noise."Bad Horse is in my bed · 1:20am Jul 18th, 2017
Lyra and Bon Bon went to Trotcon again, along with Admiral Biscuit!
I'd include the obligatory picture of them riding on the dash while we cross the Ohio state line, but this blog post is already gonna be kinda picture-heavy.
So I spent the weekend in Columbus, OH at the Crowne Royal Plaza hotel. This year, I didn't go to so many panels . . . I spent a fair bit of time mingling with people, for one, plus I also was playing Sentinels with Present Perfect and company. There's more details about that on his blog post.
I also attended the charity auction at the end of the con, which was a real hoot. They had some really awesome merch for sale, and they even had MA Larson and GM Barrow helping out for some of it. Among the highlights, GM Berrow fed didgeridude a marshmallow through his didgeridoo (it got stuck) and didgeridude got his stomach signed my MA Larson. Also, someone donated a rather significant sum of money to get MA Larson to sign his own arm.
I got a Burnt Toasted Ravioli plush that was signed by Lee Tockar, which was cool. I'd already bought one, but couldn't turn down a signed pony. She's a St. Louis Crystal Fair mascot pony.
I also scored a copy of the schedule which had lots and lots of Peanut Bucker stamps on it. The auctioneers estimated based on the sheer number of stamps that it was probably worth at least $5,000, and I only paid like $20 for it, so that was a damn good deal. 
Plus I got some other merch in the vendor hall--a pocket watch, a Zecora-themed journal cover made out of actual pony leather,* a few comics signed by Heather Breckel, some horse ears for my top hat, and I think that was pretty much all.
I finally decided to go into the after dark vendor hall as well. Probably y'all can guess what kind of pictures were for sale in there. I didn't stick around for too long, but I thought it was important just for the experience. And then afterwards when I was talking in the hall, somebody in a Scootaloo fursuit went in, and we were debating whether Scoots was old enough to see that kind of thing.
I also managed to get MA Larson, GM Berrow, and Heather Breckel to take genuine Admiral Biscuit shirts. They were all a bit confused by that, but that's okay.
Now I'm gonna jump back to Friday . . .
RobCakeran53 ran the speedfic panel, which was scheduled really early. Before opening ceremonies, in fact.
I spent some of Friday morning helping him get ready for it. For those of you who don't know him, he was born in 1853 and doesn't trust modern technology. So, unlike the EFNW writing contest, where we all used our laptops and there was a slick internet page that we submitted our stories on, Rob had typewriters.
A dozen of them.
None of them newer than 40 years old, and most probably older than that.
So, Friday morning before the panel, we were servicing a couple of them that he hadn't had time to get up to par before leaving for the con, and stringing the ribbons on them, that kind of thing. And then we wheeled one of those hotel carts loaded with typewriters down the hall to the panel room.
We actually had a good turnout, and a lot of people wound up having to handwrite their entries, 'cause we didn't have enough typewriters. And I'll be honest, there was something kind of neat about being in a room with a dozen typewriters going at once. Probably most of y'all have never experienced that, and you should. You can even consider it research, since it's canon that ponies have them.
I'd brought my own typewriter, although I haven't used the thing for years. I haven't used any typewriter in years, actually--not for any length of time.
It took a while for memories to come back, and there were some functions of the typewriter that I'd forgotten--things that I knew it could do but I didn't remember how to make it do them. For example, we're spoiled on computers because when we get to the end of a line, the computer just wraps around for us. Typewriters don't do that, although they do ding a little bell when you're close. I remembered that there was some way to defeat the margin if you had to go over by a letter or two, but I didn't remember what it was until I was on the fourth page--it's the M-R key.
I did remember how to make em dashes by using the the hyphen key in conjunction with the half-space key (dash, dash, move the carriage back two, then hit the half-space and add the third dash). And although I didn't have a correcting ribbon for my typewriter, I did have an eraser and brush combo. They didn't work all that well since they, too, were forty years old or so, but they got the job done.
Another thing about using an old-school mechanical typewriter is that you need a fair bit of force on the keys, and you can't type too fast, or else you'll jam them. It actually works best to kind of hunt and peck, rather than touch-type (although knowing where the keys are is of course a big advantage).
Unfortunately, as is often the case with older machines, sometimes they malfunction. I noticed partway through that my a key was sticking, and found a little bit of something in the typewriter. I pushed it out of the way, went a little bit further, and then I lost the a key again.
So it came down to emergency typewriter repair.
