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Apr
24th
2015

State of the Lemur - 04/24/2015 · 8:00pm Apr 24th, 2015

I have a stomach ache today. Good night.


But seriously, though. I went to Walt Disney World on Wednesday, which is the reason why the late-Tuesday/early-Wednesday Austraeoh/Appledashery chapters were so tightly bunched together. Also, at the start of this week, I went to hang out with a buddy who was dealing with some less-than-cheerful crud, and that sort of put me out of the mood to upload the daily fics on that day (I ended up doubling the day after). And, on top of all that, I didn't have any Internet for the last thirty-six hours.

Long story short, even for a basement lemur manchild much as myself, life does occasionally happen. I'm super proud to have been writing chapters everyday for nearly three years straight, and even when I do have to skip a day--I ultimately make up for it within the next seventy-two hours with a double update.

So... y'know... as a good fecking zebra friend of mine has been loyal enough to point out: DON'T PANIC.

For better or for worse, I'm in it for the long haul with these two stories. Yes, there are times when I get less than enthused and sort of... lazily vomit less than 1k words of frivolous custard right before the midnight deadline. But the war's far from over. It's kinda remarkable how easy an epic project can be when you add a tiny trickle to it every day at regular intervals. Plus, I've got a dayum good following that keeps me jazzed on a regular basis. I mean, for real... I've never gotten this sort of communion or attention or feeling of gratification from any other project of mine. SIAW with These Black Eyes was epic for its time, but--where sheer volume of views is concerned--Austraeoh throws nearly everything else I've ever written out the window. I'll sometimes put up a chapter and immediately see the chapter's viewcount jump to 25+ within seconds. It's a little daunting... especially considering that, aside from some major plot points conceived months (if not years) ago, most everything else in between is more or less thought up on the spot. I sometimes feel like I'm just as clueless as to what's going to happen in the next chapter as the rest of the Noble Jurists, which sounds pretentiously facetious... facetiously pretentious... fartentious? Yes. Fartentious.

And, in truth, Noble Jury isn't all about Austraeoh. But it's part of the glue that binds the group together, at least thematically, and I'm pleased beyond words to be associated with so many like-minded marsupials. So... if anyone's afraid of me slacking off or putting the two daily fics aside... stop it. Things can get rocky from time to time, yes, but that only means I'm bad at planning... not that I'm giving up. Even if Appledashery sucks.

And yeah... Appledashery really really sucks. F'naaaa. Sorry, Applejack.

See? Even she agrees.


So yeah. This did way better than I expected. In fact, I think it's my most successful upload since App. Jack. Not too shabby... considering I more or less wrote the same story back in 2012.

I'm a little bit surprised that more authors didn't leap upon the whole nomgSpikehasaRarityplushie gag. Seems like a no-brainer. I probably would have written this story sooner... only... f'naaa. I dunno. 2015 is very likely my laziest year to date... at least in terms of SS&E content. Used to be that I'd write a story, then plan a fic with a completely different mood or theme and aim for a balanced sort of library with a uniform mixture of sad/funny/random/epic/etc. Nowadays, all I seem to write are comedies, ship fics, or... uhhh... cuddle porn. I'm sure all of this can be explained as a sort of seasoned laziness. That or... quite frankly... I just don't enjoy writing super sad fics like I used to. Is it possible to be bored of sad? I suppose it's true.

One of these days, I'll deliver something worth its weight in saline solution. Just give it time.

And princesses. Will write for princesses.


What can I say about this episode that hasn't already been said?

Was it a good installment? I feel like quoting Matthew Mcconaughey from Interstellar: "No, it's necessary."

T'wasn't bad. Overall, I'm glad they did it, seeing as it finished the sort of Luna!Dreamweaver trilogy that was introduced in S3. Out of all three, I lurved Scootaloo's the most (friggin' duh). And I felt that Sweetie Belle's was a really fun use of non-linear narrative while at the same time teaching a pretty nifty lesson that's important for young kids: having an open perspective.

