2nd journal this year, I'm on a roll! I just cleared out nearly 4 months worth of backlogged art, that's probably the worst pileup I've faced here. My last post was in mid June, and I do have other things I could add here but will see. My furry involvement has dropped dramatically over the past two years, between house updates and the decline of Western civilization there hasn't been a great yearning for ogling or participating. 2024 plans seem to veer towards dropping a number of bad habits accrued, mainly social media and spiritual lethargy. The world still has a lot to offer, and rediscovering those things feel more urgent than ever. 13 years in this fandom was neat but not what I'd call a long term plan. You'll still see me around, I still enjoy masks and monsters, in fact a certain creature may appear here tomorrow in time for Christmas! Doesn't that make you feel elated/cringe? Both even? YESSSSSSSS

Because I just don't journal enough!

Been working on renovating/improving on a house bought middle of last year. Once I have more things organized inside and a workroom established I will return to mask repairs, repaints, new constructions, etc. In the past few years I've purchased a fair share of silicone masks from various companies, some pics have found their way here! I still do the costuming and masking, that is the one constant over the years. Oh yeah, it's the year of the Rabbit too! Not that a cat should dress up like one of those pesky creatures (hiss hiss) but I tend to dress up as everything else under the sun so why not?

Should I write another paragraph about 2022 as I didn't post a single journal last year? Nah!

Ha! Just making a new journal for kicks. Though I've been on a maskmaking hiatus for a year I have been busy doing other projects and keeping busy with work. I am slowly gaining renewed interest in doing more prosthetic makeups, I haven't actually done that since 2014! Masks are great but there are some characters who need far greater expression than even a silicone mask can provide. I'll see how much/little progress I make over the winter with this. That's it!

https://www.instagram.com/samuel_canini/

Just started that a few weeks ago to see if I like it. Twitter has been fun but isn't always ideal for image posts. Tumblr isn't viable. Fetlife is niche. I intend to upload a few more new things then go back and post older work and see how it takes on that massive site. Let's see what happens!

https://www.instagram.com/samuel_canini/

Good! Best I make as many rodent masks as humanely possible! When I'm not diverted by clowns, aliens, demons, creeps...

Things are doing pretty well right now and after a lapse in creativity I have regained my crafting juices. See, I would rather be making stuff during dark times than letting the darkness take over my entire perception of reality. I can make my own damn reality within this one!

Twitter seems to be doing pretty well for me right now, and I may go on Instagram this year given just how many pics I post. Certain websites have lost their allure (weasyl) and may get dropped, not that I spend/waste much time there in any case. There is absolutely no need for me to host accounts everywhere when only a few will do. I say this as someone who doesn't make their living as an artist, and given my work people tend to find me whether I wanted that or not. Hi people!

Phew! First journal in 2 years here, it was about time!

Go forth and spread out, ratties! Propagate weirdness and strangeness! It is time!!!

*cheep cheep cheep eep eep eep peep peep blip*

https://twitter.com/DuskySamCat

After 5 years I made an account on that blasted site. Not sure where that will go, I'm only starting to explore it. Ideally it will be for way more than furry and fetish fuel! Really.

Here's to 2018! And no nukes!

Thank you, I appreciate it. Now to keep supplying more weirdness!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9hIWsSNgkU

Two weeks ago, a fake Facebook account went viral for the sole reason that they had reposted my old Goofy cosplay photos I published back in 2012-2013. They had been doing this since last October, but I only got wind of it when a zillion videos 'investigating' the fake account linked the photos to my FA and tumblr accounts. I also received a goodly number of messages on my real life FB, some good, mostly neutral, some... not so nice.

Then this week the vblog DrossRotznak posted a followup to a 2016 video where I had been listed as a strange internet personality given my Goofy inclinations (I won't challenge that description). From what I could translate in this new video (my Spanish is somewhat rusty after years of neglect), he essentially said I was still a weird bastard but that I was also a creatively inclined weird bastard who mixes masks and sex to uniquely peculiar effect. He listed my tumblr and FA accounts in the video description, and I have been flooded with views and follows ever since.

