#why does it always feel like the four wheels on a shopping cart meme when it comes to my ocs

[nebulousfishgills]

For any of your OCs with romantic partners, tell me the exact moment each of them fell in love (whether or not they realized it at the time)

This ask is so adorable. I'm obsessed with those first moments people realize they've fallen in love. Me personally, I find it funny that my extremely serious fictional crushes, most of them weren't a love at first sight situation, it took time, yet I can pinpoint the exact moments I did lmao. ANYWAYS.

Olivia and Loki have known each other practically since birth, but very famously when they were children, Loki presented Olivia with a royal blue rose from the garden sheepishly before running off. We can presume he had fallen in love with her since around this time since he was bold enough for this gesture. I think she recognized this gesture for what it was even at her age and likes to tell people that's when she fell in love in return. But I bet it took her a little longer to fully realize what her feelings for Loki were. After that she probably noticed his actions towards her a little more closely and eventually fell in love herself. But it started with the rose, and to this day she still has it, enchanted to never wilt.

Keira and Norman's romance happened quickly but is incredibly strong. Their meet cute is famously goofy, Keira spilling her coffee all over her boss and future husband at the literal worst time. Keira had a horrible cold around this time so she didn't fully process this had happened and Norman had a big meeting right after, so I doubt if they had any love at first sight feelings that they recognized them at all. But I think Norman fell in love first, him offering her a coffee which doesn't seem like a normal move at all. During those few days she was out sick, I think he contemplated the event over and over coupled with what he knew about Keira and at some point knew that he had some sort of pull towards her. Keira probably developed her crush during this coffee date since Norman respected her mind and intellect more than most.

Now, we know that the first time Henry admitted to himself that he was in love with Emily was during the lockdown and they had that extended conversation about their pasts and ideals about the human race. I feel like he vaguely knew he liked her more than as a companion a little before that, but only realized it was love after he knew she felt similarly about the world and that she wasn't scared of what he'd done when most people would be. We also know that for years Emily was extremely defensive and protective of Henry, getting angry when he would get hurt by Papa or the guards. I think she herself only realized she was in love with Henry was a little while after their talk and now that they were alone in the lab, she knew that only Henry could make her feel any semblance of happiness. Of course, they only admit these feelings after Papa informs them that they're no longer test subjects.

...now, the elephant in the room once again comes when we get to Caius and Emily. Hilariously I have 100% concrete answers for both of them rather than a varyingly vague idea compared to the others. Caius knew he was in love basically the second Emily started talking since he had the benefit of feeling a mating bond he'd been waiting eons for forming (likely one Marcus saw). That, plus her brash attitude and her unique characteristics like her wings and already red eyes, dude was a goner the second she walked in. Emily of course needed to have a huge fight with Henry and had to fuck first before she realized she liked Caius, too. But right after they did the dirty, Emily saw how quickly and willingly Caius took care of her, tended to her, made her feel safe quicker than anybody else had ever had, and that's when she knew. She even said as much to his face.

[megacircuit9universe]

Shades of 2008

FRI MAR 13 2020

So, today Trump declared a national emergency... which is quite warranted under the circumstances, but also kinda scary... as that’s a technical step closer to martial law, god forbid.*

Meanwhile, today was another historical first for the markets... the first time ever that all US bonds, regardless of their length, fell below 1%.  It makes that inverted yield curve from last year look like a little walk in the park.**

At his press conference today, Trump had on hand, not only health officials, but leaders of different corporations... attempting to convince them, and get them to convince us, that the economy’s gonna be just fine.

But it also broke today that the reason why Covid19 testing is so scarce and so impossible to get is... by Presidential order.  No testing... no rise in the number of infections.  And while this is still hearsay... it’s perfectly in character for this callous criminal President, and we all know it’s true.

...which is why the markets aren’t gonna rally back, no matter how many speeches he makes, or what governmental levers he pulls to try and stimulate the markets.

I normally go shopping for groceries every two weeks, and I go after work, which is  midnight, to a 24 hour grocery store which is normally nearly empty except for stockers hard at work in the aisles.

I’d been hearing about people making runs on the supermarkets this week, hoarding toilet paper, and other paper products, thanks to a rumor that we may run out of such stuff because it all comes from China.

But I didn’t think I’d actually see it here, where I live.  That kinda stuff only happens in big cities far away, but not around these parts.

Yet, lo and behold, when I got to my store tonight, at midnight, the parking lot was full, and a long train of people were rolling out the front doors with shopping carts overfilled with food and... bulk paper products.

They were being forced out of the store and nobody else, including me, was being allowed in.  This 24 hour supermarket, that I’ve been shopping at for twelve years, was closed.

The guy at the door told me they still had plenty of product in the stock room but had to close in order to actually restock the shelves overnight.

I asked him if it tomorrow night would be better.

With a bit of a laugh, he said, “Tomorrow night?  Right now, we’re just taking it hour by hour.”

I drove to the only other 24 hour store in town... the big chain drug store on the main strip.  They have a small section for groceries.  They were open, thank goodness, but their toilet paper section was stripped bare.  Nothing at all... just like all the pictures I’d seen online today from other parts of the country.

Thankfully, I wasn’t here for toilet paper... my main concern was cat food... and thankfully they did have a 12 pack of Fancy feast, cat litter, and milk.  As far as paper products, they still had facial tissue, so I bought three boxes of that, just in case there’s still no toilet paper next week.

