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Seven years...
General | Posted a year agoHas it really been seven years since I last wrote a journal here? Bloody hell, everybody here must think I died...
The truth is I don't feel like I have a life that's worth keeping a journal about, but in light of the recent passing of Dragoneer I thought it best to try and reach out again. This site was my first big gateway into the furry community, after all. I owe the big guy that much.
So what's been going on with me over the last seven years?
Well, the biggest thing was that I lived independently for a couple of years, finally getting out on my own. However, for reasons I don't wish to go into here as they're far too personal, it ultimately didn't work out and I had to move back in with my parents. It taught me some harsh lessons, I've lost several friendships, but ultimately, with time to reflect and with a cooler head, I'm glad I gave it a try at all.
It's been difficult since then, with changes in medication and therapy, and with some pretty dark days, but overall I think I'm finding a better balance within myself. I don't want to go back to being all doom and gloom like I was for a while, even though the world does its best to make me want to end it all. My friends have helped me immensely, the ones who have stuck by me through thick and thin, helped me find a better person within myself, and I cannot thank them all enough.
In case any of them are reading this: it can be hard for me to shake the feeling that I'm only tolerated, like how someone tolerates a chore, but I just want to hug each and every one of you, let you know how much you mean to me.
Another major thing is that I've come to realise I'm genderfluid, something I should have figured out ages ago. There are more and more days where I feel much more strongly that I am a woman rather than a man, yet when I look in the mirror and see this broad-shouldered, hairy, pot-bellied bloke staring back at me it's easy to feel like a complete fraud. So far my big outlet for expressing genderfluidity is through my fursonas, especially Bowsette and - more recently - Leina.
When I saw them both, I cannot express the joy I felt. It felt like I had finally found myself, that I was looking at the real me. Again, my friends have been amazing and fully supportive with this, and I hope one day I can express my genderfluidity - among other things - out in the real world.
For reasons involving my mental health, I stepped away from furry gatherings for years, and I've only just started going back to them. I find them so overwhelming now; it feels like the first time I became part of the community all over again. My autism certainly hasn't helped; if anything, it feels like it's affecting me more than it did when I was younger, and is quite a significant barrier to any attempt I make to socialising. Most of the time at any social gathering I just end up standing around, being silent and hoping someone will talk to me, constantly worrying I come across as a complete creep.
If anyone from them is wondering where I got to, please be patient; it's taking me time to find the balance in my life that means I can go back to meets again.
Similarly with conventions; I haven't been to ConFuzzled since 2018, and even then it felt like it was getting too big for me to be comfortable. I tried registering last year but lost out on the lotto system, and that combined with the increased costs this year have made me wary about trying again. I wanted to give ScotiaCon a shot next year, but I couldn't organise a roommate for the main hotel, and the nearest hotel within reasonable walking distance was fully booked. Maybe big conventions just aren't for me anymore, which is a shame as I do miss being a part of this community.
Oh, and my fursuit now feels quite tight on me, more than it should. I hope I can get a new one someday, as I do miss being a big fluffy animal.
Speaking of being things, I very recently got myself set up with a VR headset, and have been going into VRChat more frequently. I find that this has been an extraordinary boon for my mental health; just looking down, seeing myself in a body that really feels like it's me, gives me such a euphoria, even if it's only for a short time. It wasn't cheap, but I think it's the best investment I've made this year.
That's pretty much it. I still feel like a deadbeat somedays, as my brain can only tolerate so much (I've never been able to secure a full-time job, for instance, and in all likelihood I never will), but I feel like I'm getting to a point where, at least on some days, I can say I'm happy. That's all I ever really want.
In light of recent events, I feel it's more important than ever to hold on to the connections you've made, try to be a part of something better, no matter how small. After all, you never know what's going to happen tomorrow.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Now go hug a friend or loved one.
The truth is I don't feel like I have a life that's worth keeping a journal about, but in light of the recent passing of Dragoneer I thought it best to try and reach out again. This site was my first big gateway into the furry community, after all. I owe the big guy that much.
So what's been going on with me over the last seven years?
Well, the biggest thing was that I lived independently for a couple of years, finally getting out on my own. However, for reasons I don't wish to go into here as they're far too personal, it ultimately didn't work out and I had to move back in with my parents. It taught me some harsh lessons, I've lost several friendships, but ultimately, with time to reflect and with a cooler head, I'm glad I gave it a try at all.
It's been difficult since then, with changes in medication and therapy, and with some pretty dark days, but overall I think I'm finding a better balance within myself. I don't want to go back to being all doom and gloom like I was for a while, even though the world does its best to make me want to end it all. My friends have helped me immensely, the ones who have stuck by me through thick and thin, helped me find a better person within myself, and I cannot thank them all enough.
In case any of them are reading this: it can be hard for me to shake the feeling that I'm only tolerated, like how someone tolerates a chore, but I just want to hug each and every one of you, let you know how much you mean to me.
Another major thing is that I've come to realise I'm genderfluid, something I should have figured out ages ago. There are more and more days where I feel much more strongly that I am a woman rather than a man, yet when I look in the mirror and see this broad-shouldered, hairy, pot-bellied bloke staring back at me it's easy to feel like a complete fraud. So far my big outlet for expressing genderfluidity is through my fursonas, especially Bowsette and - more recently - Leina.
When I saw them both, I cannot express the joy I felt. It felt like I had finally found myself, that I was looking at the real me. Again, my friends have been amazing and fully supportive with this, and I hope one day I can express my genderfluidity - among other things - out in the real world.
For reasons involving my mental health, I stepped away from furry gatherings for years, and I've only just started going back to them. I find them so overwhelming now; it feels like the first time I became part of the community all over again. My autism certainly hasn't helped; if anything, it feels like it's affecting me more than it did when I was younger, and is quite a significant barrier to any attempt I make to socialising. Most of the time at any social gathering I just end up standing around, being silent and hoping someone will talk to me, constantly worrying I come across as a complete creep.
If anyone from them is wondering where I got to, please be patient; it's taking me time to find the balance in my life that means I can go back to meets again.
Similarly with conventions; I haven't been to ConFuzzled since 2018, and even then it felt like it was getting too big for me to be comfortable. I tried registering last year but lost out on the lotto system, and that combined with the increased costs this year have made me wary about trying again. I wanted to give ScotiaCon a shot next year, but I couldn't organise a roommate for the main hotel, and the nearest hotel within reasonable walking distance was fully booked. Maybe big conventions just aren't for me anymore, which is a shame as I do miss being a part of this community.
Oh, and my fursuit now feels quite tight on me, more than it should. I hope I can get a new one someday, as I do miss being a big fluffy animal.
Speaking of being things, I very recently got myself set up with a VR headset, and have been going into VRChat more frequently. I find that this has been an extraordinary boon for my mental health; just looking down, seeing myself in a body that really feels like it's me, gives me such a euphoria, even if it's only for a short time. It wasn't cheap, but I think it's the best investment I've made this year.
That's pretty much it. I still feel like a deadbeat somedays, as my brain can only tolerate so much (I've never been able to secure a full-time job, for instance, and in all likelihood I never will), but I feel like I'm getting to a point where, at least on some days, I can say I'm happy. That's all I ever really want.
In light of recent events, I feel it's more important than ever to hold on to the connections you've made, try to be a part of something better, no matter how small. After all, you never know what's going to happen tomorrow.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Now go hug a friend or loved one.
Raffle shout-out
General | Posted 9 years agoJust popping by to give a quick shout out to 
thatwickedsmile, who's hit 1000 followers and is holding a raffle to celebrate! Go swing by; she's an awesome artist and an awesome person. :)
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/...../#cid:51313348
thatwickedsmile, who's hit 1000 followers and is holding a raffle to celebrate! Go swing by; she's an awesome artist and an awesome person. :)http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/...../#cid:51313348
Warning: Venting Ahead
General | Posted 10 years agoAs the year draws to a close, I feel like there's a lot I want to get off my chest. Feel free to ignore this.
If I'm being honest, 2015 has left me a wreck; financially, physically, mentally and emotionally. My situation has not improved, and if anything has led to even more worries. My course is progressing at a frustratingly slow pace, with factors beyond my control now meaning it won't be finished until next year. I now own a car, which I should be excited by, but now leaves me with even more worries, including the fact that next year's ConFuzzled could very well be my last due to now needing the money to keep the car running. I have to give up one of the few things that keeps me sane all year all because I can't find what I need to actually be able to do all the things I want to do.
I feel exhausted all the time, and medically things have gotten worse for me. I actually had a complete nervous breakdown earlier in the year, and the therapy sessions I had to attend afterwards didn't help much. My brain just does not seem to want to rewire itself into just taking things one day at a time; my mind's either stuck full of past regrets or fears for the future, and I keep finding ways of talking myself out of stuff for one reason or another (again, mostly financial).
What really isn't helping my mental state, and perhaps the worst thing of all, is the feeling of isolation I feel. Geographically I'm cut off from pretty much everyone I know. Even on the Internet though I feel like I've alienated people I used to call friends (admittedly due to my own bad behaviour at points online), as none of them can seemingly be bothered to even check up on me once in a while. I actually crave social contact despite not being very good at it, and to basically feel ignored or "out of sight, out of mind" by the people I care about is nothing short of heartbreaking.
I'm depressed, my family and financial situation stress me out, and my friends don't seem to care. I feel like I'm constantly having to hide things from them or lie to them, mainly because nobody's willing to listen or they don't want to hear any negativity, unwilling to take the rough with the smooth. Those few people who have been patient enough with me through thick and thin are the ones I'm extremely thankful to, and it's for their sake I'm trying to be a better person.
There are times though when that doesn't feel like enough, like what I do will never be good enough for the world at large. It just seems that I've grown so distant from so many people I care about, and it honestly feels like there aren't many people in my life - or indeed in the world in general - who're willing to even just lend an ear for ten minutes or so, just acknowledge my existence and let me know that they still want me to be a part of their lives. There have been times this year when I've tried that and just got spat in the face.
What's really not helping is when it comes to trying not to compare myself to the standards of others. I just can't do it. I feel envious of people who are doing better than me because I can't join them in that happiness, and then I feel miserable and guilty because I can't just be happy for them. On the other side of the coin, when someone's having a bad time (some people close to me have received the worst possible news this year), I feel so powerless from being unable to help them in however small a way.
Some nights I just can't stop myself crying.
All I want is to feel happy again, feel that sense of belonging I used to feel. Instead I just feel utterly alone, I'm running out of ideas on how to improve my lot, and frankly I'm reaching the point where I just don't see the point of trying at all.
Doubtless everyone's stopped reading at this point, but if you're still here I appreciate it.
If I'm being honest, 2015 has left me a wreck; financially, physically, mentally and emotionally. My situation has not improved, and if anything has led to even more worries. My course is progressing at a frustratingly slow pace, with factors beyond my control now meaning it won't be finished until next year. I now own a car, which I should be excited by, but now leaves me with even more worries, including the fact that next year's ConFuzzled could very well be my last due to now needing the money to keep the car running. I have to give up one of the few things that keeps me sane all year all because I can't find what I need to actually be able to do all the things I want to do.
I feel exhausted all the time, and medically things have gotten worse for me. I actually had a complete nervous breakdown earlier in the year, and the therapy sessions I had to attend afterwards didn't help much. My brain just does not seem to want to rewire itself into just taking things one day at a time; my mind's either stuck full of past regrets or fears for the future, and I keep finding ways of talking myself out of stuff for one reason or another (again, mostly financial).
What really isn't helping my mental state, and perhaps the worst thing of all, is the feeling of isolation I feel. Geographically I'm cut off from pretty much everyone I know. Even on the Internet though I feel like I've alienated people I used to call friends (admittedly due to my own bad behaviour at points online), as none of them can seemingly be bothered to even check up on me once in a while. I actually crave social contact despite not being very good at it, and to basically feel ignored or "out of sight, out of mind" by the people I care about is nothing short of heartbreaking.
I'm depressed, my family and financial situation stress me out, and my friends don't seem to care. I feel like I'm constantly having to hide things from them or lie to them, mainly because nobody's willing to listen or they don't want to hear any negativity, unwilling to take the rough with the smooth. Those few people who have been patient enough with me through thick and thin are the ones I'm extremely thankful to, and it's for their sake I'm trying to be a better person.
