Goodbye for now

 Well, looks like I'm done here for a while. I would have liked to go out with a BANG instead of a whimper, but I guess that's not the way of things.

 Thanks for the support you've given me so far. Rest assured that I will be back, but that won't be for a while.






 If you really can't live without me, you can find me on Twitter, Tumblr, MLP Forums, Friendship is Gaming, Deviantart, and hanging around a bunch of other places.

 Or if you feel like meeting me in person, head to Sac-con at the end of October, or other conventions in that area.



Thanks for a great six months! God bless!

Just an FYI, my great-grandmother just died, so don't expect to hear from me for a couple of days.

God bless.

No post this week.

Off-Topic: New SOPA?

So, this could be a thing.

Some excerpts (edited for grammar):

 "Recently it was brought to my attention TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) just passed."

 "We are being targeted by a new law that will be introduced. This new law states 'Any reproduction, remastering, modification, alteration, reselling, and/or manipulation of an original copyrighted item will not be infringed on, or will be punishable by jail time, and/or a fine of up to a $100,000, and/or be sued by the copyright holder.' "

My car broke down.

So yeah.

No post today.

Sorry.

 Over the past month or so, my schedule has become increasingly complicated, leaving very little time to write.

 In addition, I've had very little inspiration, and several planned posts got pushed back so that I could rework them, or canceled entirely. I've had to rush to post things several times, and the quality and depth of the posts has suffered as a result.

 And finally, my fanfiction has not turned out quite as I had hoped, due in part to its format, so I'm considering reworking what I've already written into something a little easier to read.

 With all those things in mind, I've decided to reduce the frequency of posts to one a week. This is not a decision I'm particularly happy with, but I think it's necessary at the present time.

  If and when my schedule opens back up, I may return to multiple posts per week, but I do not expect this to happen anytime soon.

Thank you for your understanding.

Good night, and God bless.

Off-Topic: Unpopular Opinion on Star Wars

 I'm about to say some things that will probably make you angry.

 I'm not trying to make anyone angry or hurt their feelings, I just feel the need to clear the air.





 I'm not excited for, or looking forward to, the new Star Wars movies.

 It's not that I don't think that they might be good, and the villians look awesome (the new Stormtroopers in particular), but the movies themselves just haven't done anything to catch my attention.

Shown here: Badass. But can it save the movie?

 I know that Star Wars has done some really cool stuff in video games and comic books, but fans still mock the prequels, and the originals haven't aged well, especially after all the the "revisions" that George Lucas has made.

 Yes, I realize that Lucas is not directly involved in the new movies, and yes, I know that J.J. Abrams has done some good stuff, but Abrams tends to make things in a certain way (Lost, Fringe, and Star Trek have some similar stylings), and that style may not be well suited to a galaxy far, far away.


 One more thing, I don't find BB-8 cute. At all. I see the proportions and behaviors that make other people feel that way, but I just can't bring myself to like it.


 I also don't like the new and revised vehicles. They just look silly, and not in a good way.


 I feel like everyone is working themselves into a frenzy just because it's Star Wars, and I just don't feel the same.

 Sorry, Nate.



 God bless.

My Take: Building a Better OC

I've been watching some videos about OCs,

and I have some thoughts.

Here's a few things to keep an eye on when making an OC.

I'm going to be out of town until tomorrow, so no post today.

I'm working on more fanfic that will start the story moving more quickly. I will probably post it on Wednesday.


EDIT: Ok, so no post today either. I got back later than expected, and I've got a lot of stuff to do today. My new computer is here, so I need to set that up, and I'm hanging out with a fellow brony for the first time today! Wish me luck.


God bless.

Off-topic: Life is Good

 Two weeks ago, I had no idea what I was doing.

 Last week, I said, "Ok, I know what car I'm going to get, but there's a bunch of stuff I'll need to get done."

Fanfic: Evidence Transfer Request

 Boss, 


 I thought you should see this. I've attached an email from a contact at the EIS, and cc'd Gam. Seems like our files are being altered outside our system. 

