#Football (global term)

[uplaay]

10 Steps to Achieving Soccer Excellence: Your Journey to Becoming a Pro

For many aspiring athletes, the dream of becoming a professional soccer player is both a passion and a lifelong pursuit. While becoming a soccer pro is arduous, it's manageable. With dedication, skill development, and strategic planning, you can transform your love for the beautiful game into a professional career. In this blog, we'll outline the ten essential steps to guide you on your journey to becoming a soccer pro while ensuring it's SEO-optimized for maximum visibility.

1. Master the Fundamentals

The foundation of any great soccer player is a deep understanding of the basics. Spend time perfecting your dribbling, passing, shooting, and ball control skills. A strong foundation is essential for success.

2. Join a Local Team

You are joining a local soccer team, whether a youth club or a school team, which provides invaluable playing experience. Consistent match time in a competitive setting is crucial for your growth as a player.

3. Commit to Physical Fitness

Soccer demands peak physical condition. Incorporate strength training, cardio workouts, and agility drills into your routine to improve your athleticism and stamina.

4. Build Soccer Intelligence

Develop your soccer IQ by studying the game. Watch professional matches, read books, and follow soccer news to enhance your tactical understanding and decision-making abilities.

5. Find a Knowledgeable Coach

Seek guidance from an experienced soccer coach who can refine your skills, provide feedback, and help you reach your potential as a player.

6. Compete in Competitive Leagues

Participate in competitive leagues and tournaments. Exposure to different playing styles and high-pressure situations will help you grow as a player.

7. Attend Soccer Showcases and Combines

Showcases and combines provide opportunities to display your skills in front of scouts, recruiters, and coaches. These events can be crucial for advancing your career.

8. Consider College Soccer

Explore the option of playing college soccer. Many professional players come from collegiate programs; a college education can be a valuable backup plan.

9. Network and Build Relationships

Forge connections with coaches, scouts, and fellow players. Networking can open doors to opportunities you might need help finding independently.

10. Stay Committed and Resilient

The journey to becoming a soccer pro is fraught with challenges and setbacks. Stay committed to your goals, work diligently, and maintain resilience in adversity.

Conclusion

Becoming a professional soccer player is a journey that demands dedication, hard work, and unwavering determination. By following these ten steps, you can increase your chances of reaching the pinnacle of the sport you love. Remember that every great soccer player starts with a dream and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Continue to push yourself and stay motivated, and one day, you may find yourself living your goal as a soccer pro, making your mark in the beautiful game world.

[explorastro]

RANDOM ASTRO TAKES #2

I hope New Year Eve was right and joyful for you like the 365 days that are gonna following, good reading 🌝🥳

Capricorn placements can enhancing fatality in the story of the native, La Vita e Bella has a stellium in this sign for example.

Derivative 9H of Pisces falls in Scorpio, that’s why witchcraft is a divination that inspire you, make you grateful of what you are and have.

I think about the fact that gravity is an illusion of immobility when Saturn is in Pisces.

I've noticed that with Cancer placements, records can be set in sports where there are confrontations. This is due to the Capricorn derivative in 7, which represents mountains that are impossible to climb, and the image speaks for itself. Examples : Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Michael Phelps, Leon Marchand.

Those born with Jupiter dominance are more prone to forgiving and leaving on a good note, such a bless for everyone.

With Saturn in Gemini, communication has to be so meticulous and dedicated to a long-term goal that it becomes time-consuming. It means forcing yourself to be perfect, only to end up being copied rather than equaled. Eminem is the emblem of all this.

Thinking about the fact that the prime of football (soccer) was during Neptune in Pisces sextile Pluto in Capricorn, peak artistic entertainment on the pitch.

The primes of basketball were during Pluto in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces, generational planets makes global sports explode positively.

It's can be easy to be confused, or to think that a Cancer placement's gentleness is a sign of weakness, when he uses it to win you over. This is due to the Pisces drifting into the 9th house.

Geminis imitate when they love and when they hate, but also get copied out of love, envy or mockery. It's subtle details (Virgo derivative in 4) or a magnified trait (Pisces and Sagittarius in 10/7).

Aquarius in derivative 12H of Pisces is a marker of evolution, which takes us backwards technically when these virtual worlds and all the robotics and artificial intelligence explode.

The zodiac is subjective, aspects btw planets are objective.

Try to understand why gemini are so hated and I have an answer : their curiosity and social awareness rules the world.

The greatest mysteries of the universe remain its limits, what it's contained within and its destiny on an infinite time scale. saturn is in joy in 12.

The aspect btw the sign of your ascendant and your Sun tells how your body is correlated to your identity.

René Descartes achieving his philosophical journey by saying because i think i am, he has a stellium in Aries square Capricorn rising and ruled by a gemini mars, soo on brand.

Boss mode placements :

Sun/Moon/Venus/Mars/Saturn in 10H/11H

Pluto in 1H/7H/10H/11H

Any placements in Capricorn

Saturn in aspect to Pluto/Mars

Venus in aspect to Pluto/Saturn

Sun in aspect to Pluto/Saturn/Mars

Sun/Venus in 8H

Saturn/Pluto/Mars/Sun/Venus in Scorpio.

I Hope you have enjoyed this post and good start of 2025 🙏❤️

[c1oudyxm4rs]

Fxck pretty, your gorgeous

COLLEGE AU

➳ tags ;; #bakugoukatsuki #BakugouxBlackreader #Bakugouxfemale #fluff #angst #Blackwriter #myheroacademia #mha #MxF #mha x black reader #bnha bakugou #anime oneshot #bakugouoneshot #bakugo fluff  #mha fluff

➳ wc ;; 893

➳ plot ;;  You and Bakugou have been best friends since you were both in kindergarten. You guys talked about everything and he was always one of your biggest supporters when it came to your music career because he knew it meant a lot to you. And you were his when it came to his football games, you always tried to make time when you could because you knew it made him more happy than he would ever let on. 

You both cared about each other but it would always be in a brother-and-sister manner up until recently. You had recently broken up with your ex, and you both were still on good terms and talked all the time. It wasn't until you guys were on Facetime that he changed your mind about something.

➳ a/n ;; This is my first time so any tips and any good advocate would be helpful, thanks

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“Girl you like him, just admit it. The way you all spend time together, the way you talk about him?? You like that boy” Da’von said, stuffing his face with food he had just bought.

“Da'Von no I don’t, me and Katsuki are just close that's it, it's not like I like him or anything. Plus he has a girlfriend.” You said taking off your makeup in the mirror.

“You and me know damn well, she is cheating on him. Plus I could quiz you and you would know every damn answer” He said side eying the camera. 

“No, I wouldn’t and don't say that about Crystal. I'm pretty sure she really likes him, and this is the happiest I have ever seen him.” You said wiping your face, then put your makeup wipes in the trash then put your tablet on your bed since the Facetime call was on there.

“The happiest I ever see him is with you, girl. With that crystal girl, he is only half happy trust me, now this quiz. How old is he?” 

“25”

“Favorite color?”

“Black is all he ever wears”

“Hip-Hop, R&B, Rap or Pop?”

“He listens to everything but mainly R&B”

“What is one thing he does that is related to you?”

“Skip his classes to come to mine if I'm in the building that day”

“And he doesn't like you? Girl you trippin.” Da’von said laughing 

“Even if, he has a girlfriend, Da'von, it wouldn't make any sense. You know he doesn't cheat.” You said lying down on your bed and opening your phone.