There are times though when that doesn't feel like enough, like what I do will never be good enough for the world at large. It just seems that I've grown so distant from so many people I care about, and it honestly feels like there aren't many people in my life - or indeed in the world in general - who're willing to even just lend an ear for ten minutes or so, just acknowledge my existence and let me know that they still want me to be a part of their lives. There have been times this year when I've tried that and just got spat in the face.
What's really not helping is when it comes to trying not to compare myself to the standards of others. I just can't do it. I feel envious of people who are doing better than me because I can't join them in that happiness, and then I feel miserable and guilty because I can't just be happy for them. On the other side of the coin, when someone's having a bad time (some people close to me have received the worst possible news this year), I feel so powerless from being unable to help them in however small a way.
Some nights I just can't stop myself crying.
All I want is to feel happy again, feel that sense of belonging I used to feel. Instead I just feel utterly alone, I'm running out of ideas on how to improve my lot, and frankly I'm reaching the point where I just don't see the point of trying at all.
Doubtless everyone's stopped reading at this point, but if you're still here I appreciate it.
ConFuzzled 2015 thoughts
General | Posted 10 years agoSo I'm finally back and unpacked from ConFuzzled. I've got a lot of things I want to say, not all of it good, but let's get all the good stuff out the way first.
The con itself was an absolute joy as ever. The staff and crew put in so much time and effort into this con, and it shows. I am left with memories that will last a lifetime, and here are some of the highlights:
- Being stuck in
thestripedone's plush suit.
- The opening ceremony was really inventive, a fun break from the norm that fit the theme well. More of this kind of theme-specific opening, please!
- Getting an awesome birthday present from
graafen. I now have enough Super Sentai and Kamen Rider episodes to keep me entertained for a very long time. :D
- The snack exchange was a really great idea, and it got me trying stuff I never would have thought to do so otherwise. I was pleasantly surprised by the Japanese food, in-particular the green tea. However, I wasn't brave enough to try the Finnish super-hot candy that nearly blew
emberkomodog's mouth off. XD
- Taking part in the insanity that was the Fursuit Fiasco again, and displaying the correct way to play Musical Chairs.
-
jym's CatchFurase event, a fun and cosily crazy experience.
- Meeting thatwickedsmile in the Dealer's Den, and getting a set of fantastic Five Nights at Freddy's prints. Also finding a Japanese Lucario plush. :P
- The Pawpets show was once again immensely enjoyable. The theme allowed for one of the most brilliantly bonkers plotlines the series has had so far, and it was nice to get a bit of insight into Frank's mind and backstory. The puppetry was really well-handled, and the jokes were good fun. Plus it saw the return of Klaus and Sebastien, who were sorely missed. XD
- Heading through to the Music Jam and finding out that a cardboard box was being used as a drum. Should've been a wheelie bin. :P
- Suiting with Ember and nomming on his noodle-heads dreadlocks. :P
- The Toku Furs event was a nice little gathering, and it was neat to see some of the Japanese toys based on Super Sentai and Kamen Rider.
-
lizard-guy's improv act with 
godzuki, 
flintgf and 
blue in the Variety Show, as well as a great hula-hoop dance and a fun comedy song.
- Practically drowning in Bloo's (
kerijiano) fluff after getting dragged to the floor (Shartroose always knew he was the favourite ;D).
- The
deezlberries photoshoot. I definitely wanna get a Deez suit one of these days!
- Meeting
mrlean, a really nice guy and fun to talk to.
- Getting into an argument with a gang of chickens protesting against fox fursuiters. XD
- That same group patrolling as Ghostbusters. XD
- Having a drink and a meal with my GTA Online crew
-
chargan and I getting to reprise our routine for the Baha Men at the Dead Dog.
So yeah; I had an absolute blast overall. It's left me exhausted, but satisfied.
However, I do have to say something and be honest about it... I don't care for the venue much. Last year I thought it was just me pining for the Hinckley, but now I feel like I have a better idea of why I don't like the Hilton so much; the impression I got was that they don't want us there.
Don't get me wrong; I've been served by some lovely people there (there's one guy in-particular who works the concierge desk and really goes above and beyond for the guests). However, in a way I can't quite put my finger on, everything about the place just feels... well... cold. It's definitely a more formal venue, and I feel that doesn't mesh well with ConFuzzled, especially as we cannot get exclusivity of the hotel and thus deck it out with appropriate theme items.
Plus the lack of exclusivity can cause problems with the general public. Apparently there have already been reviews written online about the hotel, complaining not so much about us but more that apparently they weren't informed beforehand of ConFuzzled taking place. In their position, I don't doubt that I'd be annoyed by this, myself; I'd feel like I wasn't able to make an informed decision on whether or not I felt the convention would interfere with my holiday plans in any way or prevent me from being able to relax. Also doesn't help that apparently the room assignment seems to be completely random, so people like the pilots and flight attendants who stay there overnight can get woken up by room parties and thus feel somewhat less capable of doing their jobs in the morning.
The point I'm trying laboriously to get to is that the absence of hotel exclusivity is unfair to us and it's unfair to the regular guests, but we're obviously never going to fill the hotel and the Hilton feels too formal for a convention such as ours. I hate saying this because I know the ConFuzzled guys work damn hard at making sure we all have a good time, but it feels like the pursuit of getting as many attendees as possible has caused something fundamental about the convention to be lost.
Right, that's enough of the negativity. Many thanks to all the friends old and new that I met there for making the past few days so awesome. I really can't wait to hang out with you guys again. :D
The con itself was an absolute joy as ever. The staff and crew put in so much time and effort into this con, and it shows. I am left with memories that will last a lifetime, and here are some of the highlights:
- Being stuck in
thestripedone's plush suit.- The opening ceremony was really inventive, a fun break from the norm that fit the theme well. More of this kind of theme-specific opening, please!
- Getting an awesome birthday present from
graafen. I now have enough Super Sentai and Kamen Rider episodes to keep me entertained for a very long time. :D- The snack exchange was a really great idea, and it got me trying stuff I never would have thought to do so otherwise. I was pleasantly surprised by the Japanese food, in-particular the green tea. However, I wasn't brave enough to try the Finnish super-hot candy that nearly blew
emberkomodog's mouth off. XD- Taking part in the insanity that was the Fursuit Fiasco again, and displaying the correct way to play Musical Chairs.
-
jym's CatchFurase event, a fun and cosily crazy experience.- Meeting
thatwickedsmile in the Dealer's Den, and getting a set of fantastic Five Nights at Freddy's prints. Also finding a Japanese Lucario plush. :P- The Pawpets show was once again immensely enjoyable. The theme allowed for one of the most brilliantly bonkers plotlines the series has had so far, and it was nice to get a bit of insight into Frank's mind and backstory. The puppetry was really well-handled, and the jokes were good fun. Plus it saw the return of Klaus and Sebastien, who were sorely missed. XD
- Heading through to the Music Jam and finding out that a cardboard box was being used as a drum. Should've been a wheelie bin. :P
- Suiting with Ember and nomming on his noodle-heads dreadlocks. :P
- The Toku Furs event was a nice little gathering, and it was neat to see some of the Japanese toys based on Super Sentai and Kamen Rider.
-
lizard-guy's improv act with 
godzuki, 
flintgf and 
blue in the Variety Show, as well as a great hula-hoop dance and a fun comedy song.- Practically drowning in Bloo's (
kerijiano) fluff after getting dragged to the floor (Shartroose always knew he was the favourite ;D).- The
deezlberries photoshoot. I definitely wanna get a Deez suit one of these days!- Meeting
mrlean, a really nice guy and fun to talk to.- Getting into an argument with a gang of chickens protesting against fox fursuiters. XD
- That same group patrolling as Ghostbusters. XD
- Having a drink and a meal with my GTA Online crew
-
chargan and I getting to reprise our routine for the Baha Men at the Dead Dog.So yeah; I had an absolute blast overall. It's left me exhausted, but satisfied.
However, I do have to say something and be honest about it... I don't care for the venue much. Last year I thought it was just me pining for the Hinckley, but now I feel like I have a better idea of why I don't like the Hilton so much; the impression I got was that they don't want us there.
Don't get me wrong; I've been served by some lovely people there (there's one guy in-particular who works the concierge desk and really goes above and beyond for the guests). However, in a way I can't quite put my finger on, everything about the place just feels... well... cold. It's definitely a more formal venue, and I feel that doesn't mesh well with ConFuzzled, especially as we cannot get exclusivity of the hotel and thus deck it out with appropriate theme items.
Plus the lack of exclusivity can cause problems with the general public. Apparently there have already been reviews written online about the hotel, complaining not so much about us but more that apparently they weren't informed beforehand of ConFuzzled taking place. In their position, I don't doubt that I'd be annoyed by this, myself; I'd feel like I wasn't able to make an informed decision on whether or not I felt the convention would interfere with my holiday plans in any way or prevent me from being able to relax. Also doesn't help that apparently the room assignment seems to be completely random, so people like the pilots and flight attendants who stay there overnight can get woken up by room parties and thus feel somewhat less capable of doing their jobs in the morning.
The point I'm trying laboriously to get to is that the absence of hotel exclusivity is unfair to us and it's unfair to the regular guests, but we're obviously never going to fill the hotel and the Hilton feels too formal for a convention such as ours. I hate saying this because I know the ConFuzzled guys work damn hard at making sure we all have a good time, but it feels like the pursuit of getting as many attendees as possible has caused something fundamental about the convention to be lost.
Right, that's enough of the negativity. Many thanks to all the friends old and new that I met there for making the past few days so awesome. I really can't wait to hang out with you guys again. :D
BRB - ConFuzzled 2015
General | Posted 10 years agoYup, it's time for me to head off to CFz this year, so chances are I'll have a hell of a full inbox when I get home!
If you need to contact me, best place to do so is on Twitter. I should be able to check it while I'm there (provided I can figure out how to access the hotel's wifi).
Well, hope to see you fuzzbutts tomorrow!
If you need to contact me, best place to do so is on Twitter. I should be able to check it while I'm there (provided I can figure out how to access the hotel's wifi).
Well, hope to see you fuzzbutts tomorrow!
ConFuzzled 2015 meme
General | Posted 11 years agoSince it already seems to be going around, I might as well have a go...
1. What is your name?
The Dark Squire (though some know me better as Seagoon)
2. What is your gender?
Male
3. How old are you?
30 (will turn 31 during the con)
4. How tall are you?
About 6ft 3
5. Are you in a relationship?
No
6. Where are you staying?
Birmingham Hilton Metropole
7. What day are you getting there?
21st May, for the early arrival
8. Who will you be with?
A fair number of people, I imagine
9. Do you have art in the art show?
No
10. What suit(s) will you have?
Pink, my blue wolf (don't ask about the name)
11. Can I dance with you?
If you're someone I know and like, sure! Though I'm no dancer.
12. Can I touch you?
Depends on what you mean by touch.
13. Can I talk to you?
Sure! Just keep in mind I'm a lousy conversationalist.
14. Can I hug you?
If I'm not in suit, only close friends get to hug me. If I'm in suit, by all means!
15. Can I take photos of you/with you?
Only if I'm suited up.
16. Can I buy you lots of drinks?
I don't drink, but I'd appreciate the offer.
17. Do you drink Alcohol/Smoke?
Alcohol - never more than a pint, on the very rare occasions I do drink. Smoking - never.
18. Can I give you lots of money?
Don't know why you would, considering I can't draw and have nothing to sell, but free money wouldn't go amiss. :P
19. Can I hang out with you?
Depends.
20. How will I recognize you?
You don't.
21. Where will you be most of the time during the con?
No one specific place.
22. Who are you rooming with?
Hoping to room with
arctic_steve again.
23. Attending any events?
The Fursuit Games, Pawpet Show and Dance Competition are the only real certain ones. For the rest, I tend to play it by ear.
24. How can I find you at the con?
Again, I'm in no specific place; chances are I'll just be wandering here and there.
25. Are you doing anything in line with the theme?
Not unless you count consuming unhealthy amounts of tea.
26. How are you getting to the con?
Driving, hopefully. Going by train if not (though I'd rather not have a repeat of last year's journey!).
