Spidery Corner

chaotic wild kratts side blog. the basement is a dark and dank place so i can’t promise i’ll never post nsfw or “problematic” (whatever that means) shit but if i do it’ll be tagged out the wazoo, put under the cut, etc. otherwise, well…the door to the upstairs is over there. but i hope you’ll stay a while

[yourdadsbasement]

Intro Post

Since my blog is an incoherent jumble of content, I figured I should make one of these so it's maybe slightly easier to navigate. Hi, I'm Mingus (at least that's my nom de internet that i use when i don't want to use my real name), pronouns she/her. this is my secret blog where i try to work out the wild kratts fixation that has been eating my brain alive for months. I write the snarky wild kratts episode commentary, which is me watching children's show Wild Kratts as a very grown woman on an absolute wild amount of drugs due to my being a chemo patient. I don't talk a lot about my cancer on here because this is the place where i have fun, but i do mention it from time to time. about 90% of the blog is episode commentary, so the best way to experience it is just to click around.

Edit: as of Jan 15, I’m officially DONE with CHEMO, woo hoo!

I have a WK fanfiction called Dirtbags which is angsty realistic fiction where i torture the brothers by making them go through the same kind of garbage me and my dirtbag friends went through as young people haha. there is parent death, child abandonment, drug use and one STD haha, but there is humor and fluff as well. if that sounds like something that floats your boat, you can read it here:

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Edit: There is now a Dirtbags playlist! Check it out:

i also just started making notes for an AU that i've been calling the Wild Gods AU that hopefully i will actually write a fic for at some point. i do mention it from time to time on here so if you want to read my rambling about it, you can do that here:

https://www.tumblr.com/yourdadsbasement/764793226593009664/oh-i-just-had-the-idea-that-zachs-brother-could?source=share

i am addicted to making playlists for people's fics. here are my playlists for @/littlecrittereli's "Reprogrammed" and "Decoded" and @/martincrushcameback's "The Sea Forgets, The Sky Remembers," both of which you should read on AO3 if you haven't already (yes i repeat songs and bands a lot because i get autistic about them let me live hahahaha):

i can't think of anything else to say except that i'm friendly and happy to talk since i'm home doing nothing most of the time for cancer-related reasons, so don't be shy about talking to me! i'm basically always happy to hear from anyone about anything.

[yourdadsbasement]

I know you aren’t over here much anymore but I heard the song We’ve Been Had by The Walkman this mornin and the lyrics reminded me of the end of dirtbags w the guys ever

I'm at work so I can't listen to it but i looked up the lyrics and yes the boyyyyys, they did come through it okay in spite of everything

[gloomy-girlypop]

After reading a couple of fanfics, I've found a somewhat funny pattern. In most stories, Chris is the one who bears the brunt of the angst, and in many situations where he has to hide his discomfort, anguish, or sadness. The amusing part is that THIS is Chris when he's just having a bad day:

Keeping his sadness as a secret? That secret wouldn't last a DAMN hour.

I also think this is even better when it comes to creating angst for him. What if he's dealing with something so serious that he can't reveal it, even when his emotions are so evident?

Imagine seeing your usually sunny friend/brother totally down, and every time you ask what's wrong there's an explanation that seems reasonable: a headache that won't go away, general exhaustion, not being able to meet a certain animal—but even as the days go by and nothing seems to improve, how many more excuses could you handle before… wondering why he just won't trust you enough to tell you the truth.

[yourdadsbasement]

this is why in Dirtbags, Chris makes his problems everyone's problems

(hi i'm not dead just really busy now that i'm not sitting around being bodied by chemo all day, i still pop in for a Lurk every now and then)

[yourdadsbasement]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

"Some lost coast Some bright days No face on your young head..."

~Fleet Foxes, For a Week or Two

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh i'm so emotional this is the last chapter of Dirtbags. I have been working on this story for just over a year now, started it when I was just starting chemotherapy, and it was my companion through those bleak times. It was the first thing i'd written in eight years since burning out getting my MFA, and it felt so good just to be writing again! Now that I'm in the habit of doing it every day, I hope to finish some of the work that I abandoned during the tumultuous years between getting my MFA and getting cancer.

Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, dropped into my ask box, and otherwise engaged with the story. It was always great to hear from you, especially during my chemo days when I was so isolated from the world. i love you all so much!

