Hello FurAffinity,

Two weeks ago, my Bimmer was hit in a parking lot, putting a big dent in the bumper and breaking the foglight: http://i.imgur.com/rPVhZyU.jpg Still drivable, but obviously something I would like to be fixed.

I was inside the building at the time, so basically physically impossible for me to be at fault, and the other guy's insurance is paying for the repairs and for a rental car while mine is in the shop. The car they were going to rent me had a registration that expired at the end of February, so instead they gave me this: http://i.imgur.com/5mOWhki.jpg

My bodyshop can take as long as they want.

Cadillacly yours,
Kinto

P.S. This feels really unfair because when my manager's old Ford Expedition burned to the ground, his insurance rented him a Hyundai.

I'm going!

I don't have time for a lengthy journal-meme-thing, but I'm arriving Thursday and leaving Monday.

Conventionally yours,
Kinto M.

Doing a crossword puzzle in the newspaper:

22 Down: Donkey's Asian cousin (5 letters)

Answer: KIANG

I feel vindicated.

(Even better, the K crossed with DIKDIK)

Honestly, I don’t think this was my best Anthrocon. Unfortunately this year, Anthrocon coincided with the bottom of my erratic mood/creativity cycle, so I felt kinda out of it most of the weekend. On the other hand, I felt like I knew a lot more people this year than in years past, and I felt less awkward sitting down at tables with people in the Zoo.

In a vague semblance of chronological order.

Drove up Thursday; for at least the third year in a row I stopped at the Taco Bell in Breezewood for a Doritos Locos Taco

Arrived Thursday afternoon, registered, went to the Zoo. Met  Darrenzeraus who I was rooming with at the Omni. There were two other guys in the room, Rob and someone whose name I’ve already forgotten. I hardly ever saw them.

Cards Against Humanity

I don’t know if everyone got the same keycard, but the vixen on the keycard I got looks like she could be in one of my stories, and not one of the nice ones. Because that’s where my mind goes when I see a vixen in a hooded blue cloak holding a candelabra in a stone chamber. I’ve never wanted to frame a keycard before.

Dinner at Tonic; I thought the apple burger was rather good

Thursday night dance

Friday, after years of near misses and vague attempts, I finally met  Hoofer in person. We brainstormed horrible things with  ranmovsilverscales

Hoofer and I brainstormed a new collaboration. Look for it ??? Sometime. Eventually. I need to type up our outline. (I’m busy, okay?)

Story Hour

Fireworks from the roof of the convention center

Pizza at Fernando’s was kinda meh.

~Are you gonna stay the night? It don’t mean we’re bound for life.~

Saturday, brunch with Hoofer, Ranmov, and some guy named Shade. Candied bacon, and pizza with bacon. Also, a zombie attacked us.

Let me just say I love Ranmov’s deer suit.

For the first time ever, I actually bid on something in the art show. Then I turned around and noticed the guy I’d just outbid was nonchalantly standing there, hoping I wouldn’t notice his namebadge. It got a little bit awkward. Then the bids when back and forth and I bowed out when he passed my self-imposed ceiling.

Rant.

Professor Penguin Pontificates to Perplexed Pupils.

Can you read it? Apparently, I can, up to a point.

Sunday morning, visited the car show. I didn’t bring my Cougar this year so I was just a spectator. There was a sad lack of classic Detroit iron.

Back at the Zoo, I was struck by a horrible episode of depression, instigated by looking at the survey going around and realizing how sad most of my answers would be.

Felt better after calling home and then a little retail therapy, getting some Christmas shopping out of the way.

In the Artists’ Alley, ran into  Slipstreme He was the first person all weekend (aside from people I’d spent time with online) to complement my stories. I bought a badge from him. Flattery greases the wheels of capitalism.

“Closing ceremonies” never mean the end of the con

The new Zoo location has its advantages, but somehow the Zoo in the Westin feels more right.

Pictures of boobs
One thousand Slim Jims
Me time

Went out to dinner with  Steviemaxwell, had my third pizza-based meal of the weekend, this one a Hawaiian. Yum!

