It's been a time and a half since I've checked in on this profile and I thought it might help for everyone who watches me and wonders where I've gone to have an idea of how and where I am.

My life is going pretty nicely overall, I've had some ups and downs in equal measure but my recent months have been really amazing in terms of making progress on my transition. I use a female name and pronouns, I dress in women's clothing and carry a purse. I present as fully female in my day-to-day life and couldn't be happier to be doing so. My life's going well and I feel happy and fulfilled and like my real self. I started Hormone Replacement Therapy in January and would like to get bottom surgery in future so I am medically transitioning.

---

In terms of what this means for my involvement here on this site, I have to say that my interest in this site has really diminished of late. It's getting harder and harder for me to come back to this profile. I don't want to get rid of the art I have and all the memories it represents for me, but it's also hard to look at such a conspicuous reminder of my life pre-transition. So I don't come around here a lot any more for that sort of reason.

Part of it is feeling disconnected and alienated, for obvious reasons, from my pre-trans fursona and art, but beyond that, I also realise that I'm not quite in touch with the idea of being a furry or a scaly any more.

For me, choosing to be a visibly non-human Nile Crocodile was a way of escaping and rejecting my humanity. Because deep down, I didn't like my body or myself and I wanted something that wouldn't remind me of that. In other words, it was an expression of my gender dysphoria. I'll never stop being part of this community at least in some part, but I think my days of representing myself as something furry or scaly or over. And as a result of that, I find myself wanting to distance myself from this old haunt of mine just because I feel like it doesn't click with my interests quite as well as it used to. My feelings and emotions about this site are complex in general so it's a complicated place for me to be. I am not going to be active on this profile in future. I probably won't delete it, but I'm not going to really do anything with it either. It was a good time in my life, but I think it's increasingly time for me to move on.

If anyone wants to contact me or otherwise just touch base, I'm always happy to chat via Telegram or Discord and happy to provide that to those who ask. ^^

To summarise: My transition is going well, I'm happy and fulfilled, but I'm also not going to be active on this profile in future.

So this has been a while in the making, but ever since I hinted in my last journal about exploring my gender identity, well, it's something I've been thinking about a lot and very actively.

In retrospect, I suppose what I am about to say will come across as fairly unsurprising: I've openly hinted in the past that I was reconsidering how I identify in terms of gender, and I've shifted to basically exclusively using female characters. And the more that I started doing things like this: the more I enjoyed it. I've come to identify more and more with my female characters, peruse more and more artwork involving female characters, etc. It makes me feel happy and validated.

The truth is, for years, I've used female characters for a number of things: whether in the video games I play, or in the art I commission. But for me, I always saw it as a side thing, something which "embodies my feminine side" but never really going any further than that. I never really seriously contemplated the possibility that it meant anything more than that. I never considered the idea that this signified anything of note beyond simply the fact that I was a cisgendered man who had a feminine side.

I now realise that, for me, this was actually incorrect and that I not only identify with the female gender, but that I actually am sincerely excited and euphoric at the prospect of being a woman.

And well, once I came to that revelation, on Trans Day of Visibility, at that, the rest, as they say, is history. And now that Pride Month has arrived, I could not think of a more ideal time to properly come out on one of my primary online spaces.

My quest into the wonderful world of being transgender is only just beginning. There is much I have to learn about this process, but I'm really excited for it, and I can't wait to choose a new name for meself.

In the meantime, you'll be seeing lots and lots more of my beloved wolverine, Roxanne, because, well, I find that I am drawn more and more to her as a character during this time in my life. ^^

So in summary: I am trans, and I couldn't be happier to have come to this conclusion about myself.

Greetings and salutations everyone!

Wow, my FA profile was long overdue for an update to reflect my present state of mind, my interests, I would say it is still somewhat under construction. I might add a few bits and pieces here or there. But honestly, my profile was several years old, a lot of the stuff on it just doesn't really reflect me or my interests now in 2021.

My characters are a big part of how I express myself in this community, and every character I possess reflects different parts of me. And sometimes, the characters who embody those different parts of me feel more distant to me and less reflective of how I think and identify at present.

This is, at present, my general feeling towards my Nile Crocodile, Tarvash. Tarvash was and is a character who will always be dear to me. I will never part ways with this character, sell him, or otherwise get rid of him. I will always keep this character, and I will likely use him again at some point in the future, but that time is not now.

The person I was when I made Tarvash, and the part of me he represents is distant to me at this time. So I am going to set that part of me aside to explore other aspects of myself.

One character that I have been particularly keen on in recent times has been my Tyrannosaurus Rex, Ranigar. He's a big, gentle-spirited fellow who quite perfectly represents my general shift towards a more gentle interpretation of things. But, much as I adore this character, I also find that there is another side of me, as of yet only periodically explored, that I find calls to me even more.

Lately, I have been thinking quite a lot lately about gender and gender identity, and where I stand in regards to that.

I've always thought of myself as having both masculine and feminine aspects of my identity. And although in the past, I have always identified and currently still do identify as a cisgendered male. But now, I find myself wondering if that is, in reality, reflective of how I identify myself.

Increasingly, I find myself indifferent if not somewhat uncomfortable to the idea of being strictly male forever. I find myself drawn more and more to my feminine side. What that means for me is, as of yet, unclear. I do not know.

I would say that I tentatively lean towards the notion of being nonbinary, but I have not, as of yet, decided on that.

Whether I would be nonbinary or whether I would go further and outright identify as trans I honestly do not know at this time. It's something I am still very much exploring, and I look forward to finding out where that leads!

With all of that having been explained, something I am pleased to do is announce that I have actually created a character which embodies this side of me. I came up with something different than my usual, and something that I think will very nicely represent my feminine side and gender identity.

