#sometimes it pours out of me

[palahnyook]

You've punctured my solitude, I told you. (...) I feel I can give you everything without giving myself away.

— The Argonauts, Maggie Nelson

[al-luviec]

something simple to try to get out of art block (it didn't work)

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[countthelions]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Undertale (Video Game) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: W. D. Gaster/Grillby Characters: W. D. Gaster, Grillby (Undertale), Original Characters Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Western, Prompt Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Gaster as the outlaw + grillby as the healer, Small town politics, it rains obvi, my favorite way to trap some guys Series: Part 1 of Under the Joshua Trees Summary:

An outlaw stumbles onto a healer's porch, bloodied and wild. How do they fare with kindness reaching back out to them?

[moeblob]

I vote for Argenti! I hope you feel better soon!

Thank you ! I do feel much better (though I admit I hurt a little for very much my fault reasons but it's mostly manageable through light pain meds).

Take an Argenti o7 I got lazy and didn't draw the roses I was gonna draw to the left so there is now a wide open blank spot.

[demigod-of-the-agni]

PLEASSEEE TELL US ABOUT YOUR MYTHIC MUMBATTAN AU PLEASE PLEASEE

>:) very well, my people (currently screaming because i wrote a response but i accidentally CTRL+Zd everything out of existence lmao)

The Mythic Mumbattan AU is me pouring the following ingredients into an explosive mess:

Hindu mythology and Indian culture overload

college!Spider-Man shenanigans

revamping the original Spider-Man: India plotlines and expanding the lore

character studies!!! my favourite :)

a potential and self-indulgent crossover with another indian superhero (if we ever get there)

the horrors.

Pavitr and his personal cast!!! just!!!! THEY!!!!!!

(keep reading if you want more goodies >:D)

So the CoffeeBean is a coffeeshop that existed in the mainstream Marvel universe and in real life but that's another thing; the cast below frequently drop by to hang out with one another. The Mumbattan-equivalent of the CoffeeBean is actually the TeaHouse which is another real life thing but shh and so in-universe they're called the TeaHouse gang, but in my heart they'll always be the CBG 😌

Everyone goes to Brihanmumbai State University (BSU). Lots of crazy things happen here. Pavitr's relationship with the others is always in flux but ultimately they're super close with one another (fuck it, they might as well be poly). Their personalities I try to keep as close as I can to the mainstream universe E616 comics, but I'm being creative and letting a few things from the SMI comics and ATSV influence them:

Pavitr Prabhakar — Tamilar (Tamil); he has the charm and skills from his ATSV counterpart and the smarts from his SMI counterpart; he can be a bit of a jerk and a flake, but he tries to be a good friend, and is much more open than he was in high school.

Meera Jain — Kannadiga (Kannada); basically how I've written her in tibim: everyone's first impression of her is that she's carefree and seems to not worry too much about life. She secretly deals with a lot of self-doubt and personal fears, but the gang's presence is enough for her to push them aside.

Gayatri Singh — Gujarati (Gujarati); she's probably the most quiet of the gang, but undeniably the kindest. She's more similar to Pavitr, in that she's stubborn and quick to judge. She's the glue of the gang and always willing to extend a hand to others

Hari Oberoi — Maharashtrian (Gujarati/Marathi/Hindi); the son of the man who tried to bring literal hell to earth, but other than that he's okay. He's a people-pleaser despite having everything, and struggles with his own self-image and who he should become

Ekansh "Flash" Travasso — Goan (Marathi); the high school jock who's grown more understanding and compassionate. He knew Pavitr the longest, so they have quite an interesting collection of interactions. (ALSO I'M SO SORRY I WROTE THOMPSON IN THE ART POST INSTEAD OF TRAVASSO 😭 maybe i should go back and edit that)

Spider-Man is Spider-Man'ing. Mumbattan loves him (sort of. Inspector Singh has mixed feelings). But another question: why is that every where Spider-Man goes the demons of yore all start showing up and begin wrecking havoc? Why is that? I am taking the magic in Spider-Man: India and dialing it up to five million — horrors and magic of every kind! I can get my hands real dirty and /really/ push Pavitr to his limit >:)

That is all for now. There will be more characters, but they'll show up in time. Lots of stories too, all old and new and revamped and crazy, but they'll be told when they're ready. Perhaps this is enough to satiate everyone's hunger? (unless you want to know something else, then by all means go ahead and ask!!!)

[vehemourn]

confession

[blackjackkent]

Prompt fill for @astreamofstars from this ask meme. Jaheira: "Tales take on a life of their own, like weeds. Unless they are tended."

-----

“Ah, my good friend, there you are!”

Jaheira can already feel her jaw clenching as the strident voice rings across the camp in her direction. “Hello, Volothamp.”

