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Batbrony

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Everything posted by Batbrony

  1. No idea. I think DHX was always put in a hard place because I'm still convinced EQG was an idea they didn't want to do in the first place. Let's be honest, we all know it was mostly greenlit/ordered by Hasbro as a way to launch an entirely new line of toys (right as S3 was wrapping up no less, remember, MLP lasting longer than S3 was NOT guaranteed at one point). The best thing I can say about it is that, despite some of its inherent problems in conception and, oftentimes, execution, they really tried to make the best of it in the long run and didn't just phone it in. I just think they were never able to escape some of those inherent flaws, but overall I do think they were able to make up for them in the positive qualities of EQG.
  2. *channeling 1950s Alice in Wonderland* A very happy forumversary to you! To you! Sorry I'm a bit late on this, but so very happy to know you Sparklefan!
  3. I'm not going to lie, this is very difficult to read and process. Jeric's clearly touched this entire community, but I am glad to say she wasn't just a fellow staffer or mentor for me, but a dear friend. I will probably have more to say than this, but for now, I pray that Jeric's wife, children, and loved ones - including all of her friends here - are getting the love and emotional support that they need. Rest in peace, my friend. You were one in ten million, and I pray that you and Jess have been reunited. A song, for those who may need some uplifting right now
  4. Batbrony

    staff The Silk Road

    I've only befriended you recently, @Princess Silky, but based on our limited interactions I've no doubt you'll help make our community a better place. Please lean on any of us, old and new, that you may need to, we'll do all that we can to support you and your efforts for Poniverse!
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PJBqlnKC28 I don't get it, but that doesn't mean it isn't damn funny. Still, I DEMAND THAT JERIC PUT TOGETHER A DARING DO COSPLAY FOR HIS WIFE AS WELL!!! Mostly so she can then put together a Rainbow Dash cosplay to compliment it and make faces at you like this (in public, for the record, for ultimate lols): Honestly this is the only respect in which the Cozy Glow vote is a missed opportunity. People, you need to understand that one's spouse knows better than anypony else how to achieve maximum public embarassment for their spouse! THERE IS A CLEAR, APPARENT REASON SHE WANTED DARING DO?! Either way, the photos that come out of all this should be to die for. Still, I can't help but also be sad that there is now know reason for Jeric to go out and acquire a chaise lounge. Well, other than just because it's classy as hell to have a chaise lounge ready at hoof at all times, but ya know, besides that.
  6. I LOVE that Nightmare statue, what's it made of and who's the artist, if I may ask?
  7. Oh understood, perfectly, from your original post I wasn't sure if you were speaking just for yourself or if that was your general feeling about tattoos on others as well. But thank you for clarifying.
  8. And that's totally valid, for sure. The one thing I'd caution you on in terms of your thoughts on tattoos is that, while some people may get tattoos for their aesthetic look alone, for most in my experience, it's more about getting something that holds personal value or makes a very personal statement for them. That doesn't even mean it's a SAD one alone, but just something important about themselves that they want to capture in this way. That sort of meaning should not be disregarded, I don't think, at least in evaluating the value and worth of tattoos. But again, it is NOT a bad thing not to want to get tattoos for yourself either, believe me.
  9. I disagree in this respect (though I can understand if IP based tattoos don't feel as meaningful to other people); if the meaning and importance is there FOR YOU, I think IP based tattoos can be very personal (see my post above). The next one I'd like to get at some point is based off of this shot from the final Violet Evergarden movie, and holds very personal meaning to me: As long as the PERSONAL statement is there in the tattoo, IP based or not, that's what I think matters. But again, I also know that that is going to vary from person to person, and some people may feel that it needs to be more original than that in order to hold that personal value for them.