I look forward to posting the art I have gotten of this character and seeing everyone's reactions to her. :}

To those of you who read through this whole textwall, thank you for doing so, I greatly appreciate it!

Kind regards,

Orenthes

I haven't been nearly as outspoken here as I have been on social media, but for those who don't follow me there and aren't aware of my positions already, I categorically and absolutely condemn the attempted violent coup by supporters of Donald J. Trump in Washington, DC.

This violent attempt to usurp US democracy was motivated and spurred by a malicious and false conspiracy theory that the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged against Trump, who was an instrumental figure in inciting violence among his supporters as he has done for years. Trump is guilty of attempting to overturn the results off a fair election, but also of doing so violently through his hateful rhetoric and inciting those who follow him to violence.

This chain of guilt extends far beyond him however: it extends to members of his family such as Don Jr. who played a role in spreading conspiracy theories about the election. It extends to members of his government and cabinet who have enabled Trump's behaviour and refused to remove him from office when he did so. It extends to members of Trump's party who have, similarly, embraced a malicious lie concocted by a narcissistic man who refuses to admit that he lost a fair election. It extends to his supporters who have remained loyal to him, who have voted for him, and who have enabled his worst tendencies.

From highest to lowest, anyone who at any level supported the coup attempt in the Capitol or enabled it to happen through the propagation of malicious lies must be held accountable for doing so.

If you are someone who personally supports Donald Trump, please unwatch me, do not favourite my pieces, speak to me, or otherwise attempt to contact me. Because I cannot accept someone who supports an administration which does not value democracy or human rights.

If you are still a Trump supporter even after everything he has done, I urge you to move away from the path of hatred and violence before it is too late. But I cannot accept any kind of support from people who are hateful.

For those of you reading this and maybe wondering why I am so strident on this matter, I offer the following rationale: this is an issue that goes beyond talking. I have said for the past 4 years, and continue to say this: Donald Trump is someone who fundamentally does not care about democracy, about the law, or about human rights. Donald Trump is someone who simply does not value human life.

I cannot accept this on a moral, personal, or political level. I am LGBT+ and I stand in solidarity with others in my community who experience persecution whether now or in the past. But it also goes beyond me and my personal identity.

I am not a woman, but I support women's rights. I am not an immigrant, but I support immigrant's rights. I am not African-American, but I support rights for African-Americans and oppose the horrific police violence that is epidemic in the United States against people and communities of colour. I am not Muslim, but I support without reservation the right of Muslims or those of any other religious tradition to practise their faith in peace and without suspicion or persecution in the United States. Supporting the rights and livelihoods of those who are different from myself is something I consider to not only be the right thing to do, I consider it to be a moral imperative.

I strongly believe that diversity makes the United States a stronger, more moral, and more advanced nation. Knowing this to be my belief, I cannot in good conscience accept an administration which stands against all of those things and devalues the common humanity shared by all people.

That's pretty much it, I had to formally say this somewhere, though those who know me will know this to already be my position on the matter.

It has been a LONG time since I've posted a journal here and it's with some momentous news of the completion of the requirements for a Master's Degree! I'll post a more detailed journal in due time. :}

I never got around to making a journal about it, but I did in fact attend ConFuzzled in 2019.

I traveled up from Euston Station in London to Birmingham International, which was a mere 10 minutes from the convention venue and hotels. I traveled with some very good friends of mine:  vogelrove,  minotorture, and  xilver and it was a delightful and short train ride to Birmingham.

I had a very enjoyable stay at the overflow hotel: the Crowne Plaza where I was randomly assigned a roomshare with  rro with whom I got along quite famously! We had a great many chats and even though both of us stayed quite busy at the con, we still found the time to talk with one another and strike up a friendship.

I really couldn't do justice to all of the wonderful experiences I had and people I met over the course of the convention. I met many people and did a great many things. I can certainly say, however, that I had a few highlights:

-A room party hosted by none other than Vogel and Mino and featuring some really wonderful people:  skawinski,  xolani,  thorsoneyja,  kumorifox1982 and many more!

-A great many splendid meals at Nando's, GBK, and a very honourable mention to some absolutely delicious fish and chips wrapped in newspaper (the classic)

-Visiting the Dealer's Den and conversing with (and commissioning) some really great and interesting artists. I bought a beautiful cup made by https://twitter.com/kisumi87?lang=en (seriously, her work is absolutely fantastic, buy her stuff), and have a few promising pieces in the works: a badge from  indiwolfonline, an Ancient Egyptian portrait from  rynozerus, and a fantasy-themed piece from  mgferret

-Meeting so many wonderful people for the first time. I couldn't possibly begin to list them all, so I will only say that I got to see some really amazing and friendly folk for the first time.

-In general, the really cool spy and espionage theme of the convention. I got to share the fascinating story of the assassination of Georgy Markov with an umbrella.

-Attending the wonderfully-arranged Closing Ceremonies and bringing an end to a great convention!

All in all, I had a really splendid time, glad I attended, and I want to thank all of the new and old friends who helped it be so great!

I've been long delayed in making this announcement, but I'm about to embark on a whole new chapter in my life.

To give a brief overview of where my life has been, I returned to the US from Ekaterinburg in the Russian Federation in March of 2018. Although I wanted to return to my studies, I also took some time to work and earn some money that I could put away for any basic expenses and to have some modest savings. After consideration of where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do, I hit upon the idea of studying in the United Kingdom. Whereupon I put in an application to two prominent British universities: the University of Birmingham and the University of London.

I was accepted to both universities and had a choice between two wonderful places to go to further my study of history and actually teach history as is my goal. I was helped in the realisation of this goal by many people, but I wanted to take the time to thank someone in particular who really helped me. That would be a dear friend of mine named  vogelrove who helped me with my application and may well have been a deciding factor in my acceptance.

