I haven't been online recently due to various reasons.

First, right before MFM, someone broke into the hubby and my home. Place was pretty wrecked and things were stolen, but not much as our dog managed to chase him off. That meant the dig went missing too though and so when filing the police report, we had to add 'dog missing'.
The police actually showed up at our place around 3 a.m. asking us to go with them because they found him.
Sioras was so relieved.
So, we decide that we will fix what we can, and after the chaos we definitely needed MFM. I'm glad we went to. It was a blast, even had a small room party (that reached max capacity and we had to start turning people away at the door).

So we come home, refreshed and ready to deal. Our friends who were pet sitting were able to keep things under control, though they called us a dozen times. Garmr has pack mentality and while he had been around them several times, he wasn't exactly comfortable with them yet.

Time passes, we get our life grooving, then Thursday night happened.
Our upstairs neighbors' pipes burst. We ended up having to call the property manager to get it fixed, but it was too late. We were fucked.
Of all the things lost I'm angriest about the mattress. My electronics (fried) and art stuff(water damage beyond repair) were 2nd and 3rd. I mean we had JUST gotten things setup. So now I'm wrapping my head on trying to afford a replacement, because the property manager lied about a portion if our rent going to an insurance policy that covered tenants as well. This woman currently has a warrant out for her arrest from the complex.

So, theres your update. We are currently packing and going through stuff at the same time. It is rough.

I'm really pissed because I had decided to do Inktober or something like it this year.

And that's about it.

I've been doing some sketching and find myself constantly u happy with the end results.

I was hoping to take a few preorders for MFM so I could do a little something then relax at con, but I just dont think I'm going to now.
Bei g out of the game as long as I have and hopping g back in, I'm seeing g how skilled all the artists are and I'm impressed, people are setting the bar for sure. I just do t think I can reach it, yet.

Speaking, who will I see at MFM?
AMD does anyone want to get together? I'm thinking of throwing a gathering Saturday night. Booze, snacks, I mean I have bartending skills i might as well use them, right?

So, first of all, thanks everyone for the suggestions, I'll still be taking ideas so you can keep putting them there.

Now, quick topic to cover, conventions.

My attendance dropped for obvious reasons (explained in a previous post).

With things finally getting back on track I thought I would share events I'm looking at going to so if any of t'all want to reconnect we can make plans.
So, heres the list:

Mephit furmeet: 1st weekend of September
I love this little con, and I really wanna go back.
I won't be able to stay more than Sat-sun due to work.
Currently trying to work the finances out so the hubby and I can go. May bring one of my brothers, Steele, with us since he needs a vacation too.
Just have to convince the both of them to do this.

Furry Retreat: 3rd weekend of October
Fucking love this thing. Its camping on 100+ acres of private land and even though the group isn't huge (40-60) they know how to have a good time.
I mean, fucking fireworks after opening ceremonies.
Plus I can spend the weekend fishing and interacting with ducks, sheep, horses and other things.

Wild Nights: Last weekend of April
I have to go to this event, I'm their event coordinator.
It's fun though, and the area is friggin beautiful. People rock and they also tend to do some crazy cool events. Just celebrated our 10 year anniversary, and from what I see, year 11 will be just as awesome.

So, that's the list, if you have a recommendation lemme know.
I'm hoping to start getting out more. I'm in the southeastern region and I hear theres some good events out there.

Hey guys and gals.
Just got done spending a lovely birthday with my delightful Wild dog.

I'm getting up for a busy work week (so short staffed it hurts).
So I'll be too focused to really put a lot of thought into what I wanna draw on my next set of days off.

This is where you come in.

Throw ideas at me, throw refs at me, share this and get your buddies to as well.

I'll look through the comments section and if I see something I like, idea, character, etc. I'll do it.
If I use your character you'll get a pm from me just double checking that im not doing a hard no on your list.

I may do digital, I might do traditional, or maybe full color, ink, paint, okee just a sketch. I dunno what style I'll use till I shoot down.

This is a chance for a win - win situation.

Just stone good news.
Finally able to bring home Garmr, Sioras's dog.
He's been staying at a friend's while we've been unpacking.
Finally feels like we have the whole family back together.

