The End of One Man's Pony Ramblings · 3:07am Mar 7th, 2018
More stuff on the blog, but that's the big bit: after a month-long hiatus, it's time for me to acknowledge that I'm not currently able to review or keep a schedule at the level I attempt to set for myself.
I'll still be around here, I'm not leaving the fandom or anything like that.
The many of you who've encouraged me and offered counterpoints and further explorations of my thoughts--and who laughed at my stupid jokes and indulged my love of Carrot Top, professional cycling, and more--have made the past years of blogging a joy. Thank you for that.
Again, there's more info in the link above, but those are the most important things, I think. Especially the last bit. Really: thank you all for caring about something I had no right to expect anyone would. It's meant a lot to me.
Thanks for all you’ve done!
Butbutbut without you, how will we keep track of what Carrot Top is up to?
It's a shame, but I understand all to well how life just kinda gets in the way sometimes. Take care, Chris, and I hope we see you pop in every now and again.
Alright. Take care.
Man, this feels pretty similar to when RBDash shut down the Pony Fiction Vault. It's the end of an era.
So long and thanks for all the fish
It's too bad to see your blog stop, Chris. I haven't commented much in the last months, but for a long, long time, it has been a source of occasional joy to read all your reviews and I say occasional because sometimes I disagree!
You put a lot of thought into each post and that is admirable and downright encouraging.
I'm glad that you'll still be here though. So thank you so much for all the stories read... and I hope to see you commenting around whatever gems you might still encounter here, even if they don't get your full analytical treatment.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/12/26/1053099__safe_screencap_rainbow+dash_castle+sweet+castle_animated_bag_salute_solo.gif
I already commented on your blog, but I clicked PP’s link to get to this blog, then commented on OMPR, then came back to my feed and what do I see?
i.imgur.com/ehVS1FV.png
I feel so dumb. ;_;
And Chris’ OMPR shall ne'er be read,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he who has been reviewed therein,
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
From such shall ponify his condition;
And writers yet to be a-published,
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not there,
And hold their awards cheap whiles any speaks
That were well-rambled ‘pon in Chris’ blog.
I know I haven't been active on your blog for a while, but it's sad to see it go. Your reviews were some of the earliest pony fiction analyses I could get into, and while I didn't always agree, you still presented your opinion in an intelligent and respectful way that made them worth reading.
I just read your blog post on OMPR, and I'm sorry you've been going through so much lately. I'm glad you're not leaving entirely, but it's good that you're putting yourself first.
Take care of yourself, and keep being awesome.
I’m as sorry as anyone to see OMPR go, but I see this as more sweet than bitter. The blog had a really good run and you had a really pronounced impact on the fic side of the fandom by running it, and it’s a courageous and mature thing to know when something’s over rather than try to drag it out for our—or your—sake.
Goodnight, sweet prince. Something something context-inappropriate Shakespeare.
Well, I'm crap at saying things. So... I'll keep it simple.
Despite not commenting on these, I did really enjoy them. It's sad to see them end, and I will definitely miss them.
*Sings in a sappy moment of memory for OMPR
Brighter than, tonight's sunset
Can't mistake, your silhouette
Not a sound, nor voice nearby
Your mane illuminates this gloomy sky
See you around, man.
OMPR will be remembered in the annals of our illustrious history. Best of luck in your future endeavors.
Thank you for all the work that you’ve done.
You had a profound impact on the growth of bronies, perhaps more than you realize. Seeing my fics in your blog was an honor, and you've preserved a lot of great pony history with it, and added some very insightful thoughts.
Thank you for all that you did. I'm glad you will remain part of the fandom, it would be less without you.
Thank you for everything, Chris. It's a relief to hear that you're sticking around, OMPR or not. Take care of yourself, and don't be a stranger around these parts
also thank you for reviewing one of my stories
Thank you for all the work you've done. Even if I never really commented (my bad) it was always a joy to read and it helped me discover tons of interesting stuff.
I hope to still see you around here and there, but in the meanwhile, good luck.
