Experiments in Poor Judgment, vol. 2 · 11:30pm Apr 16th, 2014
So there was sufficient interest after the last time that I've been planning to revisit Experiments in Poor Judgment. For anybody who's new to following me, or who missed out last time, this is when I drink inadvisable amounts of alcohol and "write pony words". Which, if last time was any indication, means I probably get about 30-60 minutes of increasingly distracted writing done, followed by an indeterminate amount of me: making intoxicated comments about the state of pony fanfiction, commenting on my life (positively and negatively), occasionally divulging too much information, and yelling at the kids to get off my lawn. What happens largely depends on just how sauced I get. This time, though, I've got three new variables added to the mix!
(1) Experimental Setting
I'll be doing this on Friday night, and I'm estimating it'll get started around 10:00pm Pacific Time, though it might start earlier. Watch for a blog post to kick things off, once I'm set up. But the odd bit here is that I'm going to be sitting in a hotel room in San Francisco, CA, attending BABSCon, when this goes down. So you can expect some observations on what it's like being at my first pony convention, once I've got a few sheets set to the wind.
(2) Collaborators
One major change this time around is that I won't be doing this alone! Experiments in Poor Judgment is going to be joined by my Royal Canterlot Library co-curator Horizon, who will be hanging out in my hotel room with me and working on a story of his own while we both become less and less capable of rational human activity.
ETA: More details on Horizon's part in our scientific endeavors can be found here!
(3) Materials
I wasted precious minutes last time trying to find something to write about. Well, gentle reader, I'm pleased to report that this time, I come prepared with a story prompt already in hand! I don't know how close this will get to being a real story, I don't know if I'll be able to put it in publishable shape after I'm done, and I don't know if Fimfiction will let me post it on the site anyway (because of metafic rules). But it's exactly as terrible as a story prompt for this sort of thing should be.
I'll be writing a self-insert story. Except it's not just any self-insert story. I've managed to get permission from someone else with a ponysona to include them in my cheap, horrible story idea. So if you'd like to know what you'll be getting Friday night—at least as long as I'm capable of stringing words together to make fiction, prepare yourselves for...
"Bradel and Skywriter Visit Canterlot"
There will be tiara shops. There will be ponies complaining about the story's abysmal lack of Cadance. There may even be a cameo by Ms. Harshwhinny. Equestria itself will tremble!
Also, I want to give "Twilight Sparkle Investigates" folks a bit of an update, here—both because Experiment #1 is what led directly to that story[1], and because I didn't manage to get an update out last week. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it won't be updating this week either. I've been dealing with grad school and getting ready to hit up BABSCon for most of the week, and I don't expect I'll have a lot of time to mess with ponyfic until, paradoxically, I'm actually there in San Francisco.
It doesn't help that I've decided to rejigger things a little with Chapter 5, either. There are some outstanding format issues that need resolving or the story structure is going to wind up eroding everyone's suspension of disbelief, so the present chapter is going to be diving a little ways into a frame story—a bit like what I did with "Amazingly Awesome Adventures", back in the day. I think I'll be doing this every five chapters from here on in, both as a safety valve for how the story is developing, and to give it a more satisfying conclusion once it hits Episode 20.
[1] In fact, I'd initially planned to use Experiment #2 to write another chapter. But I've decided that this is kind of a bad idea on a number of levels. First, I've already gone to that well in this very story. Second, now that "Twilight Sparkle Investigates" has an organized plot, it doesn't work quite as well for me to ramble at it incoherently and then try to find a publishable story in what I generate. Third, the story's not actually up to an episode where it makes sense for Twilight to be getting seriously discombubbulated[2]. Well, okay, maybe it is—but it's a stretch. It'd fit better in a few more episodes. Like I said, though, at this point it'd be going back to the same well, and I'd rather have new chapters offering readers new and interesting things.
[2] Yes, I can make up words. I'm a writer. But I think this is an excellent way to describe drinking too much champagne.
Discombobulated has been a word for a long time.
Edit: you just spelled it wrong...
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No, I spelled it right! Because bubbly!
Discomblublublub.
That's what the little voice in your head that whispers 'No, don't do that' sounds like under enough whiskey.
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Context is everything....
Remember, if the pillars of heaven never tremble, you're doing it wrong.
I got some plans Friday, so I don't know if I can pop in this time.
If it goes long enough, I might be able to wander in to bedevil you again whilst you are too drunk to get rid of me.
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I always thought it sounded like "No, that's an awesome idea and you should do that. Twice." Or maybe that's rum...
*heavy breathing*
Probably me.
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Oh, come now. It's not a given that this story is going to end up as a bizarre homosexual 'shipfic.
After all, Rule 63 is a thing.
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That, um, never actually occurred to me. Um.
I was thinking more Statler and Waldorf. But I guess I will be drunk, so who knows what'll happen.
While you should be assured that I'm not actually pulling for it, do keep in mind that you've set up a situation where two former nemeses from two different pony tribes are going on a trip to the big city together. There is a certain consensus on this site of how such stories usually end.
Oh, and I should say here what I said over on horizon's sister entry: I really wish I could be there with you all. Here's hoping that there's a BABSCon 2 next year so that I have a second chance.
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From what I've been hearing, it sounds like this one is going to go off pretty well. The convention organizers have taken a lot of cues from... I can't remember what it is, but I guess there's a really big San Francisco fur convention? Anyway, I'll be eager to see how it goes, and it would certainly be nice if it happens again next year, given how much easier this is for me to attend than most conventions. I could potentially see myself doing both this and one of the two big ones in the same year.
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I have to admit to getting taken by surprise by how big BABSCon seems to have gotten. It wasn't on SPark's radar for vending, though, so we only made arrangements to be at Everfree and BronyCon.
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Further Confusion is the US' third-largest furry con, in nearby San Jose each January. The Babscon folks did advertising and held a room party there, where I was remarkably impressed with their skill in creating pony-themed mixed drinks.
Convolution (general sf/f con) was in November in the same hotel we're going to be at. Babscon folks did advertising and held a room party there as well.
When the Sac Brony Expo was held last year, the Babscon folks shadowed the SBE con chair during the event so they could get some hands-on experience with how running things goes.
They are, basically, entrenched in the local convention scene rather than trying to reinvent the wheel; and near as I can tell they've picked up a lot of crossover talent from the local SMOFs. This is a remarkably good sign. I trust them, financials unseen, to not be another Las Pegasus.
I think I might be able to make this one. Who needs sleep? The next day is a Saturday.
You know, I very explicitly don't have a "ponysona" but I could be a formless, nameless, vaguely malevolent spirit that leaves empty and nearly empty cups of awful tea* everywhere (underbewed, overbrewed, lacking in milk, excessive milk, jasmine tea made with boiling water...). You know, if you wanted.
*Never have I claimed to be "good" at tea, merely enthusiastic.
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You... you monster.
>10 pm Pacific Time
Aww, man! I won't be able to catch it live![1] It's my impression that that's the only reasonable way to do these things.
[1] I literally can't internet at that time.
So it looks like this kicks of at 6am for me. So do I stay up really, really late, or go to bed early? Decisions, decisions.
Edit: So it looks like I'm going to bed early, because apparently I am being sensible. If I don't make it, I guess I slept in.
2022682 Just FYI, looks like we'll be starting soon.
A few of the rest of you might care, too:
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Best of luck, and take care of yourself while explicitly overimbibing. Alcohol isn't exactly 100% harmless.