1. What is your name?
The Dark Squire (though some know me better as Seagoon)
2. What is your gender?
Male
3. How old are you?
30 (will turn 31 during the con)
4. How tall are you?
About 6ft 3
5. Are you in a relationship?
No
6. Where are you staying?
Birmingham Hilton Metropole
7. What day are you getting there?
21st May, for the early arrival
8. Who will you be with?
A fair number of people, I imagine
9. Do you have art in the art show?
No
10. What suit(s) will you have?
Pink, my blue wolf (don't ask about the name)
11. Can I dance with you?
If you're someone I know and like, sure! Though I'm no dancer.
12. Can I touch you?
Depends on what you mean by touch.
13. Can I talk to you?
Sure! Just keep in mind I'm a lousy conversationalist.
14. Can I hug you?
If I'm not in suit, only close friends get to hug me. If I'm in suit, by all means!
15. Can I take photos of you/with you?
Only if I'm suited up.
16. Can I buy you lots of drinks?
I don't drink, but I'd appreciate the offer.
17. Do you drink Alcohol/Smoke?
Alcohol - never more than a pint, on the very rare occasions I do drink. Smoking - never.
18. Can I give you lots of money?
Don't know why you would, considering I can't draw and have nothing to sell, but free money wouldn't go amiss. :P
19. Can I hang out with you?
Depends.
20. How will I recognize you?
You don't.
21. Where will you be most of the time during the con?
No one specific place.
22. Who are you rooming with?
Hoping to room with
arctic_steve again.23. Attending any events?
The Fursuit Games, Pawpet Show and Dance Competition are the only real certain ones. For the rest, I tend to play it by ear.
24. How can I find you at the con?
Again, I'm in no specific place; chances are I'll just be wandering here and there.
25. Are you doing anything in line with the theme?
Not unless you count consuming unhealthy amounts of tea.
26. How are you getting to the con?
Driving, hopefully. Going by train if not (though I'd rather not have a repeat of last year's journey!).
In to 2015
General | Posted 11 years agoThis probably would've been more timely a few days ago, but I may as well type up my reflections of 2014 and looking forward...
If I had to sum up 2014 in one word (well, a word other than "crap" anyway), it would be "change". My 30th year on this Earth marked a number of changes in my life, both personal and furry. On the personal side, I spent too much, I was diagnosed with depression and been in some pretty low places. Christmas was terrible, and has pretty much estranged one member of my family (I won't go into details as it's too personal). I've also become more and more angry over the state of modern gaming, in terms of nerdy stuff, and can probably sum up this year as being one of the worst yet to be a gamer (unless you're a Wii U owner or big into the indie scene).
That said, I've been trying to take steps to actually improve my lot. After traipsing around England with a ton of bags and cases, I decided to finally overcome my fear of driving and take lessons. I'm now booked in to do my test next month, so hopefully by the time CFz rolls around I can drive down there rather than try to haul all my stuff around again. I'm also taking a course in a line of work I can see myself doing, hopefully improve my prospects of getting employed in that field.
As far as furry stuff goes, this has been a very hectic year. It marked my debut as a fursuiter, something I've always wanted to do and have enjoyed immensely on the fairly rare occasions I have a chance to suit up. Hopefully next year will mark even more suiting and a chance to improve my performance in that area. I've also actually spent more time travelling and staying with other furs, such as the trip to Crewe I made last week for the New Year's party, which was a great way to ring in the New Year.
Well, guess that's it for my ramblings. Just gonna keep taking things one day at a time, and try to make things better for myself. It's easy for me to be cynical after so much crap in my life, but I'm gonna try not to get into the same state I was in a few months ago. I'll always be thankful that I became part of this fandom though; for all the bullshit that goes on in it, it's given me friends that I love dearly, and given me memories that I will take with me to the grave.
Thank you all, and here's wishing you all the best for the New Year. :)
If I had to sum up 2014 in one word (well, a word other than "crap" anyway), it would be "change". My 30th year on this Earth marked a number of changes in my life, both personal and furry. On the personal side, I spent too much, I was diagnosed with depression and been in some pretty low places. Christmas was terrible, and has pretty much estranged one member of my family (I won't go into details as it's too personal). I've also become more and more angry over the state of modern gaming, in terms of nerdy stuff, and can probably sum up this year as being one of the worst yet to be a gamer (unless you're a Wii U owner or big into the indie scene).
That said, I've been trying to take steps to actually improve my lot. After traipsing around England with a ton of bags and cases, I decided to finally overcome my fear of driving and take lessons. I'm now booked in to do my test next month, so hopefully by the time CFz rolls around I can drive down there rather than try to haul all my stuff around again. I'm also taking a course in a line of work I can see myself doing, hopefully improve my prospects of getting employed in that field.
As far as furry stuff goes, this has been a very hectic year. It marked my debut as a fursuiter, something I've always wanted to do and have enjoyed immensely on the fairly rare occasions I have a chance to suit up. Hopefully next year will mark even more suiting and a chance to improve my performance in that area. I've also actually spent more time travelling and staying with other furs, such as the trip to Crewe I made last week for the New Year's party, which was a great way to ring in the New Year.
Well, guess that's it for my ramblings. Just gonna keep taking things one day at a time, and try to make things better for myself. It's easy for me to be cynical after so much crap in my life, but I'm gonna try not to get into the same state I was in a few months ago. I'll always be thankful that I became part of this fandom though; for all the bullshit that goes on in it, it's given me friends that I love dearly, and given me memories that I will take with me to the grave.
Thank you all, and here's wishing you all the best for the New Year. :)
Merry Christmas!
General | Posted 11 years agoMay as well get this out the way now, since everyone will be busy tomorrow with the holidays and whatnot.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you guys! Go and enjoy yourselves! :D
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you guys! Go and enjoy yourselves! :D
Signal boost: character theft
General | Posted 11 years ago(copied verbatim from 
bungle_bear to help maintain clarity)
Link: http://www.morphiusnet.co.uk/sieo/aaron.html
Original journal: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6295968/
It brings me no pleasure to have to share stories like this, but I think it's important to spread awareness within the inflatables community, and to give people the information to allow them to arrive at their own conclusions on the subject.
The information on the page linked above was collated by
ceiliguliminix on behalf of his partner, 
sieo, whose character was stolen by 
aaron8181 and made into an inflatable toy. This was done without the knowledge or consent of the character's owner, in a shameful and underhanded manner (and with the intent of profiting from the exercise).
Members of the community should be wary of Aaron8181 and think twice before supporting, befriending or doing business with him. When you deal with thieves, you condone and encourage their behaviour. This culture of theft, entitlement and greed will only cease when the community puts their morals and ethics above their material desires.
bungle_bear to help maintain clarity)Link: http://www.morphiusnet.co.uk/sieo/aaron.html
Original journal: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6295968/
It brings me no pleasure to have to share stories like this, but I think it's important to spread awareness within the inflatables community, and to give people the information to allow them to arrive at their own conclusions on the subject.
The information on the page linked above was collated by
ceiliguliminix on behalf of his partner, 
sieo, whose character was stolen by 
aaron8181 and made into an inflatable toy. This was done without the knowledge or consent of the character's owner, in a shameful and underhanded manner (and with the intent of profiting from the exercise).Members of the community should be wary of Aaron8181 and think twice before supporting, befriending or doing business with him. When you deal with thieves, you condone and encourage their behaviour. This culture of theft, entitlement and greed will only cease when the community puts their morals and ethics above their material desires.
General update
General | Posted 11 years agoSo... It's been a while, hasn't it?
I was mentally frazzled. I won't go into details, but June was a horrible month for me, what with both PCD and actual depression sinking in, a ton of expenses and a general feeling of loneliness. I'm going through the recovery process, but it's taking time.
Also getting used to the work that goes into being a fursuiter, though I haven't had many opportunities to let Pink out to play. I did attend the York meet and a meet in Scarborough (referred to as CabinCon), and while I had a good time at both it rained for those meets (particularly in Scarborough, where it was torrential and even thunderstorming). As a result I've not really had many opportunities to suit up. Hope to do so this weekend though, as I've been invited to a BBQ in Crewe which I'm looking forward to.
So yeah... Not much news to report. It's mostly just me trying not to veer off the road to recovery.
I was mentally frazzled. I won't go into details, but June was a horrible month for me, what with both PCD and actual depression sinking in, a ton of expenses and a general feeling of loneliness. I'm going through the recovery process, but it's taking time.
Also getting used to the work that goes into being a fursuiter, though I haven't had many opportunities to let Pink out to play. I did attend the York meet and a meet in Scarborough (referred to as CabinCon), and while I had a good time at both it rained for those meets (particularly in Scarborough, where it was torrential and even thunderstorming). As a result I've not really had many opportunities to suit up. Hope to do so this weekend though, as I've been invited to a BBQ in Crewe which I'm looking forward to.
So yeah... Not much news to report. It's mostly just me trying not to veer off the road to recovery.
BirthdayCon
General | Posted 11 years agoSo, I'm back from ConFuzzled, I'm ridiculously tired, and my brain feels all fuzzy. Under these conditions it's gonna be difficult to write about my experiences, and instead of doing my usual spiel of dedicating an entry to each day, I'm just gonna try and sum things up best I can through the magic of sub-headings.
So, with that in mind, and before I trawl through my tweets and hastily-written notes, what did I think of ConFuzzled this year? In one word: amazing.
The Hotel
I always said the Hinckley Island Hotel was a hard act to follow, and I was practically daring any new hotels to impress me, but boy did the Hilton Birmingham Metropole rise to my challenge admirably. The place was large, well-ventilated, and while the circular loop of the layout took some getting used to it quickly became second nature. The food was gorgeous, especially the evening meals; they were a bit pricey, even with the convention discount, but they were worth every penny. The room I stayed in was spacious enough for mine and arctic_steve's needs, and I was glad to have the air conditioning!
If I had to point out one thing though, I sometimes got the feeling that the serving staff in the bar were rather overwhelmed by all the people they had to serve, indicating inexperience for some of them. I don't know how many they were expecting to have to serve, but I suspect it ended up being way more than they thought. Besides that, the staff really went above and beyond to make the stay as comfortable as possible, and it looked like they were having as much fun as we were.
Fursuiting
Okay, let's get the biggie out of the way. This year marked my debut as a full-fledged fursuiter, swaggering around as Pink, the rather ironically-named wolf - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/13494013/. I'll talk about some of the specific suiting events I attended later, but just goofing around in this guy was... well, how can I describe it? It felt unimaginably great to be able to be this character, try and work out his little quirks and habits and interact with other suiters out there. At first I wasn't sure what sort of character Pink would be, but it all came to me eventually.
For those of you who don't know his backstory, I originally created Pink as the main character in a series of tribute images I was having commissioned based on Pink Floyd's "The Wall". Those of you familiar with the album will know what an emotional wreck Pink is, which seems rather contradictory to the Pink you saw at ConFuzzled. I like to think of the suited version as "Post-Wall Pink", the result of the Wall being smashed and several years of medication and intense therapy. XD
Even for those of you not familiar with the musical reference, I figure people may get a kick out of the sheer irony of his name; God knows I heard the phrase "You're not pink, you're blue" more times than I could count. :P
I also figured out that he loves music and balloons, and hates lousy singers and space hoppers. :P
Anyway, I absolutely adored being in suit and interacting with other suiters, and I'm sure I spent more time at the con in suit than I did out of it. Apparently I did turn in a really good performance according to people whose opinions I trust on these matters, and I'm deeply honoured that people seem to enjoy the suit and the performance. Still, I'm always ready to learn more and improve; a good performer is never satisfied. :P
Socialising
Here's where things get very odd for me. Most of the people I usually hang out with at CFz are now on staff, on crew, or volunteering, so I don't get to hang out with them as much as I'd like, considering I very rarely see them as it is. Still, I've got nothing but respect for what they do at the con, and they're all damn good at their jobs, always looking out for the attendees.
Still, I did get to meet plenty of new faces, and get to better know others I've only seen briefly. Just wish my own social anxiety didn't creep up on me...
Opening/Closing Ceremonies and Fursuit Lounge
Suited for both of them, a decision which I'll probably regret deeply, as it was insanely hot!
I think the reason I was able to suit for as long as I could was because the Fursuit Lounge was so well-stocked and well-run. It was spacious, had plenty of fans and water facilities, and there's a special place in Heaven reserved for the guy who got the huge industrial fan! The only downside to it was that standing in it caused my base layer to get so cold I honestly thought it had snap-frozen. :P
If I may make a couple of suggestions for it though, in case any of the staff happen to read this; perhaps get some longer straws so it's easier to drink while still wearing the head, and maybe bring the energy drinks back?
