Due to my family vacation immediately following Anthrocon this year, I didn't have time to write up my usually detailed journal. So I'll provide as many highlights as I can remember, but it'll be briefer than usual.

Tuesday

My Anthrocon began on Tuesday after work when I swung by the bus station to pick up  Fulminar. We caught up on the way back to my place, and went out to dinner with my family at a local Pizza Bar called The Brick House. Afterward we relaxed back at my place, shared some Youtube videos with each other, and chatted. Neither of us are night owls so we called it a night a little after ten.

Wednesday

We had a sort of relaxing morning on Wednesday.  LurkingWolf was supposed to arrive around 1:00 by plane, but his flight kept getting delayed for various reasons. A little more than two hours later we got word that his plane was finally in the air and so Fulminar and I headed off to the airport through rush hour traffic. We narrowly avoided getting into an accident when everyone in front of us hit the breaks; two cars behind us were not so lucky and there was a horrible screech of metal, and in my rearview mirror I could see one car shoot into the shoulder to avoid hitting the two crashed vehicles, one of which no longer had a front. Thankfully nobody else was involved and we made it safely to the airport. We only had to go around the loop at the airport once before LurkingWolf was there and ready. We chatted on the long way back home, saw the site of the accident which was still being cleaned up, but at least had no issues.

By the time we got back it was time for dinner so I fired up my grill and cooked some steaks with corn on the cob. We watched the movie "Flight of the Navigator" with dinner which Lurking had not seen before. Very enjoyable early 1980s Disney live action flick featuring the guy who would go on to play Pee Wee Herman as the voice of a spaceship.

Lurking and I played some Mario Kart to pass the time while we waited. Very late that evening the rest of my guests arrived by car:  WolfFriend,  Mythil (aka Giles), and Lee (no FA that I know of). At this point it was almost midnight and so after showing everybody where they could sleep I went to bed.

Thursday

I made a nice breakfast for folks the next morning but don't recall what it was now. We headed in to Anthrocon around Noon and got in the Reg Line. The line was all the way around the convention center! Almost when we were finally at the door inside, Uncle Kage came around asking if there were any Sponsors or Supersponsors in the line. I signed up as a Sponsor, so he pulled my daughter and I out of line and put us in a different line. At first it seemed like a bad idea because we were now on the other side of the building and had another twenty minutes to wait before we got inside. But once we were inside we quickly passed the rest of our friends in the much shorter inside line. I had my badge almost an hour before any of them did.

I picked up my con shirt at the con store, and then bought one for my daughter too. We proceeded to wander the convention space together. I bumped into Soba (first time in a long time, so glad we were able to chat after all these years), Shiro, Kokuie, and a few others. Angie and I watched the Dealer's set up for a bit, and looked to see familiar faces for her (certain fursuiters she's met and liked interacting with). Eventually everybody got their badges, so around 5 we headed back home.

We grilled hot dogs for dinner, but our plan to do fireworks (since it was Independence Day) was kiboshed by the rain. Instead we watched "The Court Jester" which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. By then the rain had completely stopped so we all stood in my yard watching everybody else's firework displays until they wrapped up and the bugs got too annoying.

Friday

We headed to the Convention center around nine and first up was the Greymuzzle Panel. It wasn't quite what I was expecting as it was more a social science panel than a social panel. They discussed furry demographics and how things have changed over the decades since furry's inception. It was interesting but not what I was expecting though there was some opportunity to contribute.

Afterwards I got in the Sponsor line for the Dealer's Den. Finally, after all these years, the line set-up was excellent, not too crowded, and not anxiety inducing. They had dedicated lines for each attendance tier and a number system with tickets so that you wouldn't lose your spot if you needed to use the restroom. After getting in I stopped by my usual favorites to drop off my sketchbook and then looked around for other ways to spend my money. I don't recall all that I bought anymore, but I did grab a Furry Mystery Box for myself and my daughter.

