diff --git a/env.test b/env.test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1691a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/env.test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+if [ "$(ps aux | grep '[p]ubsub-emulator')" = "" ]; then
+    echo "starting pubsub emulator"
+    yes | gcloud beta emulators pubsub start >/dev/null 2>&1 &
+fi
+$(gcloud beta emulators pubsub env-init)
diff --git a/mdb/mdb.go b/mdb/mdb.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b85b1fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mdb/mdb.go
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+// Package mdb contains a number of database wrappers for databases I commonly
+// use
+package mdb
diff --git a/mdb/ps.go b/mdb/ps.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8235521
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mdb/ps.go
@@ -0,0 +1,380 @@
+package mdb
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"cloud.google.com/go/pubsub"
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mcfg"
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mlog"
+	oldctx "golang.org/x/net/context"
+	"google.golang.org/api/option"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
+)
+
+func isErrAlreadyExists(err error) bool {
+	if err == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	s, ok := status.FromError(err)
+	return ok && s.Code() == codes.AlreadyExists
+}
+
+// Message aliases the type in the official driver
+type Message = pubsub.Message
+
+// PubSub holds onto the info needed to communicate with PubSub and wraps a
+// *pubsub.Client
+type PubSub struct {
+	proj, credFile string
+	*pubsub.Client
+}
+
+// NewPubSub initializes and returns PubSub instance for the given projectID and
+// using the credentials file (if given)
+func NewPubSub(ctx context.Context, projectID, credFile string) (*PubSub, error) {
+	ps := &PubSub{
+		proj:     projectID,
+		credFile: credFile,
+	}
+	var err error
+	ps.Client, err = pubsub.NewClient(ctx, ps.proj, ps.clientOpts()...)
+	return ps, err
+}
+
+// CfgPubSub configures and returns a PubSub instance which will be usable once
+// Run is called on the passed in Cfg instance
+//
+// defaultProject is optional and can be given to indcate the default gce
+// project id for the configuration parameter which is created.
+func CfgPubSub(cfg *mcfg.Cfg, defaultProject string) *PubSub {
+	cfg = cfg.Child("pubsub")
+	proj := cfg.ParamString("project", defaultProject, "name of the project in gce")
+	credFile := cfg.ParamString("cred-file", "", "path to pubsub credientials json file, if any")
+
+	var ps PubSub
+	cfg.Start.Then(func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		ps.proj = *proj
+		ps.credFile = *credFile
+		mlog.Info("connecting to pubsub", &ps)
+		psInner, err := NewPubSub(ctx, *proj, *credFile)
+		if err != nil {
+			return mlog.ErrWithKV(err, &ps)
+		}
+		ps = *psInner
+		return nil
+	})
+	return &ps
+}
+
+func (ps *PubSub) clientOpts() []option.ClientOption {
+	var opts []option.ClientOption
+	//opts := []option.ClientOption{
+	//	option.WithGRPCConnectionPool(ps.NumConns),
+	//}
+	if ps.credFile != "" {
+		opts = append(opts, option.WithCredentialsFile(ps.credFile))
+	}
+	return opts
+}
+
+// KV implements the mlog.KVer interface
+func (ps *PubSub) KV() mlog.KV {
+	return mlog.KV{
+		"psProj": ps.proj,
+	}
+}
+
+// Topic provides methods around a particular topic in PubSub
+type Topic struct {
+	ps    *PubSub
+	topic *pubsub.Topic
+	name  string
+}
+
+// Topic returns, after potentially creating, a topic of the given name
+func (ps *PubSub) Topic(ctx context.Context, name string, create bool) (*Topic, error) {
+	var t *pubsub.Topic
+	var err error
+	if create {
+		t, err = ps.Client.CreateTopic(ctx, name)
+		if isErrAlreadyExists(err) {
+			t = ps.Client.Topic(name)
+		} else if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	} else {
+		t = ps.Client.Topic(name)
+		if exists, err := t.Exists(ctx); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+			return nil, err
+		} else if !exists {
+			return nil, mlog.ErrWithKV(errors.New("topic dne"), ps.KV().Set("topicName", name))
+		}
+	}
+	return &Topic{
+		ps:    ps,
+		topic: t,
