diff --git a/optimize_lipids.py b/optimize_lipids.py
index b13573c..f8be546 100755
--- a/optimize_lipids.py
+++ b/optimize_lipids.py
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@
             max_found_checkpoint_nb = int(filename.split('.')[0].split('_')[2])
             if max_found_checkpoint_nb > fstpso_checkpoint_in_nb:
                 fstpso_checkpoint_in_nb = max_found_checkpoint_nb
-    if fstpso_checkpoint_in_nb > 0 and not ns.user_config['next_cycle']:
+    # if fstpso_checkpoint_in_nb > 0 and not ns.user_config['next_cycle']:
+    if fstpso_checkpoint_in_nb > 0:  # mid-2022 next_cycle is not used anymore
         fstpso_checkpoint_in = f'fstpso_checkpoint_{fstpso_checkpoint_in_nb}.obj'
         print('Loading FST-PSO checkpoint file:', fstpso_checkpoint_in, '\n')
 
@@ -156,18 +157,19 @@
         # it is possible that there is no FST-PSO checkpoint but the exec directory still exists
         # this happens when the opti did not reach the end of SWARM iter 2)
         if n_cycle_1 is not None:
-            if fstpso_checkpoint_in is not None or ns.user_config['next_cycle']:
+            # if fstpso_checkpoint_in is not None or ns.user_config['next_cycle']:
+            if fstpso_checkpoint_in is not None:  # mid-2022 next_cycle is not used anymore
                 try:
                     n_cycle = n_cycle_1  # continue within same opti cycle
                     n_swarm_iter = n_swarm_iter_1 + 1  # continue with the next swarm iteration
                     n_particle = n_particle_1
 
                     # if we want to do a calibrated re-initialization of the swarm from best results of the previous opti cycle
-                    if ns.user_config['next_cycle']:
-                        n_cycle += 1
-                        print('--> Going for a calibrated restart in a new optimization cycle')
-                    else:
-                        print('--> Going to continue an on-going optimization cycle')
+                    # if ns.user_config['next_cycle']:
+                    #     n_cycle += 1
+                    #     print('--> Going for a calibrated restart in a new optimization cycle')
+                    # else:
+                    print('--> Going to continue an on-going optimization cycle')
 
                 except ValueError:  # means we have just read the headers (not sure this below is relevant anymore)
                     n_swarm_iter = 1  # default start without checkpoints
@@ -940,6 +942,7 @@
         geom_grp_std = 'Unknown'
 
     # DISABLED BLOCK BELOW SO THAT WE ALWAYS START FROM ALL THE VALUES PRESENT IN THE CONFIG FILE
+    ns.params_val[geom_grp]['ref_eq_val'] = ns.user_config['init_bonded'][geom_grp]['val']
     # by default we start from the values in the config file, and we instead start from the AA average if the parameter has to be tuned
     # in case we have no AA reference data, then we fall back to the values in the config file
     # if geom_grp in ns.user_config['tune_bonds_equi_val'] and geom_grp_avg != 'Unknown':
@@ -987,6 +990,7 @@
         geom_grp_std = 'Unknown'
 
     # DISABLED BLOCK BELOW SO THAT WE ALWAYS START FROM ALL THE VALUES PRESENT IN THE CONFIG FILE
+    ns.params_val[geom_grp]['ref_eq_val'] = ns.user_config['init_bonded'][geom_grp]['val']
     # by default we start from the values in the config file, and we instead start from the AA average if the parameter has to be tuned
     # in case we have no AA reference data, then we fall back to the values in the config file
     # if geom_grp in ns.user_config['tune_angles_equi_val'] and geom_grp_avg != 'Unknown':
@@ -1116,7 +1120,7 @@
 # somehow long cycles with calibrated restarts using ALL parameters
 # (= no selection of bonds/angles/dihedrals/whatever like in Swarm-CG bonded version)
 opti_cycles = {
-    1: {'sim_time': ns.user_config['cg_time_prod'], 'cg_sampling': 4 / 3 * ns.user_config['cg_time_prod'], 'max_sw_iter': 50, 'max_sw_iter_no_new_best': 5}
+    1: {'sim_time': ns.user_config['cg_time_prod'], 'cg_sampling': 4 / 3 * ns.user_config['cg_time_prod'], 'max_sw_iter': 50, 'max_sw_iter_no_new_best': 10}
 }
 
 # for tests without opti cycles
diff --git a/shared/eval_func_parallel.py b/shared/eval_func_parallel.py
index 7336623..f0dd8f2 100755
--- a/shared/eval_func_parallel.py
+++ b/shared/eval_func_parallel.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from statistics import mean
 import multiprocessing
 from shared.io import backup_swarm_iter_logs_and_checkpoint
-from shared.simulations import run_parallel, init_process
+from shared.simulations import run_parallel
 
 
 def create_files_and_dirs_for_swarm_iter(ns, parameters_sets, nb_eval_particles_range_over_complete_opti):
@@ -249,11 +249,13 @@ def eval_function_parallel_swarm(parameters_sets, args):
         delta_ts_master_remaining_h = 'INFINITE'
         print(f'Starting new SWARM iteration running in LOCAL (= without SLURM) using {ns.nb_slots} slots')
 
-        slots_states = multiprocessing.Array('i', ns.nb_slots, lock=True)
-        for i in range(ns.nb_slots):  # multiprocessing.Array does NOT like list comprehension
-            slots_states[i] = 1  # mark slot as available
+        # NOTE: this is NOT ENOUGH to only have lock=True here and array access has to be also managed with get_lock() or something
+        # slots_states = multiprocessing.Array('i', ns.nb_slots, lock=True)
+        # for i in range(ns.nb_slots):  # multiprocessing.Array does NOT like list comprehension
+        #     slots_states[i] = 1  # mark slot as available
 
