#road trip with Men Who Blog

[stromer]

i blog from these TWO places exclusively

[froggibus]

2024 Summer Suntacular — July 1st - July 11th

— come join me in celebrating a follower milestone by setting some fun, summer vibes!

thank you guys so much for being so supportive! i've tried to do follower events in the past but my lack of coordination makes it hard sometimes :') but i'm SUPER excited to be trying this out!

— what's on the menu?

🌴 - get headcanons of how your fave would spend the summer with you!

🍦- cool off with a smut/thirst oneshot of your fave!

🍹- spend a hot summer day of your choosing with your fave! (oneshot)

from now until July 11th feel free to send in any (or all) of the above categories! to kick things off, here are some summer-themed HCs! all answered reqs will be posted on this blog + linked here!

(have questions? feel free to ask!)

this event is over!! thank you so much to everyone who participated <3

Pool Party Headcanons - Obey Me! Brothers

come beat the heat with your favorite demon!

Beach Day Headcanons - Overwatch Women

spend a day at the beach with your favorite overwatch hottie, including: D.Va, Mercy, Widowmaker, Mei, Kiriko, Brigitte & Junkerqueen

Catching You Reading Smut Headcanons - JJK Men

on a hot summer day, you just want to stay home and read smut—until your boyfriend catches you. Includes: Gojo, Geto, Nanami, Choso & Toji

Camping Headcanons - DC Men

escape the city & head to the great outdoors, includes: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Wally West

Road Trip Headcanons - Overwatch Men

take some time off and venture out with your favorite overwatch heartthrob. includes: Cassidy, Genji, Hanzo, Baptiste, Lucio & Mauga

Pride Parade Headcanons - Overwatch

celebrate pride with your queer fave by your side! Includes: Soldier 76, Pharah, Baptiste, Tracer, Venture & Lifeweaver

Mario Kart - Venture (NSFW)

frustrated at always losing to you in Mario Kart, Sloan comes up with an obstacle to give themselves a winning chance

Electric Love - Wally West (NSFW)

when Wally catches you feeling down about yourself about how you look in a bikini, he’s determined to remind you how beautiful you really are

Sex On The Beach - Lucio (NSFW)

a beach day with your boyfriend turns steamier than expected

Pool Party Headcanons - Wally West

spend a day hanging out by the pool with your favorite speedster!

Leash & Collar - Venture (NSFW)

trying out a leash and collar with your s/o

All Work, No Play - Reaper

after spending a week cooped up in his office, you find a way to force Gabe out of hiding

Beach Day Headcanons - Venture

spend a day with your s/o at the beach

Botanical Gardens - Wally West

your boyfriend adores how excited you are about going to the botanical gardens with him

i'm SO excited about this event ^~^ ive literally been planning it since May—I really hope you guys enjoy!

(if you enjoy content like this, interactions go a long way! comments, likes & rbs are always greatly appreciated ^-^ !!)

masterlist | overwatch masterlist | JJK masterlist | DC masterlist | obey me masterlist

[freebooter4ever]

Katya freaking out that Geno saw her story: https://t.me/katyastarova13/1597

PSA: if you tag Geno on your insta story, he may see it...

oh i can safely say he has never seen any of my insta stories, trust me i was checking obsessively when i posted the final renders of my sculpt 🤣 i was extremely relieved when nothing happened, and my posts got little to no attention, and im still mostly flying under the radar 👍 @robindrake13 can confirm when i posted those sculpt renders i was terrified of the possibility of a sudden increase in tumblr anon hate messages or more creepy threats about where i live/work (to be clear: from fans on here not geno lol). but nothing happened, im good :) also with the amount of public stuff geno has been up to this summer my post is already totally buried in his tag.

if anyone on here is curious about my insta 'professional' account there is a 🐧 highlight reel with all the old stories but honestly its all just content that this tumblr blog saw more of, nothing different or new.

also if anyone is curious how insta tagging works, it actually sends a message to the person who is tagged, and then they can click on it and view that specific story/post on its own. i found this out the day i tagged jorge gu*tierrez when he autographed my art book in 2022 and then he 'liked' the insta message and i had a minor meltdown bc i didnt realize insta would do that. and this was back when there was like zero art on my insta, it was just me being dumb in photos and lots of hiking / road trip documentating. i was so embarrassed to think he saw that. nowadays, being desperate for networking and all, i definitely tag artists and directors whenever i go see their presentations and there is totally a huge gap between the people who will just ignore you vs the ones (sometimes more popular than the ones who ignore you) who take the time to kindly respond. only once has this actually resulted in me meeting up with an artist though so im not sure my method is working.

anyway speaking of insta messages, i am more likely to get DM's from confused or jealous men asking who the heck geno is. case in point, just today:

i think my answer totally cleared up any confusion

[supersymmetrys]

Hello everyone, my name is Artemis and this is my (re) introduction to the writeblr community, I will try to use this account more since I'm trying to get back into writing!

Basic info ;

My name is Artemis, I'm 21 years old and my pronouns are she/her. I follow from my main blog @girltomripley !!

I'm Mexican, English is not my first language so I write most of my stuff in Spanish, but I sometimes translate it in case I want to share it with someone else.

Some of my favorite stuff: Taylor Swift, movies (my top 4: The Talented Mr. Ripley, Somewhere, Broadcast News, and Ghost World), Silvia Moreno García books, 60s-90s Hollywood, alternative rock music, Taylor Jenkins Reid books.

What I like to write about: Dramedy stories, often set in the 20th century, family drama, father/daughter relationships (bonus points if they're not actually related), road trip stories, characters of color, women leads, and queer relationships.

