#number one travis hater

[jaxieshauna]

https://www.tumblr.com/jaxieshauna/765506511210528768/can-we-normalize-blocking-over-headcanons

lowkey me with transfem travis headcanons..... sorry!

OH MY GOD I'VE SAID THIS TOO BECAUSE THAT MAN IS LITERALLY A RAGING MISOGYNIST IDC THAT HE STARTS TO GROW IN S2 BEEEE FUCKING FOR REALL . the way people want to woobify him && try to justify their liking him by saying "oh he's actually a girl && a lesbian 🤓☝️" he hates women dawg what are you on about . also people will be like "erm he's a girl 🥺" && then turn around && be wildly transphobic && overall weird when the yellowjackets are headcanoned as transfem or trans in any way for that matter . it's so weird to me the way people treat travis && babygirlify him when he's travis..... 🤢 remember when we used to be a proper country && everyone hated or didn't care about any of the men... can we bring that back because why is it now a hot take && you lowkey get clowned on if you hate travis .

[jaxieshauna]

banger post oomf..... user jaxieshauna has given this a YEAH

i hate you travnat

[bomber-grl]

Sal Fisher Affection hc ! ₊˚⊹

Pairing(s): Sal Fisher x Gn! reader

Hes so sweet 😭

As I’ve previously established

I honestly think sals love language would be quality time or words of affirmation

(Definitely words of affirmation)

If you ever had any concern or thing that was weighing on your mind Sal would most definitely reassure you

And successfully at that

I’m sure many would believe being around someone who compliments you all the time would feel insincere and not genuine

But Sal manages to convey his sincerity each time and again

He of course loves spending time with you too

He just loves being around you and just your presence overall

Sal is open with affection and it’s never really bothered him

Well, atleast it was that way when you were friends.

When you two became a couple he’d freeze up and would fluster a bit when being confronted with more romantic gestures

hes still open and willing to receive and give affection

As I’ve stated, Sal really enjoys your company

It’s one of his favorite things and when you first start dating in highschool you guys often spend time in his room and just cuddle there

It became a habit that transcended into your young adult years.

He was of course hesitant when cuddling but soon relaxed and realized there was no reason to be so panicked, he learned that he really enjoyed being in your arms.

When/if you date in highschool then if your identity isn’t what you were assigned at birth and you show pda whether it’s a quick peck on sals mask or a warm hug

(Or if you’re a guy, same as Sal)

Then Travis is your number one hater

He sees that and calls you guys slurs (obviously)

He’s mostly insignificant especially when you poke fun at him and say stuff that riles him up that ultimately drives him away.

The friend group can be a bit teasing at times

Especially when Ashley catches Sal inching his hand towards yours and you intertwining them

Ash automatically forces Larry to look and they’re just so supportive

Same with sinjin- I mean Todd

(Sorry I got that from Twaimz when he played Sally face live 😭)

Even then, you two often hug and cuddle a lot

More often than not passerby’s will see you sitting down with a doting sal leaning his head on you

Or vise versa

Ok so we all know Sal is absolutely reluctant to removing his mask in public

However, in private he feels more comfortable

Especially since you’re not only friends, but dating now.

It was only a matter of time that kissing would come into the conversation

Your guys first kiss would go two ways

The first being planned by the both of you

Or just spontaneous

Either way it’s very awkward yet sweet! 😭

The first way would be when you and Sal were just casually hanging out

His dad was out and that left the two of you guys alone

(I envision your first kiss would be when you’re in high school)

You and Sal had obvious wanted to kiss each other for awhile

And although you’d kiss him on the forehead, knuckles, and on his mask

Mostly because you’d forget his cheek was covered, sometimes not

Regardless, you both felt ready and Sal had invited you over

It was so painfully awkward ngl but regardless he took his mask off and y’all kissed

He was honestly nervous and a bit hesitant cuz although he knew you wouldn’t mind he still couldn’t shake off the feeling that you wouldn’t like it.

He even asked you if it was good enough 😭😭😭😭

The second scenario would be natural except when you forget Sal still has his mask on and you both get awkward especially since you accidentally kissed his mask.

It’s still sweet tho cuz you can actually see him being bashful instead of picking up on it from his voice and body language.

Sal is such a sweet guy and is always asking if it’s fine to hug or kiss you

Not always verbally, mostly stopping and giving you a chance to run away lol

But ofc you never do

I mean, it’s Sal fisher

Cmon now

[flower1622]

Luke: So. Who stole it?

*Everyone stays in silent*

Luke: I'm not mad. I just wanna know.

Silena: Alright. I did.

Luke: No. You didn't.

Luke: Connor?

Connor: Don't look at me. Look at him.

*Connor points to his brother Travis*

Travis: What? I didn't steal it.

Connor: Ahn? That's weird. How do you know it was stolen?

Travis: Because Luke already had said it!

Connor: Suspicious!

Travis: No, it's not!

Percy: If it matters...Annabeth looks like she knows something...

Annabeth: Percy! Don't you even start....you are Zeus' number 1 hater here...

Percy: Oh, really? Now I am the suspicious one?

Annabeth: You were the one who started!

Silena: Let's not fight. I was the one who stole it. Please, let me deal with the consequences...

Luke: No! Who stole it?

Percy: I think Clarisse is too quiet today...

Clarisse: Oh really?

Percy: Yeah, really...

*Clarisse fights Percy and everyone tries to hold her back*

*Luke thinks while he watches the others fighting*

I stole it. I went hidden to Olympus and took it. I predict ten minutes from now, they’ll be at each other’s throats with warpaint on their faces and a pig head on a stick. Good. It was getting a little chummy around here.

[hauntsthenarrative]

1, 8 and 10 for yellowjackets 👀

HEY MOOTIEEEE okok;

The character everyone gets wrong - I feel like people misunderstand so many of the characters (as an ex Misty hater who didn't understand the mechanics of a black box I have been guilty of this), but I think the main one is Natalie. I've seen a lot of people complain about how her character is largely based around Travis, but the whole point of it is to demonstrate her trauma-bonding habits and how she EVENTUALLY GROWS OUT OF THAT. While we didn't get a chance to see healed Nat apart from the S2 finale, the show explores how you have this loner girl, who's included with the team and her two friends but at the same time reclusive, with a horrific family life that prevents her from truly connecting with others (ex. Kevin, who she probably never invited over to her house to bond or otherwise EVER again), and a sex life with men who have only used her for her body. You bring her into this situation where she's stranded with the only girls who truly notice her and a guy - Travis, who has an asshole dad who is just lost. Travis keeps people at arm's length, he's got this turmoil inside of him, he's angry and isn't afraid to show it. And Nat is drawn to him because she NEVER gets to be angry- she had to be careful around her dad and take care of her mom. And she sees her inner thoughts in this guy so much. Natalie wants to be there for him in the same way that no one could ever be there for her, and it's someone she can connect with on a personal level, not someone who wants her for her body, not someone who will never understand her, not someone who will idealize her and see her for her beauty. And just as suddenly she's taking bullets FROM this guy and she's falling into the same pattern as her mother, even becoming her. But she stays with Travis for so long, because she doesn't see her father, she sees herself. And so she bonds with him, she sticks with him, she destroys him just as much as he destroys her because she wants to punish herself, and Travis, in many ways, IS her. But the problem is that Travis is also her dad, and she wants so badly to love and hate herself, that she doesn't know he's the one holding all the cards. When she loses him, she loses herself, her other half, her purpose in life, and then he dies and she will never have him in her life again. So in S2, this man who she has projected herself onto, it turns out, really isn't a part of her at all. They are 2 separate puzzle pieces painfully glued together, but they can be separated. That's why Natalie isn't with Travis on the plane to her death. She's with her younger self. Because all along, it wasn't Travis that she truly loved and accepted, and who loved and accepted her. It was the parts of her she had lost and had finally gained back.

