The Business Side of YouTube

As a committed viewer on YouTube, I'm starting see just what's becoming of the system now whenever content creators put out new videos either every day, every week or just monthly. Some people will either just try too hard to be transparent and honest while others don't even have to put forth the effort; they're just already like that. So whether if one's career on YouTube is gaming, music, beauty, fashion/lifestyle, etc..., I just feel like YouTube these days is forcing more obligations on those who work with the company full-time, while others are struggling to find a balance between their real self and the image they project on camera.

One has to be understanding of those who advertise new products on their channel because that's part of their job. Those who are part of the beauty and fashion/lifestyle community are always being sent new stuff to try out and while I myself don't make any content on my channel, I have found myself being caught in that trap where I'd consider buying the products that certain channels recommend because I feel like I need it when I just don't.

Those who are full-time YouTube musicians aren't exactly given any lenience either when it comes to keeping a steady income, but luckily for me, I don't really have any problems with helping to support them because I love listening to music and supporting any artist I follow. If anything though, the only problem I have with YouTube artists is when they stray away from their original sound or become too invested in trying out new things as far as their content is concerned. Now don't get me wrong here, I do understand that not every musician is going to keep their content the same, but I guess I just get nostalgic sometimes and that can hold me back a lot.

So I guess when it comes down to it, I just need a reminder every now and then that this or that person I'm following is the same deep down. When people on YouTube change, that can sometimes turn me off, and maybe those who make the content understand that. For those who are struggling though to keep one clear image, the best advice I have for you is to just continue being your real self as best as you can. Some viewers (including myself) appreciate honesty more and will stick around regardless of what happens in your career.

Love & Relationships (part 3)

Feeling connected to someone is an amazing thing. It's comforting to have someone who you can just be yourself around and talk to about your deepest thoughts and desires. Most importantly, it feels amazing just knowing that someone will always be there for you, won't give up on you and who just loves you unconditionally.

That feeling of being in love is only temporary. Sometimes, you have to be patient and wait for someone to make the next move. Other times though, it'll be up to you to do that. Relationships take a certain amount of balance and reciprocation, and doing things with force won't always resolve the issue nor will it guarantee better results. So in other words, you have to be selfless; give back as often as you can and make the most of the good moments you get in return.

In all honesty, I feel like it takes a more mature perspective in order to have the kind of relationship you want from someone. The more experience you get, the more prepared you'll be in the long run. However, one has to find the lessons learned in the mistakes they make. If you keep making the same mistakes over and over again without any regard, then that's probably a sign that you need to slow down and take some time to think about what's not working out within you.

Love is not something to take lightly or take advantage of period. Everything you do must be done with thought and awareness. As someone who's been through 3 years of experience with love and dating personally, I hope that these insights will be taken into some form of consideration.

The Music Industry's Best & "Worst" Talents

The more I think about it, the more I realize just how broken the music industry continues to be, but the last thing we should be blaming are the singers/musicians themselves. I can remember when the radio was festered with music that was either annoying or extremely catchy, but of course, I don't even care to listen to it anymore these days. I don't even know who half of these new artists are when these newer generations mention names like Cardi B or whatever, but I digress. Here are a list of names I remember listening to when the mainstream bug took over my life. I would list more, but that would take a long time and a lot of space on this one particular entry, so here's just what I would call the "highlights":  

Demi Lovato- Truth be told, I feel like Demi's been one of those few musicians who has always been a good influence despite any problems she's had that the media has highlighted. Just like any other musician who got their start on a TV network, there's a lot of pressure that's put on that person's shoulders to maintain a certain image, but from where I'm standing at least, I'd say that Demi did the best she could to deal with that pressure. It seems as if she's come out stronger and more humbled by the experiences she's been through.

Ed Sheeran- I don't know what it is, but there's just something about the British musicians that seems more pure and genuine, but of course, I'm sure that life probably isn't easy for Ed either. However, I will say though that his music has always been a gem to listen to. In particular, I've come to fall in love with his song "Castle on the Hill" among a few others. 

Taylor Swift- In some ways, I feel like Taylor becomes more misunderstood as time goes on. She's very smart and still has great song-writing skills despite any problems she's had in her "personal life". People give her a lot of misjudgment and hate, and a lot of that is based on a reputation that she's played along with. I just hope that wherever life takes her, that Taylor will continue to learn from whatever mistakes she's made over time. 

Adele- I never really got too deeply into the rest of her music, but if anything, I do have a lot of respect for Adele as a singer and songwriter. You can tell that she puts of feeling and emotion into her music, so for that, I'm glad that she's gained a lot of recognition here in the US and doesn't let that effect her personally. 

Selena Gomez- As a singer, Selena was okay. Her sound definitely became a lot more mature once she stepped out of Disney Channel's shadow and I did kind of like it, but then I just became bored with it as per usual. However, when it comes to her "personal life", I will say that I kind of had mixed feelings for what she was doing, especially with her ex. Part of me actually wonders if the two of them still think about each other on occasion because they were really cute together. 