Off-topic: Are We Cool Yet?

 Some of my friends have said in the past that I'm cool, but I don't think that I am (not that my friends would be the best judges, sorry guys). I don't do any of the typical "cool" things. I might even be "anti-cool."

There will be no post today, while we remember those who lost their lives fourteen years ago.

Off-topic: Things My Dog Has Stolen

 My Chihuahua, Rocket, is a thief. Don't let the cute eyes and laid-back ears fool you. As soon as your back is turned he'll take something and run.

Impressions: Tomb Raider

It's Labor day (yay), but I don't have any themed content (boo), so here's Tomb Raider instead (yay).




Some of the content that follows may be graphic, and thus not appropriate for children.

Spoilers ahoy!

Off-topic: Jailed Over Faith?

 Mrs. Kim Davis has been jailed for refusing to follow a court order to issue marriage licences to gay couples, on religious grounds.

 I was freaking out about this, same as every other christian, until I heard that this was a spite move on the judge's part.

 The New York Times says "Judge Bunning’s decision went beyond the wishes of the couples who sued the clerk this summer; their lawyers had asked that she be fined."

 What the h*** is he doing? In what sane person's mind should she be jailed rather than suspended and/or fined?

 I really do hope that this allow the law to change so that Mrs. Davis and those like her will not be forced to go against their beliefs, but there doesn't seem to be much chance of that right now. It is my opinion that the judge has acted improperly, but I don't think he's going to be brought to task for it.

 One final note: Mrs. Davis said in an interview, "They told my husband they were going to burn us down while we slept in our home. He’s been told that he would be beaten up and tied up and made to watch them rape me. I have been told that gays should kill me."

 That's what tears me up more than anything else. That threats like these always happen, and we just accept it. Threats like this are never ok, no matter who did what to whom. No exceptions. Shame on whoever thinks that saying these things helps anyone.

 I've already made myself sick with worry over this, so this will be the last thing I say about it.

God bless.

Impressions: Bioshock Infinite Burial at Sea

I've finished Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea and I have some thoughts. Some of these are apparently the same as everyone else.


Spoilers for Bioshock, Bioshock Infinite, and Burial at Sea episodes 1 and 2.

Off Topic: What I'm Up To

 It's been a little while since I sat down and wrote out everything I'm thinking and feeling.


 It's been a busy month for me. I haven't had much time or "want to" to sit down and write. Sure there have been some days where I was inspired, but for the most part I've just wanted to relax and play video games.

Off Topic: Phobias

 Let's talk about fears and phobias.


 I know that having one phobia or another is not unusual, but what about multiple irrational fears?


 I have a big problem with being in the water. Wading is fine, but once the water gets to my chest, I start to get uncomfortable. It's not so bad in hot tubs and the like, where I know I can just stand up with no problem, but swimming pools are usually a no-go.

 I'm pretty sure I could swim if I had to, but just the idea of being in water where I can't touch bottom gives me butterflies.


 My other thing is heights. This one's not so bad; I don't even notice most of the time, but on occasion I'll be near a ledge (railing or not) and get the sudden urge to step away from the edge. It also comes up when I'm crossing bridges and the like (especially if I can see below me [don't look down]). The biggest part of this one is elevators. Unless I brace myself on the wall or railing, I start to freak out. In my head, I know that the odds of something happening are next to nothing, but I guess that's the idea of a phobia, right?


 I think that both of these fears can be explained by saying that I like to have sure footing. Near a ledge, in an elevator, or in the water, I can't rely on the ground for stability. Could that be it? 



 What about selective phobias?

 What I mean is, can a phobia have a set of circumstances to trigger it, instead of just one thing? When I was younger (not much younger, it stuck around almost until I had turned 18), I had a fear of the dark that would only trigger if I was alone. It didn't seem to matter who was with me, as long as there was someone. It also came and went; sometimes I could barely walk down a dark hallway to the bathroom, and sometimes I could be walking down a dark road at night and not have a problem.