Jesus I yapped on the first one so I'm gonna make the next one shorter. For number 8, I think people are wrong about Ben. Do I think it was awful he lit the cabin on fire? Yes, obviously that's fucked up. But this is a man who needs more food than the rest and hasn't eaten for literal weeks at this point. He is anxious, schizophrenic, and totally anti-cannibalism. He just witnessed his only 'friend' (Nat) let a CHILD die in her place and be crowned a fucked up cult leader queen for a group of insane women (and Travis). He is horrified. He is scared. He is on his last leg. Like I said, lighting the cabin on fire was horrific, but whose to say he was next? So I think it can be justified a bit in many extents.

Finally, for number 10, I'm sorry to all my Van loving mutuals, but i genuinely HATE her. I know she's starving and unreasonable but I feel like her character got really fucked up towards the ends of season 1 and the entirety of season 2. Fanon acts like she's the greatest ever but she literally told a guy whose brother she had JUST LET DIE that he was being selfish, and that she didn't regret letting a little boy die when there was a USELESS, CULTISH, HALF DEAD BITCH who was WILLING AND READY to be consumed if necessary that was offering herself up for food. Javi's whole death was fucking bullshit and literally horrific. They let Jackie sleep outside and consumed her dead body but couldn't allow an ailing Lottie to just die when she was already injured? And Van EXCUSING that behavior and on top of that TAUNTING a fellow survivor about the fact they were going to fucking eat his little brother? I feel sick. All the girls are fucked, but Van is especially shitty, and fanon needs to stop making her out to be a fucking perfect angel.

[reluctanttorturedpoet]

I wanna focus on tayvis. Alwyne is boring and I simply want this fandom to move in from this beige bore fr. As for people blaming tay, they are haters and bitter and should be called out. But the tay/alwyne relationship to me was a dead end walking. I guess it helps that i never saw it for them. Was never a fan of him either. Bleh. So let this man fade into irrelevance which he seems to want. Tayvis in the height baby and his new podcast episode is a blast!

Travis is officially Taylor's biggest fan and we love to see it - just as much as we love to see how happy and touched he was whenever she'd show up at his games. He's grateful for her support and for the opportunity to be the one to "bring her back to life" and let her shine again.

It really is no surprise they became one of the most adored couples ever, their joy when they are together and supporting each other is very clear and honestly contagious. People love it when their idols are happy, and they love it when things that seem too perfect to ever happen outside of TV and film just... casually happen in real life when no one was expecting it.

Also the very fact that he wanted to flirt with Taylor through a friendship bracelet that he made himself already shows he was determined to stand out from all of her past boyfriends. He knew what he wanted, and boy, he's got her.

That's why Taylor took a bittersweet song/moment in the show that is all about the duality of her job, of how it grants her amazing things, but as a price she has to pretend to be totally fine while secretly being depressed - and then instead of the usual no-names pushing her to stop crying and go sing, it's Travis, her number one supporter, picking her up when she's down and saying "Go shine, Tay."

It's fucking beautiful.

[twopoppies]

Hi Gina... I need to rant 😠 lmfao

As a life-long Chiefs fan and KC native all I can say is this T*ylor shit is fucking annoying. I know you talk to a LOT of people in the fandom, so you may not remember, but I'm a fellow Sw*ftie hater (maybe that's too harsh but idgaf) and I didn't think it was possible to get more annoyed with this woman than I've been since I stopped being a fan in 2018. Boy, was I WRONG. I'm a die-hard Chiefs fan. I loved my team even when we sucked and couldn't make it to the playoffs (before Patrick Mahomes), so to see EVERYONE make the game on Sunday about her is beyond frustrating. People (Sw*fties) are seriously saying she's the only reason we won. Like we haven't won multiple AFC championships and two Super Bowls in the past three years. Maybe I'm just taking it too seriously, but when our boys played a kick ass game on Sunday after such a shitty season opener (that we lost), it was so nice to see that we're getting our mojo back but I literally can't look at any post, tweet, article, tv segment, etc that doesn't make the game about her.

God, please don't let her be around for the rest of the season 🙏🏻

Also, I'm not saying they're not hooking up, but this is 100% for PR. I've personally never seen them pan to a celebrity so many times during the game. I've never seen "candid" photos of Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, or any of the other popular Chiefs' players leaving Arrowhead Stadium after a game like we just got with Travis & T*ylor, or "candid" photos & videos of any of the popular players driving through the city, which is so sus. And then what really sealed the deal for me was that T*ylor announced earlier today that her concert film will be shown internationally. She was also named as an entertainer of the year for entertainment weekly and is on the cover. Not to mention, she has a new re-recording coming out in a month and continues to announce new versions of the 1989 re-recording. "Someone" must not be happy enough that she's already broke records with the Speak Now sales, is selling the most number of albums overall, but she must be aiming to break those Speak Now records with the 1989 re-recording sales bc she's releasing new versions quite often. I mean, how greedy can one person be. Like you haven't sold enough albums? You don't have enough publicity? You don't have enough money? It's just gross to me.

Also, I personally just found her reactions over the top for someone who isn't even a fan, especially whatever that head shake thing is at the end. But maybe that's just because I find everything she does annoying and cringe.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxmAHqjrACL/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Plus, the stats around Travis and the Chiefs have skyrocketed. So they're absolutely getting a lot out of this as well as the NFL like someone mentioned earlier.

I'll attach an article but here are some numbers:

Travis' jersey sales went up almost 400%

Stubhub ticket sales for Chiefs' home games increased threefold in just 24 hrs

Travis gained 325k new ig followers - more than he gained after winning the last Super Bowl

Sunday's Chiefs' game was the most watched NFL game on any network last week

It was also the most watched game among girls and women 12 to 49 yrs old

https://www.axios.com/2023/09/26/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-merch-sales-up-chiefs-kansas-city

And yes, I know I know a lot about her for someone who doesn't like her. But she's inescapable even when I have muted everything related to her... And now she's taking over my everything related to my favorite football team and my city 🤢 Where's Pete Davidson when you need him? 😂

Ok, sorry for that rant. I know I probably sound ridiculous, but I prefer my life T*ylor free just like I prefer my life Ol*via free, and I thought you might understand 😂 Anyways, feel free not to post if you don't want to discuss her anymore.

I hope you're having a good night, Gina. Lots of love.

She really is a horrendous actress. Everything she did at that game was so embarrassingly fake. But clearly people want to believe it because it’s everywhere.

That’s bananas how much his stats already went up and just shows why it’s worth it to do this kind of nonsense, even to someone who’s already really famous.

I’m not interested in football at all, but I’m so sorry she’s contaminating your safe space. 😩

[wardensantoineandevka]

5 nd 17 for the cr ask game!

;Weirdly specific and overly long Critical Role Ask Meme

5. Meta you would write if you did not fear people would be SUPER weird about it. This is also an invitation to write that meta and block the haters.

I answered this question in a prior post, but another meta that I'd write is: it's kind of really weird how much the extremely shipping-centric circles do everything to claim that Travis (who has garnered a reputation in the fandom for having a good eye for what romantic relationships are developing) is an idiot and a coward for pursuing the romantic threads he is interested in and for making the romantic choices that he has, or to otherwise invalidate, erase, or ignore the choices he makes for his characters romantically, but then simultaneously construct entire fantasies filled with out-of-context screenshots to "prove" that Travis ships their preferred ship to validate that ship.

Like, it's so weird how much hate Travis gets for his choices in terms of romances or how much many of the shipping communities try to erase or ignore his decisions, and then they so desperately want him to validate or approve of their ships. His decisions and opinion is not valid until you can project one onto him and weaponize it? There's a contradiction here, and it's so weird and transparent, and it's kind of sad and desperate too.

Before anyone says "but it isn't the same people doing both of these", I have very specific sub-communities (this is a thing in multiple shipping circles, btw, it isn't limited to one ship) and individuals in mind. I won't name them, but I know for a fact that a not insignificant number of people absolutely both call Travis a coward or ignore his decisions AND create elaborate fantasies claiming that Travis approves of or is in on The Shipping Agenda for a particular ship.