I find this entire situation to be surreal and strange, and for the record I had nothing to do with the fake FB account. Just some fame-seeker having a gas at my expense. Still, I do appreciate the new followers on all my sites, and I hope I do not disappoint in creating new and weird(er) content for all to see. And I extend my appreciation to Dross, I've read up on him and he's had a very interesting and fruitful career as a journalist, writer and vblogger. I'll have to see more of his videos, and get fluent in Spanish again.

https://www.youtube.com/user/DrossRotzank

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dross_Rotzank

This is going to be a very peculiar year, I won't lie. The world is a comic book, let's see where the pages turn.

https://telegram.me/DuskySam

So yes, I am finally locked into the year 2016. Find me out! Shoot torpedos my way! Make me submit to your mask and costume groups!!!

Because I will do so. Gladly.

https://telegram.me/DuskySam

Seeing as I have made no effort to secure a room for myself at MFF this year, I will put out feelers now for anyone who would desire a quiet cat who doesn't party or drink (much), keeps clean and holds reasonable hours for a roommate. I won't sweat it either way, this is more an exploratory search before I resign myself to the hard work of finding a room on my own. Oh, the struggle...

Las 7 personas mas extranas de Internet (Dross Ratzank)

Seems I am number 6 on a popular youtuber's 7 strangest Internet people video. I was wondering why I got so many new tumblr followers the past two days! Wonders never cease.

My Spanish is rusty, but based on the footage I seem to have been chosen for my Goof cosplays from a few years back. (He needs to make a reappearance some day.) The tone didn't feel disrespectful, more just 'you can't make this stuff up'. My reaction was mostly gross laughter, like donkey braying and ample snorting.

Here's the link for the heck of it.

https://youtu.be/Fyv2GOMHPLg

That's it. About time, I have a wild mix of things and thought it would be cool to make it easier to find things. I think I tagged most every photo, and the few that I missed are somewhere in the main gallery anyway!

First journal of 2016! Now go home, I have to get back to studying!

https://www.weasyl.com/submission/1.....-feat-duskysam

So yeah, that's me singing. Or should I say rasping, spewing and croaking out the lyrics for  vibgyor's song Holocaust (Going Postal remix). He isn't active here on FA, so go check out his weasyl account!

https://www.weasyl.com/~vibgyorc6

And mine while you are at it!

https://www.weasyl.com/~duskysam

Ok, back to work!

https://www.reddit.com/r/CringeAnar.....c5m/gooby_pls/

This was posted nearly a month ago, but I was wondering why I have been getting:
A) new watchers on Tumblr
B) new watchers here on FA
C) lots of new views on a retarded Goofy video I posted on xtube (which for the record wasn't even a porno)

I do not have a reddit account, and though I go online more than I would like I don't have a whole lot in the way of social media platforms to forewarn me of trending patterns that my weird/creepy/ridiculous/sometimes-not-bad photos and videos take outside of the sites where I post (tumblr, fetlife, FA, weasyl, xtube etc.). In other words, I am slow on the draw when it comes to figuring out the origin for sudden spikes in activity. However...

This is the second time I have been 'showcased' (ahem) on reddit this year, which seems like an amusing enough site. The first was for my Red Velvet video, which was an earnest stab at bizarro performance art. The comments on that thread had me howling! This time around focuses on my Goof/Goofy style makeups, and though I should apologize for giving so many folks nightmares, the posted comments were overall far less witty this time around so I will have to refrain. You can do better roasting than that!

I like Goofy as a character. He's pretty damn cool, and certainly my favorite of the Disney brigade. In creating my own Goof style characters, it was as an homage to Goofy as well as a sharp deviation from his rather wholesome image. No disrespect to him, but I have a twisted sense of humor and at times a darker perspective on things, so my take reflects that.

My first makeup attempt using small toon noses wasn't godawful (or was it), but there was lots of room for improvement and I knew it; believe me, I am my own worst critic. The more recent Larry LeGeuff makeups using larger prosthetic noses I had personally designed turned out rather well, and though more finessing is in order I like them quite a bit. Larry may have been cut out of Goof cloth, but he is certainly his own character now, and that is all I can ask of any of my creations.

Quick notes on the impressive reddit photo collage that is the subject of the comment stream: the Max and Roxanne cosplays are by another group of fans, Stanley Kubrick dreamed up the dogsuit for the Shining, and Gooby the shaggy Irish bug eyed monster is from a kid's film from a few years back. The rest of the screengrabs are from my assorted vids and photos, like them or not.

