A Tribute to Those of you who Have Been Here for the Long Haul · 2:44am Feb 4th, 2016
I just realized that 2 days ago to the day was the 4 year anniversary of my joining of Fimfiction. Wow. February 2012... that's like ancient history now within the fandom. For myself and all of 2012's kids who are still here... I think you could say we're all veterans within the fandom now, personally having been a fan of the show since I accidentally discovered it on YouTube in late 2011. 4 years ago I was a senior in high school, and when I discovered the show and later the fandom I thought it was like one of the greatest things ever, and I still do. Though I never realized how much this fandom would actually change my life at the time... and the fact that I'm still here is a legacy of that. I had liked certain animated "children's" shows a lot in the past before... such as Talespin and Chip n Dale's Rescue Rangers. Some pretty solid and classic tv shows... but nothing like MLP. I'll never forget this period of my life, where the great show and its fandom has allowed me to gain many friends, allow thousands of people to read and enjoy some of my silly writings, been a real antidepressant when I need it, and many other great and memorable experiences. Both online and in person.
This website has changed a lot since then... I remember when the featured box was on the top of every page for everyone to constantly see and it only having 3 slots. I remember the suggested story box at the bottom of the page that always seemed to include My Little Dashie and Anthropology. I remember when this site didn't have notifications. I remember "controversial" groups like the Train-Wreck Explorers, and the forum flame wars that would start over things they said and what was said about them. There were many featured-box debates too. It all may be a tad frivolous, but still good times nonetheless lol....
I understand that lately I have not been the most active or reliable user here, especially in the last couple years, largely attributed to several semesters of massive workloads at college and its associated stresses. However, my university life has still been somewhat pony-centric, with a couple of my best friends and fraternity brothers also being fans of the show. I've continued to watch the series very attentively, and I've always at least lurked in the background of this site from time to time. At this point it's become clear I will very likely continue to watch the show and be apart of this wonderful fandom until the very end, which hopefully is not anytime soon.
Lately I've been considerably more active though as my final semester of college is relatively light, recently updating one of my original stories and I have plans to write new ones. I've always wanted to make a return to writing before it's too late, and now is finally the time.
In conclusion, I'd like to thank everyone here whom I've shared great conversations and times with. You've all helped create great memories, as well as help me through difficult times. Thank you to them, and thank you to all in the fandom. You really are great.
I look forward to more good times and memories in the future.
Also, this is tagged with Twilight Sparkle's Past and Future because I plan to work on that too.
You rock too, y'old coot.
Yooooooooooo
3732118 Yooooooo.
Lol. I'm sure you remember well. I actually thought you might say something about that. I'm sorry again for the crap that I caused then XD.
Well congrats on your anniversary, pardner! I'm not far behind you, my 4th year is coming up in only 3 months. For that matter, 2012 must've been a good year
3732151 Thanks, it really was. So far nearly everything I've written on Fimfiction was done in 2012, and that's when this site changed by far the most too. Its format hasn't changed much since 2012. I was just barely here early enough to catch a glimpse of how different it used to look and function, back when I was just an obscure reader haha.
It's weird how long it's been now... but hopefully not too late to still be active.
3732136
Man, it's been all good for well over three years
3732183 Well that's good. The 22 year old me now is not the same as my stupid and quite immature 18 year old Freshman self then XD. I remember making big deals out of basically nothing.
I can't remember exactly what people even argued about though in regards to the Train Wreck Explorers... do you? Obviously it's all pretty frivolous now. I'm just curious.
3732213
I'm a spiteful old butthead, so I remember everything. Some of it's pretty hilarious.
3732231 Ah, what are some things you remember about the train wreck explorers?
I also wonder how many people on this website still even remember them...
3732233
Well, it depends on the timeframe. When the group got deleted, a lot of people came out of nowhere and blasted us. Many of them insisted we were nothing more than worthless trolls. Or horrible authors. I think there were even comparisons to Nazis.
