I'm still not sure what to think of this... (Warning, long read)

[BrainedBySaucepans]

Please excuse me if I fail to avoid getting banned, but the link provided ( http://www.canterlot...getting-banned/ ) doesn't appear to work. I'm just going to assume it consists mainly of rules about not angering the Termite King.

I'm not sure whether I belong here, but it's as good as anywhere else. You see, the problem is that I have intentionally cultivated a personality so deliberately self-contradictory that the only real consistent points are insomnia and smoking. Since I realised when I was about 15 that the standard secondary school personality stereotypes only existed to keep people from actually becoming interesting, I have sought out things that most people assume I wouldn't enjoy, with the intent of embracing the fundamental internal contradictions that would expand my horizons.¹ The process so far has been a catastrophic failure, and it is GLORIOUS!

As regards to my two constants, they vary as well; for a time I only smoked cigars, but I switched to cigarettes, writing my favourite Coleridge verses on the side. Then I settled on a pipe. The insomnia is the cause of my somewhat stream of consciousness writing style at the moment, but don't worry; my style is typically far more eloquent and less theatrical.²

Well I've written three and a bit paragraphs³ and still haven't really got to the point. Well I'll spare you further pointless meanderings⁴ by putting them in footnotes so you can safely ignore them.⁸

I honestly have no idea if I’m a brony or not. I deliberately avoided My Little Pony for a long time, as it seemed like something I’d really enjoy.⁹ I finally got round to watching it simply because it was too much effort to keep avoiding it. That and it became clear that I was missing out on some vital context on some conversations with friends.

So I watched the series and… it was pretty okay. Certainly way above the standard I would have expected without the hype, but a bit below the benchmark set by contextual clues from my friends and acquaintances. So yeah. It’s pretty good. I’ve watched all the available episodes, sought out some fan-fics, and volunteered to be animator for a project by one of the guys who so admirably drew me into the fandom.¹⁰

I’ve even made my own…ponysona…¹¹ if Google is correct in that being the term used.

I shall go by the name of Ashen Smirk. It took me a while to come up with the name, and I only noticed the pun once I’d put it online.¹² So. Opinions on my artwork would be appreciated.¹³

I fully expect that I’ll be posting more artwork and some animations here in future. Unless I don’t. Either way, please answer me this, and put my mind at rest:

Am I a brony?

Whatever your answer, thanks for putting up with me this far.

All hail the Termite King!

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Footnotes begin here. No I am not kidding.

¹ I am fully aware that this is not actually a significant revelation; rather it is in fact self-indulgent and stereotypically teenage BS. The problem is that that very awareness creates an internal contradiction which my philosophy demands that I embrace. I could always just rethink the whole thing, but I already decided I was right years ago. If I now declare that I was in fact wrong, then my life since the revelation could have been spent more productively, and that would be terrible. The fact that I spent the time in question mainly sitting around accomplishing very little has no bearing on the matter.

² And with fewer footnotes

³ And three footnotes.

⁴ I'm probably lying here, but these footnotes are being written as I come to them. As I write this, it is Schrödinger’s lie, only collapsing into truth or falsehood once I get back to the main body of my already over-long self-introduction. I think I'll savour the possibilities for a moment. I encourage you to do the same. Ooh, I know what can do to extend the possibility; a recursive footnote! Go to ⁵ if you want my explanation on why most people who cite Schrödinger on the internet are missing the point entirely.

⁵ Okay, I may as well give you the full explanation. Schrödinger’s cat is a thought experiment that states that if you put a cat in a box with a thing that has a 50% chance of killing it, until you open the box and actually look at the cat, the cat is NEITHER ALIVE NOR DEAD. Most people⁶ assume that this was Schrödinger’s way of explaining to a layman how quantum mechanics works, but what they all miss is how INSANELY STUPID Schrödinger’s experiment was. Schrödinger’s point was that the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics sucked, and the experiment was SUPPOSED to be as inane as possible so as to get this across. Sadly, he overestimated the average person's scepticism, and underestimated their tendency to automatically believe what a man in a white coat says, no matter how obviously insane their statements. Poor Schrödinger.⁷

⁶ Idiots

⁷ Although it does serve him right for having a name so annoying to type.

⁸ It was the truth! Sort of! I frigging love footnotes!

⁹ If this statement confuses you, go back to the beginning of this post. You clearly haven’t been paying attention.

¹⁰ No. I will not do any animation for your project. Unless I feel like it. You’d have to be really convincing. Although more experience is a good thing for me…. Fine, you’ve talked me into it. Join the queue.

¹¹ As a grammar nazi, I feel highly uncomfortable using even mild terms like this. You will most likely not catch me using the term “somepony” or anything similar. If you do… I’d like to make it known at this stage that I am susceptible to blackmail, and will do all I can to keep any such slips secret.

¹² Not the obvious one, I didn’t miss that, look slightly deeper.

¹³ And anyone who knows how any sensible and extremely well read pony should react to that cutie mark¹⁴ gets a whole host of obscure trivia geek points.

¹⁴ And why. You need to know why.

