Thorough and Unkempt

It's been over 5 years now that I slipped on a banana peel and fell head-first into the wonderful hobby of analog, improvised storytelling. It has been truly one of the most liberating experiences of my life to learn that I can just… make stuff. And if somebody finds it good, great. If they don't, that's fine too.I've built a fantasy world called Zemera, and a lot of it is empty. Maybe I'm the one who's stupid, but when people say they're “worldbuilding”, I didn't realize that they don't necessary mean a planet.But when you get into D&D, you probably will find your way towards some sort of mapmaking software. So I did, and I used whatever influences I could find in my life plus a few handy name generators, and I slapped down some landmasses and locations and named them all.But when it comes time to use your map, you realize that stories are local by nature, not global. Maps like the one above are no help, because stories are about characters.So you pick one of the dots you put in place of a town and you drill down and make that, and give it yet another bunch of names that don't mean anything until they're used. And you then write a bunch more names for people who live in that place and are doing things.It's just names all the way down.But then the marvelous bit of business happens — you start making those names mean something, one story at a time. You pick a place, and you pick a person, and in your chosen medium of art, you talk about the time they did something, and suddenly that name comes to life. It multiplies in ways you could not think, as the events that do happen imply or even inspire the events that are left unsaid. You create vibrance and harmony, and this name carries all of it forward to all those who partake in that story.In my realization of the need to be local, I picked an island in the archipelago, called Teressa, and I focused on it for a few years. In that time, I've told a lot of stories on this island:* A 55-session D&D campaign (2 arcs) over 2.5 years in the Eastern third + the 3 small islands to its south.* A short story from that campaign, set in Farbarin.* A 4-session D&D adventure in The Floating Plains* A 4-session adventure in the Nam Valley (south of the Ashtea Peaks)* A short story in that valley, about the location titled Gudrun's Door* Several 1-session games in multiple locations* A short story in the Emeraldhide forest and Divyista* A short story in Sin-Duzh (pending publication)* Multiple short stories in Ishash (in drafting)And I plan to keep doing this, and also spread out to the other islands. My first novel (in drafting), Karsica and the Sky Islands, starts on the island called Aves, far to the west of Teressa, and hundreds of years before what is depicted in the following map.So, if you think about it, worldbuilding is easy. You just slap a bunch of names down, either on a map or in a list, and when you get that itch to tell a story, you come back and pick one, and you build it out. All the other stuff we worry about — magic systems, politik, philosophy, meaningful characters, memorable relationships, and more — happen as you keep coming back.Thanks for reading! You can get these posts in your inbox if you like.Personal updateI'm not well, but at this point that's just the normal course of life and I'll be okay.I'm enjoying working video-first and then writing a post around it, and I want to see how long I enjoy doing that. In the meantime, my writing-first efforts are focused exclusively on fiction, so I don't think I'll be writing essays. My next two short stories are:* Conscious Choices — I won't give up on this story. It WILL be on this blog site. Please look forward to it.* The Mischievers in the Shadows Part 2 — I want this to be on this blog site, but it's also intended for something much bigger. There are 5 parts planned plus some fun stuff which I want to publish as an e-book. We're far from that dream, but we'll get there, one word at a time.I want to take my time with these stories. Memories of Magnolias resonated with you in a way that Thank You for Coming did not, and I can only assume that the reason is that a lot more time, love, and effort went into the former, so I shall do the same with the upcoming stories.Thanks for reading and/or watching my stuff. I've been feeling a little alone lately, so if you see this, leave a comment or at least a like so that I know I'm not throwing stuff into a void. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Hello, reader! Wait, this is a Substack video, but also a podcast?! But also a blog post?! Substack, what are you trying to be?!The Parasitic Protean Hotel is the title of a Dungeons and Dragons game that I'm running at Now Boarding Cafe, Bangalore.I was inspired to make a video about it after looking at the beautiful session notes made by one of the players in the test run of the game. I enjoyed making the video so much that I want to do more. Hence, I'm going to try and run games in this setting and flesh it out, and make videos about it.What is Dungeons and Dragons?It's a collaborative storytelling game played with pencil, paper, and dice. A group of people sit at a table together and share a bedtime story, but crucially, they play the magical heroes in the story. We roll dice whenever a decision needs to be made.Of course, it's a lot more complex than that, but there's no point explaining it in a blog post because it's not relevant to you. If you'd like to play Dungeons and Dragons, either in this story or in a custom story for you and your friends, drop me a DM on Instagram @thoroughandunkempt.The Parasitic Protean Hotel, Episode 1 SummaryWithin the story itself, we discovered the following:* Our story takes place within a premiere hotel called The Protean.* The hotel casino, The Sea Nimbus Lounge, is run by a vampire, Lazlo Marisian.* Ringil Slateslide is a crew member of Lazlo and runs the Baccalette table at the casino.* Désirée Baptiste is a rich, eloquent, and well-built lady who knows some of the players.Player characters:* Tommy AKA T is a fresh-out-of-luck Djinnling who is deeply indebted to The Sea Nimbus lounge. T has caused a stir by vanishing in the middle of the casino, and has gained a strange new ring and home, possibly from a djinn ancestor?* Mia is an author, former thief, and vampire. Her sister Aimé, who worked for Lazlo, recently died under mysterious circumstances.* Vanessa Esmeralda is a rich heiress sent to the hotel party to meet suitors, even though she's not particularly interested. Lazlo is one of her suitors.* Mia and Vanessa noticed bite marks on Lazlo's neck, which makes no sense if he's the leader of his vampiric coven.* Niko Sinclair is a former protege of Lazlo and currently runs his own establishment, The Sinclair. He wants to do something about the vampiric coven.* Niko, Gustavo (the owner of the Protean) and Asta (a young Draconid skilled at counting cards) are still finding a line of action.* Gustavo has had a poor confrontation with T in the presence of Vanessa. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Hi! Thank you for listening. This is episode 130 of Everyday People.Watch on YouTube instead: YouTube.comFollow Rey: https://www.instagram.com/getpokd/Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/vaibhavguptawho/ Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Danos was out for a walk, his mind on a hundred things, most of which were Mareya. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why his wife hated him so much. He wasn't built for the mines. Literally! His thin, lanky frame ached from hammering the rocks all day, and his weak constitution left him coughing and choking on the stone dust in the air. Part of him hated this weak body of his, but at the moment he was too righteous and angry to blame himself. Why did Mareya lust after money so much? They could be so much happier if he could take to the stage-"What was that?" he thought, feeling a sudden, creeping tingle on the back of his neck. He turned around and there wasn't anything. The sensation passed, and his thoughts returned to his wife. Honestly, she had changed so much after they were wed. She used to be such a sweetheart, and now she was almost demonic-There it was again! Something was in the alleys. Danos noticed that the streets were unusually empty today. Usually, there'd at least be a couple of urchins running about looking for trouble. Today, nothing. As he looked around, he couldn't figure out where in the city he was. He must have walked farther than he thought.It was then that he saw an open door. For some reason, he felt compelled to walk towards it. Looking around, he saw no one nearby. "Hello?" he called out, but heard nothing back. The door was beckoning him, and as he stepped through, his foot slipped on a wet surface and he felt himself fall. He let out a scream as he fell down a tunnel of sorts. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like eternities as he continued falling, until he passed out.When he awoke, he was still falling, but gently, and after the terror dissipated, he realized he was floating harmlessly in the air. As soon as he realized it though, he felt the floating feeling vanish and he landed with a small thud. Massaging his butt, he stood up. It was pitch dark around him. He felt the urge to call out, but stopped himself at the last second. Something was clearly wrong. Where was he? Why couldn't he see? More importantly, why wasn't he afraid?He brushed around for some sort of light switch or torch and found nothing. As his eyes began to adjust, he felt the edge of the floor near him. As he turned towards that direction, a bright spotlight lit up in his face, blinding him. He shielded his eyes as the burning sear settled. It was only then that he could see that he was standing on a stage of some sort.A thrill ran through his spine. He couldn't tell why he was excited. By all accounts, he should be terrified, but something inside was spurring him on. That's when the voice rang out."Some fresh blood has joined us on stage. Welcome to the night theater! What is your name, young man?""Danos, sir. Who am I speaking to?" he replied."Welcome Danos," the voice said. "You are at the night theater, the premier artistic institution in all of the shadow realm! Be honest with me, have you always had a desire to be a stage performer?""Yes sir," Danos found himself saying without meaning to. "I've always wanted to take the stage, although I don't have much experience to speak of. But I promise I can be a dab hand, sir! Please give me a chance!""My, my. What enthusiasm!" said the voice. "Just what we love!"Danos didn't understand what he was doing. Inside his head, a part of him was screaming at himself to move, to run, something. But this part of him was becoming smaller and smaller as the voice continued, "We have just the part for you. There's a performance later today, and all we need you to do is stand still. You're a... scarecrow, of sorts. A specimen for the performance. But it is the leading role, the one the audience loves the most. Would you like to take it?"His ears perked up at that word - audience. He felt his heart jump as his mind kept yelling at him to run away. "Why, I would jump at that opportunity, sir!""Good, then we're in agreement." A scroll floated down onto the stage, floating in front of Danos' face, alongside a small pin. "If you could just touch that pin, we'll get you prepared."With the voice of reason in his head diminished to a bare whisper, Danos touched the pin, and it nicked the edge of his thumb, drawing a drop of blood that fell onto the parchment of the scroll. "It is done," said the voice, as the scroll folded up and retreated upwards. The pin settled into the breast pocket of Danos' shirt.The gallery lit up, and for the first time, Danos could see beyond the stage. He saw hundreds of blackwood chairs laid out in a semi-circular pattern ascending up the amphitheater, and at the top were plush diwans of carmine fabric, far larger than any one man could sit on. He guessed each seated six people at least.It is then that his senses returned to him, and he fully comprehended what had happened. "The shadow realm?" he thought to himself. "What have I gotten myself into?"With a hurry in his step, he walked to the edge of the stage and got down. Exiting the amphitheater, Danos rushed through the lobby and out the front door. What greeted him sent shivers down his spine as he became despondent. A desolate landscape, with leafless trees and upturned rock as far as the eye could see. Bony, winged creatures flew low in the sky, carrying crude spears and wearing belts of skulls. Near the edge of the horizon, massive pupae slithered slowly towards unknown directions and the winged creatures circled their heads like so many gnats, poking at them.Not knowing what to do, Danos walked back into the theater and sat in a corner, holding his knees and crying softly to himself. "Mareya... where are you? Where am I?"The spotlight shines down on him as his arms were wide open, a huge smile plastered across his face. The crowd erupts - the noise is shocking. The faceless crowd is loud in its cheering. He's rooted in place, waiting. He can't close his eyes. He can't move. “Lo...ve... lo...ve...” A tear escapes his eye and lands on one of the hundreds of pins in his face and thousands in his body. He thinks to himself, "The...y love... me!"A devilish being walks up to him, wearing a torn, maroon silk suit and a top hat too big for its skull, in a mockery of showmanship. Flourishing five more needles to the roar of the crowd, it sticks them into Danos' neck in a spot where twenty pins already fought for purchase. He feels the pins go in, his skin now numb to the point where pain is an afterthought. "Mareya, if only you could see me now!"There was something about the stage, Danos concluded, that was morphing his mind. He didn't feel any fear, and the pain itself was minimal, a small price to pay for the adulation of this demonic crowd. The diwans at the back weren't for six people, as he'd previously thought, but instead for some of the larger demons, who each towered over twenty feet tall. They were nobility, he guessed.His attention was brought back to the stage as eight more pins went into his face. The crowd roared again.Eventually, the performance ended. The theater emptied, its hellish audience getting their kicks from the torturous display. Danos felt the stiffness in his body release as he was able to move, and with the thousands of needles still in his body, he slowly fell backwards to lie down on the stage.The ethereal voice came back, "Wonderful performance, young man! How do you feel?"Taking a moment of silence, Danos smiled. "When is the next show?"Thank you for reading this story! To receive future stories, subscribe with your email below.If you enjoyed this story, I'd really appreciate a comment below. Feedback is the lifeblood of a writer - do let me know what you thought! Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Hi! Thank you for listening. This is episode 129 of Everyday People.Follow Neha: https://www.instagram.com/_yoursoulfully/Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/vaibhavguptawho/ Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Hi! Thank you for listening. This is episode 128 of Everyday People.Follow Neha: https://www.instagram.com/that.zany.martian/Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/vaibhavguptawho/ Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Hi! Thank you for listening. This is episode 127 of Everyday People.Dr Abhinav's Website: https://www.sleepvigilante.com/Dr Abhinav's Talk: YouTube VideoDr Abhinav's Book: https://www.amazon.in/SLEEP-HEAL-Refresh-Restore-Revitalize/dp/1630062340Follow Dr Abhinav: https://www.instagram.com/sleep_vigilante/Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/vaibhavguptawho/My latest short story: https://vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/p/hsalihbas-fascinating-library-trip Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Hi! Thank you for listening. This is episode 126 of Everyday People.Aditya's Blog: https://thesportstales.wordpress.comAditya's Music Recommendation: open.spotify.comAditya's Reading Recommendation: https://medium.com/@bhand-abFollow Aditya: https://www.instagram.com/adi_agrFollow me: https://www.instagram.com/vaibhavguptawhoMy latest short story: https://vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/p/hsalihbas-fascinating-library-trip Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Hi! Thank you for listening. This is episode 125 of Everyday People.Latest story:Follow Nav: https://www.instagram.com/iamnavjain/Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/vaibhavguptawho/ Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you for listening to Hsalihba's Fascinating Library Trip! To read this short story, please come over to my Substack. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Hi! Thank you for listening. This is episode 124 of Everyday People.Latest blog post: https://vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/p/ive-been-re-exploring-my-relationshipFollow Palash: https://www.instagram.com/palashmax/Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/vaibhavguptawho/ Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