After much consideration, I ultimately made the decision to attend the University of London for the 2018-19 academic year. Starting tomorrow, September 19th, I will board my flight to the United Kingdom and travel to the UK. Ever since I visited the UK in the summer of 2014, I have always sought to return. And now, at long last, I am getting my chance.

I am really looking forward to this new chapter in my life, and I have a considerable suspicion that I will come to the United Kingdom from the USA and choose to stay. :}

For a fairly decent amount of time now, I've been friends with a very affable fellow named Sekira. Sekira is a very friendly, talented person with an incredible array of skills: musically gifted, intelligent, and very much a Renaissance man.

Anyone in the State of Florida or surrounding states or, truly, anywhere, see what you can do to help. If you can help in any respect, please see what you can do.

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/8873660/

May 9th marks the anniversary of the official German surrender to the Soviet Union in 1945. Though the German surrender to the Western Allies on May 7th is traditionally celebrated as V-E (Victory in Europe) Day in much of Europe and North America, the war was officially ended via the signing of a separate instrument of surrender on May 9th. The Soviet Union took the heaviest civilian and battlefield losses of any European nation involved in the Second World War, and was exceeded only by China in the number of total war dead in the Second World War, or the Great Patriotic War as it is known in former Soviet countries.

In modern Russia, Victory Day is traditionally celebrated with a major public holiday and a massive military parade, as it was in Soviet times. It is, without a doubt, one of the most important holidays of the entire year in Russia and many other former nations of the former Soviet Union.

Over the course of the Second World War, more people died in the Siege of Leningrad than the combined total war dead of the United States and the United Kingdom. Regardless of one's opinions on the Soviet Union or the states that have come after its dissolution, this fact should always be recognised.

My 25th birthday is my second official birthday abroad (the first having taken place during my visit to South Africa in 2014) and I celebrated it in the city of Yekaterinburg in the Sverdlovsk Oblast of Russia.

Me and a group of friends had a wonderful time at a restaurant and much tasty Uzbek Plov was eaten. In my case, eaten by hand (right hand only) in the traditional Uzbek fashion.

For those unfamiliar, Plov is the wonderful national dish of Uzbekistan, comprised of meat (typically lamb) over rice and cooked in a large cast-iron pot known as a kazan:

http://blog.ingredientmatcher.com/w.....istan-Plov.jpg

For those who have been following me for a while, or those who have only become acquainted with me recently, it probably became clear at some point that I was quite interested in Russia, particularly Russian history and that of the former Soviet Union. And those who have known me for a decent while might remember my trip to Russia back in 2015.

For the past year or thereabouts, I have been going through various stages of application to a foreign study programme to study at a Russian university. And over the past few months, everything for this process has come into place. The list of universities I applied for that teach English-language graduate programmes in Russian regional studies has been narrowed down and I have been formally accepted to a Russian university! While I actually am enrolling at a different university than I expected, I am eager for the adventure. Rather than going to Moskva or Sankt-Peterburg, I am going somewhere I have never been in Russia, to the city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains. Yekaterinburg was founded in the 18th century and was renamed Sverdlovsk in the Soviet period after Yakov Sverdlov. It was also a closed city under Soviet rule, as the city's large metallurgical industry was considered too sensitive to allow outside access. But now, Yekaterinburg is an open city. And I cannot wait to visit it.

I will be in Russia for the next two years, I will still be accessible by notes and the other various means of contact, just with a notable time zone difference compared to people in the United States or Canada. Yekaterinburg is 12 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. So it would be 10 PM for me when it is 10 AM that same day in California.

All in all, I think I have a great period in my life ahead of me and I couldn't be happier to be going back to Russia, this time for two years instead of two weeks.

Well, the time has come. December 30th, 2016 is my 24th birthday. I have had some rather remarkable experiences this year. As far as FA is concerned, my first convention, Anthrocon 2016, was perhaps the most notable thing. Today I am going to get a celebratory lunch of Russian and Georgian food at a local place, so those of you who are enthusiasts of Khachapuri and Khincali take heed. :}

I hesitated to make this journal for fear of contributing to the clutter of holiday journals, but I ultimately decided to do so. This is a time of year that I greatly enjoy. I celebrate Christmas though I similarly wish a wonderful holiday to those who celebrate Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or who have already celebrated the Prophet's birthday (peace be upon him) on Milad un Nabi which was, in the Gregorian Calendar, on December 12.

I hope everyone is able to the best of their abilities to overlook the inevitable stress and difficulties of this time of year and cherish the more pleasant and generous aspects of the holidays: to be with loved ones or to undertake charitable acts. And of course, lots of wonderful food.

I wish everyone a happy holiday season and, when the time comes, a happy New Year.

Anthrocon 2016 has ended, the theme was the Roaring 20's. And like the real 1920's, it has now been consigned to history. But fond memories are in abundance. Oddly, although we technically repealed the 18th Amendment at the start of the Convention, I kept to Prohibition for the duration of the Convention. I guess that makes me a dry even though I voted wet.

This was my first convention of any kind, and by extension my first Anthrocon, so it was somewhat akin to learning to swim by jumping in the deep end (or off the deep end as the case may be).

I arrived to Pittsburgh the evening of Wednesday, the 29th, before the bulk of the attendees to the convention. This made for an easy, laid back entry to the city. I traveled via Greyhound and by sheer fortunate coincidence happened to meet a few fellow travelers who were also attending. Most notably among them  sprech4, and thus we talked the journey away about all manner of topics ranging from the intricacies of Islam and Ramadan (which as of June 29th was actually still ongoing) to artwork focused on transformation. Needless to say, the conversation was all intensely fascinating and it helped pass what would otherwise have been a terribly long and dull ride. I made my own arrangements to stay the night at a local place before heading over to the Westin on Thursday with all my kit in hand.