  10. Heheheh, I technically have two. The first one on my left shoulder is a VERY loose reference mind you, since it's not an image that most people associate with this franchise. This is a crest from the Halo franchise associated with New Mombasa. This was one of the few images I could find that I could use here and isn't a perfect representation of the tattoo I have; mine is in an actual crest and has the words "Finish the Fight" written above it. Which is both a Halo 3 reference but also a personal creed, and something I got before my senior year of undergrad as motivation. My second tattoo is something both my wife and I got based on a franchise we love, Fairy Tail. It's just the Fairy Tail emblem, but we got it after our wedding as a symbol of our ties together, seeing as the main gist of the Fairy Tail guild is that they're more a family of misfits than just a guild. This is more or less what mine looks like and I got it on the right side of my chest. I'd love to get more tattoos in the future, and, as long as they have personal connection to me, I won't hesitate to get ones based on franchises. In fact, the next one I could most easily see getting is based on a shot from one of my favorite anime of all time, Violet Evergarden. BUT, I must stress this and cannot stress it enough... make sure, whatever tattoo you get, that you're getting it for a reason that's meaningful to you. That doesn't mean it has to be deep or super emotional, tattoos can be fun and playful. But if you're just getting the tattoo because you think it looks cool, and not because it'll hold any significant meaning to YOU, it's probably a waste of time and money. This is your body and a tattoo in my mind instantly becomes a part of your story of you; that's something that should matter to you, even if most people won't see it depending on where it's at.
  11. This is one of those questions that, unfortunately, is kind of impossible to properly answer unless the show writers were to (1) get more specific or (2) actually explore the linguistic history of the setting and various cultures. That said, it is a question that fans are more than free to have fun with in their own fan art, particularly in fanfiction.
  12. Soooooooooo... I know this post is over five years old, and this may be super random, but whatevs. I've only had two spa experiences myself, however, I am super OCD and detail-oriented, so believe me when I say I have over-thought the HELL out of this question. So, here are my tips based on my personal experiences (though I do hope you've found a spa in this time that you enjoy). (1) First and foremost, you need to ask yourself what kind of treatments you're looking for. Are you most interested in massage/muscle relief? Skincare? Hand/foot care? Waxing? Water therapy? Saunas? Finding a place where you can have a very splurgy, 3-6 hour type spa day? These are all things you need to consider first as not all spas or spa-type places specialize in the same treatments or even spa experience. (2) Are you looking for a large facility/spa resort that may have more staff and treatment options but also be pretty busy? Or do you prefer a smaller, quieter location with 2-5 staff that is far more tucked away and may specialize in only particular treatments? Or perhaps are you looking for a salon and spa combo where you may also get set up with a long term hair stylist as well? Again, very good questions to consider in looking for a spa you may get established as a regular or semi-regular client at. (3) What kind of budget are you working with? This may not seem important at first glance as there are some standard pricing you'll notice when comparing spas, but there is a trick to finding "deals" in the spa industry. What I've noticed in spa hunting is that often spa resorts are more likely to charge more, even though there's a greater chance their treatments are less personalized, since the spa is treated as an extension of the resort itself. I think people need to especially be careful with this - unless money isn't an object for them - since it's very unlikely if you're at a spa resort that you'll be visiting it as a regular client since those are usually vacation destinations for most people. By contrast, with smaller spa locations, I've found you get both very personalized care (especially if there's a good chance you may become a regular client) and might even get some more reasonable prices. In short, if you're smart about your spa hunting when it comes to budget, you're more likely to get more "bang for your buck." Though one should keep in mind that a standard spa tip for spa treatments is 25-30% of the treatment price, at least according to proper spa etiquette. (4) What do you want to get out of this? That is, are you looking to simply be pampered and unwind? Do you have medical reasons for seeking spa treatments (Side note: in that case, medspas may be right for you if that's the case)? Is this something you wish to experience with friends, a signifcant other, or simply for yourself? This'll vary from person to person, but again, it'll go a long ways to helping you determine where you may end up going. (5) I think it's worth stressing that you need to ask yourself if you're more comfortable working with male or female spa technicians? This may seem a bit odd but remember, for many type of spa treatments you may be receiving an hour or mores worth of very personal touch, depending on the treatment. I've even read spa etiquette guides where it's stressed, both for clients and spa technicians that for certain treatments, it is normal to expect clients bodies to reflexively show, uh, signs of 'excitement' so to speak. As long as the client themselves is still behaving appropriately and not in an unsafe or abusive manner, spa technicians