Once we'd finally got it fished out, I discovered that it was the emblem for the typewriter . . . the glue that held it to the front had failed, and the badge fell down into the keys. I have no idea how long it's been in there; possibly for years.
Overall, although time constraints, emergency field repairs, and the difficulty in using a conventional typewriter instead of a computer keyboard slowed me down, I got four pages done. It honestly isn't much of a story at this point; a few of them that got read after the typing time was over were much better than mine. However, I'm going to put it up here for posterity anyways.
<page 1>
<page 2>
<page 3>
<page 4>
I also met a lot of cool people at the con, some for the first time. I'm sure I'll miss some people, but here goes: Vengeful Spirit, Present Perfect, Prof Holly Oats, Bad Horse, Trick Question, Sudoku Brony, Von Snootingham, exsnaggerwes, Crunchy, RobCakeran53, Zyrian, Csquared08, Max, OleGrayMane, cogwheelbrain, and JediMasterEd. EDIT: and Morning Sun, who is at like every convention I've ever been to. EDIT EDIT: and IgnitedSage, who was at the Quickfic panel, and also a girl that looks kinda like Dana Simpson but with more rainbow-y hair whose name I didn't catch, and Corejo, and I'm sure I'm still forgetting people.
_____________________________________________
*probably not really, although I didn't ask.
Now you've got me psyched for Bronycon (Aug 11). The only thing is I have a memory like a sieve, so my list of people I meet is going to be "Well, I met... Bob, I think. And Fred. And some gal with a kid wearing a Trixie t-shirt."
4604753
That's pretty much how my memory works. I tend to remember people by their fimfic avatars; problem is, most people don't actually look like their fimfic avatars.
4604765 So you're not really a blank-flanked earth pony?
4604771
Sadly, no. Although I suppose I'd have trouble at my day job if I had hooves--it's really hard to hold a wrench with hooves.
I'd probably be pretty good at percussive maintenance, though.
*Sudoku. But I was really glad to meet you too!
Why does St. Louis get the cutest mascot c.c
Also 1853, I died XD
4604772
Without a cutie mark, you'd be terrible at your job. Also, I think, still legally a minor and therefor shouldn't be working.
Oh, the speed fic was fun! So glad I got to met you and Robcakeran53!
Where do you even get ribbons for mechanical typewriters anymore?
4604765
What... you mean I didn't look like my avatar at the bar/restaurant? I do have an alchemical symbol as a tattoo (thought much more complicated than my avatar), does that count?
Stupid work and stuff I had to do Saturday, wish I had been able to make it.
lol that time when Cygnus mistakenly called him Otto von Deutschmark.
Also, I'm reasonably sure that in that photo of you shoving your face into the business end of a typewriter, that's RobCakeran's hand holding the flashlight.
Also also, I'm pretty sure I can bring 2 typewriters to BronyCon if ROB plans on repeating that typewriter fiasco. I'll have to ask him.
Also also also, do you know if - for BronyCon - that invite-only writer's dinner is still going to be a thing? Cuz like... what's-his-nuts hasn't answered me about it.
4604895
That's your boggle?
Typewriter ribbon and dot matrix printer ribbon are basically the same, and dot matrix printers are still everywhere. O'Reilly auto parts only started phasing them out as receipt printers a few months ago. Most of their stores still have them right behind the counter, though they only use it for business customers now...
Anyway, yeah, you can get 'em all over. Staples, Office Depot/Max, Amazon, Walmart.com...
4604895
We bought 'em at Office Max
4604753
You'll definitely remember me. I'm... something all right.
4604972
Good old Dot Matricies. Their cacophony was my lullaby.
They were still being used when I was in highschool circa 2002.
I demand LyraBon pics!
And it was fun for me too.
Oh hey you remembered me at least (on an edit) unlike certain Present Perfects so you get a gold star
But I am glad you enjoyed the auction and thought it was awesome. For, well, I mean, I'm biased there for reasons and so rarely see feedback on them so if it was a true hoot, then great!
Read the part about the dozen typewriters, and I didn't get the joke at first. Then I got down to the pictures of the typewriters and I was like "oh wow you are serious!"
4604791
On the plus side, I remembered your username. Even if I misspelled it
I am so bad with names. If I ever found myself in Equestria, I'd be calling ponies by their coat colors or their butt-marks.
4604798
Oh come on, Peanut Bucker's totes adorbs.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/3/13/269427__safe_artist-colon-bamboodog_oc_oc+only_oc-colon-peanut+bucker_earth+pony_pony.jpeg
It's true, and we all know it.
