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ScotiaCon 2015: Saturday
10 years ago
General
So, on to Saturday at the con. Today was better, had quite a bit of fun.
I really want to make clear, yesterday was not about me not liking the con. It was about having fun, but feeling a sense of social awkwardness. I know this is at least partially down to me, as I feel it elsewhere in life. I work around it, but Ido very much appreciate a helping hand to introduce me or to push me into things. Last night, some of you gave me a little of the latter, and today Zel and Dorey were helping again and I did a bit of helping myself. So let's get down to it!
First off, the breakfast here is nom. A lot of chain hotel breakfasts fit my bill well with a buffet style and this was no different. I'm a dragon who likes to fill my tum, it's true, but then no one wants to start to day empty!
The post-breakfast mission was to get back to the dealers' den. Many things were bought, for me they were mostly things produced by two very talented creators who appear here on FA - DrDubz and kisumi87. I have many trinkets and memories, and some gifts for folks back home. We then headed off to check out the Eat Scotland event. To my slight disappointment this wasn't an event for macrofurs (who doesn't like a bit of Godzilla?) but a thing we'd pre paid for that was all about getting to eat Scottish food, including a deep fried Mars Bar. Most of the bar had escaped from mine, but had left a weird combination of sweet and savoury behind, quite nice actually, although it's a habit I'll try not to pick up!
Next up was fursuit charades, which was a lot of fun. Who would have guessed, I'm actually quite good at word games. It got me feeling a bit easier about fursuiters, too, I kinda understand a little more now, also from general observations later in the day. I high-fived a fursuiter during the games, and he came by to compliment our contributions to the game later when he was out of suit, which felt really neat too. I'm still working on getting a hug, I'm a bit afraid of intruding on people, even though it's something I really want. One more chance tomorrow!
Next up was an electronica music session with a guy from Denmark called Cyber Fennek. I felt a little bad for him as there were barely more than the three of us in the room listening, but we made our appreciation clear and bought a CD from him. He's actually quite good at stringing melodies along on his keytar, I really enjoyed it. Promised to talk to him more on Skype when we got home, bam, friend made. I felt really good about that.
On to a brief dinner foray out at Pizza Hut locally and then the real part of my day began - the Smash Brothers tournament and the karaoke. My aim for the game competition, given that I've not got the Wii U version and despite owning Brawl haven't really played much since Melee, was to not be the first knocked out. As it was, I came 2nd in our first 4-player match and went through to the second round, where I got severely outmatched by folks who definitely knew not only what they were doing, but also what all the buttons did, which left me at a severe disadvantage. It was good to get that far, though.
Then, to round the day off, we went to the karaoke. From my filk music days I've always known that, if anything is going to bring me out of my scaly shell, it's communal music. After listening for a while I decided to take the plunge (never really doubted that I would, I adore singing and performing). My choice was One Week by the Barenaked Ladies, which is a tough song but was a bit of a party piece for me a few years ago. I remembered enough to nail it and got a great crowd reaction, so later on I went up again and belted out Let Me Entertain You by Robbie WIlliams, which I apparently did rather well at too. What followed was a slow descent into fun tiredness, with the dwindling crowd meaning the con staff decided to intervene with various silly selections of their own, and the whole thing was just fun. I let one of the staff borrow my hat for a bit and bought him Jaegermeister... it just felt like the right thing to do!
And then it ended about 1am and we were ushered from the room, the three or four of us that were left over. It was good, I always find it hard to end music events - if you ever want to see me with my heart as far out on display as it ever gets, ask me to sing for you, something with power and energy.
My hat has become something of a defining feature for me. The same staff member I bought Jaegermeister for also coined a new nickname for me - "Mr. Awesome Hat". I am okay with this.
So I'm moving into the last day of the con. I still don't feel like I've connected with many folks too much, but I've shared a lot of experiences and had a load of fun. Enough to know that I'd like to do this again next year, although there's a lot of more distant people out there that I would love to go to a con with as well. Have to figure out a way to fix that.
Interested in your thoughts, advice, anecdotes if you want to share, they've been very helpful so far. For now, though, I'm going to bed. Goodnight!!
Azzy - "Mr. Awesome Hat"
I really want to make clear, yesterday was not about me not liking the con. It was about having fun, but feeling a sense of social awkwardness. I know this is at least partially down to me, as I feel it elsewhere in life. I work around it, but Ido very much appreciate a helping hand to introduce me or to push me into things. Last night, some of you gave me a little of the latter, and today Zel and Dorey were helping again and I did a bit of helping myself. So let's get down to it!
First off, the breakfast here is nom. A lot of chain hotel breakfasts fit my bill well with a buffet style and this was no different. I'm a dragon who likes to fill my tum, it's true, but then no one wants to start to day empty!