 This is one I've grown out of, which is what happens, I guess. We leave our childhood fears behind, and replace them with newer, "better" adult fears. Fear of losing our jobs, fear of getting audited, fear of being rear-ended, or whatever else.


One more thing: Have you ever had a fear mutate into something else? A fascination, an obsession, or a hatred?

 My younger brother got bitten by spiders a few times when he was young, so naturally he was afraid of them. But since then, it's turned into a pathological hatred for all things arachnid. This fits with the idea that we leave our childhood fears (fear of spiders), and replace them with more socially acceptable versions (dislike of spiders).


 I've also heard of many icons of the horror genre who were inspired by nightmares, or by childhood fears or trauma. As a child, Stephen King saw a friend get hit by a train. James Cameron dreamed of a metal skull before he made Terminator.




 What about you? Do you have any phobias? Have you ever grown out of one? Has being afraid of something ever inspired your art or writing?

Fanfic: File Appears Corrupted

Login

\Delta

Enter password.

\**************

Login accepted.

Enter a command.

\open file 235tshxw--a

This file appears corrupted, and cannot be opened.

Enter a command.

\decrypt file 235tsxw--a

Error. Automatic decryption unavailable.

Would you like to try manual decryption? (y/n)

\y

Enter decryption key.

\******************************************************************************************************************************* 

!WARNING!

You are attempting a manual decryption of an unauthorized file.

Accessing this file may cause unexpected system behaviors.

Re-enter password to continue.

\**************

Password confirmed. Attempting decryption.

Please wait...Decryption successful.

Loading...Complete.

Milestone: 1000 Pageviews

 Just hit 1000 pageviews on this blog. Woo! I'm pretty wiped out right now, so celebrations will have to wait.

 Thanks, everyone.


 God bless.

Impressions: Futurama Season 2

 I finished Futurama's second season during my week off, so I figure I should post my thoughts.

Spoilers ahoy! Beware ye also of harsh language. Censored it may be, but foals beware.

Response: Emerging into Adulthood

 A response to Iona's post on babushkasoul.



 The things you're feeling are exactly what I went through over the past few years, and you are describing them much more eloquently than I could have at the time. But with time and thought, I've come to some level of clarity, and I think that I can offer you some advice.

I'm Back (again)

 I guess a week off was enough. Even with everything else going on, I had started to miss blogging. I think I'm hooked.


 I tend to put too much pressure on myself, so going forward I'm going to try to be more relaxed. I'll still try to post Monday/Wednesday/Friday, but I may miss a day here or there if I'm not inspired.


 You've probably noticed a few changes across all my profiles, specifically the change of my profile picture, and removal of the idea that I'm strictly a brony blogger. I had some time to think this week, and I realized I'd been suppressing most of my nerd tendencies for no reason. So, going forward, I'll be making more posts about stuff I like besides MLP.

 Don't get me wrong, I still love the show and the fandom, but it's not the only thing I love. I've always been a nerd, but have never really had a good outlet. I feel that by making this change, I will be able to express myself better, which I think will make me happier.

 With that said, I'm finally starting to make moves to get to know some other fans of MLP, so the number of posts about it might actually increase, depending on how things go.


 On that subject, is anyone in the California central valley or bay area free on the 30th of this month? I'm having a low-key meetup at a Starbucks near my house. Details can be found here or here. TL;DR version: August 30th. Starbucks in Manteca, near the Costco. 2168 Daniels St, just off of highway 120. 10:00 am to 11:30 am. I'm most likely free for lunch afterward.

 If you want, you can email me at stormlanternthefirst@gmail.com, and we can talk details.
 If your interested, but can't make it, let me know and I'll set up an additional day/place & time.


 Beyond that, I'm still looking for a job, am looking at getting a new computer, need a car but can't afford one, am almost done with my dental work, and am thinking about setting up either a local brony group or an animation fan group. Thoughts?


 I think that covers everything I've missed. If you're ever going to be in or around Manteca, let me know and we can figure something out.


 God bless.

RIP Pooch

As we say goodbye, this is what I pray:

That we would remember the good, and forget the bad.

