#remember the pandemic whew

[multifandomfanfiction]

The Watch

TITLE: The Watch PAIRING: Joel/OC RATING: T CHAPTER: One-shot SUMMARY: Holly decides to do something nice for Joel to thank him for taking her along with him and Ellie.

[A/N - Please ignore the fact that Joel has his watch on in this gif. I’ve had this idea since before the show came out and episode 3 gave me an excuse to write it. I also hate this title, but can’t come up with a better one.]

“They have hot water! I’m taking a shower and then you’re showering, because seriously…whew!” Ellie headed back to the main house.

Joel just shook his head.

Holly turned to him. “Admit it. She’s kind of starting to grow on you.”

“Shut-up,” he snapped at the younger woman.

Holly went inside and looked around the house while she waited for Ellie to finish showering. She looked through Frank’s book collection and pulled out some that looked interesting.

One thing that the pandemic hadn’t ruined was Holly’s love of reading. She had to leave behind most of her books when she moved to the QZ, but one she had refused to leave was her favorite copy of the Hobbit.

It gave her hope reading about the little Hobbit Bilbo who had helped a group of ragtag dwarves take back their home from a treasure hungry dragon. She’d like to believe that maybe the humans could do the same from the Infected. Take back the United States and start rebuilding. Maybe she could be a librarian once everything settled down.

Ellie came down the stairs. “You’re up.”

 “Thanks.” Holly went upstairs to the bathroom. She’d already picked some clothes out, so all she had to do was shower now.

The hot water felt amazing against her skin. She didn’t even mind Bill and Frank’s shampoo because she could remember the last time she had gotten to really wash her hair. Not wanting to use up all the hot water, she toweled off and got dressed.

Holly doubted the car was ready to go and she’d slept horribly last night, so she laid down on the bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out.

Joel came inside and found Ellie sitting on the couch. “Where’s Holly?” he asked.

Ellie shrugged. “She was showering.”

Joel listened, but he couldn’t hear running water. Joel went into the bedroom and found Holly asleep on the bed.

Her hair was wet and she had found a box of clothes that fit her.

They’d been traveling on foot for a few days and the car battery still needed at least an hour to charge.

He didn’t want to disturb her, so he quietly slipped off his watch and set it on the bedside table.

When Holly came to, she heard the water running. Joel must be showering. She rolled over and was blinded by the late afternoon sunlight reflecting off something. She sat up and noticed it was a watch.

Joel’s watch to be exact.

They’d agreed to never talk about their pasts, but she knew the watch meant a great deal to Joel with the way he looked at it sometimes. Maybe his wife had gifted it to him. The screen was cracked and it definitely wasn’t ticking anymore.

Holly picked it up and looked it over. She wasn’t a clockmaker, but she was sure that she could find some pieces around the house. She went into the closet and went through Bill and Frank’s watches. Maybe she could teach herself how to fix Joel’s watch. She found a couple of watches she could use for parts and took them down to the bunker.

When Joel came out of the bathroom, now clean and dressed in fresh clothes, he noticed his watch was missing from the bedside table. “HOLLY!” he yelled. His booming voice made Ellie jump downstairs. He came thundering down the stairs.

“Well don’t you look pretty,” Ellie said, taking in Joel’s appearance.

He tossed her a stick of deodorant. “Nice.”

“Where’s Holly?”

“I think she went down to the bunker.”

Joel went out to the garage where the bunker was. He found Holly sitting at Bill’s workbench with his watch in her hand. “Don’t touch that!” He yanked it out of her hand.

As he was about to put it on, he realized that it had a new face and was it ticking. It looked just like it had the night everything went to Hell.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to do something nice for you. You know, since you didn’t have to bring me with you. I also wanted to cheer you up. You’ve seemed down lately.” She didn’t mention that it was probably because he lost his partner.

Joel looked at her like he had never seen her before. There was a soft look in his eyes that she hadn’t seen since meeting him.

“Th…thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Are you two gonna make out now?” Ellie’s voice asked.

Holly blushed as Joel turned to the teenager. “Go back upstairs.”

“What? So you two can fuck?”

“Ellie!”

Ellie huffed and rolled her eyes, but went upstairs.

“How can I…?”

Holly shook her head. “You don’t have to repay me Joel, really. Just get us to Wyoming alive.” Holly went upstairs to gather her stuff so they could leave.

Joel looked down at his watch.

Normally it reminded him of Sarah, but now it would forever remind him of Holly as well.

Taglist: @pedrostories

[destinyc1020]

joe and sophie were one of those stories where they got engaged really early on in their relationship. they became a couple in 2016, they got engaged in 2017 but didn’t end up actually getting married until 2019.

once they were married, we soon have the pandemic. and during the pandemic sophie was pregnant with their first daughter. during that time, they were reportedly happier than ever. which makes sense bc of the baby. their first daughter was born in july of 2020 and their second daughter would also be born in july of 2022.

one thing that i found interesting is how joe would describe their relationship. not interesting in a bad way but something admirable. he always said that sophie was a really understanding and empathetic person, which he never experienced before.

sophie was able to save him in that way. sophie has been public and fought for mental health. joe wrote a song about her called “hesitate” which basically just highlights the sacrifices they will always make for each other. it’s actually a beautiful song lol.

another thing that you can possibly take away from, i don’t remember the exact details but when they got married in france (their official ceremony bc they did a fun vegas wedding for their legal certificate in the US) apparently they broke up for a couple of hours. the classic anxiety and panic — which can already be telling — but they talked it out and married confidently.

i think it’s important to note the history of joes family, his parents are still married and his brothers are married. i think he holds that sacred too. i think there was a time publicly where joe’s parents admitted to having bad time in their marriage but sticking it out.

last thing: joe and sophie are notoriously private. especially since their engagement. we’ve obviously seen them share photos of each other but it’s also at a certain time and selective. we don’t really know anything about their relationship. sophie rarely uses her social media.

lol i love tomdaya but i do have a side project with joe and sophie. they are cute and match personalities and we’ll see what happens bc at tonight’s concert he was wearing his wedding ring but 🤷🏽‍♀️

fyi; sophie is bi

sorry for ramble haha

Thanks Anon for more about their backstory. I keep forgetting that Sophie was like 20 when she and Joe started dating, and he was like 27. They started dating in 2016. I think because Sophie looks so "mature", you kind of forget that she was actually quite young when she first started dating Joe. And then, to get engaged after only a year of dating?? Whew...... Idk man.... lol. 😳Especially when you're THAT young?? That's pretty YOUNG to be engaged at 21 imo. 👀 You're still growing and learning about yourself imo.