“Oh, my, the full name even!” Volo says jovially, striding over to settle himself on the stone ledge against which Jaheira has placed her tent. “Surely we of all people are beyond such formality, are we not?” 

Hector trails after him and catches Jaheira's eye; his lips are pressed tightly together with the effort not to laugh. “And here I was about to offer an introduction, but I see the two of you are already acquainted.”

“Yes, yes!” Volo says enthusiastically before Jaheira can respond. “Though who of the Sword Coast does not know of Jaheira, one might better ask.” His eyes crinkle at the corners in a conspiratorial smile towards her. “I trust you feel I have done my part to bring you the renown you so richly deserve.”

Jaheira quirks one eyebrow up minutely. “Certainly it is by your doing that every bard from here to Athkatla has made coin recounting the tales of my carnal escapades,” she says. Flicking her eyes to Hector, she adds dryly, “Inaccurately, no less.”

Hector frowns. “Is this so, Volo? You have spread falsehoods about her?” 

“Falsehoods? Never. Give me some credit, Lady Jaheira,” Volo says with an air of wounded pride. “I spoke ne'er a single jot of falsehood regarding your love in actuality, for I would never speak ill of the dead. Nor did I imply for an instant that your escapades had the whiff of philandering about them. But you have had many a year of adventuring alone, my dear, tales that deserved the telling, and like a good meal, every good story benefits from spice.”

Hector grins. “I thought every story benefitted from a dragon.”

“You'll find,” Volo says with dignity, “that the two are not mutually exclusive - a fact which has a far wider audience than you would imagine.”

Hector's eyebrows shoot up and then he blushes. “I see.”

Jaheira snorts softly. “They say tales take on a life of their own, like weeds, unless they are tended. But our good friend Volo is no tender of gardens, but rather the fertilizer.”

Volo smiles widely. “You mean that I am a rich and fertile ground upon which stories set their roots?”

“I mean that you are full of cow dung, Geddarm.” Jaheira’s lips twitch.

“Hmph.” Volo scoffs, utterly unbothered by this appraisal. “Genius is never appreciated in its own time. I content myself against the slings and arrows of criticism with the certainty that I set down knowledge which shall last through the ages.” He cocks his head in Hector’s direction. “You were a monk of the Silverlight Archives, were you not, Saer Carlisle? Surely you can appreciate this.”

“Oh, I do,” Hector says earnestly, his eyes glinting with humor. “Normally we insist upon veracity in our tomes but perhaps in your case we can make an exception.”

“How thoroughly gracious of you,” Volo says gravely. “I knew from the first moment I set eyes upon you, you know. I said to myself, ‘Volo, that is a man who can be trusted as a patron of artistic endeavor.’ And I am never wrong in my judgment of character.”

“Mm,” Hector says. “That would be, of course, why you offered to stick an ice pick into my eye three days later.”

Jaheira’s eyes narrow abruptly to slits. “You what?” she snaps.

Volo does flinch just slightly at the sudden ferocity in her tone. “It was a scientific procedure,” he says defensively. “And one I would still happily offer, for I believe your little brain problem has not resolved itself in my absence.”

“He will pass,” Jaheira says coolly before Hector can even formulate a response. “If there is one thing I would trust you less with than history, it is surgery.”

Volo gives an elaborate sigh and waves a hand in resignation. “Very well, very well. By all rights you should have undergone ceremorphosis long ago, in any event, so clearly not availing yourself of my talents hasn’t done you any harm. Besides, we have greater issues at hand. We must speak of Orin the Red, and her--”

“VOLO!” There’s a thundering crash as Minsc comes barreling out of his tent and across the cobblestone of their camp, a wide smile stretching his face from ear to ear. Boo, on his shoulder, sits eyeing Volo with beady-eyed skepticism.

“Oh!” Volo looks mildly alarmed for a moment, but quickly recovers his sang-froid and smiles broadly in return. “Minsc, is it not? What a joy it is to see you and your hamster again!”

“Ah! You see, Boo!” Minsc bellows happily. “I told you he would remember you! And now we shall finally hear the end of the tale!”

“Eh? What tale might that be?” Volo asks.

“Why, the tale of Jaheira and the dragon!” Minsc says with an earnest nod. “The bard which Minsc heard said the ending was not fit for polite company.”

Jaheira groans, rubbing her fingertips against her temples. “Oh, ye gods…” she mumbles wearily.

“Minsc did not think the tavern company was so very polite, for they poured ale upon Boo,” Minsc says, coming down to a more normal volume, his expression pensive. “But nevertheless, Minsc’s curiosity was not to be sated on that day.”

“Nor shall it be today, ranger,” Jaheira says, shaking her head with a pointed look at Volo. “I hear tell that that particular tale has been… suppressed.”