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ForewordIf you're reading this, I may already be long gone... Don't worry, I'm not dead! I'm traveling again, looking for one of the Mischievers.Oh you haven't heard of the Mischievers? Understandable. They're in the shadows after all. And it's a name I came up with! And haven't put out into one of mine publications yet! Completely understandable."Mischiever" is the name I coined for mysterious beings I've encountered, or rather, barely found knowledge of, on my journeys. In a world of gods and celestial monarchs that walk freely in the light of day, there are all sorts of misbehaving entities hiding in the abscesses of darkness.I deal in knowledge, and the secret kind draws my attention the most. Secret knowledge of beings of unknown origin and power is transmitted every day, right under the noses of pompous god-kings too arrogant to turn down their haughty gaze and see; see the Mischievers dancing in the shadows!So far I've found clues of five entities. My encounters have been distant at best, as they're frustratingly elusive, and powerful enough that I'd keep my distance regardless. In this tome herein, I start with the Glutton Queen.On the island of Teressa, there was a small, ominous forest known as the Emeraldhide. On its edge, built atop lowland swamps, was a town called Divyista. It was a plucky little place, known far and wide as "The Artisan Fen".That title came from Dowb the Drinker, who one day wandered out of the Emeraldhide and collapsed in the middle of Mud Square.The nearby shopkeepers were prompt. A splash of water and a stiff slap later, Dowb was awake."W-what happened?" he asked."We should be the ones asking you, old-timer. You came out of the Emeraldhide. What madness came upon you to go in there?" asked a young Kemenari. The sun was behind them and Dowb couldn't see. The silhouetted figure offered a hand, and Dowb sat up. It was then he could make out some more of the figure.They wore a simple white tunic with navy workman's trousers and brown boots. Their hands were covered in thick black gloves, and they had padded goggles perched on top of their head, just below two curved horns. Bright garnet skin shone in the sun as a bead of sweat dripped down the side of their head. Their eyes were lightless expanses of maroon, but were somehow expressive nonetheless. They offered Dowb the bottle of water they splashed him with."Drat!" Dowb said, taking the bottle. "The witch eludes me again. This blasted forest!" He held the bottle by its neck and gently swilled it until the water inside went from clear to a honey amber colour. He quickly necked the whole thing. "Thank you for that, sonny. Who am I speaking to?""My name is [REDACTED]," the young hero replied. "Do you have family nearby who could help you? And you mentioned a witch?""Oh gods no! What would those layabouts do?!" he said. "But yes, boy. I mentioned a witch. Do I have a story for you...""Are you quite sure, sir?" the hero said. "This is very troubling news!"The young Kemenari had brought Dowb to Shanti Sunray, the town elder. Dowb proceeded to tell them about a troubling matter in the Emeraldhide. Dozens and dozens of massive, emerald beetles the size of horses had dug their way out of the marshes and weren't too far from the town itself. They could possibly infest the outer edges of the town within a week."But why were you there in the first place?" asked Sunray. "Surely one would be mad to venture into the Emeraldhide by themselves!""No... no, you don't understand. You kids never understand! It was a matter of great personal interest to me to brave the forest. I was on the hunt for the Glutton Queen! The Silken Mistress!"—he threw his arms up with great circumstance—"Madame Melir herself!"Silence."...who?" said Sunray."I have never heard of such a creature. You told me she's a witch of great power," the hero added. "One that could help with the problem you have presented before us.""Ay, that she is. One of the most powerful beings in all the lands, she hides in the shadows and only appears to a few! Her pink tent is visible only to those she deems worthwhile. It's said that she helps adventurers find their way through many difficult lands, though always at a cost.""Then perhaps she could help us with our other problem. The town's foundation has started to crumble as the marshlands of the Emeraldhide continue to expand. In a handful of years, the buildings of Divyista will begin to crumble. Perhaps your witch could help with that?" said Sunray.Dowb nodded. "If you would grant me this young hero as an escort, I may find the madame within a few days.""What do you think?" said Sunray, turning to the hero. "We've already begun talks with the village of Prerie Nam to migrate there, so we are not at the mercy of the fates. If such a witch does exist though, she could solve our problem altogether. Are you willing to brave the Emeraldhide?""I will admit, elder, I find myself wavering slightly. But with the blessing of the Mercurial Mistress, I should be okay if the town needs me."That night, the hero had trouble sleeping. They tossed and turned over in bed, unable to get comfortable, beads of sweat escaping their brow. Their forehead was scrunched, and their eyes oscillated rapidly behind their eyelids. They would sit up in the night with a startle, not fully conscious, before promptly falling back asleep, multiple times in the night.By the time they woke up, the bed was completely drenched. An unusual fatigue remained in their bones, and even the morning coffee didn't help that much.But when they began to pack their bag to travel, they found a pamphlet in it.Emboldened, they prepared for an arduous journey ahead.The path to the forest was a few hours away. Equipped with supplies for a few days, the hero and Dowb set upon the path to the Emeraldhide forest. The sun gently beat down from overhead, warm on the back of the neck. A light breeze encouraged the travelers, pushing their hair out of their eyes."Master Dowb, you seem like you've seen many journeys," said the hero, hiking up the trail. "Would you be so kind as to share a story? I wish to know why you persist in your love for adventure even at your age.""Very straightforward of you," Dowb noted, shuffling alongside them. He took a moment to think, before beginning. "...Many years ago, when I was a wee boy barely able to scrub his knees, I ran away. The world is a big place, full of different things and different people. Strange animals, stranger folk, and new stories everywhere! You know what's on the other side of the Emeraldhide, correct?""A large desert, isn't it sir?""Not just a desert, but also the Floating Plains - a vast stretch of flat farmland with a handful of settlements, and more importantly, islands floating in the sky above them!""Floating islands in the sky? What fantastical things you speak about, sir!""We're going to magic woods to see a witch and you don't believe floating islands can exist?"The hero laughed. "No sir, I did not mean to cast aspersions on you. Merely that I had not heard of these. Please do tell me more.""The sky islands of the floating plains are the remains of air titans from times gone by. Some look like clouds but feel solid like rock to stand on. Some look like wizard towers that fell over and shattered into large pieces. They're a world unto themselves."Occasionally, pieces fall to the ground below. You should see how the explorers and archeologists swarm in to take them apart. There are entire expeditions across the plains studying the pieces of these sky islands, though none have found a way to go up there themselves.Dowb gave the hero a meaningful look. "Wouldn't it be wonderful to see what is up there?""I do admit sir, it sounds wonderful. Imagine looking down upon the world from such a height. Why, what sights we would see!""I've been up there..."The hero turned to see their travel companion. Dowb was unusually clear-eyed, surveying them. The hero met and held his gaze. They couldn't tell if this old man was lying, but his eyes burned with an intensity they hadn't seen yet."Why do you wish to see this witch, Master Dowb?""I need to make my way back up there," said Dowb. He looked away and stuck his pinky in his ear, cleaning it. "I left something there that means a lot to me."The hero looked ahead to the path. "I see. Well, we shall yet find her, sir.""And what about you? Where is your calling?""I am a simple blacksmith, sir. My calling is to beat metal and create the finest tools and weapons I can. My greatest joy is my hammer"—they flourished their small hammer before stowing it back in a side pocket—" and what it can create. We have some of the best craftsmen in Divyista. I'd put our skill up against anyone." The hero beamed with pride."Can't relate," Dowb said simply.As they crested a low hill, they saw it a few hundred feet away - a pink and white striped tent, standing by the road that led into the forest. A figure stood near its entrance, with a hooked beak and a rainbow plume on the back of its neck.The figure clocked the two and turned around to go into the tent."It seems we're in luck, sir. Shall we proceed?"When they took a step forward however, the tent raised into the air, as if an invisible hand was pulling it up by its flysheet. It spiraled and contorted, and became smaller and smaller, until it flew away into the direction of the forest. The figure seemed to have disappeared. Nobody was underneath, and nothing was left in its space."Well, I guess it was never going to be that easy," Dowb remarked.The thicket grew denser as they made their way up the central road through the forest. Every manner and shade of pine, olive, and mint was visible as the evergreen jungle shone under the sun overhead. The leaves cast disparate shadows, and the air was cool from passing over several lakes.Eventually, the light dimmed as more shadow than sun fell from the trees. The air had an obstinate chill, worming its way through the hero's overcoat and crawling down their back, making them shiver. The shrubs around them all shivered alongside, sending a low thrum through the ether.“Hide!” Dowb hissed suddenly, and pulled them into one of the shrubs. The hero barely avoided biting their tongue, before Dowb clamped a hard palm over their mouth. “Shh!”The hero began to struggle, but stopped immediately when they saw a creature come out from one of the bushes a couple of hundred feet away. It was a large beast, at least ten feet from nose to tail. It had a cat's snout and short round ears, and a swirling pattern on its fur. A singular, muscular front leg balanced its torso as it hopped using its back leg, looking like a bucking horse in the way it moved.At the moment, the creature was moving in little hops, eerily quiet, while it stalked and sniffed the nearby bushes.