17. You know that post that's like "I wish you could filter in ao3 on 'attitude towards a canon event'?" In the world of imagination, you can! What's the event or attitude?

I need so much the ability to filter out people who did not like that the Raise Dead did not bring back Molly, and this needs to filter out BOTH people who go "it flat-out brought back Molly instead" AND "Kingsley is basically Molly with a different name". I am so tired of seeing this creep into fics where I am just trying to read about Fjord and Jester doing shenanigans, and it's especially hard to clock it by tags alone bc it often sneaks in via Kingsley's characterization.

[the-carlos-cow-eyes]

Part 2 of my FTWD rant:

Okay, now onto the character that I love from FTWD that everyone else absolutely despises: Chris Manawa

Now, If any of y'all truly know me and actually pay attention to my blog, then y'all know how much I love Chris and hate how he was treated the whole time that he was even a character. I've already made a rant before on how Chris had plenty of potential, but It was wasted just to make the haters happy In my eyes. For the very few of you who actually liked Chris, let's get Into It:

From the start, everyone could see that Chris came from a sort of broken home. His parents were divorced and he was clearly resentful towards his Dad, which was reasonable since he was the one who chose to leave him and his Mom and decided to find a new girlfriend with even more problematic kids, and this clearly pissed him off. But once the apocalypse had started, Chris became mentally unstable, which was also reasonable as his mother had just fucking DIED and she was the main one who cared about him and understood him since she was, you know, his fucking MOTHER. Hell, he even blamed himself more for her death than his Dad, who was the one who shot her after she was bitten, all because he thought that he could have said or done something different to save her life

Now, here's when we go Into the shit In the latter parts of season two of when Chris starts killing as well as when he starts to take a turn for the worse: Chris Is obviously unhinged at this point and no one seems to give a shit. Now, before y'all start bringing up Travis In the comments, I'm already getting to him. I think Travis only cared about helping Chris up to a certain point, before he completely gave up hope on his own goddamn son. Once Chris ran off from the hotel, Travis tried to actually be a good father and go after Chris to help him, only to find Chris pointing a gun at him with a child by his side. After Chris literally says that he's seen the way the others had looked at him as If he was a monster, Travis tries, but completely fails, to defuse the situation by saying that he's not a monster at all, and Chris doesn't believe him. Chris then lets the kid go before he runs out and Travis chases him, and once they're both done fighting each other, Chris looks at his Dad and says “Look at me, I'm no good”

Now, I personally think that this Is the first Instance of when Travis starts to give up on helping Chris, because after this happens and they try to get back on to road, Chris and Travis meet these completely sketchy guys named Brandon and Derek. Instead of Immediately ditching them, Travis decides to let them stick around, which was mistake number one with these guys. If It were me, I would have kicked them to the curb after realizing that fact that they had fucking followed me after I met them and parted ways with them literally a few minutes later after scavenging for food

Now, here's Instance number two of Travis giving up on Chris: The barn scene. Brandon and Derek clearly have an emotionally manipulative grip on Chris at this point. They're making Chris think that they're his friends and are making him think and act of their own fucked up ways and mind you, Chris Is literally 16 YEARS OLD. But once Chris kills the owner of the farm and Brandon and Derek trick him Into helping them kill their Injured friend, Travis Is completely turning In the other direction and this was clearly seen after Chris reaches out his hand to help him up and Travis can barely even look at him

Now, onto Instance number three, which Is the final part of Travis giving up before Chris Is officially killed off and the one that still completely pisses me off the most: TRAVIS LETS HIM LEAVE

Okay, so Chris decides that It would be better If he left with Brandon and Derek just so that Travis can go find Madison and Alicia and so that he can adapt to the new world better, right? Well, Travis decides to completely let his 16 YEAR OLD SON fucking leave with the guys that Travis didn't trust from the get-go, who are most likely GROWN-ASS MEN, and could easily do something to him. Travis lets him leave and also decides that the potential last words that he wants his son to hear before he leaves Is “Goddamn you, Chris!”

And, also mind you, Travis doesn't even go after him or even try to go after him whether It was on foot or by finding another vehicle. Nope, he just goes onto find the hotel and reunites with Madison and Alicia, before finding out that the guys that he had never trusted had, big shocker, killed his son a few hours after they had left. Chris died hurt, bleeding, and scared all by the hands of the two guys that he thought were his friends, and Travis just got to kill them as If he deserved to do so and deserved to get that closure when he was the one who decided to let his son leave to begin with. So, If I'm being honest, I didn't fucking like Travis either and Chris deserved better than what he got

[guilianafms]

            new  york’s  very  own  guiliana  rasananda  was  spotted  on  broadway  street  in  gucci  marmont  logo - embellished  leather  sandals  .  your  resemblance  to  lalisa  manoban  is  unreal  .  according  to  tmz  ,  you  just  had  your  twenty  third  birthday  bash  .  while  living  in  nyc  ,  you’ve  been  labeled  as  being  doctrinaire  ,  but  also  pragmatic  .  i  guess  being  an  aquarius  explains  that .  three  things  that  would  paint  a  better  picture  of  you  would  be  the  lingering  scent  of  her  perfume  after  she’s  long  gone  ,  a  fenty  beauty  gloss  bomb  as  her  staple  to  any  makeup  look  ,  and  the  glitter  of  diamond  encrusted  jewelry  on  tanned  skin  .

            hello  ladies  ,  gents  ,  and  nonbinary  pals  !  my  name’s  jin  and  i’m  super  stoked  to  be  here  !  i’ve  seen  this  group  in  the  tags  over  the  years  ,  and  i  decided  that  it  was  high  time  for  me  to  slide  in  (  and  now  that  my  school’s  closed  ....  indefinitely  ....  i’ve  got  the  time  )  .  giuliana  is  fairly  new  so  i’m  still  working  out  some  kinks  that  may  arise  ,  but  i  have  a  pretty  good  idea  of  the  direction  i  want  her  to  go  in  !  i  can’t  believe  that  this  is  my  first  time  playing  lalisa  in  a  couple  of  years  ,  but  since  the  chance  arose  ,  i  decided  to  take  it  .  i  won’t  chat  too  much  ,  and  i  need  to  make  a  new  d.iscord  since  i  forgot  the  password  to  my  old  one  but  if  anyone  wants  to  plot  ,  feel  free  to  slide  into  my  dms  (  or  i’ll  slide  into  yours  !  )

basic  information  .

FULL  NAME  :  guiliana  kanya  rasananda  .

NICKNAME(S)  :  gigi  ,  lia  ,  liana  ,  ana  .

BIRTHDATE  +  AGE  :  february  12th  +  23  .

ZODIAC  :  aquarius  .

HOMETOWN  :  new  york  ,  ny  .

GENDER  :  cis  female  .

NATIONALITY  :  thai - american  .

ETHNICITY  :  thai  .

HEIGHT  :  5′6″  .

LABEL(S)  :  the  amaranth  ,  the  vixen  ,  the  trust  fund  baby  ,  and  the  princess  .

ROMANTIC  ORIENTATION  :  biromantic  .

SEXUAL  ORIENTATION  :  bisexual  .

LANGUAGE(S)  SPOKEN  :  english  ,  thai  ,  japanese  ,  and  learning  spanish  .

OCCUPATION  :  socialite  ,  ‘  model  ’  ,  and  youtuber  /  social  media  influencer  .

POSITIVES  :  clear - headed  ,  assiduous  ,  self - reliant  ,  pragmatic  ,  and  cosmopolitan  .

NEGATIVES  :  disputatious  ,  exigent  ,  doctrinaire  ,  selfish  ,  and  unscrupulous  .

