Starting 2011, I will be posting on  james.ferret. However, the 2010 page will stay intact. Please visit sometime and put james.ferret on your watch list!

I have to say that I had a blast these past months. I picked up fursuiting very quickly, but I think that fursuiting on occassion during a seven-month span doesn't imply that I have a lot of experience. I know that many of you have seen me fursuit or have commented on my photo submissions. So whether you like seeing the Ferret, I like to know your opinion on my fursuiting.

Right now, I am on a near month-long hiatus from fursuiting, thus you won't see any new submissions, but visit http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4865629 and you will see a link that takes you to my Flickr page.

Time willing, I will update this journal. Again, I want to thank all the people I entertained this year, and all the fursuiters and non-suiters who have entertained me as well. Furry Holidays!

I want to give a shoutout to all my Ferret fans, friends, and artists fur making 2010 a very furry year fur me! Thanks. Have a safe and pAwesome Thanksgiving! Big hugs!

Select photos from Midwest Furfest, including mine, can be found at http://www.flickr.com/groups/midwestfurfest/

Today, I thank all my watch list fans fur enjoying my fursuitng, my FA page, and/or my company. If you haven't watched me on FA, but seen me fursuit or at a meet or convention, I want to extend my thanks to you as well. I now have over 50 watches since May 2010. Not once have I blocked anyone. I hope to do some more fursuiting (after my hiatus) and attend meets later on so that my fandom fanbase continues to grow. Until next time, hugs all the way!

Glad to see that FurAffinity is up and running, including new account registration. Anyways, I am woefully busy, thus no new submissions yet. (as dog Spike) and I (as the Ferret) go fursuiting. Stay tuned, because there are some additions and changes in store, but I have to cross that bridge. I love watches! [so] Please add yourself to my watch list. Until next time...HUGS!

No, I sµit you not!

I went fursuiting on several occassions the last weekend in July! Rather than read the rest of my submission, take a look at the photo SUBMIT section and see if you can identify where the ferret is situated.

If you would like to see some more photos, please comment below.

I was glad to see many fursuiters at most of the places in question.

I like to thank the Baltimore Convention Center, in my home city, fur hosting Otakon. I had no idea that it would bring so many fursuiters. Also, like to thank  furststate fur hosting another round of fursuit bowling. Thanks  jerrymojo2,  atmus23, and number of other furfolks fur making my fursuiting weekend very pleasant. If are attending The Western Pennsylvania Furry Weekend in October, please give a comment!

I could go on but I will just "suit up" now!

Unfurtunately, I deleted one of my journals, so in an attempt to recreate it, I want to thank everyone fur making Anthrocon 2010 an amazing event. This was my furst furry convention and my furst time fursuiting at a furry convention.

People in general I want to thank:
Big Mama's, Cory's, Furnando's, and Tonic Bar/Grill well fur posting my "Stay PAwesome!"™ photos and to the wonderful people of Pittsburgh

Artists:
 Growly (sketch and badge) and  spunky (sketch)

I want to thank Addy  bobevans8998 fur travelling with me to the hotel and helping me out with the Anthrocon experience.

Other fursuiters (a sample list) I want to thank...
 fender  kitt3ns  vitani (clementine)  drakien  springdale  scooter_squirrel  reaux  locadocoon  rncoyote  sharky and featherwolf

I also want to thank UncleKage and 2 fur being great entertainers and the Dorsai fur security and finding my ferret mask.

...I'm sorry, I can't go on with the post anymore. If you have seen me at the convention or have any photos featuring me, please shout or PM me. Thanks everyone involved in Anthrocon 2010.

Yours truly, with love,
^..^James

To understand this further, click here, play the clip, then read the rest.

I was afraid, and rather embarrassed, that this would end up on Youtube; nevertheless, thanks Vin fur posting the Youtube clip. With that mentioned, I want to explain myself--clear the air if you will--befur I assuage some negative comments, which have started already.

I know that I spent an amazing amount of money--$1,600 to be exact--on a piece of foam rubber that not only costs less than a dollar to make, but that any other fursuiter could get fur free (#999 and below). I understand that. Even more painful, I could have balanced a cup on my nose befur a Dorsai and got a free cattle tag (#999 and below). I get that too. However, I sought after the final 1,000 tag fur sentimental reasons.

(Crying tears) The whole Anthrocon experience has been pure luck fur me. I remember that I watched videos and read about Anthrocon out of nowhere during a snowstorm, and I said that this would be a fun way to socialize and get me to be more open and less shy, and I was going to register, get a fursuit, and suit up fur the fursuit parade. I remember the trouble I had getting my furst fursuit and waiting several weeks fur my costume even when promised it would be shipped sooner, only to receive on the very day of my furst fursuiting event. I remember the trouble I had looking fur a hotel, and, out of pure luck, getting a room at the Westin with a stranger as a roommate who is now my closest friend and my newest fursuit artist.

(Still crying) I friggin' lost my ferret mask the day I was to checkout. The ferret mask is the most expensive and an irreplacable costume piece, and I wanted to cry so loud but I didn't want to wake up my roommate. I was directed to the Crawford room held by the Dorsai and I was able to retrieve it. So I owe the Dorsai a huge self-imposed reward fur keeping my lost ferret mask secure from harm's way.