I am currently studying illustration and concept art in college, so other than writing, drawing is something I also enjoy doing (and I hope to share here as well).

While I don't post a lof of NSFW stuff (and if I do, I'll tag it), I'd prefer if you were at least over 16 if you want to be mutuals!

Please interact with this post so we can be mutuals! And don't be afraid to send me an ask/message me to talk about your own stories/ask about mine!

My WIP'S ;

While I do have multiple of unfinished works in progress, most of them are just ideas or fanfics. My main WIP and probably the one I'll talk about the most is In the Angel's City:

In the Angel's City (drama) ; A hollywood story following a screenwriter and her search for answers behind the death of a famous star; all with the help of a retired actor who disappeared from the public eye.

(more stories under the cut)

Roadrunners (drama) ; Two childhood friends embark on a cross-country journey with a free-spirited young woman they just met, as a romance between the trio blossoms.

Andy You're A Star! (thriller) ; Things turn sinister for average Andy when he meets dark and mysterious James, who drags him along a murderous path (based on The Killers' songs!!)

Neon Bible (horror) ; A small town in Mexico is divided when the child of one of the most important families starts claiming to hear voices and see things that aren't there: half the town believes it must be the devil's work while the other tries to find a medical solution. The situation escalates with the arrival of a foreign guest, who clashes immediately with one of the most beloved and respected men in town.

Game & Performance (drama) ; Carmen, a problematic CEO of a makeup brand decides to escape to a Greek island with her husband after being accused of scamming her clients. Carmen worsens her problems by starting a relationship with a man much younger than her.

(I'll be updating this section as I make intro posts for these)

[boreal-sea]

thenyanguardparty is not antisemitic she's just anti-zionist lmao plus she's not involved in any harrassment campaign, do you just believe whatever anons send you

I went to her blog. The post linked was one worshiping Mao Zedong, which is already fucked up.

---

Ok I'm finally done with my road trip for the day. Thenyanguardparty uses she/it/ela/ella pronouns.

She seems to believe all she's saying is "trans men can be misogynistic!" but she's doing more than just that, and most people who "call out trans men for being misogynistic" are actually just being transandrophobic. . She insists trans men have male privilege, which we fucking do not except under extremely conditional circumstances and then only if we remain stealth. I thought the queer community decided that circumstantial / closet privilege was not privilege? Claiming trans men have male privilege is as transphobic as claiming trans women have it. . Trans men do not "wield misogyny" in any special kind of way, and we do not need to specifically be called out on it, despite what transandrophobes think. Cis women can be misogynistic. Trans women can be misogynistic. Claiming trans men are some sort of special kind of misogynist is transphobic and sexist and misogynistic itself. Period. .

More general disdain for trans men who speak out about experiencing misogyny. And more. How dare we, I guess. Like, it very clearly just hates trans men discussing our transphobia, I really don't know how to make this any clearer. .

On to the antisemitism!!! FIRST fucking post when I search "Jew" on its blog is This Post, which was made by a Jewish person to call out goyim for their closeted antisemitism, and surprise! She's reblogged it with reblogs from non-Jews, making fun of the post, and calling all Jews "insecure Zionists".

Anyway.

Fuck her.

She very clearly does have general disdain for trans men, and hates trans men who don't pretend we magically get all the privilege of cis men, and hates trans men who don't bend over backwards and pretend we never experience misogyny, and hates trans men who don't act incredibly apologetic for our scary masculinity, and hates trans men who don't believe trans women are the Most Oppressed Ever.

It also really fucking hates Jews who don't conform to its perfect stereotype of what a Jew should be.

Oh and there was the whole reblogging Mao Zedong's birthday post it reblogged. Also, and this isn't important, but this bugged me personally: she's weirdly pro-AI art.

[ikn0wtheend]

masterlist

don't interact if you're a minor. this blog is strictly 18+. 

ellie williams 

one-shots

western nights.

you’ve come to know and love the mystery woman who rides into town every now and again. (western!au) 

girls against god.

men shouldn’t be scared of god, they should be scared of two girls with something to prove. (western!au)

series

the record. (on hiatus)

a collection of stand alone one-shots that exist within the same universe - based off of boygenius’ album ‘the record.’ 

thoroughfare. (completed)

you knew ellie once and a road trip back home together complicates things more than it should. (modern!au)

[multi-lefaiye]

finally making a pinned post

hi hi hello! welcome! i have a few names i go by, but you can call me multi or xavier! if we're very close, you can maybe call me jack too. i'm 25 years old, and i use he/they pronouns.

for the most part, this blog is whatever i want it to be. i participate to some degree in writeblr and i have several wips i post about on occasion, but i also just kinda do whatever. i'm also a hobbyist artist! i need to update my prices, but i do take commissions on occasion--feel free to reach out if you're interested!

i don't have a DNI and i'm not interested in making one, but if you have one i will do my best to respect it.

anyway. i don't know how to end this. i really don't. so i guess i'll just list a few wips you might see me talk about--this is the closest we'll get to a proper masterlist for the time being:

god died with wooden bones, the story of shiloh rose and their journey to uncover the mystery of the lost city of owl's haven, as well as how the city's disappearance relates to that of their late mother.

a modern ghost story, the story of a group of semi-famous storm chasers and their close encounters with various storms in the summer of 2006.

bleeding over eden, the story of an enigmatic bartender with violent scars across his face and the strange ability to see the futures of those around him.