That we would speak in love, and not from grief.
That we would find solace in each other, and in you, God.
That we would mourn, but that you would comfort us.

That you would protect us in our time of sadness.

And that when the time is right, you would help us move on.

Thank you, Lord
Amen

My Take: Gender, Labels, and Faith

Hey there, just popping back in for a quick word. Beware ye of strong language ahead. It be not for the faint of heart.



 The big news this week was Target saying that they'd remove the "For Girls" labeling from their toy aisles.

 Kind of silly to say it like that, isn't it? Kinda helps put it all in perspective.


 I had some very confused emotions about the whole thing, but I've given myself some time to sort them out, and this is what I came up with.

I'm taking a break

 Hey there.

 As the title says, I'm going to be taking a break from writing for a while. I'm not abandoning this blog, and I'm not leaving the MLP fandom, but I need some time off.

 Over the past couple weeks, it's gotten harder and harder to find things that I want to write about. Other stuff keeps coming up, and writing keeps getting moved to the backburner. Several times, I've rushed to make something up at the last minute. I would rather not do that anymore.

 I will keep looking for things to write about, and if I get inspired there might be a post or two, but don't expect anything substantial.

 I think I'll be gone at least two weeks, probably longer. Again, this is not me retiring, more like taking a vacation.


 God bless you all.

 See you when I see you.

No Post Today

 I've got a stomach ache, which is the newest thing in a month of feeling horrible. Regular posts resume Monday.

 In related news, I will not be going to StocktonCon.

 God bless.

Impressions: Futurama Season 1 (Spoilers)

(Spoilers for Futurama Season 1)

 I had seen a few episodes of Futurama from later seasons (which is why I picked it up), but this is the first time I've watched it in order. I  watched 13 episodes in 4 days. Yeah.

 So, here's my thoughts:

Off-topic: The Many Voices of Tara Strong

(Spoilers for Batman: Arkham City [That's CITY not KNIGHT])


 I was messing around on IMDb, and decided to take a look at the MLP:FiM voice actors to see if I knew any of them from elsewhere. To my surprise, I recognize a number of Tara Strong's roles beside Twilight Sparkle, most notably:

• Young Celeste (Babar)
• Barbara Gordon/Batgirl (various Batman iterations)
• Bubbles (Powerpuff Girls)
• X-23 (Wolverine and the X-Men)
• Sari Sumdac (Transformers Animated) 

Hey there. Sorry for the lack of a post today; I went out of town unexpectedly. Today's post will be moved to tomorrow.

Have a blessed evening.

Off-Topic: My Eating Problem

 So, I have a problem. Most days, I don't eat breakfast, and barely eat lunch. It's not that I'm trying to lose weight, or fasting, or trying to prove something; I just straight up forget to eat. The problem is that I'm already underweight.

My Take: Target's Trophy Shirt

WARNING: This post contains sensitive topics and harsh words. Also contains language. Proceed with caution.



 Target has been selling this shirt:

 The internet is pretty much up in arms about it.

My Take: Brokenness & Strength

 You hear it all the time; "I will not be broken," or some variation thereof. Someone claiming a strength that will not fail, whether on their own, or by some higher power.

 I don't have that breed of faith. I am broken. But I can be fixed.

No Post Today

My dog has been keeping me awake at night, and I'm still trying to get my sleep cycle back to normal. Sorry.


Edit: I'm now on Twitter, @1ststormlantern. Jump on over and say hi.
God Bless.

My Take: Who I am

 My credo, personal goals, and beliefs can be summed up very simply.


 My credo: How can I help?

 My goal: Be better.

 My beliefs: He gave His life; How can I do any less?


 Of course, nothing is that simple, but if I start with those, I think I'll do alright.

My 9 favorite MLP songs

Here are my 9 favorite songs from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Equestria Girls.

Why not 10? While I like many of the other songs in the franchise, too many were in the running for #10. And I don't like Winter Wrap Up as much as everyone else seems to. Flame on? 

