BC 2016 · 3:16am Jul 13th, 2016
Aaand back from Bronycon 2016!
"Oh, wow! Those are amazing! Can I take a picture? Thanks! Wow. How much is Chrysalis? How much? Huh. I think my hand started shaking too much to take a better picture. Well, that's amazing! I'll come back when I win the lottery!"
MFW the sheer amount of hours of work that goes into all of that, tho!
Going to a nerdy/geeky/fandom convention is always a fun thing in many ways: you're surrounded by the stuff you love; you roam vendor halls stuffed to the brim with the products that you wish you could afford are also a huge part of your geekyness; the music, the artists and even the staff are dressed up to celebrate that specific occasion which you too have made the time and effort to attend presumably with a plan on where to stay and food to eat and not just to abuse the kindness of strangers and— anyway...; you have panels and talks and events focused on that thing you love, by people that love that thing you love and even the people that made that thing you love; and—last but most certainly not least—the friends you have made in real life and online being all there to geek out with you about that same thing; and if you happen to have followers and they're there and they want to be friends, well... I mean, what else is there to say? Other than "let's just hope they follow you because they like you," I mean.
In other words, conventions like Bronycon, Anime Expo, PAX, E3, etc. are HUGE validation-fests at their finest. As they should be.
"Are you sure Luna doesn't mind taking the picture even if she's not in it?"
"It's fine! What's the worst that could happen?"
Needless to say, a lot of stuff happened and a LOT of people were met, talked to, had dinner with, etc. To be perfectly honest, listing everyone here would be a bit difficult, but if I spoke to you, please drop a message in the blog as well as the nature of our specific conversation if you remember. I'm VERY good at remembering faces and conversations, even if names sometimes elude me, and I'd really appreciate recognizing your user names here.
That said, a few shout-outs are always a thing:
My car ride buddies: Robcakeran53, Corejo, Trick Question and Andrew. We had fun, for sure. Wee! Seriously, it was great to drive with you guys, talk about everything, listen to pony music for an extreme amount of time, exchange IT-abuse stories and whatnot!
My fellow panelists: There's a lot more to say, but it was great hanging out with you and talking about writing to many eager fellow MLP fans just as interested in pone words. So, in no specific order: Pascoite, Bad Horse, Skywriter, Bradel, Capn Chryssalid, GaPJaxie, Somber, Pen Stroke, Arad, El Oso, The Illustrious Q, Burraku Pansa, Gary Oak, ABagOfVicodin and Captain Unstoppable. Honest truth, a lot of you saved my butt up there more often than I feel comfortable with. Next year I'm definitely limiting my panel-participation to a minimum so I can contribute much more and not get overwhelmed (even if only happened once, it drove the message home!) So thank you, so much, because you all teach me something new every time we meet.
The guys that took the risk: Dawnscroll and Zef— guys, I'm glad you went for it and you enjoyed yourselves to the fullest! I hope to see you both next year at BC again!
The men behind the scenes: Applejinx, Sunchaser and CyborgSamurai— Awesome job. Awesome, awesome job. The whole con experience would NOT be the same without those three.
That dude that took my solo picture for some obscure purpose: Who are you?
The man with who I drank around 4/5ths of a Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack with: Archonix. Mate, that was an awesome conversation, let's have another one soon! And the invitation to visit will always be open if you ever feel like doing so!
The new guy: Lunatone, awesome job in your panel! Glad you had the guts to apply for one, got it, and pulled through! It was very nice to make your acquaintance!
The guy with the hard copy of The Empty Room: Norcon72, that was the most thoughtful gift man, thank you so much! It was awesome to talk to you in person about projects and such! Let's have fun doing stuff we love!
The artists: DustySculpts (my eternal brother), White Diamonds (who really likes my voice though it doesn't compare to her art) and the awesome E The Pony, who is always a pleasure to see and have a short chat with.
And now the long list as much as I can remember them! I talked to all of you and you are all awesome!
Wait... is that... is that Aquaman on the far left?!
Admiral Biscuit (Thank you so much for the pickle!)
Aquaman (Dude we need to really hang out next time!)
Couch Crusader (Another gentleman I need to chill out with. It was very nice to see you bro!)
Abyss (I kept promising to go have a drink with you and I kept getting dragged around. At least we got to chat for a bit, stay cool, man!)
Cerulean Voice (Very nice to meet you in person! We need to get together and grill!)
Horizon (Wish our conversations were longer, but I will say you have one of the friendliest demeanors I've ever seen. I think it would be pretty awesome to have a real talk sometime!)
Jake The Army Guy (Jake. You know it, bro. Much respect and love.)
Jedi Master Ed (You sir, are a gentleman, a scholar and you give BH the best presents EVER. One day we should converse in a place that is not being sunbathed and surrounded by crowds.)
DjThomp (Dude, always a pleasure to see you! You should, however, have introduced me to Crystal Wishes and Anzel! Come on, man!)
Biker Dash (Ye gods, we talked for like... 10 seconds this time?)
Majin Syeekoh (You did not look how I expected you to look.)