Other people encountered in varying degrees of conversation, alphabetically:  arterian21  articus-the-tigulf  benanderson  ecmajor  fraddas  jtigerclaw  keedot  ShaneRufus  spaceweasel2306

Returned home Monday, unpacked, and then repacked for three days of work in southern Pennsylvania. The good news is the shifts at the PA jobsite are long enough that, with a Friday at the office, I may hit 40 hours for the week without using any vacation time for Monday.

Meme recycled from last year. Save the planet! Reuse your pixels!

Where are you staying?
The Omni

What day are you getting there?
Driving up Thursday, hopefully early-ish

Who will you be with?
It’s  Darren_Zeraus’s room and there are other people staying there, but beyond that I don’t know. I’m flying solo again this year, unless anyone in the Washington, DC, area wants to carpool

Do you do free art?
I never charge for anything, but I don’t really take requests either. Also, I don’t art much at cons. Also also, I’m a writer.

Do you do trades?
Haven’t yet.

Do you do commissions?
No.

What are your limits to drawing?
Is it more complex than a stick figure? There you go.

What is your gender?
Comfortably male.

How old are you?
27

Can I talk to you?
Please! I mean, conversation is like a foreign language to me, but I want to try.

Can I touch you?
Above the belt only.

Can I hang out with you?
More like, can I hang out with you? Not that I know why you would want me to. I’m a natural third wheel.

How can I find you?
I’m invisible. Look for this tail: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5858066/ - I should be attached to it.

Can I buy you drinks?
I can buy my own.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
If you’re fluffy. I like hugging fluffy things.

How tall are you?
5’5”-ish

Are you nice?
Socially tone deaf. I try to be nice, but I have no idea how successful I am.

Can I stalk you?
I’d rather you talk to me.

How long are you going?
I’m driving home Monday.

Do you have an artist table?
No.

Do you like parties?
Maybe? What sort of parties?

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Calling out ‘Kinto!’ would be a good start.

Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
I wander. Dealer’s Den, tabletop gaming, maybe the Zoo. There are a couple panels/events I will definitely be attending.

What/where will you be eating?
I generally stay within sight of the Westin/Convention Center unless someone invites me elsewhere.

Can I look in your sketchbook?
I don’t exactly have one.

Can I draw in your sketchbook?
If I decide to get one, maybe.

Can I take your picture?
I guess so.

What are you bringing to the con?
Tail, t-shirts, Dakota Bikers jersey, Mountain Dew, myself. My Mercury Cougar will probably not be making the trip this year, but I may still change my mind. Oh geez, given the theme I should have bought that t-shirt last time I was at That Place…

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
I dunno. I’m bad at setting goals. The usual. Have a reasonable approximation of fun. Not be miserable. Irk my boss by taking a long weekend during our busy season.

Hello FurAffinity,

I have a room reserved for myself for Friday and Saturday nights at Fur The 'More. Currently, I'm the only one in the room and I'm looking for a roommate. Air mattress can be provided if necessary. Comment or note me if you're interested.

Lodgingly yours,
Kinto M.

Hello FurAffinity,

So I'm going to Further Confusion this year. This'll be my first time at FC and I'm looking forward to it, but I really only decided to go in the last month. So I need a place to sleep and, ideally, shower.

I will be arriving by air Thursday, probably be at the convention center around noonish. I will be leaving Monday on a 1:15 pm flight. Obviously I will pay for my share of the room.

I do not smoke or drink. I would prefer a non-party room. I've never had anyone tell me I snore. I am quiet, unobtrusive, functionally invisible, and will probably only be in the room to sleep and ablute. The closer to the convention center the better, but I'll take what I can get.

Comment or send me a note if you have space to spare for an ass.

Vagabondly yours,
Kinto M.

Hello FurAffinity,

Music and Gaming Festival, better known as MAGFest (www.magfest.org), is this weekend at National Harbor just outside Washington, DC. This year is the 12th installment; I've been to very one since #5 when they were bursting the seams of a hotel in Tysons Corner. It has gotten huge, honestly perhaps a bit too huge for my liking. I'll be heading over Thursday after work and will be there through Sunday.