The first day wasn't terribly exciting, I did a lot of waiting in line (as I rather imprudently decided to register at the convention, rather than doing so quickly and easily online), but when I convened with my roommates, the entire convention was quite joyous.

For the duration of the convention, I stayed with Tegon, Bronzewing, Argent, and Neopuc. Five people (counting myself) in total in a room at the Westin. For the entirety of the convention, we never had anything in the way of arguments, disputes, or even mild cases of annoyance. We all shared rather similar interests but more importantly than that all had very compatible personalities. Everyone was also very laid-back and things always felt nice and casual without being frantic.

There was a lot of good-natured ribbing (and, for my part, puns) going around so it was nice to have a group of people that had a healthy sense of humor, something we all discovered the nights we played Cards Against Humanity and Snake Oil, but more on that later.

We got quite a few excellent meals during the trip. The highlights for me (a devoted lover of all manner of good food) were Thursday's steak dinner that we all went out to get as well as a sumptuous Uzbek meal that I will elaborate on later. It was the first of many gatherings that myself, Neopuc, Tegon, Bronzewing, and Argent would all have together and it went quite swimmingly. I had a New York Strip and was thoroughly satisfied with that along with the abundance of mashed potatoes that we all ordered for sides. All in all, a thoroughly satisfying experience for those of a carnivorous leaning such as me. It does of course make my choice of a Nile Crocodile for a main character quite fitting.

The second of the two greatest meals I had while at the convention had a bit of a smaller group. It was solely myself and  argentvz, after having experienced the joys of Uzbek cuisine both in the United States and in Russia, I learned of a place in Pittsburgh that I was utterly determined to visit. Scheduling conspired against us and nobody in the group save for Argent was available to go. But after some initial confusion regarding bus schedules, we managed to hoof our way to the Mount Washington area to visit Kavsar. There we had a sumptuous feast of Uzbek bread (Non, not to be confused with Naan, which is from the Indian Subcontinent), plov (beef over rice with vegetables), manti (Uzbek steamed dumplings with meat), and samsa (baked pastries stuffed with beef and onion) all accompanied by a refreshing glass of compot, a Russian fruit drink that is extraordinarily tasty and thirst-quenching. The meal was finished with a Russian cherry cake and a pot of black tea.

All in all, Kavsar was my favorite meal of the trip, and made even better by the presence of Argent who I introduced to the joys of Uzbek cuisine. He proved to be very enjoyable company for the duration of the trip, plus in a room where only three out of the five watched Game of Thrones, it was nice to have someone who appreciated my frequent references to it.

After Thursday, the convention started in earnest on Friday. Being new to Anthrocon, I quickly discovered the joys of the Dealer's Den and Artist's Alley. I conducted a fair amount of business that day. I followed up that day with  touchofsnow who despite some logistical problems was ultimately able to get me my very first convention badge featuring my Nile Crocodile, Tarvash which turned out very nicely (I will be uploading the badge later to my gallery). I also was able to commission  kadath who was exceptionally friendly and courteous throughout the entire commission process. He was even willing to slightly rush my commission so that the sketch would be completed so that I would be able to leave in time.

I met a good few people at the Dealer's Den and Artist's Alley on that day, most notably  nommz and  kurrikage, and had brief but entirely pleasant interactions with both of them.

I attended part of the Macro/Micro Meet that day and had the pleasure of briefly meeting  geemo who greatly honored me with his fondness for all the various commissions I have gotten over the years. I also met  aerys who was quite affable and with whom I immediately hit it off. It is always nice to meet someone so genuinely warm and friendly.

That night was a fairly discreet affair where the lot of us retired back to the room for some recuperation but also a few games of Cards Against Humanity, which I had never played before. It was an incredibly fun and entertaining group. Everyone was into it and every one of us in the room had at least one hilarious moment. The funny phrases generated during our game ranged from the ridiculous to the outright vulgar but every one was utterly hilarious. My highlight of the evening was filling in a statement about how Bernie Sanders would bring "Bernie Sanders' Sexy Tickles" to the White House.  neopuc was far and away the grand champion of the game. And between the two of us, it seemed as if we were the best at keeping a straight face while reading off utterly absurd or vulgar phrase combinations that inherently result from Cards Against Humanity.

On Saturday, that was the day of the fursuit parade, though as I did not have a fursuit nor was I part of the improvised crew assembled by  dsc85 from among our ranks to film it, I did not attend most of it. I spent most of the convention that day in the Dealer's Den, finalizing some commission details and also talking to some really cool artists including (once again)  sprech4,  ransom, and I even bought a really nice lanyard for my badge that was patterned with the Ravenclaw pattern (as I always figured I would be either a Ravenclaw or a Slytherin). My badge turned out really nicely and I received many compliments on it during the convention, including from my roommates, all of whom are trusted authorities on all things large and reptilian.

That day I also had the great pleasure of meeting  sonicfox with whom I have gotten some very good commissions in the past and whose characters, commissions, and writing I have always greatly enjoyed. Being as we were both fairly busy, I did not get anywhere near enough time to chat with SF as I would have preferred, but we had a jolly old time talking about the joys of Overwatch and a shared fondness for pummeling our foes on opposing teams as Reinhardt: a massive Germanic warrior encased in plate armour.

On Saturday night, we played Snake Oil, which results in all manner of even more bizarre phrase combinations put together to make a product which you then try to sell to someone with a certain occupation.  argentvz successfully sold me a "Silence Rock" (thus named because it was a big rock I could use to silence those who annoyed me) and I in turn was able to sell him a "mistake excuse" which he could use to quite literally get away with murder, which is always convenient for disposing of inconvenient relations. Tegon sold me a Tarantino-esque revenge film that at my explicit request included not one, but two separate scenes involving someone being comedically shot over and over again as in Django. I convinced Neopuc, who assumed the role of a gangster, of the value of a government-imposed Wig Tax that would allow him to control the illegal wig trade and thus build a vast and hirsute criminal empire.