for we are both fragile things, the story of noah and arthur, two men who meet, fall in love, and ultimately fall apart in spectacular fashion.

in seeking paradise, the story of a young vagrant named knives nguyen and their quest to discover the truth behind the brutal, unsolved murder of their best friend beatrice.

road trip with the vampire (temp title), the story of a young man named jason and the trip he takes across the country to meet with his family following his mother's passing, as well as the unusual hitchhiker he picks up along the way.

rose-colored shot glasses, the story of three childhood friends and their journey escaping their abusive upbringings to finally find peace somewhere else. (fanfiction that's getting out of hand)

the moon hides its breath, in which a group of gay friends go on a road trip across the country. just replace "a group of gay friends" with "veritable strangers" and "a road trip" with "a journey to save the world from two warring demigods."

aaand probably more i'm forgetting off the top of my head, haha! if any of those sound interesting, feel free to ask! i love talking about my little fictional people. y'all have a nice day.

[multifandom-worlds]

My Dear General - Chapter 1: A Gift for the Tolan Empire

Genre: angst

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: Parent selling their child for profit, sex slavery (concubine), Creepy Thor, mean family members, harsh/derogatory language

Authors Note: I know those warnings are a lot, and if they drive you away, I understand! Basically themed in the middle ages when concubines were common. Also, this is not a reflection on how I feel about Thor, I promise! Don't come for me! If I missed any warnings, please let me know!

Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

Tags: @sarahscribbles @simplyholl @holdmytesseract @otome-and-fanfiction @lokisgoodgirl @buttercupcookies-blog @lokiprompts @ladyofthestayingpower

She was sitting in the back of the carriage, watching as the countryside of nothing passed at a snail's pace. Astrid, accompanied by her three brothers, Alaric, Arne, and Aidous, travels by horse and carriage from their home to the city of Thovur in the Tolan Empire, where Astrid is to remain for the rest of her days as a peace offering from the Kingdom of Azailia to Emperor Thor of the Tolan Empire. Being the only daughter of King Malik, it was, as he put it, her duty to occupy the Emperor for the rest of his life - or hers - to ensure he does not threaten her Kingdom. 

Two of her brothers snicker at her, knowing exactly what she will endure. It did not matter that Astrid was the oldest of King Malik’s heirs, she was a woman, and thus, she was not worthy of the throne. Her brother’s paid her little respect - she simply was not wanted by her family. She herself suspected this was less about keeping the peace and more so just about getting rid of her completely. 

She ignored her brother’s taunting, deciding to focus her thoughts on Thor and imagining what he must be like. How would he look? Would he be kind to her or rough? Is he the ruler legends speak of, or would he be different? Her thoughts drift to the General - Loki. There are rumours about him being the most ruthless killer in the entire empire, but also that he is one of the most ruggedly handsome men. Her thoughts shifted once again, this time to the last words her father spoke to her.

“My dearest daughter, my firstborn. You will be sent as a peace offering to Emperor Thor; he will care for you and give you the life I cannot offer you. Go now, my child. Follow your destiny. Protect your people.”

The way he spoke made the kingdom believe she was sent to become his queen, but Astrid wasn’t stupid - she read the correspondences; Thor wanted a concubine who could bore him heirs and nothing more. She had hoped she would have no chaperone for this trip so she could escape before arrival, but her brothers sat across from her, hindering her chances. 

“Enjoy your gowns and fancy jewellery now, for once we arrive at the palace, you will be nothing, Princess.” She heard the oldest of her brothers, Alaric, say. The way he emphasized “princess” made her blood boil. He was mocking her, reminding her that she wasn’t going to be treated like a princess; she was going to be treated like a common whore. Arne laughed at her expense, thankful to finally be rid of their sister for good. Astrid closed her eyes, leaning against the seat, wishing for the journal to be over. 

They enter the city after several long hours on a bumpy road before the Tolan Army flanks the carriage on all sides, forcing the driver to stop. The most commanding voice Astrid had ever heard before began relaying orders; the words were barely audible above the whinnying of horses outside. One of the most beautiful brown horses Astrid had ever seen made its way to the front of the carriage, the rider obscured by the roof before he dismounted his steed and his face finally came into view.

The general.

“Everybody out of the carriage and identify yourselves, now!” He orders, his voice gruff and powerful. Alaric stepped out first, his two brothers stepping out directly after him. They stand before the carriage door, preventing Astrid from following the famed general’s orders. 

“Alaric sir, first prince of the Azailian Kingdom. These are my brothers, Arne and Aidous.”  

Loki clicks his tongue in annoyance. “The pretentious, overzealous, incompetent sons of King Malik, I should have known. What brings you to Thovur? You are a little far from home, boy.”

Alaric, in awe of Loki, continues speaking, undeterred by his insults, while his brothers share apprehensive expressions. “We are delivering our sister to Emperor Thor and collecting the gold payment. The Emperor is expecting us.” 

“I was unaware Malik had a daughter, although it does not surprise me that he would be one to sell his own child for partnership and protection during wartimes,” Loki spoke before glancing from the princes to Astrid, still in the carriage. “Step aside, or I will have you moved out of the way of the Princess.”

The three brothers immediately step to the side, not wanting to anger the general. Astrid tentatively steps down from the carriage, standing before Loki. Their eyes met briefly before Loki strides forward, bowing his head, the rest of the army kneeling, heads bowed. “Greetings, Princess. Welcome to Thovur.” Loki spoke before taking her hand in his and kissing it. Astrid blushes, this man was the first person in her life to treat her like this and sound genuine when addressing her as Princess. 

