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CloudFyre

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  1. CloudFyre
    Well, as this seems to be the popular subject of debate, I figured I might as well give a short, sweet, and to the point statement about Fluttershy. I'm not going to bog this down with images or other extras, I'm just going to give the information that I think is relevant.
     
    "Attractiveness" is such a broad topic that most anything can be made to fit the category. Thus, I'm going to try and size this down: What is "attractiveness"? Is it aesthetics? Character? Mystique?
     
    I think it's all of the above, fashioned into one idea: how relatable the character is. Are they your type? Or do they clash with your personality? (I'm going to ignore aesthetics altogether, as favorite colors and favorite mane designs are purely on a person by person basis.)
     
     
     
     
     
    I heard this description once, and I think it works well: "She cooks, she cleans, and she's good with children. WHY CAN'T YOU BE REAL?!?"
     
    All of the above is true - Fluttershy, although a bit socially awkward at times, has been shown to be neat, tidy, and gentle. She's kind when others need it, yet assertive if the situation requires it. She's never harsh towards anyone. She takes the time to tend to her friends and their needs, even it it's at her own expense. She's willing to give others (like Discord) the benefit of the doubt, even when all odds suggest that it's the most illogical course of actions.
     
    Isn't that what people look for in one another? A soul who would like you for who you are?
     
    She isn't perfect by any means. She can be a bit of a pushover at times, she's a bit reluctant when it comes to trying new things, and heck - she's even afraid of her own shadow.
     
    But at the end of the day, if you're there for her, she'll be there for you. That's the greatest thing I could ever ask of anyone.
     
     
     
     
     
    Now, you're probably asking: "Cloud, what about the rest of the characters in the poll?".
     
    Well, I think they're just as awesome.
     
    They're all great characters - I voted for Lyra multiple times. However, at the end of the day, Fluttershy's character is grounded in canon material. Her character will not change, and she can never be made out to be something different than what's been put in front of us. When the choice the choice must be made, I have to opt for the kindness that will not change. Perhaps my favorite will change someday, but it would be a sad thing to imagine grand and complex character traits for someone, only to have my fanon ideas smashed by a sudden canon reference.
     
    Now, go vote for Fluttershy! XD
     
    http://mlpforums.com/topic/44455-the-most-attractive-pony-tournament-2013-conference-championships/
  2. CloudFyre
    Well, with a little bit of helpful advice from Feld0, I finally convinced myself to go out and buy a new laptop.
     

    It was discontinued before I could buy one, but I managed to find the last one on the web (to my knowledge) - a refurbished one on Ebay. (I saved $200 that way!)
     
    This is my current one:

     
    Granted, the new one doesn't have the insane 18.4 inch screen that my current one does, but 17.3 inches should be close enough. I feel a bit weird buying one while my current one still *works*, but there won't be a deal like the one I got for a long, long time. I'll use my current one as my work/college homework computer in order to avoid the nice one from being stolen, and I'll use the other one as my desktop replacement for music rendering, video editing, gaming, etc. until the old one finally dies.
     
     
    After all of my orders come in, the new computer will have:
    A 3rd gen Intel i7 processor [2.3GHz by default, 3.3GHz in Turbo mode]
    16GB of DDR3 RAM (2x 8GB sticks, with another 2 open slots. The motherboard can only support a total of 16GB of RAM, so the other two will be unused.)
    A dedicated 2 GB DDR3 graphics card (sadly I couldn't find a GDDR5 version).
    Dual hard drive bays, one empty, and one with the default 750GB HDD (5400 RPM).
     
    When I can afford it, I'm going to drop in a 128 or 256GB SSD + a 1.5TB (7200 RPM) HDD.
     
    SSD's (Solid State Drives) are good at accessing lots of small files quickly, which makes an operating system's boot time much faster. The 1.5TB, 7200 RPM hard drive in the other bay will provide the mass storage capacity, as the differences between a large file's save times on an SSD and HDD are negligible.