The Masked Ferret (Ferret! Such short encounters we had! We need to make time next time to talk over coffee or tea or whatever it is that Canadians drink.)
The Elusive Badgerpony (We kept meeting and not really talking. What's up with that?)
Titanium Dragon (I do regret not hanging out more with you, man. Let's fix that next time, okay?)
Skeeter the Lurker (Skeeter it's always a pleasure, bro!)
Your Antagonist (Another dude I want to have longer conversations with! Still, the Zecora costume is as cool as always, and it was nice to say hi to you, man.)
FoughtDragon01 (Keep doing the art, man! If/when I visit Phili again, we'll get to have sushi again and you can show off the new stuff!)
Midnight Dancer (Middy, that was an awesome romance panel, well done! Again, I got dragged around a lot but it was nice to have breakfast on the last day)
Alexstrazsa (Man, the vending hall was not the same without you! I'm glad you made it to your panel! I'm sorry I couldn't attend, but I'll be watching it ASAP when it comes up on youtube!)
shalrath (Dude, it was fun hanging out! Let's do it again next year!)
The 24th Pegasus (ah! damn another missed opportunity to chat beyond a random awkward-standing encounter while one of us flees for some reason or another! Next year perhaps?)
Pegasus Brigade (Why is it we always meet for fleeting moments, and then when things calm down we don't actually chat? Ye gods man.)
Zyrian (We didn't hang out much this time around, but I'll be fun reminiscing over BC with RobCakeran and Admiral Biscuit over at that bar, right?)
bookplayer (That was an amazing panel, you chose the perfect people for the job! It was great and very nice to see you, even if we didn't chat more!)
Pav Feira (Those hugs, man. Those hugs.)
AppleDash5 (You are an incredibly gentle person, it was very nice to meet you however briefly and to chat for a little while! Thanks for the heads up on the keys!)
GreyPon3 (Very nice to have met you and chatted! Next year I'll make sure to take a picture with you in both your costumes!)
Anyway, I know there's more of you. (In fact, I just went and added someone right now somewhere in the list!) So please, if we chatted, let me know below!
Once more, it was an amazing experience, and I'm glad I got to share it with so many people that are really special to me. Here's to another year, guys!
"Yes, Sunset, that is indeed the almost complete next chapter of Gunsmoke."
Next year I'll buy a bottle of some really good liquor and force you to split it with me haha. Sure was a fun time.
...I'm almost afraid to ask how you expected me to look.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
So many authors and I only met Abyss!
I'M SORRY!!!
Next time, I'll stick around longer... I PROMISE!
I have unsuccessfully scoured the Interbutts for a picture of a starbucks coffee cup with a set of wings and a halo. I figured it would be relevant here.
Wanderer D, you're an exquisitely chill guy, and i'd love to hang out with you more next year. (especially if and when single malt liquor is involved)
Btw - does this remind you of anything?
4088059 it does!
4088043 NO APOLOGIES! (I was running around too!)
4088042 You know, I heard you were there and yet no dice. Next BC if you see me, do say hi!
4088010 Mwahahaha!
4087998 If you bring the good stuff...
4087995 The wheels on the bus go round round round!
It was good meeting you, bro. I appreciate the shout out and compliment, I really do. Funny enough, I'll be 21 when the next BronyCon comes around. Next time around we can go get a drink and talk. I was a little quiet when we were hanging around the vendors and on Sunday night, but that's how I usually am when I meet new people; I apologize for that. Next time I'll be more chatty.
Cheers, bro!
4088010 static.ylilauta.org/files/ue/orig/4cno3ibb/kaulaparta.jpg
4088063 I hope so. I was Big Mac on Friday and Doctor Whooves on Saturday.
4088043 Hey, at least we got to chat for a bit, right?
4088066
Next year we're gonna all get together and party so hard we won't stop till the morning comes.
And then we'll keep drinking to our heart's content!
And then find some buckets to throw up in. XP
4088069
It was nice seeing you, even if we didn't get to chat a whole bunch. I ended up spread a bit thin, as I wanted to meet all the people, which resulted in me not being able to spend a huge amount of time talking to most of them. Those darned time flies just keep eating up all the minutes and hours.
4088083 Wait... as in David Tenant or full suit?
4088088
I partied with Pinkie Pie Thursday night, and I have the vomit stains on my badge to prove it.
4088088
Haha, sounds like a plan to me, bro.
4088096 Matt Smith. I was also in the Cosplay Fashion Show holding a K-9 plushie and sonic screwdriver.
4088104 I saw a couple of Doctors. I wonder... are you going to post pics?
4088110 Now that you mention it. Possible. I don't know how to upload photos from my phone to here.
4088113 you need to upload them to a host service first. Just not imgur.
4088010
Like Adagio, duh
Also I totally saw you around once or twice but thanks to WILD RUNNING AROUND STAFF THINGS I never got to say hi, which was sad. You and CV were the top of my 'People I meant to chat up and failed to' list. I caught most of the rest of the Fimfiction Pokemon, thankfully!
Oh well. Next year!