My Take: Fandom Music

 The question had been asked, "Why do we enjoy brony music more than other music?"

 My answer? We don't. Or at least I don't.

My Take: Losing the Love

 Sometimes people leave the fandom that they used to love so much. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is often difficult for others in the fandom to accept. In their minds, anyone who leaves has become the enemy, and must be converted or destroyed.

 I reject this assumption. True, while former fans can become the most outspoken critics of something, more often they look on their prior love with fondness and nostalgia, while also realizing that it is no longer what they want to focus on. 

Impressions of Season 1

 Like I mentioned before, even with all the fan content I've seen, I'd never watched the Friendship is Magic series proper. Most of my information for my analyses/theories came from the wiki, or from things like the songs.

 Well, I just finished my first run though season 1. Here's some of my thoughts on each episode, and general thoughts about the season. Most of these were written just after I watched the episodes.

Fanfic: Interview 4820-04

What follows is a work of fiction. The author has no access to classified materials, and any resemblance to actual documents or situations is purely accidental.



 Del,

I found the interview you asked for, but there's no recordings, only a transcript intended for other departments. Is this a hypothetical or are we going to have to deal with this thing? If we are, I have some personnel recs. Talk to me after the meeting tomorrow and we can compare notes.

 Eps

Classified

TOP SECRET

EYES ONLY

By order of the Equestrian Royal Guard, the following document is classified

TOP SECRET

and 

EYES ONLY.

Any unauthorized access will be considered a criminal act,

and will be severely punished.

If you have accidentally accessed this file,

please report to your supervisor at once.

I'm back

 Hey there.

 I'm back from my two weeks out of town, so regular posts will resume starting Wednesday.

 I mentioned before that I've been working on a new MLP fanfic, which I hope to have done for Wednesday's post. Going forward, I'm going to try doing more fanfics, because I really do enjoy that sort of writing.

 I'm not going to be on Deviantart as much as I used to be, so if you want to get in touch with me, you're better off sending me an Email.

 I have some decisions to make about my living situation and work, so your continued prayers would be appreciated.


 I'll be in touch.


 God bless.

Milestone: 500 Pageviews

Thanks everybody who's read my blog over the past couple months. It's been really fun so far, and I hope to keep getting better and bring more content over the coming months.


Speaking of which, I've got a new piece of fiction almost done, which I hope to post sometime in the next week or so.


WOO! ONWARD TO 1000!

My Take: Sin, Sexuality, and Salvation

I don't think we're handling our response to sin properly.


 We tend to categorize sin into different levels. For example, murder might be considered worse than stealing, and apostasy in the church is talked about much less than this week's big topic, homosexuality.

 Yet James has this to say, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For He that said Do not commit adultery, also said Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if you kill, thou art become transgressor of the law." James 2:10-11

 We must not think that some sins are "not as bad" as others. Any sin, no matter how small, separates us from the creator, and it's only through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made that we can be returned to a right relationship with God.

Holiday: Father's Day

 Dad.


 You have been my protector since before I was born.

 You have provided for me for over twenty years.

 You've been my role model for almost that long. I won't say you've been perfect, but you have help shape me into a stronger and better man than I ever could have become on my own.

 At times I'm surprised at how much of you I see in myself. And while there are things I wish I hadn't gotten, some of my best traits are those you passed on. My work ethic, my uncompromising moral center, the well of strength at my core, and my unwavering dedication to God, these can all be credited to you, in whole or in part.

 Thank you for all you've done for me.

 Thank you for letting me make mistakes, and for helping me pick up the pieces.

 Thank you for being unfailing in your love, and unwavering in your support.

 Above all else, thank you for pushing me to be the best I can be.


 Happy Father's Day.



 God bless.

Off Topic: Sampler Platter

 I finally got the root canal I needed. My jaw is sore, but nothing too extreme.


 I'll be out of town for two weeks starting monday, so posts may happen sporadically. I'm gonna try to get as much done and auto-scheduled beforehand as I can, but don't expect much.