[fenkmarten]

EUEUEUEUUE THE BOYS I LOVE THEM.

this is such a beautiful wrap up for this fic I have been so so invested in reading every chapter and they delivered everything every time. I’m gonna miss the way you write them so dearlyyy <333

IF ANYONE SEES THIS YOU SHOULD PICK THIS FIC UP AND READ IT. it’s sososo good and binging it will break your heart /pos

I cannot possibly give it enough kudos

[yourdadsbasement]

thanks so much for your enthusiasm and support for this story :))))))) Your reblogs and comments always make me smile. I'll definitely still be following Physical Instrument because it is SO SO GOOD, some of the most creative and unique storytelling I've read not just in the fandom but like, out of all the writers I've read <3

[yourdadsbasement]

hope it’s alr to leave an ask about this but curious to know if you still plan to be posting on this blog much now that you’re done with the fanfiction and working on other stuff?

probably not much but I'll still be dropping in to check on what's going on

[yourdadsbasement]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

"Some lost coast Some bright days No face on your young head..."

~Fleet Foxes, For a Week or Two

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh i'm so emotional this is the last chapter of Dirtbags. I have been working on this story for just over a year now, started it when I was just starting chemotherapy, and it was my companion through those bleak times. It was the first thing i'd written in eight years since burning out getting my MFA, and it felt so good just to be writing again! Now that I'm in the habit of doing it every day, I hope to finish some of the work that I abandoned during the tumultuous years between getting my MFA and getting cancer.

Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, dropped into my ask box, and otherwise engaged with the story. It was always great to hear from you, especially during my chemo days when I was so isolated from the world. i love you all so much!

[yourdadsbasement]

i should be working on the last chapter of my fanfiction or starting my other fanfiction or working on my nonfanfiction writing projects but instead i am making notes for a third fanfiction which is a gravity falls one about EVPs (i don't post about it much but i have really bad GF brainworms, i'm kind of obsessed with the Stans, is it obvious that i'm interested in the concept of brotherhood? haha) and that means i've spent the morning learning about how radios work and have finally gotten to the wikipedia pages full of equations i can't understand, which is where my science wikiholes often lead me.

you just want to write a fanfic inspired by the recordings of raymond cass and you end up having to read about math.

this is the problem with my ADHD and also why i usually don't start a piece of writing until i have the ending in mind, i'm often pulled in a million directions at once and i just won't finish shit if i don't go into it with an ending already in mind. this piece is still in the incredibly wispy barely an idea stage, i don't even have a real plot for it yet, just some initial scenes. but i'm hoping it turns into something because the idea is cool. but it would be better if i understood radios better! i just wish i had all the knowledge in the world lol.

[yourdadsbasement]

i'm still working on the last chapter of Dirtbags as a fanfiction but i'm starting to outline it as a novel and i'm feeling kind of bad because i'm doing an absolute character assassination on their mother.

[fenkmarten]

WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN AND THE MOON COMES UP- <3 <3 <3

I don’t even know who’s in more danger here but neither of them r safe

[yourdadsbasement]

AHHHHH THE MEN I'M SO OBSESSED I'M SO OBSESSED I HATE THEM /pos

[yourdadsbasement]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

"Golden slumbers fill your eyes Smiles awake you when you rise Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry And I will sing a lullaby..."

~The Beatles, Golden Slumbers

first of all I am so sorry it took me over a month to update. the cool thing about bipolar disorder is it makes you a genius (sarcastic) sooooooo what happened is i ran out of my mood stabilizer due to a miscommunication with my psychiatrist and almost immediately started feeling way too good so i was like "OH I DON'T NEED THAT SILLY MOOD STABILIZER ANYMORE" and, totally predictably, crashed about a week later and had a gnarly mixed episode with bad anxiety and couldn't focus on ANYTHING. but i'm back on the mood stabilizer and doing well. working with my therapist to deal with the part of myself that is addicted to emotional intensity and therefore misses the emotional highs. i also had a friend visit for a couple weeks and have been fostering two kittens so ya girl has been BUSY.

anyway accept this dirtbaggy offering. it's a little shorter than the other chapters but what can i say, the chapters end where they end. love you guyyyyyys thanks for being patient while i once again deal with the consequences of my own actions.

[fenkmarten]

Ouhhhhhh the boys. always love a good Chris suffering chapter he really goes through it. I’ve already gushed about my love for this Zack but he’s rlly such a treat to read. love love love these guys

anyone seeing this should absolutely go give this fic some love. every chapter is such a good read and you will be wildly invested I can promise you that. one thing I don’t think I’ve praised it for enough is how earnest every emotional moment feels. every single second they’re upset or sweet or having something genuinely heart wrenching going on, it always feels like the fic is completely and whole heartedly genuine with it. I mainly like to point this out because I fear it can be hard to find in a lot of newer media, at least to me, and while it’s better in fan written stuff, this really just takes the cake to me /pos

anyway amazing fic PLEASE go read it

[yourdadsbasement]

i've been accused of being melodramatic in my work before and honestly i'm fine with it because people and life are melodramatic. like there are times to be melodramatic and times to be subtle and i like to think i have a pretty good balance of both. i like building towards something in a more subtle way and then really shoving the knife in (dirtbags reference absolutely intentional).

