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Being a Marten
12 years ago
The furballs over at MAD (the Marten Army of Doom) are conducting a survey of us martes types:
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4693298/
This is my response to why I chose the best animal for my fursona...
What does being a Marten mean to you?
Being unique, and being a part of an incredible family (weasels). Being smart and adaptable, and having the confidence to try new things and excel at them. Being “cute”, too.
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
When I was in grade school, I was the kid that ran the projector. We would show films in the Cafeteria during lunch on rainy days, and one of my favorites was “Beaver Valley “, the Disney True-Life Adventure. The beavers were cool, but what really got my interest in the film were the otters! It was my first experience with wild animals that played just for the fun of it. I started reading all I could about otters, and even found one at a pet store and another at a local animal rescue place that I could meet in person. Later, I visited a family that had kept otters and wrote books about them. Otters in person are Awesome! All my otter research became weasel research. I found a book, “Fur and Fury”, all bout the weasel family. On the cover was this cute, fox-like guy staring out at the viewer. I had never seen such a cute animal. I learned it was a pine marten, and I decided to find out as much about them as possible, too. When I began making friends in Science Fiction and Comic fandom, and started a fandom for Japanese Animation with some friends, some of the artists in the group started drawing themselves as animal-people. I had created an alien species, the Skiltaire, which were based on Earth weasels (otters and martens), and I started to turn my friends into Skiltaire. Most of them had more traditional Earth species as personal animals, so my mate and I decided to find our own animal personae. We both loved otters, but each of us thought that we really didn’t quite fit that species. He chose a mink, which he called and otter, with attitude. I wasn’t a big fan of water, and I loved how martens looked, so I picked an American Pine Marten. My personal Skiltaire was called “Sy”, because he was ½ of the mascots of our anime club (The Carftoon/Fantasy Organization). The female mascot was “Fanta” (based on my girlfriend) and I was “Sy”. I liked the name, and my mates and friends had started to call me Sy, so I came up with the name Sylys (I had a great uncle named Syrus) Sable (which, though a Eurasian species, is basically the same as a marten), since most of my friends were being lazy and just using their animal names as their last name. (Ken Cougar, Andre Tiger, Vinson Mink, Zjonny Fox, etc.). Sy was my Skiltaire, and Sylys Sable, the American Pine Marten, became my fursona.
What makes Martens appealing?
For me? I like weasels, I like tall places, I like how confident and clever they are. A predator designed to hunt on the ground and in burrows of their prey, adapting to hunt in the trees? They are curious (and sometimes easy to catch live because of that), but some are smart enough to avoid trappers, and can even hunt and eat porcupines successfully (Fishers, the big NA marten) Amazing! And, they are damn cute!
For everyone else? They are damned cute. They are related to ferrets, which are cute pet animals. Most people don’t know much about weasels, or about martens (the Internet is changing that), but the more they know, the more they will probably like martens. (one article about the return of the Fisher to NE America (which has panicked some residents) called them “big, beautiful weasels”)
What is your personal Marten story?
I have many, though most are about the general weasel attitude. I met my first mate at a Science Fiction convention. I had some of my Skiltaire art in the art show. I was sitting outside the video screening room (which I was in charge of), and this guy comes over and says that someone in the art show referred him to me. He asked me why my pictures of otters and martens had antenna. Now, most people would see a Skiltaire and say “what cute cats”… but not this guy. We’ve been together for 33 years.
Otherwise, I am in the telecommunication business. When I started out, the independent telecom companies were pretty common. I was an engineer (BS-ETE), and had worked for a piece of the old Pacific Bell company, after the anti-trust breakup. I had the knowledge and experience, but I was striking out on my own. I managed to get some work and even some big contracts, which I won away from much larger, better established companies. I might be small, but I was agile, adaptable and I could compete head-to head with the big guys. I had marten confidence, and it got me business (and meat on the table).
Marten Philosophy?
Really, this is more of a general weasel philosophy. Once, one of my co-workers asked me about how I managed to get work in a tech field that had so many other companies competing. I explained that even if the job required some knowledge I was unfamiliar with, I had the confidence that I could learn what I needed and could equal or exceed the abilities of anyone else in the field. It was my “weasel philosophy”. I used the line from “Ghostbusters” as an example:
“If someone asks you if you’re a God… say YES!”
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4693298/
This is my response to why I chose the best animal for my fursona...
What does being a Marten mean to you?
Being unique, and being a part of an incredible family (weasels). Being smart and adaptable, and having the confidence to try new things and excel at them. Being “cute”, too.