If you've been over to the Welcome page recently, you may have noticed that posts are no longer divided by day. I've got several things in the works, but not having as much pressure on any one thing would be helpful. As such, posts of different categories will occur whenever I feel like finishing them. I will continue to post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the foreseeable future(barring the next couple weeks).


M.R.R. turned me on to Freerice.com. A trivia site that feeds the hungry? Sign me up! I highly recommend the English vocabulary category.


 Once again, I'd like to direct you to Soundcloud for your music streaming needs. I'm kind of enamored with it right now. It takes some getting used to, but manages to beat out Pandora by not being a glorified radio station, YouTube by giving higher sound quality while not sucking up as much bandwidth, and iTunes by letting you sync multiple devices without touching a computer(I haven't tried Spotify, and don't know anyone who uses it).


I may have mentioned it before, but HOLY COW FALLOUT 4!!! I am really excited for it, and learning that we only have to wait until November? Icing on the cake. You're doing it right Bethesda, graphics and all.

 On that note, I think I'll be getting a PS4 in the next couple months.


 Besides MLP, I'm a big fan of Disney, Pixar, Adventure Time(only another month until the season 5 DVD), and Bravest Warriors. I'm looking at more animated shows and movies to get. Here's my list so far:

1. Steven Universe.
2. Over the Garden Wall
3. Regular Show
4. Gravity Falls
5. Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Legend of Korra

 Anyone have any other recommendations? Are there any of these I should avoid?

 Ok, I think that's it. Have a good weekend.

 God bless.

My Take: Dealing with Life

UPDATE: Put the wrong track; fixed now.

 I have an appointment to keep, so this'll be short.


 Life can be tragic sometimes, but we can't let that drag us down. Even on the cloudiest days, the sun can shine through. Life is not about everything always being great. It's about being able to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and say, "ok, let's try again."

 Life is beautiful. Enjoy it.



 "Farewell nightmares I am free."

 "The tide could bring in anything, so steady as she goes."


God bless.

Rant: Music in General

 You might have noticed that I like music. In general I do, but there are things musicians and music lovers do that upsets me.

RANT TIME!

My Take: Aftermath Part 2

 Last one of these, I promise.


 Sometimes we can be gently corrected, and sometimes we need a kick in the pants. I thank God that He uses more of the former than He does of the latter.

 I can be a prideful person at times, especially when I should be grateful for the privileges I've been given. My clarity comes and goes, and there are times when I really think that I'm better than everyone else.

My Take: Aftermath

(Or the lack thereof.)


 When I posted to Facebook, and said that I was a brony, I didn't know what to expect. I am happy to report that everyone seems to have had the following reaction:

"Huh. Ok, sure. I could see that."

 So I guess nothing has changed.

Milestone: Encouraging Thunder Award

M.R.R. over at God, Entertainment and Annoying Things was kind enough to give me an Encouraging Thunder Award.

My Take: Telling Everyone

AKA The Revelations of Storm Lantern AKA Butterflies, Fear, and Changes AKA The Ponies, The Haters, and The Closet AKA The Closet?
(I couldn't think of what to call this. Also, Oxford Commas for the win.)


Sorry to everyone who was expecting an analysis. I haven't been in the right frame of mind to write much.


 Shortly before I started this blog, I told a few people I'm close to about being a Brony. Now, I am by nature a very nervous person, so I worked myself up until I was sick from the butterflies in my stomach.

 And it was all over nothing. They were surprised, sure, but it wasn't like they really cared. As one of them put it, "Hey, whatever makes you happy."

 Do any of you ever do that? Make yourself sick worrying about nothing? It happens to me more than I would like.


With all that in mind, imagine my anxiety now that I intend to tell everyone, via this blog.

Sorry guys, no post today. I've been busy taking care of the new dog, so I haven't had time to write anything. I'm gonna take the week off, and return next Wednesday. Thanks for your patience.

God Bless.

Community Spotlight: YourEnigma

On October 17, 2011, YouTube user YourEnigma posted a video titled 

Pony Piano - Twilight Sparkle's Mind is a Curious Place.

