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This fandom (rant)
12 years ago
Yes, this journal is a rant. But it's... a good rant!
I've been thinking now and then about how much I LOVE being a part of this fandom/community/whatever you want to call it. I tend to think of it more as a community than a fandom, because we're not really all fans of anything consistent in particular aside from a mutual love of anthropomorphic animals, but that's more of an idea than a thing. Aside from that, we tend to be fans of other people within the community for the most part before any outside influences, really!
But moving on, I freaking love being a part of this community. I don't know what I would be doing with my life without it, as I've been pretty deeply involved in it for a long, long time now. Having had my fursuit for almost 3 years, having been going to cons for 12 years, having had my own character (Artie) for 16 years now, and having first known a few people who are still around as far back as 18 years ago when I first discovered the Sonic fan community on America Online. Which naturally progressed with me becoming involved in the furry community through original character creations.
But what do I love about this community exactly? It's an escape from reality. We all tend to lead boring, mundane lives. What with our real life jobs and obligations and whatnot. I feel like having this furry interest and involvement makes me part of something truly special, unique, and fun. Now this isn't to say that I don't like my real life. I have a job I actually do like currently, I like the area I live in, and I get along great with my family. But outside of that, literally all of my friends are furs. And I don't say that as if it's a bad thing. I haven't kept in touch with anyone from my school years, for two reasons. One, I was never very popular in school, I had maybe 3 friends throughout all my school years. And two, I just didn't really continue to share any interests enough to keep in touch with them for long after graduating.
The furry community has given me more of a social life than I ever imagined I would have had growing up. I know a lot of it depends on having the money to get to places (which thankfully, I do), but attending cons, going to local and semi-local meets, it's just amazing to be among people I really identify with.
Add to that the fursuiting factor. Having had my fursuit for almost 3 years now, and wearing it at 18 different cons, 11 local furry bowling meets, plus a few house parties, I can safely say that fursuiting is one of the most fun things about being in this community, for me. Some people in the past have said that fursuiters are attention whores (though I haven't heard it so much in recent times), but it's kind of true. People who fursuit do it to entertain others, and you can't do that without wanting their attention in order to do so. I definitely enjoy entertaining others in my fursuit, and many of you know Artie can be a bit of a tease with the posing and whatnot. I enjoy playing up that aspect in suit when I'm able to and it's appropriate to. I'm definitely very glad that over the last few years so many of you have taken a liking to my fursuit. :) I feel like being able to make it to so many cons also does a service to others as I know a lot of people have told me they want to meet me, hug my suit, etc. And I enjoy giving people the opportunity to do so, as well as meeting friends old and new at various events I can make it to.
While my family knows about the whole furry, fursuiting, and con stuff, I'm still not really open about it when it comes to my job and such. But sometimes I find myself sitting at work and just smiling to myself. Thinking, if only I could share what I really do when I go on these "vacations." If only my co-workers knew how I go out and costume and become this whole other person to have fun and bring joy to so many others... but alas! I think it best to keep all of that to myself for various reasons I won't go into. I know some peoples' situations are different and they are open about things like that with their jobs. But anyway!
I haven't mentioned the art aspect but I really don't think I need to say much about that. So much talent and so many awesome artists in our ranks!
May as well just wrap this up as I'm running out of things to say. XD
tl;dr: I love being a part of this community and I'm so happy to have so many of you a part of my life and to be able to go out to various events, and I'm looking forward to hopefully continuing to do so for many years to come!
I feel like I wasn't really able to articulate everything I wanted to say but well I think you get the gist! Looking forward to Delaware Furbowl this weekend and Rainfurrest next month! Then FurFright in October! And MFF in November!
I've been thinking now and then about how much I LOVE being a part of this fandom/community/whatever you want to call it. I tend to think of it more as a community than a fandom, because we're not really all fans of anything consistent in particular aside from a mutual love of anthropomorphic animals, but that's more of an idea than a thing. Aside from that, we tend to be fans of other people within the community for the most part before any outside influences, really!
But moving on, I freaking love being a part of this community. I don't know what I would be doing with my life without it, as I've been pretty deeply involved in it for a long, long time now. Having had my fursuit for almost 3 years, having been going to cons for 12 years, having had my own character (Artie) for 16 years now, and having first known a few people who are still around as far back as 18 years ago when I first discovered the Sonic fan community on America Online. Which naturally progressed with me becoming involved in the furry community through original character creations.
But what do I love about this community exactly? It's an escape from reality. We all tend to lead boring, mundane lives. What with our real life jobs and obligations and whatnot. I feel like having this furry interest and involvement makes me part of something truly special, unique, and fun. Now this isn't to say that I don't like my real life. I have a job I actually do like currently, I like the area I live in, and I get along great with my family. But outside of that, literally all of my friends are furs. And I don't say that as if it's a bad thing. I haven't kept in touch with anyone from my school years, for two reasons. One, I was never very popular in school, I had maybe 3 friends throughout all my school years. And two, I just didn't really continue to share any interests enough to keep in touch with them for long after graduating.
The furry community has given me more of a social life than I ever imagined I would have had growing up. I know a lot of it depends on having the money to get to places (which thankfully, I do), but attending cons, going to local and semi-local meets, it's just amazing to be among people I really identify with.