Her cheeks burn a fiery crimson before Arne speaks up. “With all due respect, sir, our sister is not worthy of such titles. She is nothing but a whore; she is to be the Emperor’s concubine; she does not deserve such treatment.” Astrid’s expression drops - her brothers must ruin everything for her. 

Loki turns his attention away from Astrid; his brows furrowed in anger as he levels his gaze on Arne. “Watch your mouth, boy.” He then turns his attention to Alaric and Aidous, placing his body between Astrid and her brothers. “Do you two share the same sentiments?” 

Alaric does not hesitate to agree while the youngest, Aidous, looks down at his shoes, avoiding the general’s piercing stare and shifting his weight awkwardly. Alaric, frustrated with the youngest’s non-answer, decided to answer for him. “Yes, he does.”

Loki, angered by the answers he received, turned to one of his soldiers before giving orders. “Escort these two….” Loki begins, gesturing to Alaric and Arne, “....back to their land; they are to go no further; I shall bring the 3rd Prince and the Princess to my brother myself. Now, get these revolting, vile, immoral “men” out of my sight.”

Two soldiers rise before taking Alaric and Arne by the arms and unceremoniously shoving them into the carriage before instructing the driver to turn it around. Another soldier leads Aidous to their horse while Loki turns back to Astrid, offering his arm to her. “You, my Lady, will be riding my horse; that way, I can personally ensure your safety.” 

Astrid cautiously takes his arm as he heads her to his horse, helping her on once they arrive. Once she was securely in the saddle, Loki took the reigns and began walking through the city to the palace. The townspeople bow their heads in utmost respect as the army passes through the streets, arriving at the palace gates.

Loki assists Astrid in dismounting before he escorts her and Aidous to the throne room, where Emperor Thor waits. “Ah, brother, how kind of you to accompany my newest breeder. She's even prettier than Malik wrote about. The fact he kept such a fertile flower hidden is a tragedy." 

He steps down from his throne before striding over to Astrid, running the back of his finger down her cheek. "You are going to give me such beautiful heirs. Why wait until tonight?" Thor spoke in her ear. Astrid visibly tenses up, clenching her eyes tight as Thor's hands move down further her body, failing to notice her discomfort.

But Loki does. 

His fingers clench into a fist, watching his oaf of a brother disrespect her. He spoke up, determined to buy the Princess sometime. "Brother, I fear you will have to wait, for you and I need to discuss expansion plans." 

"The fate of the empire rests upon me having heirs to take over. I do not need to remind you who is Emperor, brother. Go now, take the boy and escort him home; I will have a courier deliver payment for her once I determine her worth.” He spoke with authority, leaving no place to argue. Loki resigns, taking Aidous by the shoulder as Thor returns his attention to Astrid. Her screams could be heard echoing through the palace.

“I’m sorry, son,” Loki says, his voice genuine. “I tried to buy your sister some time but couldn’t. It is obvious you do not share your brothers' feelings for her. I give you my word; I’ll do what I can to keep her safe here; it’s best you return. I will give you one of our horses.”

Aidous looks back at the palace doors with a frown. “Thank you, sir. If she attempts an escape, please assist her.” 

“I will”

[whimsicaldragonette]

Blog Tour: The Bump by Sidney Karger

Order

Add to Goodreads

Publication Date: June 1, 2024

Welcome to The Bump Blog Tour with Berkley Publishing Group. (This Blog Tour post is also posted on my Wordpress book blog Whimsical Dragonette.)

Synopsis:

Two men expecting a baby via surrogate go on the road trip of a lifetime in this hilarious and poignant novel by Sidney Karger, author of Best Men. Wyatt Wallace is a practical, super organized director of TV commercials. Biz Petterelli is a child-actor-turned-magazine-writer who thrives on spontaneity. Though polar opposites, they are fully committed to their relationship and their life in Brooklyn with their dog, Matilda. They’re also about to have a baby together. And they’re freaking out. They’ve both dreamed of becoming parents, but now that it’s happening, they’re doubting everything. Their baby is due in a few weeks and instead of flying to California just before the birth as planned, Biz has a better idea. They could use one last hurrah, along with some serious “us-time” to mend the issues they’ve been having lately—before they get tied down by fatherhood and its impending responsibilities. So the daddies-to-be load up their 1992 Volkswagen Cabriolet and embark on an epic cross-country babymoon. They attempt to recharge at the beach in Provincetown, stumble through their impromptu baby shower in Chicago, and endure a Star Wars -themed wedding in Colorado before heading west for the baby.   But when they take several unexpected detours, old wounds are reopened and secrets spill out that could change their relationship for better or for worse, forcing the couple to reexamine the meaning of family while building their own. After all, what’s a road trip without a few bumps along the way?

My Rating: ★★★

*My Review below the cut.

My Review:

This was good, if a bit over the top for me. It was campy in a way that just doesn't appeal to me because it didn't really feel authentic and I could never get behind the characters 100% even though I did find many parts amusing.

What I really did appreciate was the topic. Road trip? Been done. Two men on a save the relationship road trip to reconnect before their baby is delivered? I haven't seen that before. If it had been slightly less over-the-top and I'd found the characters more relatable, I would have absolutely loved it.

As it was clearly intended to be a humorous and somewhat campy road trip, the situations and characters encountered, including Wyatt and Biz's family members and friends, were all over the top to the point that they felt like stereotypes. But then sometimes they would break through the stereotype and feel more real, and that I did enjoy.

