My nephew the brony

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Robj

Robj

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At my daughter's college graduation gathering, my brother finally confirmed that my nephew is a brony. Others had speculated for some time and I have to admit that the first time I heard the term I had to Google it. I had no idea that there was this entire culture of men dedicated to the My Little Pony franchise of cartoons and merchandising. They dress up and even have conventions called Bronycon. Sort of like Comic-Con. http://bronycon.org/ Who knew?!?!

Anyway, what he had said was that their son, who is 19, sleeps all day (hence why he wasn't at the BBQ) and stays up all night doing his "work". I asked what that was and my brother said he has a blog and he gave me the name. I looked it up and it's about a flying pony and it's friends. He has 3000 followers who send in ideas for the plot and then he animates a frame or two based on that. Sometimes people just send in a situation like the ponies driving go-carts and he draws that. He also has some very basic games on line that look like old original blocky games from the early 90's.

Last summer my brother posted photos on his facebook of the nephew with his "team" at a game convention back east and it turns out it was actually Bronycon. Looking at some of the guys and the way they were dressed was when people first started thinking he was a brony and maybe his game was based on that too by the pony character on the table in front of them. I don't know how the "team" plays into this if they all work on this blog or just him. Maybe one of them does the animation. I know my nephew is a pretty good artist in the Japanese anime style that this pony is done in.

I almost asked my brother if his 'work" was just working on the blog for fun or if the blog was somehow a cash paying gig. My brother has always gotten real defensive when you ask him questions so I decided not to and keep peace at the party.

So I really don't care what a kid does or is into but I am genuinely curious. Can this kid be making money on this for himself or for a team? I didn't see any ads on his blog. I'm an old guy who doesn't understand all there is to know about commerce on the web. For all I know someday he's going to be a millionaire over this or just a 50 year old man in the basement of his parent's house staying up all night writing and animating a pony blog for other 50 year old bronies.

I would like to know if I should get in good with him so that in 20 years when I'm eating canned cat food for dinner and he's living in Key Biscayne, can I go to him for a enough cash for maybe some mac and cheese and spam.
 
More likely he'll be asking Uncle Rob if he can live in his basement some day and set up his "work".
Sounds like a problem to me, but what do I know I'm just a computer tech.
At least it's your Brother's problem so far.

One question though, why do you think your brother gets so defensive about it?
Answer: because he knows for fact what you are only wondering about, and also knows there isn't a chance in he** it can be justified as reasonable for a person his age.

10 maybe, and if he was a girl.
 
TrailBeast said:
More likely he'll be asking Uncle Rob if he can live in his basement some day and set up his "work".
Sounds like a problem to me, but what do I know I'm just a computer tech.
At least it's your Brother's problem so far.

One question though, why do you think your brother gets so defensive about it?
Answer: because he knows for fact what you are only wondering about, and also knows there isn't a chance in he** it can be justified as reasonable for a person his age.

10 maybe, and if he was a girl.
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:axe: sounds sick to me!
 
famous bob said:
:axe: sounds sick to me!
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More of an obsession really.
Kind of an odd one for a male of his age but I see it all the time in my line of work.

You should of seen the "glamour shots" I was hired to recover from a formatted memory card once.
Remember the movie The Hills Have Eyes? Yea.
 
This is new to me. When you think about it though, there are far worse things he could be doing.
 
I can tell you for a fact that some people I know thing I'm weird for choosing to drive a 1970 Dart everyday instead of going down to my Toyota dealer and buying a 2014 Camry. Yeah, I think it's kinda odd but it's his thing and if it doesn't hurt anybody. He was always a little different for a kid. I can honestly say he was the only 10 year old boy I've ever known who thought farts were disgusting and not funny at all. I mean most guys I know at 55 still laugh at farts. My brother works on the road and is sometimes gone for weeks. He was home schooled by the mom who admits to having no sense of humor. I once had to explain a joke to the nephew while he stared at me stone faced. My brother was sitting next to me and leaned over to me and muttered "welcome to my world, brother".

Years ago I worked in a photo lab and learned pretty quick that it's just like the joke where the little girl asks her mom, Mother, what is normal?" and the mother replies, "It's just a setting on the washing machine, dear." Just when you thought you'd seen it all, somebody throws a curve ball on their roll of film.

So I'm not too critical of that but it does bother me that my brother works his *** off on the road and when he comes home to the 40 acres that they share with his in-laws, he has to still do all the work around there. I wish that while he was on the road, my sister in law would pull the plug and get the kid's butt and her own outdoors to do some mowing, fence mending and weeding. Oh well. I guess it's none of my business.

