I'll be getting there Thursday morning and leaving early Monday morning. I kinda disappeared from everywhere for a while and lost the little bit of being in touch I had with a lot of people, so I'm not sure what to expect.

At least I'll get a lot of hugs.

This fandom has been a miracle for me. Its kept me happy and helped me grow as a...malamute.

I've had opportunities present themselves. Some I've taken. It's been great. Others, I've shied from.

I'll just keep plugging away, hopefully trying more things and missing out on less.

Every day presents a new opportunity.

I wasn't dead set on doing this road trip until recently.

I should be able to leave June 11 in the a.m. I'll be going west to Rexburg, Idaho, south to Salt Lake City, and south to Phoenix, AZ. Ideally, I'll have fun stops at the first two and be in Phoenix by late night on the 13th because the 14th is special. While I may be in a hurry to get down there, I should be able to dilly-dally on the way back.

I'm pretty excited about this. I'll have a chance to spend time with so many people I miss, have barely met, or want to meet.

Let's hope I don't have car trouble this year. >.>

 bandaid406 has posted 31 FWA photos to his FA and has put up on album of 140 or so here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtshep.....7633075700610/

I love getting faves. I love getting new watchers and keeping the old ones. I love comments, too - especially neat ones that are fun to try formulating witty replies to. Seeing comments, faves, and watches when I check my FA cheers me up and makes me feel like I'm doing something right.

Just to be clear, the only con I have left this year is RMFC. :( I look forward to seeing many furs there, especially a bunch from Utah.

So, yeah, thanks guys for making me feel special.

I don't like doing con reports, but if you wanna ask me questions about the con, it'd be fun for me.

FWA

Awesome.
Too short.
Love you guys.

Airportcon

Almost 24 hours in airports and airplanes. Lol. Whatever.

Now

Washing things, catching up on sleep, still shouting at friendly people I met, have a ton of comments to reply to, packed on six lbs in six days. I'll be in the black by my next trip.

If you find pics or see me in video, I'd like to know where. Cons turn into blurs for me and I love seeing anything that can refresh my memory.

I'll get there Wednesday afternoon. I'll leave Monday afternoon.

I'll be bouncing around chaotically, trying to meet everyone I remotely know.

Hug me, take my picture, chat me up, invite me to stuff please!

Rooming with Jinx, huski, Cosmo, and TJKross, I think. Don't hold me to an exact list.

Of course I'll be suiting. A lot.

Who might I see there?

My sister had her first kid today. A boy. I have a neice and nephew through my brother already. My siblings have collected in laws and produced offspring. I just wonder when the day will come someone says something to me...

Enough of that. My sister now has a little bundle of joy that will cause many sleepless nights and make her days that much more fulfilling. :D

To anyone I didn't recognize, didn't see, didn't give enough time to, or failed to reconnect with, I'm sorry. Sometimes I was starstruck. Sometimes I was busy. Sometimes I was derpy. Sometimes there was just a communication problem.

Thanks to everyone that gave me the time of day at FC! You know who you are. Whether you're a bat, a mutt, a pirate, a photographer, from space, blue, green, a dancing dog, a person wearing a suit named Sucker Punch from Mischief Makers, a cheetah, someone offering me to join them for a meal, just a random wolf who helped make my suit, one of the countless people that gave me a hug, a tiger, etc., you are the ones that make conning worth hundreds of dollars and hours in airports.

I've got time off work, a room with  bandaid406, and my flight booked. I'll be there early - Wednesday afternoon, and I'm leaving Monday afternoon. It'll be my fifth con, but only the second where I haven't had to cut corners when it comes to time.

This will be my first easterly con. I'm looking forward to meeting so many people for the first time.