The post-breakfast mission was to get back to the dealers' den. Many things were bought, for me they were mostly things produced by two very talented creators who appear here on FA - DrDubz and kisumi87. I have many trinkets and memories, and some gifts for folks back home. We then headed off to check out the Eat Scotland event. To my slight disappointment this wasn't an event for macrofurs (who doesn't like a bit of Godzilla?) but a thing we'd pre paid for that was all about getting to eat Scottish food, including a deep fried Mars Bar. Most of the bar had escaped from mine, but had left a weird combination of sweet and savoury behind, quite nice actually, although it's a habit I'll try not to pick up!
Next up was fursuit charades, which was a lot of fun. Who would have guessed, I'm actually quite good at word games. It got me feeling a bit easier about fursuiters, too, I kinda understand a little more now, also from general observations later in the day. I high-fived a fursuiter during the games, and he came by to compliment our contributions to the game later when he was out of suit, which felt really neat too. I'm still working on getting a hug, I'm a bit afraid of intruding on people, even though it's something I really want. One more chance tomorrow!
Next up was an electronica music session with a guy from Denmark called Cyber Fennek. I felt a little bad for him as there were barely more than the three of us in the room listening, but we made our appreciation clear and bought a CD from him. He's actually quite good at stringing melodies along on his keytar, I really enjoyed it. Promised to talk to him more on Skype when we got home, bam, friend made. I felt really good about that.
On to a brief dinner foray out at Pizza Hut locally and then the real part of my day began - the Smash Brothers tournament and the karaoke. My aim for the game competition, given that I've not got the Wii U version and despite owning Brawl haven't really played much since Melee, was to not be the first knocked out. As it was, I came 2nd in our first 4-player match and went through to the second round, where I got severely outmatched by folks who definitely knew not only what they were doing, but also what all the buttons did, which left me at a severe disadvantage. It was good to get that far, though.
Then, to round the day off, we went to the karaoke. From my filk music days I've always known that, if anything is going to bring me out of my scaly shell, it's communal music. After listening for a while I decided to take the plunge (never really doubted that I would, I adore singing and performing). My choice was One Week by the Barenaked Ladies, which is a tough song but was a bit of a party piece for me a few years ago. I remembered enough to nail it and got a great crowd reaction, so later on I went up again and belted out Let Me Entertain You by Robbie WIlliams, which I apparently did rather well at too. What followed was a slow descent into fun tiredness, with the dwindling crowd meaning the con staff decided to intervene with various silly selections of their own, and the whole thing was just fun. I let one of the staff borrow my hat for a bit and bought him Jaegermeister... it just felt like the right thing to do!
And then it ended about 1am and we were ushered from the room, the three or four of us that were left over. It was good, I always find it hard to end music events - if you ever want to see me with my heart as far out on display as it ever gets, ask me to sing for you, something with power and energy.
My hat has become something of a defining feature for me. The same staff member I bought Jaegermeister for also coined a new nickname for me - "Mr. Awesome Hat". I am okay with this.
So I'm moving into the last day of the con. I still don't feel like I've connected with many folks too much, but I've shared a lot of experiences and had a load of fun. Enough to know that I'd like to do this again next year, although there's a lot of more distant people out there that I would love to go to a con with as well. Have to figure out a way to fix that.
Interested in your thoughts, advice, anecdotes if you want to share, they've been very helpful so far. For now, though, I'm going to bed. Goodnight!!
Azzy - "Mr. Awesome Hat"
Don't worry about fursuit hugs. :) You'll enjoy the softness and warmth. And I'll leave the other surprise to you, you'll feel it when you get hugged. And no, it's a G-rated surprise XDDDDDD;;...... but bring a towel anyway! Heeheeeheee *giggles madly*
...but you can't really intrude on a fursuiter. They know the rules, and suiters are actually begging to interact with people. Usually. :> Fursuit is not just dress up, it's PERFORMANCE. And they want to perform with you. And that kind of true art form really is underrecognized, and excellentatious. :D
I so wish I coulda seen that tournament! The top people know about things like counting animation frames and A Button move canceling, that's ridiculous because they can actually count 60 fps screen frames to perfectly time when to throw a Bob-omb up your ass. XD
Oh gosh, the devolution of songs into silliness way too late at the end of the night is the funnest karaoke. And I think that's a cool nickname to be known by at con!
If ScotiaCon is even barely medium-sized, it'll feel big I'm sure.
Anecdote: I'm really glad i never found this, but I always hear the rumors of the non-consent room party at furry cons XDDD, don't ever go to that one. XD
Anecdote: Room parties are FUN. Though more often for me, they get awkward. A lotta strangers rammed in a room meant for four max. I've been in pony rooms where one drunk idiot got us all kicked out and the party shut down at midnight because he wouldn't shut up and insulting everyone around! 8p
Anecdote: I WISH THE FROZEN OASIS WAS STILL AROUND. It was a weird room party for sure years ago, but kinda cool too and super classy/chill. And one host was in a loincloth.
Period.
o.o;
Sleep well! :) *fuzzles*
I love you. Next year, I will be there wiff!