are told to just remain professional themselves and treat this as simply a reflexive, physical reaction. And in turn, clients are told that they shouldn't be embarrassed by reactions like this, again, as long as they are still behaving appropriately. But it is worth keeping this in mind when you are determining which gender of spa technicians you would prefer working with long term, or if you have preferences dependent on the type of treatment. (6) Finally, read online reviews, especially if the place you're looking at is a smaller, local spa. If you don't see many Google reviews, see if they have a Facebook or Vagaro (a spa booking app) page instead with more reviews; it's good to keep in mind that some spas prefer you post reviews on specific sites. If you can't find many online reviews in general, be very discerning; it's possible the business has closed but this hasn't been updated online, or, worst case scenario, it doesn't get much traffic because the services are genuinely low quality. But online reviews are helpful in several respects; they can help you navigate a business's spa menu more easily, give you nice tips about especially high quality spa technicians at specific spas, and give you a look at spas that spa websites themselves never will. So, what do I go for? Well pretty quickly I figured out that estheticians (that is, spa technicians who specialize in skincare) were what I was looking for, ergo, spas that specialize in skincare treatments were what I was looking for. While I certainly would love in the future to get to experience "splurge/spa package" days that would involve multiple types of treatments, including massage, when I was younger I suffered from pretty severe acne, to the point that eventually I even needed to be prescribed Accutane (anyone who's been on Accutane or knows someone who has can attest what a gnarly and powerful prescription that is). It's much more manageable these days and has been for years, but having good skincare routines has long been a normal part of my everyday routine, and is how I got into do facials at home in the first place. So it was only natural that when I started considering going to a spa, skincare treatments were what appealed to me the most. However, I knew I didn't want a med spa/dermatology type of experience. Not that I have anything against those, but in this case, I was looking less for medical treatment and more for professional, luxurious, and relaxing indulgence. Something that would be a true treat for my skin, so to speak. So that's what ultimately led me to focus my search on local estheticians. The other treatment element I like to consider is that a spa ideally have a nice body treatment menu as well, that is, body skin care, such as back treatments or skincare-focused body wraps, and both spas I've gone to so far offer herbal body wrap treatments. In terms of size, both of the spas I've gone to were smaller, local establishments staffed by two staff members at each location. For me, the main advantages of this are (1) it's easier to find people who are first and foremost estheticians at smaller spas, since by far the most popular treatment at spas in general, especially larger ones, is massage, (2) the locations have been very quiet, cozy, and tucked away, not teeming with tons of clients and staff members, (3) while both trips were expensive, as far as spa trips go, there were a lot of budget tricks I was able to take advantage of, and finally (4) I was able to receive incredibly personalized treatment and care from both locations. Communication was very easy for both spas, and I find it to be especially gratifying when I am able to continually send questions and receive helpful answers from spa staff both before and after scheduling an appointment. As a quick side note, definitely communicate any allergies or sensitivities you may have with spa staff ahead of time; spa products often include allergens, but thankfully there is such a wide variety of them that a spa should usually be able to accomodate any allergy concerns you may have, so long as you communicate them to them of course. As far as budget, I like to look for places where, if you're smart, you can pair several treatments together and still pay prices that aren't outrageous. Don't get me wrong, a decent sized trip to a spa will probably still cost you at least between $150-$250, so you need to know how it's going to fit into your budget, but if that's what your paying for 2-3 main or supplemental treatments, it's honestly a pretty good deal, especially if the treatments are high quality. All in all, both of my spa experiences have been indulgent, utterly relaxing, and helped my skin look and more importantly feel great. I think anyone who can should try going to a spa at some point, but like I said, spa hunting is more than just picking a random spa and going with that one. You really do need to consider what it is you want out of this experience before settling on just anything. Speaking as a male myself, do not, I repeat, DO NOT let gender or so-called "gender norms" stop you from giving spas a shot (I'm talking to you, my guys). If it's something you want to try and you can fit it into your budget, those should be the only determining factors. I'll even admit that MLP: FiM played a small role in convincing me of this; seeing a character like Spike not uncomfortable in the slightest with pampering himself was really a breath of fresh air. So, like I said, do your homework, figure out what's right for you, and most importantly, just have a great time getting what you need out of it. Sorry if this response is a bit random coming so long after the OP, but I couldn't resist. I've really enjoyed this pasttime when I can indulge in it and thought I would share what I can.