(Drying my tears) You can call me names; you can say that I am a loser fur every paying that much fur a cheap piece of foam, but to that I say "Shame on you!" Did I spend your money? Did I ask you to spend my money? Did I ask you to look fur my mask? Even if I did, would you have said "I'll help you" or "I'll find it fur you" or would you have said "I don't know" or "Go ask the guy in the red shirt"?

Also keep in mind that I wanted the cattle tag, whether it was 1 cent, $1, or $1,000, but I didn't want to spend that much fur it. The opening bid was at $100 but my competiting bidder, Growly the Tiger, who has been a fursuiter long befur I have, wanted it just as badly. To Growly, I say I'm sorry, and I have nothing against you. He seems to be a great and seasoned fursuiter, and I assume he legitimately wanted the cattle tag and didn't rig the auction, but that is the nature of auctioning: the highest bidder wins. Had either of us did a trick fur the Dorsai fur the free cattle tag, one of us would probably have had the tag fur much less. If I didn't show up fur the charity auction, which I wasn't supposed to since I wanted to leave early Sunday, then Growly or someone else would have the tag. I would never rub it in Growly's face about the tag. I wish I could call my lawyer and state in my will that in my post-humousness, the cattle tag go to Growly; I'm dead serious, Growly, email me and I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, the tag along with my other badge, are framed on a wall in my bedroom and they will never be worn or taken out of the room. As fur as I'm concerned, the ferret mask, cattle tags, and badges shall stay safely in my bedroom furever, but I am not giving up Anthrocon or fursuiting. In fact, I am in the early process of commissioning another fursuit befure the end of 2010.


In case you care, the auction proceeds benefit Fayette Friends of Animals in Uniontown, PA. Due in part to the cattle tag, the organization earned over $12,000 from Anthrocon fundraising. Prior to the auction, I paid $27 fur the raffle and $10 fur the Kage/2 benefit. I love animals, but due to my housing conditions, I cannot adopt one. The least I could do is volunteer or donate money to shelters. I have donated $100s to Maryland SPCA. Don't believe me, call them.

I didn't mean to make this a lengthy journal, but I want anyone who watched the Youtube video of the auction to know that I understand your logic and that I sympathize with what you just witnessed. However,that is the way the world works: You have to "Put Yourself Out There" even when you might fail or embarrass yourself. PYOT is the most grating phrase I have ever heard. Prior to Anthrocon, I felt uncomfurtable touching anyone I didn't know: that is until I went to Anthrocon. If I can get over my shyness over fursuiters, the public, and roommates I don't know, then I can stand up fur myself against those who think I am wasting my money. I don't see it as a waste of money. By the way, I am fine. I still have money in my pocket. I have a wonderful job and my life is such that I can do these auctions and walk away from them unscathed. I see it as (1) a symbol fur all the outstanding luck I had that has lead to this experience, (2) my reward to the Dorsai fur safeguarding my mask, and (3) my reward to myself fur believing in myself when other wouldn't do it fur me. If you want something badly, go fur it. If you don't want something that badly, then don't go fur it. But don't judge me because I am free to make that choice. Thank you.

Hello, my name is ^..^James; it's pronounced "James". The ^..^ in my name symbolizes the phrase "I'm all ears and eyes!" I am from Baltimore, Maryland and my species is ferret, fur which I have a costume. I am glad to be on Fur Affinity after a period of not being able to register. I now have one place to discuss fursuiting, organize my fursuit pics, and catch up with costume artist, FurBriCations, and watch my friends.

Furs' of the Month is a recurring topic I write every furst day or last day of the month in which I fursuited or attended a furry convention or meet. I want to use my furst journal entry to discuss how I got into fandom and my furst experience in a fursuit. Many people got their start in fandom in different ways. Some found fandom through friends, some through going to convention, and some through the online community like Fur Affinity. My fur journey began with my favorite sport: bowling.

In February, during a snowstorm, I was just entertaining myself online by watching YouTube. Inexplicably, I saw this clip from Furbowl 12.5, held by the Furst State in Delaware. While watching it, I was just curious as to what bowling was like in costume. So after a bit of research I found out where the meets were and how to participate. At the time, Furbowl 13 was coming up, but I didn't get my costume until Furbowl 16. By the way, anyone with or without a fursuit can participate and there is a big photo shoot of everyone joining in.

Furbowl 16, held May 22, 2010, was my furst time fursuiting, and same day I received my ferret costume. I met kitt3ns, Reaux, Scooter Squirrel, White Paw, Morton Fox, Locado, Clementine, White Paw, YoungBloodPunk, and other fursuiters. Except kitt3ns, I believe everyone else including "furs truly" fursuited.

Fursuit bowling is a bit different from regular bowling. By the way, since I am from Baltimore, I should write that we played tenpin bowling, not duckpin; so a fursuiter would almost always have to bowl with both paws, although I sometimes took the right paw off and used the fingerholes. I wrote a blurb about safety, but I decided to omit it in the interest of your time.

I got a few strikes and spares, but mostly opens. But the score didn't matter. What mattered was that I met some new people, have a furmeet to go to at least every month, and now you can see me in my ferret costume on YouTube!

I will write my second Furs' of the Month piece June 30, and I will have some other journal entries before than since Anthrocon is this month. Again, thanks fur the shouts and watches. Also, I can be emailed at MSN (jhend2010) and Yahoo! (jh_5_now). Until next time, this is ^..^James. Have a wonder-fur time, and as my name implies, "I'm all ears and eyes!"