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Back from MFF (LONG)
18 years ago
Actually I got back last night but I was just WAY too tired to post anything about it. The drive, including stopping for meals and piss breaks, is 11 hours from Schaumburg to SD. I very long time to be behind the wheel (or in a car in general). It wouldn't have been nearly so bad if more sleep had been involved, but that was something in very short supply, as was patience and tollerance for anything at that point.
The Good
I met some truely awesome people, many of whom I had been waiting to meet for a long time, many of whom exceeded any expectation I had for what they would be like. He Who Shall Not Be Named (complete with On The Back Of The Head Evil Pumpkin Dude) is just like he is here, he'll look you right in the eye and tell you what he thinks. Thank God. I hate it when you meet someone in person and they turn out to be someone who can't speak up unless it is from behind a keyboard. BlueHeeler and I had a blast watching the revolving door try to kill people. BladeStone knows how to pet this kitty better tha- you dirty, dirty people. Shame on you. Pyruss is incredibly nice, trustworthy, very good looking (that's an OBSERVATION, not a hit!), and really should have screamed bloody murder at me for waking him up. Dineegla and the gang were so understanding of this poor lion having to run constantly, and if it wasn't for those chicken nuggets I probably would have been a lot more ill than I was on Saturday afternoon. Will Sanborn and Tim Kangaroo are the best dinner company ever, and even put up with me showing off how much of a Star Wars geek I am (though their stories were a thousand times better). Confused00 was a wonderful, mellow breath of fresh air in a hectic day. Tyr and *thinkthinkthinthink* Miya? I'm pretty sure that was her name? were so helpful and friendly to the n00b they got stuck with in the alley. Fir was terribly sweet, and Ripner was a hoot (and I still feel bad for not being so talkative, the hand and the mouth do NOT work well at the same time. For talking and drawing. Er.) And I finally got to meet Brody and Kiwihunter; Brody is one of the very first people I met in the fandom, and words can't describe him. 3lek . . . um . . . el3ck . . . Plaguerat was constantly smiling, thank you to Solion for lending Pyruss and I your laptop so I could show him your work,
bucktowntiger is far, FAR too under the radar around here so go listen to his music (and maybe snag his CD, it's worth it, I bought one!), Firestorm just plain reminded me of me, running around everywhere non-stop every time I saw him. and I know I'm missing SO many people and please, believe me that I am trying not to neglect a single person.
The con was very well organized, if the staff and helpers didn't know the answer to something they all knew where to GET the answer, which is just as good. The way they ran Artist Alley (you signed up in the morning, they ran a random lottery to see who got put in first, the rest got on standby and got a phone call when a slot opened) worked GREAT from my POV. I saw no drama, issues, altercations, or mayhem. THAT was disappointing, WTF am I supposed to talk about on KYFF now????
One thing that was really cool was while I didn't get to fursuit in Tensik, I DID get to send him out in the parade. Because of the way the Alley was set up I knew as soon as the parade started I was going to get my call for my table, and as such I couldn't be in suit and then take a cell phone call. So I grabbed this random girl that was my height (Autumn Fox? Autumn Sunfox? If anyone has ANY idea who this is, thin girl, red hair, 5'2 or so, PLEASE let me know) and asked her if she wanted to be in the parade. It looked like she had a BLAST, so any footage of Tensik in the parade, that's not me! And if you were on the sidelines and yelled and I didn't respond, it's because it was not me! Hell, I don't even know if she knew the character's name. XD
The Bad
All in all, I frankly didn't have a very good time. Like I told someone else, I had a really LOUSY time mixed in with meeting some really cool people. So if you saw me at the con, I was probably smiling and laughing, but it's because meeting people was the highlight of the con for me. I was pretty well stuck waking up really early for Alley signup or something sales related, then working the Alley or having to be near a window every 10 minutes waiting to get INTO the Alley (cell phones didn't work in the middle of the building), then drag myself out of there brain fried from being effectively on stage for hours, drop everything in my room, check to see if there was anything left in the con suite for food, resort to Pop Tarts because there never was (note to con organizers: if you are not going to allow people to leave the con suite with food, PLEASE bring a selection to Artists Alley so we can have a chance at sustinence as well without losing our spots?), and then sit in my room and chat online - which I would have done at home - because anything of any interest was over by the time the Alley started wrapping up (zero interest in seeing Kage or 2, don't like dances). None of this is the fault of the organizers or anyone there, it's my own fault for going when I knew I was going to be stuck working the whole time. Low sleep, long car rides, nothing but work, little food, and knowing you have no money makes for a pretty miserable time no matter who you meet.