PLAYLIST  :  roxanne  /  arizona  zervas  ,  bad  guy  /  billie  eilish  ,  body  /  loud  luxury  ft.  brando  ,  nasa  /  ariana  grande  ,  mother’s  daughter  /  miley  cyrus  ,  sway  with  me  /  saweetie  w.  galxara  ,  say  so  /  doja  cat  ,  mad  at  me.  /  kiana  ledé  ,  apeshit  /  the  carters  ,  elastic  /  joey  purp  ,  watermelon  sugar  /  harry  styles  ,  ain’t  my  fault  /  zara  larsson  ,  lemon  /  n.e.r.d.  ft.  rihanna  /  nice  for  what  /  drake  ,  sugar  /  brockhampton  ,  icon  /  jaden  smith  ,  zimzalabim  /  red  velvet  ,  come  thru  /  joji  ,  in  my  head  /  ariana  grande  ,  broke  bitch  /  tiny  meat  gang  ,  honey  /  lay  ,  deserve  /  kris  wu  ft.  travis  scott  .

biography  .

let’s  see  if  we  can  keep  this  short  ,  am  i  right  ladies  ?

ratana  saelim  has  humble  beginnings  in  bangkok  .  her  parents  owned  a  small  restaurant  in  their  neighborhood  ,  and  they  lived  comfortably  ,  but ratana  still  had  to  work  hard  to  ensure  that  she  got  into  college  and  could  stay  in   college  .  she  often  did  her  homework  behind  the  counter  of  the  restaurant  ,  and  eventually  went  on  to  attend  bangkok  university  .

she  met  her  future  husband  at  bangkok  university  ,  a  fellow  student  named  kamnan  rasananda  .  he  was  studying  business  while  she  was  studying  law  .  in  contrast  to  ratana  ,  kamnan  grew  up  in  an  extremely  affluent  home  and  was  set  to  inherit  his  family’s  company  .  he  was  a  year  older  than  ratana  ,  and  the  two  got  married  after  her  graduation  with  her  master’s  degree  .  they  settled  in  bangkok  following  their  wedding  .

the  years  passed  ,  and  the  couple  established  themselves  in  their  respective  fields  .  kamnan  started  his  own  business  in  real  estate  and  construction  ,  so  they  decided  to  expand  out  of  asia  and  into  the  states  .  they  made  their  home  new  york  city  ,  and  settled  easily  into  a  multi - million  dollar  penthouse  on  the  upper  east  side  .  since  they  were  to  focused  on  their  careers  ,  it  wasn’t  until  they  reached  their  mid - thirties  when  they  had  their  first  and  only  child  ,  a  daughter  they  named  guiliana  .

guiliana  was  a  beautiful  little  baby  who  has  an  infectious  personality  while  growing  up  .  ratana  and  kamnan  may  have  been  busy  people  ,  but  they  never  had  an  issue  with  putting  work  on  pause  to  spend  time  with  their  daughter  .  the  couple  supported  their  daughter  in  everything  that  she  did  ,  and  that  even  included  when  she  turned  fourteen  and  decided  that  she  wanted  to  start  doing  youtube  videos  . 

going  through  high  school  ,  guiliana  had  been  a  member  of  the  photography  and  yearbook  clubs  ,  and  this  was  at  the  same  time  that  she  started  to  truly  focus  on  her  channel  .  of  course  ,  her  content  at  the  time  was  quite  cringy  (  shoutout  to  that  one  song  that  everyone  used  in  morning  routines  )  .  as  the  years  passed  ,  she  obtained  the  right  equipment  to  make  her  content  better  .

by  her  senior  year  of  high  school  ,  her  channel  grew  to  massive  numbers  .  she  dropped  the  makeup  videos  since  she  found  that  she  was  more  interested  in  fashion  than  makeup  ,  and  was  comfortable  with  sharing  her  personal  style  .  she  got  a  lot  of  backlash  because  she  grew  up  rich  and  people  often  felt  that  she  was  ‘  flaunting  ’  her  lifestyle  ,  but  really  ,  most  of  her  clothes  from  the  places  that  were  often  the  rage  at  the  time  (  urban  outfitters  ,  brandy  ,  etc  )  with  the  occasional  luxury  piece  like  a  purse  or  something  .

now  ,   she  isn’t  that  active  on  youtube  anymore  since  she’s  grown  into  more  of  a  socialite  ,  but  she’ll  still  do  weekly  vlogs  ,  catching  up  videos  ,  and  her  fashion  videos  .  despite  not  being  that  active  ,  her  channel  is  still  growing  and  has  now  amassed  five  million  subscribers  .

personality  .

guiliana  has  been  a  part  of  youtube  since  she  was  a  fourteen  year  old  ,  so  she’s  been  able  to  start  ignoring  the  haters  !  quite  honestly  has  the  most  idgaf  attitude  towards  people  who  have  anything  to  say  about  her  only  showing  luxury  outfits  and  such  on  her  channel  .  that’s  all  she  knows  since  she  grew  up  in  that  ,  but  quite  frankly  she  doesn’t  care  !

out  of  all  of  her  labels  ,  i’d  say  she  mostly  resonates  with  the  trust  fund  baby  .  outside  of  her  youtube  channel  ,  guiliana  doesn’t  do  much  other  than  spend  money  and  sleep  until  eleven  so  don’t  expect  her  to  be  out  there  making  businesswoman  moves  .

don’t  give  her  a  compliment  because  what’s  the  saying  ...  give  her  an  inch  and  she’ll  take  a  mile  ?  that’s  guiliana  to  a  T  !  she  knows  that  she’s  cute  and  her  parents  have  only  ever  praised  her  ,  so  she’s  got  something  of  an  over  inflated  ego  at  times  .  she  can  go  on  and  on  ,  so  please  tell  her  ass  to  shut  up  if  she  starts  taking  it too  far  !

headcanons  .

a  born  and  bred  new  yorker  ,  guiliana  doesn’t  possess  a  driver’s  license  .  she  gets  driven  around  in  a  bentley  bentayga  and  when  her  driver’s  not  available  ,  she  exclusively  uses  uber  black to  get  around  the  city  .

her  style  is  pretty  similar  to  lisa’s  where  one  day  she’s  exclusively  wearing  streetwear  ,  another  day  she’s  a  bit  more  feminine  ,  and  then  sometimes  she’s  wearing  pieces  straight  off  the  runway  !  when  it  comes  to  her  more  feminine  style  i  think  of  the  youtuber  kerina  wang  .

she’s  most  comfortable  when  she’s  in  her  apartment  .  usually  ,  she’s  only  wearing  a  lingerie  set  (  not  the  entire  thing  )  and  lounging  around  .  she’ll  throw  on  a  robe  or  something  to  answer  the  door  ,  so  just  call  her  ahead  of  time  .

i  can’t  make  up  my  mind  on  how  guiliana  usually  has  her  hair  (  since  lisa  switches  between  long  and  short  )  so  we’ll  just  say  that  she  gets  extensions  a  lot  !  currently  ,  i  love  her  long  brown  hair  so  click  for  reference  here  .

she  has  no  real  plans  for  the  future  ?  she’s  kinda  of  taking  it  day  by  day  and  enjoying  her  twenties  while  she  has  them  .  right  now  her  main  focus  is  her  instagram  and  her  youtube  ,  and  she  has  no  real  aspirations  to  do  anything  outside  of  that  at  the  moment  .

never  leaves  the  house  without  wearing  a  pair  of  heels  ?  even  when  it’s  cold  outside  ,  she’s  wearing  ankle  boots  with  a  heel  or  the  ever  elegant  over - the - knee  boots  .  

her  go - to  drink  from  starbucks  is  a  cold  brew  with  vanilla  sweet  cream  .  she  doesn’t  drink  coffee  with  sugar  .

wanted  connections  .

            i’ll  more  than  likely  end  up  reblogging  things  into  the  tag  i  made  for  these  ,  but  since  there’s  nothing  there  right  now  ,  i’ll  just  list  off  some  specifics  that  i’d  love  to  have  !  if  none  of  these  are  to  your  taste  ,  we  could  always  brainstorm  ,  work  off  chemistry  ,  or  let  me  know  if  there’s  something  that  you  think  guiliana  could  fill  !

i  might  end  up  sending  this  in  to  the  main  ,  but  i’d  love  to  have  the  fiancé  that  she  left  at  the  altar  !  truth  be  told  ,  i  kind  of  feel  as  though  she  may  have  done  it  simply  because  she  finally  realized  that  things  were  moving  too  fast  and  she  kinda  of  needed  to  pump  the  breaks  ?  she  definitely  didn’t  do  it  in  the  best  way  ,  but  it  could  be  an  interesting  relationship  /  dynamic  to  explore  .

she’s  been  in  new  york  since  forever  so  i  just  imagine  there  being  a  slew  of  connections  stemming  from  that  ?  friendships  ,  rivalries  ,  and  romantic  connections  !  idk  why  i  love  them  so  much  ,  but  i’d  really  love  for  her  to  have  an  ex  best  friend  .  we  can  determine  why  their  friendship  ended  ,  but  i  really  love  exploring  the  demise  of  relationships  .

my  brain  is  blanking  so  🤠  .