I said a few entries ago that the panic was worse than the virus, and this was firsthand evidence of how true that is. 

I’ve only seen this kind of thing a couple other times, when a big blizzard is approaching... the old bread and milk thing... when people panic about being stuck at home for several days.  But that’s always a local thing.

This is a nationwide panic, that isn’t just clearing the supermarket shelves of toilet paper and hand sanitizer, but crashing the stock and bond markets.

It’s difficult to imagine how such a visceral experience, for every citizen on the ground this week... does not affect the voting on Tuesday. 

Last Tuesday, the fear of the virus was there, but daily life was going on as usual. There were groceries on the shelves.  The President hadn’t declared a state of emergency.  Schools were in session.  TV shows had studio audiences. Sports were doing their normal thing. 

Last Tuesday it was, “wash your hands, everybody, and... by the way, Biden’s the guy for the job, so vote Biden.”

It’s only three days later (!)  and the fucking world is ending because of a public health crisis. 

Now it’s two days until the debate between, “Good Time’s Joe,” and “FDR of Health Care.”  What do you think the focus of that debate is gonna be about on Sunday night?  And who do you think is gonna have better answers about how to deal with a global pandemic?

My guess is that Bernie is gonna crush Joe in such a debate, no matter how early in the morning they do it, and no matter how many uppers they give Biden beforehand to keep him lucid enough to speak in full, connected sentences.

The asshole already said if a Medicare for All bill ever came across his desk as President, he’d veto it.  How’s he gonna backpedal on that when half the viewers at home are down to their last roll of toilet paper, terrified to go out in public for fear of Covid19?

Then it’s gonna be two more long days of pandemic hysteria before we actually go to the polls... so... as I said in the last entry... if this does not turn the tide to Bernie... nothing ever will.

That said, It’s worth reviewing that all of this panic not only stems from Trump’s fundamental inability to deal with a global pandemic... but also the terrifying realization that Biden may be even LESS competent to deal with it, or any other existential threat that may be waiting in the wings for us.

The latter, as evidenced by the market’s downturn beginning immediately after Super Tuesday... when the media was attempting to coronate Biden as the Democratic nominee.

Rich people and Corporations may not like the idea of having to pay their fair share of taxes, but they are a little bit more allergic to the specter of a global economic collapse... which last reared it’s ghoulish face into the skies back in 2008.

This does, to me... now feel more like 2008, than any other Presidential election in modern history. 

That time around, it began with the housing bust in early 2007, which brought on a recession, and inevitably lead to the near banking collapse of 2008.  

That year, Hillary Clinton was, around this time in March, presumed to be the Democratic nominee, with her only opponent, Barack Obama, starting to be treated as an, “also ran,” in the mainstream media.

But the scarier things got, the better Obama did... not only winning the nomination... but then going on to win the  Presidency... taking over from GWB in one of the darkest hours this country has seen since 1929.

Rich people and Corporations knew then, what they must still know now... Republican governments are great for letting everybody have fun on the playground, amassing mountains of wealth at the expense of the lower classes...

...but, when they break the game... as they always do... Democrats must be called in to fix it, before all of civilization collapses.  And in such a case, the more progressive the better... hence, Barack over Hillary.

And fix things, Obama did, over his eight years.

Fixed the economy so good, it was now a self driving money machine that could not be crashed even if you had the worst, most drunken driver at the wheel.

That meant a big green light for Republican government!  And this time... permanently!  No more Democrats necessary ever again!  Trump 2016.  Trump 2020.  Trump 2024, 28, 32, 36... impeachment means nothing.  Senators can be bought.  DOJ can be fixed.  No more regulations.  Hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

And then a pandemic plague came out of China... like they always do.  Like they’ve been doing since the Black Plague of old. 

And this one just happens to be hitting the upper class the hardest... because it’s hardest on the elderly, in this historical moment of peak elderly power.  And it’s hardest on those who travel the world, and love to hang out in huge crowds... as the powerful elderly love to do...

...cruise ships... jet setting... political rallies... awards events... back room meetings... shaking hands with every motherfucker they see all day long.

For them, Covid19 doesn’t just threaten their lives directly... but their huge piles of money, if it triggers the collapse of the dreaded, “everything bubble,” economists have been warning us about for a few years now... in the few venues where their voices have not been stifled completely.

This week, they are beginning to realize... they’ve crashed the self driving economy.  And they did it in only four years of Republican government.

Only an FDR can save this.

Only an FDR can halt the collapse of the everything bubble, and save them from dying of a pandemic disease for which there is currently no cure.

I’m sure they’re not happy about that.

But... as the TikTok meme goes... “it is what it is.”

I’m going to bed.

* I’ve learned the day after writing that marital law is not on the table here because it can only happen in a time of war.. and only when the judicial branch no longer exists? 

Neither of those scenarios are coming down as the result of this current pandemic... which is no threat to babies, children, teens, or young adults at all.

Yes, it may be a threat to the boomer voter base... but they do not have the power to enforce anything close to martial law. 

**Let us not forget the Pronunciation Book warning about Dalton (Donal T):

“...He is rich.  He is strong.  And he is going to crash the stock market. Sidewalks crack, and streets go dark.  Ten Thousand bankers shake and scream for Dalton’s pyramid.”

The last video on the channel, published on September 24th, 2013... six years prior to the date that Pelosi would announce formal impeachment hearings.

And even though he made it through that... boasting about the great economy the whole time... here we are.