They definitely seemed to have somewhat of a whirlwind romance. Having kids RIGHT after marriage is also kind of not such a good idea, because the couple hasn't had time to really adjust as a married couple for years yet. Idk... I just think it's best to wait a while as a married couple before bringing kids into the picture...IF you can. JMHO

another thing that you can possibly take away from, i don’t remember the exact details but when they got married in france (their official ceremony bc they did a fun vegas wedding for their legal certificate in the US) apparently they broke up for a couple of hours. the classic anxiety and panic — which can already be telling — but they talked it out and married confidently.

Ooop.... Maybe that there was a sign lol...👀

Btw, never knew they got married in VEGAS! lol

fyi; sophie is bi

I don't think I knew this. Or, if I did, maybe it escaped my memory.

[blushydrangea]

I'm so ready for Roscoes tonight... we better be fed well (I say as if them looking in the direction of one another isn't enough for me to get excited). Since the hosts usually ask very popular/anticipated questions, I wonder if whatever they have going on will get brought up? I can already tell what a few topics of conversation will be (Amanda, 🍌's accent in the seminar challenge, Q's reactions...) I just hope 🍌 gets a chance to properly speak cause I remember her being so quiet in the pre-season interviews and just very quiet in general.

God I am so ready for this episode cause I gave up on dr@g r@ce after season 12 (what a good season that was btw) cause it lost its magic for me, but this season... whew, I am glad I started watching again when I did!! Though I will say... makeover challenges usually cause absolute chaos in the fandom so maybe I'll just stay off of twitter for the next week 😭

Also, do you happen to know when that picture of ✈️🍌💎 and Q (lmao) hanging out was taken? I'm a nosy bitch.

yes, nymphia comes off as very reserved and quiet in the US! it seems unlike her in taiwan, so i wonder where does the change come from. if you watch her two documentaries (which i highly recommend doing because she's an angel 💛), the way she carried herself was a bit different. she was younger and pre-pandemic though i believe so it could have something to do with that.

it's possible that whatever they have will be brought up 👀 but tbh i'm expecting them to throw another curve ball at us like plane did on her podcast interview, they seem very private about this particular thing.... well i guess you never know too so let's find out! i reaaaally want nymphia to win this episode but since makeovers are always controversial i don't think i'm ready for her to get backlash if she does :(

also isn't it weird that they haven't shown up yet... where are you girlies

[jackinalex]

Have you noticed that he mostly uses the characters to explain the songs when it clearly talks about his relationships? He does not have a problem admitting that Nightmares or English Blood are very autobiographical but when it comes to Dirty Laundry or OIAL and Sleepwalking it either becomes about universal concept of relationships or something else like the pandemic. My guess is he does not want a repeat of CSS where everybody knows probably way too much about it and over the years he’s figured out a good media trained response to that with his characters. (And let’s not forget how many times over the years Alex has called himself a liar in songs and I distinctly remember an interview from years ago where he said that he tells white lies to make people happier. This man is giving me trust issues!)

He says he’s a liar in so many songs it’s ridiculous! It’s kinda sad that he feels like he has to lie to make people happier, but also??? You’re a grown man. Grown people gotta tell the truth even when it sucks. He really did share a lot about CSC and whew…..so I guess I get it to a point. Still.

The one that always gets me the most is Glitter & Crimson. Like. Bro. BRO.

[madisonrooney]

oh shit its been like. a week and a half and i havent told yall my dove story maybe i should do that

so i went to the cameron boyce foundation gala again. thats where i saw her last summer too, not sure if i ever mentioned that then lol. knew she would be there but only wanted to talk to her if it felt right given the circumstances. following my much more talkative friends lead who knew a lot of the people there to some degree (not unlike my fan relationship with many of them but a bit closer than i am to some), we talked to a number of people so im like ok if were talking to everyone else we gotta talk to her.

almost thought we lost her as things wound down but we spotted her and walked over and my heart rate continued to increase every step i got closer to her.

didnt really know what to say but i wanted to re-establish who i was, given how much time has gone by since we used to regularly interact plus i was wearing a mask, so i just said what ive said before in similar situations which was “its been a long time!” and she said “yah i havent seen you in a while!” and im like oh god she does remember me oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god

we take a pic together and then i finally give her my short little speech that basically sums up my last 3 years worth of thoughts and worries. some off yall may remember me posting during quarantine how terrified i was that our relationship would basically die since we couldnt interact in person and im too anxious to be on stan twitter or anything like that. so i said “i know we havent interacted much over the past few years bc of that little pandemic lol but i hope you know im still supporting you in everything you do” and she like.....put her hand on my arm and thanked me hhhhhhh

then i added “obvs ive been supporting you from the beginning but even moreso as youve been an advocate for the queer community of which im also a part” and she thanked me again. THEN I SAID HAPPY PRIDE MONTH AND SHE SAID IT BACK LIKE. OKAY. (my coworker said those were basically our wedding vows and i have to agree)

she apologized that she was having a bit of a nervous breakdown, i guess in regard to her short responses (which i really thought nothing of). like first of all so was i and second of all ofc i dont blame her given the circumstances

at some point she said “thank you for supporting cameron” which just. warmed my heart so so much.