“It's not cheating if you like a person from a distance…” He said looking away from the camera

“Da’von”

“Sorry”

The rest of the call went on as normal, talking about people you didn't like, catching up with drama and then hanging up to go to bed. Did you really like him? At this point you didn't know, Da’von had really had really made you think but you put it off till the morning. 

When you wake up, clean yourself up, and get dressed by putting on some sweatpants, a black crop top, and a black jean jacket. You did some light makeup, did your edges, your braids into a ponytail then grabbed your stuff and left out your dorm. Your classes were pretty normal and boring since you had a morning schedule. After you finished up you went to your dorm for lunch to find Kat in your kitchen making noodles and had the TV on watching YouTube like he was your dorm mate. (P.S. He wasn't)

“What the hell are you doing in my dorm?” You ask about taking off your shoes and the door and shutting it behind you.

“Do you not see me making food, use your eyes before you ask stupid ass questions, mkay?” He replied with his normal sassy remark.

“Asshole”

“Whatever, you coming to my game tonight? Coach Evans said it might be the last of the season. I want you to go so you should…” He mumbled.

“Shit, the game is tonight? I can’t have an interview with Global. I can’t pass this up like my first official interview, my manager said it was hella important.”

“So is this game, you can't just slip in for at least 30 minutes to see me play?  Please. I never ask you for nothin’ and now all I'm asking for is this one little thing?.” He pleaded

“Katsuki you know better than anyone that this is a one-time opportunity, I don’t know when I'm gonna get an offer like this again. You know better than anyone that I wouldn’t miss this game on purpose come on, please. Just a reason to listen.” You begged trying to reason with him. You know you sounded shitty but it was such a big opportunity. He sighed and then clenched his fist.

“Kat please, I promise I will make it up to you. I swear.” You said taking his hand, but snatched his hand back and cursed to himself.

“Whatever, I don't care anymore. Do what you want” 

“And the food is for you…” He said grabbing his bag and leaving before you could even stop him. You felt like shit but this meant a lot to you, and if you had to hurt his feelings then so be it but you weren’t gonna let the chance slide.

You tried texting him on your way to your interview but he never answered and just left you on red, at this point you didn't know what the hell you were gonna do, he couldn't ignore you forever you knew you hurt him but you never thought it was that bad. You decided to leave it alone it seemed like the more you tried to justify your actions you sounded more like a damn jackass. You sighed to yourself and continued driving.

When you got there you were greeted kindly, the director told you and your manager Kimmy what was gonna take place during the interview, you were gonna answer the 30 most answered questions and then sing one song that was gonna come out on your next album. You were pretty nervous before everything started but once it did you felt pretty good about everything…but little did you know how bad everything was gonna go downhill.

To be continued....

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➳ a/n ; I hope you guys liked this, please be nice this is my first time writing something like this and English is not my first language. If you guys enjoyed this let me know if you want a part 2!

[chingyu1023vick]

Mod Updates: October 2023

Some mod maintenance in my birthday month. 🤗

Oct 22, 2023:

UPDATE: Less Obsession V9 

Added from requests: Backfloat, Bubble Tea, Celebrity Obsession, Cowpoke Dance, Cross-Stitch, Dance To Mirror, Football, Guitar, Monkey Bars, Mud Play, Practice Acting, Practice Speech, Read Book To Kids, Recreation Table, Smash Dollhouse, Snow Pile, Watch Laundry, Watch Movies

Overhaul of all packages to enable more autonomy for likes in those activities or high-level skills, and restricted by Sim's motives. Please delete all old packages started with chingyu_Less and download these new packages.

Please give feedback on the new activity autonomy levels since I tuned the autonomy. I may adjust the autonomy levels again later with more testing in the game. 😉

Oct 18, 2023:

UPDATE: Inherited Aspiration Bonus V5

Updated to add inheritance from parents with EP14 Horse Ranch personality traits

Fixed the wrongly duplicated packages in the By Chance zip

UPDATE: Smarter Self-Care V18

Revised all needs for better autonomy

Fixed missing string overrides for infant ages

Added Smarter_WildFoxNeeds_EP11 & Smarter_HorseNeeds_EP14

Oct 16, 2023:

UPDATE: Custom Traits in Club Filter v22

Added more traits: LGBT traits from Lumpinou; Dormant Occult Traits from baniduhaine; Houses Of Witchcraft from LittleRedSonja

UPDATE: Balanced Life {Merged Edition} V17

Minor updates for patch 1.101

Remove mood overrides from the merged edition to work with my new mod. You can still download and use the Global LESS EXTREME Moods Override from SEPARATE MODULES if you want to keep that feature and not use my new mod.

🔆 Changelog in October 2023 HERE

🔹 Links to ALL My Traits, Game Mods, and CCs

🔹List of IDs for creators who want to refer my traits to their own mods 

🔹 List of Chingyu’s CC Traits Name and Descriptions for mod users

🔹 Check Mod Status after a patch & Compatibilities

👁‍🗨 Learn how to install a mod & FAQs

👁‍🗨 Terms of Use

👁‍🗨 Ask Questions/ Suggestions/ Bug Reports on Discord

▶ I need to see a screenshot or LE report to help you figure out what’s wrong!

👁‍🗨 Download on my Patreon

👁‍🗨 Follow me on Twitter

[collapsedsquid]

In its simplest and most elemental form, check kiting is the simple practice of stealing money or valuable goods by paying for them with a check that you know (or ought to know) will be rejected because there aren’t sufficient funds in the bank account to honor it. In this form it is known to the specialists as “paper hanging,” and it’s often a crime of desperation or one carried out with stolen checkbooks rather than a calculated commercial decision—there are obvious disadvantages to a method of stealing that requires you to give the victim your name and address. It is possible to make paper hanging into both a systematic fraud and a lifestyle, as Frank Abagnale did (and wrote about in his autobiography, Catch Me If You Can, later made into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio). Abagnale got over the main drawback by adopting a nomadic lifestyle and impersonating an airline pilot, something that also allowed him to travel for free, to date flight attendants during the high period of Pan Am recruitment sexism, and to have a plausible excuse for needing to cash checks all the time and not having a permanent local address. But as a commercial fraud carried out by businesspeople, check kiting is a little bit more sophisticated and takes advantage of a peculiarity of the American banking system. [...] The important technical detail here is that because paper checks are particularly common in America, and because the check-clearing cycle is so long, American banks have—unusually in a global context—historically been very generous when it comes to allowing their business customers to make payments out of “uncleared funds,” that is to say checks that have been deposited into their account but that have not yet been endorsed by the bank that they are drawn on. Effectively, when you deposit a check, you get access to a short-term interest-free loan, lasting for the duration of the check-clearing cycle. This raises the possibility of a form of fraud that is the equivalent of NFL football and pumpkin pie—something that Europeans would no doubt enjoy greatly if they tried it, but that is so deeply embedded into the overall American way of doing things that it doesn’t really travel.