It's about 3 in the morning and I'm sitting here waiting for files to download so I can edit.

I have some time, so I thought I would try and figure out what I have to share with y`all, I'll try and keep it from being too boring, so I'll throw it into bullet points as best I can and hope it works.

Five years ago I met a guy. I'm going to call him Paul to keep it private.

Well, Paul and I hit it off really well at first. I admit I had a bit of a crush on him, and so when we finally started dating I was pretty blind to the early warning red signs.
Things were okay for about a year, and the business I had started was actually running pretty well. We even managed to work and finally got my first home. A rental, but it wasn't an apartment and I wasn't living with other people outside of him.
It was nice for awhile.... then, she came along.
She was involved in the kink scene and the party scene, so it felt like I couldn't get rid of her.
She was super into Paul and was willing to do anything to get him to leave me. We're talking psycho level things.
At first she was chill and Paul and I thought that it wasn't anything serious, that once she saw we were committed that she would go away. It began to escalate though, very quickly. She would show up when it was his day off and I was trying to get some work done, and I'm being handed shots. Then when I had to lay down, or shut the door so I could work, she would hang all over him and want to do a scene. Once it got started she would push him to take it further than he wanted and when I walked in she'd immediately back off, giggle, and blame it on the booze.
At one point she pretty much drugged me and tried to convince Paul to leave me and run off to California together.
He always said no though, so she decided to start picking at me, mentally screwing with me. She'd go out with him to parties while I was working, and send back pictures that were very questionable.
It would cause a lot of distress and lots of weird semi-arguments.
Most of it, he didn't believe me that she was doing anything wrong, that she was being playful.
EVERYONE IN OUR SOCIAL CIRCLE SAW IT!
The last straw?
When she decided turning him into a tweeker would make him leave. Well, it made someone leave. And I tried, fuck did I try and make it work. But there's only so much an anteater can handle.

At that point though, I was a wreck. So I packed my bags, my cat, and what I had and moved to wherever the wind blew me.

Fucking Oklahoma.

It wasn't bad though. For a year I had a chance to live out there and focus on me, try and get my shit together and work for people who were really kind. But by that point my ability to run a business was gone, I just couldn't do it alone. I made some friends out there, and deepened some bonds.

I also managed to piss a few folks off, but I just didn't care, I was still fighting to get my emotions in order.

So a year went by and the wind was shifting. I didn't know what was in store, but a friend and his husband had room for me and were quite insistent that I stayed with them. To the point they showed up and helped me move what meager things I had.

So next up, a little town in Alabama, half a mile from the Tennessee border.

I was in the middle of the god damned backwoods. An experience I hadn't had outside of visiting extended family (city kid, country to me was the parks and cul de sac playgrounds).

I fucking loved it.

I got to see horses, in my backyard. There was space, and quiet, and stars, oh my god stars. I would sit on the patio for hours, zoned out and watching the sky twinkle. It was so peaceful.
During the summer I had my first experience with fireflies. Not one or two, but hundreds, dozens floating around in the fields.

It wasn't perfect, and I jumped around from job to job, mostly working at an adult store, then at a waffle house, occasionally doing an odd job here and there.

I finally found steady employment for a local TV station under ABC. It was nothing great, but it was what I had started out in, and it felt like the job had been waiting for me. I had a chance to really reflect and think about where I was going in my life, which, b to the dubs, hadn't really been more than, draw, draw, chill with friends, draw, draw, wash, rinse, repeat.

So my life had started to stabilize, and with that, the inevitable loneliness hit me like a rock as I faced the past few years of relationship disasters and decided, I was done. I was not going to bother dating anymore.

This was not going to work for Vixie.

So, one night I'm talking to Vixie, who I had met through her mate Nateday, a chill guy, and chill girl. And I mentioned that I was done. Her response, "Fuck that shit, I know a guy who would be perfect for you."
I laughed and asked who?
come to find out it was some red headed African Wild Dog that went by the name Sioras Nightfire.

He had been through some past shit himself, and wasn't interested in dating anymore either. She said she was going to give him my number and we should start talking.