gave her a quick hug and as she walked away i said “we love you!” and she said “i love you guys!” and blew us kisses. whew.

so. yah. i basically got to tell her what id been harboring inside me for like 3 years and got three PLUS years of weight off of my shoulders. its kinda hard to believe but i really healed so much in that moment and im just. so so grateful.

to still be able to have these interactions with her, even if not as long and not as often as they were years ago, now that shes blown up so much is not something i take for granted in the least. i really needed this and im so so glad i got it.

one of the first things that popped in my head afterwards (besides the intense desire to cry which i had to fight due to still being in public) was “man. i would do anything for her.” so i guess let that be your take away

[doctor-fancy-pants]

The Netiquette

What's the etiquette here? I know, as if there's one rule for any corner of the internet that doesn't immediately boast approximately 8,000 exceptions and twice that on Sundays (and when there's a blue moon? on a Sunday? whew, all bets are off).

What I mean is: I had a LiveJournal, okay, I am literally crumbling into dust as I write this, and tumblr was for the internet generation after me, and it took me a long time to get the hang of Twitter (or at least, the way I wanted to use Twitter, which was to write VERY LONG THREADS).

On Twitter, depending on the nature of the discussion, I could slide into the mentions of public discourse, give my opinion, explain things that I understood, etc.; or if it was someone with a loose connection to one of my tweeps, it might be okay to reflect a little more personally or share an anecdote, while reminding oneself "this is a total stranger, so imagine you're at a chill party with a lot of people, and--" and then I remember what I'm like at parties. "--okay and then tone it WAY the fuck down, Doc. BE CHILL."

But also: you never wanted to be the "reply guy", right? Okay, so I'm not a guy, but I do get excitable and didactic when we trip over a special interest or area of expertise and I've had to learn to be a bit careful there, because I sure as hell don't like the reply guys (oh hey I just remembered another anecdote I have to put on the list for this thing when I have time), so I don't want to condescend to anyone else. (Unless they're a real arsehole. In which case, bring forth the mighty flail of sarcastic condescension. Look. It's Twitter. Pandemic. I have a PhD in genetics. There has been a lot of hot fucking horseshit flying around and sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. But I digress.)

So: for me, Twitter is somewhere between a party of chill loosely connected people (one's Tweeps), and an actual food fight in the world's largest school canteen (please do not mix my metaphors, there should not be horseshit in the canteen or several things have already gone wrong with the plan. EVEN ON TWITTER).

On Twitter, I wear body armour. I'm careful where I go.

Facebook, on the other hand, is like... it depends. Everyone uses it differently. I ended up deciding that my feed was kind of like my living room. Drop by, have a chat, have a discussion and a cup of tea, but it's not a place to start shit, or have a go at me, my various political opinions, or my other mates. That's a great way for me to literally have a panic attack. Those discussions and debates are fair game on a public feed, a news page, or someone who is okay with having their own feed hosting that, but not my feed.

I don't wear the body armour on my Facebook, not so much. It's mostly public, still, but the occasional post does get carefully filtered.

(I actually haven't been using the Facebook much lately over the past few months. Overwhelm. Long story. Stories.)

So... what's tumblr like? I wanna use it to tell all my bizarre shaggy dog stories and make people laugh or giggle or reflect or just feel seen. Like a short version (relatively speaking) of my Wordpress blog. Posts there are very long and carefully structured (and, thanks to the overwhelm, at the moment they are rare).

But if I see someone reblogging something funny, and I have a reply or comment to add, but I don't actually *know* the person who wrote it, is that... okay? I mean, it seems like how it works, but I got no clue what's going on in the background, will that seem rude to some people?

(also what the hell kind of tags would you put on this kind of post?!)

[paintingdragonfeathers]

Whew! Survived Nekocon 2022! But no rest for the wicked—I immediately went home to finish packing things for the movers this weekend. Then I can get back to creating AAAARRRRTT.

Thank you everyone who stopped by the Painting Dragon Feathers booth in the artist alley and either taking home some art or signing up for commissions, and thank you everyone who came to the “Dragons, Cryptids, and Dinos, OH MY!” Panel. While it was only my second time ever vending at Nekocon, and my first ever pro-row booth, it was one of my most successful conventions to date! And thank you cosplayers for showing off your craft!

Special shoutout to my stellar friends and booth beard for all their help manning the booth and keeping us all sane over the weekend.

I also had a chance to meet some new faces and make some new friends. And I had a humbling interaction with a particular congoer—a young man approached my booth and said he came to the con specifically to see ME and my work after seeing it on social media.

This is already heartening as it’s proof my social media posts don’t end up yeeted into the void, lol.

Anyway, this young artist came seeking advice on how to pursue a career in the arts as he heads off to college. Now, I’ve looked out for and helped newbies and first-timers in artist alleys over the years, but this is the first time someone made a pilgrimage to talk to me. I can remember when I was in his shoes, and now with close to a decade of experience between college and cons, I had a split-section realization of “Oh crap…I’m an ADULT ARTIST and can offer this kind of advice.”

So, I didn’t sugar coat it—I was frank that I was very fortunate to have a foundation of supportive friends and family to pursue the arts in school, and as a career I’m at the point where it’s still feast or famine, but I encouraged him that perseverance is key. A lot of times something worth doing is a long gambit and requires patience since stuff rarely happens overnight. A typical rule of thumb I go by is for small businesses of most ilks (including creative work) they tend to either gain traction or “fail” between 4-6 years. Fun fact, until the pandemic hit and set EVERYONE on the planet back, I started gaining traction as a professional artist at years 5-6 of Painting Dragon Feathers. It’s good to be ambitious, and it’s healthy to be pragmatic; I’ve seen so many talented writers and artists flounder because they lack a lick of business sense and don’t know how to apply their skills. And that a lot of skills, whether creative or business-y, can be learned.

