Ive not been on FA for a while, but I'm back with a lot of stuff Ive gotten to upload

So I caved and bought a fox partial at Midwest furfest that was so so so cute. So I guess this means I'm now a fursuiter! You should see my reaction if you had told me that a year ago, and a fox none the less. I don't actually have a fox character prior to this fursuit, but it's not that important , the suit is gorgeous and I'll bring it too life none the less. (And keep it properly maintained because even for a partial, SHOOO that investment was something) but anyway. Fox. Partial. Fursuited abit already looking forward to continue this new hobby in the future.

Well I got hired on as a sales rep For Go Games and Toys. This job has potential for being a manager position !

Watermelons are damn good. That is all.

I turn 22 in less than a month.

I'm so old
*drama goes here*
*3 sarcastic comments*
<3 to all my friends

Joe Out

The last course between me and my diploma was just completed, a few beers and a coffee shop gig later and here I am with on FA .

BB King has died.
Im sad about this as he is one of my inspirations as a musician.
Go forth and listen to him.

As some of you know, I was set to land in Kathmandu Nepal next monday for an entire month as part of a university study on Buddhism in Kathmandu. Sadly there has been a cataclysmic earthquake in the Kathmandu region, Killing almost a thousand and collapsing hundreds of monuments, buildings, ect. I am not sure of my current plans as the university is weighing options. We may become a relief effort or we could end up going to a staging ground in Austrailia, or India, or Britain. OR just here in the usa. Pray or do what ever you do for the people of Nepal, they need all the support they can get. And if you can donate blood, Please do. Im sure the red cross is already setting up centers for blood donation.

The news stories.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/li.....u-live-updates

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32461019

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/.....uake/26354073/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20.....ong-earthquake
http://news.yahoo.com/nepal-earthqu.....559861.htmlRed Cross america
https://www.redcross.org/combined-d.....p6XBoC9l7w_wcB

Be wary of relief funds right now, as many charlatans may attempt to capitalize on the suffering. I will find legitimate one and add them later.

As some of you may know, Im into deaf culture and Interpreting.
Im going to link some of my favorite ASL poems here
Douglas Ridloff's ASL Poem "Earology"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAwqmD3GCJU

The Two Faced Friend (ASL) John Maucere
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSi.....F1EAe5yW0OLabV
"Nourish and Embrace... it will Thrive" John Maucere - Really my Favorite right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e4w0f8fYhc
Also This wonderful film of the Gauladet "Fight Song" Bison Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB7cXtnOcS0
And a Story,
Gill Sheats - I am Proud to be Deaf Storytelling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5fWhGCqDxg

Tonya Has been a good friend of mine since I showed up on this scene. She is quite interesting to talk to, and she has an opinion on everything. Her music is wonderful. -and her fursuit is like the super cutest thing- She's always watching over me, and I like to listen to the valuable things she has to say to me. (except that one time I totally ignored everything and goofed). But yeah, I just felt like saying nice things about a really great friend. Its late, Im tired, and yeah.
Its like I have a mouse giving me sage advice all the time.

Also her Skype moods are always like the greatest quotes, I always check to see what she puts up there.
Check her out at  tonyasong (that face though, I can already hear her telling me to have never written this)
Your deer overlord demands it.

<3 each and everyone of you,
Joe.

Im a deer now, Ive finally settled down and put up a tent. Ive been pretty indecisive.

The day of silence was nice. Although less people participated on campus then expected. Those of us in the Deaf Culture Club also used it as a time to promote ASL studies. I am going to apologize for tweeting today.

Tomorow April 9th 2015 I will be participating in a nationwide day of silence. To raise awareness of mistreatment and hate against the LGBTIA+ community. As part of this I will not be posting, answering messages or even talking tomorow. At my university this is being sponsored by freezone, our LGBTIA organization. I myself. will continue regular activity for the rest of the day, but post midnight I will disappear, till Friday morning.
LGBTAI Stands for.
Lesbian
Gay
Bisexual
Transgender
Asexual
Intersex
+
Join me on April 9th with a vow of silence to be heard round the world.
Your friend,
Joe.

Well through a series of events, I have been revealed as furry to those closest to me. Being a furry has been a big deal to me, and I feared the potential negative response from people if I told them. But alas nothing has changed, although people make the occasional joke, I'm doing great. It's been a thing riding me for a while, and in fact my parents like, and approve of my art, and told me to continue with it. I call that a huge success. Everything is much better now, I no longer feel constrained by a negative feeling, and embarrassment over my fandom choice. Ha, so you know stay cool my friends, I love you all, I feel like I lucked out by having such a great set of friends and family. Hell my mom is an author and has suggested to me the idea of illustrating a book for her.

Love you all,
Cuppa Joe

I'm going to practice my antler skills this afternoon. It's a thing I've neglected. So expect more deer sketches in various styles.