+		name:  name,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// KV implements the mlog.KVer interface
+func (t *Topic) KV() mlog.KV {
+	kv := t.ps.KV()
+	kv["topicName"] = t.name
+	return kv
+}
+
+// Publish publishes a message with the given data as its body to the Topic
+func (t *Topic) Publish(ctx context.Context, data []byte) error {
+	_, err := t.topic.Publish(ctx, &Message{Data: data}).Get(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return mlog.ErrWithKV(err, t)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Subscription provides methods around a subscription to a topic in PubSub
+type Subscription struct {
+	topic *Topic
+	sub   *pubsub.Subscription
+	name  string
+
+	// only used in tests to trigger batch processing
+	batchTestTrigger chan bool
+}
+
+// Subscription returns a Subscription instance, after potentially creating it,
+// for the Topic
+func (t *Topic) Subscription(ctx context.Context, name string, create bool) (*Subscription, error) {
+	name = t.name + "_" + name
+	var s *pubsub.Subscription
+	var err error
+	if create {
+		s, err = t.ps.CreateSubscription(ctx, name, pubsub.SubscriptionConfig{
+			Topic: t.topic,
+		})
+		if isErrAlreadyExists(err) {
+			s = t.ps.Subscription(name)
+		} else if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	} else {
+		s = t.ps.Subscription(name)
+		if exists, err := s.Exists(ctx); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		} else if !exists {
+			return nil, mlog.ErrWithKV(errors.New("sub dne"), t.KV().Set("subName", name))
+		}
+	}
+	return &Subscription{
+		topic: t,
+		sub:   s,
+		name:  name,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// KV implements the mlog.KVer interface
+func (s *Subscription) KV() mlog.KV {
+	kv := s.topic.KV()
+	kv["subName"] = s.name
+	return kv
+}
+
+// ConsumerFunc is a function which messages being consumed will be passed. The
+// returned boolean and returned error are independent. If the bool is false the
+// message will be returned to the queue for retrying later. If an error is
+// returned it will be logged.
+//
+// The Context will be canceled once the deadline has been reached (as set when
+// Consume is called).
+type ConsumerFunc func(context.Context, *Message) (bool, error)
+
+// ConsumerOpts are options which effect the behavior of a Consume method call
+type ConsumerOpts struct {
+	// Default 30s. The timeout each message has to complete before its context
+	// is cancelled and the server re-publishes it
+	Timeout time.Duration
+
+	// Default 1. Number of concurrent messages to consume at a time
+	Concurrent int
+
+	// TODO DisableBatchAutoTrigger
+	// Currently there is no auto-trigger behavior, batches only get processed
+	// on a dumb ticker. This is necessary for the way I plan to have the
+	// datastore writing, but it's not the expected behavior of a batch getting
+	// triggered everytime <Concurrent> messages come in.
+}
+
+func (co ConsumerOpts) withDefaults() ConsumerOpts {
+	if co.Timeout == 0 {
+		co.Timeout = 30 * time.Second
+	}
+	if co.Concurrent == 0 {
+		co.Concurrent = 1
+	}
+	return co
+}
+
+// Consume uses the given ConsumerFunc and ConsumerOpts to process messages off
+// the Subscription
+func (s *Subscription) Consume(ctx context.Context, fn ConsumerFunc, opts ConsumerOpts) {
+	opts = opts.withDefaults()
+	s.sub.ReceiveSettings.MaxExtension = opts.Timeout
+	s.sub.ReceiveSettings.MaxOutstandingMessages = opts.Concurrent
+
+	octx := oldctx.Context(ctx)
+	for {
+		err := s.sub.Receive(octx, func(octx oldctx.Context, msg *Message) {
+			innerCtx, cancel := oldctx.WithTimeout(octx, opts.Timeout)
+			defer cancel()
+
+			ok, err := fn(context.Context(innerCtx), msg)
+			if err != nil {
+				mlog.Warn("error consuming pubsub message", s, mlog.ErrKV(err))
+			}
+
+			if ok {
+				msg.Ack()
+			} else {
+				msg.Nack()
+			}
+		})
+		if octx.Err() == context.Canceled || err == nil {
+			return
+		} else if err != nil {
+			mlog.Warn("error consuming from pubsub", s, mlog.ErrKV(err))
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// BatchConsumerFunc is similar to ConsumerFunc, except it takes in a batch of
+// multiple messages at once. If the boolean returned will apply to every
+// message in the batch.