So here is what I learned, those of you who have never been to a con before:
1.) Never depend on others. If you can't go and afford it 100% under your own power, save your money and go when you can do it without having to rely on something else. *points to someone out there* I really, REALLY wish I had listened to you. I'm also happy though that I took the time to help out other people . . . kind of a karmic payback to make sure no one else got stuck like I did.
2.) Never stick yourself in a sales position to the point where you can't enjoy the con on your first go. again, if you are going to rely on it to see the con at all, just don't. save the money, and go when it is optional so you can stop and enjoy yourself when you need it.
3.) If you aren't prepared to make your own entertainment, ie. just get out there and be with people beyond sitting on the sidelines and staring, the con will suck. If you are too tired to want to do this because you didn't listen to 1 and 2, you have yourself to blame.
4.) Never ask "who or what is that smell". Thanks, Tyr, for that tip before I was thick enough to actually open my mouth. Psychic, psychic girl.
5.) Go with an open mind. Some things that you have a preconception about before going can make a lot more sense when you get there and meet the people involved.
6.) Artists: "Buy something" and their direct "give me money" variants sound just as assholish in person as it sounds when people complain about it on the boards. It's one thing if the artist and the person going by had discussed a purchase or commission in the past. It's another to stop them walking by just because they look at you. Thankfully only ONE person said that to me and as such my faith in fur artists was not terribly shaken. Ice, you will LOVE this one. *grins evilly* Anyway, just don't do it.
7.) I mentioned this one in my last journal but it never hurts to ask if they have any free upgrades available for hotel rooms. I think only Firestorm was closer to the action than I was (at least there were no more fursuits or plushes in the windows on our floor) and that by about 50 steps. I had a corner suite with two huge bay windows and no other rooms next to mine (just the utility closet) so it was SILENT since everyone turned up the stairs before they got to me. and at the con price for a regular room I was not complaining.
So would I go to another con? Only under very specific circumstances. I thought MFF was a little small and would like to try AC instead (though I would still go back to MFF if I had the extra time and money and flew instead of drove). I think I would have a better time the next time as i would know more people to do things like meals with or have up to the room. Next time I would still try to travel with people but would instead book all separate rooms and then combine down if it all fell together right, so there would be no nasty last minute surprises by counting on several people in one. And I would sleep and eat more (though I think that would come naturally if I wasn't stuck behind a table or woken up by an alarm to get behind said table again). Oh, and I'd kidnap The Pack and make them go too. *chuckles* Really didn't seem right without them there; talk about travelling as a group so much and you rather EXPECT to turn around and see them there, even when the upcoming trip isn't for a year. Maybe the four of us could do MFF next year . . . .
Oh, speaking of, while I was gone
foxamoore 's album became available for pre-order, so GO GET ONE.
The Good
I met some truely awesome people, many of whom I had been waiting to meet for a long time, many of whom exceeded any expectation I had for what they would be like. He Who Shall Not Be Named (complete with On The Back Of The Head Evil Pumpkin Dude) is just like he is here, he'll look you right in the eye and tell you what he thinks. Thank God. I hate it when you meet someone in person and they turn out to be someone who can't speak up unless it is from behind a keyboard. BlueHeeler and I had a blast watching the revolving door try to kill people. BladeStone knows how to pet this kitty better tha- you dirty, dirty people. Shame on you. Pyruss is incredibly nice, trustworthy, very good looking (that's an OBSERVATION, not a hit!), and really should have screamed bloody murder at me for waking him up. Dineegla and the gang were so understanding of this poor lion having to run constantly, and if it wasn't for those chicken nuggets I probably would have been a lot more ill than I was on Saturday afternoon. Will Sanborn and Tim Kangaroo are the best dinner company ever, and even put up with me showing off how much of a Star Wars geek I am (though their stories were a thousand times better). Confused00 was a wonderful, mellow breath of fresh air in a hectic day. Tyr and *thinkthinkthinthink* Miya? I'm pretty sure that was her name? were so helpful and friendly to the n00b they got stuck with in the alley. Fir was terribly sweet, and Ripner was a hoot (and I still feel bad for not being so talkative, the hand and the mouth do NOT work well at the same time. For talking and drawing. Er.) And I finally got to meet Brody and Kiwihunter; Brody is one of the very first people I met in the fandom, and words can't describe him. 3lek . . . um . . . el3ck . . . Plaguerat was constantly smiling, thank you to Solion for lending Pyruss and I your laptop so I could show him your work,
bucktowntiger is far, FAR too under the radar around here so go listen to his music (and maybe snag his CD, it's worth it, I bought one!), Firestorm just plain reminded me of me, running around everywhere non-stop every time I saw him. and I know I'm missing SO many people and please, believe me that I am trying not to neglect a single person.The con was very well organized, if the staff and helpers didn't know the answer to something they all knew where to GET the answer, which is just as good. The way they ran Artist Alley (you signed up in the morning, they ran a random lottery to see who got put in first, the rest got on standby and got a phone call when a slot opened) worked GREAT from my POV. I saw no drama, issues, altercations, or mayhem. THAT was disappointing, WTF am I supposed to talk about on KYFF now????