  13. You madman, don't you know what this means?! *deep breath* "This Hearts and Hooves Day, prepare yourselves for the 'Buttons Mom Has Got it Going On!' event! Which Buttons Mom forum ship will reign supreme? Well now, you, the members of MLP Forums, will get to decide!" (my face when this ^^^^^^ image came up on Google Images after just looking up Button's Mom: )
  14. Kevin Conroy (November 30, 1955 - November 10, 2022) I'm not gonna lie... this is a tough one for me. Yes, I can certainly say the biggest reason I haven't gotten around to this post until today is that I'm a new dad and being a new parent is very time consuming (which it is). But that's not the only reason I'm only now getting around to this. The truth is, to some extent, I've been putting this off. I hate death and hate addressing death because, even in its noblest form, the cruelest thing about death is probably the emptiness it leaves. Even believing in a resurrected soul and the Gospel of Christ as I do, that doesn't make earthly death any less cruel, ugly, or contrary to life at its most beautiful. And yet, this is why memory and the act of remembering is so very important. It is by the act of remembering and holding onto memories that we continue to express our love or care for those no longer with us; by this, we commit a deliberate action that, though it may be painful to us, we show that we are not going to let go of what people did for us and left us with. Everyone leaves a legacy behind, but it is up to us to fully express that legacy and keep it alive. And so, tucked though it may be in a little corner of the Internet, here is my contribution to keeping that legacy alive for one Kevin Conroy. Probably the first Batman I ever knew, and the best Batman I'll ever know. I don't want to make this into a Wikipedia entry or obituary, because that's not how I knew Kevin Conroy. I didn't know him personally nor did I ever have the chance to meet him; but over the first three decades of my life, I did in a sense - like millions of other children from my generation - come to "know" him in his most iconic role. I will note a few remarkable points of his life that I believe deserve mention later in this post. But my first interactions with Kevin would've been on Saturday mornings and after school... watching Batman: The Animated Series. It was one of the shows I watched most as a child, and probably played a bigger role in establishing Batman as my all time favorite superhero more than any other form of media. I've never really read many Batman comic books, and while I love several Batman live action films, I didn't really start appreciating many of those until I was a teenager and the Christopher Nolan "Dark Knight" trilogy started coming out, and I was even older when I began appreciating some of his older films. But before all of that, there was still Batman, and for me, it was especially B:TAS and JLA Batman. I certainly didn't understand that WB was putting out all of these shows in a semi-connected manner, that these shows that played out across a little over a decade of television were more or less connected in the same television universe. Hell, I didn't even watch Batman Beyond when it came out, I thought it looked weird and didn't understand the idea of alternative timelines in comic books (I only say shame on me for still not having checked it out, I certainly need to rectify that mistake at some point). As Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy began coming fully into its own, I started rediscovering my love of Batman after some quieter years of my fandom for him. But by that point, nobody was really showing reruns of B:TAS anywhere and I didn't own any collections of it yet. So I didn't even really know who Kevin Conroy was. Then, one day, while my family was vacationing to visit other family and I was hunting for a good deal on a video game to pass the time, I noticed that the game Batman: Arkham Asylum was on sale for $20. I'd heard some great things about it, and even though I was more of a "big studio" gamer at the time (i.e. series like Halo, Gears of War, Assasin's Creed, Mass Effect, etc.) I decided to give it a shot since I thought, "hey, if it makes me feel a little like Batman, cool." And thennnnnnnnnn... I started playing. And suddenly I was 5 years old again because, to my shock, I was hearing the exact same voices I'd always heard as a kid voicing Batman and the Joker (that was probably also the first time I realized Luke Skywalker voiced the most iconic Joker I've ever heard as well, wild revelations, I know). Of course, the game itself was phenomenal. But now I was at a point in my life where I was starting to actually care about who played certain characters well. Where I was telling myself, "OK, hang onto the names that truly mean something creatively to certain fictional properties, the ones who truly bring something priceless to their performances." So from that point on, I made sure to never forget Kevin Conroy's name when he was attached to a Batman project. Because I realized... that's my Batman. And not just my Batman, or everybody's Batman. Simply put... he was Batman! Side note, even in a career of shining moments, Batman: Arkham Asylum is still among one of the greatest highlights of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill's careers in playing opposite one another as Batman