I'm a slave to social media fads · 4:43am Oct 18th, 2020
Like it says in the title. But you know what? I kind of love them. Call it a guilty pleasure. And I've been refraining from posting gloomy blog entries about my personal life until i can post at least some entertaining content, so have a sort of impromptu pre-packaged AMA.
Self-promotion and chill, aww yee.
Props to Jake the Army Guy for getting the ball rolling, and TheMasketFerret for tipping me off to its existence - I'll be using her set of questions for my answers.
1. What's the story behind your name?
Real name? First name was my paternal grandfather's middle name, and my middle name was my maternal grandfather's first name. Ferociously uncomplicated, that.
Username is because I'm addicted to portmanteaus and wanted to use a word I loved in synthesis with another word to craft a character concept that would, when taken symbolically, be an expression of a subset of my personality. In short, I took surface level appeal first and imparted greater metaphorical significance onto it afterwards, which should suggest something about my writing style.
2. What's your relationship status?
Not something I'm going to talk about on a blog post, sorry.
3. What country are you from?
The one in which healthcare is designed to rob desperate people of exorbitant sums of money without treating any of their problems, managed alternatingly between two football teams that are too busy playing up their own hype to adequately address issues of legitimate concern.
4. What do you look like?
A Lumpy Potato. Alternatingly, a baby's head stapled onto That Goofy Embarrassing Uncle's body.
5. Do you consider yourself attractive?
[Hysterical laughter]
6. How did you come across MLP:FIM?
Was on an RP forum - which I'm not gonna name because on the off chance it still exists, I don't want to give the egotistical asshole of an admin any more attention than she's already gotten - when a couple of other people seemed genuinely excited about the show. Being a "rational intellectual," I sneered and laughed. Then, at the behest of someone on there who I actually liked, I ended up watching Dragonshy. Thinking the show was pretty neat, I subsequently watched the pilot, and I've been watching it ever since.
7. What is your favorite ship?
I could ship for days and until I was blue in the face. I'd say "there's too many to pick from," but...nah. Fluttercord, Fluttercord now and Fluttercord forever. Thank god it's implied to be canon.
MY HEART
8. What is your least favorite ship?
Mmmmh...i'm trying to think of a ship that would create character stagnation without necessarily allowing any two characters to shine, but I feel like it's possible to write virtually any pairing in a way that makes characters interesting. So, from an objective point of view, even the ones with squicky premises could be written in a respectful and interesting way.
Subjectively, i'm gonna go with Sombralestia, because I've never been subtle about my dislike for the IDW comics.
bless Plumander for making this comic a hundred times funnier in one edit alone
9. Have you told anyone outside the fandom that you like MLP?
I'm fairly open about that. My friends know, my immediate family knows, and IU occasionally wear cartoon pastel horse shirts out in public and get comments on it.
10. How has MLP changed your life?
Immeasurably. I honestly am not sure that I'd be able to question a lot of things I wound up questioning after being introduced to the fandom. Everything from cultural roles and moral obligations to communities, heck, even to the sort of music I listened to and stories I read were all affected by the show and the fandom within just a couple of months of exposure and exploration, and it's only spiraled outward from there. I literally cannot think of what my life would be like now without MLP:FiM - except probably a whole lot less happy.
11. Favorite MLP episode?
Tie between A Royal Problem (S7E10) and The Perfect Pear (S7E13). The former adds a lot of characterization to characters who needed it, fleshed out personalities and the cosmos a little more, was full of great moments and gave us an antagonist that's basically been accepted and loved wholecloth by the fandom ever since. The latter was just a masterfully crafted retelling of a classic story, with strong pacing, good voice acting, a well-written script and one of the best songs in the show's entire run. Both extremely high quality episodes for rather different reasons, which is why it's hard for me to choose one.
12. What are your thoughts on superheroes?
I've heard the term used in the same way that I've heard "heroes" used - to such extensive and varied definitions that I'm not sure how to provide an answer that covers the entirety of it all, or what subset of things considered superheroes I should consider putting as an answer.