“Mm. Yes. Terribly sorry, my young stone-addled friend,” Volo says brightly, “but instead, come to the fire and I shall regale you with all the tales I have told of your little hamster. For truly he is a hero spoken of with great reverence.”

Minsc considers this. “As well he should be,” he says modestly. “Minsc would hear these tales!”

“Excellent. Excellent.” Volo bounds to his feet and gives an elaborate bow in Jaheira’s direction. “We will speak again, my dear Miss Jaheira.”

“Unfortunately, I’m sure that is true,” Jaheira says ruefully, but she offers a half-bow in return anyway, and she and Hector watch the truly odd pairing of bard and berserker retreat towards the center of camp.

Hector chuckles softly. “It’s hard to hate him, for all his faults. He certainly doesn’t lack for enthusiasm.”

“Mm. Yes.” Jaheira lets out a heavy breath. “I do not begrudge him his tall tales, in truth,” she murmurs, more to herself than to Hector. “The world has need of tales of heroes, and I know this as well as any. But it is��� tiring, at times, to hear myself spoken of in such terms, to be painted so larger-than-life with appetites to match, when I know myself to be only life-sized, and with a heart whose pieces have been left behind with the dead more than once.” 

A pause. Then she shakes herself and plasters a smile back onto her face, shooting him a look sideways. “You will come to know this feeling yourself, I suspect, if we continue on this road. There will be no shortage of songs sung of you.”

Hector grins. “I could say I was looking forward to it, but I’d be lying. I’m sure it will make Karlach happy, though.”

Jaheira really does smile now. “Now that is a cause for such stories which I can get behind. She of all people has earned it.”

[jojo-schmo]

JOJO I THINK YOUVE BEEN POSSESSED BY THE HIGHLY INFECTIOUS HAPPY-DOMESTIC-SMILEY-SUGAR-CAVITY-VIRUS YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO FINANCIAL COMPENSATION

I’ve got a fever!!! And the only cure is DRAWING FLUFF !!!!!

[sinner-blues]

i know that like. soooo many devastating shit has happened ever since but. i still feel like yuzuru's requiem at wc16 gala is the most gut-renching performance he's ever delivered

[suekre]

Ramble on.

Being an online (OC) artist just sucks so much these days haha. It's just no fun anymore. I won't stop doing what I love doing and I like interacting with my little bubble but honestly... it's tedious, sometimes I really DO wonder how I have not given up yet.

[saviourkingslut]

not to be about opera again but to be about opera again. as an art form it has the reputation of being super stuffy and something for snobs who don't know how to have fun only but honestly this was one of, perhaps even THE main theatrical entertainment for centuries. i wish people knew how hard these things can go and how engaging they can be. like characters kill and die and fight wars and (almost) commit human sacrifice left and right. characters fall in love they mourn they're ecstatic they cry they're furious it's an extremely dramatic and emotional art form! and i understand that opera does not appear approachable bc of the general conventions of the art form but i promise old works can be fun and engaging if you go watch them with some preparation beforehand (reading the libretto helps) - not to mention not all operas are old bc there are so many modern operas which engage with topical events! also the music slaps.

[coquelicoq]

my oral comprehension must be getting better because i just identified (and understood) a lone line of french hidden in a verse of portuguese. to give you a baseline my general problem with understanding spoken french is that much of the time i don't even recognize it as french. i'm like wow listen to all that german!

[nekomasmngr]

life update: ive buried myself in my irl work

and whenever someone messages me (for good reason) about a fandom thing i get so irritated because i just dont have the time or headspace at the moment and the mild irritation passes im left with feeling bad that i neglected fandom stuff for too long 😞 but at the same time can you just stop :D

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

I'm torn here - I love discussion, I don't want to insulate myself from interesting, nuanced discussion. On the other hand, a takeaway I've had in life lately is sometimes you just have to let it go. You can't change it. You just have to move on. And the constant heavy discussion can be a lot to read and absorb. She also has the unique situation of being a prolific writer, deeply relatable, near universal womanhood experiences and also, because the nature of her image, I don't always want to discuss her how I would an author, especially an author who is long gone. Idk if this makes any sense, I enjoy following you, but I sometimes feel myself getting bogged down by the very discussions I also enjoy.

I understand that, I really do, but I think it's also natural for topics to come up and to respond to them, like you would in conversation with friends in real life. Sometimes you don't talk about things for weeks or months and then your friend says something and it sparks a whole discussion, and I think that's the same way it works on platforms like this. And again with the utmost respect and kindness and gratitude, I think there's a difference between what gets discussed on a platform like, say, tumblr, where the blogging DNA lends itself to longer, more thoughtful and often collaborative discussion, and what may happen on other platforms that are more "soundbite"-y. (I don't know, tumblr is the only social media I use, but I know twitter is a cesspool in general and primed for ragebait for engagement, unlike this hellsite held together by duct tape and spite and cupcakes.)