[hxlalokidottir]

TAG

thanks for tagging me @artsaree

i tag @ellewritesathing and @throughparisallthroughrome

Nickname: Lary (by @artsaree), Larinha (i HATE this one), Lala (pls never use this one, it’s wrong)

Zodiac: aquarius

Height: 1,60 m- 5′2 (last time i checked, which was some time ago but i don’t think it has changed) 

Hogwarts House: Slytherin 🐍 (forever and ever)

Last thing I googled: biology stuff

Song stuck in my head: take what you want- post malone feat. ozzy osbourne and travis scott (i love this song forever)

Number of Followers: 67 

Amount of sleep: 5/6 during the week, 10/11 during weekends

Lucky number: 6 (96 when it’s possible)

Dream job: idk what i wanna do, i’m worried

Wearing rn: black shirt and black sweatpants

Favorite song: idk, honestly, i’m really indecisive 

Favorite instrument: idk lol

Aesthetic: idk, maybe something with a black and grey theme, but idk

Favorite author: dan brown i guess, it can change from time to time

Favorite animal: owls

Random: number #1 biology hater for life with my mom wanting me to become a doctor (i will never lol)

[lovemesomesurveys]

S c h o o l Did you/do you like school? Looking back after a few years, I think I did overall. I wouldn’t have said that in the moment, though. I got very easily overwhelmed, stressed, and burnt out. Many tears were shed. A lot of anxiety was induced. I hated the presentations and taking exams. There were parts I did like, though. There were assignments, books, courses, teachers, and activities that I liked. The learning aspect of stuff that was of real interest to me was enjoyable.  What was/is the best thing about going to school? The worst? I listed the good and bad in my previous answer. All that being said, I do believe education is good and important.  What was/is your favourite subject? Least favourite? My favorite was always english and then psychology, obviously. That was my major. My least was always math. That was the absolute worst.  Who was/is your favourite teacher? Least favourite? My favorite in elementary and middle school (my school was a K-8th grade) was Mr. McGill. He was my 4th grade teacher, but he ended up being an 8th grade teacher later on and I was able to have him again. He was very funny and cool and made learning fun. He genuinely cared about his students. Everyone loved him. In high school it was my sophomore history teacher, Mr. Coffey. He reminded me so much of Rob Dyrdek from how he looked to how he acted. He was cool. He always jammed out to Red Hot Chili Peppers before class. In college I had a few awesome professors. College professors are usually pretty rad.

What did/do you do for break/recess? Recess I just hung out with my friends. I forget what we did, exactly. I couldn’t go on the playground (I’m in a wheelchair). I probably just watched them for awhile or something. I remember playing 4-square. Probably stuff like tag as well. I honestly don’t really remember what I did for recess in elementary school. In middle school we just hung out. *shrug* Oh, and had snacks cause most of us always brought chips or whatever to munch on before lunch. People were suddenly your best friend if you had Hot Cheetos haha. In school break was lunch and I just ate and hung out with friends mostly. In college if I was campus for a long time I usually ate between classes, studied, did some reading, got coffee, messed around on my phone and watched YouTube or Netflix or something.  Did you/do you do any after school activities? What? In 5th and 6th grade I was a Girl Scout. In middle school we had electives, but that was during school so I guess that doesn’t count. I think it was like toward the end of the school day, though. Oh, also my local community college offered some fun classes for kids during the summer and I did some of those. In high school I was in a couple clubs. I was VP for one of them. When I was at community college I was an active club and then board member of the psychology club. In university I didn’t do anything, ha. I went to my classes and went home.  Did you/do you take part in a club or sport at school? What? No sports, but yeah the club stuff I just listed. ^^^  What age did you start school? Like 3 in preschool. If you've left school do you wish you were still there? Nope! haha. I served my time as I say. I’m doneeee. S l a n d e r Do you take things people say at face value? Not always. Depends what they’re telling me, obviously. If someone was like, “there’s a huge meteor crashing to earth tomorrow” I’m gonna look into that lol. What is the worst rumour that has been spread about you? There weren’t any. Not that I ever knew of, anyway. I wasn’t relevant. Can you honestly say you never act two faced? No. I think we’ve all been fake in some way or another at some time or another. Some people are just fake people, though. Like that’s just who they are as a person, ya know? I’m not one of those people, but I can’t say that I’ve never been before.  Do you get talked about behind your back often [someone tells you]? I’m sure my former friends have talked a lot of shit about me over the past few years and rightfully so. I wouldn’t blame them at all. Now I’m probably not even on their radar anymore and they probably just don’t give a shit, which I also wouldn’t blame them for. Apart from that, I mean I’m sure people have said stuff about me behind my back and I’ve been told things before. For the most part; though, I really feel like I was always pretty insignificant and not even on most people’s radar. Do you believe everyone is somewhat of a gossip? Yeah, pretty much. Some are just make it their life; though, and live for the gossip and drama. Don't you think those who insult others and their lives just seriously need to get a life of their own? I don’t understand the obsession some people have for people they claim to dislike or hate. Like, why are they so invested and give any of their time to someone they don’t like? It makes NO sense. I see that so much on the internet. I watch YouTubers and there will be so many haters who just have to get their fix and watch the video and talk shit about the person. They just have to leave that comment and make it known. I’m just like, WHY. I don’t waste my time watching or following up on someone I don’t like. I don’t feel the need to leave a rude comment. It’s real easy to just X out the video and find something else. Why waste your time??? I’ve just really been seeing that a lot lately especially on YouTube. Same with celebrities. There’s some I’m not a fan of or don’t particularly care for, but I have the need to go tweet and tell them that I don’t like them or talk shit in their comments. Make comments to yourself or to someone privately, but you don’t need to make it known to the person. I just move along with your life. That goes for anyone. We all talk shit sometimes, don’t act like you never do, but you don’t need to insult people to their face. S p o r t s Do you like sports in general? Nope. Do you prefer field sports, team sports or other? I prefer no sports. Do you run/jog regularly? Nope. Do you like/enjoy swimming? What's your usual stroke? Nope. What sport do you like to watch but not to play? None. What sport do you like to play but not to watch? None. Who is your favourite sportsman/woman? What sport do they play? I don't have one. Are you sporty, average or hate sports? Sports are just not my thing, man.  R a p Do you like rap music? Yeah. Whose your favourite rap artist? Why? I have several. I’m probably most into Post Malone these days. I like Drake, too. There’s also the newer genre, emo rap, that I’m into as well. That includes like Juice WRLD and Travis Scott. Thennn there’s like rap rock. Linkin Park, one of my top favorite bands, fall under that category. Whose your least favourite rap artist? Why? Hmm. Name me a few rap songs that you like? I don’t wanna.  Name me a few rap songs you dislike? I don’t wanna. Is rap one of your top 3 genres of music? I don’t know, man. I just like variety. Eminen or Dr. Dre? Eminem.  Dizzy Rascal or Will.i.am? I don’t think I’ve heard of Dizzy Rascal.  D12 or Bone Thugs n Harmony? I liked a couple songs by D12. Haven’t listened to them in a long time, though. R e a d i n g Do you like reading? I love to read. What's your favourite book? Whose your favourite author? I can’t choose a favorite. I just can’t. I’ve been reading a longgggg time and have read a lottttttt of books. I have too many favorites. Fiction or Non Fiction? I like fiction better.  Sci-Fi or Historical Novel? Hm. Probably sci-fi out of the two. Fantasy or Horror? Horror. Romance or War Novel? Romance. Do you prefer films or books? I enjoy both. How many books do you think you own? Quite a lot, but not as much as I used to. I’ve been reading a lot of ebooks for the past several years, so I have a lot of those. I have a lot saved in my Kindle app. What books have you read that made you sad? I’ve read countless number of sad books. What books have you read that frightened you? I read a lot of mystery and psychological thriller, so. What books have you read that were terrible? The only ones I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve read are the Fifty Shades of Gray series. :X What books have you read that left you wanting more? So many. I get really into a book and the characters. I love a series.  R e l i g i o n Do you believe in God? Yes. Do you believe in multiple Gods/Goddesses? No. What is your religion called? Christian. Do you believe in Angels and Demons? Yes. Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? Yes. Do you believe in The Devil? Yes. Not like how he’s portrayed in movies and such, like the red dude with a pitchfork, but yes.  What rule/ideal in your religion do you think is the most important? The 10 Commandments.  What, to you, is the difference between spirituality and religion? Religion consists of practices, beliefs, and a relationship with God. Spirituality is more within yourself.  Q u e s t i o n s O f O d d n e s s Do you like tandoori chicken? Never had it. I don’t even know what that is. Can you hear a man's voice right now? On the TV. What nations tea is the best? I don't know. Can you remember what you were doing at 12.30pm yesterday? Sleeping. Does the colour purple make you feel a particular emotion? No. What age are you going to be in 2020? I’m turning 31 this year. D: What colour are your siblings eyes? Brown. Do you more often get a sore throat, cough or sneeze? Sore throat or cough. Do you get more headaches, earaches, toothaches or sore eyes? Headaches and sore eyes. Do you usually wear plain coloured clothes or dual/multi coloured? I wear a lot of black, but it has stuff on it it’s not just a plain black shirt. How far away is the nearest take away place from your house? Like a 2 minute drive. Do you think sarcasm is a good tool or just annoying? It can be annoying when done excessively. It can just be rude sometimes. I have my sarcastic moments, though.  What photos do you have on your phone? Saved photos of stuff I found online, my doggo, some of me, just various things. What's the model of your phone? iPhone XR. Do you drink hot honey and lemon when ill? Nope. My younger brother swears by that kind of stuff when he’s sick. What word would sum up today? It’s only 6 in the morning. I need to go to bed omg. This week? Uh, itt’s just starting. This month? Meh. This year? Way too soon to say. Favourite type of muffin? Banana without the nut and blueberry. Streusel on top makes them even better.