But, uh, does liking Into the Spider-Verse count? 'Cause I liked it a lot, and I feel like that might be what's being gotten at.
13. Upon Dying, If You Had The Choice To Re-Live Your Life Or Live A Different Life, Which Would You Choose?
Do I get to pick the different life? If not, do I get to know about what's in it before I make the call? Making a choice this big with unknown variables isn't something I'm totally comfortable doing without gathering info first.
14. Are you a good cook?
I like my own concoctions. I'd never feed them to anything else. This is in no small part due to my tendency to look in the fridge, think "fuck it, these ingredients need to be used or they'll spoil," and just start throwing seemingly random things together and seeing how well it works. Often, it tastes pretty good to me but looks like the sort of thing that'd give someone else food poisoning at fifty paces.
15. Do You Prefer That People Shoot Straight With You Or Temper Their Words?
95% of the time I encounter "unfiltered truth" folks, they're using "keeping it real" language as a way of avoiding social responsibility for being an asshole to other people and shifting blame for their conduct onto other people for being "too sensitive" or whatever. I'm thankful the other 5% exist: they're solid, sensible folks and I trust in their answers and try to follow them accordingly. But the vast majority of people who use "free speech" as a social crutch? Screw 'em with a rusty fork.
16. What was the last book you read?
Book-book as in physical copy? My younger sister, a big Hunger Games series fan, convinced me to give The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes a try. Even though YA Dystopian Fiction novels are absurdly overdone these days, Suzanne Collins is still a reasonably competent writer. I won't call the book great, but it wasn't awful, and it held my attention.
17. What is the last movie you watched?
The Secret of Nimh. A surprising gem, and I'm not sure how I hadn't seen it before I did a couple of weeks ago. Stuff like this is always a healthy reminder of exactly why Don Bluth is such a respected name in animation circles.
18. What's a song that may not necessarily be your favorite, but stands out to you?
Holy crap this is the wrong question to ask. It seems like twice a week there's a song that I've either never heard before or heard way too much in the past, and in either case I'll listen to it like two dozen times until The Next Attention Getter comes along. It might not be the most interesting, obscure or character-revealing example, but the first thing that immediately comes to mind is like the one pop song I've fallen in love with this year, and I've fallen for it hard.
19. What do you keep under your bed?
Carpeting and enough space for me to wedge my body under, slap on a pair of blinders and try to pretend the outside world doesn't exist for a while.
20. On an average day, what's in your pockets?
Wallet and Keys in my left pocket, Cell Phone on my right.
21. Is a brand new car a goal for you?
An automobile for me would be a genuine liberty: the ability to go where I please without being reliant on public transportation and the hassles and limitations imposed by them. Unfortunately, an automobile would also be a prohibitive expense for me at this point in time. Plus, I've been encouraged by my medical professionals and family to never drive again, which is somewhat discouraging.
22. Dream job?
I'm not entirely sure what my precise values are, but something that would help me satisfy those. Preferably with friendship and ponies, but I'm willing to accept otherwise if that's not possible.
23. Dream house?
Already kind of living in it: A spacious apartment overlooking party of the city a few stories above the ground. It's the kind of place that I could have company in without feeling embarrassed and hold parties in if the US wasn't in the middle of a massive plague. Thank goodness for income-restricted housing and sheer luck of the draw, though, or I'd never be able to get into a place like this, much less be able to afford living in it.
24. Dream car?
Honestly? I'd love to talk cars with someone more knowledgeable about them with me: learn about the ins and outs, what makes certain cars great, history, all that - but i'm terrible about knowing what to ask, much less who. In light of a wider knowledge pool, I'll call myself a basic B and choose the Tesla Model 3 for convenience reasons over anything else.
25. Do you have any pets?
Personally? No. Don't have a living situation for one. My family's owned pets before, though - dogs, mostly. I've loved them to bits. I love dogs.