and Joker, respectively. Seriously, check it out if you haven't already, you won't regret it. I haven't seen every single Batman property or performance of Kevin Conroy's. Hell, I haven't even finished the Arkham trilogy (life is annoyingly busy like that). But while I can't make some claim to be the biggest Batman superfan or Kevin Conroy superfan, I can still more than appreciate what he did for this role and how he's impacted my life. Yes, nostalgia most certainly colors a lot of my endearment for him as Batman. But it is much more than that. I have seen many great Batman performances in my life, and I know that I will see many more great Batman performances in my life. About the only ones I can even say are bad have less to do with actor caliber/quality and far more to do with whether or not the actor cares about the role they are playing. I've even reached a point in my maturity as a Batman fan that I can accept there are all kinds of ways to successfully play this character! I wholeheartedly believe that Adam West, Diedrich Bader, and Will Arnett have delivered several of the best and funniest performances of Batman ever, and that, just as he is so unique in so many ways from all other superheroes, successfully parodying Batman in a satirical manner or delivering a tongue-in-cheek version of him is uniquely gratifying and hilarious. But here's where Kevin Conroy stands above the rest, for me at least. Conroy understood, probably better than any other actor I've ever seen tackling the role, not just how to deliver separate performances for Batman and Bruce Wayne, but also how to inject humanity into both aspects of the character. Batman is tricky because the character is defined by his tragic origins; I know some people find that either cliche or, in his case, overdone (and trust me, there are FAR too many retellings of Thomas and Martha Wayne being gunned down in Crime Alley to count), but in his case, the reason it's so defining is not simply because it happened, but because it happened RIGHT in front of him. There is a tragic and explosive horror to the image of one's parents lives being cruelly snuffed out right in front of them at the age of eight. Unfortunately, because this is such an unusual backstory at its core in terms of the psychological effects, you see some very bad interpretations of Batman as a result. Some people think the Batman persona is simply a vehicle for him taking his rage out on others in a violent manner; some say that Bruce Wayne is dead, merely a shell and fake persona and that Batman is the true personality; some say that he's not a hero at all and there have even been times where Batman himself has been written to have this mindset; some say at the end of the day he's just a damaged or broken character, a lost soul that could do far more good in life without the cape and the cowl, but who is doomed to be an eternal victim of the defining tragedy of his life, unable to overcome it. B:TAS addresses some of these themes excellently in the underrated episode "I am the Night" I vehemently disagree with all of these approaches, even if I understand the point that many of them are trying to make (hell, I've probably believed some of these arguments at points of my life). But ever since the release of The Dark Knight Rises (a terribly underrated film that, I believe, was Christopher Nolan's attempt to refocus the films not just on fulfilling his arc for Batman, but specifically on forcing Batman/Bruce Wayne to balance and accept both sides of who he is) I have come to wholeheartedly believe that the core aspect of Batman is this: enduring and steadfast perseverance and determination. Batman is not the strongest superhero. He's not the fastest superhero. He's not the most agile superhero. He's not the most skilled superhero. He's not the most charismatic superhero. He's not the most morally upright superhero. He's not even the smartest superhero, at least if we're applying comic book rules of super-intellect. I would never say he is damaged because that is insulting to anyone suffering from mental and emotional trauma of any kind (which he most definitely is), but he is very scarred, and he certainly doesn't always have healthy solutions to how he approaches life. But what he probably has more than any other superhero in spades is not even superhuman endurance, but simply, a heart, soul, and mind that will not let him ever give up, ever stop trying, ever stop persevering to do all that he can to see that justice is served and wrong is made right and yes, in the process, see if he can truly find fulfillment in life still. His mission is a cross that he has chosen to bear and the idea of whether or not he could ever stop bearing it probably torments him more than any other, not just because he truly does want happiness in life, but because he often finds himself questioning how good he truly is, or if he's even doing good in the world. At the end of the day, Batman is no more fake than Bruce Wayne, and Bruce Wayne is no more fake than Batman; they're not exactly the same, but they are inseparable from each other, and there are good and bad human qualities to both. Batman/Bruce Wayne is one of the most human characters in all of comic book fiction because, separating his billionaire status and the neverending cycle that is storytelling in the comic book industry aside, his central