[bloodyshadow1]

for the record, anyone who says that Caleb is better at talking to people than Beau because of his 16 charisma while hers is 12 is dumb.  No shade on Caleb, this isn’t an attack on him it’s an attack on Beau haters who say she’s useless and complain when she tries to talk to someone. 

1. Having 12 charisma isn’t bad, it’s not great, but seeing how 10 is the baseline it’s better than average, which I know doesn’t matter much in a game like dnd where everything is broken down into numbers, but I still think it needs to be said. 

 2.  Caleb having a 16 to his charisma means he has a +3 modifier as opposed to +1 for Beau, that’s a +2 difference which isn’t that much at the level they’re playing at.  It’s important, don’t get me wrong but seeing how things are balanced out on a d20 +1 vs a +3 isn’t that much.  It’s not like Caleb is a bard with 20 charisma and Beau talks over him, that would be a +5 vs a +1 which would be more understandable.

3. While Caleb might have a 16 charisma none of the skills he’s proficient in are charisma based skills, you can check his character sheet.  Beau is proficient in deception, which means that if the situation comes to lying Caleb will get a +3 on the skill check because of his higher charisma modifier. While Beau will get her +1 Charisma Modifier + her +3 due to her proficiency bonus which equals +4 which is higher than Caleb’s. 

 Edit: I have been informed that when Liam shared Caleb’s proficiency it said that he was proficient in deception. The sheet on crit role stats must have misinformation, I apologize for this misinformation

As a note It’s also higher than her persuasion modifier which would only give her +1 for her charisma which is is why she lies all the time, because in dnd it doesn’t matter if you’re telling the truth it matters if a person believes or cares if you’re telling the truth and it’s better for Beau to lie in situations that call for her to talk to people.

In addition Jester who also has a 12 charisma has a higher persuasion skill than Caleb because she’s proficient and so does Fjord with his natural 18 to a +4, so it’s not like Caleb is the best option anyway.  I mean really Fjord should be the one talking most of the time, but despite being pretty good at it, both rp wise and stat wise, I think Travis kind of feels awkward being the face of the party because he feels self conscious about his desc ions and making decisions for the group.

4. And this seems to be the point where a lot of Caleb fandumb don’t seem to realize, Caleb doesn’t like talking to people.  Maybe he has the innate capacity to talk to people but Liam plays Caleb very awkward and keeps in in the back when they need to talk to people.  He’s okay at gathering information but he’s clearly uncomfortable when he has to talk to people would rather anyone else talk which is why he lets them interjecting when he needs to or wants to know about a specific thing.  He isn’t socially inept, just socially awkward like the other characters in different ways, it’s a good way for Liam to play Caleb and I wish people who claim he’s their favorite would realize that.

As I said I don’t dislike Caleb, he’s actually one of my favorites, I just hate that a lot of his ‘fans’ feel the need to interject him in everything despite him not wanting to be.  Kind of like when Nott had to tear down Beau this last episode because she thought that Caleb would be a better choice and Caleb clearly didn't want to be part of it.  It’s a good metaphor for how the fandom treats Beau and Caleb despite neither being that great charisma wise and both of them have clear social awkwardness that they display in different ways.

[weregonnaneedmorewhiskey]

Why is Nicki Minaj tarnishing her legacy?

Oh this is gonna get some attraction right here. It’s fine, I'm ready for the smoke. First off, I would like to say that I think Nicki Minaj is very talented and she has definitely made an impact on female hip hop and just hip hop in general and has made great music.  I, at one point was a barb. I loved Nicki ever since bedrock. I made myself learn all of her verses and watched all her music videos and interviews. It was well known that I loved Nicki with a passion. However within the last three years, Nicki started to rub me the wrong way. She started to come across very bitter and petty. 

First example was the 2015 VMAs when the nominations came out and she complained about the VOTY nominations and not being nominated for Anaconda and accused the VMAs for being racist. Bare in mind 3 of the 5 nominees were POC, this is a reach and her body shaming Taylor in the process was not cool. Thankfully Taylor & Nicki made up and performed at the VMAs. Then loads of people including Remy Ma & Lil Kim said that Nicki made been stopping them from getting work. This is completely uncalled for. You do not stop someone from making money. Period. 

Now let’s fast forward to the last year, the Queen Era. This could have been a great era for Nicki. She hadn’t released an album since 2014 with The Pinkprint which side note Only & Truffle Butter was my shit at one point. They were a whole bop. Back to the subject, people had been waiting for Nicki’s follow up to The Pinkprint. She released Chun-Li & Barbie Tingz and it created a buzz but not the same buzz as her previous singles. Then the Zane Lowe interview happened where they discussed MotorSport and Cardi. Nicki’s statement of someone of if her (Cardi’s) stature worked with someone with my (Nicki’s) stature, I would be grateful...yeah. This statement for me came across as very arrogant and before any plays the race or gender, I would like to say that I am a black woman. I do not care if it was a man or a woman regardless of their race who said that, that is a conceited thing to say and come across as an asshole. Nicki, who claims that she is about woman empowerment and specifically black woman empowerment seems to never have any support for fellow female rappers. She should have used her platform to support female newcomers and yet she used her platform to support Tekashi 69, a sex offender and public troll. Nicki did receive a heavy amount of backlash for her collab with 69 and claimed that she was being picked on the public for her collaboration despite the fact that Gaga had released Do What You Want with R Kelly in 2013. Now as huge Lady Gaga who at the time loved that song, do I think Gaga should have featured R Kelly? HELL NO! But if I look at the time which was 5 years ago, R Kelly was looked at a musical genius and this was before the Me Too movement  whereas FEFE was. 