...Awkward confession time. I'd really, really love the idea of getting a dog, but I feel like I can barely take care of myself, much less something else. I love dogs, but I don't want to get a pup and then condemn it to an unhappy life because I'm a shitty person, and I honestly don't trust myself not to fuck up if it would happen. So a dog is a painful, painful dream, but still a dream. If things change somehow, though...well, it's not something I've forgotten or will forget.
26. What is your dream pet?
Pembroke Welsh Corgi. One of the family pets was a corgi. Loved it to death. I love everything about the breed, and my adoration for them is sort of a running gag among some of my friends. No question about this one.
Every time I see something like this it breaks my heart a little but I still love it. Look at that face it's so pure I can't even
27. Do you own any weapons?
Considered going thought some basic firearm safety courses and possibly getting a license, but I don't currently own any self-defense implements beyond, like, two paring knives. To be honest, though, I doubt I'd be any safer if I had a weapon than if I didn't. I just have awful instincts when it comes to physical danger, so I doubt I'd be able to actually use anything I had as intended.
That said, I own a fencing foil. I was in a fencing club throughout high school. I've got my old gear stashed away, though I doubt I'd fit into the protective gear anymore. I wouldn't consider that a weapon, though.
28. Is there a weapon you really want?
Again, I wouldn't mind talking about gun mechanics with someone knowledgeable and learning the cool bits about what makes things tick, why they're assembled in certain ways and so forth. I had someone get me interested in the hows and whys of the CZ-75 a while back, but my memory's garbage and I think I forgot most of the bits that fascinated me before.
29. What religion are you?
Confused. Logically speaking, I don't think that I could ever believe in a typical monotheistic or pantheistic divine construct(s) as an actual fact, and I'm not sure that I'm open to assertions that there's some vague hand-wave-y other extrarealistic force in charge of managing everything. That doesn't mean that I don't occasionally grapple with concerns about objective morality, the nature of sin and penance, and it also doesn't mean that I don't have quiet moments where I plead to entities I don't believe in to not let me die or to forgive me for the things I've done because I don't know who else to turn to.
It also won't stop me from digging divinely empowered knights, winged folks with flaming swords or beams of light that blow up evil things real good. Sometimes I'm a simple guy when it comes to aesthetics.
Games Workshop knows how to hit my buttons in just the right ways, it's so unfair
30. Where would you like to travel?
Went to japan. Saw a bunch of historical sites and natural landmarks. Was beautiful. I'd love to go back sometime. And I think that it'd behoove me to visit Hiroshima again so the memories don't fade.
31. If you could bring one person back from the dead, who would it be?
When my best friend killed himself, it fucked me up really hard. But I doubt that he'd want to come back even if he got the chance, so I probably should just let him lie. I should probably say someone in my family, then, but honestly I don't think I'm really emotionally close to anyone I'm genetically related to that isn't still alive. Can I save this resurrection for later?
32. Are you political?
I'm woefully underinformed and overopinionated. That said, some of the critiques that I have of the political system in my country aren't ones I feel are unreasonable, I definitely follow trains of thought within certain political schools, have beliefs that I ascribe to and have had a prior history of political activism. I try not to discuss politics with people, though, because I don't trust myself to contribute positively to any given discourse without being prompted for an answer and given time to compose my thoughts.
33. What Is Something About Life That People Don’t Appreciate As Much As They Should?
That feeling when you stand outside in the middle of a rainstorm, close your eyes, tip your head up to the sky and let the clouds break over you. The feeling of rainwater through your hair and down your cheeks, quietly drenching your thoughts until the rest of the world dissolves and it's just you and the storm. The feeling when you stand until you forget the time or the day, until the hatred and fear and weariness caked into your skin washes out of your pores, trickling down your fingertips until it drips into the puddles at your feet.
It's worth the hot shower and cocoa afterwards, but I can't seem to convince people of that fact.
34. What Is Holding You Back From Being The Person You Want To Be?
Fear. Apathy. Laziness. Fear. Resentment. Anger. Fear. Multitudes.
