):
+    raw = get_raw(bfile)
+    return {i['id']: i for i in raw}
+
+
+def test_checkins():
+    checkins = get_checkins()
+    assert len(checkins) > 100
+    assert any('Victoria Park' in c.summary for c in checkins)
+    # TODO cid_map??
+
+
+def main():
+    print(get_checkins())
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()