With the so-called "end of the word" approaching my doorstep soon ( ), it's time to give my thoughts of 2012 in terms of being a brony.

Two springs ago, I began to notice a huge influx of material related to the family-friendly animated show, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, in the form of avatars, icons, and brief discussions. Seeing all of it bewildered me because I never saw the stuff before, and I wondered why it was becoming so popular at such a quick pace. Curious and the fact that I saw people recommend it, I began watching it that very summer — July/August 2011, beginning with the two-part premiere. Suffice it to say, I was hooked and, because I began liking the show, immediately became a brony. Then I began exploring one of the biggest results of this fandom: the creativity. It was not just good work. It was GREAT work. But the fandom didn't stop there. It got BETTER.

Over two years ago, the brony fandom was confined exclusively into 4chan. Then the channers began to promote it off-site to other parts of the Internet, and more bronies became hooked. The word "brony" now became an Internet meme, and the fandom was starting to exponentially grow.

However, with 2011 nearing an end, the meme was aid to come and go, right?

Wrong.

Bronydom became persistent. It passed through 2011 and was slowly becoming bigger than ever. Then in the spring, the brony fandom multiplied with the airing of Canterlot Wedding, inviting more and more people to the fandom.

Here, we came to a big and important conclusion. Bronies wasn't a meme anymore, nor was the brony fandom isn't just a fandom anymore. It evolved into a pop culture phenomenon. It's the Trekkies of the 1970s and 1980s and a much miniature version of the Harry Potter fandom in the early-2000s. The brony fandom became bigger, more recognized throughout media, and greater than ever. We hit bumps in the road, but we always bounce right back up and continue bronying on as we should.

Then, BronyCon hit, my big highlight as a brony this year. 4,000 people came into this packed convention to show off their brony pride. It was big. It was great. It was one of the best weekends of my life! But my most favorite moment here (and as a brony, truly) came at one moment that Saturday, June 30^th. While waiting to get my picture taken with Doctor Whooves and Derpy, a little four-year-old girl with her mom and dad in tow saw the duo and became very happy. She wanted to say "hi!" to them. Whooves and Derpy knelt and hugged her, and we all awed at the sight.

And then season three aired with high expectations and an even higher viewing. Although it might've come out as a bit weak, it gave the season and brony fandom a jump start to the excellent episodes that aired later. But even with season three and with the fandom being the highest it's ever been, I dare say that the fandom hasn't even reached its peak yet. It's a great fandom, and it's only going to grow bigger and better. As long as the show stays great, then the fandom will continue to follow it. As long as the fandom is still invested in the product, the bigger and better it'll become and longer staying power the brony fandom has. Do not merely "be" a brony. Be a proud brony! Enjoy it how long it takes, because one day, it'll end, you'll go back and regret not enjoying it sooner.

It's my first full year as a brony. It's been a great year to be a brony. It's great to be a brony. And I'm certainly

May this fandom grow and be bigger and better tomorrow, next year, and the years after that! Brony on, everypony! /)