That night was the last with our full group.  geldazane left early on Sunday morning and that left the rest of us with only a brief window left for both the convention and interaction with each other. I very, very briefly met  appledectomy (who I managed to sneak up near before I alerted him of my presence via Telegram). I picked up my piece from  kadath (who very graciously finished mine in a hurry as I had to leave very promptly), and hurried off.

I was able to get one last lunch with the group (and an exquisite coffee milkshake with malt powder) before we all said our farewells. For Argent, of course, I could not resist a parting inspired from Game of Thrones, thus I said my farewell with a warm wish of "May the Lord of Light guard your path", for it is R'hllor who brings back the dawn.

I wish to express my sincerest and most fundamental thanks to all of my roommates along with all of the wonderful people I met at the convention. I also wish to thank  dsc85 in particular for graciously bringing me in on a shared room. He was under no obligation to do so, and he took something of a risk as we all do when we invite a complete stranger to share a living space. Thus it is he who made my presence at Anthrocon possible to start with, so all of the good experiences I had there ultimately stem from Tegon, to whom I express my utmost gratitude.

Where are you staying?

The Westin

What day are you getting there?

Wednesday.

How are you traveling?

The Berlin-Baghdad Railway all the way to Konstantiyye.

Who will you be rooming with?

 dsc85,  geldazane,  argentvz, &  neopuc

How is the best way to find you?

My badge should be my most readily-identifiable feature. I do have both Skype and Telegram, if you want to get in touch with me via those platforms, send me a note.

Are there any panels you might be attending?

The Macro/Micro Panel for sure, everything else is a solid maybe.

What do you look like?

Tall, light brown hair, thickly-built, and I wear glasses. I will also be wearing a badge so I shouldn't be too hard to find. I do want to meet some folks so I won't be making myself scarce.

Will you be suiting?

Don't have a fursuit, likely never will. Not my deal.

Do you do free art?

I don't do art at all so that's kind of a moot point.

Do you do trades?

I am a writer, so if an artist wants to trade art for words, I could accept that.

Do you do badges?

I will be wearing one, but I don't do them or any other sort of drawn art myself.

What is your gender?

Male.

How tall are you?

6'2"

Can I talk to you?

By all means, I highly enjoy a good conversation.

Can I touch you?

Maybe a handshake, that's about the best I can do. I will not react favorably to unwanted physical contact.

Can I visit your room?

There are other people in my room and beyond that I'm a bit uncomfortable allowing others into a place I go to unwind and recharge so that's likely a no.

Can I buy you drinks?

I am not a copious drinker, but I do have a passion for tea.

Can I give you stuff?

Depends on what is being given.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?

No, you can't.

Are you nice?

I aim to be.

How long are you going?

For the duration of the convention.

Do you have an artist table?

No.

Will you be going to parties?

Very unlikely.

Will you be performing?

Likely not.

If I see you, how should I get your attention?

Saying my name seems like the best idea, I'm relatively tall and typically easy to find even in a crowd.

Phoenetically, it's pronounced "Oar-en-thays" with an emphasis on the first syllable.

I also will be wearing a badge with my main character and name on it so that will make me hard to miss.

Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?

I've never been to a convention so I am uncertain. Certainly would like to get a few commissions but also to attend events like the Macro/Micro gathering since it just seems proper for me to do so.

What/where will you be eating?

I have some places in mind.

Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?

Maybe, I tend to keep to a small circle.

Can I take your picture?

Ask first. I'm easygoing but at the same time I have boundaries I would prefer to have respected.

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?

It's my first convention so I guess I want to meet some people I've known online for a time and maybe get a nice commission or two.

I received something this evening that I have wanted for years now.

And I am very satisfied with it.

Well, another year has gone by and it feels as if time moves more swiftly than ever. I turn 23 this year and am looking forward to celebrating the occasion by going out to what looks to be an absolutely wonderful Cuban restaurant with my family.

I wanted to make this journal partly to thank all of the kind people who have already wished me a happy birthday and just in general been good friends and companions over the years that I have been on this site. So really, this journal is dedicated to all of them.

On the subject of art, I do have some very compelling pieces coming up very soon that I think will be well-received so keep an eye out for new things approaching on the horizon. :}

It's really quite an experience to see that, after having been here for a little short of five years time (as of January 30th, 2016, I will have been on FA for a full five years), I have managed to accumulate 1,000 watchers.

I think I owe it, first and foremost, to the numerous great artists who have drawn so many great works for me over the years, either for commission, for collaboration, or by request. I thought I'd write out a (far from complete) list of some of the artists who I think have done some of the best work and all while being extremely courteous, thorough, and professional:

 azathura, I wanted to give a quick at the top of this list because he's, first and foremost, a genuinely nice and generous person. Moreover, as we seem to share many interests with regards to art and preferences for certain species and physical appearances, we have done a lot of collaborative work that often originated from casual discussions between us regarding certain concepts or characters. Seeing as the majority of the pieces in my gallery from Azathura are not commissioned works, I feel that it is the least I can do to at least mention him and his gallery and how I am sincerely grateful for both his friendship and the shared interests we have in reptiles

- mkvero The majority of the work I have in my gallery from Vero is either from requests or from collaborative projects that we worked in that combined my writing with his artwork. As the entirety of the works I have gotten from him are not commissioned, I think I need to recognize that Vero is someone who, while not a career artist like many of the people I have commissioned, is nonetheless very dedicated to improving his work through constant practise and whose macro/micro works have never ceased to delight me. As with Azathura, the very least I can do is give my genuine thanks and gratitude for all the great stuff you have produced, both for me and for others, and for the wonderful chats we have had and do have. :}

 justmegabenewell

 pig

 dalbie

 nommz

 lustbubbles

 themirth

 amit

 sukebepanda

 gorath

On Another Note...