Dealer's Den
Well, one thing's for sure, I ended up spending waaaaaay more than I thought I would in there. I ended up buying a copy of the first Nordguard comic (which has beautiful artwork, but feels like a ton of setup while falling short of being a self-contained story), as well as the accompanying card game. I also a commissioned a piece for
thefurwall (thought I'd given up on that?) from 
muzz, and a fancy badge from 
bhavfox/ I dread to think of how much I spent, considering I only budgeted for food...
Fursuit Fiasco
My first one of these went pretty awkwardly! I was still getting used to how to move in suit, and I fell flat on my face trying to use a space hopper (which goes towards explaining Pink's resentment of them :P). I didn't humiliate myself too badly in the final event, though I should've remembered previous cons and been a dirty cheating bastard. :P
Considering all the stuff I put my suit through this convention, I'm amazed at how well it's held up. I'm kind of in a quandary here; I want this suit to last as long as possible, but if that means not moving so much then I can't really perform that well. What to do?
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Had a good laugh with this last year, so I thought I'd go again. Pretty similar layout to last time, though one thing I never expected was for (a doubtless very tipsy) Uncle Kage to join in on a skit
draks and I were doing. Of all the things I expected to do this year or at any other convention, "attempt improv comedy with Uncle Kage" was definitely not on the list! Pretty sure somebody filmed it and now has suitable blackmail material somewhere. XD
Pawpets VI
First of all, I really appreciated the heads-up about the show being delayed; certainly gave me a bit more time to have a decent meal! Plus even before the show, there was a bit of Queuecon made entertaining by a drunk
solarlay and crew, and for something like this the length of the queue doesn't matter as much as who you're stood next to. :P
As for the show itself? Supremely entertaining. It was funny, well-written, and technically marvelous with all the video cutaways and syncing. These guys really know their audience, piling on the pop culture references, enough innuendo to shame a Carry On movie, some surprising character development for what is essentially a bunch of fluffy puppets, even managing some sly digs at the fandom itself (I know I heard a few boos in the audience when a crack was made about UKFur XD). It was an absolute pleasure to sit through the show, though now I'll never be able to look at
fairlight again without thinking of his facial expressions in one of the cutaways. XD
Fursuit Twister
Failed spectacularly at this. 'Nuff said. XD
Photoshoot and Parade
Yup, Sunday was pretty much a "spend the whole day in suit" day. Had a lot of fun prancing around in the parade, and spent an uncomfortably long time waiting to do the photoshoot. Never queue for anything in-suit if you can avoid it! :P I'm sure the photos will be worth the wait, though. :)
Fursuit Dance Contest
I will never cease to be amazed by what some people can do in their suits, particularly the likes of
spark-wolf, 
kiyo_fursuit and 
zakari_fursuit. The latter two especially are so in-sync with both the music and each other, and the result is joyous to watch. Some good entries this year, especially considering many were first-timers or weren't trained dancers.
Music Jam
One thing I learned from this is that I need to brush up on my music knowledge; so many of the tunes which were played I had no idea about. Still, it was fun to attend just for the novelty of seeing a wheelie bin be used as a bass drum. :P
Fur-e-oke
Yes, I did attend this. Yes, I did spend an hour in the bar stewing in-suit waiting to sing. Yes, I did sing a Pink Floyd tune (in this case, Another Brick in the Wall). I managed to have fun with it in the end, and lizard-guy was an absolute saint for supplying me with water.
Seriously, I owe you a drink, mate.
Dead Dog Party
Yes, I did stay the extra night this year, going all-out for my thir.... my thi.... well, a landmark birthday. The day itself was spent just chilling, either in the bar or in the pool (which was extremely relaxing, I can tell you!).
For the Dead Dog, I actually went through the entire thing in-suit, which was probably a bad idea given my ham-fisted dancing efforts and all the heat. Plus the music was mostly the cheesiest rubbish I can think of; it took me back to my school disco days in a bad way. Still, I had a lot of fun suiting with chargan and many others, and overall I had a really good time with a great way to see out the con.
Well, that's all I have to say. I want to give my most sincere thanks to the staff of both ConFuzzled and the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, all the friends old and new that I saw throughout the con, and to my roomie for putting up with me for a week and for offering me advice on suiting. I may have joined Club 3-0 now, but the transition was rendered painless thanks to all of you. Whether you realised it or not, you helped make this birthday extremely special. :)
So, with that in mind, and before I trawl through my tweets and hastily-written notes, what did I think of ConFuzzled this year? In one word: amazing.
The Hotel
I always said the Hinckley Island Hotel was a hard act to follow, and I was practically daring any new hotels to impress me, but boy did the Hilton Birmingham Metropole rise to my challenge admirably. The place was large, well-ventilated, and while the circular loop of the layout took some getting used to it quickly became second nature. The food was gorgeous, especially the evening meals; they were a bit pricey, even with the convention discount, but they were worth every penny. The room I stayed in was spacious enough for mine and
arctic_steve's needs, and I was glad to have the air conditioning!If I had to point out one thing though, I sometimes got the feeling that the serving staff in the bar were rather overwhelmed by all the people they had to serve, indicating inexperience for some of them. I don't know how many they were expecting to have to serve, but I suspect it ended up being way more than they thought. Besides that, the staff really went above and beyond to make the stay as comfortable as possible, and it looked like they were having as much fun as we were.
Fursuiting
Okay, let's get the biggie out of the way. This year marked my debut as a full-fledged fursuiter, swaggering around as Pink, the rather ironically-named wolf - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/13494013/. I'll talk about some of the specific suiting events I attended later, but just goofing around in this guy was... well, how can I describe it? It felt unimaginably great to be able to be this character, try and work out his little quirks and habits and interact with other suiters out there. At first I wasn't sure what sort of character Pink would be, but it all came to me eventually.
For those of you who don't know his backstory, I originally created Pink as the main character in a series of tribute images I was having commissioned based on Pink Floyd's "The Wall". Those of you familiar with the album will know what an emotional wreck Pink is, which seems rather contradictory to the Pink you saw at ConFuzzled. I like to think of the suited version as "Post-Wall Pink", the result of the Wall being smashed and several years of medication and intense therapy. XD
Even for those of you not familiar with the musical reference, I figure people may get a kick out of the sheer irony of his name; God knows I heard the phrase "You're not pink, you're blue" more times than I could count. :P
I also figured out that he loves music and balloons, and hates lousy singers and space hoppers. :P
Anyway, I absolutely adored being in suit and interacting with other suiters, and I'm sure I spent more time at the con in suit than I did out of it. Apparently I did turn in a really good performance according to people whose opinions I trust on these matters, and I'm deeply honoured that people seem to enjoy the suit and the performance. Still, I'm always ready to learn more and improve; a good performer is never satisfied. :P
Socialising
Here's where things get very odd for me. Most of the people I usually hang out with at CFz are now on staff, on crew, or volunteering, so I don't get to hang out with them as much as I'd like, considering I very rarely see them as it is. Still, I've got nothing but respect for what they do at the con, and they're all damn good at their jobs, always looking out for the attendees.
Still, I did get to meet plenty of new faces, and get to better know others I've only seen briefly. Just wish my own social anxiety didn't creep up on me...
Opening/Closing Ceremonies and Fursuit Lounge
Suited for both of them, a decision which I'll probably regret deeply, as it was insanely hot!
I think the reason I was able to suit for as long as I could was because the Fursuit Lounge was so well-stocked and well-run. It was spacious, had plenty of fans and water facilities, and there's a special place in Heaven reserved for the guy who got the huge industrial fan! The only downside to it was that standing in it caused my base layer to get so cold I honestly thought it had snap-frozen. :P
If I may make a couple of suggestions for it though, in case any of the staff happen to read this; perhaps get some longer straws so it's easier to drink while still wearing the head, and maybe bring the energy drinks back?
Dealer's Den
Well, one thing's for sure, I ended up spending waaaaaay more than I thought I would in there. I ended up buying a copy of the first Nordguard comic (which has beautiful artwork, but feels like a ton of setup while falling short of being a self-contained story), as well as the accompanying card game. I also a commissioned a piece for
thefurwall (thought I'd given up on that?) from 
muzz, and a fancy badge from 
bhavfox/ I dread to think of how much I spent, considering I only budgeted for food...Fursuit Fiasco
My first one of these went pretty awkwardly! I was still getting used to how to move in suit, and I fell flat on my face trying to use a space hopper (which goes towards explaining Pink's resentment of them :P). I didn't humiliate myself too badly in the final event, though I should've remembered previous cons and been a dirty cheating bastard. :P
Considering all the stuff I put my suit through this convention, I'm amazed at how well it's held up. I'm kind of in a quandary here; I want this suit to last as long as possible, but if that means not moving so much then I can't really perform that well. What to do?
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Had a good laugh with this last year, so I thought I'd go again. Pretty similar layout to last time, though one thing I never expected was for (a doubtless very tipsy) Uncle Kage to join in on a skit
draks and I were doing. Of all the things I expected to do this year or at any other convention, "attempt improv comedy with Uncle Kage" was definitely not on the list! Pretty sure somebody filmed it and now has suitable blackmail material somewhere. XDPawpets VI
First of all, I really appreciated the heads-up about the show being delayed; certainly gave me a bit more time to have a decent meal! Plus even before the show, there was a bit of Queuecon made entertaining by a drunk
solarlay and crew, and for something like this the length of the queue doesn't matter as much as who you're stood next to. :PAs for the show itself? Supremely entertaining. It was funny, well-written, and technically marvelous with all the video cutaways and syncing. These guys really know their audience, piling on the pop culture references, enough innuendo to shame a Carry On movie, some surprising character development for what is essentially a bunch of fluffy puppets, even managing some sly digs at the fandom itself (I know I heard a few boos in the audience when a crack was made about UKFur XD). It was an absolute pleasure to sit through the show, though now I'll never be able to look at
fairlight again without thinking of his facial expressions in one of the cutaways. XDFursuit Twister
Failed spectacularly at this. 'Nuff said. XD
Photoshoot and Parade
Yup, Sunday was pretty much a "spend the whole day in suit" day. Had a lot of fun prancing around in the parade, and spent an uncomfortably long time waiting to do the photoshoot. Never queue for anything in-suit if you can avoid it! :P I'm sure the photos will be worth the wait, though. :)
Fursuit Dance Contest
I will never cease to be amazed by what some people can do in their suits, particularly the likes of
spark-wolf, 
kiyo_fursuit and 
zakari_fursuit. The latter two especially are so in-sync with both the music and each other, and the result is joyous to watch. Some good entries this year, especially considering many were first-timers or weren't trained dancers.Music Jam
One thing I learned from this is that I need to brush up on my music knowledge; so many of the tunes which were played I had no idea about. Still, it was fun to attend just for the novelty of seeing a wheelie bin be used as a bass drum. :P
Fur-e-oke
Yes, I did attend this. Yes, I did spend an hour in the bar stewing in-suit waiting to sing. Yes, I did sing a Pink Floyd tune (in this case, Another Brick in the Wall). I managed to have fun with it in the end, and
lizard-guy was an absolute saint for supplying me with water.Seriously, I owe you a drink, mate.
Dead Dog Party
Yes, I did stay the extra night this year, going all-out for my thir.... my thi.... well, a landmark birthday. The day itself was spent just chilling, either in the bar or in the pool (which was extremely relaxing, I can tell you!).
For the Dead Dog, I actually went through the entire thing in-suit, which was probably a bad idea given my ham-fisted dancing efforts and all the heat. Plus the music was mostly the cheesiest rubbish I can think of; it took me back to my school disco days in a bad way. Still, I had a lot of fun suiting with
chargan and many others, and overall I had a really good time with a great way to see out the con.Well, that's all I have to say. I want to give my most sincere thanks to the staff of both ConFuzzled and the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, all the friends old and new that I saw throughout the con, and to my roomie for putting up with me for a week and for offering me advice on suiting. I may have joined Club 3-0 now, but the transition was rendered painless thanks to all of you. Whether you realised it or not, you helped make this birthday extremely special. :)
ConFuzzled 2014 meme (new version)
General | Posted 11 years agoI know I already filled one of these out a while ago, but as we're getting nearer to ConFuzzled and this version seemed generally more useful, I thought I'd borrow this from flintgf and re-fill it out.
Hello! Will you be attending only or staying in the hotel?