FC Friday! *dies*

Taken from

Fell in love? No.
Lost your virginity? No.
Lost someone close to you? No.
Consumed alcohol? 18-20 Not exactly sure.
Received a kiss? Aside from family as a kid, no.
Went to the hospital? I'm sure I was really young. Ear infections... D:
Had a broken heart? Still no.
Lost a pet? Family pets as a kid, 5-8 maybe.
Got arrested? I doubt this will ever happen.
Broke a bone? Not that I know of!
Got a job? 14
Got a boyfriend or girlfriend? Nothing I'd count.
Went to a concert? 10-12-ish George Strait.
Met someone famous? No one A-list.
Got in a car wreck? 16, snow, a couple hundred dollars damage to a fence.
Dyed your hair? Never.
Flew on an airplane? 20
Went to another state? Pretty young...before I was ten.
Went across the country? I've only been from the Pacific to Columbus, Ohio. Moved from CA to MT at 10.
Went to another country? I've been near the Canadian border, lol.
Got a tattoo? No.
Had a piercing? No.
Smoked pot? No.
Smoked a cigarette? 26 (Cigar: 18)
Went to Disney Land or World? Disneyland twice before age 10.
Had A Long term relationship? Never.
Dated somebody of another race? Never dated, lol.
Passed out from drinking? 33 and it was a goal. I wanted to finally do it once.
Became a furry? Officially, 32.
Went to your first non business / work related convention? 20, Origins, Columbus, OH 1999. Played Magic: the Gathering there for three days.

I'm just going over to my brother's house with his family for Christmas dinner. My mom will be there, too. It should be a nice time. :)

What plans do you have?

Not liking the kiss meme going around, I figured I'd do one more my speed. :D

Everyone has someone on FA they'd like to meet at a con and do stuff with. Repost this to find out who would like to do what with you.

Multiple choices are fine!

1. Hug
2. Hang out
3. Party with
4. Share a meal in a group
5. Share a meal one-on-one
6. Talk until the wee hours about stuff
7. Snuggle
8. Beyond all those
9. "______________"

Stolen from  kodachrome

Days staying:
Super Late Friday until Monday afternoon

Staying at:
Lol, I dunno. Ask Kodachrome. I don't do details.

How are you traveling?
Big metal thing that goes through the air!

Who are you rooming with?
Xzadfor Kodachrome and BBwolf

Who will you be with?
The list of people I want to see, meet, and hang out with is pretty big. I'll probably be with whichever of them has time for me. Also...anyone I con into following me around or letting me follow them.

Where will you be? How is the best way to find you?
Look for me in suit! Tweeting at me (@Grizztof) will work if I'm near my iPad.

What do you look like?
A derp!

What is your gender?
Dog

How old are you?
33

Are you mated/in a relationship?
All alone! D:

How tall are you?
6'0"

Can I talk to you?
Please do. I can be shy out of suit with people I don't know amazingly well.

Can I hug and/or snuggle you?
When I'm in suit, you may not have a choice in the matter.

Are you nice?
People tell me I am! :3

Are you cliquey?
I like meeting new peoplesssss!

Are you fursuiting?
TO THE EXTREME!

Which suit(s) will you be bringing?
Me!

Can I try on your suit?
Nuuuuuuuu. v.v

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Grizz, Grizzle, Grizzfluffs, Grizztof, Grizzy...get the first five letters and you should be good!

Do you take commissions?
I just suit. Hugs, etc., are free!

Dealers den?
I'll probably have a few dollars to spend there.

Can I draw in your sketchbook?
I don't have one!

Can I ask ya to dance with me during the dances?
You'd have to lead/set an example because I'll just flail around without guidance.

Can I buy you drinks?
If it's the right situation, I'd be flattered!

Do you attend parties?
Probably if i get invited.

Can I take your picture?
If I'm suiting, take all the pictures! Out of suit, it'd be ok if I'm posing for your camera or I know you.

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
To have all the fun and meet all the people!

Skylanders Giants 

How did I get sucked into this? It's addicting to me like Phantasy Star Online, which I played for thousands of hours. I want it to have more customization, rare drops, and levels that are more fun to replay. As it stands, I'm almost "done" with Giants and will be looking forward to whatever the next game is. I've *only* spent about $50 on the toys. Fortunately, my friend bought the games.

Porcupine

Speaking of expenses, how about a $290 vet bill? My dog has tried biting porcupines many times. Each time, I've managed to pull dozens of quills out without much trouble. This time, she really got it good, and it was too much to do without sedation or anesthesia, so off to the vet she went.

Further Confusion

Well, thanks much to  kodachrome and his friends, I've got a room for Further Confusion! Still gotta figure out my luggage details. I'm dragging my paws now but will get it sorted out in time.

Icy roads

The first snow to stick this season happened last night. My Crown Vic is definitely less pleasant to drive in this crud than my previous car, a 1997 Outback wagon with a manual transmission.

Fursuiting

I gotta work on making this happen a bit more often - outside, where the people are, because that's more exciting that just derping around the house in it and also provides better photo ops.