“That's a Sausgrim. Avoid staring at its swirling fur and avoid getting stomped in the chest,” whispered Dowb. The hero nodded behind Dowb's hand.The large feline stretched its spine as it took a big yawn. It continued to lazily sniff around a few bushes. For one tense moment, it came close to the bush in which Dowb and the hero hid. They could hear saliva dripping from the creature's mouth, as it edged closer.Then it turned away. They breathed a sigh of relief.The Sausgrim spent a few more minutes hopping around, before it sat down on its back leg. Both people's eyes grew wide as the creature defecated and left a big pat in the middle of the jungle, covered it in sand, and hopped away.They waited a few moments, before Dowb hissed, "What fortuitous luck! Can you start a fire?""I can do you one better, sir," said the hero, conjuring a flame in their hand. "I have some rudimentary fire magic." They flicked the flame and it gently floated towards the pat before settling on top of it. The sand grew hotter as the flame rested on it, and the pat inside began to dry out. A truly vile stench would've emanated from the feces, but was absorbed by the sand and dirt."I see you're familiar with this creature.""Very much, sir. Back in town, there is an alchemist by the name of Riama Railong who taught us about the creatures of the forest. This pat is an incredibly useful alchemical ingredient, not to mention the source of truly heavenly coffee." Within a minute, the pat was completely dried out, and the hero stepped out to collect it."Half of it is mine, you know," Dowb said, flicking a finger. The dried pat broke itself in half and wrapped itself in leaves, before floating over and disappearing within one of Dowb's side pouches."I see you have magic of your own. I should have expected. You're not an ordinary person, sir Dowb. You have foreknowledge about witches and the forest, and you're familiar with all these creatures, yet you're not from here. Where are you from?""I told you already. I have a place I must return to.""And what use would you have for alchemical ingredients?""I don't have use for gold right now, but if I come across some gold, I'm going to pick it up, son. Value is value, whether it is gold or feces. Are you really going to question me over some s**t?""Forgive me, sir, but I find myself questioning a number of things. I wonder what your motive was to bring me in here.""Now calm down, child. I did not lie to you, or to your town elder. My magic is paltry; it serves to give me little conveniences in my old age. I certainly am not capable of defending myself against the creatures and dangers of this forest, which is why I have you. Why don't we carry on? I'm sure you'll understand more when we meet the madame."The Kemenari hesitated. They were not a fool, something was definitely amiss here. However, as they pondered this, they saw a thorny vine creeping up near the foot of the old man."Watch out!" they said, pulling Dowb away from the vine, and in one swift motion, rolled away, pulled out their sword, stepped forward, and chopped off a good foot of the vine. It immediately recoiled, as if in pain, and withdrew into the bush nearby."Let's continue this discussion elsewhere," said Dowb, as they both watched the bushes rear up. Several animated vines menaced them from all sides. The hero had never seen so many thorns in their life - dozens upon dozens of vines seem to have appeared out of nowhere, blocking their path.The two travelers began to run, with the hero cutting up any vines that approached their right side, and setting fire to the ones on the left. The vines reached for limbs, grabbing an arm here or a leg there, leaving gashes where the thorns raked against their skin.After a harrowing few minutes, they arrived at a clearing devoid of creatures. They took a minute to catch their breath."I'm... not... done... talking to you," the hero said, panting. "I need... you to... come clean... or I'll —" Their eyes rolled back in their heads, and the ground rushed up to meet them, as the hero collapsed.When they awoke, the forest was noticeably darker. Night had fallen."Good, you're awake. Come on, we need to climb into the trees or we won't survive the night.""What happened?""The thorns were poisonous, but thankfully not a very strong poison. I applied some anti-venom salves to your wounds. You'll be woozy for a while, but you should be fine in the morning," said Dowb.The hero looked around. They seemed to be in a relatively sparse space. They tasted a metallic tinge in the air. "Where are we?""We're in the Emeraldhide.""No, I know that. Where in the forest?""I don't know!" snapped Dowb. "What, do you think I have mapped every nook and cranny of this place? It's a forest. This clearing seems to be safe, but I would still want you to get up into the trees. Sleeping on the ground is tantamount to suicide. Come on, get up!"The hero stood up. Precisely at that moment, the trees decided to start spinning in their vision, which the hero thought was quite inconsiderate. They fell again, as nausea took over. They threw up on the floor."Good, some of the neutralized venom should have exited your body now. Here, chew on this," said Dowb. He tossed them a bit of jerky, which the hero accepted with gratitude. As they began chewing on the preserved meat, the savory taste began to clear their head."Thank you, Master Dowb. I feel okay now.""Good, up then. Let's move." The two climbed a tree, the hero boosting Dowb from below before clambering up themselves. They took refuge in the branches, and didn't talk much more, before falling asleep.After the hero was out, Dowb opened his eyes. An impassive expression crossed his face, as he pulled out a map and consulted it. "Not much further now," he whispered to himself. He pulled out a small flask from inside his coat, and took a deep swig. "Stupid forest," he grumbled, before putting both things away and turning over to go back to sleep.The next morning, they both prepared themselves in silence. The day's travel was mostly inconsequential, save for a few close calls of hiding from various beasts. In a close call, they nearly ran into a creature whose head was not visible, given its neck was at least 12 feet in length and went past the thicket of trees. Once they realized it, they quietly crawled on the ground and got past it.As the evening began to approach once again, they saw it. The tent was visible a few hundred feet away. "Hopefully she doesn't fly away this time," said Dowb.But before they could find out, a shrill screech rang in their heads. Words penetrated their skulls against their will — "Gnash, kill, eat, chomp, kill, break, eat!" They both clutched their heads as their temples throbbed in pain."What... is that?!" said the hero, barely able to open one eye through the agony. They saw the source — a giant green-carapaced beetle 6 feet in length, its pincers an additional 3 feet and wickedly sharp. It scuttled out from beneath the ground and stood in their way, emanating a sick smell that made the hero want to run away.They pulled out their sword and stood their ground. The beetle didn't wait; it rushed at the hero, grabbing at them with its crushing grip. The hero leaped back and shot a small ball of flame at it, which exploded upon collision, but when the smoke cleared, the beetle chittered unharmed. It let out another psychic scream and the hero fell to a knee, the pain too immense.The insect lunged again, but the hero managed to raise their sword just in time. They wedged the sword in the beetle's pincers, and watched in horror as the creature's grip almost bent the sword. Before it could destroy the weapon, the hero twisted the blade, nicking off one of the pincer's teeth on the inside. The creature cried out in pain and anger.Dowb threw a small bottle on the creature's hind half, and as it broke, a purple mist held its hind legs. The creature reared up vertically, as if the mist weighed down its back half. The hero lunged forward, hoping to stab a soft underbelly, but was dismayed to find the same hard carapace. The point of their sword broke off entirely.As the hero despaired over how they were supposed to fight off dozens of these things, a flash of shadow approached from the tent in the distance. The figure they'd seen before rushed forward at an impossible speed. It pulled out two of the feathers from its rainbow plume, and two curved blades appeared in their hands - one a fiery red, the other a cerulean blue.Jumping as they approached, the figure spun rapidly in the air, their body a whirling dervish of red, blue, and purple. The beetle was still vertical and a bit helpless, and before it could let out a psychic screech, the figure cut off its pincers, and pierced down through its head. The monster twitched once, twice, and then stopped moving entirely. The air immediately felt lighter, as the beetle's psychic presence dissipated and the life left its body.Silence hung heavy in the air for a moment, before a booming voice, a voice like grating stone, came from the tent. "Verrrnusss, briiiiing that insect to meee!""There she is," said Dowb. "Let's go." As the being, apparently called Vernus, effortlessly picked up the massive beetle and carried it towards the tent, the two travelers followed.The hero had never seen such wondrous things as they saw in that tent. Not only was the space inside bigger than the outside of the tent, but the air was so thick with magic, light, and perfume, that they had to cover their face to even stand in there. Once they acclimated, they looked over to the right side.Sitting on that side of the tent, fitted tightly in a square abscess, was the largest woman they'd ever seen. Her body seems to roll over itself as she adjusted her position, fat bulging from all sides. Even seated, she was nearly eight feet tall and almost as wide. The hero couldn't see the tent wall behind her. Her neck has five rolls bulging out of her purple robes and the bright red lipstick and pink blush didn't hide her severe wrinkes. A mop of long stringy white hair rippled out from under a matching purple pointed hat. Her large nose ended in a dull hook, with a boil sitting near the left side. There were pockmarks of scarring on her face, like she popped every pimple she ever had.The tent itself had bejeweled torches all around the wall, and they glowed bright as day, giving the entire space a bright sheen that bounced off every cabinet, chest, and rack, of which there were many.A cauldron sat opposite her, and all around the tent wall were dozens, no, hundreds of paintings. The tent top was at least twenty feet up, and the paintings went all