I told him that there are so many resources—books, online groups, etc.—that can help him make connections, study artistic principles, and learn the trade to make life as an artist easier. And when he showed me some samples of his art, I could tell based on his expressive line work and composition that he has the creative chops. I recommended him which digital art programs (something he asked about) and tools best emulate traditional media, yet emphasized that it is just a tool, and that you still need to know the principles of art—shading, hue, tone, composition, etc.—whether you’re picking up a paintbrush or a stylus.

All in all, I count myself blessed that I have had excellent guidance and mentors myself over the years from bigger, “adultier” artists, and that if I can hand down some of those sparks and advice to make younger artists coming after me walk a smoother path while I’m still learning and bushwhacking the road for myself, then I’m doing something right at the end of the day. I have no doubt that that young gentleman is gonna go on and create cool stuff.

Go forth and make cool things young artists. The world needs them, and you never know who’s watching your work. And my digital mailbox and art booths are open if you want some wisdom too. ;)

#nekocon #nekocon2022 #nekocon24 #convention #anime #animeconvention #artist #artistalley #cosplay #cosplayparade #costume #fursuit #furry #lifeadvice #paintingdragonfeathers

[roo-bastmoon]

Taekook seeming closer and having more moments now does NOT work in Jimin's best interest at all. In fact, it has only made the cultists worse because Taekook can't breathe near each other without them running to Jikook blogs to "boast" about how Jungkook is so comfortable with Taehyung and hates Jimin, or they do those "spot the difference" posts to push the narrative that Jungkook looks uncomfortable next to Jimin but very happy with Taehyung. . . And I personally do think that Taehyung (1-2)

has some kind of agenda with the way he's been behaving with Jungkook lately. He makes it so obvious that he's feeding his shippers. He's also been behaving very suspiciously when it comes to Jimin. He hasn't initiated any skinship with Jimin in a while, doesn't look like he likes it when Jimin initiates with him, and barely even mentions Jimin anymore. It's just so weird to me... like, how did things change so fast? He was smitten with Jimin just a few months ago. Tae gives me shady vibes (2/2)

Okay. Whew. This is a lot to unpack and it's a bit like unpacking a ticking bomb. I really hope this doesn't blow up all over my page. Everybody be cool, okay?

Let me start by inviting you in, instead of calling you out. I think it's normal to have thoughts like this, but these ideas are borderline anti and it's our job to take the reins back and remember the facts.

BTS being super affectionate with and knowledgeable about each other does work in favor of any closeted couple because it gives them some cover ("Oh, they all do that, it's no big deal!").

While JK did mention he monitors everything online, I don't know how much attention any of them pay to English-speaking social media, where the majority of Taekook fans and antis get loud, I am told. In any case, the cult is really ramping up, and I'm not sure how much of that is being fed content or them inventing it (Christ, the conspiracy theories would be laughable if not so disturbing). I'm also not sure if they are getting louder because more and more casual fans are becoming Army (BTS has exploded around the globe since the pandemic) and it's just easier to watch clips than contend with 9 years of content, some of which requires payment.

Please separate in your mind what antis do and what Taehyung and Jungkook do, and only attribute qualities where appropriate. Tae and JK would never disrespect or wound Jimin on purpose. That would just be so very out of character. It would also damage BTS and that would go against their own best interests.

I do sense that Tae is leaning into his relationship with JK more this year, but, I don't attribute any nefarious underhanded reason to it. He could just be finding more comfort with JK at this point in his life. Relationships are like music; it's not just one note for life. I was also really delighted to see how much time Tae spends with Jin in his home, or how absolutely enamored he is with Hobi and Hobi's work.

As for behaving suspiciously with Jimin... while I have noticed Jimin initiate more this spring with both Jungkook and Taehyung, they all actually seem completely fine with one another. Remember that it was Tae who posted a selca with Jimin with the caption "family" when he was hospitalized; it was Tae and Jimin who Facetimed and did pull-ups together when Tae was quarantined; it was Tae who looked at Jimin in his Seoul concert red mesh top like he was having an extremely non-hetero moment; it was Tae who carried Jimin on his back during the rehearsals and the concert; it was Tae who looked at Jimin like he hung the moon during the Grammy behind-the-scenes video; it was Tae who shared utensils and sang jazz scat and giggled uncontrollably with Jimin so sweetly during Vegas Vlive; it was Tae who sang all of With You on Vlive first; it was Tae who cackled and shook Jimin "awake" when he pretended to sleep through an endingment; and it was Tae snuggled up on the sofa next to Jimin during post-concern Vlives in Korea. Jimin cuddles, kisses, touches, and teases Tae all throughout 2022, and Tae may not always initiate but he warmly receives. Vmin are alive and well. We just aren't getting as much content this spring as we would if we had weekly shows. So hang tight. Let's check out things in the new Run episodes.

It's the "shady vibes" comment here that has me concerned, because you're assigning malintent without really seeing more than a sliver of their full reality. I worry that this is happening because so many Taekook fans are shady, and lie, and pretend to be OT7 while actually having horrible motives. Do not fall into this trap! Let BTS be your guide on this. None of the members side-eye any of the Taekookery; this is just a normal day ending in Y for them. Jimin never seems bothered, sad, jealous, or tense about it. In fact, Jimin seems to adore Tae just as much as ever. Trust them. Jimin hates fake idol shit; he flat out told us. If he felt Tae were up to something, including feeding his shippers and antis, I don't think he'd reach for Tae as much as he does. Jimin is kind but he is not stupid.