[fenkmarten]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

NEW PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT AU CHAPTER!!!

“The men tell him he should have seen when the ground was mud and slush from the very first freezing rain of the supposed spring.

He wishes he had, and whatever part of him remains looking back, stops him from saying he hopes to see the next. At that point, it’s best to put his head down and work.”

This one took me ages to sit down and finish but I hope it’s enjoyed!! I really liked writing parts of it :) mhmmmm mhmmmm. might be a good idea to include pieces of the writing when I post these, so gonna test that out here

[yourdadsbasement]

aaaggggggggghhhhhhh omg finally frickin had time to read the new PI and it did not disappoint! i love all these dudes and the dudely lives they lead.

[yourdadsbasement]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

"Golden slumbers fill your eyes Smiles awake you when you rise Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry And I will sing a lullaby..."

~The Beatles, Golden Slumbers

first of all I am so sorry it took me over a month to update. the cool thing about bipolar disorder is it makes you a genius (sarcastic) sooooooo what happened is i ran out of my mood stabilizer due to a miscommunication with my psychiatrist and almost immediately started feeling way too good so i was like "OH I DON'T NEED THAT SILLY MOOD STABILIZER ANYMORE" and, totally predictably, crashed about a week later and had a gnarly mixed episode with bad anxiety and couldn't focus on ANYTHING. but i'm back on the mood stabilizer and doing well. working with my therapist to deal with the part of myself that is addicted to emotional intensity and therefore misses the emotional highs. i also had a friend visit for a couple weeks and have been fostering two kittens so ya girl has been BUSY.

anyway accept this dirtbaggy offering. it's a little shorter than the other chapters but what can i say, the chapters end where they end. love you guyyyyyys thanks for being patient while i once again deal with the consequences of my own actions.

[fenkmarten]

i totally get it I do that when writing Martin a lot. Like on the outside he's a silly goofy big brother. but inside. rage. anger issues. angy boy. someone give this man a punching bag he's using himself too often.

real!!! I adore people’s depictions of angry Martin and here’s where I myself am the juxtaposition. I see your and others internal angry Martin and put forward my insecure desperately pacifying Martin. my keep the peace Martin. my sad martin

[yourdadsbasement]

i'm going to rudely butt into this conversation to say that Martin in Dirtbags literally does have a punching bag in the garage that gets used a lot. Not that it stops him from beating himself up though.

[twistcmyk]

[twistcmyk]

[yourdadsbasement]

WAIT, your pfp…..is that Martin’s eye? Beautiful orb? Lookin’ at a caterpillar? PLZ let it be trueeee

it absolutely is heehee

[yourdadsbasement]

I HAVE to ask: What do you think about the Kratt Brothers themselves? How’d you get into Wild Kratts? For me,I would froth at the mouth waiting for my parents to hurry up and pick me up from school so I could run to the tv and watch WK! I’m loving Kratt’s Creatures and Be The Creature right now, but I’m not sure if that would’ve been my cup of tea for 3rd grade me :>

Love Dirtbags! Broke my heart! Wanna help people like dirtbags!Chris and Martin when I grow up more!

Aw i’m so glad you liked it! i’ll have a new chapter out soon i swear haha.

I used to watch Kratts’ Creatures every day after school and Martin was one of my first crushes lol (ngl i still think he’s gorgeous as an old man). i got into WK while i had cancer (i’m in remission and doing fine now) and was rewatching Kratts’ Creatures and was like, “i bet there’s fanart of them on tumblr” and i stumbled across a bunch of great WK fanwork and something about it just deeply infected my brain. as for the brothers themselves, i think what they do for animals is awesome and they’re so fun and charming just as dudes. i feel kinda bad i made their cartoon versions go through hell but not bad enough to stop haha. i also feel like their cartoon selves are pretty removed from their real selves so i don’t really worry about it too much. i’ve been having way too much fun making them codependent and messed up 😁

thanks for the ask! i love getting them.

[apolladay]

Have you got a hyperfixation that is not a piece of media?

yes (tell me about it in the notes)

no

Voting ended onOct 10, 2025

[yourdadsbasement]

god, where do i start. i realized i had ADHD when i stayed up til 3am learning aerodynamics so i could better understand plane crashes because i was obsessed with plane crashes