One thing that was really cool was while I didn't get to fursuit in Tensik, I DID get to send him out in the parade. Because of the way the Alley was set up I knew as soon as the parade started I was going to get my call for my table, and as such I couldn't be in suit and then take a cell phone call. So I grabbed this random girl that was my height (Autumn Fox? Autumn Sunfox? If anyone has ANY idea who this is, thin girl, red hair, 5'2 or so, PLEASE let me know) and asked her if she wanted to be in the parade. It looked like she had a BLAST, so any footage of Tensik in the parade, that's not me! And if you were on the sidelines and yelled and I didn't respond, it's because it was not me! Hell, I don't even know if she knew the character's name. XD
The Bad
All in all, I frankly didn't have a very good time. Like I told someone else, I had a really LOUSY time mixed in with meeting some really cool people. So if you saw me at the con, I was probably smiling and laughing, but it's because meeting people was the highlight of the con for me. I was pretty well stuck waking up really early for Alley signup or something sales related, then working the Alley or having to be near a window every 10 minutes waiting to get INTO the Alley (cell phones didn't work in the middle of the building), then drag myself out of there brain fried from being effectively on stage for hours, drop everything in my room, check to see if there was anything left in the con suite for food, resort to Pop Tarts because there never was (note to con organizers: if you are not going to allow people to leave the con suite with food, PLEASE bring a selection to Artists Alley so we can have a chance at sustinence as well without losing our spots?), and then sit in my room and chat online - which I would have done at home - because anything of any interest was over by the time the Alley started wrapping up (zero interest in seeing Kage or 2, don't like dances). None of this is the fault of the organizers or anyone there, it's my own fault for going when I knew I was going to be stuck working the whole time. Low sleep, long car rides, nothing but work, little food, and knowing you have no money makes for a pretty miserable time no matter who you meet.
So here is what I learned, those of you who have never been to a con before:
1.) Never depend on others. If you can't go and afford it 100% under your own power, save your money and go when you can do it without having to rely on something else. *points to someone out there* I really, REALLY wish I had listened to you. I'm also happy though that I took the time to help out other people . . . kind of a karmic payback to make sure no one else got stuck like I did.
2.) Never stick yourself in a sales position to the point where you can't enjoy the con on your first go. again, if you are going to rely on it to see the con at all, just don't. save the money, and go when it is optional so you can stop and enjoy yourself when you need it.
3.) If you aren't prepared to make your own entertainment, ie. just get out there and be with people beyond sitting on the sidelines and staring, the con will suck. If you are too tired to want to do this because you didn't listen to 1 and 2, you have yourself to blame.
4.) Never ask "who or what is that smell". Thanks, Tyr, for that tip before I was thick enough to actually open my mouth. Psychic, psychic girl.
5.) Go with an open mind. Some things that you have a preconception about before going can make a lot more sense when you get there and meet the people involved.
6.) Artists: "Buy something" and their direct "give me money" variants sound just as assholish in person as it sounds when people complain about it on the boards. It's one thing if the artist and the person going by had discussed a purchase or commission in the past. It's another to stop them walking by just because they look at you. Thankfully only ONE person said that to me and as such my faith in fur artists was not terribly shaken. Ice, you will LOVE this one. *grins evilly* Anyway, just don't do it.
7.) I mentioned this one in my last journal but it never hurts to ask if they have any free upgrades available for hotel rooms. I think only Firestorm was closer to the action than I was (at least there were no more fursuits or plushes in the windows on our floor) and that by about 50 steps. I had a corner suite with two huge bay windows and no other rooms next to mine (just the utility closet) so it was SILENT since everyone turned up the stairs before they got to me. and at the con price for a regular room I was not complaining.
So would I go to another con? Only under very specific circumstances. I thought MFF was a little small and would like to try AC instead (though I would still go back to MFF if I had the extra time and money and flew instead of drove). I think I would have a better time the next time as i would know more people to do things like meals with or have up to the room. Next time I would still try to travel with people but would instead book all separate rooms and then combine down if it all fell together right, so there would be no nasty last minute surprises by counting on several people in one. And I would sleep and eat more (though I think that would come naturally if I wasn't stuck behind a table or woken up by an alarm to get behind said table again). Oh, and I'd kidnap The Pack and make them go too. *chuckles* Really didn't seem right without them there; talk about travelling as a group so much and you rather EXPECT to turn around and see them there, even when the upcoming trip isn't for a year. Maybe the four of us could do MFF next year . . . .
