I hope your finances and situations improve so you can consider attending again -- as a fan if not as an artist.

I've never been all that much a con attending fan.

thats too bad. i really enjoyed talking to you briefly at a few cons and getting a sketch in my sketchbooks twice. if its not worth it for you to go though I guess its not.

Understandable. Fortunately, there are more social media areas such as Twitter etc. for contact.

other than here or FB, I'm not doing much social media.

Aw...well, there's always local, if there's that?

Not so much of that either.

Sorry to hear you are not feeling it, but conventions are not the only place to see your friends. You could always visit us.

I've enjoyed seeing you at the few cons where I've run into you. You'll be missed!

*Nods* I can dig.

On the upside, more time to use your Cintiq.

Yeah, I hear you there, I drasically cut back myself and now with the increasing trends of a Juried dealers room, despite your rep, history and connection to the fandom. Getting that shock of "you didn't meet our needs" and "thank you for applying, but we're full up."

I certainly can't afford to just attend a con for the cons sake, I need to cover my expenses.

Sucks you dropped Melbourne.

If you got a GOH Artist slot at a con, and they covered Travel and Room Expenses, would you then be able to attend?

On the other hand Cons are not what they used to be.

Even that is iffy, not that I'd be tapped for something like that any more. The only way that might work is if I got a really long lead time and had plenty of time to prep.

I feel ya man.

Waaah! No Melbourne? That sucks!

Well, that's sad, but understandable. I will happily remember the time you ran a game of Albedo at a con I went to. I was doing a fem mouse EDF engineer and managed to get the ship down, despite two bungling weasels accidentally ejecting the computer core. :) Then we met this local elderly couple and you did a voice for the matron that was straight out of Monty Python. Good times!

I'll miss seeing you, but it's important to spend your resources where they'll do the most good. Travel for the fun of it. Thank you for the sketches you've done for me over the years. :}

Cons pretty much suck there too many of them too spread out last few I went should be called fur suit cons majority of what was there was fur suits or people that liked fur suits, but lot f them are really nice folks but furry cons have made major change in demographics. Hontey seeigng the nother works you dabble inh maybe steam punk and sci fy might be good looking into

sorry to hear that. I wish you that things improve soon again, at least.

Dang, was looking forward to seeing you again over here... but let's face it, travelling over here ain't cheap... I can see why you'd pull the pin if costs were an issue. Relevance though, that is an interesting one... I guess that depends on the demographic you are looking at... I can understand where you are coming from... but keep in mind, good storytelling, artwork and characters never go out of style and that is what most of us who have been 'around the block a few times' will always know you for and respect you for.

That's unfortunate to hear! I'm glad I met you at FC when I had the chance!

Honestly, I can't say I blame you. From what I've been reading lately, the only thing you'll miss is the expense and the drain on your time. The fandom seems to be becoming jaded and some of the con organizers are making some bizarre demands and filtering exhibitors with kangaroo-court 'panels' and 'focus-groups'. Most of the 'uninvited' artists seem to be those who work in traditional media or have just been around a while. They seem to be pushed aside for the more avant-garde types.

That said, I haven't been to any sort of a con in 35 years, so what do I know?

Welcome to the thunderdome, where the YOLO folks now have the cash and if a con wants to live it ends up chasing the bucks. So we now have cons with 30% or growing! cores of suiters, and trust me they need several special levels of comfort to function..again all those costs have to be paid somehow. Toss in more of us old furs are losing the spark we had to even run panels or events WE would enjoy..much less listen to the jaded snubbing from the young money crowd and there you have it. *Furcon* must be 35 and under, must party like no tomorrow. Must prefer noise for music, chugging energy drinks instead of sleep, and a odd desire to self destruct the self same con they are attending by doing stunts that should land them 2-5 in the joint ;/.

Sorry to hear it but heck I formed a furcon..and as bad as folks see the sillyness on the outside..its even more painful at times from the inside. Dear lord what a learning experience these 5 years were let me tell you :). Just accept that you had a lot of fun, find local folsk to hang with, and remember a lot of us *old farts* are with you steve.

Gaia bless and happy albedoing
Pakesh_De
Snoofy old burr

I pretty much gave up on cons a long time ago. My last furry con was 2001, I think. Or it might have been in 2000. I went to a worldcon in 2003, but that was in Toronto, and another in Montreal in 2009, because I was one of the guests. Then there were three little cons in Toronto, but the last of those I saw was three or four years ago. I haven't been anywhere else since, and not out of the city in six years. Fandom has moved from its origins to becoming a hobby for convention goers. Unfortunately, apart from local cons that's a hobby for people with considerable disposible income. Being in good health helps, too.

It's your choice and I respect it, Steve, but you will be missed. :c

Echoing what others have said.

Perhaps if I get my ass in gear and get the Summerparty going, could invite you to it.

That's too bad, but I respect your reasons. :( You seemed to be a very nice gentleman. It was a pleasure to have met and commissioned you at FC.

Sad to hear your not going to Confurgence :) would have enjoyed chatting to you re your model making etc.

the furthest con i've ever been from where i was living at the time, was a norwescon in seattle when i was living in portland.
but then i've never tried selling anything, which you were already doing long before there was such a thing as furry.
you've contributed so much in your life, and even if you hadn't, you don't owe it to anybody to bedraggle yourself out.
i wish you a happier and less stressful life, whatever you choose to do with it.

I guess you can get tired of anything after having enough of it, especially if it gets to be too expensive. Sorry to hear you've hit your limit. But I hope your financial and family situations improve anyway.

Well I wanted to say thank you for all you did for the fandom.

Take care and remember your still an awesome person...