Next thing I know I'm dating again. It's different though.
The fires of passion had gone out for me, but, in exchange there was a deep ember burning within, something more serious, something calmer, and deeper.
As our relationship evolved, so did ourselves.
I felt happier, I was handling the days better, and I was looking forward to things again.
Next thing I knew a year had passed and we were discussing him moving in.
So that's what happened.

I got a better job working for, not even going to make you guess, Fox's local affiliate, and he moved out here. we found a place, and my mom absolutely adores him, calling him son and asking if she's going to get grandchildren, and that she doesn't care if they're 'homemade' or not, as long as she gets him.

So, that pretty much covers the big points.
Oh, we got engaged at a Slayer concert, that's pretty important I guess. We aren't sure when we'll get married, but it'll happen.

Now, THAT's all the big points.
There's a lot more that happened, and there's more I could go into detail about, but the way I see it, I'll save that for later posts or to talk about after the fact.

Anyway, I think the files have transferred so I'm going to get back to work. Hopefully I'll have some stuff to post.
Also, apologies for the poor shots of my artwork in the future, until I find a scanner I'll just have to photograph them and take the time to actually do it proper.

Laters.

Hey, question.
Im working on an audio project with friends and am wanting to share it on here. Would you guys be interested in listening? It's a comedy/sci-fi and somewhat raunchy with adult humor.
I edit, and do a small vocal part, but the show is hilarious imo.

Thanks.

Dont feel like going into detail.
Dont wanna bore anyone.
But the anteater, who has been painfully absent, even after getting the account back, has returned.

So, here's the deal, new job, new city, new partner.
Living the dream I guess?

Well, mostly, to be honest I had walked away from the fandom awhile because I had gotten caught up in an issue where my family needed me. Pops has been dealing with cancer and so doing the good kid thing and trying to help where I can while stuck a few hundred miles away.

Then there was the issue with losing everything and having to start over from scratch.

The mental health took a plummet and so I've been on the process of getting my life back togrther.

Things have settled down though, so my plans are this:
I'm going to start drawing again, trying to get back in the groove.
Then I'll start posting more of my fun and dandy core, size shifting, feet paws, etc.. stuff traditionally.
Then once I get together enough I'll be going to digital when I can get a set up done, and then I'll be doing streams twice a month.
Will I be offering commissions again?
I honestly dont know.
Will I take requests?
Probably once I feel like I'm good enough.
Anyway, for awhile you'll probably only get a few things here and there from me, but with my current work schedule (I've upgraded from working in radio to working in TV btw) itll be a bit before I can throw out the way j used to.

Ive missed you all, I've missed this community, and I cant say how much I look forward to being back.

One last thing:
I want to do a journal post that answers any questions anyone may have.
So, if you have questions, comments, want information on anything, just throw it here or pm me and I'll answer it.

Bwork!

Well, well.... well..

Here I am.

After a 3 year absence from the world wide web, and the people around me having thought that I had disappeared, maybe even fallen apart, I've returned.

And the only reason I'm able to be back? Is because of this reset.

Someone, I don't know who, had managed to get into my account and change my password a few years ago, and the e-mail that it was sent to when requesting a reset. As a result I was stuck in a situation where I had no access to this site. This is pretty much the only place I exist, and outside of a handful of people, I was without my fandom. I mean I had my Twitter, but I only have about....12 followers and I think 7 are bots, but they are nice bots.

Then Nateday mentioned that the site had a full site reset on it set up. When I heard why, and then heard about who owned it now (IMVU for real?) I mulled over the chance to use this to get back into my account, and thus being able to return to my former anteater greatness. I mean, it's been a long time, and I'm sure the furry world isn't what it once was. People change, I've changed, but I missed my friends, my freaky art, and I missed my community. I missed the comradery and the pot...yah...I really missed being open about the pot.... and I just really felt like there was a part of me that had gone dormant over the last 3 years.
Don't get me wrong, in the last 3 years I've had a lot happen. I've moved a couple times, worked in a raptor rehab, I got engaged and then broke it off, got a house, and then lost it, I met someone special, I actually have a "real job" as a marketing director, I've been to a few cons, and even helped found an event with a few friends. A lot has happened and there's really no way I can tell it all in one post, or even several.