     
    Today is a good day. An expensive day, but a good day.
  3. CloudFyre
    *Edit: Changed the title as some people didn't seem to get the point...
     
    I got home early (~12:30 this morning) from a good friend's house, and the fog had completely enveloped our part of the world - leaving particles of water to diffuse the moonlight hanging above us. The early morning hours did the same thing, but with the sunlight instead. We were covered in a silvery glow that I had always pictured Canterlot in.
     
    Unfortunately, our best camera isn't too good when it comes to long exposure shots, so I couldn't get any great photos of the midnight "glow" the world had. Below are three shots I took this morning, plus one I took at night (it might be hard to see).
     
    Here's the view from the corner of our back deck, with the sunlight shining off of the fog:

     
    A wide-ish shot of the tree on our back hill. The hill drops down below, and the fog makes it look like the world just sort of "disappears" out of sight. If one was here in person, you could make out the faintest grey silhouettes of a second tree line, on a ridge in the far distance. (This is looking off to the left of our back deck.):

     
    A zoomed shot through the trees and to the wall of white in the distance:

     
    This is an evening shot, with relatively long exposure. (All you'll see is an slightly orange glow, and the silhouettes of trees around it.) There's just no substitute for seeing it in person...

     
     
    All in all, a very cool way to start the new year.
     
     
     
     
     
    (More random photos below.)
  4. CloudFyre
    Here we are, on this famous thing known as the "Internet". And while everyone enjoys hitting up the forums or IRC to do some quick text chat with friends, they say a picture is worth a thousand words - so what are animations worth?
     
    Well, the guys over at Google posted something pretty cool today on Google Plus (brought to my attention via PopSci's Facebook page), so I figured I'd share the hilarity!
     
    I present to you: Google results for animations.
    Go to images.google.com/
    Type in what you want to search for. ("cute Fluttershy" is a good place to start.)
    Now in the bar below the search field, go to Search Tools > Any Type and change "Any Type" to "Animated".

    Now enjoy some wonderful gifs to spruce up a conversation!
     

     
    Dawww...
     
    (Note: the search results aren't perfect - it just searches for .gif files. You might find that some of the results are simply still pictures.)
     
    Enjoy!
  5. CloudFyre

    Season 3: What changed?

    By CloudFyre,

    If you're going to take the time to read this, I ask that you read it all of the way through. I realize that it's going to sound like a overly critical approach to the show, but I promise that I have good things to say in the middle of my criticisms.
     
     
    ----------
     
    I'm not sure if any of you are like me, but I have many great memories that were made on Saturday mornings. Whether it was Bugs Bunny so many years ago, or My Little Pony today, Saturday morning cartoons have always been something that I have selfishly indulged in.
     
    MLP did something amazing for me that I wouldn't give up for the world. A terribly overdone and overused statement perhaps, but that doesn't detract from the truthfulness of that statement.
     
     
     
    Every Saturday, I would be on the edge of my seat, waiting ever so fervently to absorb the latest episode of ponies. It was exhilarating to me. While there may have been an overarching story, each episode was it's own entity - no prior experience was required to watch (although the first two episodes definitely help). If I was in a certain mood, it was a fairly simple task to find an episode that would resonate with me. Once I was done, I could go read some fiction works, listen to some music, or hop online and chat with other fans.
     
    There was a magical connection that was made between me and the characters in the show. To paraphrase another article, the Mane Six are very much like college age humans. All of the characters live away from their parents. All of the characters have made their own circle of friends. They all host parties with one another, consult with one another, find joy in one another, and connect with each other in both mind and spirit. (That was an over-simplified definition, but I hope that you grasp the concept.)
     
    In short, MLP connects with us because it's how we're meant to connect with one another. It's personal and simplistic. No unnecessary lines. No overly hyped drama. No outside interference that's too large to overcome.
     
