Hey there!! I'm guessing an introduction is in order, isn't it?
Well, let me start off on how I was introduced to the fandom. When the show was first aired in 2010, a lot of my friends were into it. I wasn't really interested in the show at the time, but I approved of them watching it, seeing as I'm a very open-minded individual and friend, and because the animation is very clean, fresh, and lively. I really enjoyed the colors, and the way the characters looked. I didn't watch the show though.
So months pass, and it's 2011. I didn't begin to watch the actual show yet, but I became a "fake" closet brony if you will. I pretended to watch the show, just to make conversation with my friends, and I did a little more research on what it was about. The only actual parts of the show I watched were small clips and segments on Youtube. I also looked at memes and art of the show more often.
Eventually, years pass and it's 2013. The show grew more, and I was almost found out to be a fake follower of the show. You know what? It's been three years of looking at clips and such, and I wanted more. On March 2013, I decided to watch my first episode. My first reaction was it's "girly, and too linear", but I remembered I wasn't the target audience, and I pushed on. I was intrigued with the story, atmosphere, and the characters, I just had to watch more. A few days later, I was watching Rarity complaining, not whining in front of the Diamond Dogs, and I was hooked on the show for good.
Now about me. IRL, I'm training to join the USAF. I've been interested in space, flying, and the skies since a young age, hence my handle here; Orbital Hooves. My day to day life is studying automotive technology at the local community college, so I can better myself as a mechanic in the USAF, and watching A LOT of MLP here and there. I'm also the least likely person you'd expect to watch the show. I'm 5'8, 200 pounds of muscle, and I hit the gym daily. I'm very modest mind you, haha. It was too funny to see my niece's reaction when I named the mane six and her Princess Celestia toy right in front of her. It was priceless. Well, I'm done typing for now. Thanks for letting me onto this spectacular forum, fellow ponies!!!