What it all boils down to is this.
I'm home, so be ready for some mother fuckin` anteater style chaos.

Alright everyone I ave some amazing news!!
I am finally heading to a con after quite the absence. Now I am aware that the con will be happening from the 25th-29 and that means lots of fun adventures to be had.
I may even get to run a panel!

Anyway, I would like to offer my Countdown To Con presale!
20 Days to con.
20 slots open for badges.
10$ each.

These badges in particular are going to be given at the con and the buyer will receive upon arrival!

there are two options to handle payment
1. via paypal:
Address is Twilightgearz[at]yahoo.com

2. Payment upon arrival to con:
this can only be offered to those who are preregistered for the con.

3. For those not going and interested in recieving a badge, they are also welcome to order one as well.

The badges themselves will be varied in media and the design has several options.

If you are interested just post here or note. Otherwise, if you have the opportunity, I would love if this could be spread about.

Thank you!

Hello everyone!
As always there tends to be a period in which I have disappeared from the world. It stinks because I really do miss everyone, and things are so... different now that life has changed for me.
I'll give some highlights and hopefully this will catch you up.

*Was working for Fox, but quit the job there and started doing straight up art for a living now. I don't have a lot of commissions in the fandom world right now, but I do have lots of work in the commercial world, so I am happy to say that I can do art full time now.

* I've recently found a lot of my friends are like velocirapters or dragons, or scalies in general in Louisiana. I'm starting to wonder if part of that is because of the states weather.

*I've started seeing someone. He's not in the fandom but he is definitely open minded and actually wants his own suit (a bunny too)

*I'm moving in May, though I don't know where to, I'm open to suggestions of places to check out.

*I have intentions of going to Wild Knights this year.

*My scanner finally works!

*I love and miss my friends, my phone has been replaced, once again. I still have the same number, so if you have tried to contact me and haven't managed to, now you can.

*You guys remember my lovely long hair? that I then turned to dreadlocks? Gone. I have short, red hair now. and I mean Short. It's pretty wild.

That's really it, other than we have a new cat, named Dickly.

Is scanning artwork in.
I think I will schedule a day for that. Should make it easier.

It's been a very tense week for me.
I don't know what happend at work, but the boss nearly hit my head with a monitor today. He was not in the best of moods.
I wasn't either though.
We have had a very stressful last couple of weeks here at the station because of all the changes in schedules. Still trying to hire new sales people, still trying to reroute thee traffic, still trying to get used to so much.
What's worse is being so alone in this city.
I found out my one friend, Chelly, getting transferred to another station over in Texas somewhere.
I'm not trying to pout, but seriously. I only have her. She sends me texts and that's it. When my last relationship ended I thought that I would still get to keep the friends we shared, but I was mistaken. I ended up pretty much alone with the exception of coworkers I see at work, and chelly, and my cats. I need to get a social life eventually.
Gah, I didn't come on here to bitch, sorry guys, but it's nice to let it out. I do feel a ibit better.

Hi there! I am interested in doing some character sketches of anteaters! My interest is in fellows who have Anteaters as their main 'sona like myself. Though I know there are plenty of those out there who happen to have a side character or two who have an anteater character.
Well, recently I've begun to whet my whistle in art again and need to be able to get the warm ups going. For everyone I have a particularly dandy little opportunity
Here :http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3802560/

But to my fellow anteaters, I would request that, if you are interested in receiving a free piece of art, leave a reference or two, as well as maybe an idea for what you would like, maybe what you're character specializes in (vore, dj-ing, sleeping, steampunk, etc.) and I will begin going through the list.
I am going to call this
"The great Anteater Project". My goal is to offer a little something to all my fellow anteaters. We have a very special niche in the world and it seems that, though we are few and far between, we most definitely deserve some love, and so I want to show my love and respect for my fellow anteaters in the form of art!
Also, if you have it, make sure to share you  anteaterpride

I am writing a short journal post.
I am alive. I have been busy at work because we've been running a skeleton crew. I've also started seeing someone new and it may become a common thing, which would be nice.
The art still happens, though nothing to put up here. I'm going to have to start dedicating some time to artwork for here.
I'm going to do a series of drawings that you can get in on. I am going to fill these numbers and draw a picture for each person of their fursonna. May just be a doodle, may be something kind of crazy. May be based on what the number is. Here's the deal, you only get to pick one number, even if you qualify for two or three. So if you did happen to me at a con and we drove together, you can only pick one. Also, you have to back up your number.
Example: 2. Met at Furrycon 2008 in Awesomeville, we did that awesome thing with those people and that purse ate her cell phone!