the way to the top. They depicted the witch with various people, evidently all people she had made deals with.She spoke with a thin, high voice that occasionally rumbled like moving stone. "Verrrnusss, who have you brought to meee?"Dowb stepped forward, "O great Silken Mistress, my name is Dowb the Drinker. I thank you humbly for this audience you've granted us. We beseech you, please hear our plight. A town's worth of lives are at stake!""Ohhh? And what of it? Lives are at stake every day — people suffer everywhere. Such is the rule of nature on this world.""Please Madame," the hero stepped forward. "These are my people we speak of. The town of Divyista is not a perfect place, but it is one that thousands of people call home. We are at our wits' end. If we couldn't defeat even one of these beetles, what hope do we have against dozens?""Silence!" she boomed. "Where are your manners? Introduce yourself first!"The hero recoiled. "My apologies, madame. My name is [REDACTED].""Ohhh?" her voice grated. "Interessssting... a name that resonates within my cauldron." She drew their attention over to the cauldron on the other side, which had begun to bubble with a bright green color. The hero could've sworn it was empty before."What does that mean?" they asked."It means we were destined to meet, young heroooo," she said, looming large over them. When they turned around, they thought she looked bigger. "It means that you and I should make a deal, wahahaha!" Her laughter shook the entire tent. Dowb grabbed on to the hero's pant leg and gently urged them forward."A deal?""Yesss!" she continued. "You said you wanted to save your town. How precious are your people to you? What will you give to save them?""I don't know what someone as eminent as you could need, madame, but if it pleases you, I am at your service. I need neither fame nor wealth. All I wish to do is to save our town, which is sinking into the marshes, and being threatened by these giant beetles," said the hero. They pointed to the carcass of the insect, conspicuous by its shiny carapace in a very brightly-lit interior. It was almost blinding to look at.The hero didn't notice, but Dowb watched Vernus walk behind her body and disappear."A town built upon the remains of a village, built with heavy woods and metals, on top of a bog. To save it is no small feat. The price you pay will be quite great." she said."Whatever pleases you, Madame," said the hero."You said you need neither fame nor wealth. I can give you what you need to fight the insects, and I will solidify the bog under the town so that it never sinks. Will you give me what I need in return?""If my sacrifice saves the thousands that live there, yes.""Then I want... your naaame," she thundered. The scent of perfume became mustier as the cauldron began to bubble."My... name?""Yesss, you will become nameless, and I shall keep it away in my wares. Don't worry, I'll keep it safe like the precious thing it is. Nobody shall remember you, but you will save this town of yours. Does that sound fair to you?"The hero steeled themselves. After a moment of thought, they replied, "Yes, that sounds fair.""Then a deal has been maaaaade, wahahaha!" She boomed again and pointed a finger at the hero. A white beam shot from it to the chest of the hero, and their mouth fell open in surprise. Out of their mouth emerged a small undulating orb of some sort, which she sucked up into a small vial and put away. "What's your name, child?""I... don't know." The hero couldn't remember. All they knew is that something valuable had been taken from them. Unbeknownst to them, a new painting appeared on the wall behind the Madame."Good. You have given me something very precious," she said. "And I will keep my end of the bargain. Vernusss!"Vernus re-emerged from behind her. He approached the beetle and tore off a pincer, and one of its carapace plates, with seemingly little effort. He then took those two pieces and threw them into her cauldron. The cauldron erupted with a roiling force, and spit both out immediately. The carapace was now a body-length shield, and the pincer a barbed blade of shiny black metal."The shield will protect you from their pesky chittering, and the blade will give you the strength to pierce their hide. Whether or not you will be able to use them is up to youuu," the Madame explained. "But you might not have the time, wahahaha!"The hero turned to Dowb. "We should have a few days left, right? We can go fight the insects now.""I'm afraid you're on your own, young ooone. I have personal business with this one," the Madame said. "Now go, for you don't have much time." She raised a meaty palm and the hero felt their body begin to slacken."No, wait. Please! Please..." the hero started, but it was futile. They felt their consciousness slip away once again.When the hero awoke, they were on a hill overlooking the town. To their horror, they saw a number of beetles crawling near the forest entrance, a few hundred feet away. They could overrun the town within a day."How could this happen?" thought the hero. "We had a week left! Either the creatures advanced faster than anticipated, or the witch tricked me and I've been unconscious for days."Regardless, they didn't have the time to think — they had to move now!The nameless hero ran. They ran like they'd never run before, desperate to get to the forest entrance. Out of the corner of their eye, they saw a small group of townsfolk near the east gate, bearing pitchforks and axes. They'll get slaughtered. It's up to the hero.They bounded up to the forest entrance and took a mighty leap. Brandishing their wicked black pincer blade, they landed directly on top of one beetle and with one mighty shove, drove the blade into its body. It went through like soft clay. The hero was shocked by how easy it was.The creature let out a screech, and at first, the hero felt the familiar psychic scream pierce their mind, but then the carapace shield began to hum, and the scream dissipated.Feeling hope for the first time, the hero fought. The next few minutes felt like hours. The townsfolk managed to join the fray, but the hero yelled for them to stay back. One poor soul was crushed between the merciless pincers, but everyone else managed to evade the monsters. Like a whirlwind, the hero flowed through the field. They sliced one of the beetles clean through, and bisected it lengthwise. Another fell to an overhead chop, and another's ugly head was cut clean off with an attack from below.The insects were many however, and the hero wasn't unscathed. In trying to protect one of the men, the hero took a pincer through their left leg. The pain was immense, and with the beetle's thorn in their body, they felt the psychic pressure mount in their head. The shield kept most of it at bay, but it still broke through, amplified by the contact. Gritting their teeth, all the hero said to the man was, "Don't worry, I've got this. Stay back, all of you!"On and on the hero fought, not just against the beetles, but against the increasing fatigue and the occasional hit they took. Nicks and scrapes turned to gashes and wounds, and the hero was bleeding. But slowly, they cut down more and more insects. Ten, twenty, thirty, they sliced through the monsters and left their bodies laying on the field.Several of the insects swarmed towards the townsfolk, but they managed to keep them at bay, if only for a moment. Many of them fell over clutching their heads, and the hero cursed before changing tact and running towards the offending monsters. They couldn't raise their arm overhead anymore; one of the beetles had pierced their shoulder. Changing the grip on their blade, they attacked from below and began cutting down the insects.At some point, the hero had climbed onto the corpse of one of the monsters and captured the attentions of the others, creating a small mound of bodies in one place. By the end of the fight, the hero was well over twelve feet in the air, standing on a pile of corpses. The townsfolk counted sixty beetles the hero had slain.They had also suffered two broken fingers, a pierced calf, a pierced shoulder, thirty gashes, and lost an obscene amount of blood. When they finally cut down the last monster, they turned to the people, smiled, and said, "It is done." Their eyes rolled back in their head and they collapsed.The townsfolk brought the hero back to the village. They tried to save them with medical aid, but it was no use. They had passed."Does anybody know who they are?" asked one."No, but they seem familiar. I feel like I should know them." said another."They saved Divyista today. We were unable to do anything against those monsters.""They have made the most noble of sacrifices today," said Shanti Sunray. "What of the monstrous creatures? Dispatch Riama's alchemists to salvage whatever we can from their bodies.""We can't do that, elder. We could scarce believe our eyes. Not long after the hero passed, many of the creatures' bodies were absorbed into the marshes, faster than any quicksand we've ever seen. We only managed to save the hero's blade and shield before they too were gone.""What?" she said. "The corpses sank into the ground?""Yes, and the marsh hardened afterwards. None of the creatures remain.""I must see this. Call Riama. I must speak to her at once!"In the aftermath of this event, the town discovered that by some strange magicks, the marshes under the town had solidified from the creatures' bodies. The hero had solved not one, but both of the town's problems, though none could remember their name.Nonetheless, the hero would be remembered, if not by anything else than the statue they erected of their likeness in the middle of Mud Square. The beetle blade and shield they used were adorned onto the statue, and would become priceless relics of the town, forever reminding them of the hero's great sacrifice."I wiiiin, Dowb." said Madame Melir. "Hand it over."With a comically large sigh, Dowb handed her a pouch. "You were right after all.""Of couuurse I was! The spirit of heroism isn't dead in this world, and will never die. Remember that Dowb, that as long as something worth fighting for remains, there will always be those who fight for it.""A cruel fate you put on them, to not be remembered.""Bah!" she boomed. "There are other ways to remember. Names aren't the only words of power. But speaking of names, have you decided the name for the town?""Yes. It's a town of artists. They'll be known far and wide as The Artisan Fen. I plan on pushing them in that direction as we discussed.""Good, goooood. Then go now, Dowb. There is much work ahead, wahahaha!"Thank you for reading. See other fiction here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vaibhavguptawho.substack.com

