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Midwest FurFest 2024
11 months ago
So, Midwest FurFest 2024 has come and gone. I actually did attend it so here is my journal.
To start with I love Midwest FurFest. It is among one of my favorite conventions. It comes at a tricky time of the year for me personally as Thanksgiving and Christmas are a busy period and I’m usually in the middle of other projects. Still, I love Chicago and I love MFF so I am always happy to make time and go.
I got there Wednesday afternoon. Ajax had arrived a little earlier so after we unpacked our stuff and settled we set about finding a place to eat. Ajax hadn’t been back to MFF in several years so the food options were new to him. After a little wandering at the ice rink we ended up at Fogo de Chao. I had never eaten there before (it just never came up) but Ajax was excited to show me the ropes. We had a wonderful dinner and left satiated. After a quick detour to get Bree and Runa their room keys (logistics is always fun at a con) we got back to the room and I crashed down asleep like the pumpkin I am.
Thursday we woke up early, Teiran had arrived last night at some point but I was too asleep to notice, and set about the day. Well trying not to wake Teiran first (we failed). Ajax wanted to do a little touristy stuff in Chicago. He had been reading the Harry Dresden novels and wanted to see Sue the T-Rex. So we hopped a train to downtown. It was a good and quick ride, then did a little walking in a brisk Chicago day and chatted. I enjoyed it but Ajax had his glasses fog up fierce. Still we got to the Field Museum and toured the place seeing several fun exhibits and dodged various school groups. Getting a Lyft back (Ajax wanted to go quick) we grabbed lunch at the hotel then went over to assist with set up.
A quick birthday dinner for Donryu was that evening. Brian Reynolds joined me and Teiran in celebrating the artist’s birthday. He’s a great fellow to just hang out with so it was a very nice evening. We got pizza at the wood fire place.
Friday was the real event as dealers den opened. A solid brunch to fuel up and we were off to the races and… it was busy and active. Honestly there isn’t much to say except it was busy. I saw a lot of wonderful people I had missed all year. I sold books I loved. I had fun. It just all blurs together and gets tiring.
The room staggers entry for safety reasons so it was a constant flow of people. The dealer’s room closes at seven so food options were crazy. After several years of the seven close time we had a plan in place. Grabbing Chicago style pizza in Buck, WuWei, Runa, and Bree’s room I added in some bundt cakes from the stall in the dealer’s den. Kyell, Kit, Gneech, and Hashtag joined us as well. So a good evening but I was exhausted
Saturday I was up early, still a morning woozle, and after spilling some scalding hot tea on myself I was very awake for the table to begin. Saturday was the busiest day for me. So it was great that Flux stopped by and we were able to grab lunch at the new taco place at the ice rink. At the end it was an exhausting day. Grabbed dinner at the Double tree with Teiran and Bree then crashed into bed.
Sunday was much the same. Ealy wake up, over to the table. Bill’s new book had sold out the day before and other folks were finding great books. Shiloh Skye the book reviewer and critic stopped by the table to talk about how his panel had gone. It was an amazing event that really juiced a lot of people to stop by the table and grab books he had talked about like Induction and Heart Theft. He’s a very good pup. I had my fun but I’ll admit being pretty tired by the end. Double Tree for dinner with Kit, Kyell, Hashtag, the Rukis gang, Teiran, Bree, and Runa. It was a good meal and shop was talked but I was done. I did enjoy talking with Kyell about some of his upcoming projects.
I had fun on Sunday but I was sort of too tired at this convention. I had been fighting off a cold the week before and so I came already a little zonked. I’m sort of annoyed at myself for not making time to go to the convention proper. I didn’t go to the main hotel or really walk around as in previous years. A lot of it was being lazy and tired. I need to make sure I do it next year.
Monday was breakfast with Teiran and saying goodbye. Then I took a lyft down to Chicago proper. My mom and I have a tradition of going to Chicago a few days after the convention to enjoy Christmas in a city we both love. We met up at the Drake hotel and had dinner at the hotel restaurant. Both of us tired (her from travel, me from con) it was an early night.
Tuesday my mom remarked she just wanted to sleep in a bit. So we had a leisurely breakfast in the hotel room and enjoyed ourselves. We walked up Michigan Ave. and just enjoyed being in Chicago talking about past trips. At one we did our favorite tradition the Drake High Tea in the Palm Court, a favorite time, and spent several hours chatting and just relaxing. We agreed we should do one of these trips in spring or summer to enjoy the hotel and Chicago for just a few days.
Sadly this had to be a short trip so we left Wednesday. I lucked out and was able to get an earlier flight then planned for no extra cost. Still I got home tired and just hit the hay.