In the years since TWE died, ex-TWE staff and reviewers have gone on to:
- Become site staff (Plum)
- Join Seattle's Angels, a group that does story recommendations for the site blog (Plum, me, Scribblestick, ambion)
- Cofound WRITE, which was the best reviewing group for a couple years and was EQD's go-to group for rejects (Plum, me, OtterMatt, sierra_seven_)
- Join WRITE's reviewing staff (ambion, Scribblestick, Killer Steel, Simon_oSullivan, IncoherentOrange, FoughtDragon01, twow443, Axel_Nyan, La Barata, Lord Sunder, Quick Fix, Fallen Prime)
- Get featured by the RCL (Midnight Dancer, ambion)
So yeah. What a bunch of worthless trolls the lot of us was.
I'd be understating things if I said this sort of spiteful, "Ha! Look at us now!" stuff gave me quite a bit of pleasure.
congrats. I'm probably not far behind either. I visit the site off and on every couple of weeks or so just to see what's going on. haven't done much on it. been mostly playing xbox and workreally
For us that after so long we still stand strong
Same here, it's our horsewerds birthday month!
...same length of time too.
I remember 22 year old me, with my fresh undergraduate degree, being super hyped that there would be a second season with Luna in it after going through the first season a few times after that season ended. I found the show when some of the webcomics that I read made references to it.
When Pinkie started singing "giggle at the ghostlies", that was a magical moment for me.
I said to myself while nodding, "you know, I think I'll be just fine in this fandom".
Musicals are a great thing.
Current 27 year old me kind of wants to take a swing at writing after reading so much, but is deathly afraid of the jump.
I remember when the counter for how many words you read over all. I got INCREDIBLY self conscious when my counter got into the millions.
While a part of me thinks that the fandom is cooling down and I see that more and more "ask-_____" tumblers are shutting down/getting abandoned. I still hope that we have some more time in the show and with each other.
Here's to you
Nicola and Bartfellow Bronies! /)3732255 I don't blame you. I know you guys did a lot of good things, and had an undeserved poor reputation. Only a few bad apples fucked you in other words I'm pretty sure I recall.
3732308 True dat.
3732352 You've really been around since my beginning... this blog is largely for you. Happy horsewords birthday month to you too, and hopefully there'll be more in the future.
3732402 Yeah... I have kinda a similar story, except I was 17 not 22 haha. You're such a veteran... why don't you take a swing at writing? I'm sure you'd be fine.
And yeah, the fandom might be "cooling down" so to say, but I don't think that means the show and the fandom are any less great. I think it just means that the people who jumped on the bandwagon in the original 2011/2012 hype have proved themselves unloyal... and only the real hardcore fans of the show tend to be left. Which there are still many of course XD. I don't think that's necessarily such a bad thing.
I hope we have more time too. We know there's at least one more season as well as a feature length movie in a little less than a couple years. Hopefully there will be at least a couple more seasons to go along with that too.
373215
Oh crap. My fourth year is this April! WHAT!? NO! I'm SO OLD! NOT PREPARED FOR THIS!
3733457
I guess I haven't taken the jump largely because of fear.
(Fear is how I faaaalllll!!! These wounds will not heaaaallll!!!!)Fear because I wasn't too hot with formal grammar in high school (in my senior year of high school, I did dual-course credits for my college English and literature requirements) and I got in some trouble in middle school for my creative writing (I named the super villain, who straps the protagonist to a bomb, after an ass hat classmate).
As well as the whole "watch what you post on the Internet, because your future employer will see it" fear.
In addition, I don't think that my writing will rise above the C-grade fanfics.
My writing would likely just be a mouth-full of spit into the ocean.
I don't know man.
I just don't know.
(Sorry in the reply delay.
)
I tend to read on this site late at night before going to sleep, but I have been needing to get up at reasonable hours recently.
3738318
Actually, you wereYou've got this Bro(ny)!![youtube=2mAaG6FqcvA]
EDIT: Fourth year in what BTW?
3753068
Fourth year on FiMFiction. On April 2nd, 2016.
Yikes.
3753060 Still... you'll never know until you try... that kind of stuff can change over time. I'm sure you're not exactly the same person you were in grammar school and middle school.
3754921
Huh. My fourth year anniversary was December 27.
I joined in 2011.
3755059
Yeah, true. The "future employer looking at your online posts" is still a valid concern though.
(D&D/RPG metaphor ahoy!
