It's been a while... · 1:35pm Jun 12th, 2022
Almost a goddamn decade as a matter of fact.
But anyway, a short summary:
- I fell away from the FIM fandom around the end of season two. Just, life getting in the way as it tends to do.
- At the same time, there was a healthy dose of cringe inside myself. I was a twenty-one year old man writing about the romantic machinations of pastel-coloured cartoon characters. Not that my partner at the time particularly cared, but it just felt like time to let it go.
- Fast forward to last year, and several failed relationships since, I met someone that is - to put it politely - an animation superfan. That happens to include Friendship is Magic.
- Fast forward again to this very month, and she is now living with me. And whilst she was working from our now home the last couple weeks, she has been rewatching... you guessed it, Friendship is Magic.
- I realised how much the show actually holds up, and along with 10 years of growth (as well as an ADHD diagnosis at age 29 - unsurpising if you followed 'The Sweetest Cider' back in the day) I realised that I can like what I like and do what I do with it.
So, I'm tentatively back to read more fic. At the very least...
Most importantly right now, you may have noticed that 'The Sweetest Cider' is marked as 'Complete' after 10 years of limbo.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I've realised that I couldn't write a better ending for the story now than I somehow accomplished with the ending of Chapter Fifteen all those years ago. Don't get me wrong, I had plans for an 'ending'. But looking back, to me it's excellent. A perfect sign-off for the story and that particular chapter of my fandom.
I'm not saying 'watch this space', but who knows. Maybe if I join my love in their rewatch, I'll let the writing bug sink its little claws into my not-insubstantial... 'flank'? It's been a while since I've referred to my backside as that...
Welcome back!
I certainly recognize the animation superfan thing. I already was one when FIM started, although the community that developed around it was something else. That definitely caused the show to be a bigger part of my life for a while than (almost?) any other animated show. Possible exception being Earthworm Jim. By now it's just one of an enormous amount of animated shows and movies I have seen and enjoyed.
Good on you to be able to enjoy what you enjoy. I also haven't been part of the fandom in many, many years. But I still enjoy some of the fanfiction. Welcome back.