“If, before every action, we were to begin by weighing up the consequences, thinking about them in earnest, first the immediate consequences, then the probable, then the possible, then the imaginable ones, we should never move beyond the point where our first thought brought us to a halt. The good and evil resulting from our words and deeds go on apportioning themselves, one assumes in a reasonably uniform and balanced way, throughout all the days to follow, including those endless days, when we shall not be here to find out, to congratulate ourselves or ask for pardon, indeed there are those who claim that this is the much talked of immortality.”
― José Saramago, Blindness

“We are all mistaken sometimes; sometimes we do wrong things, things that have bad consequences. But it does not mean we are evil, or that we cannot be trusted ever afterward.”
― Alison Croggon

Some of my followers probably have wondered why a self entitled musician is up and doing digital arts and drawing instead of more music. My answer is I just do lots of stuff, not just music and learning the way of the art is just a hobby. I am more than musician, I am a Renaissance Fur, and thus you will get all forms of art in here. I haven't exposed you to my poetry yet so consider yourselves lucky.

With Love,
Cuppa JoeYote.

I just threw tons of money at adobe for all their programs. So I'm going to get more active in the digital art scene. Id be willing to do some practice sketches in illustrator of anyone if they want. Keep in mind I'm mediocre at best and I am doing this just for fun.

Im staring at the 4 foot pile of unfinished sketches on my floor, all these unfinished things. Im going to go see if I can salvage anything.

I need a theremin for things, does anyone recommend a good kit to make one out of. or decent prebuilt.

Story telling has always been a secondary hobby for me, recently family and friends have been pushing me to record some renditions of my favorite stories. And as such I am considering recording some traditional legends from across the Americas, and possibly European tales that are similar and enjoyable. If there is a particular story you would like have narrated (in English), or if you would like to collaborate, Skype me at JoeTheWoof, and we can chat about it or just share stories and talk. Stories are our connection to the past, and the way to preserve tradition for the future, and they are just fun to do.
Your Friend,
Joewoof,
Mike

Eagle, Close to the sun. High upon lofty winds. Talks with Creator. They chat on many things.
Eagle asks
" Grandfather, why do the people no longer talk with me, why am I forgotten? I can not find anyone upon the Earth who will take my knowledge, and my blessing"
The creator answers,
"Eagle, look upon the earth, for a fire still burning, still kept in the oldest ways. Listen as the smoke wisps upon the wind, lofting upon high. When you find such a fire, you will have found someone who still listens, and who will welcome you into their home."
"Creator I have searched all the old places, I can not find the people who lived there generations ago, they are gone. I only now see rivers of stone, fields where once were trees. People are there yes, but they are different then those who were there before. They listen not to me, nor do they welcome me into their homes, I am rejected."
Grandfather says
"Eagle, I still hear the prayers in the old way, someone still practices the traditions, keeps the fire, and will talk too you."
"But I know not where to find them grandfather?"
"Seek them out and you shall find"
So Eagle set out in the four directions, across the Earth until he came to a place where he could hear the smoke rising up. He saw a small family, siting round a fire, giving thanks for the few things they had.
Eagle flew down and set up on a branch next to the family.
The family was small, they were crippled, they had visible bruises, cuts, scars. They were visibly in pain, broken, defeated. But they welcomed the Eagle. Eagle was presented a pouch of tobacco, and chokecherries.
Eagle asked.
"Why are you broken, hurt, in pain?"
The eldest answered.
"Eagle, we are hurt because we have lost everything, all you see here, the fire, this family, we are all that remain. Men came, they used trickery, they said the land belongs to them, they showed us papers with lines on then. Asked for our marks, and then took away our homes, we are here now around this fire, trying to maintain what little we still have."
Eagle is moved,
"You who have so little bless me more than I have ever been blessed, you gift me tobacco and chokecherries, you offer me your conversation. You treat me with respect, for this I will teach you my song, and my medicine. And I will give this feather to you so all may see that you are my friend."
Eagle turns to the youngest there,
"Child remember what your elders have taught you, respect the land and all the peoples who live in it. Keep the fire lit, keep the knowledge you have learned, it will be your responsibility to show those who have wronged you, what they can do to set things right. I admit the way things were will never probably come again, but you must show those who despise you, the love that you have, you must not hate them for their ignorance, they need your knowledge more then anything else, go and speak for your family"
"Yes Eagle", replied the child.
Satisfied that he had once again talked with someone Eagle flew back up too chat with the Creator.
Their conversation lasted for several generations,
Eagle remembers the conversation with the family, the child's task. He flys down and checks to see what became of them. Eagle is amazed when he sees a thousand fires, with a thousand families, all like the one he visited so many years ago.
Eagle cried, he cried from joy, as he saw what was once broken, returned whole. He went and found the largest fire, at which he saw a Chief, with the feather Eagle had given so long ago in his hair.
Eagle realized that this Chief was the child whom he had talked.
He flew back up to the Creator, Content.
Eagle, Close to the sun. High upon lofty winds. Talks with Creator. Never again lonely.

Well it's official, jazz is now the least liked musical genere in the US. It's sad the the most american musical style has been delegated to this level. Jazz is about coming together in community and creating something as a unit, on the spot. Jazz is about love, loss, joy, sadness ect. As for me a Jazz composer, Jazz cover artist, and conservatory trained musician, it means that my already unsteady job future has been made even more unsteady. But I will keep writing, performing and spreading what about Jazz that makes it meaningful to me as a person. Jazz is the most democratic music, the most communal, it makes a village. I'm going to be uploading additional covers of tunes from my practice sessions, and keep spreading the love.
Stay Cool,
Joe.