I got a chance to go to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a WWE show in Hyderabad India. Here's why it meant so much to me. If you like this, come see vaibhavguptawho.com. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

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Welcome to Everyday People, where people balance work and life every day.Thank you for listening and sharing this podcast with your friends.

Welcome to Everyday People, where people balance work and life every day.Thank you for listening and sharing this podcast with your friends.

Welcome to Everyday People, where people balance work and life every day.Thank you for listening and sharing this podcast with your friends.

Welcome to Everyday People, a show featuring the admirable people all around us. Here are your timestamps:* 00:00 What's new with you, TxU?* 09:00 Everyday People w. Luvena Rangel* 01:12:16 Letters to MyselfEveryday People — Luvena RangelLuvena Rangel is a yoga teacher-trainer and runs The Curvy Yogi. She's also a single mother of three. We had a fantastic conversation about the appeal of teaching, being extroverts and communicators, and financial literacy.Highlights from this conversation will be posted on Instagram.com/thoroughandunkempt.Luvena's Recs:* curvyyogime.wordpress.com* luvenarangel.wordpress.com* luvenasreads.wordpress.com* https://www.facebook.com/curvyyogime/* https://in.linkedin.com/in/luvenarangelThorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. Thanks for becoming a free or paid subscriber!Letters to MyselfHello Vaibhav,Another new year has started, and I am coming into it with a clean bill of health. I feel excited.But my excitement is muted, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's just caution. As I enter undisputed adulthood AKA my thirties, I find that all excitement is tempered with caution.I've learned this from the people around me, from people on the internet. It feels like it's taboo to express unfettered enthusiasm because things go wrong so quickly. There's always a reason to feel bad, or gloomy, or cautious.But for now at least, I have goals again to distract me. I've made my New Year Resolutions, I've made my quarter plan. I wake up joyous, though sore as s**t. I'm willing to try erasing this taboo of enthusiasm, and instead of caution, approach it with grace.There's always a reason to feel bad, but by practicing grace, I am ready to feel genuinely excited again.2022 was good to me, and I'm looking forward to reading through my journals and my previous letters, and summarize what I learned. And I'm looking forward even more to new things, new experiences, and new people.Looking forward to new,Vaibhav. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Everyday People, a show featuring the admirable people all around us. Here are your timestamps:* 00:00 What's new with you, TxU?* 03:18 Everyday People w. Hina Agarwal* 01:09:50 Mailbag* 01:12:20 Letters to MyselfHi! This is the last episode of the year.Thorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. Thanks for becoming a free or paid subscriber!What's new with you, TxU?This week's blog:Everyday People — Hina AgarwalHina is a manager in a SaaS startup in Bangalore, managing the customer success team and operations in India. She is also my colleague. We sat down for this conversation after 6 months of me chasing her and finally “putting her in a chokehold” by taking her laptop and blocking her calendar.We recorded this in a cafe, so apologies for the background noise.Quotes from the conversation:On maintaining friendships as an adult:Fortunately I have a lot of people who are very close to me. I have friends from school, which I finished in 2004! One of my best friends [is someone] I met in 2002. We do a lot of trips together. We are stupid together, although we think we're very intelligent. I have a lot of friends who go back 15-20 years.Obviously not everybody lives close by, but we're well-connected, and you can feel that connection. Any person that you can laugh with, without being judged, is a friend that lasts.On gardening as a hobby:I grew up in a small town (Meerat in UP). When you're not from a Tier 1 city, then you end up living in big houses. I had a garden, which I did not do anything to maintain. It was my parents doing it, and we had a gardener. But we had hundreds of plants.I am very close to nature. That's possibly why I can spend time on my own. I just moved into my own home last year, and before that I was on rent. But I always had a huge collection of plants. It makes you happy to look at greenery around you.Something that surprises me is that they need such little care. A little bit of sunlight, some water, and they're good. They're flourishing. As people, you need a hundred things every day to get by. The simplicity of [plants] is refreshing.On her work-life balance now in her mid-thirties:I don't think of a work-life balance and things like that. Now when I'm working, it's only a part of my life.But it is a pretty major part of my life because I'm spending most of my time working. That's something which I keep in mind, not to cause me stress, but because I am responsible for some things.Also I have pretty good people to work with. My manager is amazing and is a friend. When you're working and you can talk about things apart from work, then it's obviously good. If you can't have friends at work, it's not going to last.So now [work] flows well. I know what I'm good at, and what I need help with. In the initial bits of my career, it was very difficult for me to ask for help, because I wanted to figure everything out on my own. Because that's what makes a strong, independent woman. Now that feels overrated, you become that over time. It's not something that you need to be super serious about.Now I just want to just to make sure that I'm also able to provide the help I received. Sometimes [people] just want to talk it out, and maybe family or friends are not the right people because they don't understand the space. So then you need friends at work. That's something which Singular has also given me where I can express myself.On her relationship with money:Like with everything else, I think I've become more comfortable with it. I have always been responsible with money. I am not a spendthrift, but I have also not been somebody who has run out of money by the end of the month, even in my student days. And I'm also somebody like who will spend on others.I'm not somebody who is very hung up on always going to fancy places or spending on brands. So that helps save money. *laughs*My father used to work in a bank and he was the only one working and raising the entire family, and taking care of everything. Even though he was working in a bank, I think the only time he took a loan was possibly for when he was building his home. And I think a small one for his car.We were just surviving on one person salary, right? So there was always this notion that you have to use it very, very wisely. And because of that, he did not even let us take an education loan. So everything which I did, it was sponsored by my father, which is great. Like even my MBA was done. Otherwise I would have [struggled with a] loan with an extremely huge rate.That's what he taught us. You have to be good enough with what you are doing, what you are making. There's a saying in Hindi, “jitni chaadar utne pair” (Your legs should only be as long as your blanket). So you have to be wise with what you're doing.(This is all from the first 20 minutes of the conversation! Listen to the podcast for more like this.)Hina's recs:A travel channel Hina enjoys is Ronnie and Barty. She strongly recommends it as something you can just watch again and again.MailbagSend your letters for the show by commenting below, or by emailing vaibhavguptawho@substack.com.Where do you see yourself in 5 years?This question used to be the cliche interview question, but nobody asks it anymore. Planning 5 years ahead is no longer feasible, not in your professional life nor your personal life.If you do want to plan ahead, I suggest trying a year long deadline at most. Also, try creating a vision board - a collection of images that inspire the goals you want to set. That gives you a visual tool to help you plan better.Thorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. Thanks for becoming a free or paid subscriber!Letters to MyselfHello Vaibhav,I'm ending the year happy, but burnt out. It's such a strange experience.Happiness feels so fragile. It's hard not to treat happiness as the absence of discomfort. The moment something goes wrong, I'm no longer “happy”.This has been an incredible year for me. I turned thirty. I took my first-ever solo trip. I planned, though could not execute, international travel. I restarted Everyday People as a podcast. I became leaner, healthier, and more stable. I learned, I taught, I made people laugh. Loneliness started to mean less, and being social became easier.And yet as I approach the finish line, I find myself flagging again, not enjoying the things I loved, not wanting to do anything, not wanting to chase more.Happiness feels so fragile, but when I loosen my grip on it, it doesn't break as easily. I'm not happy, and that's okay. You don't have to be happy. Just be.We do things because we want to do them, and this year, that has never been more true. We do things because nothing matters, so we might as well pass the time and smile along the way. Who said happiness has to be the goal? We will continue to chase newness, because then happiness comes right back, kowtowing us to take it along for the ride.Let happiness chase us. We're done running behind anybody.Not a chaser,Vaibhav. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Everyday People, a show featuring the admirable people all around us. Here are your timestamps:* 00:00 What's new with you, TxU?* 01:22 Everyday People w. Dr Anoosha* 56:00 Mailbag* 59:00 Letters to MyselfWrite in to the show: https://forms.gle/MCZZic3h6vTDXriF8Thorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. Thanks for becoming a free or paid subscriber!What's new with you, TxU?This week's blog:Bonus podcast:Everyday People — Dr. Anoosha N ShastryDr. Anoosha is an ayurvedic doctor from Bangalore, currently residing in Munich. She is also a professional Bharatnatyam dancer with 25 years of experience and a Masters degree.Her research deals with integrating holistic sciences like ayurveda, yoga, and dance in pain management, especially in post-surgical recovery.Quotes from the conversation:Why she chose pain management for her research:There is no person who doesn't have pain - physical, mental, emotional - some or the other pain will always be there. I chose pain management because of personal experience.I've been connected to dance and yoga since I was six. I met with an accident and had pain and it kept me away from everything I loved. Fortunately at that time, I was in the final year of an internship, and I asked, “why not look at it from a medical perspective?”On her relationship with the stage:I love being on stage! With dance and performance, I went on stage at a very young age. I've been the MC for the Ministry of Ayush and hosting global wellness meets, and so on. Theatre, dance, and MCing - it's wonderful.I drive my energy from the butterflies in my stomach, and once they're resolved, it's meditative to be on stage.On principles she wants to follow for yourself:Staying true to yourself, believing in yourself, and handling bad situations gracefully. My father once told me [the last one]. To accept every situation is something that is a huge principle for me.You do not need to mask yourself to achieve things. The same sun that hardens clay, melts ice - [situations are different for different people].On her mental health:Ups and downs with mental health is something everybody goes through and I'm not exception. Especially with a lot of changes - professionally, personally, change in country, in work. To handle all these situations [was stressful]. That's when those principles I mentioned helped.Now that I look back, I don't think I handled it very neatly… but I don't have a lot of regrets. The struggle is still real, but I'm in a better place now.Dr. Anoosha's recs:* Instagram: @sanatana_akademie* http://sanatanaakademie.com/* Facebook (page and closed support group)MailbagSend your letters for the show by commenting below, or by emailing vaibhavguptawho@substack.com.Abhilash - What, if any, is the impact and importance of literary fiction on designing one's life?I think it's paramount. As we go through life, it is important for us to travel and engage with different cultures so that we can see how many of our rules are made up and so that we can overcome some of our cultural biases and conservatisms.Not everybody can travel though, and reading is a cheap and comprehensive way to travel. When you read non-fiction, you read accounts from people all over the world and learn new things.And when you read fiction, you read what is possible and how creators put their hopes and dreams into new worlds where the problems of this one don't exist. What does a world like that look like? What can we learn from it. This sort of input is helps us overcome our shortsightedness and expand our horizons.Thorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. Thanks for becoming a free or paid subscriber!Letters to MyselfHello Vaibhav,I've been unwell. I don't know if it's an illness, or if it's just fatigue. I find myself coasting through days, working or playing or creating, without much attachment to any of it.On one hand, that's good! Dispassion is a friend of consistency, and to have been able to be consistent (up to a reasonable standard, not my insane one) has filled me with some joy and some pride in myself. This is what I've wanted for all of this year.On the other hand, dispassion is not a lifestyle I want to live. I want to enjoy everything I'm doing, and that's really hard if I'm doing a lot. Finding true balance still remains an unachieved goal. I wonder what balance is, because it sounds really boring.I am going to sleep a lot this week, because sometimes sleep is the best reset. Remember that. As much as possible, sleep. Recover. From there, you will find a foundation to not just chase achievements, but to actually enjoy them.Zombie walking through time,Vaibhav. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

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Write to the show: https://forms.gle/MCZZic3h6vTDXriF8 See the blog version: https://vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/p/pradeep-juniorWelcome to Everyday People, a show featuring the admirable people all around us. Here are your timestamps:* 00:00 What's new with you, TxU?* 03:58 Everyday People w. Pradeep Junior* 45:20 Mailbag* 56:37 Letters to MyselfThorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. Thanks for becoming a free or paid subscriber!What's new with you, TxU?This week's blog:Also, there's a new Books of Zemera dropping this week, titled “The Mischievers in the Shadows”. Books of Zemera is my offering for paid subscribers: a growing library of short-form fiction set in my original fantasy world of Zemera.Everyday People — Pradeep JuniorPradeep Junior is a tattoo artist, a crossfit artist, an artisan and craftsman, and in general, a fantastic human being. His story of humble beginnings, teaching himself how to ink, and working with his hands, was a great insight into why his art is so beautiful. He did a tattoo for me on my left forearm, as well as my mom's first tattoo ever.Quotes from the conversation:Only a few quotes this week, sorry!