Staying in; honestly I can't imagine doing this any other way.
So how are you getting there?
I'll be carrying a ton of likely very heavy luggage across the country on public transport, first by bus then by three trains. Needless to say I'll be knackered by the time I get there.
When are you arriving/leaving?
Will be doing the early arrival, hopefully getting there about 4pm-ish. It happens to coincide with my birthday, so I wouldn't miss the chance to properly celebrate it. :P I'm also doing the late departure this year.
Who are you rooming with?
Normally I get a room to myself, but this year I'm rooming with arctic_steve.
This con has a snazzy theme! Will you be doing anything for it?
I've never had appropriate paraphernalia for a con theme before, and this year's no different.
So I don't actually know you IRL. A/S/L, general visual idea?
Male, tall, kinda pudgy, permanently vacant expression and big eyebrows. Age info will be outdated by the time the early arrival rolls around.
I'd like to get to know you more. Can you be approached for some casual chit-chat and socialising?
Feel free to approach, but keep in mind I'm a terrible conversationalist. I apologise for that in advance, but if for whatever reason you fancy a chat, by all means!
What about hugs? Just between buddies, or can anyone approach you? Or is it all a no-go?
Out-of-suit, I keep hugs between buddies. In-suit may be a different story, and if you're suited yourself feel free to grab me for a hug whether I'm in or out of suit; I'm kinda shy about approaching for a hug, myself.
Are you an artist of some kind? Will you be in the artists' alley? Will you draw me if I ask nicely (or throw money at you)?
Unless you're happy with badly-drawn people with impossibly-articulated limbs, I'd suggest going to someone with a lot more talent than I for your art needs.
Do you fursuit? What kind of fluffy creatures will you be bringing to the convention?
This con will mark my fursuiting debut, bringing my character Pink with me. I'm still very much learning the ropes at suiting, and I only wish I had more suits!
Is that a camera around your neck? Are you into photography/videos? Anything specific planned or just casual con videos/photos? Would it be pestering to approach you for a photo or would you rather snap your own shots your own way?
I only have a puny little Kodak, and I take just casual photos. I prefer to snap my own shots, and due to me actually suiting this year I won't be photographing so much this time.
Any particular events you'll be attending? Or will you actually be hosting/participating in something?
I haven't got anything specific arranged, but I do plan on taking part in as many fursuit-related activities as I can, particularly the Fursuit Games. I also wouldn't mind posing for the life drawing, if that can be arranged. Out of suit, my main draw will be the pawpet show, but considering the queues for that I should probably get there stupidly early and bring a packed lunch.
I need to get in touch with you about something! What's the best way?
If you've got my phone details, text is the only way. I don't have 'net access on my phone, nor do I have a tablet, so if you try to contact me on Twitter I'm reliant on others to notify me of your message. If I don't reply to texts immediately I'll likely be occupied with suiting or something, so check for me in the most social areas. Don't ring me on my phone unless it's an emergency.
I'm unfortunately unable to attend. Any other cons where we might see eachother this year?
As it is I can only afford one con a year, so you're out of luck there. :(
Anything else you feel like I should know about you or your con-time plans before the con?
I scare easily.
flintgf and re-fill it out.Hello! Will you be attending only or staying in the hotel?
Staying in; honestly I can't imagine doing this any other way.
So how are you getting there?
I'll be carrying a ton of likely very heavy luggage across the country on public transport, first by bus then by three trains. Needless to say I'll be knackered by the time I get there.
When are you arriving/leaving?
Will be doing the early arrival, hopefully getting there about 4pm-ish. It happens to coincide with my birthday, so I wouldn't miss the chance to properly celebrate it. :P I'm also doing the late departure this year.
Who are you rooming with?
Normally I get a room to myself, but this year I'm rooming with
arctic_steve. This con has a snazzy theme! Will you be doing anything for it?
I've never had appropriate paraphernalia for a con theme before, and this year's no different.
So I don't actually know you IRL. A/S/L, general visual idea?
Male, tall, kinda pudgy, permanently vacant expression and big eyebrows. Age info will be outdated by the time the early arrival rolls around.
I'd like to get to know you more. Can you be approached for some casual chit-chat and socialising?
Feel free to approach, but keep in mind I'm a terrible conversationalist. I apologise for that in advance, but if for whatever reason you fancy a chat, by all means!
What about hugs? Just between buddies, or can anyone approach you? Or is it all a no-go?
Out-of-suit, I keep hugs between buddies. In-suit may be a different story, and if you're suited yourself feel free to grab me for a hug whether I'm in or out of suit; I'm kinda shy about approaching for a hug, myself.
Are you an artist of some kind? Will you be in the artists' alley? Will you draw me if I ask nicely (or throw money at you)?
Unless you're happy with badly-drawn people with impossibly-articulated limbs, I'd suggest going to someone with a lot more talent than I for your art needs.
Do you fursuit? What kind of fluffy creatures will you be bringing to the convention?
This con will mark my fursuiting debut, bringing my character Pink with me. I'm still very much learning the ropes at suiting, and I only wish I had more suits!
Is that a camera around your neck? Are you into photography/videos? Anything specific planned or just casual con videos/photos? Would it be pestering to approach you for a photo or would you rather snap your own shots your own way?
I only have a puny little Kodak, and I take just casual photos. I prefer to snap my own shots, and due to me actually suiting this year I won't be photographing so much this time.
Any particular events you'll be attending? Or will you actually be hosting/participating in something?
I haven't got anything specific arranged, but I do plan on taking part in as many fursuit-related activities as I can, particularly the Fursuit Games. I also wouldn't mind posing for the life drawing, if that can be arranged. Out of suit, my main draw will be the pawpet show, but considering the queues for that I should probably get there stupidly early and bring a packed lunch.
I need to get in touch with you about something! What's the best way?
If you've got my phone details, text is the only way. I don't have 'net access on my phone, nor do I have a tablet, so if you try to contact me on Twitter I'm reliant on others to notify me of your message. If I don't reply to texts immediately I'll likely be occupied with suiting or something, so check for me in the most social areas. Don't ring me on my phone unless it's an emergency.
I'm unfortunately unable to attend. Any other cons where we might see eachother this year?
As it is I can only afford one con a year, so you're out of luck there. :(
Anything else you feel like I should know about you or your con-time plans before the con?
I scare easily.
Leeding the meets (see what I did there?)
General | Posted 12 years agoSo today I headed to the Leeds mini meet. Now Leeds is a meet location I don't go to that often, certainly not compared to York or Manchester. However, today I thought I'd give them another go... and though I was reluctant to go at first, I'm glad I did push myself into going. Put simply, after such a hectic week of bullshit major and minor, I needed the break.
Hung out with
sval, arctic_steve, 
suburbanfox, 
loui and many others too numerous to mention (mostly because I forgot to ask for their names!), and played the longest game of Cards Against Humanity that I can recall. Went out on the fursuit walk as well, which was a real hoot. Not much else to say, really, other than it was a great day out with great company.
Oh, and one note here; from now on my photos and other stuff will be uploaded to my Weasyl page first (https://www.weasyl.com/profile/seagoon), This is due to certain... issues... that have come up on FA lately; I have my own opinions on the matter, but they're more eloquently summed up in a journal by muzz - http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5427094/. I'm not leaving FA as many of my contacts in the fandom are still here and we're well established now, but this is for the benefit of those who wish to leave FA or become more active elsewhere.
Hung out with
sval, arctic_steve, 
suburbanfox, 
loui and many others too numerous to mention (mostly because I forgot to ask for their names!), and played the longest game of Cards Against Humanity that I can recall. Went out on the fursuit walk as well, which was a real hoot. Not much else to say, really, other than it was a great day out with great company.Oh, and one note here; from now on my photos and other stuff will be uploaded to my Weasyl page first (https://www.weasyl.com/profile/seagoon), This is due to certain... issues... that have come up on FA lately; I have my own opinions on the matter, but they're more eloquently summed up in a journal by
muzz - http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5427094/. I'm not leaving FA as many of my contacts in the fandom are still here and we're well established now, but this is for the benefit of those who wish to leave FA or become more active elsewhere.Reflections on 2013
General | Posted 12 years agoSo as I sit here during a very quiet Christmas Day, I find myself getting very reflective on this year just past. Yeah, this is probably the sort of thing better suited to a journal on New Year's Eve, but I want to write about it all now while it's still fresh in my head.
On a personal level, it's been a veritable rollercoaster. I've had my low points after I spent an unwise amount of money, something which will take me a while to recover from if I can even get a source of income from somewhere. I'm coping best as I can in my home situation; it could be a hell of a lot worse, but there are times when it's a test of the sanity.
The high points came from finally finding a job that I can see myself doing, one which I enjoy a great deal and with fantastic co-workers to boot, and for that I'll be eternally grateful. However, I'm now panicking at the thought of what I'm going to do once my contract is finished; I know what I want to do but I don't know how to go about doing it, and all avenues of advice that have been suggested to me have turned out to be massive let-downs. This is a really bad area for work so it's not like I can even take on any old guff to fill the time, and frankly after being in this job then anything less would be intolerable.
I dunno... I guess the only thing I can do at this point is try what I can, but ultimately I'll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it.
In terms of furry stuff, it's been a terrific year, all things considered. I made some new friends and acquaintances, and gotten to know better some people I've been meaning to speak to for a long time. I've made new characters and explored new concepts, all of which I've enjoyed immensely. On the flipside though, at various points I've pissed off some people I really like and consider friends, and probably given others the worst impressions of me, and for that I'm truly sorry (though the chances of them reading this are slim to none, I thought it best to say it anyway). To all those I count as friends new and old, I love all of you.
ConFuzzled 2013 was absolutely fantastic, and I'm all set to attend next year. It will be particularly noteworthy as the early arrival happens to coincide with my birthday, and it's a landmark, so I'm going all-out for it. Even more significantly, with any luck I'll have a fursuit of my own by the time it comes around. It's something I've wanted ever since I became a part of this fandom, and experiences I've had this year only reinforced the idea. A couple of friends were kind enough to let me try on their fursuits, and I enjoyed my time suited up, bringing these characters to life, immensely. It reminded me of what a buzz I get out of performing and playing a character. So next year furry-wise should be very interesting indeed as I try to get to grips with bringing one of my own characters to life.
For next year, I've got to try and be not so damn nervous and paranoid all the time. I find myself thinking and assuming the worst about everything, and it's got to stop for my own health and for the sanity of those around me. I've also got to stop letting the trivial bullshit in life get to me so much, as I'm sure that's what caused aforementioned irritation from others.
So that's the end of my end-of-year ramblings and reflections. Hope you guys are having a fantastic Christmas, and I'll see you all in the New Year. :)
On a personal level, it's been a veritable rollercoaster. I've had my low points after I spent an unwise amount of money, something which will take me a while to recover from if I can even get a source of income from somewhere. I'm coping best as I can in my home situation; it could be a hell of a lot worse, but there are times when it's a test of the sanity.
The high points came from finally finding a job that I can see myself doing, one which I enjoy a great deal and with fantastic co-workers to boot, and for that I'll be eternally grateful. However, I'm now panicking at the thought of what I'm going to do once my contract is finished; I know what I want to do but I don't know how to go about doing it, and all avenues of advice that have been suggested to me have turned out to be massive let-downs. This is a really bad area for work so it's not like I can even take on any old guff to fill the time, and frankly after being in this job then anything less would be intolerable.
I dunno... I guess the only thing I can do at this point is try what I can, but ultimately I'll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it.
In terms of furry stuff, it's been a terrific year, all things considered. I made some new friends and acquaintances, and gotten to know better some people I've been meaning to speak to for a long time. I've made new characters and explored new concepts, all of which I've enjoyed immensely. On the flipside though, at various points I've pissed off some people I really like and consider friends, and probably given others the worst impressions of me, and for that I'm truly sorry (though the chances of them reading this are slim to none, I thought it best to say it anyway). To all those I count as friends new and old, I love all of you.
ConFuzzled 2013 was absolutely fantastic, and I'm all set to attend next year. It will be particularly noteworthy as the early arrival happens to coincide with my birthday, and it's a landmark, so I'm going all-out for it. Even more significantly, with any luck I'll have a fursuit of my own by the time it comes around. It's something I've wanted ever since I became a part of this fandom, and experiences I've had this year only reinforced the idea. A couple of friends were kind enough to let me try on their fursuits, and I enjoyed my time suited up, bringing these characters to life, immensely. It reminded me of what a buzz I get out of performing and playing a character. So next year furry-wise should be very interesting indeed as I try to get to grips with bringing one of my own characters to life.