I have to thank reddit for the following links. The first one is live action Sonic eating messy hotdogs, pretty amusing. The second one though... Jesus Christ! I was dying! It was a supremely trolly performance art, and goddamn if that isn't a high benchmark to aspire to! Don't get me started...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mgYiGUr3WJk
Eat the hell

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=66GoZ.....ature=youtu.be
A Furry re-birthing

Thanks, reddit! And thanks furries, for not crucifying me... Yet! I must now return to my creepy castle on the hilltop, and be on the lookout for pitchforks and torches in the distance. Dun dun dun!

https://www.youtube.com/user/murrfeeling/videos

Seeing as I haven’t posted videos online in over two years, I thought I would bring this youtube channel to your attention.

I have performed in and often photographed many of a series of videos for D, the host and owner of murrfeeling. His primary likes are suit encasement and entrapment, whether they be spandex zentai, fursuits or customized cuddle suits. Many of those I was involved in were silly fun, with my characters Lon the Lion and Mattie the Rattie making appearances. Others were more intimate and erotic cuddlings, though never tasteless or graphic.

I most recently played Mr. Pearl, a mysterious mime-like creature, in his three part series called Deep Underneath the Spandex Stripes, a sequel to Underneath the Spandex Stripes. It was a rather ambitious show in that he tasked me to encase him in a sizeable number of spandex suits, subsequently peeling off each layer. He had never attempted so many at once, and I was happy to assist. They are age-restricted, so you will have to log on to see them.

He has also compiled a very impressive list of videos featuring fursuits, mascots, and specialty costumes displayed from TV shows, commercials and live events. I have spent several hours checking out his cool new finds, and I figure there will be some here who would be interested in them.

Watch, subscribe, enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/user/murrfeeling/videos

yaaaaaaay *breaks out cheap champagne*

http://www.reddit.com/r/cringe/comm.....n_proceeds_to/

I was wondering why an old video of mine was suddenly racking up crazy views! I thought it was lulznet again, but I seem to have been discovered by an even bigger fish in the internet pond.

The comments had me howling! Literally I was in stitches. For the record, the video was a ridiculous foray into performance art which, at the time, made a lot of sense to make. It was rather difficult to keep from giggling while laying the histrionics on so thick.

My original intention was to be heavily costumed and masked as a Creep character, but at the last minute decided to go au natural and play a Cool Suave Guy. Halfway through shooting I realized I wasn't very turned on by pastry. That is when I decided to switch it up radically and make this a commentary about male impotency and thwarted love. I think a lot of guys do lose their shit when confronted with indifference towards their (unwanted) advances, and they react violently and foolishly rather than step back and consider they are in the wrong. Their egos are too large to quell, and they blame the other party for their own faults.

Cool Suave Guy, having now demolished the offending cake, tries to make 'amends' by transforming himself into a human cake hybrid, attempting to lose his ego in the process. But it is already too little too late. And he looks like a jackass. And it takes me forever to clean up the mess. And I still chuckle over it.

Would I do it again? Eh. I tried something different, found it more amusing than arousing, and let it go at that. At this point, if/when I do decide to post more vids there they will be rather outlandish and bizarre. It is more about a weird personal expression than mere public gratification. Or something like that.

So a couple of years ago I gave some money to a Kickstarter project called "The Brick House", a modern live action retelling of "The Three Little Pigs" using makeup prosthetics by Northfur FX, a company I have purchased many an animal nose from. This was back when I was a bit more generous with contributing to other artists' work, and as Northfur was involved I thought it was worth it for a copy of the film. Today at long last the DVD finally arrived, and I just finished watching it.

What did I think of it? Eh. Flat and listless for the most part. The makeups looked ok, but in the case of the large wolf noses the movement was limited to say the least, and a goodly amount of digital touchup was done to rescue some rather hideous seams. No actor really stood out as memorable, there wasn't much in the way of a directorial vision, the writing was serviceable; it had a microbudget indie film blandness in those respects. Some good shots scattered throughout, though rather inconsistent when mixed in with soft focused haphazardly framed shots. They did have some good locations, notably the titular brick house where the main action takes place. Overall, a student film graced with outside crowd funding, and not terrible for that, just vaguely disappointing.

