I just came back from El Salvador to lay the mortal remains of my mother to rest. She was a saint in life and did so much good for so many people. Her mission in life has been accomplished. With gentleness and kindness she touched so many others in positive ways. I will miss her terribly, but she's at peace and wherever her travels might take her, she will be appreciated and loved.

Her memory lives in me and in the hearts of my family. She was/is an exceptional woman I am so lucky to have had her be a part of my life. I love and forever will love her.

You can rest now. Earthbound angel, you have broken through the shackles of mortality and returned to your state of grace.

To all whose beautiful sentiments and wishes you so kindly offered, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Recent events have come to light that force me to make this clarification regarding Duke The Dancing Dog as performed by Oz Kangaroo. I wish to make some things clear so moving forward we can move past this and put things behind us. It’s hard to believe that the start of this saga goes back 15 years and it keeps getting brought up.

In the past, I have had dealings with Oz that left a bad taste in my mouth. I feel that his work ethic leaves a lot to be desired, failed to deliver on promises and offended several friends, but this discourse is about the Duke fursuit and not Oz. If only one thing is taken from here is this:

You have your OWN mind. use it! Take advice into consideration but form your own opinions. Remember that no matter how thin the coin is, it always has two sides. Here’s mine:

In 2001 I started working on a project. I didn’t have anything specific in mind, but as the suit started taking shape, I decided that it would be a German Shepherd. By FC2002, I had created the first Duke fursuit. It debuted at the Masquerade that year. For the next couple of years, Duke made several appearances, I got some artwork and badges but eventuallyI Duke became mostly relegated to storage.

During the next couple of years, Oz contacted me on occasion asking about the character, offering to buy him off me. As I am very critical of my work, I declined – stating that the character was retired and I didn’t want to see it in circulation any longer. I stated this in no uncertain terms and more than once.

Some time after that, I made a deal with a party in Florida to trade some of my older creations – I would send Duke the GSD and Domino A. Dobe to said party in return for a new fursuit.
There was one stipulation: These suits would be stuffed with polyfill and rendered unusable as walking characters. They would end their life as life-sized stuffed animals. With that understanding, I sent out these two suits to Florida and in return some time later I got my end of the deal: a brand new fursuit.

Fast forward about a year, I find out that the suits I traded away had not only been made wearable again, they were making appearances at various cons. I was livid. The terms of the verbal agreement I had with the Florida party had been broken and the suits were making the rounds in the furry circuit. Later still, I found out that the person I’d made the trade with had made a deal with Oz to obtain the suit. Oz started appearing at cons, dancing in costume when most people were simply walking around, waving.

The rest of the story as they say is history.

Fast forward to today.

Did I feel angry when I saw Duke brought out retirement? Yes I did. That was over 10 years ago and I no longer feel anything about Duke one way or another. I don’t have a claim on the suit nor did I transact anything directly with Oz. The details of the trade between the party in Florida and Oz are unknown to me. But what I can attest to is that I got my end of the trade which was a new fursuit. That concludes my ownership over Duke even if my wishes for the suit were not respected.
At one point early on, Oz appropriated artwork that I had commissioned of Duke. I called him on it and in all fairness to him he backed off and stopped using the artwork.
Is the character stolen? My end of the bargain was fulfilled with the Florida party. I had not dealings with Oz directly but one thing is for sure: I have no further claim on the character of Duke.

Since the time when he came out of retirement, Oz has put a lot of effort and sweat equity into the suit. He has replaced various parts of the suit until nothing of the original remains. There have been several remakes of the character further cementing his claim to the character. There is no question that he’s taken Duke in a different and vastly more popular direction than I would have. The aspect of Duke as a Dancing Dog is wholly Oz’s creation and it should be recognized on its own merit.

If you have any grievances against Oz, please take them up with him without bringing Duke or myself into the picture.

I still think that FA is my favorite place to hang out, but let's face it: it's good to have a backup.

You can also find me at: Weasyl and FurryNetwork under the name "Brokken".

Wow, David Bowie, Glen Frey and now Prince? This is the year the music died! :(

I don't mean to have such a downbeat to my journals, but all of them were great musical icons and will be greatly missed! :(

"I Wish you Heaven" - Prince

http://videos.sapo.pt/JieVkPNfvYfj1Fa6JeLW

Bad year for musicians! It appears that Glenn Frey of the Eagles has also passed away. In addition to being a founding member of The Eagles, Glenn also had some solo success with songs like "Smuggler's Blues" and "The Heat is On" from the Beverly Hills Cop movie.

Rest In Peace at only 67!

I just heard this morning about David Bowie's passing. He was only 69, but apparently had been battling liver cancer for about 18 months. He was such a trendsetter musically and also in fashion. I'll miss him.

Ashes to Ashes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0

Happy Candy-Day Everyone. Stay safe! :)

Hi folks,

Some time ago i got this sketch from  C-Trigger

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/13958344/

I really liked it, but he doesn't have much time to color it. I asked if it was okay to have it colored by someone else and he agreed. Are any of you artists types willing to do this? Samples of your work would be appreciated and compensation will of course be provided.

After FC, we came to find that our German Shepherd "Q-Tip" has possibly torn not just one but both of her cruciform ligaments. Add that on top of her already bad hips and her lupus we are now looking at tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills (and the first digit doesn't begin with "1" either). We are at the end of our rope here. We've already spent about 20K worth of medical bills and treatments. She's part of the family. Even if we have to go into massive debt our household has collectively decided that she is worth it. Somehow we will manage but god, please send us some good news regarding Q-Tip for a change!

If you know of any way that we can supplement the collection of these funds, or better yet, know of a good orthopedic surgeon that would be willing to hear our pleas, I'm all ears ... and nearly empty pockets.