Justin Bieber- What can I say about Justin that isn't overly judgmental or critical? Well, I did enjoy his music despite how annoying it was to the rest of the public. I honestly didn't have any problems with his sound before or after he hit puberty. He is who he is and when it comes to his music; I just don't have any complaints simply because it was fun and catchy. 

Miley Cyrus- I still really miss those days of her being Hannah Montana, but I guess I can understand how being in that kind of double life messed up Miley some. That's all I have to say on the matter.

Ariana Grande- I honestly wouldn't hold her to Mariah Carey's standard when it comes to vocal talent, but Ariana definitely has a lot of natural talent. That's all I have to say about her personally.  

Kesha- Call me a nitpicker or whatever for saying this, but I just feel like Kesha's new song and image is a bit too cliche for my taste personally. Now don't get me wrong, I don't hold her spirituality against her or anything, but maybe it's just the nostalgia that holding me back like usual.

One Direction- Dare I say this, but I feel like 1D was debatably the biggest boy band to come out of the music business since The Beatles. Literally thousands of young girls would gather around stadiums and concert halls just to see 5 guys sing and dance on stage. I'll admit that for a brief period of time, I was a fan of the band, but that phase didn't last as long as it did with other boy bands. 

Paramore- Despite me knowing the lead singer's mother, I honestly never used that as an obligation for me to keep up with their music. I know that Hayley has changed up the band's style and that it sounds a lot different from what they used to put out, but maybe nostalgia is what's holding me back from giving their new sound a chance. I just love their more grittier, alternative style better than what they're doing now. 

Fifth Harmony- This US based girl group may not have lasted long, but I guess it was inevitable how it made a star out of Camila Cabello in some ways. Their music was catchy and for the most part, I did enjoy their music... I guess it just paralleled too much to One Direction in some ways, and we all know how massive they were. 

Imagine Dragons- When this band first made its way into the mainstream, I didn't quite understand why so many people were talking about them until I listened to their music myself. I'll admit that they've left a couple memorable hits, but I've heard better, plus I'm not sure what genre their music is supposed to fall under.

What Makes Me Toxic + Other Habits I Want to Change

Toxic Habit #1: I'm not as forgiving or as patient as I should be sometimes. Life has taught me the hard way multiple times that I have to be more understanding and just gain some sense of awareness of other people's feelings, whether if they admit them to me or not.

Toxic Habit #2: I expect people to act in a way that pleases me or say everything that I want to hear personally. It's like the more my ego gets hurt by people's harsh criticism, the less secure and comfortable I feel on the inside. However, I realize that with every piece of criticism I get in my personal life, I need to just learn from it and then move on with life. Dwelling on my own negative thoughts- or on other people's negativity- just takes up a lot of wasted energy. 

Now this is not so much a toxic habit I have, but I do feel like this is a general habit that I'd like to change: relying on other people to help protect my sense of insecurity. Another habit I'd also like to change is my own views of myself. Sometimes how I see myself isn't always the truest form of who I am- what I mean by that is if you're insecure like me and struggle with seeing your best features, those who'll know that best will either be your closest friends or your family.

Confidence is something I've really struggled with since entering my 20s, but I want to start making changes again. Life is hard sometimes and it won't always give you the kind of treatment you want for yourself. At the same time however, you have to stand up for yourself and speak your mind so that people won't walk all over you, hurt you or take advantage of you. You need to be your own best friend first in order to survive sometimes, and other times, you'll have to walk away either from yourself or from other people who don't bring out the best in you. At the very core of it though, it all just depends on the situation. Everybody's life is different and you just have to find a way to effectively deal with whatever's thrown at you.

Animes I've Watched So Far

Yona of the Dawn

I don't remember much about this anime in particular, but it's the first I ever got exposed to by the help of a friend. It was fun seeing the growth of the main character and how she becomes more strong and confident in her own right. 

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Truth be told, I didn't finish this one all the way- I only got through the entire first season and part of season 2 (I think). However, I still enjoyed the story overall- I just wasn't able to keep focused as the story's plot became more complex over time. I might actually come back to Jojo some day, but I'm not entirely sure on that yet. 

The Devil's A Part-Timer!

There's a lot of funny moments for sure, so I can see why so many people enjoyed it and want another season for this show. I honestly don't know what I love best about this anime comedy in particular- the characters and their personalities, or the contrasts in setting between Ente Isla and Earth... I think it's all of it put together! 

Your Lie in April

I think this show in particular is what made me become a full-on Anime fangirl, haha! The first OP for this anime is beyond catchy and the show itself is so powerful and emotional, but in a good way. Kaori and Kousei's connection to each other is just so sweet at times, but when you look at those two characters separately, you can just tell how different their worlds are. Seeing Kousei develop into a more confident individual really made me smile, and in other moments, I had this strong sense of empathy for what the other characters were going through. For an anime as beautiful as this, it really makes you feel connected to what matters most out in our own worlds. 

Full-Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

This is the anime that I'm currently working on and I must say, I really enjoy the antics that the Elric brothers get themselves into. I wasn't too sure of what to think when I was first thrown into the chaos of the first episode, but once I kept going, I was able to catch onto this show's particular story-telling. There's so many twists and turns, so I know that this show is really going to keep me on my toes. I'm excited to see how the rest of this pans out now!