Official Discussion Thread (Ghost Edit)

[eery]

Middle - North parts of norway in the summer are the nicest, because the sun never reaaaally sets. So at like 23:00 it might look like this.

[eery]

I've lived in Oppland before, which was pretty south, and at the worst, we had only like 4-6 hours of sunlight a day there. Thats like in 14 desember some time usually. I live back in the north-middle now, where we do get days which have maybe only 2 hours of daylight, but thats at the worst, might be more, I dont remember.

But it is every winter, yes. I'm sorta affected by the whole seasonal depression thing myself, not severely, but its annoying. Spring always makes me like super happy though.

You do sorta get used to it, especcially since it changes gradually, a little more sun every day.

When I was a kid, I would always say to my mom like "What, I have to go to bed already? The sun hasn't even went down! This is bullshit."

[Luks]

I was today at Crystal Fair (Pony convention in Finland). Really nice convention. There was also nice evening party yesterday with many brony musicians performing like Twitch, Daniel Ingram, RC88, HMage...

[Toothpaste]

I was today at Crystal Fair (Pony convention in Finland). Really nice convention. There was also nice evening party yesterday with many brony musicians performing like Twitch, Daniel Ingram, RC88, HMage...

Sounds like quite the party! :D
Also makes me more jealous of all the HorseCons >.>
One day... One day... XD

[Bronies Are Cool]

I know freewave does some work for a con here in Denver. He did last year and will again this year I believe. I want to go to it, but I need to find a reason as to why I would be gone until super late. I don't really want to tell my parents I am going to a pony convention. I doubt they would like the idea of that.

[FLAOFEI]

I was today at Crystal Fair (Pony convention in Finland). Really nice convention. There was also nice evening party yesterday with many brony musicians performing like Twitch, Daniel Ingram, RC88, HMage...

Dude! I was there to! I'M STILL UTRA HYPE ABOUT IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S KINDA OVER!!! Did we meet eachother maybe? We probably bro hoofed, I was the guy giveing random bro hoofs to everyone, and the guy who went around proposing toasts to poneys, and the guy with the purple glowsticks, and the RD tail... remember me?
Needless to say, I had the best time of my life! We laughed, we sang, I think I started one of many "FUN FUN FUN" flash mobs. I bro hoofed Daniel Ingram!!!!!!!!!! And I got an autograph from him "TO FLAO" OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH!!! And I bought a super awesome custom Derpy figure... FOR 150 EUROS!!! Litterally more than half of what I spent on merch in total! And new friends! Gaaaaah! SO AWESOME!!!

[ExoBassTix]

I know freewave does some work for a con here in Denver. He did last year and will again this year I believe. I want to go to it, but I need to find a reason as to why I would be gone until super late. I don't really want to tell my parents I am going to a pony convention. I doubt they would like the idea of that.

What about meeting with friends?
It didn't work for me because the meet-up I had planned is in England, plus I'm 15, but you're grown-up and you say it's near you, so you shouldn't have trouble.

[Freewave]

I know freewave does some work for a con here in Denver. He did last year and will again this year I believe. I want to go to it, but I need to find a reason as to why I would be gone until super late. I don't really want to tell my parents I am going to a pony convention. I doubt they would like the idea of that.

Yeah either say you'll be with friends or come clean that this is a legitimate convention where fans are going. i know it may be an awkward situation where you have to say you are into something that SEEMS weird on the surface but there's some real legitimacy in the fandom at this point. You can point them to a documentary and video on the subject if you need to spell it our for them. It's really up to you how you want to do it.

[ExoBassTix]

I guess people accepting bronies is the same as people accepting gays, except less focused on. "It's who I am." That's what both sides would say. I guess it's why the term "closet brony" exists.
So yeah. Similar situation, decide for yourself if it's worth trying. Otherwise go with hanging out with friends.

[eery]

I've always found it a stupid comparison. It's just a show, it doesnt say anything about you.

[Acsii]

I've always found it a stupid comparison. It's just a show, it doesnt say anything about you.

Exactly. No one gets horribly judged for watching Pokemon or playing it

[Luks]

Dude! I was there to! I'M STILL UTRA HYPE ABOUT IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S KINDA OVER!!! Did we meet eachother maybe? We probably bro hoofed, I was the guy giveing random bro hoofs to everyone, and the guy who went around proposing toasts to poneys, and the guy with the purple glowsticks, and the RD tail... remember me?
Needless to say, I had the best time of my life! We laughed, we sang, I think I started one of many "FUN FUN FUN" flash mobs. I bro hoofed Daniel Ingram!!!!!!!!!! And I got an autograph from him "TO FLAO" OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH!!! And I bought a super awesome custom Derpy figure... FOR 150 EUROS!!! Litterally more than half of what I spent on merch in total! And new friends! Gaaaaah! SO AWESOME!!!