+type BatchConsumerFunc func(context.Context, []*Message) (bool, error)
+
+// BatchGroupFunc is an optional param to BatchConsume which allows for grouping
+// messages into separate groups. Each message received is attempted to be
+// placed in a group. Grouping is done by calling this function with the
+// received message and a random message from a group, and if this function
+// returns true then the received message is placed into that group. If this
+// returns false for all groups then a new group is created.
+//
+// This function should be a pure function.
+type BatchGroupFunc func(a, b *Message) bool
+
+// BatchConsume is like Consume, except it groups incoming messages together,
+// allowing them to be processed in batches instead of individually.
+//
+// BatchConsume first collects messages internally for half the
+// ConsumerOpts.Timeout value. Once that time has passed it will group all
+// messages based on the BatchGroupFunc (if nil then all collected messages form
+// one big group). The BatchConsumerFunc is called for each group, with the
+// context passed in having a timeout of ConsumerOpts.Timeout/2.
+//
+// The ConsumerOpts.Concurrent value determines the maximum number of messages
+// collected during the first section of the process (before BatchConsumerFn is
+// called).
+func (s *Subscription) BatchConsume(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	fn BatchConsumerFunc, gfn BatchGroupFunc,
+	opts ConsumerOpts,
+) {
+	opts = opts.withDefaults()
+
+	type promise struct {
+		msg   *Message
+		retCh chan bool // must be buffered by one
+	}
+
+	var groups [][]promise
+	var groupsL sync.Mutex
+
+	groupProm := func(prom promise) {
+		groupsL.Lock()
+		defer groupsL.Unlock()
+		for i := range groups {
+			if gfn == nil || gfn(groups[i][0].msg, prom.msg) {
+				groups[i] = append(groups[i], prom)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		groups = append(groups, []promise{prom})
+	}
+
+	wg := new(sync.WaitGroup)
+	defer wg.Wait()
+
+	processGroups := func() {
+		groupsL.Lock()
+		thisGroups := groups
+		groups = nil
+		groupsL.Unlock()
+
+		// we do a waitgroup chain so as to properly handle the cancel
+		// function. We hold wg (by adding one) until all routines spawned
+		// here have finished, and once they have release wg and cancel
+		thisCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, opts.Timeout/2)
+		thisWG := new(sync.WaitGroup)
+		thisWG.Add(1)
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			thisWG.Wait()
+			cancel()
+			wg.Done()
+		}()
+
+		for i := range thisGroups {
+			thisGroup := thisGroups[i]
+			thisWG.Add(1)
+			go func() {
+				defer thisWG.Done()
+				msgs := make([]*Message, len(thisGroup))
+				for i := range thisGroup {
+					msgs[i] = thisGroup[i].msg
+				}
+				ret, err := fn(thisCtx, msgs)
+				if err != nil {
+					mlog.Warn("error consuming pubsub batch messages", s, mlog.ErrKV(err))
+				}
+				for i := range thisGroup {
+					thisGroup[i].retCh <- ret // retCh is buffered
+				}
+			}()
+		}
+		thisWG.Done()
+	}
+
+	wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		tick := time.NewTicker(opts.Timeout / 2)
+		defer tick.Stop()
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-tick.C:
+				processGroups()
+			case <-s.batchTestTrigger:
+				processGroups()
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	s.Consume(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, msg *Message) (bool, error) {
+		retCh := make(chan bool, 1)
+		groupProm(promise{msg: msg, retCh: retCh})
+		select {
+		case ret := <-retCh:
+			return ret, nil
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return false, errors.New("reading from batch grouping process timed out")
+		}
+	}, opts)
+
+}
diff --git a/mdb/ps_test.go b/mdb/ps_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32ac8c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mdb/ps_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+package mdb
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	. "testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mcfg"
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mtest"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+var testPS *PubSub
+
+func init() {