     
     
    But today...no, for most of this season, something was different. For the first time, I didn't wrack my own nerves waiting for an episode. In one or two cases, I almost feared it. What happened? Where did the connection go? Why did I find myself not actively seeking out the YouTube episodes of MLP?
     
     
     
    I used to feel their emotions. I used to put myself in their shoes, er, hooves and really get into an episode in a silly and fun way. I used to really enjoy thinking about what it would be like to talk with Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and the entire herd of characters that I can't possibly fit in this post. Why don't I connect with my favorite characters like I used to?
     
    Don't hear me wrong: I still enjoy every episode without question. I still cheer whenever I see a possible Derpy appearance, and I still find myself having a heart attack over Fluttershy and her HNNNNGGGGG adorableness. It's just different this time around.
     
    Not every episode was that way - I had a very, very strong emotional connection with the show when Rainbow Dash took Scootaloo in as her sister. To me, that was a classic, well drawn, and well executed episode that will remain in my mind.
     
     
     
    I feel as if I'm no longer here because someone wants to draw me into an experience, but instead I'm here because someone wants to show me a story.
     
     
     
    In season 1 and 2, it was about the small (or large) everyday experiences of Twilight Sparkle and the crew and what they had to do to overcome them. They were life experiences that weren't totally out of the realm of possibility, even here in real life. I often found myself saying "I know a person like that!" or "Hey, I've been in that situation before!".
     
    But in season 3, I was taken for a bit of a drive. Someone sat me down and said: "Here, this is the story of Twilight Sparkle's trip to becoming a princess."
     
    It was a beautiful story (and I have to admit that alicorn Twi is so gosh darned' CUTE!), but I can't relate with the story.
     
    I understand late nights and studying in libraries. I understand what it's like to be on tight deadlines. I understand hard, physical labor outdoors. But can I truly "get" what it's like being a princess? To have Princess Celestia herself bow down to Twilight?
     
     
     
    I am left in the dark and without a reason. Season 3 was brilliant as a whole. It had some of the best episodes, and some of my favorite moments. But I'm (unfortunately) left feeling a bit distant from Twilight and the gang, in the time where I really should be connecting the MOST before a long break from ponies.
     
    At the end of season 2, we had alicorns, new brothers, and an entirely new antagonist, yet I could relate to the weddings, the planning, the last minute rush of possible things that could go wrong, and the inevitable joy when the bride and groom are married.
     
    But I'm still not quite sure if I can connect with what has been handed to me to finish season 3. Perhaps i would have if there would have been more backstory to it (as it was a very solid concept), but this season ending was half of a good episode + half of "suddenly, an Alicorn!".
     
    We got to see, hear, and feel Alicorn Twilight as a character for a grand total of five minutes before the season ended. That's too big of a change and not NEARLY enough time to help get people acquainted with the new setting and variables. I have so many questions about Twilight and her friends; don't leave me hanging!
     
     
     
    In the end, while I might be able to say that season 3 was my favorite season, I may have to hand that crown over to season 2.
     
    I do have to admit that there's a tiny piece of me that's giddy with excitement over all of the "newness" given to us, I'm very much looking forward to season 4 and seeing what it brings. I do, however, hope that we're able to make a return to the classic MLP storytelling. (Even if we have a new princess and a new location, that doesn't change how relatable the writers can make it in the end.) In either case though, I have a very high degree of respect towards the writers and how they have gotten us this far. Without them, none of this would have been possible.
     
     
     
    How curious...while I was relatively uninterested before, I now inadvertently find myself sitting on the edge of my seat, just waiting to see what the new season brings.
     
    Perhaps Alicorn Twilight was a good change after all.
  6. CloudFyre
    I get chided quite a bit by family members for spending so much time in front of LCD screens, but I find that to be a rather ludicrous notion.
     

     
    Okay okay, so I tend to be on more than I think, but to me, that's not a bad thing: I'm always working on my "to do list".
     