And I'm the first to admit, I don't delve like this at all into any other musician or author or artist for the most part. The closest analog I can think of are the TV shows I used to love before they were dead to me. But I also think part of that is again, Taylor is uniquely prolific in this day and age so there is so much art to digest, and she's been uniquely honest in sharing her experiences in the past that many of her contemporaries hadn't in the same way, so yes, it drove the whole parasocialism thing to an extent. I personally don't see this as an inability to let go; the conversations I've seen here are mostly thoughtful, nuanced and often borne out of people's own personal experiences as well, and I think there's a difference between jumping into a quasi-literary analysis of her work and like, harassing the "players" involved. (The latter would absolutely be an inability to let go, but luckily I don't see any of that in my little corner here, and I would hope that's an outlier experience.) There's nothing to let go for any of us because it wasn't our "thing" in the first place, and only belonged to the people involved. I think what most of us relate to are the feelings and what that makes us think about our own experience with them. Taylor has written something like over 300 songs, so it feels pretty normal to listen to something you maybe haven't heard in awhile (again, because there are so many) and be like, huh, this kind of jumps back into this other theme we've been talking about lately.

And another thing I'm going to say again with the utmost respect and kindness, and this is not directed at you but at the internet at large (lol) is that: at the end of the day, these are all our own blogs, our own spaces to share what we personally find interesting to talk about. My blog is not a discussion board for all to contribute in equal weight; it's a place for me to engage with content I enjoy with people I enjoy, both personally and from afar, and I sincerely hope everyone else is able to do the same on their own blogs. No blogger here should feel like they have to cater to anyone else but their own interests and enjoyment, the only thing that matters is to do so respectfully towards others and the art with which we interact. (Maybe that's why I'm not an ask blog and occupy a tiny unknown space here lol. Which to be clear is just fine with me.) Sometimes there are great conversations going on the dash and I like to jump in with my own thoughts, other times I'm not interested or don't have the brain space for it and skip. It's whatever you're in the mood for on a given day.

Which again is where curating your experience comes in, whether that's following/unfollowing, filtering, etc. I know I'm guilty of poorly tagging my shit because tumblr is terrible at it in general, but keywords are easy for me to filter at least, and then I can choose if I want to engage or not. (At least, that's how I have my dash curated. There are some topics I just don't care for, so I've filtered the words, and if once in awhile I see a filtered post and I think, hmm, maybe I'm OK with that today, I'll click on it to see what's going on.) Or, I can simply scroll past, too. I'm not at all saying this to be condescending, I'm just saying what works for me personally so I can protect my own peace and navigate what I do and don't want to talk about at a given time, if that's at all helpful to anyone else. At the end of the day, you as a reader don't owe anyone your eyeballs or real estate in your head, so you don't owe it to anyone to keep up with their blogs if they aren't enjoyable to you at that time. If there were a consistent or better way to tag these topics then maybe I could help others in that way, but I don't know that there is. (I can't even keep tags consistent on my own blog in spite of how I tried at first.)

I get that these are heavy topics and heavy times and are not things everyone wants to see. Hell, there are times *I* don't want to see them either. Which again, is where options come in-- not going on tumblr (or whatever platform) to begin with if I am not up for it, using the tools available (e.g. filtering), unfollowing (tbh have never had to do that in the year and a half I've been in the Swiftie tumblr fandom, where everyone here has been lovely, but I have in the past in other fandoms), or disengaging and cooling off. I'm not saying everyone needs to do this, but again just saying what works for me, and why my dash is mostly a pleasant experience that I can tailor to how I'm feeling during different periods of my life.

I hope I haven't caused you grief anon! And if I have, that you're able to find a corner of the fandom that gives you respite from the heaviness and is more in line with the things you find pleasure in if it's not this. Tbh now that Eras is over (and thus surprise songs are no longer driving some of these conversations) and it seems like Taylor is going into a quieter season to rest and recuperate and create, I imagine most of these discussions are going to taper off in the new year anyway, so it will naturally dissipate and move on as we all find new things to fill our time.

(This is why I hesitated to add my thoughts in the first place, and why I won't be adding more to the discussion.)

[astro-b-o-y-d]

It's funny to think about Mabel's reaction to finding out just how weird Dipper's home life is in the Grunkle Trap AU. But it's also not like she's got any room to talk when they're doing trivia on everyone in each other's lives and she starts talking about 'Grunkle Stan's old prison buddies! They're one of the reasons we have to move so often!'

Leaving Dipper to stare at her like '...Wait, will I be in danger if we go through with the swap?'