Circlejourney posts about creative work here

this blog used to be for reblog spams but now it is where my creative work hot takes will go. diff from my main is that it gets a bit down in the weeds, and may only be of interest to other people who do the same things I do

[circlevoyage]

I'm starting to really understand why the love triangle is perceived as such a severely, limitingly YA plot conceit, perhaps more so than any other I can think of.

Its pathos comes from our investment in the choice to be made by the love triangle's apex, the silent agreement that these are high stakes, that one of the two romantic options stands to seriously lose out because it means losing something irreplaceable.

The conflict is propped up by certain cultural norms. It depends not just on two people having romantic prospects with the apex, but with a range of other social assumptions like:

Only one of those relationships can be actualised as romance

Romance is the sole acceptable outcome for them

Any other kind of relationship will be inpossible after rejection

Because for many teens, romance really is all of these things. You (or many people, anyway) grow up in a culture that elevates mono romantic relationships—and if you're alloromantic or otherwise inclined to do so, and you fall in love for the first time, that is your sole reference point for what it means to be in love. You really do think this is special and will never happen again.

The love triangle plays entirely off of that belief in that one special, unlikely bond.

But once you've fallen in love a few times, maybe with multiple people at the same time, it becomes very clear that the conceit of the love triangle is making a huge deal out of something that is not a huge deal at all! It is only compelling in a limited phase of one's life that confines its appeal to a specific demographic, in a way that even a first love scenario is not.

The experience of falling in love and finding that feeling new and different continues to resonate no matter how many people you've been in love with. But the idea that who the apex chooses is a point of tension on par with the outcome of a war? Not so much.

[circlevoyage]

"SU is a kid's TV show" not in the sense that it is exempt of good storytelling that follows through on the story's themes and consequences, but in the sense that the TV network was never gonna let them depict imperialist autocrats being executed onscreen

[circlevoyage]

I keep forgetting I said I was gonna turn this blog into a writing hot takes blog. FOCUS CJ

[silvaurum]

basketball dracula isn't real dude he can't-- *sudden squeaking noises from the shadows*

[silvaurum]

*two pool toys having sex tumble by in the wind* oh thank god

[silvaurum]

*thunderous slam dunk noise*

[fallout-lou-begas]

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[snoleopard7]

[wumblr]

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vengabus sandstorm

[gusgoose69-deactivated20260127]

wow that really sounds

[geeksofdoom]

wow that really sounds

[moth-wizard]

[estrogenesis-eeveeangelion]

ADHD theme music

[paper-mario-wiki]

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[paper-mario-wiki]

happy 10th anniversary of the first christmas

[ely-lilac]

i go to the ytp bar and order the usual. the bartender sets a Snoopingas in front of me. i pick it up, raise it to my lips, and set it back down, repeating all of this while gradually accelerating until i have finished the drink. my favorite way to spend a frirfday evenineve

[unagi-eel]

i go to the ytp tennis bar and order the usu. the usuasusual. bart- orders the Snoopingas. the bartender sets a Snoopingas in front of bart-. i pick it up (hey!), and set it back down, and i pick it up, and set it back down, and i raise it-and set it back down, all of this while pea-ing and gradually accelerating until i have finished. *cartoon splat sfx* i repeatedly drink bart-s drink until bart- sets me on FIRE!! *crackling* my favorite waaw to spend a frirfday evenineve. …veve.

[auberylis]

y y y i go to the ytp siis bar? *long pause* to order the bartender to set me on FIRE!! The bartender iS Snoop *snoop dog smoke weed song distorted* i pick the PINGAS up (hey!), and set it on FIRE!! *tf2 pyro happy noises* llAll of this while bartender Snoop gradually accelerating and ♪it's the wall, hit the wall!♪ *cartoon splat sfx 3 times, last paulstretched* waw waw waaaw way to drink aT the ytp siis bar on a friirf evenev lAl

[diamondbrickz]

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the ytp bar

[frownyalfred]

Tips for writing those gala scenes, from someone who goes to them occasionally:

Generally you unbutton and re-button a suit coat when you sit down and stand up.

You’re supposed to hold wine or champagne glasses by the stem to avoid warming up the liquid inside. A character out of their depth might hold the glass around the sides instead.

When rich/important people forget your name and they’re drunk, they usually just tell you that they don’t remember or completely skip over any opportunity to use your name so they don’t look silly.

A good way to indicate you don’t want to shake someone’s hand at an event is to hold a drink in your right hand (and if you’re a woman, a purse in the other so you definitely can’t shift the glass to another hand and then shake)

Americans who still kiss cheeks as a welcome generally don’t press lips to cheeks, it’s more of a touch of cheek to cheek or even a hover (these days, mostly to avoid smudging a woman’s makeup)

The distinctions between dress codes (black tie, cocktail, etc) are very intricate but obvious to those who know how to look. If you wear a short skirt to a black tie event for example, people would clock that instantly even if the dress itself was very formal. Same thing goes for certain articles of men’s clothing.

Open bars / cash bars at events usually carry limited options. They’re meant to serve lots of people very quickly, so nobody is getting a cosmo or a Manhattan etc.

Members of the press generally aren’t allowed to freely circulate at nicer galas/events without a very good reason. When they do, they need to identify themselves before talking with someone.

[panakina]

As someone who spent over a decade catering luxury events, let me add some back of house info:

These events are almost always open bar. They're not trying to make their money back on alcohol. They want you to drink and eat and donate generously.

If there are cocktails, there will be at most two on offer, pre-made in large tubs. You cannot order a different version, it is what it is.