All that said... I do think it's now becoming clear to Tae and hopefully all of Hybe that Taekook fans will harass fellow artists and jeopardize brand deals over their ship. And I would hope that, at least on camera, Tae calms Taekookery down a bit (I hope off-camera they are as close as they want to be and incandescently happy as well). I'd love it if he'd address it head-on, but there are real risks with that.

So any time you have these really negative thoughts, do what I do: imagine them as unwelcome guests and ask them to leave. There's only room for love in a true Army's heart.

Take a tip from Tae here: stay focused, brothers.

[thatjordynfever]

i don't know if anyone still follows me on this app but i got bored and decided to make a post on tumblr for the first time in 3 years lmfao. i graduated college in 2019. i was in a long distance relationship with a new jersey devils fan i met on twitter until december 2020 and got cheated on LOL. i "broke up" with a day to remember (my favorite band whose lyrics i have tattooed straight across my arm) in summer 2020 when accusations of their bassist sexually assaulting a minor came out and the band said/did nothing about it and blocked people who asked them to say something. fuck them forever! my uncle ted was murdered in a robbery gone wrong in november 2020 and i became so depressed and didn't want to live anymore and then i got dumped over a text message 🤭 i moved out of my childhood home and into my first apartment with my cat children in 2021 i spent almost the entire year a heart broken mess over getting dumped by who i now realize is a fucking mama's boy bum and got diagnosed with borderline personality disorder by a psychologist in an IOP program in september 2021 🤪 right before i got diagnosed with that i had covid and my sense of smell and taste are still fucked up a year later 🫡 in october 2021 i realized i was finally over my ex because i started mega crushing on a frequent flyer of the library i've worked at for almost 10 years...had a brief crisis because this man is 39 and i'm 25 but fuck all that noise life is short. girl it took me like 4 months to talk myself into it but i stuck a note asking him out for coffee with my number at the bottom in a horror movie DVD he checked out in february and now here we are lmfao. i quit my job i started at the beginning of the pandemic and am now at a new one. whew.

[valueside]

Will Our Debt Cause A Crash?

Whew! I just got off the phone with another client, petrified that the current level of American debt would cause a financial crash. Let’s take a more in-depth look at this issue.

As you no doubt know, if you read or watch the financial press, there is a constant drumbeat that a complete meltdown in our economic system lies ahead—the reason: our $34 trillion in national debt. Look at usdebtclock.org to get a feel for how fast we add to our country’s obligations.

Case Study: Japan

Economists consider Japan an analogous case study of the evolving American Financial Condition. Like the United States, Japan has an aging population, with those citizens of retirement age representing an out-size portion of the economy.

Like the “Baby Boom,” the Japanese have a substantial portion of their population who are retired and no longer pursuing a productive career. Yet they require significant social, health, and other services. It causes governments to spend money on these services, for which there is little or no tax revenue.

Look at the US’s top two expenditures: Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security. These funds should have been accumulated earlier when the Boomers earned good salaries. But as you know, we didn’t do that. Instead, we must borrow the money now to pay the Boomers’ benefits, and our national debt rises.

Just how dangerous are these higher debt levels? The US Debt level currently exceeds our economy by 12% (112% of GDP). While that’s certainly not a good thing, if Japan were our example, that level of debt to the economy would be manageable.

Japan surpassed the 12% debt over the economy 21 years ago. And no one is talking about a significant meltdown for Japan. Today, Japan’s debt stands at a whopping 146% above its economy (264% of GDP). In other words, Japan’s debt has more than doubled in the past 21 years.

I’m not suggesting we follow Japan’s example and continue adding to our debt pile — far from it! My only point is that using Japan as our model, there is no absolute magic level of debt at which economies collapse.

Bringing our discussion closer to home, using several measures, the United States Debt Level is currently about the same as it was during the last days of World War II. Like in World War II, an outside enemy drove the country to these high debt levels. This time, that enemy was the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, the first year of the Pandemic, Federal Spending skyrocketed; strategies like the Stimulus Programs, combined with the reduced Government Revenue from the “Lock-Down” caused the government deficit to balloon to the highest level ever in one year, over $3 Trillion.

What Would Cause a Financial Crash?

So, if no magic debt level causes financial meltdowns, what does cause an economic crisis? The answer for the nation is the same as for any business or individual: Do you have spending under control, and do you have a plan for paying off and reducing debt?

Wall Street is very good at assessing whether someone is creditworthy. It’s what we do. When evaluating any investment, the very first thing we look at is their financial reports.

Does management have firm control over their expenditures? Do they only spend what they need and purchase goods and services at a reasonable price? Or are they spending like the proverbial “drunken sailor,” throwing money around on personal luxuries or other unneeded items?

In my prior life, I was responsible for developing a credit report for certain brokerage firms we wanted to deal with. Many of these were small firms just getting started. I remember walking into one new firm’s office, which was the very height of luxury, with plush carpets, wing-backed chairs, and original artwork on the walls. Anyone would be impressed just walking into the reception room.

I voted against doing business with that firm. Why? Because I knew they had little income (their financial reports are public). Yet they had spent extravagantly, far beyond normal, on office decoration. To me, they appeared to be poor financial managers. Indeed, within two years of my visit, they filed for bankruptcy.

The United States is like any company or individual in financial difficulty today. The caution flags are out. However, there is nothing to date to indicate that the US is in immediate danger, and thus, any fear of a financial crash is not currently warranted. On the other hand, there can be no doubt that we are headed in the wrong direction.

The reality is that we are the number one debtor in the world. It’s no time to arrogantly demand that the rest of the world support our spending. Instead, it’s time for us to work within the global community and seek their financial support. Like any borrower, we are dependent upon our lenders.

More than anywhere else, the current Administration has failed here. Cutting Russia from the SWIFT International Settlement System was significant in fracturing the global world when we needed international support. China and Saudi Arabia, in particular, reacted negatively to this move. China opened up its Trading System, and Saudi Arabia abandoned the PetroDollar.

