EFNW 2019 - Prologue: Welcome Home · 10:48pm Jun 14th, 2019

Cover Art by Dawnfire!

When I first arrived at Everfree Northwest this year, one thought stood above all others: I’m home.

In the next few days, that thought would cement itself in my mind, bit by bit through every hug, every smile, every laugh, every kind word, every quiet encouragement and every person.

In the end, I realized that this was home simply because there is nowhere else I feel love like I do at MLP Convention, and there is no finer example than Everfree Northwest.

So, let’s get this party started.

It’s time for another massive retrospective where I go on and on and on and on and on about how awesome EFNW is. Last time, I wrote this as a personal journal and just me geeking out on how fantastic it went. Don’t worry, that’s still my main reason.

But there’s another reason this year, too.

After I wrote up the EFNW 2018 Retrospective, I got this comment from someone on FimFiction, saying reading it had made it feel like he was there. Well, I got to meet him at EFNW 2019. And he told me that the 2018 Retrospective played a big part in him coming back to writing (and writing ponies!) after six years.

As I write this, that man is out on deployment, serving in the U.S. Military. While I couldn’t get it done before he left, I definitely will have it ready and waiting for when he comes back. As such, this retrospective is dedicated to Kaipony.

I’ve received a few comments like Kai’s in the past (though I can’t remember specifics). So if this encourages you, inspires you, empowers you or anything like that, it’s for you, too.

The following blogs will contain blow-by-blow accounts of my journey through Everfree Northwest 2019, broken up day-by-day, starting early Thursday morning and ending with a detailed Epilogue where I give some final thoughts, as well as quotes from over fifteen different people about their experiences at EFNW 2019.

I should warn any who haven’t read my Retrospectives before. I tend to be rather stream-of-consciousness. You’ll have a bunch of pictures taken of the pretty view outside an airplane right before a huge outpouring of unvarnished emotion about how deeply this weekend impacted me.

Yeah, I’m a little weird like that. (Okay, fine, a lot). But consider yourself warned!

So what to do with a prologue, hm? After all, I have 35,000+ words of content coming. Why even bother with this?

I had considered an in-depth discussion on the various Greek translations of the word ‘love’ and how that translated to the experience I had at EFNW. That might be a good idea, but let’s leave out the in-depth part. In fact, let’s skip the discussion on all but one of them. Some places claim there are four "variants" of love for the Greek, some eight, I don’t know which is right.

I’m going to talk about one.

Philia - (Friendship Love) – “Philia is the love between equals who share goodwill toward each other. Ancient Greeks valued Philia over all other types of love. Features of this deep feeling of friendship include loyalty, the sharing of emotions (good and bad), and a sense of shared sacrifice. Philia is a virtuous, intimate companionship…” - Neos Skosmos

Honestly, I look at this definition, and it pales in comparison to what I got at EFNW. I’ve gone through all the lists about the types of love and nothing quite fits. I think I experienced something that’s mainly philia, but also it’s a little bit of pragma (committed love), philautia (self love/self-respect), agape (encompassing compassionate love), plenty of ludus (playful love - the friendship kind) and maybe a hint of mania (obsessive love).

EFNW defied the perfect definition. It defies logic and reason. It just… is. And while I spent so many words trying to capture it, I’ll tell you right now that I failed. I can’t capture the true spirit of a con like EFNW. You have to be there.

But, for some of us, that’s not possible. I can’t go to BronyCon and I know it will be magical in a crazy, crazy way. I hope someone takes the time to write a Retrospective and do their damndest to capture it.

In the end, I can only hope to come close. How well I did, well, that’s up to you.

I’m not going to spoil everything here, but I should give you a preview of just what you’ll get over the next few blogs. So, before I close out the prologue, time for a snapshot. Just a peek!

The Highlight Reel

- Round 18(ish) of Mono Vs. Albi
- Seeing Jyki get drunk off after finally getting the knowledge of what a unicorn tastes like.
- Carabas’s incredibly awesome voice. I could listen to it all day. I don’t always understand it, but I still love it.
- Losing every single game of TSSSF save the last, where everyone won!
- Getting to ramble on and on about the upcoming As the Raven Flies and My Kind of Crazy.
- Inducting a new member to the Church of SkyPie. I think we have four now, so we can move out of the broom closet!
- Albi sitting perfectly still as Mono stacked ducks on his head.
- Getting the cutest and snuggliest little beanie Moondancer that has ever existed. EVER.
- Finding out that Cozy Glow really is “just a psychopath” in the eyes of her VA!
- At long last, getting my physical copy of Long Road to Friendship, signed and hand-delivered by Albi himself, who even wrapped it and included a series of prints from the book in it!
- Meeting Sammi, Corejo’s significant other. I can say, without a doubt, that she is far too good for him. Seriously. Way too good for him.
- Getting to bring Bee back to see her two moms, Rose Quill and BlackWater (and hearing BlackWater squeak “Bee!” from right behind me)
- Some proper hangout time with Adge, Deathscar (Cal), Sam Rose and… believe it or not, Princess Deadpool.
- Cathy Weseluck staring in awe at the Coco Pommel print by LA-ndy and actually taking a picture of me holding it.
- Me offering to tie Albi to my bed at one point to keep him here for extra days at the con. Yup. I said that. Believe it or not. Ask Albi. I couldn’t get the rope fast enough, though.

Okay folks, I think that’s enough for the Prologue. Tomorrow, we’ll kick things off properly with Day 0 - Thursday: Socialization on an Epic Scale.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

-NI

Report Amber Spark · 632 views · #enfw #efnw 2019 #everfree northwest #everfree northwest 2019 #love #family #friends #FRIENDSHIP ACTUALLY IS MAGIC #retrospective

Comments ( 14 )

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Boltsinger

Boltsinger #1 · Jun 14th, 2019 · 1 · ·

Is it weird that this has already convinced me to go next year? Because now I'm definitely going next year!

Carabas

Carabas #2 · Jun 14th, 2019 · 2 · ·

Carabas’s incredibly awesome voice. I could listen to it all day. I don’t always understand it, but I still love it.

What better review can a voice wish for?

Stoked to read the rest of these, and glad you had such a rewarding time at the con. Looking forward to all the rest of this stream-of-consciousness.

Tsitra

Tsitra #3 · Jun 14th, 2019 · 1 · ·

5074286
You should. It was pretty great. ^^

HyperBlossom7

HyperBlossom7 #4 · Jun 15th, 2019 · 1 · ·

I thought I was already a member of the church of skypie, I shipped it before I saw you guys at the convention

Winston

Winston #5 · Jun 15th, 2019 · 1 · ·

I'll be BronyCon this year!

I'll try to write a retrospective to bring it to you, just like you bring EFNW to those who didn't get to be there. Don't know if it'll be as good as yours, but hopefully I can help people catch some of that "like I was there" feel from it, maybe. We'll see.

FanOfMostEverything

FanOfMostEverything #6 · Jun 15th, 2019 · 1 · ·

Glad to hear you had such a tremendous time. Looking forward to the play-by-play.

BatwingCandlewaxxe

BatwingCandlewaxxe #7 · Jun 15th, 2019 · 1 · ·

A whole month since the con, and part of me is still flying (despite having been grounded for a week by con crud). Was so amazing I do not have words. Showed up knowing not a single pony in person, and still had an amazing time. Got to meet some of my favorite writers and artists, get some good feedback on my own writing, and came home with a pile of swag, including prints by my favorite pony artist, and really cool pony blanket. Oh, and EileMonty complimented me on my kilt. I cannot wait for next year. Truly one of the best events I've ever attended.