-        with multiprocessing.Pool(processes=ns.nb_slots, initializer=init_process, initargs=(slots_states,)) as pool:
+        # with multiprocessing.Pool(processes=ns.nb_slots, initializer=init_process, initargs=(slots_states,)) as pool:
+        with multiprocessing.Pool(processes=ns.nb_slots) as pool:
             p_args = zip(repeat(ns), p_job_exec_dir, p_nb_eval_particle, p_lipid_code, p_temp)
             p_res = pool.starmap(run_parallel, p_args)
             p_time_start_str, p_time_end_str, p_time_elapsed_str = list(map(list, zip(*p_res)))
diff --git a/shared/simulations.py b/shared/simulations.py
index 61561f6..aa05b57 100755
--- a/shared/simulations.py
+++ b/shared/simulations.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 from shared.context_managers import working_dir
 import config
+import multiprocessing
 
 
 # build gromacs command with arguments
@@ -139,31 +140,50 @@ def run_sims(ns, slot_nt, slot_gpu_id):
 
 
 # for making a shared multiprocessing.Array() to handle slots states when running simulations in LOCAL (= NOT HPC)
-def init_process(arg):
-    global g_slots_states
-    g_slots_states = arg
+# def init_process(arg):
+#     global g_slots_states
+#     g_slots_states = arg
 
 
 def run_parallel(ns, job_exec_dir, nb_eval_particle, lipid_code, temp):
-    while True:
-        time.sleep(1)
-        for i in range(len(g_slots_states)):
-            if g_slots_states[i] == 1:  # if slot is available
-
-                g_slots_states[i] = 0  # mark slot as busy
-                print(f'  Starting simulation for particle {nb_eval_particle} {lipid_code} {temp} on slot {i + 1}')
-                slot_nt = ns.slots_nts[i]
-                slot_gpu_id = ns.slots_gpu_ids[i]
-                # print(f'  Slot uses -nt {slot_nt} and -gpu_id {slot_gpu_id} and in directory {job_exec_dir}')
-                with working_dir(job_exec_dir):
-                    gmx_time = run_sims(ns, slot_nt, slot_gpu_id)
-                g_slots_states[i] = 1  # mark slot as available
-                # print(f'Finished simulation for particle {nb_eval_particle} with {lipid_code} {temp} on slot {i + 1}')
-
-                time_start_str, time_end_str = '', ''  # NOTE: this is NOT displayed anywhere atm & we don't care much
-                time_elapsed_str = time.strftime('%H:%M:%S', time.gmtime(round(gmx_time)))
-
-                return time_start_str, time_end_str, time_elapsed_str
+    subprocess_slot_id = multiprocessing.current_process()._identity[0] - 1  # 0-indexed (originally _identity is 1-indexed)
+    print(f'  Starting simulation for particle {nb_eval_particle} {lipid_code} {temp} on slot {subprocess_slot_id % len(ns.slots_nts) + 1}')
+    slot_nt = ns.slots_nts[subprocess_slot_id % len(ns.slots_nts)]
+    slot_gpu_id = ns.slots_gpu_ids[subprocess_slot_id % len(ns.slots_nts)]
+    # print(f'  Slot uses -nt {slot_nt} and -gpu_id {slot_gpu_id} and in directory {job_exec_dir}')
+    with working_dir(job_exec_dir):
+        gmx_time = run_sims(ns, slot_nt, slot_gpu_id)
+    time_start_str, time_end_str = '', ''  # NOTE: this is NOT displayed anywhere atm & we don't care much
+    time_elapsed_str = time.strftime('%H:%M:%S', time.gmtime(round(gmx_time)))
+    return time_start_str, time_end_str, time_elapsed_str
+
+
+    # while True:
+    #     time.sleep(2)
+    #     start_with_slot_id = None
+    #
+    #     with g_slots_states.get_lock():
+    #         for i in range(len(g_slots_states)):
+    #             if g_slots_states[i] == 1:  # if slot is available
+    #                 start_with_slot_id = i
+    #                 g_slots_states[start_with_slot_id] = 0  # mark slot as busy
+    #                 print(f'  Starting simulation for particle {nb_eval_particle} {lipid_code} {temp} on slot {start_with_slot_id + 1}')
+    #                 break
+    #
+    #     if start_with_slot_id is not None:
+    #         slot_nt = ns.slots_nts[start_with_slot_id]
+    #         slot_gpu_id = ns.slots_gpu_ids[start_with_slot_id]
+    #         # print(f'  Slot uses -nt {slot_nt} and -gpu_id {slot_gpu_id} and in directory {job_exec_dir}')
+    #         with working_dir(job_exec_dir):
+    #             gmx_time = run_sims(ns, slot_nt, slot_gpu_id)
+    #
+    #         with g_slots_states.get_lock():
+    #             g_slots_states[start_with_slot_id] = 1  # mark slot as available
+    #         # print(f'Finished simulation for particle {nb_eval_particle} with {lipid_code} {temp} on slot {i + 1}')
+    #
+    #         time_start_str, time_end_str = '', ''  # NOTE: this is NOT displayed anywhere atm & we don't care much
+    #         time_elapsed_str = time.strftime('%H:%M:%S', time.gmtime(round(gmx_time)))
+    #         return time_start_str, time_end_str, time_elapsed_str