It was told in alternating POV style, but for some reason whenever we were in Wyatt's POV and Biz said something, the dialogue tag would be Wyatt saying how Biz felt about it. The same happened in Biz's POV when Wyatt spoke. It was really strange and kept taking me out of the story because it didn't make sense for the characters to know what the other person was thinking, so maybe it was all assumptions? But it happened just about every time anything was said.

Wyatt and Biz also argued and were resentful and childish toward one another for the entire book. I was hoping they'd work things out, and a couple times thought they might, and then they'd revert to sniping at each other. It didn't give me a whole lot of confidence about their ability to handle actually raising a child together. The way it's told it's as if seeing the baby delivered magically fixes everything, cue the adorable 6 years later epilogue.

I liked it enough to continue to read the whole book, however, and I think it will appeal to a lot of people. Especially those who enjoy campy over the top humor.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an early copy for review.

[kyndaris]

An Introspective Lull in the Pursuit of Love

I have often found that it is quite easy for me to fall into new routines. Take this blog, for example. In the past, it would contain impressions of the games I'd played and finished, along with the occasional anecdotes I'd come up with that had been on my mind. As I started to date, many of my posts soon changed to revolve around my attempts to find love. But despite going at it for nigh on two years, I haven't felt closer to cracking the mystery that is romance even as I've flooded my weekly entries about my adventures.

As my love life dwindles though, I've been scrambling to find something fun and lighthearted to share with the dear readers I've accrued on my blog. Not that there's many.

Still, at least I now have the opportunity to opine about the state of the world or properly allow my errant thoughts some breathing room.

Of course, if you've read the title of this blog, you'll know that in this instance, my thoughts haven't strayed too far from the familiar.

Since I've started chronicling the dates I've gone on, it has come as no surprise that I don't regard myself as straight. There have been many a time wherein I've asserted that I sit somewhere on the asexual spectrum. But recent revelations on who I might be attracted to has had me scrambling on what it means to be in a relationship and the sacrifices one needs to make.

Although I've opened my preferences for all genders on Hinge, I've found it extremely hard to date or chat with people from unique backgrounds. Invariably, most of the people that tend to like my profile or who I actually respond are cisgender heterosexual men. Probably because they're the ones most active on the dating apps. And while conversations can start off strong, it almost always seems to fail. Whether it's because they're a bad texter and I find it hard to continue a conversation or they just stop responding altogether.

The only person I've kept up a steady communication with is Dikottir. And in fact, we might be venturing out to VIVID Sydney for a fifth date (at time of writing, VIVID has only just begun). But while this may seem promising, it comes with the caveat that we've technically met in person since August 2023, with our initial chat on Hinge back in July of that same year.

If ever there was a relationship that was the epitome of a slow burn, this would be it.

Perhaps it comes from the fact both of us have our own individual lives and interests. Or maybe neither of us know how to navigate the quagmire encapsulating relationships.

I know I certainly don't lead a very riveting life that requires constant chronicling/ updating to a third party I barely even know. Heck, not even my own mother asks me how my day has gone even after absconding to China and leaving me to care for my grandmother (although, if I'm being honest, there's not much to say on a daily basis anyways. I wake up, I work, I cook and then I go to bed after playing some video games).

Besides, it's not like I consider Dikottir my Roman Empire. There are just so many other things to preoccupy me: books, video games, shows, road trip planning...

To be fair, Dikottir has been nothing but a gentleman. But after years of having romance novels and films harp about a 'spark' or the 'chemistry' between two people, the word I'd use to describe my 'relationship' with Dikottir would be torpid. At best.

Still, I persist. Wondering if this 'thing' between us will ever work out. Although, if I was being truly honest with myself, I think it'll just end up being a friendship.

Hinge, and many other dating apps, simply aren't very conducive for me in building up a connection. Constant interactions in a shared environment or a neutral setting are some of the best places for me to slowly build up the foundation to a strong friendship.

And yet, there have been people I've met that I've felt an odd compulsive pull where I want to learn more about them. Alas, it's only happened with women. As I've detailed before in an earlier post, there have been women I've been drawn to, believing we could be the best of friends. Is that love? Or is it the makings of a crush?

I wish I knew. I wish there was a definitive definition of what it means to fall in love with someone so I could tick off the symptoms and diagnose myself with it instead of having people tell me: "you'll know it when it happens to you."

A part of me does want to believe this is me like-liking someone but discussions with Sorrengail, a fellow ace, has described these instances of obsession as a 'squish.' And, in almost all instances, my swift and sudden obsessive curiosity does fade.

But it is in those rare moments that I do wonder if there might be something more beyond the platonic.

These last few days, I've posited the theory to myself that maybe I'm questioning these 'squishes' as something more because my mind has been focused on trying to build relationships and finding a romantic partner. But the more I do, the more I fear what might become of an actual committed relationship.

How much of myself will I need to compromise? Will it have all been a waste of time if nothing eventuates? How do I know if someone likes me or not? What are the 'signals' that I should be looking out for?

I think for most people the start of a relationship is always fraught with a mixture of emotions: the desire to make a good impression and the fear the other person might not like the 'real' you. Especially if you immediately lean into the chaos gremlin dwelling inside the human exoskeleton.

It's certainly something I've thought about because even as a neurotypical person, I've often found myself portraying a heightened version of myself to different social circles. For example, I know I can't go into a deep dive about Kingdom Hearts lore at work because no-one else would appreciate the collision of Disney and Japanese role-playing games. And I don't talk about the books I read to many of my non-reader friends.

While these aren't exactly separate personas, these images of me that I project are tailored to the audience I'm with.

Yes, they are all me but they are me in different situations.