Nicki’s constant statement about Cardi not showing her genuine love is hypocritical because one: Cardi has shown her support for Nicki in the past and two: Nicki has never shown genuine love for those who have paved the way for her to be where she is today. Then Queen debuted at Number 2 on Billboard 200. Travis Scott’s Astroworld is number 1 for a second consecutive week. And she claims that Travis tried to cheat the numbers with having album bundles. And yet Nicki two days after Queen was released added FEFE to the tracklist despite it not originally not being there. Now you tell me who was trying to cheat the numbers here? Then she tries to place the blame on Kylie and Stormi. A baby is the reason for your album not being number 1.Wow. This was damaging for Nicki’s image because she coming across a sore loser and ungrateful which I 100% agree with. If you really wanted to point the finger at why the album wasn't number 1, point it to your barbz that instead of streaming or buying the album are instead sending death threats and trolling on twitter in the hopes of getting a like from you. Heartbreak On A Full Moon only had three days of sales tracking and debuted at number 3 and Chris was grateful for the album going gold in the first week. And then you go on Ellen and saying you want to punch Travis Scott in the face. If Travis Scott had said the same if Queen went to number 1, he would get MAJOR backlash and his album would quickly fall off the Billboard 200.

And Cardi’s numerous Instagram posts, Cardi really came with the receipts. I’m just link the video because I'm not break this down. Cardi has every right to defend herself and her name as it was being defaced especially when Kulture was being brought into this. That is disgusting. Cardi said it best “focus on your craft because you’re out here, fucking up your legacy looking a fucking hater” and that is 100% true. The barbz that don’t buy/stream her music and stay on twitter have fed her ego and have allowed to become this caricature of the “bitter black woman” and if anything Nicki’s words about Lil Kim have come back to haunt her. The rants and the cancellations on her tour in which yes, many artists have cancelled concerts but not when the show should be taking place. You do not have fans waiting for two and a half hours to cancel the gig. From a former fan’s perspective, it’s saddening because she is an incredible artist. The Queen era should have been much more successful but her attitude and her ego is preventing that. I do hope that Nicki will eventually change this but as of late, I don’t see this happening.

[wiremagazine]

CALM DOWN, IT'S THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS WITH OUR FAVORITE DIVAS, DIVOS & FRESH NEW ARTISTS!

By DJ FR8-O

The world's most unpredictable awards show just threw us another curveball. Hosting this year's hottest night in music is comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco. Yeah, never heard of him either, but the outspoken Italian is ready to bring the laughs and the chutzpah back into the VMAs. Joining him will be all our favorite divas, divos and fresh new artists who've been dominating our playlists over the last 12 months. This year's ceremony is going to be a battle of the pop princesses with both Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift snatching 10 nominations each. Who will take home the most Moon Persons is yet to be seen, but here are my top picks.  

BEST NEW ARTIST Ava Max Billie Eilish H.E.R. Lil Nas X Rosalía

Lizzo It may seem like Lizzo just came out of nowhere and went straight to the front of the class, but she's been schooling her fans since she was 14 years old. In an industry that puts so much pressure on image and tries to hide flaws with photoshop and camera tricks, Lizzo celebrates her curves and literally puts it all out there. Her confidence is only overshadowed by her talent, with a stream of hits and sold-out shows over the past year.  

BEST COLLABORATION BTS (featuring Halsey): "Boy with Luv" Lil Nas X (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): "Old Town Road (Remix)" Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: "Señorita" Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber: "I Don't Care" Taylor Swift (featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco): "Me!"

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper: "Shallow" As if she wasn't jaw-droppingly gifted all on her own, no one has ever brought the on-screen chemistry as Gaga and Cooper did in the big-screen blockbuster A Star is Born. The heat was so intense that it raised suspicions of the two being more than just co-stars. While those rumors have since been squashed, I still get a few raised hairs every time I hear their duet from the diva's Oscar-winning film.

BEST POP 5 Seconds of Summer: "Easier" Cardi B and Bruno Mars: "Please Me" Billie Eilish: "Bad Guy" Ariana Grande: "Thank U, Next" Khalid: "Talk" Taylor Swift: "You Need to Calm Down"

Jonas Brothers: "Sucker" Everyone has their opinion of what makes a great pop song, or in this case a great pop video, but I'm sure you would agree that Nick soaking in a claw foot tub and Joe tied up in his underwear would be somewhere at the top of the list. Not only does this earworm bury deep into your brain with its throwback vibe and razor-sharp hook, but watching these guys all grown up and having more fun than ever makes this clip as timeless as the track. Did I mention the bathtub?

BEST HIP HOP 21 Savage (featuring J. Cole): "A Lot" Cardi B: "Money" DJ Khaled (featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend): "Higher" Lil Nas X (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): "Old Town Road (Remix)" Travis Scott (featuring Drake): "Sicko Mode"

2 Chainz (featuring Ariana Grande): "Rule the World" Is there nothing that Ari can't do? It's hard to tell who the actual guest artist is on this track, but are we really surprised? Even during her early days on "Bang Bang," she managed to hold her own with two powerhouse divas. Now it looks like she's the one bringing the noise.

BEST R&B Childish Gambino: "Feels Like Summer" H.E.R. (featuring Bryson Tiller): "Could've Been" Alicia Keys: "Raise a Man" Normani (featuring 6lack): "Waves" Anderson .Paak (featuring Smokey Robinson): "Make It Better"

Ella Mai: "Trip" After a 13 year absence from the show, the R&B category is back! Maybe it's because of the genre's resurgence into mainstream music; but whatever the reason, it's opening doors to a whole new pool of talent that may otherwise be overlooked, like this incredibly gifted and well-deserved artist.

BEST LATIN Anuel AA and Karol G: "Secreto" Benny Blanco, Tainy, Selena Gomez and J Balvin: "I Can't Get Enough" Daddy Yankee (featuring Snow): "Con Calma" Maluma: "Mala Mía" Rosalía and J Balvin (featuring El Guincho): "Con Altura"

Bad Bunny (featuring Drake): "Mia" Watching this video reminded me of growing up in Miami, and showing up at the impromptu house party that someone hosted while their parents were away. Of course, Drake never showed up to any of them, but of all the nominees, this one captures what everyday Latin life is really about, minus all the half-naked women.

BEST DANCE The Chainsmokers (featuring Bebe Rexha): "Call You Mine" Clean Bandit (featuring Demi Lovato): "Solo" DJ Snake (featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna and Cardi B): "Taki Taki" David Guetta, Bebe Rexha and J Balvin: "Say My Name" Marshmello and Bastille: "Happier"

Silk City and Dua Lipa: "Electricity" Music trends will come and go, but classic house will never go out of style. These guys took the essence of "Show Me Love" and "Finally" and weaved it into a track that's as fresh as it is nostalgic. Throw in Lipa's sultry vocals weaving a hypnotic melody and you've got yourself a dance anthem that no one can resist.

VIDEO FOR GOOD Jamie N Commons and Skylar Grey (featuring Gallant): "Runaway Train" Halsey: "Nightmare" The Killers: "Land of the Free" John Legend: "Preach" Lil Dicky: "Earth"

Taylor Swift: "You Need to Calm Down" It can't be a coincidence that this category debuted the same year as this track. In a time when LGBTQ lives are being attacked – physically and politically – on the daily, it's refreshing and inspiring to see an artist take a stand and put her influence where her mouth is. Not only is the track brilliantly written, but I haven't seen that many LGBTQ icons together since the Tony Awards.

