With the almost instant sell-out of Hyatt rooms for the convention and several other things that bother me about this coming convention (what, the overflow hotels haven't been arranged yet??), I've come to the conclusion that I really don't have a reason to attend other than nostalgia.

For the most part, I can now get art almost on-demand on the 'net from any artist that cares to take my money. On top of that, almost all of the people I used to go to see no longer attend. Combine that with the sheer size that MFF has attained and the costs involved...

I don't think I'll be attending this year or in the future.

I don't really like this decision. MFF has been my 'home' convention since its first year in 2000. I loved the con, and I loved the people who ran it. But without many people outside my Local Group that I actually interact with (  Sparhawk is really the only person I see there now ), I can't justify it.

So, I think this year I'll be attending the local convention, Furry Migration, and maybe try to attend Convergence; I can commute to both, which eliminates most of the transit costs and all of the hotel, and it means I don't stress the cats out by vanishing for a full week.

This is not final; I'm still waffling, but I think I'd be better off financially and rationally by not attending this year.