The bigger news where y'all are concerned is that I've bitten the bullet and decided to go to Further Confusion. I've never been before, and I haven't been to California since the '90s. This should be exciting.

FC to do:
- register
- book flight - DONE
- apply for vacation time from work
- find a room

Conventionally yours,
Kinto M.

Hello FurAffinity,

So my laptop is kaput. Cut down in its not-at-all-prime at the tender-but-obsolete age of 2 and a half. The hard drive was bad and the overheating was causing more problems. The shop I took it to said the cost to repair it was creeping dangerously close to the cost of a new laptop. They rescued all the data, which is what was important anyway, and sold me an external hard drive, which is never a bad thing to have. Viking funeral to follow. In lieu of flowers, please send sacrificial horses.

In the meantime I'm hogging my parents' desktop. I miss my laptop. I need a new one and I need it soon, before Thanksgiving vacation. I'll be shopping this weekend. Before I dive into the depths of Consumer Reports, do you fine furried folk have any advice? Brands to recommend? Brands to avoid? And don't say Mac; I'm a Windows guy because I'm boring like that.

Also, I've been in a bad mood lately. Work sucks, but you don't want to hear about it. I need a vacation, and a new laptop.

Mournfully yours,
Kinto M.

Hello FurAffinity,

This season I have taken on the pleasurable duty of general manager for the Furry Basketball Association's Pittsburgh Keystones franchise. The season will be officially starting in less than a week and I am embarrassingly the only GM without a head coach for his team. That is where you come in. If you've ever been interested in getting involved in the FBA, now is your opportunity.

The FBA is a fantasy sports league run by  BuckHopper with a full cast of players, coaches, managers, journalists, agents, and assorted hangers-on. There are 24 teams and each requires a real life general manager and a separate person as real life head coach.

As general manager, my role is to handle the business end - contract negotiations, trades, etc. I have created the character Mark Quintaux to fill this role in-universe.

The head coach's primary duty is setting the roster for each game - starters, bench, and reserves. The head coach can also chose to write stories about the team. You don't need a whole lot of basketball knowledge - just don't, for example, assign a player listed as a guard to the center position. As a bonus, there is no in-universe character in the Keystones' head coach position, so you would get to create one. Or if you find the notion agreeable we could take a look at some of the retired players.

I'm looking for someone who will be willing to actively tinker with the roster. I think I've put together a pretty good lineup of players for this season, but I don't know yet how they'll best fit together. It is a commitment; I want someone who will be able to stick with it for the whole [80 game?] season. Open lines of communication are a must.

The Keystones were near the bottom of the league last year, so the bar is set pretty low. If you are interested or have any questions please let me know!

Managerially yinzes,
Kinto

The 2013 FBA Draft starts tomorrow, October 13th at 2PM California time (5PM East Coast time).

Come by and see if my candidates Kilisimasi Fu'afu'a, Beulah Rollinghouse, or Rosalie Smoot are among the 48 players selected, or if their dreams will be crushed. Also, I'm general manager for the Pittsburgh Keystones this season, so I've got that going for me.

Even if you don't follow the FBA, you should come hang out if you're looking for something to do tomorrow afternoon/evening/night. We always like to see new people. It's a party, and it'll run for hours, so even if you can't be there for the start it'll probably still be going by the time you show up.

Unless something's changed, it will be at http://www.livestream.com/fbapostuppodcast

Arrived Thursday at 3 PM. The drive was uneventful, aside from leaving a puddle of radiator coolant in the Taco Bell parking lot in Breezewood.

Ran into  DarrenZeraus in the Zoo, which was fortuitous because I was staying in his room along with  ShaneRufus

We retreated to the Omni along with Shane’s friend Rakana.

We ordered pizza with bacon. Pizza arrives, topped not with wimpy bacon crumbles, but real honest-to-god fried-and-put-on-a-pizza strips of bacon.

Little Miss Muffet, sat on her Tuffet, eating her curds and sharing needles.

Actually taking candy from a baby
24-hour media coverage
Suicidal thoughts

I kinda regret not going to the Thursday night dance after we finished our game, but eh.