Apple Bloom's lesson is... uhm... don't panic? Really, though, Apple Bloom experiences a pretty mature and reasonable anxiety. For the entire dayum show, she pines for the day when she gets her cutie mark. All of the sudden, she's introduced to the idea that her magically assigned horse destiny may--in fact--not be something she'd be content with. It's not so much a character flaw as it is a mark of maturity, imo, and I feel like there could have been a gazillion different ways that they could have dealt with it, from creating analogies to mid-life-crises to existentialist fears. Did it necessitate a dream episode? Eh... The time loop is a classic trope, and it was nifty seeing it used in the world of pony, but it only made the plot feel all the more stilted cuz from the first act onwards everyone knew what was up.

In the end, I don't really feel like much was accomplished. Apple Bloom was told not to freak out... but why? And to what end? Maybe my own cynicism makes it implausible for me to buy into the episode's resolution. But, still, it was nice to see such admittedly goofy dream sequences. Plus, we got Scootaflight... even if it was faux Scootaflight.

I guess my biggest beef with the episode is never having witnessed Babs Seed getting her cutie mark. I've never seen myself as a member of the "Let's All Hate on Season Three" Club. Admittedly, her introductory episode is pretty crappy, but I thought she was a decent character that deserved more exposure. It was nice getting her in the Apple Family Reunion, but at this point she sorta feels like an afterthought of a long-departed season. F'naaaa. Hopefully we'll see her return at some point. Maybe when the Cutie Mark Crusaders finally decide to invade the Fire Nation.

"DERPY WANT MUFFINS"


Have I mentioned I'll write for princesses?

-SS&E

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Comments ( 21 )

It's alright, Appledashery is the funnest kind of suck. :rainbowwild:

Oh puleeze, Skirtsie darling. You're being too hard on yourself.
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I suppose the entire lesson/jist/moral of Bloom and Gloom is to keep an open mind and don't let the worries of life take over your fuzzy little head. It wasn't the greatest episode, but it did have some fairly valuable lessons for the shows target audience - and, admittedly, good lessons for bronies everypony too.

I think the only thing I wish for Appledashery's case is for the chapters to be a little longer. There's been quite a few that I feel like could've easily been joined together instead of seemingly cut in half.

Then again, I've been reading the Austraeoh series for the better part of the last few weeks, and a lot of those chapters easily break the 2,000 word mark. Guess I've just been getting spoiled, and I keep forgetting Appledashery as a whole is a little more notorious for shorter chapters.

"Appledashery sucks"
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Shut up.

Hap

One of these days, you're going to visit some tiny European nation, and meet an actual princess. I just know it.

Naw, AppleDashery is fun! Just not many have the patience to wait until the actual appledashery happens:trixieshiftleft:

I'm still hoping you'll get back to Hoodies someday, but until then, I'll just read everything else you put out, because it's all awesome.

Plush Ado About Nothing was honestly the first comedy story you've written in a while that actually made me laugh.

Appledashery may be goofy at times, and I wish there were a little more... y'know, appledashery. But it's still a fun story. And as Thomas Ligotti said, "Literature is entertainment, or it's nothing".

PresentPerfect
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I'm a little bit surprised that more authors didn't leap upon the whole nomgSpikehasaRarityplushie gag.

I am about to, and it's going to be terrible.

Appledashery DOES suck. But ahhh that sweet, sweet Rarijack.

He's running the wrong way. Jack, you dingus.

And yeah... Appledashery really really sucks.

Lol. If you need me, I'll be waiting for the next epic chapter.

Is it possible to be bored of sad?

For you, completely understandable, your sad fics can destroy an otherwise proud, strong man. I can't imagine what they do to you.

If you look closely at that lightning gif you'll see that Applebloom literally has an apple-shaped bone in her torso

I can only admire that dedication for posting chapters every single day, for so many years straight.

We're a little different. I liked Castle Sweet Castle and Bloom and Gloom more than The Cutie Map.

For Whom the Sweetie Belle Tolls and Bloom and Gloom stand out to me because they have the darkest feeling tone in my eyes. Most would probably call one of the crazy ponies or premiere/finale episodes the darkest, but the nightmare episodes just feel freakier to me.

Castle Sweet Castle was the exact opposite. It was super duper light and sweet. With this kind of mood whiplash, I really have no idea what to expect from the next episode.

Foreshadowing Scootaflight is foreshadowing.

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