And there aren't many social circles where I feel comfortable enough to unleash the nose-booping, terrible picture-taking chaos gremlin menace that I really am on the inside. At least, I'm not comfortable with showing off that side of me.

Although, yes, there are people at work who know I'm a big massive nerd. And who are a little frightened of my ability to memorise addresses.

I also have a tendency of phrasing things terribly. So, there might be a subset of people I know who fear for their lives (looking at you Chinchilla) even though I wouldn't hurt a fly (that's a lie. I kill a lot of insects).

Jokes aside, I'm also worried I've entered this race for all the wrong reasons. Love isn't something to be pursued. You can't force it. It either comes naturally or it doesn't. But maybe, too, I need to stop being oh so cautious and just jump in with both feet if I do feel something.

As Ellie Chu, from the film The Half of It put it: love isn't patient and kind and humble. Love is messy and horrible and selfish and bold. It's not finding your perfect half. It's the trying and the reaching and failing. Love is being willing to ruin your good painting for the chance at a great one."

Maybe that's what I need to do. Instead of comparing and contrasting Hinge profiles to see who might be a good fit and letting my executive functioning do most of the work, I should lean into my instincts. Instead of fearing that a relationship won't work out, I need to fight in the trenches for it.

And whether or not love will hit me over the head with a hammer or sneak up on me like an assassin, I need to be open to it.

Easier said than done!

But hey, that's life, isn't it?

[agpenvs3000f24]

Blog Post 4: Who are you to interpret nature through art? How do you interpret “the gift of beauty”?

When I think about nature, my mind doesn’t immediately turn to famous paintings or sculptures. For me, art that interprets nature is more personal, like music and books that have the power to capture the essence of the wilderness. John Denver’s Country Roads and Canoeing with the Cree by Eric Sevareid come to mind as two works that, while different in form, each present nature in a way that is deeply meaningful to me. In their own way, they interpret the “gift of beauty” by offering something more than just a description of the outdoors—they offer a feeling, an emotional connection that transcends what can be put into words.

John Denver’s Country Roads is one of those songs that draws me to the wilderness, even when I’m nowhere near it. The lyrics—“Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River” paint a picture, yes, but it’s the music and Denver’s voice that convey something more. It’s the longing for a simpler, more natural life that I relate to, and I find it aligns with Tilden’s principle of interpretation, which says the goal is not just to inform but to provoke. Country Roads doesn’t give me facts about West Virginia or the mountains, but rather makes me want to travel there, experience the roads myself, and discover what they mean to me. The song gives beauty an emotional anchor, one that I carry with me whenever I’m out on a canoe trip or hiking through the woods.

Similarly, Canoeing with the Cree, a book lent to me by one of my staff during my Hudson Bay trip, has played a significant role in shaping my relationship with nature. It’s an adventure story about two young men navigating rivers and wilderness, but more than that, it’s a narrative about perseverance, exploration, and discovery. The beauty in this book isn’t just in the descriptions of the rivers or the challenges they face—it’s in the way their journey connects them to the land. The book made me think deeply about my own canoe trips, how the water and forests become characters in my story, and how my interactions with them are personal interpretations of the natural world.

Both Denver’s music and Sevareid’s book are examples of how art can shape our relationship with nature without needing to be visually artistic. They reflect my own experiences, particularly through canoe tripping at Keewaydin, where nature was less of a backdrop and more of a living, breathing part of every moment. This brings me back to Tilden’s first principle: “Any interpretation that does not somehow relate what is being displayed or described to something within the personality or experience of the visitor will be sterile.” Nature, through these works, isn’t something distant; it’s personal, and the beauty of it is wrapped up in the emotions it stirs and the memories it recalls.

Art, whether it’s a song, a book, or a painting—has the unique ability to provoke emotions and create connections that facts alone cannot. The beauty of nature doesn’t need to be staged to be understood or appreciated, but through art, whether through music or literature, it takes on a whole new meaning. The “gift of beauty” that art offers isn’t just about presenting nature as something to be admired; it’s about making people feel it, live it, and carry it with them, just like I do with the songs and stories that shape my view of the natural world.

[smalltowndoll]

It was late summer, 2007; I was still just a child. The sun beat onto my face, covered in sunburn and freckles. Life was simple, and I was pure.

asks are tagged #dollytalks

religious imagery is tagged #god was here

Noah, 25, genderfucked. You probably hate me.

I hate men but I have a boyfriend, so fuck off. I'm too beautiful for you anyway. Not radfem. I hate radicalization of any belief more than a group of people.

Intersectional Feminism for the win do not take my words as gospel like you do your bibles. I am not a god or angel or deity on which to pray and worship. I am flesh and blood and bones and ash like the rest of you.

୨୧ Likes

─ dolls, fashion, soft things, pink and green, nature, sleeping, romance, cooking, horror, liminal spaces, flowers, video games, anime, bugs, stars, road trips, stuffed animals, bows, snow, sunshine, rain, him ❤︎

─ i'm a soft, sensitive, sweet angel with dark hair, glasses and scarred skin. i'm not here to play, i'm here to live and die a thousand times

This blog is my diary for my unlikeable weirdness and suffering, and deep longing of a soft and innocent childhood once more. I'm not nice, I'm as bitter as those who raised me as forced to be as cruel as the world I got thrown into.

This blog is NOT a radfem, waif, zionist, racist, anti-any religion, or terf blog!!! Please DNI if yours is.