Sorry to see the end of one of the fandom's great institutions, but it could never be as important as the health and happiness of the man behind it, and if it would get in the way of that, its time has come.
Yet it remains, and the impact you've had on all of us--and I suspect that years from now I'll still think to myself after reading something, "what would Chris have to say about this?" And, thanks to these many years, I like to think I could land in the ballpark.
Thank you for everything, and I hope to still see you around from time to time.
And we are ever so grateful.
Sorry to hear that things could be better, but glad to hear they are getting (or will eventually get) better.
One of the reasons I am still part of this fandom is because of the high standard that you and other reviewers have set. The quantity and quality of feedback on this site and others is something that most fandoms simply can't compare to. Your criticism has always been fair, presented in a reasonable way and easy-to-read style. The fandom will be worse off without your critiques and insights.
But life happens, and I hope that you and your family member have a speedy recovery. And I know that, whatever path life takes you down, you will be able to handle it (perhaps with some combination of scheduling and willpower
)
Thank you for all the amazing stories you introduced me to through your reviews.
Sorry to hear it's going out, but you had a great and long run. Six and a half years? Christ, that's how long I've been here. Well, seven, but who's bragging?
...Seriously, though. Your analysis was some of the best, and it had a great impact on shaping my understanding of writing. I'm sorry to read about what you're going through right now and what you've been dealing with on top of it. It takes a lot of strength to bear those burdens, and sometimes the best we can hope for is to just hang on and ride it out until there's a break in the clouds. You said things are looking up in some respects, I'm very grateful for that.
I wish you all the best, Chris, and thanks for sharing so much insight and enjoyable analysis over the years. I followed you on here so I'd catch if you drop in on fimfic every now and again. And maybe you'll find more great original wizard fiction from your 10-year-old self. That would be amazing.
Others have said this more eloquently than I could, but: thank you for everything you've done. OMPR has been a truly outstanding part of our fandom, especially that part dealing with writing. I wish I'd started reading it sooner and kept up with it better, but it's always been a wonderful asset to this community. It's good to know you're not going away completely, despite other things quite rightly taking priority in your life now. OMPR has been one of the best blogs I know of not just on ponyfic, but on anything. Thank you again.
Good luck. Maybe without all that reviewing, you'll write more stories? You're too good of a writer to spend all your time reviewing anyway.
Forgive me for not tagging and responding to each of you individually, but: thank you, all of you, for the support and kind thoughts. It's much appreciated right now, more than I can properly find the words to express.
Thanks for writing so many reviews! If you ever get back to it, I'm sure I'll read more of them.
Few moments have been as meaningful for me as a writer than my feature from you, Chris. It was a huge honor, one that I'm still shocked that I received. You've done this fandom a great service over these years, parsing through stories and giving a spotlight to some that became personal favorites of mine. It's a shame to see you go, but I wish you luck on everything to come! If you should ever embark on any new projects in the future, pony or otherwise, be sure to let me know -- I can't wait to see what you might do next.
Yours was one of the first dedicated fic review blogs I found, certainly one of the longest running. I'm glad to hear you'll still be around in any capacity, so thanks for all you've done for the writing community! It's truly a heap of good work, and I have no doubt a lot of writers have had their day made and learned a lot from your commentary. All my best for whatever's next for you!
I'm a little late to this, but I can't not say something, so here goes. I rarely commented on it (sorry
), but I visited your blog constantly, and it was a true inspiration: some of my favourite stories in the fandom -- goodness, some of my favourite stories period -- were ones recommended by you. In particular, I would never have read It's a Dangerous Business had you not reviewed it, so for that alone, I need to thank you.
Not only that, but your reviews made me push myself to do better, and learn as much about writing as possible. Part of it was the off-chance that you might end up reviewing something of mine (which you did, and it was thrilling!). But mainly, it was that the obvious passion you had for your favourite stories was totally infectious. You made me want to write stories that I hoped would inspire that same passion in others.
Six-and-a-half years with a barely a missed post! It was a truly phenomenal run. Thank you so much for it. Honestly
Take care of yourself, man.
Reposting here because I don't know if you're still reading comments on the old blog