Welcome to Everyday People, an interview show of admirable people all around us. This is the start of a new format for the show, with three sections:* Everyday People - the interview you are used to, but longer! The 5 questions are now 5 sections.* Mailbag - answering questions from you! Send your questions and letters to vaibhavguptawho@substack.com.* Letters to Myself - a weekly public journal blog. This was a cherished blog series of mine that started at the same time as Everyday People!Thorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Talking to Uttara TalapatraUttara Talapatra is a marketeer with 17 years of experience in the FMCG space, having worked with huge brands such as L'Oréal, Titan, and Unilever, among others.She's also a creator with her own podcast aimed at children, Once Upon a Time with Uttara, and four published collections of stories aimed at a general audience - Surprises, Just Plain Bad Luck, Woman on Top, Sleep in Pieces.On how her podcast for children started:When my son was two, I started narrating stories to him. I very quickly ran through the usual list of fairy tales and suggested stories. Also I realized that some of those tales were great for the time they were written, but they may not be relevant to our children today. And those were not the values I wanted him to grow up with.So I started manufacturing and creating my own stories and it quickly became a ritual. This went on for a couple of years and it was only a nighttime ritual between the two of us. [During the pandemic,] I had some extra time on hand, and I converted [the ritual] to a more structured format and that's how the podcast came into being.On her career as a marketeer:Back when I was still completing my MBA, I honestly did not appreciate everything marketing entailed. For me, marketing was only about what I'd seen…As a specialization, It was an airing of work that allowed you to communicate with consumers and therefore pass your message on and try and change their mind about something. That was the core aspect which really appealed to me and that continues to be the most interesting thing I find.On starting a business versus continuing in full-time jobs:If I were to strike out on my own, I don't think it would be by way of a marketing agency. Given the kind of things I'm interested in, it would be more in the space of creating a new brand or offering from scratch. Or I would love to be an entrepreneur in the creative space.On the storytelling point of her podcast:One of the things I was conscious about from day one was that I don't want the stories to be preachy. I don't want them to advocate any particular theme.At no point of time do I try to say this is good and this is bad. We live in complicated times, and if the basic principle of being a good person is taking off, you don't need [lessons like] you have to tell the truth, you shouldn't bully people, you always have to share. It's implied in the story.Uttara also goes into detail on her many series and the creative decisions that went into them in section 3.On conscious parenting and changing herself:Apart from basic safety and care, we realized we want to set as good as an example for [their son] as possible. Like in my stories, I don't want to say and ask him to follow. I would rather do and ask him to follow.We've always encouraged freedom of two-way communication with him… he has a million questions to ask. What we've consciously tried to inculcate and encourage him to do is ask questions, in case something doesn't sit right with him, or if he doesn't understand anything, or if he has a different opinion. We've encouraged that very, very actively.3 pieces of advice she would give to her 20-year old self:* Stand by your conviction. Don't get swayed just because somebody said something or did something.* Persist. Persist in whatever you do, and don't worry about the end-objective. As long as you do whatever you do well, the results will follow.* Enjoy life. Life is too short to be too serious. It's okay. It's okay to put your hair down and chill.Uttara's recs:* Her podcast: Once Upon a Time with Uttara* Her books: Surprises, Just Plain Bad Luck, Woman on Top, Sleep in Pieces.* Instagram: @onceuponatimewithuttara* Facebook: /onceuponatimewithuttaraThorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.MailbagEmail vaibhavguptawho@substack.com with your questions and letters to feature on the show!From Prerana: Is living alone a boon or a bane?It's very difficult to live alone. I would know, having done it twice already. But I would advise you to savor that difficulty. Learning to manage a house is a huge skillset that goes unappreciated.Even if you're not living alone forever, doing so for a year or two will help you become stronger. The problems of today will be the trifles of tomorrow. And when you then start living with someone else, you will be able to contribute to the house as an equal partner. Definitely try it if you have the opportunity.From Poorvaja: If you had a million dollars, what would you do?So the short and boring answer is that my needs are met with what I'm earning. A million dollars is 8 crore rupees. That's a lot!So because my needs are already met, I'd do the boring thing of splitting it into responsible choices:* Buy a nice house with 2 Crore.* Donate 1 Crore to Charity:Water or other water-based charities such as Cauvery Calling.* Donate another crore to a foundation that works on mental health education and resilience training.* Put away 2 Crore in stable savings instruments.* Put 2 Crore in slightly riskier investments.Sorry I didn't have an answer like buying a really expensive sports car! I'm satisfied with a new Nintendo switch game every few months.

Vinita Dayani is a customer success manager at a SaaS company and a content creator on YouTube and Instagram. A leader in the Toastmasters community and a self-driven person, she hopes to one day have a library of content that teaches everyone how to manage their own finances through simple, relatable examples.Quotes from the conversation:On her role as a Customer Success Manager:I help my customers use the product more frequently, I see how frequently they use it, adopt it, and how comfortable they are with it, and whether we can provide them good value because at the end of the day, they have paid a lot of money to buy our product. My role is to ensure they stay with us in the long run.On making videos:I love making videos. It's about finance, among other things. I have Instagram and YouTube channels called Uncle Rupee. I've been doing this for some time, since 2018.On learning about finance and mutual funds:I've personally faced the [challenge] of learning about money. In my family, I've seen my mother going to the bank getting fixed deposits done, instead of my father doing it. She used to send me to the banks to get the passbooks updated and other small things. From there, it started - why not explore more about investing?"…After I completed my Masters, I had some time to explore mutual funds and finance. I went to a bank because banks used to sell and promote mutual funds. The person there suggested, “why don't you study it and do a course?”On financial management videos:People think that handling money is very complicated. It is complicated, but when you start and when you relate to simple examples, it becomes very easy. [My motivation to make videos] was to make things easy to understand with simple examples.Vinita's recommendations:* Please subscribe to @uncle_rupee on Instagram and @unclerupee on YouTube. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Urvi Khaitan is a PhD student at Oxford. We spoke about a ton of things, including academia, privilege, and stepping outside of yourself.Quotes from the conversation:On volunteering outside of her PhD studies:Any kind of educational pursuit… is such a personal and individualized journey, that then there is really no space to interact with the wider world and think about problems that aren't your own. It's easy to get self-absorbed.On Rural India School Enterprise (RISE), the NGO she works with:[It's] based in a remote part of West Bengal… it's an institution that provides supplementary education to [students in government schools], as well as pastoral support.About brain drain and privilege in academia:We've seen an increased flight of really bright brilliant promising students moving away from the subcontinent towards funded PhDs in Europe and the US… it's then become a natural progression to stay there and never come back, and then work on pressing issues to India and South Asia, but in these ivory towers. I myself have been doing that for 5 years at Oxford.South Asia and South Asian problems become the source of one's bread and butter in these privileged contexts. The profound lack of self awareness is deeply disturbing to me.On coming back to India:I plan on coming back to India when I'm done with my PhD next year. I can't imagine living anywhere else in the world because I cannot imagine caring about any other part of the world as much as I do about this place.On studying at any age:There's this tower in Oxford which is associated with a college called Harris Manchester, and one side of the tower it says, “It's later than you think” and you walk further and look back up and on the other side of the tower, it says “It's never too late.” …you can always return to the pursuit of intellectual inquiry and it's never too late.On pursuing a PhD as a career:I think it's important we conceptualize it as a professional thing and not just purely a degree that you do. It is your livelihood; it is what is supporting you. And you can do it at any stage in your life and sometimes you just want to do it for the pure joy of sitting with something for a long time. I was not quite prepared for how life-changing it has been.On a relationship with yourself:I think we should stop being afraid of embarrassing ourselves, and stop limiting ourselves because we're afraid that people will say what we're doing is cringe-worthy.Urvi's recommendations:Urvi's recommendations:* Please check out @RISEprojects on Twitter and @risecharity on Instagram.* This video: Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Check out Geetanjali's website: https://mohabygeetanjali.com/Instagram: @mohabygeetanjaliGeetanjali is a jewellery designer and entrepreneur with a lifelong love and pragmatism about a career in creation.We recorded this podcast on July 5 this year. This is my favourite kind of episode - where it is literally our first conversation. I try and have more guests whom I have never spoken to, and I give them minimum details until we actually start recording.Geetanjali came by recommendation of Sai Shraddha whom we met in Episode 106. Listen to it below!Read and listen to more Everyday People below!Thorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Talk to me here, I actually made highlights for this episode: @thoroughandunkempt on InstagramMedha is a yoga teacher, a teacher of scriptures, and quite the teacher in general.We recorded this podcast on July 11 this year. This is my favourite kind of episode - where it is literally our first conversation. I try and have more guests whom I have never spoken to, and I give them minimum details until we actually start recording.Medha came by recommendation of Gargi Chakraborty. I know Gargi because she's my therapist, and I interviewed her too in Episode 104. Listen to it below!Read and listen to more Everyday People below! Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