feature is simply his inability to ever stop trying. No matter how many times he fails or falls short of his expectations or even desires, this is a man that will never stop trying to do good and, somehow, maybe, achieve some semblance of happiness or at least fulfillment along the way. The 'Birth of Batman' backstory in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is one of the quintessential Kevin Conroy Batman performances; it's one of his finest jobs at depicting the eternal struggle to achieve balance between being Bruce Wayne and Batman, and the sacrifices that go into both, though of course credit must go to the writing and animation team as well. And of anyone who has ever depicted Batman in film or television, I truly believe that Kevin Conroy understood this about Batman better than anyone else ever has. He saw a human in both personas, and with his voice alone, as intimidating as his Batman voice could be or cool as a cucumber his Bruce Wayne voice could be, he managed to bring forth the human in both personas in his legendary performances. In his portrayals of Batman, I admire this more than anything else about Kevin Conroy. He was able to so fully become this character because, whether or not he loved the character, he at the very least fully respected and understood who the character is and as a result captured his complex nuances. And while I cannot say whether Mr. Conroy himself actually loved the character of Batman, though I suspect he felt some affection for the character - not because it got him fame or a paycheck, mind you - I do know he at least respected what this character meant to his fans and did his damnedest to bring Batman to life as best as he could for the three decades he spent in the role. As a fan of the character, I can only thank him for all that he did for the character as well as continue to honor his legacy by enjoying his performances, both for myself and with family, and believe you and me, I cannot wait to introduce his Batman performances to my daughter and any other children my wife and I may have. Even in a show as loaded with superheroes and great storytelling as Justice League/Justice League: Unlimited, Kevin Conroy's Batman still shined brightly as one of the hearts and souls of the show. This scene in particular from the two-parter "Wild Cards" is possibly the best example of his humanity and even willingness to take on the most difficult of tasks in Justice League, though trust me, there are plenty of other stellar Batman moments throughout that show. Before I wrap up this memoriam, I believe a few other scattered details of Mr. Conroy's life are worth mentioning. Just things that stand out and show that we didn't just lose a great actor, but a good man as well. The kind of guy you can't possibly replace, not just as a talent, but simply because he was THAT guy. While attending Juilliard School's drama division, Conroy roomed and worked with Robin Williams, and befriended Christopher Reeves (very interesting turn of fate there). That's both a stunning collection of talent, but I also find it very noteworthy that all of these actors ended up leaving behind legacies as not just being phenomenal actors, but wearing who they were, the kind of people that they were, in as many aspects of their work as they could. Conroy was born in the state of New York, and lived on and off for most of his life in New York City after earning his scholarship to Juilliard in 1973. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, he partook in relief efforts by helping cook for first responders, namely police officers and firefighters. When several of them realized who he was, Conroy delivered a handful of lines in his Batman voice, prompting cheers from the responders, probably one of the few bright spots for them in those terrible days following the attacks. It was, in Conroy's own words, a deeply humbling experience. Kevin Conroy and the 9/11 First Responder's Clip Finally, many of his fans still don't know this since he was very quiet and private about it for most of his life, but Kevin Conroy was a gay man. He lived in New York City during the height of the AIDS epidemic, and, quote, "went to so many funerals that I felt such a sense of obligation" to portray the character of a TV producer secretly living with AIDS in the show Eastern Standard. As with many of the LGBTQ+ community from his generation, Conroy made efforts to conceal his homosexuality for much of his life and even then still faced discrimination from potential collaborators and employers once they found out. Thankfully he lived to see a world that, at least in some corners, was far more willing to embrace the LGBTQ+ community; in 2016, while promoting The Killing Joke animated film, Conroy revealed in an interview with the New York Times that he was gay, and later wrote "Finding Batman," a comic book story that recounts his life and experiences as a gay man, as part of DC Comics' 2022 Pride Anthology. It is now available to read for free (along with the rest of the antholoy), and I have posted a link below, shared by DC Comics: Read "Finding Batman" by Kevin Conroy, J. Bone and Aditya Bidikar I find it deeply powerful and even beautifully fitting that my favorite portrayer of Batman of all time was gay. For straight people like myself, as well as for members of the LGBTQ+ community, let his example be yet