Oh, speaking of, while I was gone
foxamoore 's album became available for pre-order, so GO GET ONE.
You going to FC?
About the only thing I "depend" on other furs now con-wise is the *possibility* of them being there. Three years of depending on others in order to "share a room" soured me on the concept and revolted me as to some people's personal habits. Some people apparently are comfortable living in a sty while others are still in the "Mommy will pick up after me" mode. Ugh!
I'm sorry to read that you couldn't go fur-suiting. From what I have seen of it it looks like a lot of fun. *envy* But what great luck you had in finding a "fill-in". That’s one of the good things about cons, you meet really nice furs and make new friends.
*nods* Other than that though, you're completely right. I'm going to concentrate highly on finding out who else is going, if they are working on any plans, and things like that. I really envied the people whose day obviously consisted of walking up and down the hall and just stopping and chatting with every group they vaguely recognized.
AND I went to scope out the new Westin Hotel where it will be next year! OMG, it's Bee-you-tee-ful!!! And SO HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE!!! And so CLOSER to my home!!! Meeting you was a huge highlight in my life, and crying in your arms over "Faith" made me love you even more. I hope we will be friends forever, Tenny!! *crys softly*
Poppa Moose
If I go next year I'll have already been on a plane. Timing would make it that it would be right after trip to Orlando so adding Chicago into the flight plan isn't that big a deal. The thing is though that I would be travelling with two or three other people for whom MFF may not be an option simply because we are going to be BEAT and we might be very ready to just go to South Dakota and veg for a week, especially as one isn't into crowds and 5 days ay the Disney parks may have completely fried him. so we'll have to see, but I really do think I will not be able to hit another con for several years due to timing and having to save for these other trips (we're talking New Zealand, Scotland, heck we've talked about Africa and the Himalayas. They don't come cheap. XD ) so I wouldn't be able to afford hotels and the like. I really appreciate the offer, Papa Moose, but I just don't see it happening, hon. *sad smile*
Prints. Did you sell any? No? Then it's free. When you sell, you can pay. Sorry, but that's what I wish to do for my Tenny.
*Puts Tenny up into my antleers and runs around South Dakota, Singing "Pappa Moosie loves you..." TOTALLY off key...*
But like anyone ever does. Haha....
Oh well, least ya got there and lived through it eh. ^_^
~Cheers... scary tips btw. >_<
...an yeah it's VERY hard ta enjoy yerself at a furcon when ya really don't have the financial means ta do so... (which was one'a the reasons I couldn't go)... and I really don't like goin' ta furcons fer 'business purposes'... much as I may need the money I really can't enjoy furcons if I gotta be stuck somewhere drawin' durin' most'a m'time there... and drawin' in conditions less than preferable I might add since mostly yer drawin' in brightly-lit, overly-air conditioned huge noisy rooms with other people occassionally jarrin' yer work space... fer me I prefer the dark of m'bedroom with jus' a desklight an m'music ta go by... much more traquil fer me an conductive ta drawin'...
The first few furcons I went to I tried ta attend them business-oriented an it jus' doesn't work fer me... if/when I go now I wanna go ta meet people an socialize... mostly jus' go out an see the sights an explore the city... go ta the bars with a few friends an jus' cut loose an have fun... last time at AC we spent more time out explorin' the city an kareoka bars than attendin' whatever events went on at the furcon an it was wonderful ta jus' do those things with people ya've chatted with but rarely see...
AC has gotten so big now that even with it's greater accomodations fer artists it b'gins ta lose that more 'personal' feel of comeraderie ya have with smaller functions... an small furcons like Morphicon are great fer givin' ya that sense of easin' inta the waters of furcons while keepin' that feelin' that yer bein' more personally attended to...
Yeah basically now if/when I go ta furcons I try an get as much art sold b'fore hand ta help me have the money ta be able ta leisurely enjoy my time at a furcon than tryin' ta make money while I'm there.
About the alley, yes it is annoying when people just blurt out 'gimme money' or 'buy my stuff', but on the other hand it's also kind of off-putting when you just say 'hi' to someone walking by and they assume you're just after their wallet, too. It goes both ways. I try to say hi to almost everyone who walks by (that I see if I'm not hunched over a drawing) and a ton of the time they won't even say 'hi' back, but 'I'm just looking.'
I DO regret not being able to say goodbye to folks, that's for sure . . . the only ones I got to say goodbye to were Pyruss and Brody.
Next time. :)
I left at noon on Sunday, but I walked around all weekend prior looking for you when I could. I was in artist's alley most of the time. :(
And it was so fun meeting you.
I'll have to drop you a line about audio work as well. Since you have access to the studio, we could try some reading tests and maybe you could help me find more readers as well.