For next year, I've got to try and be not so damn nervous and paranoid all the time. I find myself thinking and assuming the worst about everything, and it's got to stop for my own health and for the sanity of those around me. I've also got to stop letting the trivial bullshit in life get to me so much, as I'm sure that's what caused aforementioned irritation from others.
So that's the end of my end-of-year ramblings and reflections. Hope you guys are having a fantastic Christmas, and I'll see you all in the New Year. :)
Merry Christmas 2013!
General | Posted 12 years agoHope everyone out there has a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Just wanted to say that. :)
Just wanted to say that. :)
The whole Weasyl thing...
General | Posted 12 years agoIn case FA goes down again, I've set up a Weasyl as a back-up. Currently I'm trying to work out how to use it, particularly with the Characters feature, which sounds really cool. Any help with the site's features would be much appreciated.
You won't find any submissions on there from me for a while (though I will be putting the Wall stuff on there in its own folder without needing a different account), and I'm still debating whether to put my 18+ stuff on the same account for the sake of convenience. FA will still be my main point-of-contact, but the Weasyl's here if you need it:
https://www.weasyl.com/profile/seagoon
You won't find any submissions on there from me for a while (though I will be putting the Wall stuff on there in its own folder without needing a different account), and I'm still debating whether to put my 18+ stuff on the same account for the sake of convenience. FA will still be my main point-of-contact, but the Weasyl's here if you need it:
https://www.weasyl.com/profile/seagoon
Exhausting amounts of fun
General | Posted 12 years agoBlimey, has it really been that long since I last did a journal update? Well, I might as well update it now for the two people interested. :P
Just been busy with one thing and another. The Leeds mini-meet last month was too quiet to really report on, even though it was perfectly relaxing and gave me a good chance to catch up with graafen and 
jennavixen. I had a good time overall but I found myself craving to do more.
Well, I got my chance at today's Great Northern Furmeet in Manchester. I spent most of it hanging out with lizard-guy, getting a few words in with the "Koffee Klatch", as I now call them (because, as Linkara says, Poor Literacy is Kewl), and chowing down on an incredibly spicy pizza for my dinner. Then I proceeded to have the most fun hour I have ever had at a meet...
I was given the opportunity to borrow a friend's fursuit (I won't say who as I'm tempted to not reveal who I was suiting as for those who don't already know) and go on a rampage. I had so much fun trying to come up with stuff on-the-fly and bringing a character to life. I've wanted to suit since joining this fandom, this was my first proper go at it, and I have to say it has not disappointed. It gave me a lot of food for thought for when the time comes I have a suit of my own, and got me thinking about what to do to portray that character. One thing's for certain; I'm bitten by the bug, and I can't wait to bring one of my own characters to life!
I think the only thing about it was that it didn't leave me much time for socialising, and I got in a bit of a panic when I thought one of the suiters had taken my scarf to use as a prop on the walk (which I sadly couldn't suit for as it would have meant missing my train), but overall I can say without exaggeration or hyperbole that today was the most fun meet I've had in a while. Many thanks to everybody who made such a great day possible!
Just been busy with one thing and another. The Leeds mini-meet last month was too quiet to really report on, even though it was perfectly relaxing and gave me a good chance to catch up with
graafen and 
jennavixen. I had a good time overall but I found myself craving to do more.Well, I got my chance at today's Great Northern Furmeet in Manchester. I spent most of it hanging out with
lizard-guy, getting a few words in with the "Koffee Klatch", as I now call them (because, as Linkara says, Poor Literacy is Kewl), and chowing down on an incredibly spicy pizza for my dinner. Then I proceeded to have the most fun hour I have ever had at a meet...I was given the opportunity to borrow a friend's fursuit (I won't say who as I'm tempted to not reveal who I was suiting as for those who don't already know) and go on a rampage. I had so much fun trying to come up with stuff on-the-fly and bringing a character to life. I've wanted to suit since joining this fandom, this was my first proper go at it, and I have to say it has not disappointed. It gave me a lot of food for thought for when the time comes I have a suit of my own, and got me thinking about what to do to portray that character. One thing's for certain; I'm bitten by the bug, and I can't wait to bring one of my own characters to life!
I think the only thing about it was that it didn't leave me much time for socialising, and I got in a bit of a panic when I thought one of the suiters had taken my scarf to use as a prop on the walk (which I sadly couldn't suit for as it would have meant missing my train), but overall I can say without exaggeration or hyperbole that today was the most fun meet I've had in a while. Many thanks to everybody who made such a great day possible!
FA Meme thingy
General | Posted 12 years ago1. Why did you join FurAffinity?
It seemed like a convenient place to follow the work of artists, fursuiters, fursuit makers, photographers, etc. whose work I really liked.
2. What does your username have to do with you?
It's the name of my first character (fursona, if you will), and it's a blend of the surnames of two musicians whose work I really respect; Damon Albarn and Thom Yorke. Seems a little outdated now, considering how my taste in music has altered, but it has a nostalgia factor for me.
3. What is your current avatar of?
My fursona Seagoon, drawn by
tato.
4. How many watchers do you have, and how many do you watch?
I'm being watched by 252 accounts, and I'm watching 279 accounts, at the time of me writing this.
5. Do you have more than one account?
I have a few. thefurwall is for the Wall-related commissions I've had done and is a bit of an on-going project.
... I also have an account for 18+ stuff and indulging in a Very Specific Fetish, but it's not something I share publically.
6. Name 3 of your favorite artists on FA.
I have MANY favourite artists, but if you want me to name just three, I'm gonna say
spunky, blue and 
macroceli are artists whose work I always look forward to.
Actually, I'm gonna cheat and cite four. As my main submission "area of expertise" is photography, I also look to
mikepaws for inspiration in bettering my skills and getting more dynamic photographs.
7. What artist do you admire because of their personality?
Can't really name any in-particular. So far I've had good experiences with the artists I've commissioned. A few of them I've even met in person and gotten to like a lot. Really, I can't name just one person in this.
8. Do you comment, fave, or both?
I always fave art I like, but most of the time I don't comment; I simply can't think of anything intelligent to say. XD
9. What do you typically post on FA?
Photography taken at meets and conventions. It's mostly fursuit-related stuff, simply because I feel they're the most appropriate photos for a furry website. The only exceptions to this are regular photos I find particularly funny.
10.What's your favorite submission in your gallery?
Oh bloody hell, you want me to name just one?! Well, I've got a few photos I really like, but if I was to pick just one I'd go for this one - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5733737/ - purely because, even two years later, it still makes me laugh my arse off.
11. What are the things you wish you could draw better?
Everything; my art is pretty damn bad.
12. How many hours a day do you spend on FA?
A fair bit, actually, mostly because I am extraordinarily obsessive-compulsive when it comes to keeping a tidy inbox.
13. Are you a fast, slow, or medium typer?
I think I'm pretty fast.
14. What is the most annoying thing people ask you?
Can't recall any annoying questions I've received, to be honest.
15. What is the most annoying/offending comment you've received?
I try not to get annoyed, but I remember one person actually driving me to distraction by basically spamming my account with the most inane, vapid drivel I could imagine. I'm not gonna name them as I think that's a tacky thing to do, but so far they remain the only person I've ever blocked.
16. What/who inspires you?
See favorite artists and favourites.
17. Everyone has considered leaving FA once or twice. Have you? Why?
I have a couple of times, when annoyances have built up and I just want to be left the hell alone. So far I've never been pushed to that point, though.
It seemed like a convenient place to follow the work of artists, fursuiters, fursuit makers, photographers, etc. whose work I really liked.
2. What does your username have to do with you?
It's the name of my first character (fursona, if you will), and it's a blend of the surnames of two musicians whose work I really respect; Damon Albarn and Thom Yorke. Seems a little outdated now, considering how my taste in music has altered, but it has a nostalgia factor for me.
3. What is your current avatar of?
My fursona Seagoon, drawn by
tato.4. How many watchers do you have, and how many do you watch?
I'm being watched by 252 accounts, and I'm watching 279 accounts, at the time of me writing this.
5. Do you have more than one account?
I have a few.
thefurwall is for the Wall-related commissions I've had done and is a bit of an on-going project.... I also have an account for 18+ stuff and indulging in a Very Specific Fetish, but it's not something I share publically.
6. Name 3 of your favorite artists on FA.
I have MANY favourite artists, but if you want me to name just three, I'm gonna say
spunky, blue and 
macroceli are artists whose work I always look forward to.Actually, I'm gonna cheat and cite four. As my main submission "area of expertise" is photography, I also look to
mikepaws for inspiration in bettering my skills and getting more dynamic photographs.7. What artist do you admire because of their personality?
Can't really name any in-particular. So far I've had good experiences with the artists I've commissioned. A few of them I've even met in person and gotten to like a lot. Really, I can't name just one person in this.
8. Do you comment, fave, or both?
I always fave art I like, but most of the time I don't comment; I simply can't think of anything intelligent to say. XD
9. What do you typically post on FA?
Photography taken at meets and conventions. It's mostly fursuit-related stuff, simply because I feel they're the most appropriate photos for a furry website. The only exceptions to this are regular photos I find particularly funny.
10.What's your favorite submission in your gallery?
Oh bloody hell, you want me to name just one?! Well, I've got a few photos I really like, but if I was to pick just one I'd go for this one - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5733737/ - purely because, even two years later, it still makes me laugh my arse off.
11. What are the things you wish you could draw better?
Everything; my art is pretty damn bad.
12. How many hours a day do you spend on FA?
A fair bit, actually, mostly because I am extraordinarily obsessive-compulsive when it comes to keeping a tidy inbox.
13. Are you a fast, slow, or medium typer?
I think I'm pretty fast.
14. What is the most annoying thing people ask you?
Can't recall any annoying questions I've received, to be honest.
15. What is the most annoying/offending comment you've received?
I try not to get annoyed, but I remember one person actually driving me to distraction by basically spamming my account with the most inane, vapid drivel I could imagine. I'm not gonna name them as I think that's a tacky thing to do, but so far they remain the only person I've ever blocked.
16. What/who inspires you?
See favorite artists and favourites.
17. Everyone has considered leaving FA once or twice. Have you? Why?
I have a couple of times, when annoyances have built up and I just want to be left the hell alone. So far I've never been pushed to that point, though.
A favour for a friend
General | Posted 12 years agoMy friend sval's going to be running in the York Marathon, fundraising for Pet Respect UK, a local animal education charity that teaches kids about responsible pet ownership and preventing animal cruelty.
Please follow the link below and donate however much you can spare. Your support is greatly appreciated, by both Sval and myself.
http://www.justgiving.com/sval/
sval's going to be running in the York Marathon, fundraising for Pet Respect UK, a local animal education charity that teaches kids about responsible pet ownership and preventing animal cruelty.Please follow the link below and donate however much you can spare. Your support is greatly appreciated, by both Sval and myself.
http://www.justgiving.com/sval/
Compare and contrast
General | Posted 12 years agoSo over the past couple of weeks, I've been going to the York meets, first the main one then the mini (pics from the mini should be up tomorrow). Have to say I had a good time at both meets, and it felt good to see so many wonderful people like sval, arctic_steve, chargan, 
cinanaga, 
eda and more besides. Plus York is such a great suiting location (well, for the most part; you get utter prats and bratty kids there just like anywhere else) and probably make my favourite fursuit walks.
However, to be brutally honest I think I enjoyed the mini meet more than the main one. The mini was a much more casual affair, with nowhere near as many people attending, and I found I actually preferred that more casual and relaxed atmosphere. When the venue is absolutely jam-packed with people, there's nowhere you can really go if you feel the need for some breathing space (as I frequently do) without leaving the venue outright. As big and crowded as a convention be, usually there's still enough space to go somewhere if you need a little breathing room (I used to spend time down by the lake at the old ConFuzzzled venue when I needed some space, but that's not going to be an option next year. :( ). Not so at a large meet. I'm not saying there needs to be a bigger venue - I'm always thankful the organisers are able to get any venue - but it can make me feel a bit claustrophobic when so many people are bunched together.