Awesome!
I'm not sure if we met, I didn't bro hoof anyone D: I didn't buy anything expect food.
I was part in a group that had big cardboard sign with "Autismia" and "Poneja :3"-texts on it. We got autographs on that sign too.

[Bronies Are Cool]

I know freewave does some work for a con here in Denver. He did last year and will again this year I believe. I want to go to it, but I need to find a reason as to why I would be gone until super late. I don't really want to tell my parents I am going to a pony convention. I doubt they would like the idea of that.

Yeah either say you'll be with friends or come clean that this is a legitimate convention where fans are going. i know it may be an awkward situation where you have to say you are into something that SEEMS weird on the surface but there's some real legitimacy in the fandom at this point. You can point them to a documentary and video on the subject if you need to spell it our for them. It's really up to you how you want to do it.

I'd like to say I am hanging with friends. I usually would rely on saying that I want to stay the night at my friend (insert name here)'s house, but my mom is against "sleepovers" because it's "weird" for someone my age to want to stay the night at another person's house. Mind you I'm 18.
She is more ok with it if I am hanging with multiple guys over night. But the only group of guys I know that do that is also all friends with my brother. So, if I say that I want to hang out with that group of guys over night, my brother will want to go too. Then he will find out they are not actually hanging out and them tell my mom.

If I tell the truth, I officially come out of the brony closet to my parents. Then I also risk not going because my mom will research the convention, see the term "brony", research bronies and see all the bad stuff and then conclude that only the bad stuff is true and it's true about all bronies and mlp enthusiasts.

Not sure what I'm gonna do.

[ExoBassTix]

I've always found it a stupid comparison. It's just a show, it doesnt say anything about you.

Exactly. No one gets horribly judged for watching Pokemon or playing it

While I agree that bronies are easier judged than Pokémon fanboys or fans from other franchises, I disagree that liking MLP:FiM says nothing about you. Just like being a closet brony or not also has a different say about who you are.

[Acsii]

I've always found it a stupid comparison. It's just a show, it doesnt say anything about you.

Exactly. No one gets horribly judged for watching Pokemon or playing it

While I agree that bronies are easier judged than Pokémon fanboys or fans from other franchises, I disagree that liking MLP:FiM says nothing about you. Just like being a closet brony or not also has a different say about who you are.

You're right it does say something about you. That you have an interest in a tv show... that is all.

[eery]

I've always found it a stupid comparison. It's just a show, it doesnt say anything about you.

Exactly. No one gets horribly judged for watching Pokemon or playing it

While I agree that bronies are easier judged than Pokémon fanboys or fans from other franchises, I disagree that liking MLP:FiM says nothing about you. Just like being a closet brony or not also has a different say about who you are.

It doesn't say anything about what kind of person you are, nor what sort of people you'd like to be asscosiated with, nor what sort of people you'd like to have relations with. It's just a show.

Hiding that you watch the show is also VERY different from sexuality, as you don't have to, in any way, to share that you watch the show, it literally doesn't matter, even if other people happen to do.

Except extreme situations with bullying and such, it's not damaging to the person to be judged for it, generally speaking, and especcially in adulthood. I also want to mention that you can be bullied for literally ANYTHING that could be used against you.I dont want to downplay the severity of what bullying can do, I'm just saying its very much not specific to MLP, and it's

Now sexuality is different, hiding it is hard, because very many people want to express love, want to test that out, and feel comfterable with it. Being judged for doing this is damaging to people, because thats unvalidaing not only their feelings, but their entire sexuality. Having your love and attractions being called perverted or disgusting is very tough to handle, especcially when these might be things you are just starting to explore.

People shouldn't HAVE to be "closet" gays, it shouldn't be this big thing that people feel is so wrong. It's generally looked at so black and white too, like its one way or the other, but it VERY seldom is.

Idk, I just feel its just as stupid as a comparison as comparing quitting the fandom to suicide.

[ExoBassTix]

Hiding that you watch the show is also VERY different from sexuality, as you don't have to, in any way, to share that you watch the show, it literally doesn't matter, even if other people happen to do.

Except extreme situations with bullying and such, it's not damaging to the person to be judged for it, generally speaking, and especcially in adulthood. I also want to mention that you can be bullied for literally ANYTHING that could be used against you.I dont want to downplay the severity of what bullying can do, I'm just saying its very much not specific to MLP

It might not be specific to MLP, but, as gays get bullied for being gay, bronies get bullied for being bronies.