There are two types of events: cocktail style or seated. The first includes roaming hors d'oeuvres or a fancy buffet with tiny plates called a grazing station. For a long night, the roaming food will get a little bigger throughout the evening and have a 'main' at some point based around a protein.

A seated event will usually be more structured and may include multiple courses. Silver service is not in vogue anymore. You are likely to get either alternating meals brought to you like at a wedding, or served banquet style. A good caterer can get a plate to everyone in a 300 person event in about three minutes.

Drunk people are the same no matter how expensive their suits. They still laugh too loud, spill their drinks and slip on the dance floor. They are usually less embarrassed about doing coke in the bathrooms.

A full scale event that starts at 6pm will have staff arriving at noon to begin setup. Earlier if there's a light show or pyrotechnics. Typically venues don't just have 30 tables and three hundred chairs lying around, let alone table cloths, chair covers, etc. It's all rented and brought in on the day. Bands and DJs will be running audio tests in the background throughout.

Most heritage buildings that host these things, like museums and manor houses, aren't really designed for them. They might put down mats so you're not walking in stilettos over two hundred year old wooden floors, the kitchens are weirdly far away, and there are not enough taps. There is never anywhere for staff to sit, so if you open the wrong door you might find half a dozen waiters sitting on upturned milk crates in a room full of million dollar paintings, eating the left over bread.

Really old buildings don't have enough bathrooms, which means the staff will be sharing with the guests.

Clean up starts the second the event ends, if not sooner. Unattended glasses will start to disappear first, then table decorations. When the timer ticks over, the lights come back on and exhausted staff strip the tables, pack up dirty glasses and unopened wine bottles and have to Tetris it all into the back of a van. The venue is booked for that day only, so everything has to be gone before anyone can go home. A large event that finishes at midnight might take until 3am to be cleared away.

These are very long and physically demanding nights for anyone working them. The staff all get to know each other, and will absolutely notice someone trying to sneak in wearing a borrowed uniform. They are not being paid enough to care.

[circlevoyage]

I'm sure I'm saying nothing new here, but there's something that bothers me about how the witch has over time become divorced from a counterculture/challenge to status quo and turned into a cosy, consumable symbol. Just put a witch hat on a character and give them magic powers and they're a witch! I am blaming Harry Potter for this one. For watering down the term "witch" so it refers to any woman with magic powers.

The Witch in the Alps meme template signifies this really well ; there is a skin crawling dissonance to the witch being a symbol of "cosy vibes." There's a lot to be said about the problems with the original archetypal witch (mostly how it emerges from the othering of certain cultures and beliefs), but in its current common-use manifestation, and reclaimed a few different ways, I think there's value in the essential notion of a character of a marginalised gender whose magical powers are taboo or abjected. Like I think this is a useful evolution of the archetype.

So the...cosification? The iconisation? Of witches bothers me. I see a character wearing a witch's hat (the hat seemingly signifying the witch in whole, now) and it feels like whatever you call it when someone borrows the aesthetic of a subculture without any of the countercultural ideals. A commodification of the witch aesthetic, but not even the aesthetic, just the damn hat! Do away with the hat and give the character powers that other people shun, that's more witch than a cosy cottage lady wearing a pointy hat.

[luna-azzurra]

Questions for Crafting Problematic Characters

Sure, let's simplify and add some guiding questions to help you navigate the complexities of writing problematic characters:

Understanding Your Character's Mind: Dive into your character's thoughts and feelings. What makes them tick? What fears or desires drive their actions? How do their past experiences shape who they are today?

Looking at Past Hurts: Think about any past traumas or tough experiences your character has faced. How do these experiences affect how they behave now? Do they have unresolved issues that come up in their actions?

Considering Society's Impact: How does the world your character lives in affect them? Do they follow the rules or rebel against them? Are there societal norms they struggle with or don't agree with?

Thinking about Power and Privilege: Does your character have power or privilege in certain situations? How does this affect how they treat others? Do they realize their privilege, or are they blind to it?

Exploring Different Identities: What parts of their identity are most important to your character? How do aspects like their race, gender, or sexuality influence their behavior? Do they face discrimination or stereotypes because of who they are?

Dealing with Right and Wrong: Are there times when your character has to make tough decisions? What moral dilemmas do they face? Do they always do what's right, or do they sometimes make mistakes?

Giving Your Character Control: Does your character have control over their own life? How do they make choices and deal with the consequences? Do they have the power to change, or are they stuck in their ways?

Seeing Through Different Eyes: Whose perspective is the story told from? How does this affect how readers see your character? Do readers understand why your character does what they do, or are they left guessing?

Writing with Respect and Responsibility: Are you being respectful to the people or groups your character represents? Have you done enough research to understand their experiences? Are you telling their story in a way that's honest and fair?

Exploring Big Ideas: What themes or messages do you want your story to convey? How do your characters, especially the problematic ones, help explore these ideas? Are you starting conversations about important issues?

In short, understanding your character's past, their place in society, and their moral compass can help you write them more authentically. Remember to approach sensitive topics with care and to give your characters room to grow and change.

[totplus]

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@frogmp3

[dantelionwishes]

AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[gummymela]

swsh x dppt op

[circlejourney]

I was watching some live reactions to Avengers: Endgame, and I know it’s been a year since that movie dropped, but I still have thoughts. Mostly extremely positive, nigh-incoherent thoughts.

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[circlevoyage]

I was looking back at my old theories (written in 2013-2014), and I have to say, a lot of this was pretty damn close to what we’ve seen

[circlevoyage]

And with the epilogues and Hussie’s statement on them, I think I can say... 2013 me’s theory has been wholly vindicated and I couldn’t be prouder

[slushy-sash]

🤗

[vagrant-of-love]

They’re best bros 👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