1. Me
2. Three friends I've met at cons
3. Three friends I've known on here here since around the time I've joined.
4. Three people who have watched because of vore,
5. Two people I've ridden in the car with.
6. Two artist's I've sat next to at cons.
7. Two friends I've done insane and crazy things with (I will be judging for insane and crazy on this one, and I know my friends and I have done some crazy things, so lets see what you guys can recall)!
8. Two Furries who linked this to their journal(I'll be checking this one ;3 ).
9.Two Furries who are in this through a link on a friend's journal, otherwise they would not know about this!
10. A couple (rule is that both must enter and both must as for 10)
11. Two furries that are musicians
12. Two non furry furries.
13. Five furries that have managed to learn the language of the anteater over the years.

Once there's a minimum for each spot filled, I'm going to go ahead and start sketching the first image. Because it will just be a drawing of me, I will still allow time for you to submit if you want to have a shot at it. But once I finish and post number 1 on the list, the ability to enter is closed.
So, tell your friends and spread the word please, otherwie i have to go to bed for work in the morning, gotta be up at four in the morning.

I'm thinking of going to a couple of cons this year.
My big one will be November at MFF in Chicago.
If I go I want to know if there are any people who are interested in taking on a roommate like myself.
I can pay in advance and handle my share of the room.

I also have intentions of making an attempt at RCFM this year, and I know for a fact that I'll be looking for roommates or someone to room with on that part. If there are other cons anyone would be interested in or have a suggestion for me, just throw it into the comments box below. I'll take them into consideration and have a definite answer for everything in my next post!
thank you all!

Well, I know it's not really going to do much, but I just am kinda sad.
I am now back in the world of singles.
I'm not sure what to feel.

So, my mom called me this nor.ING asking why I was not on the road yes.
I told her it was not until Saturday and she says "the site says it is 3 days. You're room is for Friday and.Saruday."
I jerked.up "what are you talking about?"
"i had enought extra honors.points to let you room at your fuzzy thing"
I laughed "its not a freak thing anymore?"
She shushed me and we talked, I thanked her and I'm on the road with mah zig zag, I'm still a bit shocked.
See you guys there, my eta is 1

So, I worked and earned a chunk a change.
I got all ready to go to Tff.
Then I got called for a job interview. I was ecstatic because I have been looking for work since I graduated from college. This threw everything out of the loop and so I had to tell my roomies and riders to go without me. This is because I had no idea when it would be or if I would be able to afford the trip, so I said to go without.me.
I ended up having my interview and being told the second interview will be some time after the first week in March. I got things cleared out and was able to heave a sigh of relief.
So, I won't be able to go to the con and stay, but the pet and I will be making sure to come up Saturday for the con and stay as long as we have the chance to. I really want to see my friends :)

So, I just spent a week in the hospital and was sad because I saw the size if the bill. I was about to post an "i can't go to ff" post when my mom looked at me and said, "spend Saturday and Sunday working for me, and you can go to your freak thing."
I am in shock. One that my mom was willing to help me and two that she was willing to even after she knew what I was doing. I'm proud if her :D

Well, anyway, I won't be able to have an artist table but I will be bringing some art supplies. Also I am making an offer. I'm offering $10 badges that will be completed by furry fiesta and can be paid for at the con. If you can't go that's fine, maybe someone you know is going and would like to surprise them with something special.

Now my request, my pet and I are thinking of coming in on Thursday night since we will have to leave Sunday, only concern is no place to sleep for that night. So if anyone is interested in having extra friends around we don't take up much space.