[glimvinty]

Introducing...meeeeee (tap for better quality)

Currently my only really officially posted writing:

^A brief chronicling of a single night spent at a motel in Arizona. Two normal men---Specter, an imperialist, and Tenebri, a socialist---are on a road trip.

Call me Glim! As I type this I am entering one of those identity pits where I can't remember anything about myself. Uhhhhhhh. I'm going to drink some water to escape the event horizon

Worked! I'm restored!

So what am I here for?

The Wip

Well, this is primarily an art blog where I post about the WIP to end all other WIPs, my magnum opus, my disaster child, my manuscript which is steadily gaining on War and Peace's word count and is currently over 1,000 pages long. Yes, it will be adjusted. Yes, I will have to read the whole thing over again. Because I am a little pitiable, I will be posting art of the characters, snippets of my writing, and some lore! Yes, I do fully intend to publish this. It's been 7+ years in the making.

So what's this WIP about, and dear lord?

It's one of those getting-lost-in-another-world adventure stories, but with several twists and a significant spin on it. It's Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Discworld, and Hitchhiker's all put in a blender. If that sounds horrible, imagine writing it! It follows the protagonist Mallory Noire, who is absolutely nobody and fairly rational, as she dodges cults worshipping eldritch horrors, deftly evades transdimensional fascist regimes, eludes the wizard bureaucracy, befriends mad scientists and attempts to survive a whole slew of other...improbable things. Its most major genres are horror, comedy, and surreal fantasy. I'll tag any posts related to it #misticity.

About Me, a Factor of Production!

I have a condition called anisocoria, and basically I'm blind in one eye! I have no idea what I'm missing though, so it's all good, and David Bowie has the same condition, although I was born with mine and he got punched in the face

I'm trans masc and I'm here to support you as well (all queer people)!

I most likely have Asperger's, as my father had it (formally diagnosed) and I display symptoms, but I have never been formally diagnosed myself

I lived in Germany for a year and can speak (abysmal) conversational German, but my native language is English

What Fandoms Am I In/Can You Talk to Me About?

Twin Peaks

Mob Psycho 100

Discworld

Good Omens

Control

RDR

Night Vale

The Magnus Archives

HLVRAI

Hitchhiker's Guide (is anyone out there?)

Any bad old movies. Any of them. I love those and I'm fairly well-versed

What Should You Ask Me About?

Anything, really. If you have any questions about the WIP, just shoot. I've left it pretty vague.

I also want to make this corner of the Internet into a safe place, and a safe place for other people, so if you're ever in need of an encouraging word or two I'm here! I get the feeling often, so I want to be here for people who feel the way I do.

The Just-in-Case Note

Feel free to correct me if I say something dumb or off. I want to stay openminded and learn from my mistakes.

Anyway, keep it shlunky

[ironwilledf-up]

Hi tumblr, it's been a good few years.

That's Lottie, one of my kitties. The others are Sid and Nancy. I live with my husband in the UK and I am 30. I'm officially diagnosed with bpd but it was diagnosed by a psychiatrist who saw me once in hospital for 15 minutes when I was at rock bottom, I no longer fit the criteria but I do fit the cptsd criteria so I'm doing EMDR. I sometimes trauma dump online. I lost a son via tfmr and I might grieve forever. Also have adhd that didn't get picked up on for a long time because this country's health system sucks and it was less noticeable when I was young.

I was finding cptsd groups on reddit helpful but I got banned for 3 days on reddit for saying in a private message to a friend of several weeks I'd made on there that I was at a party over the weekend where someone drunk drove, another was racist, all the men were rapey and belong in a wood chipper. Again, this was in a PRIVATE message. So I deleted the whole account and moved over to here because that place is becoming worse all the time. So hi!

We like to travel, especially to the US national parks and road trip around the country. We do visit other countries too though of course. So I'll often post photos from our trips, or just our cats. Sometimes I'll open up about my life, because it's been worse than most people can imagine.

I love music, all music, right now though I'm a huge Taylor Swift fan, which is unusual because my last main genre was folk punk. I think you should just love what you love and that is enough.

If anyone wants to chat about anything my inbox will be open :) now I just need to find some good blogs to follow and remember how tumblr works! Maybe if my tags interest you then you could follow me and I will follow you back? No negativity though, I can't be bothered, it isn't my job to debate you or change your mind these are just my opinions and the whole reason social media is so bad for our mental health is because people will say the nasty shit they wouldn't say to people's faces.

❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️

[runningwithfangs]

Vampire Chronicles Book Review/Rant #3

The Queen of the Dammed

Wowowow congratulations to the world’s worst polycule on saving Vampirekind. 

Another super fun romp where so much happens, yes there is nonsense, but the nonsense is nicely paired with a lot of intense drama and high stakes. I like how Anne got around her own premise that the vampires are writing their life stories by it still being Lestat who writes it, but he’s gathered all this information from the other vampires that were actually there, even when he was not. 

The chapters being mini-stories and the many characters we meet, everything coming together in the end, it’s not just fun but so immersive. Anne doesn’t hold back in expanding her universe. At no point does it feel like too much too soon, or like the universe and characters are expanding faster than the story or getting out of hand. Anne is a fantastic writer.

In this book we start to see the world outside of our main vamps, the fledglings (Killer and the Fang Gang 🤯), the vampire bars, the Talamasca, the vampire cult followers, and so many new characters! 

Feminist Icon Akasha (is trying to kill most men). See kids, that’s what happens when you watch TV for 50 years straight.

This is one of my favorite books from the series, maybe one of my favorite books ever. 