I spent a decent amount of time chatting with friends, especially Omnifox who was back at AC for the first time since COVID. Eventually the day wore on and I went to the Christian Furs panel hosted by Giles and Leland and CastorWheels (I think). They did a great job providing their perspectives on being Christian and furry (from a Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant perspective respectively), and fielded many questions. I enjoyed it quite a bit and look forward to going to the next one.

Afterward I hit up the TF Panel and the Taur panel which followed. These were definitely more social in nature with everybody breaking up into small groups to discuss their interests. At the TF panel I spent most of my time catching up with Comus. I chatted a good bit with WolfFriend at the Taur panel; I do not recall who else I chatted with at either, but there was another Zebrataur there which delighted me.

At that point it was nine o'clock and so we headed back home after a full and fun day.

Saturday

We arrived at the convention around ten o'clock on Saturday. I started it by checking on my sketches, gushing over them for the artists (because they did an awesome job and deserved gushing). After some lunch I got into my fursuit for the parade. The line for this was also better, but could still use a bit of touching up. There were so many suiters that I spent a good part of my day just standing in hall A waiting for my turn to march, certainly between two and three hours. I chatted a bit with LurkingWolf who was close by. When we did march I did my usual dance and swinging my tail and so forth the whole way. The crowd inside and out was energized and I high-fived more hands and paws than I could count. When we got back inside I had my head off in moments and enjoyed some lukewarm water just to rehydrate. I then went out to get my suiter badge and cool off in the Headless lounge for a while. Lastly, I walked the Dealer's Den for a bit so the artists could see me in suit.

Afterward I put my suit away; it would prove to be the only time I suited at AC. Still, I was in suit for five to six hours which isn't too bad.

I attempted to do the PA Furries Meet and Greet but they had it also in Hall A at the same time as some other events and couldn't figure out which corner the gathering I wanted was supposed to meet so gave up and went to check out the Block Party instead. I met LurkingWolf there and we walked around and chatted as we watched the other furries mingling. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I were in suit for it, as there really wasn't anything to do out there.

After a bit I got some Jimmy Johns to eat and headed back inside to the Musicians Meet and Greet. This could have been a fun panel if we were actually meeting and greeting but it turned into a folk circle for the folks who brought instruments. Those of us without just sat around watching and listening. As it wasn't music I particularly cared for I eventually bit them well and wandered around a bit before it was time to go home.

Overall the Parade was fun if long, but the panels I wanted to do just didn't turn out well. Still, I managed to have a good time and was ready for sleep when we got back.

Sunday

We left early enough that my daughter and I could join the other Catholic Furs at Epiphany for 10 AM Mass. I think there was at least a dozen of us. Afterward I spent the day with my daughter touring the Dealer Den and convention space. My daughter bought a sticker book and tons of stickers there as well as a few other odds and ends. She really wants to spend more time at the convention and told me she wants to be in the fursuit parade. I don't think it's going to be too long before that actually happens.

I don't remember all that we saw and did together, but we had a good time exploring and shopping. Once things closed down around 5 we all headed out to Eat N Park for our traditional post-convention dinner out. WolfFriend showed off how he can remote control his Tesla with his phone which all of us had to watch. And we had a surprise guest appearance from Salvestro who popped in at the end of the con to see how we all were doing. We then headed back to my place and just chatted and played games and relaxed after a fun convention.

Monday

I had to take Fulminar to the bus station early in the morning before anybody else was up. I was glad to get some quiet time to chat with him to talk about what we'd each be doing that Summer and until we saw each other again at next year's Furnal Equinox. He got home safe and sound later that night.

After getting back home I hung out with my friends who one by one woke up. They helped clean up the house and around Noon everybody headed off. My last guest, LurkingWolf, my daughter and I took tot he airport. Thankfully traffic was much better. Everyone got home safe and I'm pretty sure we all dodged COVID and con crud which made it's usual rounds.

I'm not sure if I'll be at Anthrocon next year because we're hoping to go on a big family vacation and I might need to keep early July free for it. But either way, this will not be my last and we'll be back again for more furry fun in Pittsburgh!

Dominus vobiscum