I still wonder though- Can he be making money and earning a living with a blog?
 
Robj said:
I still wonder though- Can he be making money and earning a living with a blog?
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It's possible, but unlikely.
Pretty much like here, you would have to rely on membership dues and/or advertisers paying for ads on the site.

Anyone that has ever done this outside of a few **** sites knows that you don't do for the money because it doesn't generate much when considers costs of equipment, materials and labor.

90% chance he's in it for the camaraderie of the common interest and basically oblivious to anything else needing to be done or helped doing.
And then there's the one that know darn well they should help around the house or property, but will avoid it at any cost until you bring it up. (again) Like my kids. :)

It's kinda messed up but my wife won't enforce it so what's the point.
She complains that they won't help her around the house when they are sitting around, but yet when they ask her to use her BMW to go somewhere she always lets them.
There's the lever right there, but noooo.:)

I just tell them to enjoy it while they can because some day that tit will be movin on, and I ain't supportin em for the rest of their lives.
 
I think I would be proud if he said it was a **** addiction instead?
 
teringer said:
I think I would be proud if he said it was a **** addiction instead?
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Very well put. I know there are a lot of "weird people" but something this is just ...................stupid.
 
teringer said:
I think I would be proud if he said it was a **** addiction instead?
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Straight ****...right? Straight ****...

You guys are bad! Heh heh

I guess the brony thing in his case is more of a life style than just an interest because he spends all his free time on it. My brother offered to put him through school but he said he knows everything there is to know about game programming. He said it was a waste of time and money to go to school to learn obsolete computer programming and gaming information. Currently his games are on a site where you use their software to create a game. Here's a screen shot from his game. My daughter is dating a guy studying this subject in college and his stuff is just a slight bit more sophisticated.

View attachment game.jpg
 
I've got a 23yr old step son that won't hit a lick, sleeps all day, sits up all night playing video games. Screams into a headset at other people cussing them at all hours.
I kicked him the hell out of the house, thought his mother was going with him. Apparently I was the only one who had a problem with this. He lives with his grandmother now. My brother in law says his mom has a new dog. All he does is eats, sleeps and ***** in the house and nothing else.
Your brother better nip this in the bud, quick!
 
OMG!

This is sick....

guys I have to admit, I'm an addict to model building have been for a VERY long time, BUT. (yes there is a clause to this) I had a business, on custom building and repairing old Lionel trains.....

I closed shop last November after my surgery due to the constant stress levels, BUT, the actual "hobby" doesn't bring or cause stress, only the business aspect of it did. NOW, granted, I also had a part time job as well....Just to make up any "slow" times in pay.. I kept my job, and did well.....

Now granted I am no longer working the Doctors with what I all got going on what me to file for disability, that I rightfully paid for since I was 16.....BUT I still model build, its a past now, and one all those years, I never really got to enjoy, now its my turn.....

I lived a normal life, worked hard most of it (still would if I was able) but, do things with the family, and yeah I guess I am a night owl now, I used to crawl outta bed at 4 AM to get going and be on the clock at my part time "regular" job by 5.....Worked no less then 8 hours a day and topped out at 12 (I done building and Grounds work for a long time and am a seasoned carpenter, and electrician....Speaking of that endorsement is soon to lapse this year (my electrician cert.) Now with that life style, I still managed to build models I got one HELL OF A train collection of my own (I'd scare you guys!) And I'm now taking a "break" from it to another passion, austos, more specifically, Mopar muscle cars, I own a Power Wagon, and have always loved the mid 60's to early 70's Mopar muscle......So, I build models cars of them, I wantto try and collect as many as I can in those years of whats made and build till I can't.....LOL

Granted, I'm happily married, and have a 9 year old daughter, I am in the process of teachinghow to paint, NOT water color, use an air brush! She already has it down how to use masking tape! (yeah, I'm creating my own "help" for when the truck is to be painted LOL) AND its teaching her to use chemicals under VERY close supervision.....Lacquer, Acetone (even tho she calls is nail polish remover), and I even gave her a bit of basic on M.E.K. AND hardners.....

Granted she doesn't like a lot of loud noises, (I'm still trying to cop with that one) BUT shes gotten better, I have a mill and a lathe and I "play" whenever I want, whether for the shop, to build a model, or just something I want, I make it if I have the materials...When I got the last lathe, she showed an interest and what it did or does, and I showed her on a piece of round nylon bar stock. my wife could have ****, BUT she found out that nylon doesn't "chip" when being turned, it "strings".. so you have this white or blue or yellow ball of string from the tool bit thats removing the stock from the bar as it spins......Then found it doesn't get in the eyes nearly as fast, she (both my wife and daughter) soon learned it was safe to "play" with that stuff, BUT they both know when its running, ALL long hair is to be in the shirt in the back, and done so, in a pony tail.......... thats the biggest danger with them! Even the little ones! Specially at high speed!