What you do (in the simplest form) is that you open accounts in two banks. Call them Bank A (from which you get a checkbook with pictures of trees in it) and Bank B (which gives you a checkbook full of pictures of sports cars). Pretend for the time being that you put a token hundred bucks into each account. But now you write a check for $500,000 from your “trees” checkbook and deposit it in your Bank B account. That check is going to bounce, for certain. Except… it will only bounce when the check gets presented, and in the meantime, thinking that you have $500,000 in the bank, Bank B will not mind if you write a sports-car check and deposit it in Bank A. If Bank A sees the sports-car check, they will not mind honoring the trees check for the time being, while they are waiting for the sports-car check to clear. If they honor that check, then you can write another check to Bank B, and so on…

Of course, this looks like a bit of a closed system—you can make the checks going back and forth look as big as you like, but if you ever take the money out in cash or spend it on something, the checks will actually bounce and turn you into just another paper hanger. But creating the illusion of having two bank accounts with half a million dollars in each can be profitable in itself because as well as allowing customers to make payments out of uncleared funds, American banks used to be quite generous about paying interest on deposits as soon as they were made. In the heyday of check kiting in the early 1980s when interest rates were in the midteens and bank computer systems in their infancy, you could have earned quite a lot out of the simple kiting scheme described above, unless someone happened to notice. And although even a dull bank clerk might spot a kite based on two banks and checks going back and forth every few days, if you bring more banks into the scheme (“chaining”) and intermingle the kite with the ordinary back-and-forth cash flow of a large operating business, it becomes very difficult to detect.

Interest rates are back baby, guess it is time to bring back kiting

[didalexiabreakupwitholgaisback]

En que puede afectar negativamente el cambio de presidente a la sección femenina del club? No sé cómo lo hizo Bartomeu pero Laporta se mostró bastante interesado en la sección y pensé que tal vez podría ser reelegido pero viendo lo que pasó con Olmo y la obsesión de Font con ser presidente impida eso.

a ver. era una situación muy complicada para laporta, pero creo que ahora se ha salvado...al menos por un tiempo. bueno, no me preocuparía demasiado el tema de un nuevo presidente. el barça femení es el referente global en el fútbol femenino. además, en la temporada pasada, el equipo obtuvo un total de 600.000 euros de beneficios para el club. víctor font no haría ningún lío con eso. no me puedo creer que sería tan gilipollas como para meterse en esto con malas intenciones. 🙏

it's good news for the club and laporta at least in the short term. barça has returned to the 1:1 rule of financial fair play and la liga has just informed them that they can now register dani olmo and pau víctor. at this point, we are just waiting on the response of rfef, which should ideally just be a formality at this point.

but yes, it has been a rough period for barça and laporta, and he may eventually lose out the presidency to someone like víctor font. but barça femení has been the global standard for women's football and has made a profit last season, so any new president would be stupid to mess it up and screw up the women's team! 🙏

[bigairplaneblog]

Antonov An-225: The Biggest Airplane in the World

When it comes to airline airplane models, there's one that towers above the rest—quite literally. The Antonov An-225, known affectionately as "Mriya" (which means "Dream" in Ukrainian), holds the title of the biggest airplane in the world. This massive aircraft is not just a large airplane model in the figurative sense; it's the largest in every conceivable dimension.

The Antonov An-225 was originally designed in the 1980s to transport the Buran spaceplane, the Soviet Union's answer to NASA's Space Shuttle. But its capabilities far exceeded its original mission.

With its maiden flight in December 1988, the An-225 quickly became a symbol of Soviet engineering prowess, and later, an indispensable asset in global heavy-lift cargo transportation.

So, what makes the Antonov An-225 the biggest airplane in the world? Let’s delve into the details.

A Giant Among Giants

The sheer size of the Antonov An-225 is mind-boggling. This large airplane model has a measure of 84 meters (275 feet) in length, with wingspan size of 88.4 meters (290 feet). To put that into perspective, it's longer than an American football field and has a wingspan wider than a Boeing 747. The An-225 stands at 18.1 meters (59.3 feet) tall, nearly as tall as a six-story building.

This airline airplane model is equipped with six turbofan engines, each capable of producing 51,600 pounds of thrust. These engines, combined with its enormous wings, allow the An-225 to carry a maximum takeoff weight of 640,000 kg (1,410,958 pounds). This includes the cargo it carries, which can be up to 250,000 kg (550,000 pounds). This impressive lifting capability makes it the go-to choice for transporting oversized cargo, such as wind turbine blades, military tanks, and even other aircraft.

The Unique Capabilities of the An-225

The Antonov An-225's cargo bay is so large that it could fit 50 cars. The interior is 43.32 meters (142 feet) long, 6.4 meters (21 feet) wide, and 4.4 meters (14.5 feet) high, making it spacious enough to accommodate a wide range of oversized items. Unlike many other cargo aircraft, which load through a rear cargo door, the An-225 is loaded through the nose. The aircraft's nose lifts up, allowing direct access to the cavernous interior. This feature is crucial for loading extremely large and heavy objects that cannot be easily maneuvered.

Another notable feature of this large airplane model is its 32-wheel landing gear system. This complex system allows the An-225 to land on runways that would be unsuitable for other aircraft of its size, providing flexibility in the types of airports it can access.

The An-225 also has a range of 15,400 km (9,569 miles) when carrying a smaller load, but this decreases as the payload increases. Despite this, its range and payload capacity make it ideal for long-distance heavy-lift missions, and it remains a vital tool in global logistics.

A Record-Breaking Aircraft

Throughout its operational life, the Antonov An-225 has set numerous world records. In 2001, it carried the heaviest single cargo item ever transported by air—a 189-ton generator for a power plant. In another instance, it transported a 130-ton piece of machinery from Germany to Kazakhstan, marking the largest payload ever carried by an aircraft.

The An-225 has also been used in humanitarian missions, delivering supplies to disaster-stricken areas around the world. Its ability to transport large quantities of aid quickly and efficiently has made it an invaluable resource in times of crisis.

The Legacy of the Antonov An-225

The Antonov An-225 is not just a marvel of engineering; it's a symbol of what human ingenuity can achieve. Despite being over three decades old, this airline airplane model remains unmatched in terms of size and lifting capacity. Its continued operation is a testament to the foresight of its designers and the enduring need for such a massive aircraft in today’s world.

However, the An-225's future is uncertain. The only existing model has been in and out of service due to the high costs of operation and maintenance. There's also been speculation about building a second An-225, but financial and logistical challenges have stalled those plans.

Despite these uncertainties, the Antonov An-225’s legacy is secure. It continues to capture the imagination of aviation enthusiasts and the general public alike, reminding us of the heights—both literal and figurative—that human technology can reach.

In conclusion, the Antonov An-225 is not just the biggest airplane in the world; it’s a symbol of human achievement. From its origins as a Soviet space transporter to its current role in global cargo transportation, this large airplane model has set records and exceeded expectations. Whether or not it continues to fly for years to come, the An-225 will always be remembered as a giant among giants in the world of aviation.

[zot3-flopped]

There's a piece on the Daily Mail that gives a very interesting behind-the-scenes of Liam's life (they also talk about a big childhood trauma but "whose full details the Mail has chosen not to publish"). It's behind a paywall but I've discovered that many times the reading mode in Firefox and Safari gets through anyway, so here it is:

---

Liam Payne's serious childhood trauma and why having a baby so young with Cheryl couldn't bring the stability that may have saved him: KATIE HIND

It was the autumn of 2011, and I had been summoned to Sony Music’s west London HQ to meet Britain’s hottest new boy band.

A few months earlier, five hopeful teenagers had auditioned for ITV’s X Factor talent show – and the music impresario Simon Cowell had drawn them together to form One Direction.

The fledgling stars had already attracted a global fanbase in the millions: a juggernaut that was drawing comparisons to 1960s Beatlemania, even though they had yet to release a song.