There is a persistent rumor that the Administration is behind a scheme to seize $300 Billion (US) in Russian deposits held by European and US Banks. This would drive yet another nail in the Global Financial System, a System we need to support our burgeoning debt. Although Russia holds only a tiny amount of US Debt (Treasury Bonds and Notes), it is clear that America’s policies against Russia affect China, and China has over a trillion dollars of US Debt.

As CNBC and others are reporting, the Administration, which is far from controlling spending, continues to use its free-spending methods, building our deficit by $1 trillion every 100 days. It’s not sustainable. And the Global Markets have noticed.

When the bond markets see something they don’t like, they raise the rates they’re willing to pay. With the United States over-spending by about $3 ½ Trillion annually, we have seen the yield on our bonds rise. Currently, the US 10-year Treasury yield is over 4%, a rate higher than England, Germany, France, and Spain, 177 basis points higher than China, and almost triple the rate of Japan.

Summary

So, that’s a long answer: Are we headed toward an eminent Financial Crash? No. But I wanted to make a couple of points.

The United States is not in danger of a financial crash, so panic is unnecessary. Panic is the last thing we want to do, but it can create just the sort of behavior that creates a crisis.

The two major financial rating agencies, S&P and Moody’s, still rank the US number 13 in the world, ahead of over 180 other countries.

Annual Government Receipts (taxes and levies) for the US Government are nearly $5 Trillion. We can still pay our bills.

If we control our spending (are you listening, Biden Administration?), we could turn this around rather quickly.

The final point is this: the World Community is watching. We must pay one of the highest rates on our long-term obligations (US Bonds and Notes of 10-year maturity and more) because our spending is reckless. Bond investors cannot predict how much new debt we will add over the next several years. More supply of US Debt (bonds and notes) equates to lower prices. Something that investors want to avoid.

We can afford all the necessities: defense, social security, Medicare, and high-interest rates. But we need to put all that crazy new spending on hold. Several times, it has been suggested that the US Government freeze its spending at current levels. Now would be an excellent time to implement a freeze.

[khiphop-discussions]

I'm not really familiar with Owen, could you please make a post about what he did/siad? The khh/krnb industry is so wild it's hard to keep up with everyone andd everything they do/have done😂

Whew....where do I even start? It's actually a long laundry list.

So the most recent was when he said he doesn't care about BLM at the height of the protests during the pandemic. He said bascally "yall cant cancel me. I'm still getting money" or whatever. He eventually apologized after many people called him out. This is literally the only thing he's ever apologized for. So on one hand I believe him cause he DOESN'T EVER apologize for anything. No matter HOW bad his reputation and hate gets. But on the other hand I kinda wonder did the heat just get WAY too intense this time and so he gave a fake apology.

His other controversies include:

Saying "why do you guys care. you're not here parents." when a mkitrain member (neil) tried to get or did get nudes from a minor

Said he wants to "rape white bitches"

and honestly? I think there's more. I'm not even gonna lie but I can't remember them all. However, these are the really extreme ones that most people really hate him for and rightfully so.

I also don't like him but I kinda just try to ignore him now cause I got tired of talking about all the crazy, terrible shit he does.

While I HAVE publicly acknowledged that he was nice, polite, and humble when some acquaintances I met in Korea approached him in Hongdae one night* , I AM NOT a fan or apologist of his. I honestly lowkey regret even putting that out there and HEAVILY debated whether I should say it or not before posting. However, it was after a lot of people were surprised/annoyed that him and Ph-1 were friends again and I was trying to give context to why people in the industry will still tolerate his presence or even befriend him. I was shocked he wasn't a complete dickhead IRL tbh.

In addition, that was one experience that made me realize why some fans (and other rappers) will defend certain people (especially Owen) so hard. Cause I DEFINITELY used to be one of those "OMG so and so still has fans??? How is that even possible?" type of people. It's possible they met these people IRL before (obviously not in all cases) and had nothing but good experiences. So I was trying to basically convey that information to other people to help them understand a bit better. I feel like if something is true there's no reason to not say it but I still halfway feel like sometimes it can be unnecessary to say even if something is the truth. Regardless, I don't think that came off the way I really wanted it to. I think it might be something people have to experience personally like I did OR just be on a platform where long form text can add more nuance. Twitter is VERY bad for nuance LOL. Even if you make a thread, the first post ALWAYS gets more views than the subsequent ones so many people will miss the details/nuance even if you go out of your way too add it.

So ANYWAY, I just wanted to go more in depth here while we're on the topic of Owen just in case anybody remembers that tweet about him from not that long ago.

*this was a LONG time ago in Summer 2019. I've never had any direct interaction with him cause I ACTIVELY couldn't stand him back then but I wanted to observe the KHH scene while I was there so I observed everybody whether I liked them or not. Also, the acquaintances told me what happened in the conversation when they left and came back to where I was sitting. Just to be clear. These acquaintances were ALSO not fans of Owen and one didn't know who he was at all. One knew who he was but didn't know much about him. They saw him perform earlier that night. Hence why they approached.