Favorites:

It’s hard to pick! Jesse’s story is great, the dreamlike drunken nights at Maharet’s house with the vampires asking her about chocolate, the Great Family and the care and love Maharet has for them, her records and her family tree of lights, the attention and advice she gives them all, it’s just so sweet.

Devil’s Minion! I’ve been seeing fan art and posts about Armand/Daniel since I started this blog and did not get it until I read this. Now I GET IT, holy shit, it's chewing-through-drywall material. The horror of Daniel running for his life, being hunted, then suddenly they’re bonding, hanging out and doing all these cool things, Daniel admitting he loves to cuddle a dead thing?! The experiments, the smoothies, the madness from hanging around a vampire, the “I love you too much to turn you” vs “I love you too much to let you go on without me.” Insane. Horrible. Beautiful. I could rant about this section alone for so long. Oh, and learning how the book was published was neat too.

Getting little bits about the twins from everyone’s dreams, that repeating imagery of the cooked body, the heart and the brain on plates. I got really invested in this mystery, and once it all came together it was horrible but so captivating. It’s a great vampire origin story. 

Vampire road trip and vampire roommates at Night Island! I wish this part was longer and that vampires could stand to hang out with each other more, I want my vampire friends to hang out damn it! Jesse and Gabrielle became friends! Louis wants to know about his daughter’s ghost! Grandpa Khayman telling stories! Uncle Marius accepting that Lestat is gonna be little shit and no one can stop him!

Least Favorites:

The violence enacted on Maharet and Mekare, I know it’s to show Akasha’s cruelty but damn.

Smutt:

Lestat’s permaboner. Thanks, Anne.

Lestat and Akasha pinning each other back and forth on the bed and drinking from each other was kinda hot tbh.

Armand and Daniel in Pompeii when they start their romance, if you can call it that. Armand making Daniel have sex with other people while he watches 🙈

Nonsense Meter:

4/10 nonsense again. A bit of nonsense in the Devil’s Minion, and a bit in the Lestat training montage/kidnapped by Vampire Mommy part, but not a ton. Maybe it’s a bias because I liked this book so much and every story was full of drama, high stakes, and complex morality. 

Misc:

I can’t help but wonder what kind of research Anne was doing, I looked up some of the cities, artifacts, and locations she mentions and it checked out. Was she taking ancient history courses or just living at the library?! Gotta give that woman credit. 

I don’t want to get into a long discussion of Akasha’s idea that killing most men would allow women to bring about world peace and fix all our earthly problems, but as someone who has mostly existed as a woman in the world, I may have fantasized once or twice about Thanos snapping a bunch of men, sure, I get it. I don’t agree, I think money, isolation, messed up priorities, and lack of checks in power have more to do with *waves hand around vaguely* everything, but it makes for an interesting premise. “Tell me, my prince, what is the primary use of men now, if not to protect women from other men?”

[pluralswagbracket]

Oh we’re running blorbo propaganda campaigns right now? I thought that would only begin after voting did. Well then, please allow me to elaborate further on my Jesse Custer submission!

Believe me, I’m aware that not a lot of people have watched this show (probably even fewer have read the comics; even I haven’t). But I’m also aware that a lot of people should. The titular Preacher, our aforementioned plural king(s), takes the form of Dominic Cooper with a clerical collar, collar tips, and magic Dom powers. Trust me, he’s hot. Even if you’re not attracted to men, I’m fairly confident declaring that you’d still be attracted to Dominic Cooper as a cowboy-goth priest with collar tips and magic Dom powers.

Your Honor, look AT him.

Have I mentioned that the plot of this show is Jesse’s road trip quest to find God and hold him accountable for his many atrocities? Because that’s a mission that objectively has extreme swag. And as if Jesse doesn’t have enough swag on his own, he also has a badass girlfriend and a vampire boyfriend who also have copious swag themselves.

But enough about Jesse’s swag. Let’s talk about his plurality (since I’m the only person I know who does). As per my official submission, your honor, during one key episode of this series, a curious thing happens. Jesse, imprisoned in the same torture device that he was made to endure as a child, suddenly retreats into what is unmistakeable an inner world. There he talks to an unnamed man referred to only as “the Missouri Cowboy,” who is clearly an introject of Jesse’s idol, John Wayne (and I KNOW we all love to see some introject love and recognition around here, right?) The cowboy tells Jesse how to escape his torture coffin, which is something Jess himself was unable to do by himself. (Furthermore, after escaping, Jesse goes on to kill the members of his family who held him captive and traumatized him as a child. As I said, swag.) Sadly we never see or hear about the Missouri Cowboy again (at least in the TV series), but his single appearance is more than enough. I rest my case.

If he makes it into the bracket and only gets one vote, that vote will be me and I’ll be proud to do it. If he gets 2 votes, it may well be because I convinced the only other headmate in our system who has a tumblr blog to vote for him as well. If Jesse only gets 3 votes, it will probably be because I bullied my partner (who cosplays him!) to vote for him too. Jesse Custer may not be a popular blorbo from a popular IP, but he is my babygirl and I will run the most insufferably annoying campaign for him because my heart is SO full of LOVE, your honor.

YOU (POSITIVE)

FELLOW VERTIGO STAN IN MY POLL!

Fun fact: the vaguely worded possession guideline in the rules is actually partially so I can't finagle John Constantine into the poll on a technicality or three. However one of my other Vertigo blorbos is trendy rn so I will also say: Dream of the Endless + whatever Daniel has going on? plural. you know already

also to be clear folks: an essay like this gives your blorbo way more of a chance to get in! let em loose. be annoying (affectionate) in my inbox