He had this to say about it:

"Ponies, man.....they do things to you."

Off-Topic: My Little Canine

 I guess I should just make Fridays Off-Topic, and move My Take to another day. Maybe Mondays? I'll think about it.


Written yesterday:

 This afternoon, my mom and I found a lost chihuahua. It didn't have a collar, so we went up and down the street knocking on doors, but nobody could tell us whose it was.

Analysis: Celestia's Competence Part 2

OR: Celestia's Long Game

Spoilers for seasons 4 and 5.

This post contains large amounts of speculation.

Canon junkies and Celestia haters beware.



 Previously, I looked at whether or not Celestia is capable of defending Equestria, and I concluded that she is not. She has beaten exactly zero threats to the kingdom on her own.

 I also toyed with the idea that Celestia may not be nearly as powerful as we've been led to believe.

Here's a question:

 How many real world leaders would appear on the front lines? How can we expect Celestia to be able to personally respond to every attack, and still have time to rule her kingdom?

Holiday: Memorial Day

 I have no words.

 I thought I could come up with something clever, some unique way to honor the fallen.

 I can't.

 I have no clever or poetic words, no pithy sayings or flippant remarks, no soulful speeches.


 So to those long fallen, those who have defended my right to freedom since long before I was born;

 To the great uncle that I never knew:

 Thank you.


 I have nothing to offer you, just my gratitude and my prayers.

 But maybe, just maybe, that is enough.


 We will remember you...


 I will remember you.



 God bless.

Off-Topic: Rambling

 I had nothing planned for this post, so I'll just write whatever comes to mind.

Analysis: Celestia's Competence Part 1

 Spoilers for multiple episodes, up to and including Twilight's Kingdom.


 Let me start this off by saying that I really like Celestia. I think that, even with her flaws, she has been a good mentor to Twilight, and I enjoy episodes where she appears.

 Everything that follows is based on my own opinions. I am not affiliated with the show or anyone who has worked on it.



 Many have questioned Celestia's competence as a leader, and her ability to defend her subjects.

Milestone: 100 Pageviews

 Just like that, I went flying past 100 pageviews. Of course, getting 26 of those this morning is what got me over. Weird. Did I get linked somewhere? I'd love to know what triggered this sudden influx.

 Regardless, posts will continue as scheduled. See you on Wednesday.

 God bless.

Community Spotlight: GeneralZoi

 Even if you don't know her by name, you've probably seen the work of Haley R. aka GeneralZoi. 

Her fanfiction of various TV shows and movies is...

 What? You think I should talk about Pony Creator? About v3?

 Fine.

Off-Topic: Anti-Depression Music

Being sick for a week took it's toll on my emotions, so I've been listening to a lot of music to get me back out of my depression. Not uplifting songs, but ones with drive and a good beat. Here's some of the tracks that help pull me out of depression.

Making Plans

 First off, sorry once again for the sparse posts this week. I was sick for most of last week and it made it hard to get stuff together for the blog this week. In the future, I will try to have more content ready so that it doesn't happen again.

 Speaking of the future, here's the outline for what and when I will post going forward. On Mondays I'll post Community Spotlight highlighting bronies whose work I enjoy. On Wednesdays I'll have a rotating schedule of Fanfic, Theories and Analysis, and Headcanon. Those will basically be things I've written. On Fridays I'll post Off-Topic or My Take. Some of those will be about the brony community, some will be about general pop culture, and some will be about my personal life.

 I'll of course still post Holiday content on the appropriate days.

 Beyond that, I'm going to try taking more time to write things. I tend to make only rough outlines, then rush to finish everything at the last minute. I'm trying to get better about that, but please bear with me.

 This does not count as Friday's post. I will have something else up later this evening.

 See you then.


 God bless.

No post today

I was sick over the weekend, and I'm still getting over it. Regular posts will return on Friday.

Holiday: Mother's Day

 Mom.

I can't say that I've always liked the things you've done while raising me, I can now see their value. 

Thank you for raising me to love God and respect others.