Now I should see what other Kickstarter projects are about ready to deliver. I know Alex Cox's "Bill the Galactic Hero" is due up before year's end. Yes, Alex "Repo Man" Cox. It was shot at the college he teaches at, using an all student cast and crew. Not sure what I was thinking with that. The money would have been better spent on "Preaching to the Perverted". Ah well, live and learn!

http://priceonomics.com/how-the-fat.....t-his-company/

An informative look at Claymation creator Will Vinton’s rise and fall in the business. It isn’t all grim though, he is back at work doing what he loves, just without the massive corporate interference. Two great early shorts, CLOSED MONDAYS and MOUNTAIN MUSIC are linked in the article, and highly worth checking out!

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/12488908/

Oh dear God, do go check out my latest commission from  ZombieD, it is marvelous! Do feel free to fave, comment, drop your jaws in astonishment, it's so wickedly wonderful!!! It's like I've stepped out of the Dark Tower!

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/12250864/

Go check out the link on  angrboda's page. It was recorded back in March of this year, and was my first trip up to Canada which was pretty cool. I'm listening to it now as I type this, it's been awhile since I heard it!

So I got back from Furfright yesterday afternoon, and it was a good time! A lot more of a social con this time around. Although I didn't do any costuming, that didn't irk me like last year when I was underprepared vs. this year when I was prepared yet found myself busy doing other things. Con life!

I arrived on Friday evening after enduring some crummy traffic on the Hutchinson Parkway (I wasn't the only one!), and I went to Ted's with some other Jersey furs for steamed burgers and chicken finger sandwiches. Quick stop to CVS for eyedrops and then back to the con to set up for the Movie Morgue!

The Movie Morgue Friday night shift went pretty well, although we should have started with John Carpenter's BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA instead of ending with it. GOZU was the headliner, which left a lot of people weirded out and confused, which is about right for this particular Takashi Miike effort. (So sorry, Banditkir... so sorry...) SHAUN OF THE DEAD was the middle film, and still fun to watch, even with an audience of two.

Woke up Saturday and went out for a leisurely coffee and pizza lunch with Mattfox and Camio, then back to the con to get a bit more gussied up a bit.  comus was unable to attend this year due to an injury, so I asked  Speet and  toberkitty to assist at Comus' TF Art Jam. Not a bad turnout, and while Speet and the artists went to town drawing up all sorts of transformations, Tober and I caught up on current events and discussed makeup effects with some other attendees. A pretty chill and easy going panel. Afterwards Tober and I attended the Animatronics panel held by  crazyjoe1952, which was pretty cool, then headed down to (and deeply regretted attending) the Masquerade. Thankfully our hunger won out, and we dined in at the hotel restaurant Sheffields, continuing our conversation and having a pleasant time.

Saturday's Movie Morgue started off with THE DEAD, a fantastic 2011 African zombie film that was beautiful to look at, expertly paced, and absolutely the best zombie film I have seen in a long time. The two leads were professional, thoughtful, and not Walking Dead douchebag rejects. Quite a few scenes left the audience gasping, and not for zany-kewl zombie kills so much as for the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Absolutely recommended. Followed up by THE OTHERS, a supernatural film starring Nicole Kidman which I saw in theatres and still find quite beautiful and haunting, and SURVIVE STYLE 5, a bizarre Japanese flick that I mostly slept through. (Sorry, Camio!)

On Sunday I went to see Bitter Lake (meh) and John Dies at the End (fun stuff!) at the Movie Morgue, then helped break down the room and reclaim my A/V equipment which I had loaned them on Friday. Dinner at Ninety-Nine, a Chili's style restaurant nearby that was pretty good. Afterwards, I went to the Trail of Terror, which was a really scenic and all encompassing haunted attraction that I'd have loved to have gone through at quarter speed, if only to admire the details and decor. Tons of themes, so scares for everyone. Most of the actors were in good makeup and costumes, not many guy-in-pancake-ghoul or bloody-faced mutants, a lot more care was put into it. The wait was reasonable, and I commend them for putting together a pretty cool haunt. For those in Connecticut you still have this weekend to check it out, otherwise there is next year! Thanks to  louiefurrywolfy for recommending it, I've been wanting to attend since FF 2010. I then dropped by Wag's Improv panel for some silly fun. Hung out around a game of Cards Against Humanity then went back to pack and sleep.

So yeah! Good stuff. I ate healthy and well (mostly), though my sleep took a big hit, so time to make up for that and then catch up on school stuff.