4604799
Just because the cutie mark crusaders sucked at lots of things before they got their marks doesn't mean that everypony does.
That's my headcanon, too. Although I could theoretically be apprenticing without one.
4604895
There weren't that many different kinds. Cartridges for the fancy electric typewriters might be more of a challenge, though. Anyway, you can order nearly anything on the internet these days, if you can't find it anywhere else. Just for the sake of being thorough, I checked Amazon, and you can even still order mechanical typewriters.
4604897
Yeah, having a cutie mark tattoo partially counts. But to my disappointment, nobody I've met in person has turned out to be an actual pony, yet. I'm still holding out hope. . . .
There's always next year! This time I'll be smart and make announcements early (well, I say that, but I probably won't).
4604902
That's reasonably close IMHO.
Of course it is. That's the hand of a living fossil
As far as I know, we aren't having an official panel with them at Bronycon, although he is planning on bringing some for Quills and Sofas, since the one we had was such a big hit last year. I ought to bring mine, as well. Especially now that it's in top shape.
I haven't heard, although they've been having one for years, so I'd imagine. Maybe there isn't an announcement yet, or maybe they're trying to prevent us about knowing about it.
4604972
As far as I know, Firestone still uses them. One thing that dot matrix printers are nice for (besides being cheap and hard to kill) is printing things where you want to use carbon paper to have multiple copies of the same document, because the tech could write notes on it and then the shop kept a copy and the customer got one as well.
I kinda miss mine. When I was in college, it was really nice for doing rough drafts, because it was way quicker than the HP Inkjet I had (I think it was the first model of DeskJet . . . printed about one page per minute).
4604753, to help you out a little bit before Bronycon, 4605053 looks like a Hawaiian pirate, and odds are he'll be carrying some weird musical instrument you've never heard of or seen before.
Also, Super Trampoline, are you implying that you're coming to Bronycon?
4605100
There was something satisfying about finishing an essay, and then listening to the zzzzt-zzzzt-zzzzt of the printer. Plus you could make fun little springs out of the tractor paper guides (and you got to tear apart your essay and assemble it). Kids these days don't know what they're missing.
4605105
As you wish!
i.imgur.com/TxwE9Fj.jpg
Coincidentally, Roseluck is in that picture as well.
4605242
You're at every con that I go to so I kind of assume that you're at all of them. I was kinda disappointed in myself for not remembering sooner, though.
Yeah, it was a great time! I'm glad you made me stay for it; it was totally worth it. Especially the part with Larson and Barrow on stage.
4605317
I'm hoping that one of them will tweet something about it.
I've also given one to Andy Price (EFNW) and Dana Simpson (also EFNW). And I swear, her lookalike was at Trotcon. Does she have a sorta-twin with more rainbow-y hair?
4605649
Yeah, the typewriters were no joke. It was just a shame that we didn't have more of them.
Also that we didn't get a pic of the room with them all set up (although we barely had any time) or of the hotel cart loaded down with typewriters.
4604818
).
It was good to see you there, too! And good luck on the fic that the panel inspired (I just read through your blog post about the con
I'm a little late to the party, but thank you for remembering me! It was really awesome to meet all of you and definitely the highlight of my trip.
I can't wait to see if Larson or the others end up wearing the Admiral shirts at other conventions.
4605740
I have two (an IBM and an Apple). Also three old LaserJet printers, two IBM PS/2 PCs, and a variety of obsolete Apple systems.
Throw in the four partially disabled vehicles, MY '73 - '94, and you might start to think I had a problem...
4605746
You have no idea how much I'm coming to BronyCon
4605751
I'll take it since you were one of the few active bidders in the room. There were like a dozen people who were basically 80% of my total take
4605866
You're welcome! I confess, I had to look up your username on Fimfic to remember how to spell it.
Oh, yeah, that would be totally awesome. Even just putting something on their twitter feeds or whatever.
4605941
I've got a couple dot matrix printers left; can't remember the model. Might still have an old Panasonic; not sure. Also a wide variety of other computer systems, including an XP machine that I sometimes use as a doorstop.
Sadly, I'm a bit down on vehicles right now since I had to get rid of some to make the township and my insurance company happy. So now I'm down to I think eight cars and trucks, three of which are driveable and five of which run (for some values of the word 'run').
4605943
Yay!
4606020
I was kind of disappointed that the Gummy monologue poster went out of my price range . . . I would have liked to have that.
What's also funny, given that I won the Peanut Bucker schedule--they forgot to stamp her on my con badge.