Also,

it's not damaging to the person to be judged for it

Speak for yourself please.

People shouldn't HAVE to be "closet" gays, it shouldn't be this big thing that people feel is so wrong.

If you mean that in a sense of "such a shame there's a need for people to be closet gay, because people bully them for it," I highly agree.
And there's not at all a necessity of being a closet gay. Some people just choose to hide it out of fear for getting bullied or unaccepted the way I see it, correct me if I'm wrong.

The comparison is that there are -lots- of examples that show the exact same. As you say, it's not specific to MLP nor gays, but they are just two examples.

[FLAOFEI]

Awesome!
I'm not sure if we met, I didn't bro hoof anyone D: I didn't buy anything expect food.
I was part in a group that had big cardboard sign with "Autismia" and "Poneja :3"-texts on it. We got autographs on that sign too.

Well, if we didn't bro hoof, then we probably didn't meet, cause I bro hoofd pretty much everyone I met :3 I saw the sign though, so I guess that's something.

I've always found it a stupid comparison. It's just a show, it doesnt say anything about you.

It kinda does though.

You're right it does say something about you. That you have an interest in a tv show... that is all.

And that you do not conform to social norms. And that you aren't afraid to show it. And in the eyes of the beholder, changeling very well be equivalent of being gay.

I'm not saying liking ponies is the same thing as being gay. There is quite a bit of a difference between sexuality and enjoying ponies. Though there is one point where they are similar, both challenge gender roles, and if you aren't already quite secure in your sexuality comments about it can be hurtful.
If your a hetro brony you could just think "Lol, nope. I laugh at your preconceptions", but that assumes you're secure with your sexuality. Then again, I'm a bit bias about this... I hate the pride festival cause it reminds me about my own insecurity :I I usually just don't think about it cause I'd rather be secure, so I convince myself I am, and it usually works

On a related topic, I sat next to a nice lady on the plane back to Sweden. I had a Twilicorn on my forehead and a DJ Pon3 on my cheek in temporary tattoos, and an RD pushy in my lap. She connected the rainbows to the pride festival, so I explained that they weren't actually related and that I just like ponies. We talked a bit about gender roles and stuff like that, and she thought it was cool that gender stereotypes have been weakened to the point that grown men can openly enjoy a show intended for little girls. It was a nice conversation, it made me a bit proud to be a brony :)

[eery]

Also,

it's not damaging to the person to be judged for it

Speak for yourself please.

If a show is that important for you,I think you have the wrong priorities in life, my friend. I'm not saying bullying isn't damaging, because it very much is. I'm saying that it's just one of those things bullies would grab on to. Just like they would grab on to anything they felt could be a weakness to you. What they are targetting is you, at any angle they are able to, in order to break you. It doesn't even matter for what, because it's not criticism, its more or less a figurative attack

I dunno, I figure it might be or feel different if you've been in that excact specific situation, and I'm sorry if it feels like I'm trying to make suffering less valid. I'm just saying the two situations aren't comparable at ALL. Misery doesn't exist in quantity and can't be measured.

[Ricky Denzel]

I get internet next week on Tuesday. Finally, I won't have to walk in heat or cold to the library just to make my music. THANK YOU, GOD!.

[CaptainFluffatun]

Back from Everfree Northwest. Dang it was awesome :3

[ExoBassTix]

Back from Everfree Northwest. Dang it was awesome :3

I just miiiiiiiiight go next year.
Maybe.

Got pictures?

[Bronies Are Cool]

I just spent 9 hours in a car. I drove 4 hours up to some place in the mountains with my boss to inspect machines he might buy and then 5 back (heavy traffic). It was crazy how long the trip was. (Just for freewave. I went from Erie to Parachute and then to a mine up in parachute, and back all in a day.)
That's about 500ish total miles I traveled today. Officially, that's the most I have ever driven in a single day.

[Acsii]

So I did a gig with my band... it went really well. And now someone from the audience at the gig has the back plate of my start XD Don't need it anyway...

[Stuntddude]

If a show is that important for you,I think you have the wrong priorities in life, my friend.

I'd wager that for the vast majority of people, as with me, it's not the show that's important, it's the community. And it'd be a curious thing indeed to think that community isn't an important aspect of life, although I wouldn't say that you or I am qualified to judge whether someone has "the wrong priorities in life" in the first place.

But yes, bronies to gays is an absurd comparison in most cases, simply because they're two totally different, heterogeneous issues/experiences.