Next up... Halloween! (dun dun dun)

Roommates:
 wally_wabbit
 ppardus

Movie Morgue:
 TheRedFoxCamio
 Kyroraz
Jeff M

TF Art Jam:
 Speet
 toberkitty

Furries I saw at the con:
 wanderkojak
 razraccoon
 tesfox
 wolvenwuff
 banditkir
 bakaneko
 chiono-kun
 skippyfoxcub
 kittrel
 mysteryotter

I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon after class lets out, I eat lunch and then pack my car.

Movie Morgue! Friday and Saturday 10pm to 6am or exhaustion sets in! Check out  theredfoxcamio's and my creepy horrifying film selections!

Also, join  speet,  toberkitty and yours truly for the Saturday Transformation Art Jam from 4:30 to 6pm! Bring art materials, we'll supply... something?!

And maybe see you Sunday at 11am for How to Rite Gud, a writing panel where excerpts from  joestrike's book The Incredible Hare will be read, and your own writing can and will be constructively critiqued and read aloud for the audience (if you desire that!).

See you there!

I shall be there! Likely in costume! And on Friday and Saturday my friend  theredfoxcamio and I shall be co-hosting the all night movie screenings being held in the Movie Morgue room. Stop on by anytime between 10pm and 6am, as we will have a wild and eclectic variety of horror, exploitation, foreign and wtf films on display!

Also, I shall be heading the The Trail of Terror on Saturday, likely in the early evening around 7-8pm. Go check them out here!

http://trailofterror.com/

If anyone wishes to join me, I'd like to see if I can start a small group to carpool up there. I am considering purchasing their timed ticket in advance so that I can just head right in and not wait around. (Unlike FF registration this year, which I did not pre-reg for, ulp!) It is in Wallingford, about half an hour from FF.

See you there! Be ready to be scared! (moohoohehehehhurrhurrhurrrrrrrrrr)

Masks used to be more inspirational for me, and still can be, but I am rather choosy about them and always have been. I've passed by umpteen masks with little character or inspiration residing within, mere discount store cheapies for the Halloween dullard. I've also passed by many that were expensive collector's items, seemingly only of interest to the makers themselves and a select few acolytes who were entranced by those rigid fixed looks. The ones I've liked the most had a particular look that appealed to me, or were readily customizable and malleable. They actually inspired me and transformed into real characters in my mind, beckoning the wearer to merge and channel those energies. It is indeed symbiotic at its best, one cannot achieve the best result without both elements in place, the mask and the masker.

Lately I rarely even wear my masks. I just have to imagine wearing one, or another person wearing it, and those characters interact in a variety of ways. I imagine the ideal partner or partners in crime who would play in mask with me and bring all the characters to life in their own unique ways. I have been heavily into imagining duos or trios of similar proportions donning costumes and masks to perform, then switching identities with the others so that the characters are always alive and don't become fixed or dry. Each actor would have their own particular read on the character, and bring it to life in their own way. If staged for an audience, there would always be that tension and thrill of wondering how the character would act on a particular night. It would keep the action fresh and exciting. The onus is all on the actors, who have to be comfortable in a variety of skins, and be prepared to assume a new shape at a moment's notice. But these are the sort of performers I would want to act with, those with no egos or some shoddy need to "be themselves" all the time. Surrender of self is paramount, and I've done that with most of my roleplays.

Those that don't go that way wind up being dull, listless, or I wind up merely facilitating the other person's fantasy, which is fine but not overly satisfying. The one play I had that tried (and failed miserably) to capture that essence of the mask, was with another partner who invested nothing of himself or what was left of himself into those masks. It was just an endless parade of putting a mask on, taking it off, trying the next mask, without rhyme or reason behind it. No flow at all, no transformation. In that situation, even though I was ok with what I wore myself, I felt no connection at all, and just went through the motions.

What's been fascinating is that I would do this with male or female or trans partners, and keep it all very fluid and transformative. I wouldn't be "stuck" being a particular orientation. I would be delighted to play with others in this fashion, which if done as a 'naked' human right at the get go would be tough for me. That said, imagining the partners concluding their performances by unmasking simultaneously to reveal their true inner selves to the viewers is a big turn on. And often it is some animal or inhuman creature revealing their true selves, either to shock and horrify their victim (bleh bleh bleh) or to allow their partner to understand who they truly are. Mask of deceit, mask of truth, which is which?

This journal was brought about by a discussion with  lone.companion, and has been edited and refined from my original thoughts. Thank you for reading.