Why did you choose to be a Marten?
When I was in grade school, I was the kid that ran the projector. We would show films in the Cafeteria during lunch on rainy days, and one of my favorites was “Beaver Valley “, the Disney True-Life Adventure. The beavers were cool, but what really got my interest in the film were the otters! It was my first experience with wild animals that played just for the fun of it. I started reading all I could about otters, and even found one at a pet store and another at a local animal rescue place that I could meet in person. Later, I visited a family that had kept otters and wrote books about them. Otters in person are Awesome! All my otter research became weasel research. I found a book, “Fur and Fury”, all bout the weasel family. On the cover was this cute, fox-like guy staring out at the viewer. I had never seen such a cute animal. I learned it was a pine marten, and I decided to find out as much about them as possible, too. When I began making friends in Science Fiction and Comic fandom, and started a fandom for Japanese Animation with some friends, some of the artists in the group started drawing themselves as animal-people. I had created an alien species, the Skiltaire, which were based on Earth weasels (otters and martens), and I started to turn my friends into Skiltaire. Most of them had more traditional Earth species as personal animals, so my mate and I decided to find our own animal personae. We both loved otters, but each of us thought that we really didn’t quite fit that species. He chose a mink, which he called and otter, with attitude. I wasn’t a big fan of water, and I loved how martens looked, so I picked an American Pine Marten. My personal Skiltaire was called “Sy”, because he was ½ of the mascots of our anime club (The Carftoon/Fantasy Organization). The female mascot was “Fanta” (based on my girlfriend) and I was “Sy”. I liked the name, and my mates and friends had started to call me Sy, so I came up with the name Sylys (I had a great uncle named Syrus) Sable (which, though a Eurasian species, is basically the same as a marten), since most of my friends were being lazy and just using their animal names as their last name. (Ken Cougar, Andre Tiger, Vinson Mink, Zjonny Fox, etc.). Sy was my Skiltaire, and Sylys Sable, the American Pine Marten, became my fursona.
What makes Martens appealing?
For me? I like weasels, I like tall places, I like how confident and clever they are. A predator designed to hunt on the ground and in burrows of their prey, adapting to hunt in the trees? They are curious (and sometimes easy to catch live because of that), but some are smart enough to avoid trappers, and can even hunt and eat porcupines successfully (Fishers, the big NA marten) Amazing! And, they are damn cute!
For everyone else? They are damned cute. They are related to ferrets, which are cute pet animals. Most people don’t know much about weasels, or about martens (the Internet is changing that), but the more they know, the more they will probably like martens. (one article about the return of the Fisher to NE America (which has panicked some residents) called them “big, beautiful weasels”)
What is your personal Marten story?
I have many, though most are about the general weasel attitude. I met my first mate at a Science Fiction convention. I had some of my Skiltaire art in the art show. I was sitting outside the video screening room (which I was in charge of), and this guy comes over and says that someone in the art show referred him to me. He asked me why my pictures of otters and martens had antenna. Now, most people would see a Skiltaire and say “what cute cats”… but not this guy. We’ve been together for 33 years.
Otherwise, I am in the telecommunication business. When I started out, the independent telecom companies were pretty common. I was an engineer (BS-ETE), and had worked for a piece of the old Pacific Bell company, after the anti-trust breakup. I had the knowledge and experience, but I was striking out on my own. I managed to get some work and even some big contracts, which I won away from much larger, better established companies. I might be small, but I was agile, adaptable and I could compete head-to head with the big guys. I had marten confidence, and it got me business (and meat on the table).
Marten Philosophy?
Really, this is more of a general weasel philosophy. Once, one of my co-workers asked me about how I managed to get work in a tech field that had so many other companies competing. I explained that even if the job required some knowledge I was unfamiliar with, I had the confidence that I could learn what I needed and could equal or exceed the abilities of anyone else in the field. It was my “weasel philosophy”. I used the line from “Ghostbusters” as an example:
“If someone asks you if you’re a God… say YES!”
*dookdookdookdook!*
http://zorin.org/share/douce-marten-large.jpg
Stand by while I squeeee all over again...
I feel terribly derp for not getting that "Sy" and "Fanta" could combine into a word until now. =>.>=
My Skiltaire-self has been trying to take over as my fursona. XD I think they've become pretty equal now, really. My closest friends know me as both. :P Being more aquatic, she reminds me to see life with calm and joy and never forget to be playful. :3 I like to envision her by my side at all times when I'm not 'being' her online.