Talk to me here: @thoroughandunkempt on InstagramHarsha is a reticent banker, a mother to two beautiful dogs, and a spiritual healer.We recorded this podcast at 10 AM on a Sunday, when we both would rather have been sleeping in. She talks about her incredible story of loss and how she turned to healing to help herself.Harsha is one of Sudeep's closest friends. I know Sudeep through a previous job, and he was my guest in Episode 104.Read and listen to more Everyday People below!Thorough and Unkempt is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Thorough and Unkempt at vaibhavguptawho.substack.com/subscribe

This is a reading of a blog that I wrote recently. It's about the Indian ritual of shradh. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vaibhavguptawho.substack.com

Make it Happen website: MakeItHappen.co.in Podcast Highlights: @thoroughandunkempt on Instagram Murali Shankaran is one of the co-founders of Make It Happen, an experiential travel company in Panjim, Goa. I got a chance to meet Murali when I took a heritage walk in Old Goa mid-March. Even though I was hungover, hungry, dehydrated, and had a fresh tattoo burning in the heat of the sun, I enjoyed the 2.5 hour walk that he took us on, because he gave us so many details and so much interesting backstory to some of Old Goa's most famous churches and courtyards. We recorded this podcast in his car, while he very kindly drove us back after the walk. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vaibhavguptawho/message

Sai's Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/SaishraddhaM Highlights on my Instagram, maybe: https://www.instagram.com/thoroughandunkempt/ Saishraddha M, better known as Psy Sai, is a graphic designer and game designer with several published board games. Recommended by Abhilash (S04E01), I had my first conversation with her an hour after I recorded another episode of Everyday People, so I was warmed up. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vaibhavguptawho/message

Have something to say? Come tell me here: https://instagram.com/thoroughandunkempt In this bonus episode, I sit down with two people from my school life. We're friends, though we were never very close in school. As adults, we've stayed in touch and it was nice to talk to them about the role school plays in our lives. We discuss why I had the idea for this one-off with them, what values we've kept after leaving school, and how we've all become less conservative after being in an ultra-conservative catholic school. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vaibhavguptawho/message

Thorough and Unkempt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoroughandunkempt/ Sudeep's Blog: https://moskud.xyz/ Sudeep is an introvert, a developer, and a reader. He's also an ultra-marathoner and a multifaceted person, and the best of all, my friend. This was an impromptu interview that I offered and he accepted to challenge himself to talk and express his opinions. Enjoy this 30 minute interview in the latest Everyday People. (Track) Bliss - Music by Ikson, https://www.soundcloud.com/ikson --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vaibhavguptawho/message

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freebird_heals/ Practo: https://www.practo.com/bangalore/therapist/gargi-chakraborty-psychologist Gargi Chakraborty is a clinical psychologist in Bangalore, as well as a singer and traveler. She is also one of my two doctors at Phoenix Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. We talked in April 2022 about the state of mental health in India and globally, which she believes is improving rapidly. Listen in to get a basic idea of mental healthcare, how to begin identifying signs and getting help, as well as why she sings every chance she gets. (Track) Bliss - Music by Ikson, https://www.soundcloud.com/ikson

Old Quarter Hostel: https://thehostelcrowd.com/oldquarterhostel/ Booking.com: https://www.booking.com/hotel/in/old-quarter-hostel.html Ryan Seguiera is a Goan hostel owner and former advertising professional. His wife and he run the Old Quarter Hostel in Panjim, Goa as well as the attached cafe - Bombay Coffee Roasters. I met Ryan when I took my first ever solo trip, back in March 2022. Listen for his plentiful recommendations on fantastic places to eat, and also his philosophies on what travel does to you and how he's contending with growing older. (Track) Bliss - Music by Ikson, https://www.soundcloud.com/ikson

Welcome to a subseries of Everyday People - Everyday Teens! Today's guest is Ananya, a 16-year-old Class 10 student. I spoke to her a couple of months before her board exams, and we talked about school, family, mental health, and student pressure, among other things. She is a bright and charming person, and very mature, as I believe many young people are. Enjoy this conversation! (Intro and Outro Track) Bliss - Music by Ikson, https://www.soundcloud.com/ikson

A small business owner, a medium speaker, and a VERY large...ly experienced trainer. Abhilash is a fascinating man who inhales books like oxygen and walks as much as a postman. He was also previously one of my D&D players, playing the role of Hsalihba (yes that's his name in reverse), a hammer and trident Paladin who completely misquoted his holy book every chance he got. Enjoy this conversation as we talk about why he still enjoys being an engineer, and how he allocates time to read Harry Potter to his son while running 2 businesses. Abhilash posts stories regularly on his Linkedin and his email list. https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhilashpurohit/

Why do we lose control and react with anger, even if we know we'll regret it later? What are learned behaviors? Do they need to be fixed? How do we think about it? This is an audio essay that attempts to answer all of those questions. Background music: - BVG x møndberg – insomnia - Provided by Lofi Records - Watch: https://youtu.be/9sCEjO3tMaE - Download/Stream: https://fanlink.to/FloatingDreams

https://twitter.com/VaibhavGuptaWho - Tweet at me for questions and comments. :) The point of Purpose was always just that - for me to find purpose. And I haven't done it in a while and here we are. Prayer is synonymous with religion, but does it have to be? Are there benefits to prayer for the non-religious? I attempt to answer that in this episode. I hope you enjoy!

At a cousin's wedding in July, I sat down with 3 other cousins to shoot the breeze and talk about their marriages and courtship. Listen in while you're chilling. Come say hi: https://twitter.com/VaibhavGuptaWho

Come say hi: https://twitter.com/VaibhavGuptaWho https://www.instagram.com/vaibhavguptawho/ Episode 11 of Everyday People brings to you Sourya Chakrabarti, an artist extraordinaire, a chef, a PR guy, and a whole host of other things. Listen in to hear about (and be inspired by) passion, hobbies, and taking things as they come. See Sourya's incredible work here: https://www.instagram.com/thedetailier/

The first double-digit episode of Everyday People is here! And it brings a literature teacher who loves art and explores modern art in cities through Instagram. Listen in for a lighthearted discussion on what art is and what it means.

(Formerly Everyday People episode 9) In this episode, I talk about teaching, some of my favourite teachers from school and college, and the 3 Es you need to be a good teacher. I also talk about how to teach yourself and others in an effective manner, and my personal teaching philosophy.

http://www.twitter.com/vaibhavguptawho - Come say hi! In this episode, I sit down with the District Director of Toastmasters District 93 (i.e. South Korea). We got a few minutes to chat at a conference and I talked to her about her love for swing dancing, teaching, and energy.

http://www.twitter.com/vaibhavguptawho - Come say hi! In this episode, I sit down with DTM Nirmala, who is an entrepreneur and hotelier with 25+ years of experience in the industry. I caught up with her at our Toastmasters annual conference and got to speak to her about her experiences, her work, and the zeal with which she tackles life and its challenges. Listen in!

(Formerly Everyday People episode 6) In this episode, I walk around and talk to my college friend Paritosh. He's been with Google for 4 years now, and we catch up. Listen in to get our thoughts on communication, relationships, and dad bods.

(Formerly Everyday People Episode 5) In this episode, I sit down and think aloud about goal setting, bringing value, and where I am in my life. Listen in to clarify your own thoughts about your life goals, and get some neat, simple advice.

The fourth episode of The Everyday People podcast brings you an interview with a chemical engineering student and football fanatic. Listen in for his opinion towards why people love football, why he picked engineering, and the 3 best pieces of advice he ever received. :)