    What is my "to do list" though? When people (such as parents) ask: "Well what have you been doing all day?", I can't really answer them. None of the things that I do throughout the day are ever really relevant to the conversation - they're just small tasks (Fifteen minute/half hour tasks) that I don't even really think about. I usually just shrug them off. Thus, the family - and quite a few other people that I know - seem to think that I have a bunch of free time in my hands. Granted, I can almost always make room for such things, but can I really call it free time?
     
    In just the last two days, I've been at work for 8+ hours, drafted three different songs in three different genres, generated concepts for pony art for someone, built a server from the ground up, installed two different operating systems on said server (as the first one was riddled with issues), installed file sharing programs which have since decided not to run, started work on a college resume,began transcoding MLP episodes for a pony project, and have done whatever other odd jobs that my parents have asked me to do in between.
     
    That still leaves me with the tasks of ordering a new laptop (plus extra RAM and some laptop accessories for my mom's new Macbook Air), redistributing partitions on my server to connect the dual hard drives, finish connecting the server to the web, ordering new synthesizers for FL Studio while they're on sale, getting a *real* draft of my pony art done (instead of just get concepts down on paper), submitting a resume music to Subsphere Records, and many, many other smaller tasks which have been accumulating for weeks on end. All of these I had hoped to get done by right about...now.
     
     
    Are any of these necessary? Nah. I can push them back when needed, which tends to happen quite a bit. But I've got to admit: this list is starting to make me feel like Twilight here! There's just not enough time in one day!
     
    I've been looking forward to this winter break for a long time, but the amount of free time I've actually received is a degree less than what I had hoped. I've been excited to start on all of these small projects, but somehow my entire break has dwindled away without significant improvements. What happened?!?
     
    To be fair: I haven't really disliked any of the tasks that have taken precedence over my own personal list of projects. It's a mere "first world problem" in the big picture. Perhaps I'll get to it after the New Year's parties at my relative's houses.
     
    I see a light at the end of the tunnel though: This week looks totally clear. Perhaps...perhaps I'll finish this list!
  7. CloudFyre
    Foreword: I am a pony author who never gets around to publishing his stories, instead hording them on his computer for no real reason. This story, along with many others, has driven me to create this blog - quick, uncluttered stories that are far too short to make into a novel, but are fun experiences to relate nonetheless. I hope you enjoy.
     
    This is a real life story that proved to me (in a very comical way), that random acts of kindness can extend far beyond what we intend. It brought a huge smile to my face, and I hope that it will put a smile on yours as well.
     
    ---
    It was Black Friday I believe, and a rainy one at that. I was nearing my time limit on Christmas shopping (as I usually like to have my shopping done near the 1st of December), and my mind couldn't get the subject out of my head.
     
    I just had to go finish my Christmas shopping, especially when all of the Black Friday deals were in effect.
     
    Before turning out the lights in my room, I checked Facebook for a quick update. Lo and behold, my cousin's birthday was coming up in the next couple of days! He and my other cousin were down in our part of the state for the week on generous paid leave courtesy of their boss. He was a Brony just as I am, though from first impressions you would never believe it to be true. He was a dear friend and irreplaceable family to me.
     
    I hit him up on Google Talk, and after a bit of humorous banter, I asked that terribly tough question: "So who is your favorite pony?"
     
    He told me that he didn't really have one, and that as an avid MLP fiction enthusiast, his favorite pony usually varied depending on the current fic he was reading. In the end, he settled on Twilight Sparkle.
     
    "Good to know." I grinned at the computer screen.
     
    With wallet, jacket, and hat in tow, I clambered into my old yellow Honda and drove down to Fred Meyers, my usual place to shop for general commodities. Mom called along the way, and I picked up some groceries for her while I was in the store.
     
    After I was done picking up the bananas, Christmas presents, and other such items, I came to the toy isle. Surprisingly, I caught myself hesitating.
     