Now that was about to change. The band’s debut single, What Makes You Beautiful, was launching the following week – and I was there to interview the boys behind it.

Although they had seemed like sweet young things when we had briefly met at the Fountain Studios in Wembley, north-west London, during their X Factor live shows the previous year, I had expected these precocious adolescents to now be full of self-importance at their growing fame.

How wrong I was.

I arrived to find five handsome young men politely waiting to greet me, but one of them stood out thanks to his cute curly hair and his charming, talkative manner.

No, not Harry Styles – the only ex-1D member who has gone on to forge a successful, long-term solo career – but Liam Payne. Dressed down in a navy hoodie and jeans, Liam wrapped me in a warm hug and excitedly introduced me to his bandmates – Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik – in his strong Wolverhampton accent.

Looking younger than his 18 years, Liam told me how badly he was missing his beloved mum Karen’s cooking – so much so that he had resorted to eating chicken dippers warmed up in the microwave.

Living as he was out of suitcases in hotels, he asked me for ironing tips as he had yet to learn how to use one – and said he still spent much of his free time playing Nintendo.

He admitted that he had practised putting his hands behind his back and trying to sing like his hero Liam Gallagher, the snarling Oasis frontman. ‘I probably looked a bit stupid though,’ he said.

He also spoke lovingly about West Bromwich Albion, the football team he had supported since he was a young boy – though he regretted that he no longer had time to cheer them on in person.

As for girls, Liam told me he preferred shy and quiet ones, although he revealed he’d fallen in love with X Factor’s 2006 winner Leona Lewis, while he found singer Tulisa Contostavlos ‘really, really hot’.

Overall, he struck me as an innocent abroad – a child, really – who seemed too vulnerable a soul to last long in the cut-throat music world.

As the years passed, I met Liam many times at industry events and in chance encounters – and I never shook that worrying sense that he was, in some ways, a lost little boy.

I could never have known, of course, that just 13 years after our first interview, Liam would perish in the most terrible circumstances – following a long spell of torment, scandal and drink and drug abuse.

His descent into addiction had been playing out, in public and in private, for years – worsened by his fragile emotional state.

Many had tried to help him quit the substances that were destroying his life, but to no avail: following his death in Buenos Aires’s five-star CasaSur hotel on Wednesday evening, what appeared to be cocaine and heroin paraphernalia were found in his wrecked suite, with its smashed TV and half-drunk flutes of champagne.

It was a squalid end for one of the most famous young men in the world, so adored by ‘Directioners’ that he insisted he couldn’t leave his hotel without a large security detail (although it’s worth pointing out that other former bandmates, including the global megastar Styles, often travel without huge entourages).

So where did it all go wrong for him – and how did that smiling boy I met all those years ago, rough around the edges as he was, come to such a terrible end?

There is no doubt that he struggled, even more than his bandmates, with that explosive early fame and notoriety.

In a candid moment at 2014’s Brit Awards, Liam told me how difficult he found it to be unable to blend into a crowd. The band’s relentless schedule had taken its toll on him, as had the long months away from home.

He often wished, one of his friends later told me, that he had gone to university like many of his schoolmates.

Of course, Liam came to enjoy a lifestyle unimaginable to his old contemporaries at St Peter’s Collegiate, his Church of England secondary school in Wolverhampton.

Despite his insatiable appetite for drugs, his large property portfolio, his endless jaunts on private jets, taste for high fashion and luxury hotel stays, his bank balance was still thought to be in the millions when he died.

For all his fears that he had peaked so young, he still had decades ahead of him – and ample time to grow into the contented father to Bear, his son with Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy, his friends and family longed for him to become.

But I can reveal that behind that smiling, cherubic face, Liam had suffered serious trauma in his childhood: a shadow from which he felt he could never escape and whose full details the Mail has chosen not to publish.

One friend told me: ‘Before he even began his showbiz career, he had demons from his formative years. He struggled with that and never quite got over it. He was in a band with four other guys, he could get any girl he wanted and he was earning millions – but he struggled to enjoy any of it.’

I can vouch for that: of all the 1D members, Liam seemed by far the most uncomfortable with his fame and fortune.

I would see him most years at the Brits, where at first he would dash over to say hello, often reminding me that he had enjoyed me asking him ‘fun questions’ at our first interview.

Yet as time went on, his chaotic living began to catch up with him, and his manner became ever more unpredictable.

In February 2013, at a Brit Awards afterparty organised by his music label at the upmarket Arts Club in Mayfair, I saw him drunkenly dancing with his bandmates – by far the most bleary-eyed of them.

That December, I bumped into him in the Kurt Geiger shoe shop in Canary Wharf, east London, where he was buying his then girlfriend Sophia Smith – a former school sweetheart – a pair of boots for Christmas.

Gone was his carefree demeanour of just two years earlier, he now seemed strikingly shy. He told me he had bought a penthouse flat in the Docklands, and at my insistence, he posed for a picture with me before dashing off.

During 2013’s Take Me Home tour, the band performed an average of a concert every two days, completing 124 dates between February and November. That, I’m told, put unbearable pressure on Liam, who would often say that he ‘just wanted to be normal’.

Of course, the fame came with perks – women chief among them. Liam’s best-known romance was with Cheryl, who was ten years his senior, which had begun in 2016 following her split from her French husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini.

They quickly became the most talked-about couple in showbiz –and only six months after they were confirmed to be an item, Cheryl revealed she was expecting their baby.

For Liam, however, the pregnancy was a huge shock: he was, he allegedly told friends, not ready to become a dad.

With 1D having gone on ‘permanent hiatus’ in 2016, he was trying to launch his solo career, and becoming a father – especially to a woman a decade older than him –was not part of his plans.

He told friends that he felt like Cheryl, who was 33 when Bear was born, had used him so she could have a baby.

When Bear, now seven, was born in 2017, Cheryl grew increasingly fed up that she was stuck at home with the baby while Liam was away jet-setting.

‘Liam was flying around the world promoting his music,’ said a friend. ‘He was in the zone Cheryl had been in ten years before with Girls Aloud. It led to some furious rows.

‘He began using private jets so he could get home quicker, but it wasn’t enough. Cheryl wanted a proper family unit and Liam just could not give it to her. Things got really bad and tempestuous. Liam was a young lad in his early 20s and he just wasn’t ready for it all.’

Inevitably, they split up – giving Liam even more time to ‘go off the rails’, as one former associate of the star describes it.

Even when they were co-parenting, Cheryl desperately hoped that Liam and Bear would develop a strong father-son bond, despite Liam’s addiction issues.

‘Cheryl knew what a state he was in,’ says a source. ‘She wished she could make it better.’

And she wasn’t alone in that wish: as Liam turned from being a cheerful teenager into a tormented, angry young man, many of those closest to him tried unsuccessfully to rescue him.

He was dropped by more than one of his managers due to his erratic behaviour and his failure to turn up to work engagements.

In September 2017, Cheryl, Liam and Bear went on a luxury holiday to Majorca: a birthday treat for Liam. But he injured himself while drunk.

As the years went on, he only got worse.

In 2022, a gurning Liam appeared to be high on drugs at a post-Oscars party in Hollywood. In footage that went viral for all the wrong reasons, he replaced his Wolverhampton twang with a bizarre Los Angeles accent.

One friend of Liam’s called me in horror to share their fears that he ‘really wasn’t OK’. Last year, Liam moved to a sprawling mansion near the Buckinghamshire town of Chalfont St Giles to be further away from the temptations of London and closer to Bear, who lived nearby with Cheryl.