[tovahsfine]

Some important tweets /⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ CN / Abuse, DV, M*rder. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ID Slide 1 / People have pathologized my stance on pandemic precautions by dismissing it as an inability to cope with change but I would just like to say that I am actually doing great at adjusting to the objectively different reality we are living in now. It's everyone else that cannot deal. @/PxnziSchemes on Twitter⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ID Slide 2 / I spent my twenties being told that I had to put up with toxic, abusive situations to get ahead and be successful and I'm spending my thirties being like, "oh so you're abusive?? This place is toxic? I'm leaving. Good day." @/YikesOnBikesEtc on Twitter⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ID Slide 3 / I'll never forget when I called out my abuser and someone said I should "kill the cop in my head" & read books about TJ. Whew, some of you transformative justice folks just use the medium to protect your abusive friends. @MayowasWorld⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ID Slide 4 / Capitalism robs people of time and the ability to think creatively, compassionately and critically. When people are unable to think they unfortunately rely, knowingly or unknowingly, on others, usually those in power, to think for them. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Relying on other people as thought leaders isn't terrible if the people you rely on genuinely care about the most vulnerable people in our society.⁣⁣ However, most of us rely on people whose goal is not that we be cared for, but that we continue to work, buy and dislike ourselves. @Nellie_Scales⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ID Slide 5 / Only believing abuse allegations if there's a conviction in a court of law means you don't believe victims, period. More than 90 out of 100 victims will never be affirmed in court. Putting your faith in the court system is tacitly upholding the status quo against survivors. @KatTenbarge⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ I wish they could say that to Nicole Brown⁣⁣ Simpson's face, but they can't. @LeaveHeardAlone⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ "You won't ever know the worst that happened to Nicole Brown Simpson in her marriage, because she is dead and cannot tell you. And if she were alive, remember, you wouldn't believe her." @KatTenbarge⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣ #SocialJustice #DomesticViolence #WearAMask #PandemicLife #AbuseAwareness #Ableism #AbleismIsTrash (at Everywhere) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqVqkOBrVMf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[destinyc1020]

Your post from 2020 that you just reposted. What was the hiking pic incident? And what was the necklace that JE stopped wearing?

I think you're referring to this post that I reblogged today??

This is the hiking pic 📸 from 2020 that Anon was referring to....

It wasn't really an "incident" per se, but fans were asked to take the photo down.... probably cuz not everyone was wearing a mask (remember, this is 2020 covid pandemic pre-vaccines), and also maybe Z just wanted her private life private? 🤷🏾‍♀️

Many of us fans speculated that she must have been broken up from JE and wasn't dating JDW if he wasn't even on this family hike with her rofl 🤣

The necklace.... I think JE used to wear some necklace they Z gave him. Idk girl, it was so long ago. I def remember the ring she made for him, and I know he gave her the yin/yang necklace. But when she wasn't wearing it anymore (she used to wear it practically all the time lol), we all started to suspect as well that maybe they had broken up.

It was hard, coz he was all the way over in Australia at the time due to covid, so we just had to use bits of clues 🤷🏾‍♀️

Whew! Thank goodness this era is OVER! 😅😂

[mostkwnunkwn]

This is me.

Well, a piece of me.

I have a very deep love and respect for the gym.

I’m convinced it’s my soulmate

—sorry husband, you still come first

I recently shared with a peer how I have been able to be so consistent with waking up and going to the gym at 3 AM. Our conversation started off based on suggestions to help her wake up to make it to her fitness class in the mornings. In the midst of, I was given the space to shed some light on how I got to this place mentally.

Whew. I’ve never shared this in a public space so bare with me.

TRIGGER WARNING

I’ve had an entanglement with the gym since 2011. I had understood the value in exercise but I didn’t feel like I needed it. Outside of watching the best unknown basketball players beast in pick up games 99.9%, the other .1% I participated in an occasional cardio or Zumba session with my best girlfriend to have fun.

However, come 2013 I began to feel a shift. I big chopped all my hair to begin my natural journey and ironically I posted all about it on my other Tumblr page at the time. I started valuing exercise for more reasons than the physical aesthetics. I mean I was even running miles on the outdoor trail near my townhouse. Sis was inspired.

2015 life took a turn

—I met my ex. What I thought was going to be a fun and lighthearted relationship became 4 years in a black hole quickly. From being dragged out of a car, having a gun put to my head to stop me from trying to have somebody help me from my screams, being called disgusting names around his male and female friends when he was drunk, to being choked until I nearly couldn’t breathe, the list goes on.

2020 God saved me

At the very beginning of the pandemic, my abuser decided to tell me he was leaving me and moving to a new state. This meant I was finally free. TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

After liberation came depression. I felt so much relief and gratitude to know that God had more for me. Spoiler Alert, that didn’t save me from myself.

I couldn’t believe what I had allowed myself to go through.

Learning to trust yourself again is a tough process and should get talked about more.

I was engaging in detrimental behaviors like excessive drinking and sex thinking it would numb the way I was feeling. I had a talk with myself and realized the same energy I put into masking my pain I could put into healing. So I had to do right by ME. Make a change to do good for me, to do things to love and honor myself.

The gym became my sanctuary.

I was able to release and quiet negative thoughts.

I was able to show how powerful my body is.

How powerful I am.

It’s a time where I got to shift the narrative I created about myself during survival mode.

Fast forward to today.

2 0 2 3 I’m absolutely beasting in the gym. I’m in the best shape of my life. Mentally and physically. The gym kickstarted the reframing of my relationship with my health and myself as a whole. (which btw, I hope you take a ginger shot and your probiotics after reading this) There’s so many beautiful things I discovered about myself and I plan on sharing more with you all.

It’s easy to get wrapped into social media’s idea of the gym. I mean yeah it will give you a fat ass but there’s more depth to it if you really get intentional about it. It helped me find parts of myself I thought I lost and opened my eyes to parts of myself I had no idea about.

To anybody healing from abuse,

I pray for your freedom strength and protection.

I pray for your healing.

I pray you are surrounded by people you feel safe enough to confide in.

I pray you remember to be gentle with yourself.

I pray you forgive yourself.

I pray you find your true self.

I pray you remember the reasons you love you.

I pray you find things that bring you happiness.

I pray you are covered in peace and grace.