further proof that one's sexuality cannot and does not mean a damn thing when it comes to defining how masculine or feminine someone is. Conroy didn't just own Batman, he was Batman, for over 30 years, which is closer than most of us will ever be to that character; and for over 30 years, this gay man got to perfectly embody, in performance after performance, a character that many people, including, yes, bigots who can't stand the mere existence of LGBTQ+ people, consider to be one of the "masculine ideals" of popular fiction in American culture. To any of those bigots out there who may have a hard time accepting that one of the greatest Batmans of all time was a gay man (not that I expect any of them to be on this site), I only have this to say: "Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, fellas, he was Batman and you aren't and never will be." Kevin Conroy passed away at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City from colorectal cancer on November 10, 2022, at the age of 66. Private to the end (and probably not wanting to distract from others he felt needed attention more than he did, though that's just my own projection based on my sense of who he was), he did not publicly disclose that he was ill. His death hit fans, the entertainment, comic book, and animation worlds hard, and has prompted an outpouring of tributes from millions of fans around the world as well as close friends and colleagues, including Mark Hamill, Tim Daly, Dana Delany, Susan Eisenberg, Tara Strong, Matthew Mercer, Steve Blum, Andrea Romano, Paul Dini, Diane Pershing, George Takei, Lynda Carter, James Gunn, and many more. Conroy is survived by his husband, Vaughn C. Williams, sister, Trisha Conroy and brother, Tom Conroy. Rest in Power, Batman. Rest in Power, Bruce Wayne. Rest in Power, Mr. Conroy, and thank you for a life well lived.
  15. Definitely an interesting one to track in my case. Let's see... Lutheran private school through 8th grade (so essentially all of elementary and middle school). Public high school for general studies. American Studies BA at my undergrad and Public History MA at my grad program. Currently applying to get into U of M's ARC program, which is an accelerated teaching certification program (would avoid it if I could but this is the quickest way into teaching certification and getting into the classroom as a fulltime teacher in my state). I'm certainly not of the opinion that my schooling makes me better than anyone else. I've seen enough to know that there are a few things in particular I think any education should ideally achieve: (1) lay a firm foundation for people to be capable and soundly intelligent critical thinkers, (2) make them more comfortable with learning about who they are and what they want to do and what paths they need to take to do it, though I should emphasize you are NOT a failure if you don't have this all figured out at the age of 18, and (3) instill a love of learning in people. I don't care if people don't want to spend their lives learning the same thing, I just think it's a beautiful thing when people don't lose a desire and passion to continue learning new things for the rest of their lives, just for its own sake.
  16. *Me warming up my creative juices and funny bone for the MLP Forum World Cup this year*

    https://joagency.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/iCouldHelp.gif

  17. Shenanigans are afoot, CLEARLY the Lord of Chaos is already throwing a wrench into everything by making a ninth division when there are eight to begin with! Also, I just love this image in my head of Discord in a bathrobe staring out his front window and muttering to himself, "What are all these creatures doing on my lawn? Fluttershy, did you invite some guests to our tea party? Oh, I'm gonna need more plates and cucumber sandwiches..." Meanwhile Poniverse's very own Buffy be sitting over here like, "What do you mean I'm a team captain, I'm a mascot for a fandom site, THIS IS SO MUCH PRESSURE!!!" *Buffy assembling a squad to take on beloved canon staples* And finally... don't you DARE be fooled by the denizens of the Thicket. Aspen and the deerfolk can be downright diabolical schemers, isn't that right, @Ashen Pathfinder? As my beloved Milwaukee Bucks say, FEAR THE DEER, FEAR THE DEER INDEED, YOU FOOLS!!!
  18. *Luna reading this* "HOW DARE THEE DECLARE THAT NIGHTMARE MOON CONTROLS THE MOON, 'TIS WE WHO CONTROL THE MOON! WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS TRAVESTY?!" *(For real though, I seriously need a 'Nightmare Moon vs. Luna' subplot for this entire tournament like I need to breathe air now, MAKE IT HAPPEN FORUMS, DON'T DISAPPOINT ME!) Let's see, what else we got here... ha, I like to imagine Spitfire's thinking, "Celestia-dammit, why couldn't I have been made captain of like, IDK, Las Pegasus or something? Wonderbolts Academy is my bucking dayjob!" "All I want are slots and pony pina coladas, is that REALLY so much to ask for?!?!?!" On another amusing note, Tirek's pretty much been assigned captain of his hellish prison which is HILARIOUS. *Tirek realizing he's gonna be spending this entire tournament planning a 1-man 'The Great Escape'* Don't really have anything else other than Maud may be a sneaky strong competition, especially assuming most of the other Pie sisters are part of her team. Don't understimate Team Rock Farm, ya'll!