Add to that the fursuiting factor. Having had my fursuit for almost 3 years now, and wearing it at 18 different cons, 11 local furry bowling meets, plus a few house parties, I can safely say that fursuiting is one of the most fun things about being in this community, for me. Some people in the past have said that fursuiters are attention whores (though I haven't heard it so much in recent times), but it's kind of true. People who fursuit do it to entertain others, and you can't do that without wanting their attention in order to do so. I definitely enjoy entertaining others in my fursuit, and many of you know Artie can be a bit of a tease with the posing and whatnot. I enjoy playing up that aspect in suit when I'm able to and it's appropriate to. I'm definitely very glad that over the last few years so many of you have taken a liking to my fursuit. :) I feel like being able to make it to so many cons also does a service to others as I know a lot of people have told me they want to meet me, hug my suit, etc. And I enjoy giving people the opportunity to do so, as well as meeting friends old and new at various events I can make it to.
While my family knows about the whole furry, fursuiting, and con stuff, I'm still not really open about it when it comes to my job and such. But sometimes I find myself sitting at work and just smiling to myself. Thinking, if only I could share what I really do when I go on these "vacations." If only my co-workers knew how I go out and costume and become this whole other person to have fun and bring joy to so many others... but alas! I think it best to keep all of that to myself for various reasons I won't go into. I know some peoples' situations are different and they are open about things like that with their jobs. But anyway!
I haven't mentioned the art aspect but I really don't think I need to say much about that. So much talent and so many awesome artists in our ranks!
May as well just wrap this up as I'm running out of things to say. XD
tl;dr: I love being a part of this community and I'm so happy to have so many of you a part of my life and to be able to go out to various events, and I'm looking forward to hopefully continuing to do so for many years to come!
I feel like I wasn't really able to articulate everything I wanted to say but well I think you get the gist! Looking forward to Delaware Furbowl this weekend and Rainfurrest next month! Then FurFright in October! And MFF in November!
hope to meet ya someday
Had one even mention fursuiting before, but he referred to the fandom as entirely plushy lovers... Just agreed, "Yeah, that's odd, isn't it?"
I think the same in a lot of ways. Furry has gotten me out of the house and made a bunch of friends. It's given me a lot to do even though I had just recently this year gotten a fursuit which is nice, I was having fun and getting to know people before then. I'm glad to be part of it.
I do the same. Especially after I got the suit... walking around thinking... none of these people know I'm a big cute fuzzy wolf. Makes me act a little more confidant that I do something most never would do and yet it brings smiles to most peoples faces. Not to mention having pics at my cute suit on my phone makes me smile too as an observer through those pics. heh
It's been fun and I'm still here. I've had my hyena for about 10 years, and it will never change!
Still glad to see you around though, and having an awesome time.
I hope someday you're able to bring your furry adventures up with your co-workers!
also: "But sometimes I find myself sitting at work and just smiling to myself. Thinking, if only I could share what I really do when I go on these "vacations."" I know that feeling so well :3, it's fun to think about~
It proved to be one of the best decisions of my life. Going to meets, having more friends now than ever, the cons, and am now waiting on my fursuit to be made. I can't say how much good it has done for my social life and my overall well being.
I think about stuff like this a lot of the time, but it's so nice to hear other people share what the fandom means to them.
I'm also really glad that you've done all that you have because personally speaking TeamArtail was one of my favourite websites back in the AOL days. :)
While I may of just recently discovered you I can tell you're a kind and fun person and I hope to see you at a con soon!
You gave me everything I needed to speak about that with others ( and I found other furs by the way o/ ), I can't really explain it ^^, it's maybe the 'magical' part of this fando, who knows..
Anyway, I just wanted to thank you, thank you so much for what you're doing for others and myself.. I don't know you ( the true you ), you don't know me either. But deal with that, I found so much of myself watching some fursuiters that I started to think I knew every single person here since a while now. And.... This huge-lite comment ends here !
Bye Artie, I really wish to meet you at some con ( by the way, you're going to EuroFurence some times ? Maybe it's way too far :x)
I have become very 100% open my being a furry, willing to bring it up with and talk about it with anyone. I have been in fursuit at work twice, fursuited with my family a few times. Everyone just finds it really cool. Even as a furry though I am generally rather quiet and/or shy, so have difficulty meeting others. Being in fursuit can sometimes break the ice, though I don't normally talk in suit lol. But it's much fun :)
And on other notes, I also want to hug your suit so bad. lol. This year is my first I will be going to MFF, maybe I can is has this opportunity. :p
It has it's ups and downs, but overall, I treat this no different from anything else that's a break from reality...
FUN, ADVENTURE and CRAZY EXCITEMENT!
Thanks again for posting and know that I'm/we're always pulling for U, bro.
Stay Awesome!
I am so thankful for this Fandom. I am proud to be a Furry.
In the past on here and other furry places I've read about how bad arguments amoungst furs online can be btw. I can tell you now these arguments compared to other forums are pretty much nothing. Trust me I've seen it one old TV forum that used to exist the arguments there were *far* worse than any furry forum!
>The furry community has given me more of a social life than I ever imagined I would have had growing up
Intesting it is exactly the same thing for me btw.
> I haven't kept in touch with anyone from my school years, for two reasons. One, I was never very popular in school, I had maybe 3 friends throughout all my school years. And two, I just didn't really continue to share any interests enough to keep in touch with them for long after graduating.
Same for me as well. I was completely unpopular at school, y'know - always getting bullied and the last to be chosen for everything. But to my mind today and one of the reasons I don't get in contact with anyone from my time at school is because well *thinks .... they didn't want to know me back then and were just generally unpleasent towards me back then so why should I have to be intrested in them now?
One other thing I like btw is that furry, or at least the fandom/community isn't about making £££s and all about money. Furs here tend to make art because they enjoy making art and that's a good thing. Elsewhere you name it in every other place; TV, Radio, Games, Films, Books, Music etc it has all become about big names, become commercial and making money -- everything and everyone a profit centre . That just dosen't exist here - and long may it continue!
SP