However, neighbours tell me that he brought his problems with him. They would often spot him coming home in the early hours in chauffeur-driven cars, often with women in tow.

While I’m told he tried to see Bear regularly, his unpredictable lifestyle frequently made this impossible. Instead, Cheryl was largely left to bring up the little boy alone with the help of her mother Joan.

Liam’s new home was also close to a woman who some describe as his fairy godmother – the Olympic heptathlon gold medallist Denise Lewis.

Her husband Steve Finan worked with Liam for several years and the couple were at his side through some of his most difficult times – including his fall-out with Cheryl.

He would often stay at their home as they battled to keep him sober.

‘Liam adored Denise,’ says a source. ‘She mothered him and really tried to support him.’

Yet in recent months, his life was clearly spiralling out of control. His on-off girlfriend, Maya Henry, 23, had recently hired lawyers to send a ‘cease and desist’ letter to the star, accusing him of repeatedly contacting her and her loved ones.

Liam’s friends insisted he was angry and upset at her, adding that her behaviour was due to her wanting to publicise her new book.

And only last week, I’m told Liam had a huge row with his manager over his forthcoming album, whose release – to Liam’s fury – had been delayed because it was deemed ‘too poppy’.

A source said: ‘There was a blazing row and the album was put back again. The single from it had flopped and there were concerns. Liam desperately wanted that album to come out: despite everything, he thought of himself as a musician.’

To make matters even worse, just a few days ago Liam’s record label dropped him.

Another source said: ‘People begged him to get help and suggested that he went to Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings, but he wouldn’t take them up on it.’

His most recent girlfriend was Texan model Katie Cassidy, whom he thought might have been The One. She too had tried to help him, but left Argentina to return to the US two days before he died.

‘Lots of people cared for Liam,’ said a source. ‘He had so much love around him.’

Yet all the love in the world was not enough to rescue this desperately unhappy young man, who for all his fame and fortune could never escape the demons that haunted him from his lost, tormented youth.

www dailymail co uk/tvshowbiz/article-13972405/Liam-Paynes-childhood-trauma-having-baby-young-Cheryl-bring-stability-saved-KATIE-HIND html

Thank you for this. Plenty of interesting insights here.

[h7p3r4ct1v3-h0rn3t2]

1 2 5 + 8 for Spencer and/or Kevin NKotR

holy shit TWO characters to talk about youre so niceys to me .. ok first of all

1. What are your favorite headcanons for them?

Ok this might be inaccurate in like 2 days bc im bad at favouritse . Umm . for spencerr. One of my favourite hcs for her. and this is like kind of nothingburger but i like to think that she sort of engages with the world as if she genuinely believes she is fictional. DOES she believe that?? Maybe. It depends on what is funniest to me in the moment ☝️☝️ but as a rule i like to think that she kind of acts like she is on hit sitcom the office (ive never seen a single episode of the office i just know the camera is diagetic) . One of my favourite headcanons for kevin is that he's some sort of protestant christian. Probably calvinist. I don't know the idea is just funny to me This is a protestant man!!!!!

2. What’s a headcanon / characterization you’ve seen for them that you dislike?

I dont knowwwwwwwww.... NKotR fandom so small i havent seen like any characterizations that i DISLIKE. one thing that vaguely annoys me with characterizing Spencer specifically is like. this is just bc i have worms but she kinda gets that whole "character mentions food once and it becomes their whole gimmick" thing . sometimes it's funny but also the onion rings have genuine symbolism to me and nobody really gets it. wait.... nobody ..... say that again ☝️☝️☝️(<-Reference to book nine of the Odyssey in which Odysseus introduces himself as "Nobody" to the cyclops so that when they take out his eye he will say "nobody has harmed me")

5. What social media apps would they use most regularly?

ok . Obviously MySpace for spencer (ironically though, who do you think she is?) . Facebook for both of them but for different reasons. Spencer literally talks about using facebook like straight out so that's that. Kevin, technologically speaking, kind of has Old Person Vibes. i mean he literally didn't Know what a Video Game was until Computer Fighters. they had a whole gag about it. and facebook of course is the Old People social media. I think in the year of our cosmic angels 2025 Spencer would've loved xiaohongshu. like come on it's like the slightly less popular Tiktok. Come On!!!

8. What political views would they have?

[wearing shirt that says I <3 SPECULATING ON THE POLITICAL STANCES OF CHARACTERS I LIKE] So . Like. Hipsters as a Group are generally more left-leaning than the average bear and that's because a big part of hipsterism is (The appearance of) being counterculture. Spencer herself mentions the ideas of global warming and the Iraq war, both in seemingly negative contexts. I Think that she's. kind of liberal in an edgy way if that makes sense. Like she desires the shock value that comes with being radically against the current system but none of that really coalesces into a fully fledged political opinion. She's all for like gay marriage and legal weed. She Knows the terms proletariat and bourgeoisie. But it is kind of unclear whether this is another Ironic Bit or if she would actually put her money where her mouth is if given the chance (she wouldn't). Now. Kevin is a lot easier to parse a political opinion from because of The Money Tree. this political opinion of course is DIOS MIO!!!!! A LIBERALLLL!!!! but NOT in the same way spencer is at all. Kevin is actively in favour of america as an institution, he is a footballing, leather jacket wearing, Atomic Age American Man!!!!! But ☝️ He goes to pro-choice rallies and recycles his cans and jars. The conservatism is ok if it's not THAAAAT conservative!!! Some people want gay people dead. HE wants gay people to bootstrap or something??? I don't even remember the point i was trying to make. he's the whitest person who ever did the funky chicken. this is the longest fucking paragraph in this post because i cant make a point concisely to save my life but i hope you get the gist

[felassan]

Business Wire: 'Electronic Arts Pre-Announces Preliminary Q3 FY25 Results'

"REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today announced preliminary results for the third fiscal quarter and a revised outlook for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Business Outlook as of January 22, 2025 EA’s initial guidance for fiscal year 2025 anticipated mid-single-digit growth in live services net bookings1. However, the company now projects a mid-single-digit decline, with Global Football accounting for the majority of the change. Global Football had experienced two consecutive fiscal years of double-digit net bookings growth. However, the franchise experienced a slowdown as early momentum in the fiscal third quarter did not sustain through to the end. As a result, EA revises its outlook for Global Football to end the fiscal year down mid-single-digit at the midpoint of the new outlook. Separately, Dragon Age engaged approximately 1.5 million players during the quarter, down nearly 50% from the company’s expectations. As a result, EA is providing preliminary results for its third fiscal quarter and updating its fiscal year 2025 net bookings outlook. It now expects net bookings of approximately $2.215 billion for the third fiscal quarter and an updated range of $7.000 billion to $7.150 billion for fiscal year 2025. For its third fiscal quarter, EA now expects GAAP net revenue to be approximately $1.883 billion and approximately $1.11 in GAAP diluted earnings per share. “During Q3, we continued to deliver high-quality games and experiences across our portfolio; however, Dragon Age and EA SPORTS FC 25 underperformed our net bookings expectations,” said Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA. “This month, our teams delivered a comprehensive gameplay refresh in addition to our annual Team of the Year update in FC 25; positive player feedback and early results are encouraging. We remain confident in our long-term strategy and expect a return to growth in FY26, as we execute against our pipeline.” “We continue to balance investment for future growth with operational discipline, and remain committed to EA’s long-term financial framework,” said Stuart Canfield, CFO of EA. “As we look to FY26, we expect to grow as we launch more of our iconic franchises.” EA will announce its results for the third fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2024 on February 4th, 2025 and will host a conference call at 2:00 pm PT (5:00 pm ET) to discuss its quarterly results and financial outlook. Listeners may access the conference call live via a dial-in number or audio webcast."