  19. *reads Ponyland* Great, now I can't get this image out of my head of Firefly being the leader of pony Poland. And now you can't either, you're welcome!
  20. HAHA! Foolish mortals, underestimate Team Ponyville at your own peril! I call the denizens of Equestria, all creatures great and small, to our side. Led by our valiant leader, we will surely crush all before our might!!! TO ARMS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE DERP! WHATEVER END WE MAY MEET, WE SHALL LEAVE OUR ENEMIES BROKEN, STRICKEN WITH TERROR IF THEY SO MUCH AS UTTER OUR NAME!!!
  21. *sees 32-team pony World Cup tournament on the horizon* Batbrony: "Let them fight." Sing, Muse, of the anger of ponies, children of Fausticorn! Prepare yourselves, everypony. If you think this is all fun and games, you are sorely mistaken. Songs shall be sung of the battles to come! Heroes and villains will triumph and perish, kingdoms will rise and fall, and legends will be born! Mark my words, everypony, hold onto your plots and get ready for... ...EPIC LANDSCAPES... ...STOIC AND SUPER DETERMINED PONIES... ...TRAGEDIES AND BACKSTORIES AND TRAGIC BACKSTORIES... ...HORRORS AND NIGHTMARE FUEL... ...MUFFINS AND ROMANCE AND SHIPPING, SWEET CELESTIA, TERABYTES OF SHIPPING (did I mention the muffins? You bet your plot there's gonna be muffins)... ...STYLISH PONIES WITH IMPECCABLE FASHION SENSE... ...MOMENTS OF RESPITE AND TRANQUILITY... ...BIRDHOUSES... ...SOCKS AND HOODIES... ...CANADA... (just kidding, everypony knows Canada doesn't exist) ...ALICORN PRINCESS PREGNANCY CRAVINGS... ...DEER... Wait a minute, that wasn't on my lis- DANG IT @Ashen Pathfinder, STOP MESSING WITH MY LIST!!! ...AND LOADS AND LOADS OF GRATUITOUS ACTION AND VIOLENCE THAT WOULD MAKE EVEN MICHAEL BAY'S HEAD EXPLODE!!! ...butttttttttttttttttt, knowing how these things go, it'll probably end up like shonen anime where like 99% of the characters/groups that start out as intense antagonists end up befriending and allying with the protagonists and in the end there's only like one REALLY evil antagonist for them all to confront, who way too often ends up disappointing and not being nearly as compelling as some of the earlier antagonists, but hey, knowing this fandom I'm sure we'll deliver something grand! Confused? I know I am, that's why I made this whole post in the first place! Now, let's get out there everypony (metaphorically speaking, I mean, we all actually have to use the Internet for this thing after all) and have an amazing 2022 World Cup Forum activity that blows that sports/human rights travesty happening in Qatar right now out of the water!!! I'm off! *cue dramatic and way over-the-top exit*
  22. Ya know, I know things aren't as black-and-white as we always wish they were. Horsefeathers, when I first joined the fandom and forums I'd say I was considerably more naive about many things than I am now. But that said, seeing the grey hasn't taken away my optimism or belief in good. If anything, it's just made me appreciate it more as the years have passed by. Always hold tight onto the good. Even if something like a fandom, or your community, or people in your circle aren't perfect... that doesn't mean there isn't good to be found there. So we may not conquer the world with "friendship" or "love and tolerate" everyone to death. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't still try to embody the best lessons things like MLP had to offer to the best of our ability in how we live. It's still worthwhile, even if it feels like a Sisyphean task at times.
  23. That InuHoshi pic of Luna is still FIRE. Hope ya'll got some good responses to this contest!
  24. Ah, deer pone friend, CLEVERLY disguised as an anime girl, I see. Clever deer pone, very clever. Thank you, mah yak friend, it's good being back around and not just lurking menacingly (though lurking can be fun sometimes).
  25. Straight from the Batcave, a Batbrony Proof of Life status update you won't wanna miss, trust me!

     

     

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