Anyway, that aside, I had a good time at both meets, and I'm glad I pushed myself into going.
sval, arctic_steve, chargan, 
cinanaga, 
eda and more besides. Plus York is such a great suiting location (well, for the most part; you get utter prats and bratty kids there just like anywhere else) and probably make my favourite fursuit walks.However, to be brutally honest I think I enjoyed the mini meet more than the main one. The mini was a much more casual affair, with nowhere near as many people attending, and I found I actually preferred that more casual and relaxed atmosphere. When the venue is absolutely jam-packed with people, there's nowhere you can really go if you feel the need for some breathing space (as I frequently do) without leaving the venue outright. As big and crowded as a convention be, usually there's still enough space to go somewhere if you need a little breathing room (I used to spend time down by the lake at the old ConFuzzzled venue when I needed some space, but that's not going to be an option next year. :( ). Not so at a large meet. I'm not saying there needs to be a bigger venue - I'm always thankful the organisers are able to get any venue - but it can make me feel a bit claustrophobic when so many people are bunched together.
Anyway, that aside, I had a good time at both meets, and I'm glad I pushed myself into going.
A note about The Wall stuff
General | Posted 12 years agoJust as a heads-up for those who are actually interested in what's been done so far with The Wall Project, I'm letting you guys know that I'm in the process of moving it all to a new FA account, keep it separate from my main gallery and ensure the art doesn't get "lost in the shuffle", so to speak. The finished pics themselves will be going in the main gallery, with other pieces like ref sheets and concept sketches going in the Scraps folder.
The FA page itself is here: thefurwall
Yeah, as you can tell it's pretty empty right now and needs an icon, but the art will be up there soon enough (starting tomorrow, I think). As soon as it is, I will be deleting the pics from this gallery, and any future Wall-related pics will be posted in that gallery. Unfortunately that means if a piece is on your faves list then you'll need to go the new gallery and re-fave it.
I also encourage anyone who knows of any other Wall fan-art on FA to point me in it's direction, as I'll need something for the Favourites folder in that gallery. ;)
The FA page itself is here:
thefurwallYeah, as you can tell it's pretty empty right now and needs an icon, but the art will be up there soon enough (starting tomorrow, I think). As soon as it is, I will be deleting the pics from this gallery, and any future Wall-related pics will be posted in that gallery. Unfortunately that means if a piece is on your faves list then you'll need to go the new gallery and re-fave it.
I also encourage anyone who knows of any other Wall fan-art on FA to point me in it's direction, as I'll need something for the Favourites folder in that gallery. ;)
Late departures
General | Posted 12 years agoSo I'm back from another Manchester main meet, much later than I usually am and feeling very shattered. Oh lordy, was it worth the trouble, though!
Got up at Stupid o'Clock in the morning, hung out with a LOT of people; not just the Coffee Klatch (or should that be Cocktail Klatch whenever we're at a meet? Plus if you don't know who they are by now then you clearly haven't been reading my journals long enough. :P), but others who were present like
slykitty (who I guess is now officially a Northerner), fairlight, 
panthras, even entirely new faces (to me, anyway!) like 
mattprower08. Saw several others there I'd liked to have chatted with but didn't get the chance to; things were very hectic in the venue!
Spent most of the meet just hanging out and chilling with so many good folk. I feel a bit foolish for completely forgetting to bring my 3DS though (not to mention my mp3 player; I don't know how to survive long journeys on public transport without my music!), just relaxing and chatting. It reminded me of why I've stuck with the furry fandom for so long in spite of everything; I love the company of the people I've met in it too much.
Anyway, after that sentence which no doubt made me sound like a right crawler, we headed out to lunch at Southern 11 on the other side of town. I myself got a meat platter with pulled pork, which is one of the best meats out there. Unfortunately we left it very late to go eat and it took a while for us all to finish (especially as some got starters and puddings), so I ended up missing my regular train back home. Hung around the bar for a bit grabbing one last drink (bloody hell, just getting a Coke is expensive in there) before dashing off just as a round of 7 Wonders was starting up (I wonder if Slycat managed to win that game too, the crafty bugger).
Finally made it home and grabbed a bite to eat, and I feel very refreshed from spending the day in such good company. You guys know who you are, and I want to thank you again for making it such a grand day.
Better put off going to meets for a while though, while my bank account recovers!
Got up at Stupid o'Clock in the morning, hung out with a LOT of people; not just the Coffee Klatch (or should that be Cocktail Klatch whenever we're at a meet? Plus if you don't know who they are by now then you clearly haven't been reading my journals long enough. :P), but others who were present like
slykitty (who I guess is now officially a Northerner), fairlight, 
panthras, even entirely new faces (to me, anyway!) like 
mattprower08. Saw several others there I'd liked to have chatted with but didn't get the chance to; things were very hectic in the venue!Spent most of the meet just hanging out and chilling with so many good folk. I feel a bit foolish for completely forgetting to bring my 3DS though (not to mention my mp3 player; I don't know how to survive long journeys on public transport without my music!), just relaxing and chatting. It reminded me of why I've stuck with the furry fandom for so long in spite of everything; I love the company of the people I've met in it too much.
Anyway, after that sentence which no doubt made me sound like a right crawler, we headed out to lunch at Southern 11 on the other side of town. I myself got a meat platter with pulled pork, which is one of the best meats out there. Unfortunately we left it very late to go eat and it took a while for us all to finish (especially as some got starters and puddings), so I ended up missing my regular train back home. Hung around the bar for a bit grabbing one last drink (bloody hell, just getting a Coke is expensive in there) before dashing off just as a round of 7 Wonders was starting up (I wonder if Slycat managed to win that game too, the crafty bugger).
Finally made it home and grabbed a bite to eat, and I feel very refreshed from spending the day in such good company. You guys know who you are, and I want to thank you again for making it such a grand day.
Better put off going to meets for a while though, while my bank account recovers!
Furry meme thing
General | Posted 12 years agoNicked from 
wolfelysia)
[] you meow/bark to get attention
[] you find pets toys amusing
[] you get hyper by the smell of catnip
[] you growl/hiss when someone gets too close to your food
[] you growl/hiss when someone you dislike is too close to you
[] you purr/shake your leg when someone shows you affection
[] if someone tosses a ball, you chase it and bring it back
Total: 0
[] you love to be scratched behind the ear
[x] you love fish/meat
[] you like to stick your head out through the window of a moving car.
[] you like when people pet your head
[] people can make you stop doing stuff by hitting you on the nose with a newspaper
Total: 1
[] you sleep a lot during daytime
[] you enjoy scaring birds
[] you lick peoples faces to show you like them
[] you bite people if they annoy you
[] you tend to steal food from your friends/family's plate when you have eaten all of yours
[] milk or water is your favourite drink
Total: 0
[] you own a collar and you enjoy wearing it
[] you own a leash and enjoy wearing it
[] you own animal ears/tail/paws or a fursuit
[] you enjoy long walks in the park
[] you meow/bark when you see something you want
Total: 0
[] you call your hands and feet "paws"
[] you tilt your head when you do not understand what someone is talking about
[] you run to the door when someone mentions a walk
[] you really enjoy cuddling
[x] you stretch your body and whimper a bit every morning when you wake up
[] you can wake up and go back to sleep right away after looking around
Total: 1
[] you have your favourite spot besides your bed where you like to sleep
[] you meow or bark very often
[] you hide when you get scared
[] you run to the door to see who it is every time someone comes in to the house
[] you like to chase flying insects and try to catch them with your bare hand
[] you tend to chew on stuff a lot
[] you like to do tricks to get a treat
Total: 0
[] you own a wearable item/tag with your name on it
[] you refer to your self as an animal
[] your username has something to do with animals
[] your e-mail has something to do with animals
[] if you get a bleeding wound, you lick it to make it feel better
[x] you look for edible stuff often
Total: 1
[x] you often find yourself looking through the window for a long time
[] you like to say hi to strangers
[] you like to be petted when you have done something good
[] people think you act like a pet
[] you growl/hiss at stuff you do not like
[] you like to eat grass
[] if you get wet, you shake to get rid of the water
Total: 1
Final total: 4
I'm 8% Furry
Good Lord, some of these were stupid beyond belief. XD
===
Take your score and multiply it by 2
Put your title as "I'm _% Furry"
wolfelysia)[] you meow/bark to get attention
[] you find pets toys amusing
[] you get hyper by the smell of catnip
[] you growl/hiss when someone gets too close to your food
[] you growl/hiss when someone you dislike is too close to you
[] you purr/shake your leg when someone shows you affection
[] if someone tosses a ball, you chase it and bring it back
Total: 0
[] you love to be scratched behind the ear
[x] you love fish/meat
[] you like to stick your head out through the window of a moving car.
[] you like when people pet your head
[] people can make you stop doing stuff by hitting you on the nose with a newspaper
Total: 1
[] you sleep a lot during daytime
[] you enjoy scaring birds
[] you lick peoples faces to show you like them
[] you bite people if they annoy you
[] you tend to steal food from your friends/family's plate when you have eaten all of yours
[] milk or water is your favourite drink
Total: 0
[] you own a collar and you enjoy wearing it
[] you own a leash and enjoy wearing it
[] you own animal ears/tail/paws or a fursuit
[] you enjoy long walks in the park
[] you meow/bark when you see something you want
Total: 0
[] you call your hands and feet "paws"
[] you tilt your head when you do not understand what someone is talking about
[] you run to the door when someone mentions a walk
[] you really enjoy cuddling
[x] you stretch your body and whimper a bit every morning when you wake up
[] you can wake up and go back to sleep right away after looking around
Total: 1
[] you have your favourite spot besides your bed where you like to sleep
[] you meow or bark very often
[] you hide when you get scared
[] you run to the door to see who it is every time someone comes in to the house
[] you like to chase flying insects and try to catch them with your bare hand
[] you tend to chew on stuff a lot
[] you like to do tricks to get a treat
Total: 0
[] you own a wearable item/tag with your name on it
[] you refer to your self as an animal
[] your username has something to do with animals
[] your e-mail has something to do with animals
[] if you get a bleeding wound, you lick it to make it feel better
[x] you look for edible stuff often
Total: 1
[x] you often find yourself looking through the window for a long time
[] you like to say hi to strangers
[] you like to be petted when you have done something good
[] people think you act like a pet
[] you growl/hiss at stuff you do not like
[] you like to eat grass
[] if you get wet, you shake to get rid of the water
Total: 1
Final total: 4
I'm 8% Furry
Good Lord, some of these were stupid beyond belief. XD
===
Take your score and multiply it by 2
Put your title as "I'm _% Furry"
ConFuzzled 2013: Days Four and Five
General | Posted 12 years agoDecided to clump the last two days together, as really there wasn't much going on the last day.
Woke up on the Sunday to see some very tired and very hungover faces, some looking like they were going to die right before my eyes. I also noticed that the people I regularly hang out with really love their coffee; maybe I should change my name for them from the "Usual Suspects" to the "Coffee Klatch". Something else I also noticed was that the music in the bar was a lot more diverse this year, with a bit less of a chance of running into the same song twice in one day.
Sunday ended up being my busiest day events-wise, as in the morning I attended the Fursuit Life Drawing, which emberkomodog was hosting and both flintgf and Damian Tanuki ( lizard-guy) were posing for. Now the most I usually draw these days are silly (and usually pretty snotty) cartoons with terrible anatomy when an event or thought occurs that I find amusing (even jym is a better artist than me! :P), but I gave it a go anyway. I think again it was Ember's enthusiasm for hosting the event that really helped carried it, as it was very infectious. Also, he tells me that he will no longer believe me whenever I say I can't draw - not that that's going to stop me trying to convince him! I'm debating whether to add some ink to my sketches (I'm not sure how well pencil will show on my scanner) and publically display them here.
Mind you, I do kind-of regret not checking out the Fursuit Twister, just to see what kind of madness would spawn from it. If I could make a suggestion to the staff, maybe not have those two events clash next year?
After lunch it was the Music Jam, hosted by Damian. As I can't play a musical instrument I ended up either just clapping or using my notepad as an improvised drum (if I go next year maybe I'll bring a cowbell). There was some major musical talent in there, including one guy sat near me who was a real whizz with a violin. Just when I was getting into the swing of it though, the Voice-Acting workshop had to start in the same room. The room soon ended up being absolutely stacked to the brim. While I felt it was interesting and surprisingly in-depth with the technical aspects, I ended up leaving early as I felt I'd learned all I could at that point and the fact that there were so many people in such a tight space was making me feel uncomfortable. From what I hear, not everybody got a go at the mic in the end, so it sounds like it was kind-of a bust.