35. How's your relationship with your parents?
Complicated. Uncomfortable. Right now, I'm at the place where I'll say good things about them and defend them in casual conversation, but honestly don't want to see them or talk to them or let them know about my daily life.
36. Do You Prefer Stability Or Spontaneity?
Spontaniety makes my life more colorful, interesting and enriching. Why I keep defaulting to stability, I don't know. I think it's probably because I'm better at defeating myself than anything else.
37. What do you say when introductions are going around the room and you have to come up with an interesting fact about yourself?
"I write short fiction" is usually enough to get by. If asked to elaborate, I try to refer to themes and concepts in the things i've written without directly bringing up the ponies. Maybe talking about writing fanfic publicly will be okay one of these days, but I'm not gonna risk it now.
38. What type of music are you into?
Basically whatever I've gotten my mitts on recently. This last week's included 90s rap, early 2000s alt-rock, pop, post-rock, post-grunge, neuro hop, drumstep, breakcore, electro swing and lo-fi. Call me flighty, but there's a buttload of pleasant stuff to listen to in this world, and it's hard to just settle for one genre.
39. What should you do more?
Everything.
40. What should you do less?
What I'm doing right now.
41. What's getting you through the next week? Next month? Next year?
Distractions and mindless self-indulgence.
42. What's the phone app you use most?
besides the maps feature to get around from place to place, uh...i installed PokemonCafe to futz around with on bus rides. It's pretty fun.
43. Describe your best friend.
I will never mean as much to him as he means to me, but I think I can be okay with that. In the meantime, I'm supremely thankful for his advice, even if it's not always what I want to hear.
44. How many screens do you own?
Counting devices I don't use, a bunch. Counting devices that I use? Three: Desktop screen, phone, laptop for when I have to work remotely.
45. What's a joke you heard recently?
In lieu of a standard joke with a punchline, I instead offer a meme from a video game I've been playing a bunch recently: hopefully some of the inherent humor still carries over to those who haven't played it.
46. Because of your experience, what do you know better than most people?
Crap. I...honestly do not know. Nothing, maybe?
47. Do you usually follow your heart or your head?
My head normally makes a strong, compelling case. My heart typically tells my head to go fuck itself. The end result usually leaves neither happy.
48. Who is the first person you call when you’re in trouble?
A few people in some of the discord groups I'm in. Good friends, even if i'm physically very far away from them.
49. Did you ever hurt someone's feelings just to hurt them?
Yes. I hate myself every time I have, but I've done it. And I'll probably do it again in the future, because I have awful impulse control and unhealthy responses to perceived slights.
Did I mention I'm going to be trying to get appointments set up with a therapist? More on that in a later blog post.
50. How are you feeling today?
Waiting for monday to arrive. Not because I love the work week, but, well...that's a topic for some other time.
Wow, this ended up being gloomier than I expected. Uh...sorry about that. I sort of figured there'd be more questions about personal interests and such.
Y'all take care, okay? You're still awesome. Don't forget that.
Best birb believes it. Would you doubt best birb?
Bitch, I will cut you. The comics are fantastic for the most part, especially anything form the Cook/Price/Breckel team. Also Nightmare Knights was friggin' amazing. Capper is the best thing to come from the movie.
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bring it ill cut ur face liek the hardboi i am
ill flex all over my competition with my dope-ass muscles and sick rhymes
be the vanilla ice of cqc till all the haters hate
can't stop how S t r o n k I am
cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/184397478760677377/756974525224190002/Dua_Lipas_Dabicorns.png
oh god, why/how are there two of these? O.o Why Are There So Many Capitalized Questions?
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Because TNAB didn't like the original and I stole his because I felt some of the original questions were either too personal or I couldn't give good answers.
If I did it again I think I'd pick and choose from both a bit more.
Capitalized queries are because the original was written by a dyslexic afaik.
Petri this was lovely to read. I always love getting to learn more about you and it wasn't nearly as morose as you think.
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Indeed. Captain Unstoppable created this.
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You no longer have to cut me, as I am already dying. Reading that post gave me cancer, AIDS, and Gonnaherpasyphilitus.