)
)
) (We broke up between then and now, but we maintain a friendship)
I've raised my STR, INT, and WIS stats since then (at least I like to think that I have
It could be argued that my CHA score also went up, but I sometimes think that the times that I am apparently charming, is just me making high charisma checks.
It has been about four years since I met my college girl friend, and I still reflect on the night that we met to figure out what I did right that night. (I just don't know what went right!
3755621
So you're masochistic. I get it. I am too.
3755627 I know exactly what you mean lolol.
3757192 I pretty much am too. The three of us should form a Fimfiction masochist club
3757353
Just say the word.
3757192
Why am I a masochist for being here so long?
*whips self with a flagellation chain*
I don't get it.
3757353
Concerning the fear of future employmers looking at your old posts, trying to figure out where you went right, or the D&D references?
3757192
Thanks for the follow BTW!
Though given that I don't have anything on my profile, may I ask why?
3758033 All of it. Lol.
3758353
Ah, I see.
Perhaps one of these days, I'll fail either my WIS or INT check, which may lead to me rolling for some WILL saves.
If I pass the WILL saves, then I'll roll for my untrained perform check.
I'll let you know when that happens.
For my CHA stat.... I guess I'll grow a better beard and handle bar moustache combo for a CHA bonus?
At least cancel out the negative that I currently get with my face.
Wait.
Would writing fanfics be a "Profession (Fiction Writer)" check instead of Perform?
3759530 It would be some kind of writer lol. And you should totally grow a handle bar mustache. There aren't enough of those around these days.
3759715
('vanilla' as in plain).
I had one at the end of last semester and into this past holiday season.
Everyone loved it, and there was happiness across the land!
I had a handful of interviews after the holidays and it got struck down for that.
The general guideline for getting a job is to be dressed up, shaved face, and be incredibly vanilla
After you're hired and been there for a few months, is when you can rock facial hair again.
I regretted shaving my beard and stache off as I was doing it.
Now ALL of my hideous face is on display!!
3760220 Lol. Be sure to rock that thang in the future though when you can. I wish late 19th/early 20th century mustaches and hairstyles make a comeback.
3760454
In various places in the US, some (including the handlebar) have came back.
Pictures of soldiers, prior to the advent of chemical warfare (the actual reason for modern military hair cuts and clean shaven faces(the moustache that is generally allowed doesn't look too good (apparently special forces guys are allowed to go full Santa Claus in the field)), is for getting a good seal with gas masks) often include some pretty dope facial hair.
If I am allowed to, I may also bring back my Mohawk at my new job along with my handlebar.
Also, we were a remote IT outsourcing solutions company.
At my previous job, I could do it since I was in a remote office with no physical face to face with our customers.
3761571 I see I see. Makes sense. Well... wouldn't it be cool if say... our next president grew a handlebar mustache. Even if it were Hillary Clinton lolz... imagine that. I bet it would make a serious comeback if that happened.
3761579
We haven't had a President with a moustache since.... Maybe Teddy Roosevelt.
The President having facial hair would likely cause a large resurgence of facial hair across the US.
Though, there is the chance of the President "Hilter-ing it".
Hitler effectively killed the Charlie Chaplin moustache by being a genocidal ass hole. Reportedly, Hitler had Chaplain's moustache style since Hitler was a big fan of Chaplain.
Charlie Chaplin was likely the last good guy to wear that moustache.
So, if the President is unpopular enough, then they could "Hitler" the handle bar.
Hitler-ing the handle bar would be a massive loss for humanity.
Though more US politicians (non-municipal) need facial hair so they are more distinguishable from each other. Practically all of them are clean shaven.
3762037 Yeah. It's definitely not a thing in the modern era politics of the USA.
And yes I've heard that about Hitler... he certainly did admire Charlie Chaplain. And yes... he kinda had a bad reputation by the end of his life to put it lightly
Just imagine... if you saw something like this on TV at the union address or something...
freedomsphoenix.com/Uploads/Graphics/000-0827194458-hitlerbho.jpg
The nation might not like that.
3762068
That moustache would be an easy way to lose the support of at least senior citizens, the LGBT community, and Jewish citizens.
There would be some bad implications if a President with that moustache, had a significant jump in approval ratings.
3781260