Rosewind

I don't think using the term "convert" has any negative ring to it unless you expressly apply it. It's all in the tone.

FiM is variation of a cult film, in that it does have a very specific audience of fans (the older, male audience). I'm not trying to turn this into an argument about sociological conditioning, but the first thing someone thinks not-in-the-know about the show might be something like this: "Oh neat, you're 24 and you like watching My Little Pony. That's kind of strange." Granted I'm generalizing quite a bit here, but the reactions I've seen tend to sway that way.

"Converting" someone is changing that misconception about the older fan outside the target audience, and presenting the series in a way that might get them interested enough to give it a chance. Is that negative, cult-like, or "cramming"? Short of tying someone down and gluing their eyelids open to make them watch episodes, I don't think it is.

To use my example again, I've watched random people join FiM synchtube channels with the intent to troll the people there. They watched a few episodes and happened to like it, converting their idea that FiM is a series for weird people into an understanding of why it's so popular. Nobody made them stay there or forced them to watch the episodes, they discovered it on their own.

I thought the episode sort of dragged...then the last ten minutes happened. Oh my Celestia that lecture was cool. Any sort of history is good history, so now "That's how Ponyville was made!" The last few minutes made me cry.

I missed Derpy though -- they hid her pretty good this time. I know she was probably in one of the crowd scenes...maybe. Did anyone catch her?

Yay, the break is over! The first episode of the year!

I think the best thing to do is be positive about what you enjoy. It's all in the approach. If they neighsay something you enjoy, and see you genuinely enjoying it, they'll probably investigate it and become addicted themselves. You shouldn't need to explain yourself.

I can't tell you how many trolls I've seen run into a synchtube pony room to troll with an episode on, they end up watching it, and become converted before my eyes.

The Read It and Weep episode has good potential for some Twilight/Dash shipping. The Hearts and Hooves episode -- I don't think it'll carry any theme of romance between characters, and if it does, it'll be more in the realm of passing-out-grade-school-valentine-cards-I-really-like-you.

Of course, pony fans are crazy and we'll read into whatever is presented and run with it. Oh yes, we will run.

Find a Pet. Second best? At the Gala in French sounds really good!

Really? The back? Not the side?

Any smooth surface! A brony at the convention where they were selling those actually stuck the Pinkie Pie decal on his speaker set and it looked gorgeous!

I use Vuze for converting. It's drag and drop, and the quality conversion is pretty nice. I got every episode from season 1 and season 2 (so far) onto my touch, 4 GB total! And it's free...

I think part of the conundrum is that no other cartoon series quite like FiM has ever come along. The character design is amazing, which puts the fanbase in a weird position because we want to know more about the characters in the series we love, while the series itself has to carry itself as a cartoon and not get too deep.

Am I making sense with this? I feel like I'm on the cusp of something interesting here. Weesh, anyone? Input?

My advice to you is to start small and aim for quality over quantity. Too many characters can be overwhelming, though you are more than welcome to do as you please!

Those products I linked are definitely fan-made and unofficial in every way possible. I know her personally and I have bought lots of stuff from her -- take that as you will. The vinyl decals look great on, well, anything, and the glassware is fantastic.

It's easier to slap a decal on the back of your car to show your love and support of FiM than trying to figure out what to do with a toy -- especially as an older fan.

Best way to infect a non-pony is to show them a few episodes. Don't use the pilot -- aim for some of the funnier episodes. I personally like showing off Applebuck Season and Party of One, though now that Season 2 is out, Lesson Zero and May the Best Pet Win would also make really good bronification material to me, personally.

Also

of some of the music might be a good vector, there's a ton of talent out there and pony music is a lot of fun to listen to, it might get your friend interested in seeing a few episodes. Once that happens, there's no escape!

Above everything else, don't treat it like a hidden addiction. Be positive about what you enjoy yourself and they might throw their reservations or fears away too.

I'm jelly you're going, Trem...er...Heartmend. Please give a full writeup when you get back!

I'm hoping tomorrow we'll get a flashback or something to give some insight/history of Granny Smith. She couldn't have always been Granny, right? If it was she must have had a very interesting fillyhood with a name like that.

Or I could just let the creative license of the show go and ignore all the existential pre-determinism and how it occurs for our ponies.

"Life's a party!"

Whoa, white Celestia?! Oh my...Celestia!

I think Derpy represents a very important source of "first creative contact" between the brony-type fans and the creators of the show, as well as the creative influence and passion we throw at them. We fuel the fire that makes the show better than ever by inspiring those who work on it (in my humble opinion), and I think Derpy is their way of nodding at us (among other things, such as the Equestria Girls video and the ComicCon poster link on the official page expressly for Bronies).

It would be interesting to see more dialogue from her, but the fact we get to see her in every episode in some little way or other is good enough for me.

Pinkie and Fluttershy.

Though by beauty of intelligent character design, all the ponies are appealing to different girls in different ways (and different age ranges as well; a 5-year-old might find Pinkie more appealing while a 7 or 8-year-old might go for one of the other Mane Six).

With this season so far, it's precisely the episodes I've been hyped about that I've come away with most disappointed. I think this episode will be a treat, as I recall reading one of the animators was talking about Granny's up and coming role and how funny it was going to be. I don't have anything to point to, though.

I read and liked Cupcakes.

...What?

I've written a sort of expansion to Story of the Blanks, but I haven't finished it or really decided what I want to do with it.

I think a lot of creative and artistic license needed to be made up in order to make the story function. As fans of the show we crave for more canon and story to cling on to, buuuuut given the fact it's a cartoon, we'll have to settle with whatever the creative powers give us, or whatever we come up with as fanon.

My thoughts? I think some ponies are a synthesis of their parents' traits (this would explain Twilight, but certainly not Rarity), so that would serve as a basis for how a lot of ponies were originally named.

I hope if we ever see a full season release on disc, it'll come with Hub commercials as well -- some of those are pure gold!

That sounds more like a hoarding problem than a little nitpick between a husband and wife. I hope that situation was resolved in a pleasant way.

I'm glad you were able to work it out. Since toys sort of fall into a gray area for adults, there are other options.

If you look at the core of what My Little Pony originally was, it was designed to sell toys. Granted it has evolved past that as an entertaining series, but at its core it is still designed and expected to sell merchandise -- there's no way around this fact.

There are many more angles Hasbro could be coming at with this, which is why I find this current news really disturbing. I think the best solution would be for Hasbro to offer up its own episodes on YouTube a la Funimation (with ads or links to purchasable content, of course), so they would have control -- and allow the Hubless or international community a place to go. Sadly it's a corporate beast following dated policies -- they really could be milking this for all it's worth and getting new people addicted to it and buying stuff, instead of making a community-aggravating move to make a fast buck that will hurt the series more than help it.