+	cfg := mcfg.New()
+	testPS = CfgPubSub(cfg, "test")
+	cfg.TestRun()
+}
+
+// this requires the pubsub emulator to be running
+func TestPubSub(t *T) {
+	topicName := "testTopic_" + mtest.RandHex(8)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// Topic shouldn't exist yet
+	_, err := testPS.Topic(ctx, topicName, false)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+
+	// ...so create it
+	topic, err := testPS.Topic(ctx, topicName, true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Create a subscription and consumer
+	sub, err := topic.Subscription(ctx, "testSub", true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	msgCh := make(chan *Message)
+	go sub.Consume(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, m *Message) (bool, error) {
+		msgCh <- m
+		return true, nil
+	}, ConsumerOpts{})
+	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second) // give consumer time to actually start
+
+	// publish a message and make sure it gets consumed
+	assert.NoError(t, topic.Publish(ctx, []byte("foo")))
+	msg := <-msgCh
+	assert.Equal(t, []byte("foo"), msg.Data)
+}
+
+func TestBatchPubSub(t *T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	topicName := "testBatchTopic_" + mtest.RandHex(8)
+	topic, err := testPS.Topic(ctx, topicName, true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	readBatch := func(ch chan []*Message) map[byte]int {
+		select {
+		case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
+			assert.Fail(t, "waited too long to read batch")
+			return nil
+		case mm := <-ch:
+			ret := map[byte]int{}
+			for _, m := range mm {
+				ret[m.Data[0]]++
+			}
+			return ret
+		}
+	}
+
+	// we use the same sub across the next two sections to ensure that cleanup
+	// also works
+	sub, err := topic.Subscription(ctx, "testSub", true)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	sub.batchTestTrigger = make(chan bool)
+
+	{ // no grouping
+		// Create a subscription and consumer
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+		ch := make(chan []*Message)
+		go func() {
+			sub.BatchConsume(ctx,
+				func(ctx context.Context, mm []*Message) (bool, error) {
+					ch <- mm
+					return true, nil
+				},
+				nil,
+				ConsumerOpts{Concurrent: 5},
+			)
+			close(ch)
+		}()
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second) // give consumer time to actually start
+
+		exp := map[byte]int{}
+		for i := byte(0); i <= 9; i++ {
+			require.NoError(t, topic.Publish(ctx, []byte{i}))
+			exp[i] = 1
+		}
+
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
+		sub.batchTestTrigger <- true
+		gotA := readBatch(ch)
+		assert.Len(t, gotA, 5)
+
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
+		sub.batchTestTrigger <- true
+		gotB := readBatch(ch)
+		assert.Len(t, gotB, 5)
+
+		for i, c := range gotB {
+			gotA[i] += c
+		}
+		assert.Equal(t, exp, gotA)
+
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second) // give time to ack before cancelling
+		cancel()
+		<-ch
+	}
+
+	{ // with grouping
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+		ch := make(chan []*Message)
+		go func() {
+			sub.BatchConsume(ctx,
+				func(ctx context.Context, mm []*Message) (bool, error) {
+					ch <- mm
+					return true, nil
+				},
+				func(a, b *Message) bool { return a.Data[0]%2 == b.Data[0]%2 },
+				ConsumerOpts{Concurrent: 10},
+			)
+			close(ch)
+		}()
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second) // give consumer time to actually start
+
+		exp := map[byte]int{}
+		for i := byte(0); i <= 9; i++ {
+			require.NoError(t, topic.Publish(ctx, []byte{i}))
+			exp[i] = 1
+		}
+
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
+		sub.batchTestTrigger <- true
+		gotA := readBatch(ch)
+		assert.Len(t, gotA, 5)
+		gotB := readBatch(ch)
+		assert.Len(t, gotB, 5)
+
+		assertGotGrouped := func(got map[byte]int) {
+			prev := byte(255)
+			for i := range got {
+				if prev != 255 {
+					assert.Equal(t, prev%2, i%2)
+				}
+				prev = i
+			}
+		}
+
+		assertGotGrouped(gotA)
+		assertGotGrouped(gotB)
+		for i, c := range gotB {
+			gotA[i] += c
+		}
+		assert.Equal(t, exp, gotA)
+
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second) // give time to ack before cancelling
+		cancel()
+		<-ch
+	}
+}