    "I've never done this before!" I thought to myself nervously. "What will everyone think?!?"
     
    There were plenty of parents and children there, so after putting on my best poker face, I simply walked on in and acted as if I belonged there. Nobody batted an eye, and nobody made any funny faces. It was much easier than I thought.
     
    Finally I spotted it: A Pink Celestia/Twilight bundle pack! Even better, it was 25% off!
     
    I ripped a yellow coupon off of the holder and grabbed one of the boxes in back, a habit I had picked up in order to avoid getting damaged goods.
     
    I checked out, drove home, and wrapped it in a gift bag. My shopping was complete.
     
     
    A couple of days later, I went over to my aunt and uncle's house for a day with the guys. We were going to watch some ponies on my uncle's very nice home theater system, complete with a projector and a VERY nice surround sound array. My cousins where there, along with one of my best friends and some other relations.
     
    Upon entering the door, I handed the gift bag to my cousin with the silliest grin on my face.
     
    "Happy Birthday!" I said, trying to stifle a giggle.
     
    He took out the tissue paper and peered inside, and gave me one of those half groan/half laugh responses, as the other three or four of us laughed outright. All in all, the Pink Celestia bundle had done it's duty. It was a birthday present, both comical and serious at the same time.
     
    But it did not stop there.
     
    I received a message on Google Talk a few days later. My cousin asked if he could use Pink Celestia in a white elephant gift exchange that he would be attending in the future. I agreed without even thinking about it. At the time, it didn't seem significant.
     
     
    ---
     
    A week later, a photo is sent to me. It's a small, cardboard tank, complete with a barrel and outer coating of silver duct tape, and with details crudely drawn with a sharpie.
     
    "This" my cousin wrote "is Pink-lestia."
     
    It certainly didn't look like it. With the copious amounts of duct tape holding up the frame, one could have passed it off as an actual toy tank merely coated in duct tape.
     
    He explained the duct tape and sharpies were to attract the male side of the white elephant gift exchange, in hopes of leaving some poor, expecting fellow with a pony instead of a war toy. I thought it was brilliant.
     
    ---
     
    Skip forward another week, and I wind up with my relations again, riding to the theater to go see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
     
    My aunt turns to me in the car, and says: "Did your cousin ever tell you what he did with that gift you gave him?"
     
    "He did!" I replied. "I found it quite funny."
     
    "Did you hear all of it though?"
     
    I simply gave her a confused look.
     
    "You should have been there." She started. "The tank was the first present to be opened!"
     
    She went on to explain that out of all of the fifteen(?)-ish guests, and out of all the presents in the exchange, the very first the first person to receive a present (a more "manly" man in stature) chose the tank. He tore it open, lifted the turret off of the tank, and did an immediate facepalm as the rest of the crowd roared with laughter. To me, this was simply an extended bonus. I got two facepalm reactions for the price of one!
     
    But it didn't stop there! One of the participants was a young girl - seven or eight years old I believe. My aunt explained to me that at the sight of the toy, her eyes lit up like never before. She had been looking for a Pink Celestia for a very, very long time.
     
    Of course, as the game progressed, she stole it from the more manly side of the room, much to their relief. She guarded that Pink Celestia like it was her life, hiding it behind her back, and even becoming a bit defensive when the gentlemen in the room joked about stealing it back.
     
    In the end, she won her Pink Celestia, and toted it around with her the whole night. Last I heard, it became one of her favorite toys.
     
     
    All of that hilarity, from a simple 25% off deal I decided to take advantage of some weeks before. Who would have known? I questioned the buy at the time (as I knew Celestia wouldn't be cared for as much), but now that I've heard the stories behind it, I wouldn't change it for the world. Plenty of people got their daily dose of laughter, my cousin has his Twilight Sparkle desk buddy, and an eight year old girl I don't even know has a new best friend.
     
    It's amazing what kindness (yes, even the more humorous forms of kindness) can do.
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