*hugs*

Thanks to anyone taking the time to watch, fave, and comment on anything I do on FA. It's a pleasure for me, and hopefully, I can keep things fun and interesting.

It was fun for a while, but I'm done replying to this meme once I reply to  zenonthewonderdog

So I am stealing this from  kodachrome who got it from  huscoon who stole it from    nbowa

Comment on this journal and I'll...

1. Tell you something I learned about you by looking at your Fa page for 13 seconds

2. Tell you a color you remind me of

3. Tell you my first memory of you

**4. Ask you a question **

5. Tell you something I like about you

6. Give you a nickname

7. Tell you the object that is to the left of me

8. Dare you to do this yourself in your journal! >.<

I should be in San Jose from 10:45 p.m. Friday, January 18, 2013 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, January 21, 2013. I just bought the plane ticket. Things I still need to do are preregister, buy luggage to protect my precious fursuit (I'm looking for suggestions), and find a room. This will be my biggest con to date. I'm really looking forward to seeing a bunch of furs again, and I have a new list of people I want to meet. Huskies, roos, foxes, dragons, skunks, anyone who is awesome, etc...

It's going to be a good time.

My second public suiting will happen on Saturday. It's not going to be a random, spur of the moment deal. It's an NDSS Buddy Walk. If everything goes well, I imagine plastering smiles on faces, all the photo ops, and kids holding my paws for the whole mile of the walk. I worry about stains, other suit damage, crying kids, and rejection from random adults. I've got a handler and he may be bringing his wife and kids, too. I'll feel better with a posse, lol.

I'd like words of support and tips from you guys.

I was so stoked about the fun I had at RMFC and all the positive reactions from random-non furs and hotel staff that I decided to start showing my suit off to my family. My mother and brother both thought it was neat and my brother was up for me taking it over for his kids to see.

It took about a minute for the kids to warm up to Grizztof, but then they were all over me. My brother, mother, niece, nephew, and myself walked (I did some jogging, twirling, and gave a couple piggyback rides, held hands, etc...) about four blocks in 93° heat to a daycare and got to meet more kids. They didn't get my high-five and fist-bump motions, but acting shy warmed them up. One little girl said, "don't cry!" when I was covering my eyes and then gave me a hug. I went and hid behind a few trees. That seemed to get smiles and playfulness out of them, too. While walking to and from the daycare, I couldn't see expressions on faces, but a lot of cars were slowing way down as they went by me and I'd wave to them. It was a great 1/2 hour, but it had to end quickly because of heat.

Surprise. Going...not going...went! Stupid uncertainty.

Too busy suiting to get many pics and vids for this. v.v

Let me correct that.

TOO BUSY SUITING to get many pics and vids for this ^.^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_oZ.....p;feature=plcp

So, iPads have the app to upload to Youtube but not FA, so instead of starting with pics on FA here, I have a link to a 43 second video of me being silly in my new DHC suit. Pics will come eventually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd4Q.....p;feature=plcp

A few little things and a couple big things have me backing out. I'm going to share the #1 reason: The only affordable way down there was by car. My last car blew a hole in itself in June. I had to chose between having the money to afford the gas but no car or having a car but no money for the gas to get to Denver and back. Good news is I have a car again.

Last night I was all excited. I was going to be on my way to Colorado tonight. What a difference a few hours make. Car trouble killed the plan I posted. I may not even make RMFC. I'm a bit bummed, but oh well, life goes on. I still have other stuff to look forward to.

Thanks for all the well wishing last night,  gdzeek  oswanwolf  griac~poliwanbl and  hhatlz It was nice to see.

July was a bunch of doing nothing. It was also frustrating because a bunch of stuff was up in the air. With July on its way out, things finally fell into place.

I now know when I'm leaving, what to expect, and about when to expect it.

The Cliff Notes version is that I'm going to Colorado tomorrow to hang out doing cool stuff while waiting for my suit and RMFC.

A simple plan.
An awesome plan.

Gotta pack, run to the bank, dump my memory card onto my PC, and then leave Billings tomorrow night.

I bought Avid Studio for my iPad and gave it a try today. I jumped in and with some fiddling managed to get a short video (1:03) I liked out of random furry convention and meet media I've recorded since March.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0TjLj-7jNQ

Hope you like it. I can definitely see doing more.