*sigh*

During the Halloween season, I like to curl up to a viewing of "Drag Me To Hell" Sam Raimi brings back some of that Evil Dead magic. From the beginning this movie lets you know that it's not going to spare you because you're a girl or even a child. It's got moments of slapstick but it also has moments of deadly seriousness like when the Lamia pays Christine a visit in broad daylight and smacks her all around the room (literally!). It doesn't matter if you're a good person and you do honorable deeds. Evil will come for you at the appointed time and claim its due.

Plus it has a talking goat.

What's YOUR favorite scary movie? Discuss.

This afternoon Richard Kiel - the actor best known for his role of "Jaws" on the Bond movies "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker" passed away in a hospital in Fresno, CA.
At 7"2', he had a commanding presence but time spares no one and by the time I got to meet him in person a few years back, he definitely looked worn and tired. He sat quietly at the table, signing photos of himself, hunched forward as if tired from carrying some great weight - which undoubtedly he did -struggling close to the paper in an effort to see what he was doing. Certainly this could not be the indestructible man from the James Bond screen, but there was no doubt about it: It was both awe inspiring and sad to see him in that state. It certainly makes one think about one's own mortality.
Of all the Bond movie henchman, he was the only one to appear in two movies which goes to show that people loved him. (Or loved to hate him) All in all, I am glad to have met the man and in my thoughts thank him for firing up my imagination to distant and exotic places, make the implausible real and the world a little more interesting.

Tonight, I will have a vodka martini. Shaken, of course not stirred. Tonight we remember you, Richard Kiel. This one's got your name all over it.

In memoriam,

Richard Kiel
1939-2014
Rest in Peace

I decided to move all RL pics - whether fursuit, animal, landscape to my Scraps folder, leaving only artwork in the main body of the page. I figured that all actual photography shots have aged enough to safely move to Scraps. They can still be found via searches and by going directly to the Scraps folder. People who have linked or faved those pics should be (???) unaffected.

When I decided to have a septoplasty and turbinate reduction operation to correct my deviated septum and by so doing allow me to breathe better, I did not think post op would be this bad. What's really killing me is that I can;t breathe through my nose at all right now.

http://www.furbuy.com/auctions/1055607.html

Not only is it outstandingly beautiful but she's willing to throw in some extra fur to help make it into a full suit. As some of you may recall, she made Dante the Lion for me and the craft and attention that she puts into every fursuit is phenomenal!

At the price it's going for it's a steal and and a half. A bargain at twice or even three times the price.

I love this modern take on all those Robert Palmer videos with just a touch of Blur's Boys and Girls:

Ingrid Michaelson's Girls Chase Boys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GB.....p;noredirect=1

... that people have expressed over the loss of Lady. In my mind, I keep replaying all the things she did. All the memories; even the bad things turn to sweetness and playful mischievousness. I think back and she can do no wrong. When she went, it wasn't at some clinical table at the veterinary. She was surrounded by loved ones in the backyard. Our dear family friend and pet sitter Carolyn, my roommates FJ and Arokh and my beloved Jonnywoof. She loved laying on the grass and rolling on it. We set up her bedding on the deck, cushions, blankets - which we called 'her shepherd nest' and she laid there soaking up the sun and enjoying the unusually warm winter day in comfort, taking in the fresh air. Nibbling on small bits of food covered in peanut butter. She always loved peanut butter. I'd like to think that her passing was peaceful and free from stress.

I didn't realize how much of our lives revolved around her. It was right to do the deed when we did but God, I miss her so much already. It feels like she's with us still and in a way she is and will always be. She took a piece of my heart but that is insignificant compared to how much she gave me; all of us in this household in return. We owe her such a debt of gratitude for the life she shared. I am glad that so many people were touched in positive ways, and that I'll have memories to share with so many people. They in turn will take with them a little keepsake of a life so wonderful told not in words, but in good memories.

Though troubled and sad, I am at peace with her knowing that she left us at the right time, with dignity and love, unsoiled, pure and white as the fur she so beautifully sported.

We love you and miss you, Lady. Be at peace wherever your roads take you from here.

The Star Trek episode "Journey to Babel" tells us that as a child, Mr. Spock had a pet sehlat which his mother described as a teddy bear - to which Spock added that teddy bears on Vulcan are alive and have six inch fangs.
By strange coincidence, I found the Star Trek animated episode "Yesteryear" which features Spock as a 7-year old and shows his teddy bear pet Ichaya. I say 'coincidence' because in fact, the episode is very similar to circumstances that I am going through right now with my own pet Lady. Definitely an episode that tugged at my heartstrings right now.

Kind of like a mix between a bear, wolf, lion and a sabertooth cat. Someone should make it as a fursuit. Check it out:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/12470307/

This is gotta be one of the most awesome illusions I've seen and it looks to be fairly simple to create. I'd love to see one of the artist in my watch list try this. The solution to the mystery can be seen at the end of the video:

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugge.....212150695.html

Hey folks,

Get your FC badge in time for the con. The theme this year is "Furry Vs. The World" so get your Scott Pilgrim themed badge at:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/12285397/

You'll also be helping out a pretty cool guy  AmonOmega put foodage on the table and presents under the tree!

Get yours NAO!

...and wanna do dinner?

Hiya folks,

If you're looking for a commission artist, please take the time to look at:
 AmonOmega

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5202375/

Not just a good artist, but a nice person to boot who could use your help right now.

Hi folks,

We are still looking for 8-bit gaming and Scott Pilgrim inspired artwork for the upcoming FC2014 Conbook. If you'd like to contribute, send your submissions to conbook[at]furtherconfusion.org

Guidelines can be found here: http://www.furtherconfusion.org/201.....s_conbook.html