"Tuesday, February 4, 2025 2:00 pm Pacific Time (5:00 pm Eastern Time) Dial-in numbers: Domestic: (855) 761-5600; International: (646) 307-1097 Conference ID: 5939891 Webcast: http://ir.ea.com"

"EA’s financial results release will be available after the close of market on February 4, 2025 on EA’s website at http://ir.ea.com. A dial-in replay of the conference call will be available until February 11, 2025 at (800) 770-2030 (domestic) or (609) 800-9909 (international) using pin code 5939891. An audio webcast replay of the conference call will be available for one year at http://ir.ea.com. Forward-Looking Statements Some statements set forth in this release, including the information relating to EA’s expectations under the heading “Business Outlook as of January 22, 2025” are forward-looking statements that are subject to change. These forward-looking statements are current as of January 22, 2025. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and reflect management’s current expectations. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include those discussed in Part II, Item 1A of Electronic Arts’ latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the heading “Risk Factors”, as well as in other documents EA has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. EA assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. In addition, the preliminary results set forth in this release are estimates based on information currently available to EA. While EA believes these estimates are meaningful, they could differ from the actual amounts that EA ultimately reports in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2024."

[source]

[uplaay]

The Global Passion: Exploring the Phenomenon of Soccer's Popularity

Soccer, known as football in most parts of the world, isn't just a sport; it's a global obsession. With billions of fans and centuries of history, soccer holds a special place in people's hearts worldwide. In this blog, we'll delve into the fascinating factors that make soccer the most popular sport on the planet while ensuring it's SEO-optimized for maximum reach.

1. Simplicity and Accessibility

Soccer's beauty lies in its simplicity. It would help if you had a ball and a few markers for goals and were ready to play. This accessibility means that it can be played in any corner of the globe, from Rio de Janeiro's streets to rural Africa's fields. The universal appeal of a sport requiring so little play is undeniable.

2. Low-Cost Equipment

Unlike many other sports that demand expensive gear, soccer requires minimal equipment. This makes it an affordable option for players of all backgrounds, eliminating financial barriers and ensuring that anyone with a passion for the game can participate.

3. The World Cup: A Global Celebration

The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of soccer. Held every four years, it brings together nations from every corner of the planet. The tournament's pageantry, drama, and the sheer scale of the event capture the imaginations of millions. The World Cup isn't just a sporting event; it's a celebration of culture, unity, and national pride.

4. The Universality of the Sport

Soccer is the lingua franca of sports. Regardless of language or culture, anyone can enjoy a soccer match. The rules' simplicity and the game's universal language make it a sport that can transcend borders and bring people together.

5. Legendary Players

Soccer has produced some of the greatest athletes and icons in the world. Names like Pelé, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo are revered for their skill and ability to inspire generations of fans.

6. Club Football Rivalries

Club football has its brand of passion and intensity. Rivalries like Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, Manchester United vs. Liverpool, and Boca Juniors vs. River Plate evoke emotions beyond ninety minutes of play. These club rivalries keep fans engaged year-round.

7. A Sport of the People

Soccer has a rich history of being a sport for the masses. It often represents the hopes and dreams of communities and nations. From local clubs to national teams, soccer resonates with people from all walks of life.

8. Social Media and Global Connectivity

In the digital age, social media has amplified soccer's popularity. Fans worldwide can connect, share highlights, and engage in real-time discussions about the sport, making it a 24/7 global conversation.

Conclusion

Soccer's popularity isn't just a result of its thrilling gameplay; it's a culmination of its accessibility, universal appeal, and the emotions it stirs in fans. The sport transcends borders, languages, and cultures, uniting people in a way few other activities can. As the world continues to change, one thing remains constant: the universal love for the beautiful game of soccer.

[wearingaberetinparis]

And You Heard About Me

A Jily Celebrity AU inspired by the romance between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

Lily Evans is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and global superstar, who recently broke up from her latest and long-term actor boyfriend Amos Diggory. James Potter is a professional football player who plays as a forward for Manchester United and has never been quiet about his celebrity crush: Lily Evans. When Lily Evans thus plays at Wembley Stadium - a place he is more than familiar with due to his being part of the England team - he just has to go and see her perform, embracing his inner, besotted fan boy, while the woman on stage is completely oblivious to his presence. Or is she?

Read And You Heard About Me HERE!

This is probably poorly edited and it did turn out differently from how I had expected, but when I saw the final word count for this story, I knew I had to stop: 12013 words. That's so close to Taylor's birthday (12/13) that I felt as if all the stars had aligned. (I hope you guys enjoy this. I'm always nervous about my work and feel like I might disappoint you. I hope this is not the case now!)

[mariacallous]

In a series of farewell addresses during his final week in office, U.S. President Joe Biden is making the case that he’s left the United States in a much stronger position than he found it. During his four years, the country has far outpaced Europe, left Russia engulfed in quagmire, outperformed China economically, and hung on to its global leadership role in spite of the nation’s internal divisions.

In a speech at the State Department on Monday, Biden declared that “during my presidency, I have increased America’s power in every dimension.” He said that “thanks to our administration, the United States is winning the worldwide competition” and added that “our adversaries and competitors are weaker.” Washington’s No. 1 competitor, China, “will never surpass us,” Biden added.

And yet, in what has come to be all too characteristic of Biden, the outgoing president also avoided admitting any errors—though clearly, he’s made his share. In the end, it was this stubbornness that was perhaps the biggest pitfall of Biden’s presidency. (His hubris on foreign policy was aligned with his disastrous insistence on running for a second term even though his faculties were obviously failing at age 82, and despite most of his own party opposing the decision.)

No mistake was more impactful than Biden’s precipitous departure from Afghanistan only half a year into his presidency, a debacle that he never recovered from. Biden insisted that the Taliban wouldn’t simply take over, which they did in just two weeks. And then in subsequent years, right up until this week, Biden and his acolytes continued to insist that there was no better way to leave, though his military advisor had predicted havoc if a small contingent of U.S. troops wasn’t left behind, and the projection of U.S. weakness there was arguably a factor in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.

Even at the time, some European diplomats told me that Biden’s ill-conceived withdrawal plan was brazenly unilateralist—that it was not vetted with major U.S. allies such as Britain, France, and Germany, nations that also sacrificed considerable funding and lives in Afghanistan.

It wasn’t the only time that Biden cost himself credibility with pronouncements meant to signal strength and leadership—but which often only led to policy confusion and flip-flopping.

He telegraphed his entire policy on Ukraine by declaring at the outset that Putin wouldn’t have to worry about direct U.S. military involvement, before crossing his own red lines by gradually ratcheting up U.S. military aid. He initially described the Ukraine conflict as a war for democracy and then, without acknowledging the shift, turned it into a war over territorial norms.

Biden repeatedly inflamed relations with Beijing by coming closer than any other president to saying that he would defend Taiwan—only to have his own administration walk those comments back. He often looked ineffectual on the Middle East with what even his secretary of state, Antony Blinken, conceded were many “Lucy and the football” moments—a reference to the Peanuts cartoon—in which Biden repeatedly, and credulously, allowed both Israel and Hamas to endlessly string along negotiations.