Ended up watching some of the guys play a game of Nordguard (there's another card game for the shopping list), then in the evening I ended up queuing early for the Dance Contest.
evilsquirrel came over to have a chat and ended up accidentally joining the queue with me in-suit! We and some others decided to hold our own Queue-con to fill the time, where I ended up almost killing myself laughing with some of the crazy stuff involved (including at one security member's new role as a bollard).
We eventually got in and sat through the show. The winners of both the Solo and Group categories were well-deserved, with some amazing routines, but I also really liked just how inventive some of the other routines were in telling a story and doing something a bit different from the norm. I still don't know how some of these suiters can move the way they do; I swear I literally saw fur flying off at at least one point!
Spent the time until the closing ceremony chilling out and drinking a pint of San Miguel quicker than I probably should have (I felt slightly light-headed and sleepy for about an hour afterwards). The closing ceremony was a rather sombre occasion, all things considered, as it turned out this was the last ConFuzzled that would be taking place at the Hinckley Island Hotel. The convention's simply got too big now and will be moving to the Birmingham Metropole next year. It's a damn shame as I felt ConFuzzled belonged at the Hinckley Island; the hotel itself had real charm and character and the staff were absolutely fantastic. It will be sorely missed and will be a very hard act to follow.
Afterwards most of the guys headed off to a private party (staff and relations only, I think) while I ended up outside once again, having a surprisingly good chat with Damian,
jumpy and 
seanc. I regret not checking out the 
savannah_revolution concert as from what I heard their music sounds along the lines of the stuff I regularly listen to, so I may have some catching-up to do online.
Day Five, of course, began with seeing a lot of hungover faces. I was leaving early and barely had time to watch the first round of a game of Power Grid - a game that really got me in the mood to play SimCity 2000, for some reason - before I had to be out the door. I wish I'd had more time to say goodbye to everyone I wanted to say goodbye to, but that's part and parcel of conventions sometimes.
So, in conclusion, this was my best ConFuzzled yet. I enjoyed myself immensely hanging out with so many wonderful people, and I will definitely be back next year. The Early Arrival date happens to coincide with my thir... my th... well, a landmark birthday, so I may as well do something extravagant, right?
So want to give a very special thank-you to all the staff at the Hinckley Island Hotel, all of the ConFuzzled staff and the army of volunteers, friends new and old, and everyone else who helped make ConFuzzled 2013 such a grand experience. It's times like this that really help keep me going, even if in only the silliest ways, and it's given me memories that will last forever.
Woke up on the Sunday to see some very tired and very hungover faces, some looking like they were going to die right before my eyes. I also noticed that the people I regularly hang out with really love their coffee; maybe I should change my name for them from the "Usual Suspects" to the "Coffee Klatch". Something else I also noticed was that the music in the bar was a lot more diverse this year, with a bit less of a chance of running into the same song twice in one day.
Sunday ended up being my busiest day events-wise, as in the morning I attended the Fursuit Life Drawing, which
emberkomodog was hosting and both flintgf and Damian Tanuki ( lizard-guy) were posing for. Now the most I usually draw these days are silly (and usually pretty snotty) cartoons with terrible anatomy when an event or thought occurs that I find amusing (even jym is a better artist than me! :P), but I gave it a go anyway. I think again it was Ember's enthusiasm for hosting the event that really helped carried it, as it was very infectious. Also, he tells me that he will no longer believe me whenever I say I can't draw - not that that's going to stop me trying to convince him! I'm debating whether to add some ink to my sketches (I'm not sure how well pencil will show on my scanner) and publically display them here.Mind you, I do kind-of regret not checking out the Fursuit Twister, just to see what kind of madness would spawn from it. If I could make a suggestion to the staff, maybe not have those two events clash next year?
After lunch it was the Music Jam, hosted by Damian. As I can't play a musical instrument I ended up either just clapping or using my notepad as an improvised drum (if I go next year maybe I'll bring a cowbell). There was some major musical talent in there, including one guy sat near me who was a real whizz with a violin. Just when I was getting into the swing of it though, the Voice-Acting workshop had to start in the same room. The room soon ended up being absolutely stacked to the brim. While I felt it was interesting and surprisingly in-depth with the technical aspects, I ended up leaving early as I felt I'd learned all I could at that point and the fact that there were so many people in such a tight space was making me feel uncomfortable. From what I hear, not everybody got a go at the mic in the end, so it sounds like it was kind-of a bust.
Ended up watching some of the guys play a game of Nordguard (there's another card game for the shopping list), then in the evening I ended up queuing early for the Dance Contest.
evilsquirrel came over to have a chat and ended up accidentally joining the queue with me in-suit! We and some others decided to hold our own Queue-con to fill the time, where I ended up almost killing myself laughing with some of the crazy stuff involved (including at one security member's new role as a bollard).We eventually got in and sat through the show. The winners of both the Solo and Group categories were well-deserved, with some amazing routines, but I also really liked just how inventive some of the other routines were in telling a story and doing something a bit different from the norm. I still don't know how some of these suiters can move the way they do; I swear I literally saw fur flying off at at least one point!
Spent the time until the closing ceremony chilling out and drinking a pint of San Miguel quicker than I probably should have (I felt slightly light-headed and sleepy for about an hour afterwards). The closing ceremony was a rather sombre occasion, all things considered, as it turned out this was the last ConFuzzled that would be taking place at the Hinckley Island Hotel. The convention's simply got too big now and will be moving to the Birmingham Metropole next year. It's a damn shame as I felt ConFuzzled belonged at the Hinckley Island; the hotel itself had real charm and character and the staff were absolutely fantastic. It will be sorely missed and will be a very hard act to follow.
Afterwards most of the guys headed off to a private party (staff and relations only, I think) while I ended up outside once again, having a surprisingly good chat with Damian,
jumpy and 
seanc. I regret not checking out the 
savannah_revolution concert as from what I heard their music sounds along the lines of the stuff I regularly listen to, so I may have some catching-up to do online.Day Five, of course, began with seeing a lot of hungover faces. I was leaving early and barely had time to watch the first round of a game of Power Grid - a game that really got me in the mood to play SimCity 2000, for some reason - before I had to be out the door. I wish I'd had more time to say goodbye to everyone I wanted to say goodbye to, but that's part and parcel of conventions sometimes.
So, in conclusion, this was my best ConFuzzled yet. I enjoyed myself immensely hanging out with so many wonderful people, and I will definitely be back next year. The Early Arrival date happens to coincide with my thir... my th... well, a landmark birthday, so I may as well do something extravagant, right?
So want to give a very special thank-you to all the staff at the Hinckley Island Hotel, all of the ConFuzzled staff and the army of volunteers, friends new and old, and everyone else who helped make ConFuzzled 2013 such a grand experience. It's times like this that really help keep me going, even if in only the silliest ways, and it's given me memories that will last forever.
ConFuzzled 2013: Day Three
General | Posted 12 years agoI woke up in the morning of the third day feeling as rough as bull's lugs (as we say around here); I attributed it to not getting enough fluids the previous day. Or maybe it was the fact that I hadn't had at least three cups of tea a day since coming to the con.
Once I was feeling sufficiently fit, I headed to the Dealer's Den and got myself a conbadge from the lovely loui of Pink from my Wall series (which makes him officially my character now, so hands off!). She actually said that he'd be perfect as a fursuit, which I quite agree with, and will definitely look into if the opportunity ever arises (I would certainly commission Loui herself if she took commissions, as I think she's an amazing suit builder). I may post the badge up here if you want a look and Loui's okay with it. I also decided long ago who would be getting commissioned for a Seagoon suit if I can ever get one...
Much of the morning was spent trying to look for a good photo spot for the fursuit parade. I eventually settled on taking a few at the end of the parade, even though there were so many suiters I would never have fit them all in (unless I'd been on the roof, but I highly doubt the staff would have agreed to hoist me up there!). Took a few from the aftermath though which turned out alright.
After a quick look around the art show, and watching what happened when
sera tested what happens when you put Mentos and Cola in your mouth, I headed up with lizard-guy to the Whose Lion Is It Anyway? event. It was pure madness, to say the least; it's been a long time since I've had to think on my feet like that, and as those at the event probably saw I was rather rusty at it. Had I been picked for some of the games they played I would have gone out the second it had been my turn.
Afterwards I caught the back-end of one of emberkomodog's rampages as Roswita and another round of 7 Wonders (in the middle of a flock of seagulls, judging from the noise that was coming from the Rotunda), I queued up for the Pawpets show, and the size of the queue was insane as I'd left it a bit late. The show didn't start until 40 minutes after it was due to start; from what I understand there was some kind of last-minute technical or staging problem that needed to be sorted. Needless to say, in the heat and surrounded by so many people as hot as I was, and combined with my tendency to rigidly stick to schedules, I found myself getting very tired and irritable. That was when I grew to appreciate the staff walking around all over the hotel with baskets of drinks available for purchase. This was a great idea and the staff were fantastic, making ConFuzzled that extra bit more awesome.
Anyway, sat through the Pawpet show eventually, which was good fun, but probably not as good as last year in all honesty (though to be fair in terms of the balance between humour, story and character development, last year's show was a very hard act to follow). I really liked the little animations at the interval; I need to find out where those came from. I also enjoyed the behind-the-scenes tour after the show, where fairlight very kindly let me goof around with the James Bassington-Windsor puppet for a little bit. However I also made a complete fool of myself by referring to the puppet as William; for some reason I'd got his first name mixed up with that of Bellicose!
Afterwards, there wasn't much else to do. Went to see the suiters having a bit of a late-night rave outdoors in the cool night air, before deciding to turn in early and catch up on the sleep I'd missed.
Once I was feeling sufficiently fit, I headed to the Dealer's Den and got myself a conbadge from the lovely
loui of Pink from my Wall series (which makes him officially my character now, so hands off!). She actually said that he'd be perfect as a fursuit, which I quite agree with, and will definitely look into if the opportunity ever arises (I would certainly commission Loui herself if she took commissions, as I think she's an amazing suit builder). I may post the badge up here if you want a look and Loui's okay with it. I also decided long ago who would be getting commissioned for a Seagoon suit if I can ever get one...Much of the morning was spent trying to look for a good photo spot for the fursuit parade. I eventually settled on taking a few at the end of the parade, even though there were so many suiters I would never have fit them all in (unless I'd been on the roof, but I highly doubt the staff would have agreed to hoist me up there!). Took a few from the aftermath though which turned out alright.
After a quick look around the art show, and watching what happened when
sera tested what happens when you put Mentos and Cola in your mouth, I headed up with lizard-guy to the Whose Lion Is It Anyway? event. It was pure madness, to say the least; it's been a long time since I've had to think on my feet like that, and as those at the event probably saw I was rather rusty at it. Had I been picked for some of the games they played I would have gone out the second it had been my turn.Afterwards I caught the back-end of one of
emberkomodog's rampages as Roswita and another round of 7 Wonders (in the middle of a flock of seagulls, judging from the noise that was coming from the Rotunda), I queued up for the Pawpets show, and the size of the queue was insane as I'd left it a bit late. The show didn't start until 40 minutes after it was due to start; from what I understand there was some kind of last-minute technical or staging problem that needed to be sorted. Needless to say, in the heat and surrounded by so many people as hot as I was, and combined with my tendency to rigidly stick to schedules, I found myself getting very tired and irritable. That was when I grew to appreciate the staff walking around all over the hotel with baskets of drinks available for purchase. This was a great idea and the staff were fantastic, making ConFuzzled that extra bit more awesome.Anyway, sat through the Pawpet show eventually, which was good fun, but probably not as good as last year in all honesty (though to be fair in terms of the balance between humour, story and character development, last year's show was a very hard act to follow). I really liked the little animations at the interval; I need to find out where those came from. I also enjoyed the behind-the-scenes tour after the show, where
fairlight very kindly let me goof around with the James Bassington-Windsor puppet for a little bit. However I also made a complete fool of myself by referring to the puppet as William; for some reason I'd got his first name mixed up with that of Bellicose!Afterwards, there wasn't much else to do. Went to see the suiters having a bit of a late-night rave outdoors in the cool night air, before deciding to turn in early and catch up on the sleep I'd missed.