BEST DIRECTION Billie Eilish: "Bad Guy" (Director: Dave Meyers) FKA Twigs: "Cellophane" (Director: Andrew Thomas Huang) Ariana Grande: "Thank U, Next" (Director: Hannah Lux Davis) Lil Nas X (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): "Old Town Road (Remix)" (Director: Calmatic) LSD: "No New Friends" (Director: Dano Cerny)

Taylor Swift: "You Need to Calm Down" (Director: Taylor Swift and Drew Kirsch) Okay, I know what you're thinking, "this queen must be a huge T-Swift fan, so he's voting for her in every category." Quite the contrary, actually. I've always been pretty lukewarm when it comes to the country-turned-pop singer, but any director that could wrangle that many divas in one video shoot and not end up on the nightly news deserves a trophy.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS DJ Khaled (featuring SZA): "Just Us" (Visual Effects: GloriaFX, Sergii Mashevskyi and Anatolli Kuzmytskyi) Billie Eilish: "When the Party's Over" (Visual Effects: Ryan Ross and Andres Jaramillo) FKA Twigs: "Cellophane" (Visual Effects: Analog) Ariana Grande: "God Is a Woman" (Visual Effects: Fabrice Lagayette at Mathematic) LSD: "No New Friends" (Visual Effects: Ethan Chancer)

Taylor Swift (featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco): "Me!" (Visual Effects: Loris Paillier and Lucas Salton for BUF VFX) I'd hand over the award for this vid just for the visual of a smoldering Brendon Urie alone, but if you've seen the clip you know the allure is more than just his pretty face. Reminiscent of a modern Moulin Rouge, the screen oozes with splashes of color, action and special effects galore, from start to finish.  

BEST ART DIRECTION BTS (featuring Halsey): "Boy with Luv" (Art Directors: JinSil Park and BoNa Kim (MU:E) Ariana Grande: "7 Rings" (Art Director: John Richoux) Lil Nas X (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): "Old Town Road (Remix)" (Art Director: Christian Zollenkopf for Prettybird) Taylor Swift: "You Need to Calm Down" (Art Director: Brittany Porter) Kanye West and Lil Pump (featuring Adele Givens): "I Love It" (Art Director: Tino Schaedler)

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: "Señorita" (Art Director: Tatiana Van Sauter) In a world where videos are trying to be bigger, brighter and bolder than the last, it takes a good eye to keep things in the background simple and let the singers take the spotlight. Subtlety is an art in itself, especially when it's meant to help a love story unfold before your eyes. My only note is that we need to see more of Shawn in his Calvin Klein's next time.

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY FKA Twigs: "Cellophane" (Choreographer: Kelly Yvonne) LSD: "No New Friends" (Choreographer: Ryan Heffington) Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: "Señorita" (Choreographer: Calvit Hodge) Rosalía and J Balvin (featuring El Guincho): "Con Altura" (Choreographer: Charm La'Donna) Solange: "Almeda" (Choreographers: Maya Taylor and Solange Knowles)

BTS (featuring Halsey): "Boy with Luv" (Choreographers: Son Sungdeuk and Quick Crew) K-pop isn't exactly on heavy rotation on my playlists, but I must give credit where credit is due. Sure, the competition shows some beautiful moves of their own, but this vid is all about color, dancing, and more dancing. Don't ask me what they're singing about, but I could tell they were having fun while singing it.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR Cardi B Billie Eilish Halsey Jonas Brothers Shawn Mendes

Ariana Grande This may seem like I'm playing faves here, but if you take a look at all the work the other nominees have put out in the last year together, they still don't add up to the number of albums, singles, videos and collaborations Ari has checked off her to-do list. While it may not have been ground-breaking, and there's no doubt this award will actually go to Billie Eillish, no one can argue that this diva has put in more blood, sweat and tears this year than any other artist in the biz.

SONG OF THE YEAR Drake: "In My Feelings" Ariana Grande: "Thank U, Next" Jonas Brothers: "Sucker" Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper: "Shallow" Lil Nas X (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): "Old Town Road (Remix)"

Taylor Swift: "You Need to Calm Down" Yeah, I'm going there again because this is an anthem we all need to hear and remember; not just this year, but for many years to come until the tables are turned, the planets are realigned and the haters finally take their seats for good.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR 21 Savage (featuring J. Cole): "A Lot" Billie Eilish: "Bad Guy" Ariana Grande: "Thank U, Next" Jonas Brothers: "Sucker" Lil Nas X (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): "Old Town Road (Remix)"

Taylor Swift: "You Need to Calm Down" The same goes for the video! While others might have tried to battle hate with hate, Swift chose instead to take the high road, celebrate our community, shine a spotlight on some of our favorite LGBTQ icons and hold an honest mirror up at those with narrow minds. One little music video won't change the world overnight, but if it can inspire a new generation to think differently than the one before them, then that's something to get excited about.

The 2019 MTV Video Music Awards will air live from the Prudential Center in Newark on August 26th at 8 p.m. ET.  

This was originally published in Wire Magazine Issue 17.2019

[brettzjacksonblog]

Even Crypto Haters Feel That Adoption Is Inevitable: Bitcoin Venture Capitalist

Over cryptocurrency’s ten-year history, this space has been beaten to hell and back by skeptics who don’t think (or don’t want) the innovation to succeed. Yet, one Bitcoin-friendly venture capitalist claims that there’s an inevitability to the crypto space. Better yet, he remarked that even those sardonic towards this space have an inkling of a feeling that this paradigm-shifting innovation could potentially garner traction the world over.

Crypto Not Mainstream’s Darling, But It Still Could Be The ‘Next Big Thing’

Chris Burniske, a partner at Placeholder Ventures, recently broke down his thoughts on this subject matter in his most recent installment of his insightful Twitter thread series. He notes that while crypto isn’t the darling of the mainstream conversation or consciousness, it remains “latent” in the mind of the majority. Citing personal conversations, the former head of ARK Invest’s crypto branch added that when he delves deeper down the cryptocurrency rabbit hole with people he meets, there is a number that sees it as the “next big thing.”

1/ In the last bear market, telling someone you worked in the #bitcoin industry still drew blank stares.

In this bear market, telling someone you work in #crypto elicits some kind of reaction, good or bad.

— Chris Burniske (@cburniske) February 27, 2019

Burniske, who authored the primer on all things digital asset, added that the fact that even those who are skeptical concede to the inevitability argument shows that broad deployment could be in crypto’s sights. He concluded:

“So yes, the tech is still early & we have a long ways to go. But the way in which the ideas are lingering in peoples’ minds is a great long-term indicator for crypto.”

Why Bitcoin Seems Inevitable

Although many cynics, including Warren Buffet, Jamie Dimon, and the rest of the skeptics in that Wall Street posse, would claim that Bitcoin is inevitably going to bite the dust, this might not be the case. More specifically, in the current context of the embattled macroeconomy, some argue that decentralized money’s value proposition is as apparent as ever, if not more so than normal.

Speaking to TD Ameritrade, Wall Street hotshot Travis Kling explained that there’s a non-zero chance that Bitcoin could live up to everyone’s expectations, becoming a globally-secured transaction settlement layer that is immutable, decentralized, censorship-resistant, and cost- and time-effective. Kling, the incumbent chief investment officer of Ikigai, added that as governments continue to enlist the use of questionable fiscal decisions, that gives Bitcoin a sort of inevitability, citing quantitative easing and sovereign debt concerns.

Related Reading: Analyst: Despite 80% Drop Bitcoin Network is as Strong as Ever, Enduring Fundamentals

It could also be argued that non-BTC cryptocurrencies and related technologies also have some sort of inevitability too, like what Burniske was touching on. But, this facet of the nascent industry has yet to get fully fleshed out, as cryptocurrencies are rather embryonic on the world stage. Regardless, more and more technologists and futurists are coming to the conclusion that the future will be rife with blockchain technologies, digital assets, and peer-to-peer systems for all society asks or wants.

Every stock, bond, currency, and commodity will be tokenized.

ICOs are horrible investment opportunity.

99% of utility tokens are nonsense.

Owning equity in infrastructure companies is ideal.

Bitcoin to the moon.

That’s my thesis. Never changed.

— Pomp

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