When it came to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, Biden found himself in a state of continual self-contradiction over whether he should use real leverage, such as withholding U.S. weapons, in order to moderate Israeli behavior. He threatened to do so several times—but never did.

As a result, anti-American attitudes in the region are at a level not seen since the Iraq War, Brett Holmgren, the acting director of the National Counterterrorism Center, told 60 Minutes recently.

Much of the dysfunctional nature of Biden’s foreign policy can be attributed to the fact that he had very few naysayers around him.

During his presidency, the only senior official who might have been considered a peer was John Kerry, Biden’s erstwhile climate envoy. But in other respects—especially in making his longtime aide, Blinken, the secretary of state, and another former junior aide, Jake Sullivan, his national security advisor—Biden mostly hired his old staffers.

“He doesn’t surround himself with peers,” said one Democratic foreign-policy expert.

As a result, Biden developed a false sense of confidence about his record that likely contributed to his decision to run for a second term. Speaking to reporters the day after the 2022 midterm elections—when the Democrats performed far better than pundits had predicted, which was mistakenly ascribed to anti-Trump sentiment—Biden was asked what he might do differently to address voters’ concerns about the economy and the widespread sentiment that the country was moving in the wrong direction.

He replied, “Nothing.”

And in the subsequent two years, Biden rejected all internal advice that he was almost certainly going to lose in 2024, even as his approval ratings barely budged beyond 40 percent or so.

In his speech on Monday—which is to be followed by a final Oval Office address on Wednesday—Biden ticked off what he saw as his greatest triumphs, saying that he’d made the largest investment in clean energy in U.S. history and beefed up the country’s industrial base. He also touted his leadership of an expanded NATO against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine as well as his shoring up of U.S. power in Asia, including in the form of an agreement between Japan and South Korea to expand security.

All this will benefit Biden’s successor, Donald Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, even as the president-elect continues to deride the United States as a “disaster” and a “laughingstock all over the world.”

But Biden showed that he hasn’t learned much about adjusting positions to fit changing facts. He failed to come to any substantive deal with China on climate change or artificial intelligence. He boasted of Iran’s new weakness in the post-Oct. 7, 2023, Middle East without noting that his own diplomatic policies had little to do with it. Three years of failed talks with Tehran over resurrecting the 2015 nuclear pact came to nothing—along with so many other negotiations.

It is a mixed record at best, and a decidedly unfinished one, thanks in part to Biden’s unwillingness to change course.

[matriayawrites]

The Hot Zone

wordcount: 30k

rating: e

pairings: travis konecny/nolan patrick, travis konecny/ofc, (tk/pat endgame!!)

tags: covid times, pat has an onlyfans, friends to lovers, omg they were roommates

a/n: i finally finished it babyyyyyy!!!

Ao3 link

Preview of ch 1:

Travis is worried at first when the whole fucking world goes into lockdown for COVID and he gets trapped in a two bedroom Philly apartment with Nolan, but honestly, it’s been kind of fantastic. Like sure, half the time they get on each other’s nerves. Nolan has threatened to toss him off their 11th story balcony on more than one occasion, and once, Travis was a little worried he actually might. 

But overall? It’s pretty great. 

Nolan’s been his best friend since they were in middle school, which makes them the perfect lockdown buddies. They had more sleepovers growing up than Travis could count. This is sort of like that, only with adult money. And they have to work from home for 8-10 hours a day. And Travis’s mom isn’t around to bring them snacks. Whatever. The honest truth is, if Travis has to be stuck in an apartment for an unknown amount of time with any person, he’s glad it’s Nolan. 

Travis’s job working at Valvoline is on hold since no one needs their oil changed when they don’t go anywhere, but the company was able to transfer him temporarily to online support, which he can do from the comfort of his living room. Nolan? Nolan makes his money a different way:

On OnlyFans. 

Travis will admit it’s kind of weird at first. It’s not like he doesn’t know Nolan is gay. Travis was the first person Nolan came out to back in high school when he developed an inconvenient crush on the football quarterback. Nolan having sex isn’t a surprise either. He picks up more dudes than Travis ever has ladies, and Travis isn’t exactly a slouch in that department - (or wasn’t, before a global pandemic squashed his sex life like a bug.) 

But sex work? It was weird at first.

He’s come to terms with it. Now it’s just…a thing Nolan does. After Travis gets off work, they have dinner, play some video games or watch a movie or something, and then Nolan goes into his room, shuts his door, and jerks off in front of strangers. A lot of strangers, if his paychecks are to be believed. Travis hasn’t ever looked him up. Sure, he’s been curious. Who wouldn’t be? Sometimes he has to wear earplugs at night to keep the sound of Nolan moaning to a minimum. But actually looking always felt like crossing a line. 

He supports his best friend no matter what, and if that means getting a white noise machine and industrial-strength Loop earplugs to sleep at night, then that’s what he’ll do. 

It doesn’t affect Travis much, other than the sleep concessions, until one day it does.

Eight pm looks like a fucking dream across Philly, with the sun splashing everything in a beautiful orange. Travis keeps one curtain open, and there’s a slant of sunlight across the living room that’s starting to leak onto the TV screen, which is kind of annoying, but is also so pretty that he doesn’t mind. Yet. 

He’s not even really watching ESPN, just has it on in the background while he’s scrolling his phone. Instagram is the same damn thing over and over. This depressing/hopeful see-saw of people moaning about their cooped up state, mixed with exotic pictures of foreign locales they all wish they could be at. 

There’s one of Sanny and his girlfriend, tucked up all cute together on the sofa with their dogs. Hashtag quarantine, hashtag blessed. Another of Travis’s brother Chase with his wife and their little girl, all masked up and giving the cameras thumbs up. Hashtag mask up for life, hashtag covid strong. It makes something in Travis’s chest ache. He sees his friends and family pretty frequently over Zoom. He and Sanny had lunch over Zoom this afternoon, even. But it’s not the same. He fucking misses everyone. 

Nolan emerges from his room wearing a ratty pair of basketball shorts and a scowl. Travis looks up long enough to register the grumpy expression, then looks back down at his phone again. Honestly, if he’d had to do this whole quarantining thing without Nolan, he’d have gone insane ages ago.

Nolan drops down onto the couch beside him, one arm slung over the armrest, and props his bare feet up on the coffee table. 

“They know who you are.” He doesn’t look at Travis, keeps his gaze on the Sixers highlights reel. 

“ That’s cryptic.” Travis says, reaching over to punch Nolan lightly on the arm. “Who knows who I am? The mafia?” 

Nolan is unusually pink-cheeked for eight pm. He blushes like a motherfucker a lot of the time, and Travis has run into him in the hallway in the middle of the night before when he was taking a break from streaming to find him so fucking red he’d looked like he’d smeared lipstick on his cheeks, but normal Nolan doesn’t always ruffle easily.

This Nolan? Sitting next to Travis right now, avoiding his gaze? This Nolan looks ruffled.

“My fans.” Nolan mumbles. 

That makes Travis put his phone down.

“Your what?” he asks.

Nolan lets out a long, dramatic sigh and rolls his head along the back of the couch to look at Travis.

“My fans. My subscribers. I was streaming from a different angle the other day and the door wasn’t totally shut and you walked by. Now they know who you are.” 

Travis laughs. “So? Did you tell them you live alone or something?” 