A good Midwest FurFest but it did feel like it passed too quickly. Now onto Christmas and then New Years!
To start with I love Midwest FurFest. It is among one of my favorite conventions. It comes at a tricky time of the year for me personally as Thanksgiving and Christmas are a busy period and I’m usually in the middle of other projects. Still, I love Chicago and I love MFF so I am always happy to make time and go.
I got there Wednesday afternoon. Ajax had arrived a little earlier so after we unpacked our stuff and settled we set about finding a place to eat. Ajax hadn’t been back to MFF in several years so the food options were new to him. After a little wandering at the ice rink we ended up at Fogo de Chao. I had never eaten there before (it just never came up) but Ajax was excited to show me the ropes. We had a wonderful dinner and left satiated. After a quick detour to get Bree and Runa their room keys (logistics is always fun at a con) we got back to the room and I crashed down asleep like the pumpkin I am.
Thursday we woke up early, Teiran had arrived last night at some point but I was too asleep to notice, and set about the day. Well trying not to wake Teiran first (we failed). Ajax wanted to do a little touristy stuff in Chicago. He had been reading the Harry Dresden novels and wanted to see Sue the T-Rex. So we hopped a train to downtown. It was a good and quick ride, then did a little walking in a brisk Chicago day and chatted. I enjoyed it but Ajax had his glasses fog up fierce. Still we got to the Field Museum and toured the place seeing several fun exhibits and dodged various school groups. Getting a Lyft back (Ajax wanted to go quick) we grabbed lunch at the hotel then went over to assist with set up.
A quick birthday dinner for Donryu was that evening. Brian Reynolds joined me and Teiran in celebrating the artist’s birthday. He’s a great fellow to just hang out with so it was a very nice evening. We got pizza at the wood fire place.
Friday was the real event as dealers den opened. A solid brunch to fuel up and we were off to the races and… it was busy and active. Honestly there isn’t much to say except it was busy. I saw a lot of wonderful people I had missed all year. I sold books I loved. I had fun. It just all blurs together and gets tiring.
The room staggers entry for safety reasons so it was a constant flow of people. The dealer’s room closes at seven so food options were crazy. After several years of the seven close time we had a plan in place. Grabbing Chicago style pizza in Buck, WuWei, Runa, and Bree’s room I added in some bundt cakes from the stall in the dealer’s den. Kyell, Kit, Gneech, and Hashtag joined us as well. So a good evening but I was exhausted
Saturday I was up early, still a morning woozle, and after spilling some scalding hot tea on myself I was very awake for the table to begin. Saturday was the busiest day for me. So it was great that Flux stopped by and we were able to grab lunch at the new taco place at the ice rink. At the end it was an exhausting day. Grabbed dinner at the Double tree with Teiran and Bree then crashed into bed.
Sunday was much the same. Ealy wake up, over to the table. Bill’s new book had sold out the day before and other folks were finding great books. Shiloh Skye the book reviewer and critic stopped by the table to talk about how his panel had gone. It was an amazing event that really juiced a lot of people to stop by the table and grab books he had talked about like Induction and Heart Theft. He’s a very good pup. I had my fun but I’ll admit being pretty tired by the end. Double Tree for dinner with Kit, Kyell, Hashtag, the Rukis gang, Teiran, Bree, and Runa. It was a good meal and shop was talked but I was done. I did enjoy talking with Kyell about some of his upcoming projects.
I had fun on Sunday but I was sort of too tired at this convention. I had been fighting off a cold the week before and so I came already a little zonked. I’m sort of annoyed at myself for not making time to go to the convention proper. I didn’t go to the main hotel or really walk around as in previous years. A lot of it was being lazy and tired. I need to make sure I do it next year.
Monday was breakfast with Teiran and saying goodbye. Then I took a lyft down to Chicago proper. My mom and I have a tradition of going to Chicago a few days after the convention to enjoy Christmas in a city we both love. We met up at the Drake hotel and had dinner at the hotel restaurant. Both of us tired (her from travel, me from con) it was an early night.
Tuesday my mom remarked she just wanted to sleep in a bit. So we had a leisurely breakfast in the hotel room and enjoyed ourselves. We walked up Michigan Ave. and just enjoyed being in Chicago talking about past trips. At one we did our favorite tradition the Drake High Tea in the Palm Court, a favorite time, and spent several hours chatting and just relaxing. We agreed we should do one of these trips in spring or summer to enjoy the hotel and Chicago for just a few days.
Sadly this had to be a short trip so we left Wednesday. I lucked out and was able to get an earlier flight then planned for no extra cost. Still I got home tired and just hit the hay.
A good Midwest FurFest but it did feel like it passed too quickly. Now onto Christmas and then New Years!