This is, as mentioned, hardly an exhaustive list but I feel that this is sort of a selection of the proverbial "Greatest Hits" of my gallery, and I think it worthwhile to mention artists because frankly without all the great art I've managed to acquire over the years, I doubt I would have the amount of watchers that I do. To everyone I have commissioned, either listed or unlisted, I thank you for your contribution to my gallery and for your courteous and professional manner. I can say with certainty that I have never met an artist who did not deliver a satisfactory product for my commission and I am glad for everything I have.

I also wanted to give a much more general expression of thanks beyond just commissioned art to everyone I have come to know and interact with as a result of this site. While I enjoy the art I have gotten, I think the company and discussions I have had with others as a result of coming into contact with are even greater than the collection of art that I have amassed. I've met a lot of people who share my interests thanks to the community here, and I also feel as if I have made some very genuine and sincere friends as a result of my involvement here.

That's all I have to say for now, but I am quite happy to be here, and have no intention of departing any time soon.

Best regards,

Orenthes

Prelude:

So, my trip wound up getting quite busy and hectic. As the trip progressed, I simply found myself utterly without time to stop and continue writing journals to record each passing day. Moreover, the little downtime I did have I mostly spent relaxing and recharging the proverbial batteries.

My trip as of yesterday came to an end as I flew back to the United States from Moskva. It was a nonstop flight of roughly 10 hours in length, and I was exhausted, I woke up this morning after a long, luxurious sleep that was much needed after the flight.

And as of this morning, I have compiled an exhaustive album of all of the photographs I took on the trip.

During the trip, we visited three destinations:

-Saint-Petersburg (or Peter as the locals call it)

-Yasnaya Polyana (in the Tula Oblast, it is the ancestral home of Leo Tolstoy, and is also right near the city of Tula, one of the Hero-Cities of the Second World War)

-Moskva (Moscow in Anglicized form)

Highlights:

-A dizzying variety of delicious meals from a wide variety of different cuisines: Georgian (the nation, not the US State), Azeri, Uzbek, Russian, and more!

-Sampling semi-sweet Georgian wine (utterly delicious, at that), as well as a very nice Crimean white wine (and, of course, toasting "Крым Наш" to commemorate the occasion)

-A day's journey to Peterhof, the famous estate of Tsar Peter the Great

-Consuming exceptionally delicious Russian black teas on a daily basis

-A river tour of Saint-Petersburg

-A visit to Lenin's Mausoleum

-Seeing one of the classic "Moscow Evenings" and finally coming to personally appreciate the roots of one of Russia's most treasured and well-known folk songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLf1_kQjlwk

-And much, much more!

The Pictures:

Here is the Dropbox Album I have created with all of my pictures of the trip.

Please let me know if you have questions, comments, or have any technical issues viewing the images.

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/2hvkhccn.....jRX7kTjHfMDOla

Day Two:

-Hermitage

-Pirozhki lunch

-Pushkin Museum

-Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

-Baku, Azeri Restaurant for Dinner

By my second day in Saint-Petersburg, or Petrograd as I prefer, I felt quite a ways more at ease with the city. I am of course still learning more about it every day, but now that I have walked its streets and learned of its history, it is a place with which I feel quite comfortable. I feel the need to say that Saint-Petersburg is a city which I tended to have less interest in than Moskva. And though I have not yet visited Moscow and been able to make up my mind about my preference, I realize now that I sold this charming and respectable city short. Saint-Petersburg has a great sense of history to it, and nearly everywhere one goes, one sees reminders of it.

'Twas fitting, then, that yesterday was the day of our Hermitage visit. The Hermitage is not only a museum, as it is commonly regarded, but it was in fact also the famous Winter Palace of Tsarist times: the seat of the Romanov Dynasty in Saint-Petersburg, a city that was itself raised along the Baltic by Peter the Great, one of only two Tsars in Russian history to be given that title (the other being Katharine the Great, another of Russia's most well-known monarchs). So the Hermitage is at once a museum and a historical monument of its own right to the bygone era of the Romanov Dynasty. It houses an impressive collection of art of all kinds: sculpture, portraiture, and famous paintings by a wide variety of artists (including the esteemed Rembrandt) and from a wide variety of cultural traditions, including both the Classical civilizations of Greece and Ancient Egypt.

I am a fan of art and artwork, but to me the greatest treasures were those of the Romanovs, certain artifacts of their rule including the throne in the Winter Palace. But what to me was more poignant still was the torn coat of Tsar Alexander II, known to history as the Tsar Liberator. In 1861, four years before the 13th Amendment to the Constitution freed the slaves of the United States, Alexander II issued a decree of his own that declared serfdom at an end throughout the entire Russian Empire. A brutal institution not altogether different or far-removed from the awful chattel slavery that was practiced in the Western Hemisphere (most notably by the United States and Brazil), serfdom was a particularly extreme form of longstanding feudal traditions in Russia. Whereas feudal patterns of landholding faded and eventually died out in much of Western Europe, it remained entrenched in most of Central and Eastern Europe, and more so in Russia than anywhere else thanks to the bountiful, fertile land of the Eurasian plains. The Tsar's Emancipation Decree ended serfdom immediately in Russia, even though the bitter consequences of such an institution outlived serfdom in Russia by decades. The unresolved status of the emancipated peasants in Russia proved to be a troubling legacy of a wonderful reform. But that would not be the end of Alexander II's troubles.

