A Short (5,000 Word) History of One Man’s Pony Ramblings, or: I Just Got Linked Here, What the Heck am I Looking At?

Don’t worry, we’ll start with a tl;dr.

I didn’t want “I’m quitting the blog, so long!” to be the top post on here for all eternity, and I really had been meaning to clean up the links at the top of the page. So, now I’m doing both. Here’s a post that explains what I’ve been up to for the last six and a half years, talks a little about the experience from my end, and otherwise tries to put a neat and tidy bow on the sprawling, messy, but incredibly rewarding experience of reviewing over 1000 FiM fanfics. If you’re ready for the marginally deep dive (or if you just want a fairly quick and concise answer to the second half of this post’s title), head down below the break one last time with me.

A Long-Delayed Admission

Let's not bury the lede: One Man's Pony Ramblings is closing its doors.

If you want or need to know more, I've got further information below the break.  But the big news is that I won't be resuming this blog.  It's been an amazing six and a half years; thank you all for making it such a fun and educational experience.

First Sentences in (Fan)Fiction the 26th

Following up on the 25th installments "look at an author's oldest and most recent ponyfic" theme, here's a continuation with a few more high-output long-timers!  Head down below the break to see how the first sentence they ever inflicted on put before the ponyfic public compares to their latest works.

Mini-Reviews Round 216

It's been brought to my attention that this blog's subheader ("Updating M-W-F, whether Chris has anything interesting to say or not") has not been, strictly speaking, all that accurate for the last couple of months.  That notwithstanding, I'm going to keep it for now; I've been rolling with that line for over six years, and even if it's currently more aspirational than factual, it's still traditional, y'know?  Hopefully, I'll be able to make it more consistently true statement in the future.

But for today, at least, it's theoretically, historically, and literally true!  Click down below the break for some reviews.

First Sentences in (Fan)Fiction the 25th

As I sometimes do, I thought I'd switch things up with the first sentences section a bit: today, I'll be looking at some talented/prolific authors in the fandom (both aspects are important, for reasons that will quickly become clear) and compare the first sentence of their earliest published work with the first sentence of their most recently published one.  It's often easy to see noticeable improvement with fanfic authors from early to later works; now let's see if that holds up when one judges a fic by just its first few words!  And since the learning experience is what we're hoping to see in action here, I'll try to pick still-active authors who've been around a while.  Now, head below for some comparisons.

Fandom Classics Part 240: Letters From a Secret Admirer

To read the story, click the image or follow this link.

As I've settled into the start of a new season of Ink Master and, as is standard practice when watching a competition reality show, picked my favorite, I was struck by the realization that my favorites are disproportionately male.  Like, at least 80% of the time, I pick a guy to root for in these situations.  Which makes me wonder: how concerned should I be that this represents a subtle, ingrained bit of sexism on my part?  To be fair, I frequently end up picking whoever has the best beard, which is going to skew my numbers, but on the other hand, maybe that's an ingrained bit of sexism coming through in and of itself.  And even if it was sexist, what would be the appropriate response?  Making a conscious effort to chose half guys and half girls to root for isn't not-sexist, any more than picking all-guys or all-girls is.

I take some solace in knowing that I apparently have nothing better to do than fret over whether I'm biased against rooting for women who go on reality shows.  Anyway, check out my review of Subsolar Drift's Letters From a Secret Admirer, below.

Mini-Reviews Round 215

If you don't follow politics closely, then maybe you've missed some of the kerfluffle about Trump, various porn stars, and hush money.  I'm not going to rehash it here, because I have no interest in making this blog political.  So why bring it up at all?  Because one of the porn stars in question goes by the screenname "Jenna Talia."  I'd like to move that this is the best porn star name (female category), and add that it has made me giggle at least four times since I first learned this fact.

On the subject of mild cleverness, let's do some fanfic reviews!  Check mine out, below.

Fandom Classics Part 239: Dead/Light

To read the story, click the image or follow this link.

Thank goodness for the snow day yesterday; it gave me a chance to get this review out.  One Man's Pony Ramblings: adored by brony literary snobs and, apparently, weather gods.

So with all praise to Ullr, head below the break to read my review of Lord Destrustor's Dead/Light.

Fandom Classics Part 238: The White Mare

To read the story, click the image or follow this link.

I got a pleasant surprise yesterday morning: a group called The Writer Awards selected OMPR as one of their top fanfiction blog/websites!  If you're interested in seeing their list, you can get an early peak at it here; it's got some delightfully esoteric stuff on it (did you know there was a Bon Jovi fanfic directory?  I didn't!).  In any event, thank you to whoever nominated me; a little positive attention goes a long way when it comes to lightening one's mood.

Will I now pay those warm fuzzies forward, or will I deem Warren Hutch's The White Mare unworthy of laud?  Head down below the break to find out!

Mini-Reviews Round 214

Happy New Year!  In what is surely an auspicious start to the year, I'm kicking it off with... a missed post and another mini-review set.  Hey, at least I got some reading/reviewing done.  Under the circumstances, I'm feeling pretty good about that.  And hey: it's tradition to immediately faceplant on your resolutions, no?  So if anything, I'm overachieving.

Mini-reviews, below.

Mini-Reviews: Christmas Edition, Round Five of Five!

And so, the runup to the holiday ends.  As usual, I'll be taking the 25th off to be with my family, and I urge you all to do the same--whatever "your family" means to you, spend some time with those people who make your life a little better, and who are there for you when you're at your worst.  They won't be around forever, and can be gone without warning; let them know you love them, in as many words.  Letting the people you love hear that simple truth is never a mistake.