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If you started reading at the end for some bizarre reasons, and are worried that this post makes no sense, be aware that these are footnotes. Start from the beginning; it won't make more sense, but it will be nonsense in context, and context is important.

Edited August 3, 2012 by BrainedBySaucepans

[Rosewind]

"Cultural osmosis" is probably one of the best terms I've seen for getting into pony. Well done indeed, and warm welcome to you!

[Armony]

Welcome to Canterlot!

Have to agree with Rosewind, cultural osmosis is now a term I'm going to use. I also like your use of footnotes. I don't think enough people post with footnotes.

[flutterscotch]

Looks like your first character should really be called Footnote.

Also you suspiciously remind me of my husband, in the writing style and non-sequitirs.

*ties BrianedbySaucepans to a chair and puts a light in his face* "Where were you on the morning of July 31st? Are you REAALLLLY a Londoner? What is your connection to Jazzbo's Bubblegum and Pizza Emporium?"

You pass the test! Welcome to Canterlot

[BrainedBySaucepans]

Hi to both of you! I'm a big fan of the term myself. Ironically, I can't remember where I picked it up from, so if anybody asks, I tell them I picked it up through cultural osmosis.

As far as the footnotes go, I think there's probably a reason most people don't use them¹, and I don't usually myself. I was just writing in complete stream of consciousness and liked what I wrote enough to not want to delete it.² They probably won't return unless I end up pulling loads more all nighters...³

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¹They're kind of a crutch, and an affectation at that. A way of saying "look at me, I have so much to say I can barely cram it in".

² First rule of editing - kill your darlings.

³ So... loads of footnotes to come.

[SonicRainb00m]

Welcome to Canterlot! I must say, I really enjoyed reading your very long and sophisticated introduction post... you remind me of a person I know from my high school. And that is certainly a good thing. So without further ado, a warm salutations to you sir!

[BrainedBySaucepans]

Thank you Rainb00m, I hope you say my response to your question about animating in the Art Discussion forum.¹ I strongly advise you check out that Youtube series; it helped me a lot.

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¹ http://www.canterlot...nimation-stuff/

[Kirby Krackle]

There is nothing about that essay (yes, essay) that I didn't like. Welcome aboard, chum!

[BrainedBySaucepans]

Nice to see I didn't immediately alienate everyone with that self-important wall of text.¹ Although I'm kind of disappointed no one's answered my questions...

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¹ Of course it was self-important; I am important!

[SonicRainb00m]

In my humble opinion, I would say you are a brony. You have made your own ponysona, and you say you think the show is "pretty okay", so I can safely say that you are!

[BrainedBySaucepans]

Thanks, now to figure out the implications to my personal philosophy.¹ I'm not sure whether being a brony is a good thing or not,² but who cares?³

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¹ Since I originally reached my conclusions based on a strong desire to evade pigeon-holes, having been assigned the label "brony" seems somewhat counter-productive. However, it does provide another juicy contradiction...

² Philosophically speaking.

³ Wait. That's probably me.⁴

⁴ Great, now I've started with the footnotes I can't stop. Someone help me!

[Star1228]

being a brony is a good thing. Trust me

[BrainedBySaucepans]

I don't doubt that for a second, Star. It's just the wider context of how getting labelled¹ fits in with the wider context of who I am.³

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¹ Even with a label that I freely accept² as being objectively a good thing.

² And indeed requested in an indirect way.

³ See above.⁴

⁴ If you can stand to read through that fauxlosophical claptrap a second time...

[Kryptchild]

You remind me soooo much of an old friend of mine who I've not talked to in a while, though I really wish that some of the things she said had footnotes! I really don't know why she started hanging out with me, maybe for the same reason you do stuff? I seem like the kind of person she'd hate to be around I guess!

Also, do you add footnotes to note other posts? I'm seeing footnoting footnotes, but no footnotes for footnotes in other footnotes quite yet.

[Chapien]

You seem like a rather refined gentleman. My name is Chapien, a pleasure to meet you.

[shyshy]

howdy n welcome ta canterlot

[Deadpool]

I don't doubt that for a second, Star. It's just the wider context of how getting labelled¹ fits in with the wider context of who I am.³

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¹ Even with a label that I freely accept² as being objectively a good thing.

² And indeed requested in an indirect way.

³ See above.⁴

⁴ If you can stand to read through that fauxlosophical claptrap a second time...

Your vivid vocabulary reminds me of the virtuous and vigilant V from V for Vendetta

[starswirlthebearded]

Well you seem like a fun bloke! I personally try not to use footnotes unless absolutely necessary. They are never seen as part of the actual paper but extraneous information that may be of use to the reader in the event of not being able to understand. Or additional information that you don't WANT to be in the main paper but need to release for full disclosure. Granted this is only how I was taught.

Welcome to Canterlot.

By the by... It took me a good year to actually even think of considering myself a "Brony." All honesty John De Lancie helped me start to begin to call myself a brony. Still don't think I completely am. I seem to do all the motions, went to Bronycon, own brony merch, but it all seems superficial. I do enjoy the show well enough though. Personally I prefer the term Ponynaut or Ponyteer... Why? I don't know, they sound cooler.