Russia has always had a tradition of radical political movements. But in the 1880's, long before Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin became notable figures in Russian history, an organization known as the Narodnaya Volya "People's Will" was one of many such underground movements that actually thrived despite existing on the political margins of a deeply-repressive and conservative society. The Narodnaya Volya, lead by a woman named Sofia Perovskaya, had a severe mindset that perhaps anticipated future generations of Russian radicals, it believed that revolutionary violence was the only means of achieving political change in Russia. In an autocratic system where representative democracy and parliamentary rule did not exist, their beliefs were shared by many radical Russian political organizations. However, the Narodnaya Volya was distinguished (and infamous) for its efforts to murder Russia's leading reformer: Tsar Alexander II.

The People's Will attempted on many occasions to assassinate Tsar Alexander: blowing up his train, attempted shootings, and even setting off a bomb at a palace he was known to be dining at. All of these attempts on the Tsar's life failed. The Tsar was a hunted man, hounded through the streets and places of Saint-Petersburg like a beast. But these failures taught the Narodnaya Volya the need for preparation. In 1881, they tried again: an assassin with a bomb detonated the device near the Tsar's carriage. Several bystanders were wounded, but the carriage, a gift from Napoleon III of France that had been reinforced to protect the Tsar, allowed Alexander to escape unscathed. But he then made a fatal error: he stepped out of his carriage to check on the people wounded by the attempt on his life. As he did so, a second assassin with a second bomb approached the Tsar and detonate his device. Tsar Alexander's legs were shattered to pieces. Later that day, within the confines of the Winter Palace, the Tsar Liberator bled to death. One of the greatest reformers in the history of the Russian Empire and his legacy of forward-thinking measures died that day, and Russia lost one of the few Tsars to ever truly advocate measures such as a legislature to share his own power. His coat, ravaged by the explosion, now sits in the Hermitage, a silent memorial to so awful a crime.

His son and heir, Alexander III, who was crowned shortly after his father's death, rejected many of his father's calls for limitations on the monarchy. Under Alexander III, the absolute power of the monarchy was to be an unquestioned and indisputable fact of politics. To honor his slain father, Alexander III raised upon the place of his assassination a truly magnificent feat of Russian architecture: the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Aesthetically quite similar to St. Basil's Cathedral in Moskva, the Church of the Savior was built on the exact spot that Alexander II was murdered. The Narodnaya Volya had truly and genuinely sought and hoped that the blood of the slain Tsar would instigate change and liberation in Russia. Instead, they replaced a conservative but reform-minded man with an even more absolutist successor. Sofia Perovskaya and her accomplices would not live long to see the results of their crime: the new Tsar rounded up the Narodnaya Volya and had them hanged. They had sought to bring an end to Tsarist autocracy. They had only made it stronger.

This fascinating saga of Russian history is why that humble, mangled coat was to me the highlight of my visit to The Hermitage: which housed an impressive and magnificent collection of art and historical works. As an aside, before I visited the Hermitage, I ran across an image of my FA avatar: none other than the late, great Felix Dzerzhinsky himself, it's always fun to see a firsthand account.

We finished the day's fun with a visit to a museum devoted to the life and experiences of Aleksandr Pushkin, arguably Russia's most famous and cherished author. Sadly I have no pictures from that, as photography of any kind was strictly forbidden. The tour itself I found to be fairly unremarkable: many Russian museums and attractions are very insistent on maintaining organized tour groups and do not tend to deviate from that. I did, however, manage to catch a good long look at Pushkin's death mask, and even a lock of his hair that had been clipped from his head by a servant. To me, that reminder of a long-dead poet was a great and poignant reminder that this was not merely a distant, near-mythical figure from history, but a living, breathing man with hopes and dreams, a fact that is not always easy to remember when discussing the great men and women of world history.

We finished with a sumptuous meal at an Azeri restaurant named Baku (fittingly enough): kebab, eggplant, and good rich yoghurt and bread were enjoyed in abundance in a meal very noticeably similar to the lavish Georgian feast we had eaten the night before (as Azerbaijan and Georgia are both Caucasian nations, this is no surprise). The meal was finished with a good refreshing cup of black tea (the stuff is omnipresent in Russia, Russians drink more tea than vodka).

Pictures:

http://imgur.com/VXjRH8O
http://imgur.com/edhqvZO
http://imgur.com/laD1bgK
http://imgur.com/CZYCHA6
http://imgur.com/N2ED6HB
http://imgur.com/jbbOAaS
http://imgur.com/K8WQEIP
http://imgur.com/xIiGPVQ
http://imgur.com/UVFXeTr

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood:

http://imgur.com/J58i5gz
http://imgur.com/sTptPWb

A Recounting of Yesterday's Travels:

Today in Saint-Petersburg, we will be taking a river tour of the city and not long after will eat our first great supper in a city raised on the Baltic Coast by Peter the Great himself. The restaurant will be Georgian, a subtle reflection on the longstanding diversity of the Russian land. Russia today is the second only to the United States in terms of overall immigrants attracted. And this contemporary immigration is itself a reflection of longstanding cultural intermixture: Caucasian, Central Asian, European, Slavic influences are some of the many different traditions and cultural patterns that have contributed to the rich tapestry of Eurasian culture. Russia is, after all, arguably the only truly Eurasian nation on the planet. On land, it borders nations as far east as China and as far west as Poland. This vastness inherently lends itself to diversity in every possible meaning of the word.

My entire first day in Saint-Petersburg was thoroughly enjoyable. We spent a good part of the day on a river tour through the city. There are over 300 bridges in Saint-Petersburg, as the city was effectively built on a series of islands in the Baltic by Peter the Great. A river tour afforded countless, dazzling views of the city's impressive architecture. Saint-Petersburg, it should be noted, was a city that experienced profound change (as did all of Russia) throughout the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. In the 19th and early 20th century, this city was the capital of the Russian Empire: a splendid metropolis with such gems as The Hermitage and the Winter Palace. This was, first and foremost, a purpose-built city: designed by Peter the Great to bring Russia into the modern age but also by future Tsars and Tsarinas to showcase its own greatness as a European power: economically and politically, but also culturally: the Mariinsky Ballet (many things in the city are named for Marina, the wife of Tsar Paul I, who was a noted philanthropist, but also for Maria Feodorovna) for instance, is one of the greatest-known ballet companies in Russia. And what was formerly known as the Imperial Ballet has survived through the ages and continues its proud, performing tradition to this day.