And now, one last seasonal fanfic before we adjurn for holiday.  Merry Christmas, and I'll see you all on the 29th!

Mini-Reviews: Christmas Edition, Part Four of Five!

So, how about that new FiMFic update, eh?  We're one step closer to GenFic, now.

Though I have to say, I'm a little disappointed; the site post made it sound like we'd be able to tag any/all franchises contained in our stories, but when I went to update my fics, I found nothing for the Choose Your Own Adventure™ series, or for The Screwtape Letters (or even just a C.S. Lewis hub), or even for the collected legends of Taliesin!  So I guess all my stuff will be rocking the solo MLP:FIM tag until knighty gets his act together.

Now, on to some seasonal fiction.  Get your reviewage, below the break.

Mini-Reviews: Christmas Edition, Part Three of Five!

In defiance of my predictions of "maybe this will get better, but at least it probably won't get worse," things have gotten much, much worse.  I'm still on track for getting out this week's reviews, though, so that's something.  Small successes?

We have to find the good bits where we can.  Holiday-themed fic review, below.

Mini-Reviews: Christmas Edition, Part Two of Five!

The holiday ficcing continues!  By the way, you'll notice I haven't said anything about the leaked stuff; I glanced through some of the highlights, and it's pretty much all stuff that makes me sad.  Even the stuff in there that makes me happy also makes me sad--like, I had a good laugh at [I'm putting it below the break, but rest assured it's 100% spoiler-free], but it was a sad laugh, you know?  Like, it makes me sad that these are the people in charge of wrapping up the show, and the "they didn't know" defense just makes it worse.  Ridiculous pettiness would be one thing; ignorance and apathy are sadder to me.

Oh man, that got grumpy fast.  Okay, done talking about that.  Here's a funny screencap and another mini-review!

Mini-Reviews: Christmas Edition, Part One of Five!

So, thing that destroys my productivity is still a thing.  But I've managed to get a little reading done.

And as you know, I do enjoy the holiday season.  So to make up for the missing posts, here's your Christmas present: one full week of holiday-themed posts!  That's right, every (week)day until Christmas, I'll be posting a short review of a seasonal fic.  Sure, you might say "that's only five mini-reviews, it's not really 'five days worth of content,'"  but you know what?  I'm doing it over five days, so that makes it five days' worth.  So head on down below, and see what fic got the Chris treatment today... and make sure you come back tomorrow, because we're going M-T-W-T-F in the leadup the holidays!

In case you hadn't noticed...

...I haven't been keeping up my schedule the last week or two.

Unfortunately, I can't really talk about why; I don't feel it'd be appropriate to share, even through the semi-anonymity of this ponyfic blog.  Suffice to say, it stinks, but nobody's dying or going to prison or anything that awful.  There's just a thing, it's taking up all my time and energy, and at this point I don't know how long it will last.  I'd hoped it would just be a few days... but that was three weeks ago, and since then I've burned through my entire buffer of posts, and have read barely anything (pony or non-) in the interim.

I'd hoped to get back on track this weekend... but that obviously didn't happen.  So, in deference to reality, I'm calling a one-week hiatus on ponyposting.  Check back here next Monday at the usual time.  Fingers crossed, things will be back to normal by then.  But if nothing else, I'll at least have a more definitive update.

Apologies if coming here three times a week is the highlight of your life; for what it's worth, I enjoy posting too, and I'll try to return to form as quickly as I can.

Mini-Reviews Round 213

It's santa-hat time in FiMFicland!  If you've got an account, consider bedecking it for the holidays.  Go from this:

To this:

And enjoy your month of stylish accoutrementery!  And once you've done that, you'll no doubt be in the mood for some seasonal fics, but you needn't fret on that count either; head down below the break for a couple of reviews of Christmas-ish fics.

First Sentences in (Fan)Fiction the 24th

So, you remember a while ago when I plugged my participation in the Alicorn Amulet Collab?  You know, encouraging you all to go read my Carrot Top chapter (because of course Chris wrote the Carrot Top chapter...), and also the others?

Well, if you didn't listen to me then, or if you did but then stopped keeping up with the updates, the collab has posted its final chapter.  Go check the whole thing out; there's some good stuff in there.

I had intended to comment on all the chapters as they were posted, but I fell behind, felt weird about commenting on chapter six when chapter nine was already posted, and long story short, I didn't.  But, since every chapter is mostly self-contained and has a different author, I thought, "What if, now that they're all posted, I did a blog post looking at the opening of every chapter?"

So I did.  Head below the break to see what I think of how everybody handled their hooks!

(Oh, and for the record: my opening was "Although she knew it was silly, Carrot Top couldn’t help but flinch when the door to the waiting room opened. She’d flinched when the princesses had come in the first time to explain the setup of the testing room and reassure the half-dozen ponies who’d volunteered with a thorough listing the safety procedures in place; she’d flinched when Twilight had popped her head in to let them know that they’d start in just a few minutes; and now, she flinched again as Twilight trotted back into the room."  Make of that what you will.)

Mini-Reviews Round 212

The best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers.  I don't get people who complain about 'em; it means not having to cook or eat out for, like, a week solid.  How is that not great?  On an unrelated note, have some mini-reviews, below the break.

Fandom Classics Part 237: Just an Assistant

To read the story, click the image or follow this link.

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!  I got to catch up with some friends in from New York, which was nice; I don't get to see the farther-scattered folks as much as I'd like to.  Woo!

But now the holiday's over, and it's time to get back to the grind.  Head down below the break for my review of RadicalDishonesty's Just an Assistant.