4088063 We need to do lunch together at BC17!
4088084 Next year, we'll hang out some lol. Maybe chase a Scootaloo cosplayer with adoption papers!
I met you in registration line! I shook your hand like three times and fanboy'd so hard. And that first pic of the line has my buddy's huge forehead in it! It was great to meet you and you were so nice as I geeked out about my favorite stories of yours! Thanks again!
Next year I'll break out the booze. Some stiff drinks and maybe a handful of shots should make us stop acting like nervous introverts all the time. Still, great to see you and talk to you (what little of it we did)! And I swear I'll read something you've written by then I promise.
Oh god, that Chryssie figurine is so awesome!
Maybe I'm missing something here, or the picture leaves something out, but that looks like a crude sculpture comprised of shredded paper. What's so special/expensive about it?
Ohaidere. Was very good to meet you!
shitshitshit I need to read Gunsmoke!I had a blast! Thank you for taking care of me >.> I would have lost my shit, had you not been there (twice).
4088331
I think they're made out of colored wire. I've never seen the appeal myself, but you gotta figure it takes a looooot of man-hours to twist all that crap together.
4088119 Here's on photo of me from Saturday:
http://jack-rabbit2.deviantart.com/art/BronyCon-2016-621378643
4088010
I too have always pictured you as looking exactly like Adagio.
I will find a way to sit down and talk to you legitimately.
Somehow.
~Skeeter The Lurker
4088231 Oh man, I remember that! And don't worry, I'm always equally excited when someone recognizes me and tells me they like my stories!
4088010 what 4088176 said! I expected you to at least have the Majin Boo symbol on your forehead!
4088177 There is always next year! There's a whole bunch of Staff members I wanted to get to know better too!
4088350 It was! And yes, you do!
4088536 Aha! So that was you! Okay, now I have a face for the name!
4088560 Sounds like a plan!
Ayy. Glad to see you made it back alright.
4088574 i'll see what I can do next year about the M
I'll see if I can do better about that next year, they're already planning on returning and if things work out so will I. August 11–13th is pretty close to the start of the school year, though, and it can be hard to get vacation approved that close in. We'll see.
4088574 Cool. And by the way, how did you hear I would be there?
I really hope that Book is treating you well, my books have a tendency to... fall apart after a while, so I experimented with that one, hopefully it will last longer
I really need to invest in better glue.I see you didn't bring up the thing, so I'll only speak about it in vague terms, but you really saved my butt, and I feel like I owe you a the finest stake in Baltimore next year, but with all these drinks and sandwiches all these other people want to get with you, I don't see how we'll have the time :(
Regardless, it was a blast meeting you in person and I hope to see you again next year.
4088601
And the big poofy orange wig. It's probably only like 40 bucks to get one.
So you should buy one.
And if you don't I may do it myself and insist you wear it all weekend.
4088881 ...fiiiiiine
4088331
4088449
They said the sculptures were made out of plated jewelry wire, which is apparently really expensive? The price tags on those things were insane. I didn't want to even think about touching them when they were worth more than the plushies that cost hundreds of dollars.
I don't think I say it enough at these conventions and I'll say it again:
"Yes I do commissions. And yes I'll make your OC."
~dusty
What I really mean to say is that our conversations we had about that revitalizing, idiosyncratic energy conventions like BronyCon you've encapsulated in one word: validation-fests. It is a strangely comforting experience to be the most open to a stranger you'll only meet for a couple days out of the year talking ships and sales and moorings. Point in fact, TSSSF or Shipfic for short, is a card game that we've both only played at BronyCon. While an excellent card mechanic, its not a game you'd play with the normies simply because the concept of shipping ponies is impossible to describe. In only the physical presence of fellow Bronies does the game truly shine because nothing need be said. We know that Waifu stealer Flash Sentry deserves Tom and if Rarity wants to have a changeling harem, she darn well deserves it. Shipfic exists because of places like BronyCon where we can love & tolerate the shit out of each other, even if only for a few days.
But like any true addiction the feeling of comradery & companionship lasts exactly as long as it takes till the next BronyCon (which we'll all be at next year to take our hit despite saying it was our last one).
What I'm really saying here is that this is an intervention. And you're under arrest for trafficking pretty pony Princesses across state lines.
You know where & when I'll see you next you phenomenal brother~
~dusty
4088599 Me too!
I'm not entirely sure
4088620 I look forward to it if we manage that!
4088696 Either I saw it mentioned or I read your nametag
4088704 No worries bro. I didn't bring it up because nothing needs to be said. You'd do the same for me if situations were reversed.
4089021 Sure, the material is expensive, but I do wonder how likely it is that you'll be able to sell something like that.
4090753 Stay chill bro, we'll chat soon, I hope!
4091014
If I've learned anything from 4 years of Bronycon, it's that there are too many attendees with way more disposable income than they know what to do with and no knowledge or willingness to negotiate prices. I guarantee they sold a few for a few thousand bucks.
Has that group picture with GM Berrow turned up anywhere yet?
4092902 Horizon posted a copy.