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/...../#cid:24228504
This fella here wants to catch em all!
And then name them after the folks on FA!
OR something like that!
So check him out!
Yah!
Exclamation points!

also, I found Sheila, my old scanner/fax/printer combo.
so i'll be doing an art dump type thing soonish.
hopefully yall will be prepared!!

There's something interesting going on in my mind.
I have been making puppets, and would be interested in making a puppet of someones fursonna. It would have a similar theme to the other puppets I've been working on (http://themonstermaker.livejournal.com/) , but would be of a person's fursona.
if I were to offer this and be able to have it completed within three months of the draw date, would this be something you would be able to by a slot for?
If I were to charge $2 a slot and offer 100 slots, would anyone be willing to take up this offer? The money would help to pay for materials of the project and also pay for shipping. Then there would be enough profit left over for getting more materials to work.
I would give people either until the end of February to buy a slot or until the slots fill up.
If this is something folks would be interested in, let me know.
If i decide this I'll set up a journal with the information and more details!

http://www.livestream.com/cgraleyart

click and maybe you can get some doodles.
anywho see ya there.

So, things around here have been the norm.
I graduated, moved to a new place and am starting my life again.
I have my mate by my side and we are both looking for work, though I have actually begun the process of starting my own business. This excites me because I'm really, really a business mentality type person. So what that means is a year from now I'll be running around like a chicken with my head cut off from work instead of school. HAHAHAHA!

So, my mom and I are getting back into touch with each other, and we went and auditioned for a couple plays just to do something, funny thing is we may get parts, which we weren't really expecting.

I'm also realizing that I am getting older. I look around at teenagers and I just shake my head because I don't understand where they come from, I don't understand what they are thinking when they wear certain outfits (and I'm all for individual expression too) that make them look really, really bad. I mean, if you're going to be rebellious, at least look good while you're doing it!

New Years was pretty dull for me, I ended up just traveling with farllee and seeing a few of our friends. She and I both agree, we needed to break ties with some people if we were going to make it anywhere in life. It bothers me to have this attitude but the fact is that I have a business to run, she has to find work, and we have a lot to do. we don't have time to deal with drama that isn't our own right now, though we do care deeply for our friends and family. We don't have time to party hard like back in college. which is funny because, for us, party hard involved going to a friends house, two or three smirnoffs, and a few rounds of Fluxx, UNO, or monopoly with a movie in the background. If there was heavy drinking or smoking involved, it's been long gone.

So, for those of you who aren't aware, the person behind the anteater, me, is actually a lovely lady. I've decided that one of my new year's resolutions is to not exactly lose a bunch of weight, but to get healthy. I've been so stressed with school and graduation these last few months that I just let my health go. I ate once or twice a day and because I was on the dirt poor diet it consisted of raman, rice, or popcorn. and when I did get food it just made me sick. so now Farllee and I are on our way to getting into better shape and healthier. It's been a tough road that neither of us feel like reliving if we can help it.

I've been doing some art here and there, I still need to put it up, but a lot of my work is sitting in storage since I've moved now since I don't have the space for it. I still want to to art I still want to go to cons, and I still want to do art for others, but I just haven't really been able to.

I do have some good news.
I am going to furry Fiesta this year. I'm rooming with my dear, somewhat gassy friend Jager. You will see us running around in Civil war era garment (screw con theme I don't even know what it is yet!) having a good time! I hope to see you there.

There's also a chance of art on your part.
I WILL NOT BE SELLING BADGES AT FURRY FIESTA, HOWEVER IF YOU WANT ARTWORK FROM ME I WILL DO IT BEFOREHAND!
I am going to be offering badges 10$ per badge and will have it ready at the con to give to you.
Just p.m. me for more information if you are interested.

Otherwise I'm going to head out, I'll see you all soon.
Much love!

Anteater!

So, I have a stockpile of about. .. 145 images I need to scan and put on here (i've been busy). I was holding out on getting a scanner for christmas, that didn't happen. So I'm going to have to go out in search for one.
Until then however, I have these pieces of art that I"d like to go ahead and start putting up. I know that for larger pieces and sculpture work it's alright to take a photograph, but what about other works? Should I set them up to be photographed as well?
What are your suggestions and how do you go about handling these types of issues?

Thank you everyone for your time!