It earns him another even bitchier sigh.

“No. I didn’t tell them anything about that, but they…I don’t know. Assumed? And now they think you’re my boyfriend or whatever.”  Nolan’s words go decidedly mumbly on that last bit, and Travis laughs even harder.

“Bud, you wish you could pull someone as hot as me.” He leans over and jostles Nolan with his shoulder. Nolan’s a solid wall, deeply entrenched in the cushions by this point, so he barely moves. He gives Travis a small smirk, which they both know means Nolan can and has pulled people way hotter than Travis before, but he gives Travis the small victory. 

“Just tell them we’re roommates or whatever. Who cares.” Travis tells him.

It’s sweet of Nolan to worry, but Travis doesn’t give two shits what a bunch of horny men and women on the internet think about him. He doubts it’s enough to identify him if push comes to shove, and the people at his work aren’t likely to subscribe to Nolan’s channel. Maybe. Probably not. 

“I get it dude.” He reaches out and pats Nolan’s thigh. “You like to keep it separate. You want me to come on and do an AMA? Ask the Straight Best Friend?” 

Nolan grins.  “They’d eat you alive,” he snorts. 

Travis may not know what Nolan’s fans are like, but he follows a few women on OnlyFans. He knows what people can be like in the comments section. The sunset is turning half of Nolan’s face orange now, and it’s kind of pretty. He’s just so pale, and it makes him look like an ethereal modern art piece. 

“Yeah, probably. But if it makes it easier for you…” he trails off.

He knows Nolan’s been struggling. Fuck, everyone on the planet is struggling right now, but beneath his gruff hermit exterior, Nolan’s a bit of a soft nugget. They don’t exactly talk about this shit because duh, but Travis has heard him talking to his mom over Zoom, getting weepy when he thinks Travis can’t hear. And like… maybe they should talk about this shit, because it’s a big deal! Anything he can do to make Nolan’s life better, he’s going to do, no questions asked. 

Nolan doesn’t answer for a solid two minutes, just stares at the basketball players as they run across the screen, and lets out a huff of derision as Embiid misses his free throw. Just when Travis has decided Nolan’s going to ignore his suggestion entirely, Nolan turns his head again to look at Travis. 

“Yeah.” Nolan says with a small smile. “That would be cool.” 

[houseofbrat]

May I never be this delulu:

Actually William does need to explain himself because he is being PAID by virtue of his birth to be a PUBLIC SERVANT.

Isn’t he the same man who left Charlotte on her birthday to go watch football? And then the wailer cult were making excuses that he doesn’t need to be there for the full birthday, maybe they celebrated earlier or later etc. So football trumps birthdays but a state funeral doesn’t?!

Would love if you shared another round of up tweets and reactions because there’s no way of spinning it that William doesn’t come across as lazy and juvenile here.

It's a little bit harder to find as more people tend to believe the excuses because they don't understand what William's job is.

Sophie attended the funeral of an Italian president in September 2023, when it was really William who should have attended. If Sophie had attended for Charles in that capacity in 2019, people would have critiqued Charles. William wasn't doing anything when Sophie attended that funeral.

But I found a few where people understand that William cannot and will not do his job.

Jimmy Carter was a humanitarian who dedicated his post-presidency to helping others, building homes for those in need, and living a modest life far removed from the pomp of wealth or status. He embodied values that were the complete opposite of what royalty often represents. I highly doubt he would have cared whether any royals attended his funeral.

No official announcement has been made yet; the article is based on the Royal Diary post for Edward - and that itself doesn't yet necessarily mean he will be the only one attending, as William's engagements are notoriously often posted only shortly before the day of the engagement. I think it's absolutely alright if Edward goes alone, though. He is the King's brother and a working royal. To be 'outraged' because someone doesn't consider Edward to be...what, worthy enough? That's just ridiculous.

In essence, Edward did get a promotion when Harry left. Edward and Sofie have a much higher profile and more important duties due to this. It’s how a hierarchy works. By the same token, Harry can go if invited as a private citizen and he won’t be. It cuts both ways.

The security will be up to snuff for this. It's a big deal for the royal family to turn their nose up at not only a former president, but especially THE former president who was least-problematic of existing presidents, and led an incredible life of purpose and service after his term.

Honestly he makes these royals look bad with how dedicated he was to his country when he didn't have to be.

And they can't even get William to go and look young and solemn?

I hope Liz is spinning in her grave.

Actually this is up to the King. The government can suggest a preference but ultimately the king/monarch decides these assignments on behalf of the government. The government requests a royal rep but the monarch decides who. We know royals can and do turn down opportunities or requests, too.

Edward is fine. But this is the sort of opportunity William should be more keen to have as he builds up his own Rolodex and credits as a global ambassador.

Either way, I don’t think the Carter family is all that concerned with which Royal is attending. These sorts of events are onerous for the families to deal with enough.

I would just say this is different because, and not to be too American, but the US is the the UK’s most important ally, the superpower, AND they are desperately trying to butter up to the new admin. Which is also why I do think politics plays a role. If this was a GOP former president it would probably be William because they are the party in power in the US right now.

Carter has been out of power for a bit and a president from the “out” party right now. And as far as I can recall (and I welcome corrections) neither had any stronger than normal relations with the UK or with the BRF overall to consider above political considerations. So sure, why not send Ed and call it a day.

I just think this is the sort of thing William should be doing as prep for being king and building his own profile as a leader. It’s one thing to send Ed to continental royal weddings, but this sort of thing(plus royal weddings) William and Kate (when she is well) should be doing more of now.

Harry was able to make it to the coronation on Archie's birthday.

Diplomacy should come before a birthday.

It's her birthday, one of many.

Hell, she could go with him for a getaway after the funeral. But no.

Yeah, not good on William's part. The PoW has historically attended these events. I understand family is important and it's Catherine's birthday, but he takes so so much time off for his family already (every break the kids have when honestly, he could easily do an event or two when they're off school and not miss any time with them. Tons of parents work full-time and have good, healthy relationships with their kids). Being a royal isn't all about fun events, it's the boring state stuff too.

Actually, there is precedent. Charles attended George HW Bush's funeral in 2018 and they were not close at all - it was a symbol of Britain's ties to the US that they sent such a senior official.

William should absolutely be going to the funeral. This is the sort of thing that Charles did all the time during his decades as PoW. He has nothing on his calendar for next week, and the security will be off the charts with the politicians that will be attending. Work shy William strikes again!

What does William do, he has private planes and the means to go quickly and head back home. He seems to always have an excuse. How long will this go on ? Yes Kate had cancer, she is recovering. If she is permanently disabled tell the public. Cp Mette marit has a chronic life shortening lung disease and her husband CP haakon still travels for work and does his job.

If Katherine and William really are about duty and service, then William can skip part of Katherine's birthday and attend a great statesman president and humanitarian's funeral.

I do not understand how they keep treating him like a 25 year old who is still learning the job, or a man with so many heavy issues/responsibilities that he cant do his very light on work job. He has nannies. He has secretaries and cooks and servants. Kate is well looked after. So like go to funerals of presidents ! It's part of the work. Cut ribbons, fly to random countries for your passion project, attend movie premieres, do events. Why is he so work shy its not a good look.

It has nothing to do with the representative "remembering" the person. These funerals aren't about being heartfelt, it's about the symbolic relationship between countries. If it was Tony Blair's funeral, it would seem odd if the US sent, let's say, Kamala Harris' husband and not someone more senior.