I love you.

signed,

themostkwnunknwn

[jazzminte]

ok ok ok i'd have to admit that revisiting this place and my writings have actually kept me grounded just a little bit because these past few weeks have just been Hell for me because i've been grieving over my first ever breakup?? and it really wasn't easy because throughout the relationship nothing was ever a red flag!!!! everything was almost near to perfection actually and we were HAPPY.

but then something happened on his end and it was probably becoming too overwhelming for him that he felt like he had no other choice but to end it. in his words, "I'm so sorry, I love you so much but I have to let you go."

goddamn it all it still breaks my heart to this day. not just the way those words made me feel, but how they also made Him feel. man oh mannn if i were to just write down everything revolving around this i don't think we'll be sleeping in the next few days LOL

this post was initially meant for me to recall every significant event that's happened since the last time i posted on here in 2020 (even Before the pandemic holy shit) but i guess my mind and heart are still so preoccupied with everything that has to do with our relationship, and the breakup, and Amyrull Syafiq in general. WHEW. this is Actually the first time i have ever written the name of the person i have strong feelings for. not even my high school senior crush, not even my classmate crush back in 2017-18. this just feels right, somehow. his name is now my favourite thing in the world. he's still my favourite person. i was once his.

HAHA can you believe i was Actually someone's favourite? years ago if you'd told this to my past self in anytime before 2020 even, she would have shat her pants off PLEASEEE

10/10 recommended though. genuinely being someone else's favourite is one of the Best Feelings in the world... and i'm not just saying shit. but also, that person has to also be someone so genuine, so green flag, so... rare. rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky.

amyrull syafiq. remember this name, for eternity. my kesayangan forever.

i know i've said forever about my last crush before (LOL) but for the record i was just talking about him having a soft spot in my heart in that way (he still does, he was so nice. i'm a sucker for nice people, remember?)

but oh man, amyrull syafiq. i truly am the luckiest person in the world for having had the chance to love him and to be loved by him.

i don't know where i'm going with this post anymore, much like how it's always been with a lot of my thoughts right, haha. some things really never change.

anyway! i'll be making a lot more posts on here from now on then! i feel like at the end of the day coming back to this place has always been able to tether me and just. bring me the unspoken peace i have always yearned for every time life starts to throw me under the fuckin bus, throw me all the way to rock bottom. other than turning back to god, i'd also come back here. the one place where i can be grounded back to earth again.

the one place i can be at peace.

[roobgumball95]

hey, can you recommend me your fave skts fics? preferably the ones that you feel the characterization is flawless like wow this author GETS THEM. thank you!!

of course i can!!! you came to the exact right place sweetheart <3

i’ll just give you my top ten….. for now….

INFO: all fics linked have been personally read and approved by me, and are completed works. i wouldn’t do yall like that. they are in no particular order (#9 is my personal favorite)

10: Tale as old as time by lettersinpetals (14k)

don’t think there are any sexy scenes, but there are vaguely triggering mentions of OCD symptoms so if those are going to bother or if you’re a hypochondriac, maybe not the best fic to read!!!! characterization is on point for sure. PLOT: essentially it’s the story of two messes falling in love and figuring out how to make room for each other

9: Mechanical Hearts by buttonstuck (112k)

ummmm yes there is like one sexy time and it is Weird As Fuck because robot sex but don’t let that turn you off, it’s a beautiful piece with an introspective thought process on the humanization of artificial intelligence….. and of course the classic sakuatsu dynamic. WARNING: a certain amount of gore is involved, personally i did not find it too triggering, but one person does get shot (twice?) and i think someone gets killed. it’s been a while. PLOT: android sakusa on the run. atsumu the guy in the way. what could go wrong?

8: more cock, fewer roaches. please. by Gray_Herring (30k)

despite the title, there are only REFERENCED sexy times. i don’t think there are any triggering moments except for one minor freak out of sakusa’s. the freak out is due to a fear of bugs, though, not any disturbing psychotic breakdown. loved the development of this one! PLOT: sakusa is getting his house fumigated for bugs. atsumu has a spare room. you can see where this is going

7: i look for you when i’m lost (so i don’t go insane) by martialartist816 (37k)

I KNOW you’ve been waiting for the smut-heavy fics, so here you fucking go. several sexy scenes! like, if you read this you’re going to get sexy scenes! it’s an intrinsic part of the fic! also possibly triggering mentions of the pandemic/quarantine. possibly dubious consent in the first sexy time, but i didn’t find it troubling and it was immediately cleared up in the next chapter. PLOT: sakusa is rooming with atsumu when MSBY is quarantining together, and proceeds to have a sexuality crisis. as he does

6: again, like this by noodletastic (55k)

again, this is rather smut-heavy. but it’s also very sweet, especially their progression from fwb to lovers (which is my favorite trope of all time). no trigger warnings from me! PLOT: sakusa and atsumu hookup after nationals don’t go like they planned. and it keeps happening.

5: Clean™️ by Kiyoomi by sifuhotman (3k)

no sexy times, no trigger warnings! PLOT: sakusa got sponsored by Mr Clean, and suddenly he’s giving atsumu all sorts of merch. stupidity follows.

4: just as much by Sapphirine (16k)

no sexy times, no trigger warnings, just gay crises! PLOT: atsumu doesn’t love anything more than volleyball (right?)

3: Clipped to You by littleboat (8k)

no sexy times, no trigger warnings, just jealous atsumu!!!! PLOT: natsu gives sakusa some hair clips for his bangs…. it all devolves from there.

2: Under Pressure by ghostystarr (8k)

no sexy times, no trigger warnings, just MSBY crack!!!! PLOT: bokuto and hinata teach sakusa how to flirt with atsumu. it goes about as well as you can imagine.

1: i’m begging for you to take my hand by comfortcharacters (3k)

no sexy times, no trigger warnings!!!! PLOT: atsumu doesn’t know why he loves sakusa’s attention (spoiler alert: theyre fucking idiots)

Whew, that’s all for now! remember to always get in my inbox if you want more recs/more specific recs!!!