Thank you for letting me be as weird and strange as I wanted.

Thank you for supporting me even when I drove you crazy.

You have been my confidant and co-conspirator.

My counselor and support system.

My mother and my friend.

I pray that we will never grow apart, even if life separates us.

And take comfort in the fact that even if we part in this life, we will see each other again in the next.

Happy Mother's Day.

Milestone: Two Weeks

 It's the end of my second week of blogging, so I thought I'd take some time to evaluate how I'm doing. 


 On my blog I have:

• 9 Posts
• 3 My Take
• 2 Off Topic
• 1 each of Fanfic, OC Art, and Holiday
• 1 special post about the earthquake in Nepal (still an ongoing situation by the way).
• About 50 page views.
• 0 Comments (hmm).

 On Deviantart I have:

• About 120 page views
• 2 Llamas
• 4 posts
• 2 journal entries (not including this one)
• 1 Group: HeroVillianHet

 While it's been kind of cool to post something every day, it's also a lot of work, especially since I'm sharing a computer. With that in mind, I'm cutting my posts down to three days a week, which is what I intended to do in the first place. Posts will now happen Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

 As for the future, I'm going to focus on Fanfiction for a while. Anything of that type will be posted on my blog, my Deviantart page, and on Archive of Our Own. I'm also considering profiles on Fanfiction.net and Fimfiction.net.

 Beyond that, I'm now accepting Fanfiction requests. More info is on the fanfic page above.

 If you've got any questions, please get in touch with me.

 God bless.

Fanfic: The Long Road Back: Homecoming

WARNING: This story contains violent references and potential PTSD triggers. They are minor, but present. Proceed with caution.



"All Aboard!"

 The soldier stepped onto the train and gave the conductor his ticket, waiting as it was inspected. The conductor looked at him and said, "Finally head home?" "Eeyup," replied the soldier. "Well then, thank you for your service," the conductor said and offered him a salute. The soldier wordlessly returned his salute, then went to find his seat

Community Spotlight: Glaze

I was going to post some fanfiction today, but it's not ready yet, so here's some of my favorite tracks from Glaze aka WoodenToaster.

My Take: Sadness And Depression Among Christians

I apologize in advance for the heavy subject matter, and for my rambling.

As a Christian, I am supposed to be "joyful." In practice this means that I'm not supposed to look sad or depressed, especially in front of anyone who's not a Christian. Yet rarely do I see any group of people more cynical and willing to look for the bad in a situation than Christians. 

Kind of counter-productive, isn't it?

Holiday: Star Wars Day

AAAAAAAAAAA! IT'S MAY FORTH AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED!

Ok, ok, calm down, Storm. There's got to be something around here...

...Oh! Here's a video!


Warning: Violence

Aaaand that's all I've got.

Video by the excellent Jacob Kitts. Seriously, he's done a lot of cool stuff, go check it out.
Star Wars is © The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm LTD, and as always My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is © Hasbro, Inc.

My Take: OCs, Ponysonas, and Backstories

 Update: Apparently, changing the font on this one caused it to repost, but none of the others did that. Great. Today's actual post is below.

 I've been thinking about this for a while and, despite what others may tell you, your ponysona or OC (the character that represents you online) does not have to be identical to you in every way.

 I think as long as you keep the fiction (back stories, fan fiction, etc.) distinct from the fact (your actual personality), your OC's abilities and personality can be whatever you want.


 I know that this potentially opens the floodgates for even more bad OCs, but what I can tell you from experience is that most people who are going to write bad OCs will do so regardless of anyone telling them not to, and it's the people who will do ok that hold back out of fear.


 So fellow writers, no more fear. Let your brony flag fly, and let's drown out the bad writers, cynics, and trolls in a sea of optimism and positive thinking.

 God bless.

Off Topic: Of Dresses and Capes

Very cool.

I support the breaking down of stereotypes and subversion of inequality, in whatever form that takes.

My Take: On Childish Things

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."   1 Corinthians 13:11

Image is © PluckyNinja.