Have fun!

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Hi, welcome to Canterlot.

[BrainedBySaucepans]

Thank you again to everyone who's taken the time to welcome me, although no one seems to have taken note of the question I was most interested to see what people's responses would be.¹

Kryptchild - If you're friend was really like me, they may share my trait of getting along well with pretty much everyone.² As for your last statement... it perplexes me. I can think of several possible interpretations, but none seem to fit. Perhaps I'm just being dense...

Chapien - Refined? I'm honestly not sure whether that adjective could be applied to me.⁴ I'll take it in the spirit it was meant, however, and I find I must compliment you on your taste in headwear.

shyshy - Howdy yourself

Deadpool - That is probably the nicest way in which I've been compared to a terrorist. I'm rather proud of my vocabulary⁵ so thank you.

starswirlthebearded - I've honestly never used footnotes this way before,¹¹ but it's a lot of fun. I may have to keep doing it, at least until someone tells me to stop. As far as alternative adjectives go, how about Equinaut?

MyLittlePonyTales - Thanks

By the way, reading back my first post having had some sleep, it seems I didn't actually say much about my interests and personality, choosing instead to try and make myself sound complex and deep.¹² So here goes. I'm a massive sci-fi geek, a bibliophile,¹³ a gamer,¹⁴ and I have a great deal of passion for music. Name a genre and I probably like something in it.

So, any questions?

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¹ See footnote 13 in my first post.

² In my case with, only one notable exception,³ I tend to like everyone. My close friends include bronies, film nerds, squaddies and a chap I'm pretty certain is planning a fascist dictatorship with himself at the helm.

³ And I don't really feel comfortable talking about that here.

⁴ On the one hand, I tend to wear a three piece suit at all times, and smoking a pipe could be seen as refined. I have an extensive vocabulary,⁵ I tend to talk with an RP⁶ accent⁷ and my favourite radio station is BBC Radio 4.⁸ On the other, I swear a great deal,⁹ love a good mosh pit, and one of my favourite activities is running around in the woods, whacking people with foam swords and shooting them with nerf guns. You'll have to make up your own mind.

⁵ My favourite word is "Callipygian"¹⁰

⁶ Received Pronunciation, not Role Play.

⁷ At least around people I don't know well.

⁸ The comedies are sublime.

⁹ To the extent that I've had to go through all of my posts here to make sure I don't post anything too objectionable.

¹⁰ Ooh, footnote 5 is referenced twice! That pleases me.

¹¹ Although I'm a big fan of Terry Pratchett, who uses them in a similar manner, but far more sparingly and to greater effect.

¹² I'm complex and shallow, but tell no one.

¹³ I haven't read many of the classics, just loads and loads of SF&F, with a healthy dose of whatever catches my eye.

¹⁴ PC and 360

[starswirlthebearded]

I have but one more thing to say in lieu of your reply...

Discworld is awesome. And by you being a fan are by extension awesome.

[BrainedBySaucepans]

Discworld is awesome

I think we'll get on just fine...¹

I am going to have to do something about the footnotes though. I can't stop using them now,⁴ but it may annoy some people if I use them to this extent in the forum as a whole...

Spoiler Tags!

From now, all footnotes will be spoiler tagged.⁵

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¹ I'll even overlook your misuse of the term "in lieu of".²

² In the main text. Footnotes are my domain, and I shall do as I please here.³ "In lieu of" literally means "instead of" or "in place of", and from the context of your response, that doesn't seem to be what you meant.

³ Within the rules of the forum.

⁴ They're addictive, I like writing a ridiculous amount even on the smallest topic, and I like things that make me different...

⁵ It also means I can keep them at normal size, and with line breaks for readability, without worrying about it taking too much space for self-indulgent crap!

[starswirlthebearded]

I think we'll get on just fine...¹

I am going to have to do something about the footnotes though. I can't stop using them now,⁴ but it may annoy some people if I use them to this extent in the forum as a whole...

Spoiler Tags!

From now, all footnotes will be spoiler tagged.⁵

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¹ I'll even overlook your misuse of the term "in lieu of".²

² In the main text. Footnotes are my domain, and I shall do as I please here.³ "In lieu of" literally means "instead of" or "in place of", and from the context of your response, that doesn't seem to be what you meant.

³ Within the rules of the forum.

⁴ They're addictive, I like writing a ridiculous amount even on the smallest topic, and I like things that make me different...

⁵ It also means I can keep them at normal size, and with line breaks for readability, without worrying about it taking too much space for self-indulgent crap!

No idea why I said in lieu of... I blame the fact that I wrote that right before passing out at 04:00.

[BrainedBySaucepans]

No apology needed; I'm more than familiar with the problems associated with writing on little sleep.¹

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¹ After all, at the point my first post here was written, I'd been awake for around 40 hours...

[Chocoswirl]

Welcome to Canterlot! You seem like an awfully interesting person, and I hope you enjoy being here at Canterlot.