The onset of the Soviet Era in 1917, unsurprisingly, broke strongly from the lavish nature of the Tsarist period. It was here that the Petrograd Soviet (a council of workers) was formed by radicalized workers in the city, renamed to Petrograd during WWI to sound more authentically Russian as opposed to Saint-Petersburg, which was perceived as too German. And yet, despite its early importance to the revolution, the city, soon to be renamed yet again as Leningrad (locals still quietly called it Peter), suffered a certain degree of apathy from the Soviet government. Soviet rule was, generally, a time of neglect for Saint-Petersburg. The capital was moved to Moskva, a practical military decision during the Russian Civil War, but one that had lasting political effect in Russia today, as Moskva (Moscow) remains the Russian capital to this day. The Soviets, in a combination of deliberate action and through lack of resources neglected much of the city. This was obviously detrimental to the city's historical buildings as nearly 80 years of neglect caused many issues to the city's infrastructure and cultural heritage, but, moving the capital to Moskva also meant that Peter was spared the experience of forced renovation and redesign along Soviet lines. The early Bolshevik government had little money to devote to grandiose projects, and it was for this reason that the city was largely spared the same process of destruction of historical sites and buildings that would take place in Moscow.

The modern era has proven to be a time of great opportunity and revival for Saint-Petersburg: urban renewal initiatives sponsored by the Russian government have followed a simple but profoundly effective policy: whole blocks of disused and abandoned buildings in awful disrepair are sold at low prices by the Russian government to investors. The investors are required to invest in refurbishing and rebuilding, and this process has proved resoundingly successful in restoring many parts of Saint-Petersburg to a functioning state. One need not look hard through the city to see that this rebuilding is an ongoing process.

We saw firsthand views of this long history and then some on our river tour throughout Saint-Petersburg. But nothing could quite compare to the sumptuous dinner we would have last evening. We went to a Georgian (the country, not the US State) restaurant, as Georgian cuisine is widespread throughout Russia. Georgian food is very rich: lots of dairy products and vegetables, along of course, with copious amounts of meat. The Georgian nation in the Caucasus is quite a fertile one, a land of milk and honey.

One of the highlights of our Georgian meal was the chance to try the Georgian rendition of pizza: a rich bread covered in cheese known as Khachapuri. That, as well as a heaping helping of shashlyk (kebabs done in Russian, Armenian, or Georgian styles) made for an utterly delectable meal and an excellent end to the day.

A Small Selection of the Photographic Highlights of the Day:

http://imgur.com/a/Ha5AP

After a long set of flights, we arrived in Saint-Petersburg. A thoroughly magnificent (and quite culturally European) city.

We participated in a river tour and ended the night with a spectacular meal of delicious Georgian food: lots of salad, shashlyk (kebab), and delicious bread (including what amounts to a Georgian pizza called Khachapuri).

Apologies for the concise nature of this journal, but this is solely a placeholder for a more lengthy written summary and hopefully some pictures to go with it!

Cheers from the Rus Lands,

Orenthes

I am sitting here in the airport, Passport (with enclosed Russian Tourist Visa) in hand. Getting a quick bite to eat before I venture off into the Land of the Rus. I couldn't be more excited to start my trip to Russia in Saint-Petersburg and then in Moskva.

So, as indicated in my journal all the way back on April 18th (sheesh, that feels like just yesterday, time really does fly), I am heading to Russia this summer as part of a university trip of roughly the same length as my journey to Cape Town last winter (which was technically summer in Cape Town since the seasons are flipped in the Southern Hemisphere)

In the months since, I have slowly but surely cobbled together the documents I would need to apply for a Russian Tourist Visa. Travel requirements for Americans going to Russia are fairly extensive, and things such as vouchers confirming hotel reservations and the like are a standard requirement. Moreover, there is an additional visa application form that one must fill out with personal information as well as records of education and residence and such. It's a very laborious process and, in the classic Russian fashion, very bureaucratic.

But in the end for me, it is all worth it. At this very moment, I have my passport before me with my shiny new Russian Federation Tourist Visa inside. It is good for three years, multiple entries. In other words, until 2018, I can enter Russia as many times as I want and stay for at most six months before departing. Obviously, when one factors in things like cost of airfare and accommodations, it isn't exactly a casual expense like a good commission or two (or three), but for me, knowing that I have the opportunity is, in and of itself, greatly exciting.

I have wanted to go to Russia since I was in middle school, and now I have finally gotten the opportunity to visit this enchanting, fascinating land of which I have always dreamed.

So, as a proper sendoff for all of you who like Russian music and dance, I offer that most venerable and respectable Russian waltz: On the Hills of Manchuria, composed in 1906 by Ilya Alexeiovich Shatrov in memory of the Russo-Japanese War.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfhp1-69Y8U

So, since middle school, I have had a deep and abiding fondness for Russia and Russian culture. Back in my hometown though, I never had many opportunities to do much with it.

Since coming to the East Coast, however, I have been positively swarmed with chances to visit Russian cultural institutions in the US, and even on many occasions to visit the Russian Embassy for wonderful, educational events (and delicious food). I've never been so eager to visit any one place in the world more than I have wanted to visit Russia. And not too long ago, I found out that I was getting a scholarship to go on a university trip that would let me do exactly that. Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yasnaya Polyana (the latter of which was the home of Tolstoy), and with a theme of the great literary works of Russian history.

I'll be going in late July, and I have to say, I know already that this is but the first of many great journeys to that most magnificent and wonderful of nations, Russia.