So I just got back from BLFC in Reno and posted some of the sketches I did, they're over in Scraps. This con was kind of a big deal con for me, so I've got some thoughts to get off my chest.

- The Drive

This year the con was a bit earlier in the year than last year. I drive to Reno from farther west, which meant going over Donner Pass during snow season. I was a bit anxious about this beforehand, but it turned out to be no big deal. It was storming up there pretty bad, but they had crews out there keeping the road clean, and I didn't need to put on chains or anything. Anyway, I was prepared -- I had two other people along just in case the pass lived up to its namesake.

- Throwing Money Around

This time around I had set up a thing on my phone to keep track of all the money I lost and won on the casino floor. I didn't keep track of that last year, and lost more than I care to calculate. But this year I was in the black for slots (basically did three pulls at the big fishing-themed one they had, won fifty bucks, and ran away) and a bit in the red for Pai Gow poker (two net-positive outings and one negative).

I also entered one of the daily Texas Holdem poker tournaments (my first real tournament ever, actually) and got third place. There were a bunch of other furries playing in that one (Sargon, Vendra, Nuke, Double O Fox). Between the 3rd place prize and the 4 bounties I collected for knocking out other players, I was up about $150 or so there. Which I promptly blew on my next Holdem outing on a regular no-limit table. But still, doing so well in my first tournament was an incredible rush.

So all in all, I came out about even! Can't complain about that.

- Competition

A venue the size of the GSR is much too large for a single convention at a time. I remember last year we shared space with a rabbit breeding convention (large groups of actual rabbits smell far worse than furries) and a huge Cinco de Mayo carnival that took up half the parking lot. I actually came back to the GSR between that con and this one, and it happened to be hosting both a crossdressing competition and a rockabilly convention, complete with muscle car racing. That's right, drag queens and drag racing, all in the same place! It was magical.

This year, the only problems I had with other attendees was Sunday night, when a Worldwide Panic concert took place. This is a jam band from Georgia, kind of in the vein of Phish or the Grateful Dead, so their followers are this special blend of country hick and stoner hippie (hickpies? green-necks?). It was fine until the concert let out, and then this tidal wave of ultra-stoners blocked up all the elevators for an hour or two.

- Oh Yeah, Furries

I did spend a good amount of time down in the con area, too. I probably should have table-hopped more than I did, but I did get some good doodles done. I like how this con is laid out physically, all the bits of it are attached and in the same area. I'm curious to see official attendance statistics, but I'd say it's about twice the size as the one last year.

BLFC has quickly become my favorite brand of furry convention. I really like the feel and the venue, and the upstairs gaming room can't be beat.

No, seriously. They've factored in all sorts of odds. You mathematically can't beat it.