With the hobby I'm into, does this do the same for me too?

Sure it sounds a bit distracting, and as the person that mentioned it its the general curiosity sure.....I just can't see a guy in this case "man" playing with a buncha girlie ponies......

Sounds like the boys mother raised him as a girl instead of a boy, he have a sister by chance? Sadly your brother needs to get in control of this one as it sounds tho it could lead off into a whole other (much worse) path.....
 
Anytime someone sleeps all day and stays up all night playing video games, that is a sure sign that something is not right with that person! Fast forward about 10 years into his future and tell me how socially integrated that makes you!!

I smell trouble...good thing its not your problem, and hope it never becomes yours!! Geof
 
Video gaming is a multibillion dollar industry worldwide, there's tons of money that can be made there. But using someone else's intellectual property pretty much guarantees he can't be doing it for profit - he'd have to get permission from the owners of the copyrights/trademarks, or go to work for them directly.
 
Rob your brother needs to kick this kid out of the house. Let him get a taste of the real world of pulling his own weight. Sad as there is more like this kid than ones that are willing to work and pull their on weight. I have a 50 year old niece with 6 grown children and only one finished HS. The 4 boys all deliver pizza at night for their careers and that is their life plan. All but one lives home with her and she works night shift at Wally world. The oldest boy lives with wifes parents with their 5 year old son and she just got knocked up again. Her 15 year old daughter decided she needed something to love so she got herself knocked up a couple years ago. She figured out babies are a lot of work. Her mom and older sister take care of the baby so she can run around with friends. The 16 year old father off no child support from him or his parents. So lets hope your nephew and his friends don't procreate and become a burden on the rest of us paying taxes. The USA has gone to hell in a hand basket. SAD!!
 
Insert hard-***, feeling hurting, insensitive, radical right wing comment here> ( ) Now I'll go work on my apology while everyone wipes up the tears......:sad2:
 
I have been avoiding commenting but REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is the best I can do without being very mean. REALLY..................................
 
Overall it doesnt really matter. I know certain people like to cry doom and gloom, but realistically, not every kid is a brony and not every kid sits on a computer 24/7.

If anything, these distractions help weed out the weak. Say hello to the future McD's managers/lifetime frie cooks
 
Yes mother raised he and his sister. Home schooled thirty miles out of town and they have no real social skills and no education after that. I don't want to argue home schooling. It works for some- we chose not to and two of three have graduated college and are blessed to be working in their field of study. The third (and our family overachiever) is a Sophomore in college now. I pinch myself every day when I think of our kids.

I don't see my brother too much but have thought of asking where things are leading but I feel he is frustrated that neither of his kids seem to be going anywhere with their lives. I know he hates being gone but they've finally gotten caught up and are doing well financially. He had quit everything 20 years ago and started with Amway. They nearly lost their property and home and had to scrape by for many years while paying off debt. To his credit he did take care of things on his own through hard work but at the expense of being with his kids, especially his son.

Everything he's ever done in life he's done to the extreme and I kind of wonder if the son is carrying on with that.

My son was aghast when he learned about the brony deal with his cousin. I teased him that the pressure is now on him to keep the family name going. He and his cousin are the only two boys.

My son just called and said he'd be coming by home for about four days so I'm excited about that. It means we can work on our cars this weekend. He's got my old '74 Satellite I signed over to him when he graduated college. He's doing a resto-mod on it and it is really going to be sharp.
 
Pretty strange......but David nailed it. A LOT worse things he could be into.
 
magnumdust said:
They do, with eachother.

There is a whole weird gay subculture to that brony thing.
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Gee ya think !!!! LOL

I agree, thats some queer ****. I got 3 girls, and a 21month old boy. My boy and i play with blocks, and hot wheels cars, go to lowes and home depot (the man stores) play wrestle on the liv room floor. I tell my girls he is a boy, you have to play boy stuff with him.

I wont let my girls chick a fie my son. That being said my youngest daughter has a my little pony coloring book. Those things are creepy looking with the freakishly big eyes and all.

I presume since he spent most of his time w mom and an older sister this may have influenced this. Its a screwed up fetish like guys who like womens feet. My boy and i are doing guy things, this teaches him how to be a man as he grows up. Kids need both parents actively involved in their lives. Its obvious his father wasnt present for most of his.

But like someone else said on this thread he aint your kid, it aint your problem.

Just my .02
Matt
 
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