Wandering to and fro

Friday late lunch at Fernando’s

2’s Rant was excellent

Yup, I still love the Anthrocon raves. OONST OONST OONST

Roommates were all asleep when I returned after 3 AM.

Roommates were still asleep when I woke up Saturday. Carnivores, eh?

There were a lot more people at the car meet than I was expecting. My 1974 Mercury Cougar was the second-oldest car there, and as a bonus I got to photograph my Cougar with a cougar. Lapped the convention center right behind the Yukon blasting Macklemore.

Cruised the dealer’s den

Watched the fursuit parade

Saturday late lunch gyros from the Indian restaurant

Red Dragon Inn

Story Hour!

Your mom moons a Prada display

Can You Read It? didn’t seem as entertaining this year; maybe because now I know what to expect from that book. They’ll have a new book next year.

Sunday, finally had time for the art show, and picked up a few more prints in the dealer’s den

Lunch at Hanlon’s

Xenochu!

Closing ceremonies

The con’s over? Yeah right. One of these years, we’re just not gonna leave.

Got a sketch from  Blitzava in the Zoo

Didn’t have much to do, so I wandered back to the room around midnight

Drove home Monday; I was planning on taking the scenic route, but after the first big uphill grade I pulled over at a scenic overlook and my car was gushing boiling radiator coolant. Hm. Interstates it is!

Wait, Anthrocon is only a week away? What the heck? o.o

Meme picked from  ArtSlave’s pocket

Where are you staying?
The Omni

What day are you getting there?
Driving up Thursday, hopefully early-ish

Who will you be with?
It’s  Darren_Zeraus’s room and there are other people staying there, but beyond that I don’t know. I’m flying solo again this year.

Do you do free art?
I never charge for anything, but I don’t really take requests either. Also, I don’t art much at cons.

Do you do trades?
Haven’t yet.

Do you do commissions?
No.

What are your limits to drawing?
Is it more complex than a stick figure? There you go.

What is your gender?
Comfortably male.

How old are you?
26

Can I talk to you?
Please!

Can I touch you?
Above the belt only.

Can I hang out with you?
More like, can I hang out with you? You probably have a better idea of what to do than I do.

How can I find you?
I’m invisible. Look for this tail []; I should be attached to it.

Can I buy you drinks?
I can buy my own.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Um.

How tall are you?
5’5”-ish

Are you nice?
Socially tone deaf. I try to be nice, but I have no idea how successful I am.

Can I stalk you?
I’d rather you talk to me.

How long are you going?
I’m driving home Monday.

Do you have an artist table?
No.

Do you like parties?
Maybe? What sort of parties?

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Calling out ‘Kinto!’ would be a good start.

Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
I wander. Dealer’s Den, tabletop gaming, maybe the Zoo. There are a couple panels/events I will definitely be attending.

What/where will you be eating?
I generally stay within sight of the Westin/Convention Center unless someone invites me elsewhere.

Can I look in your sketchbook?
I don’t exactly have one.

Can I draw in your sketchbook?
If I decide to get one, maybe.

Can I take your picture?
I guess so.

What are you bringing to the con?
Given the theme, I’m hoping to bring my Mercury Cougar. Long trips in that car make me nervous. And she doesn’t like rain. And unfortunately, she’s not running right now (again) so I need to get that fixed first.

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
I dunno. The usual. Have fun. Not be miserable. Irk my boss by taking a long weekend during our busy season.

Hello FurAffinity,

Remember this journal http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3121745/ ? Yeah, I didn't think so.

Anyway, I bought a new car yesterday. Don't worry, my Cougar isn't going anywhere. My 1998 Honda Civic sedan, however, is beginning to show its age. The Civic was my first car when I got it in 2004, and for that reason it will always be special to me, but it's time for an upgrade.

Yesterday, I bought the 2009 BMW 328i sedan pictured here http://images.cobaltgroup.com/9/3/3.....058339x640.jpg in a dealership photo; I'll have more pictures of my own later. Great condition with only 13,600 miles. The last owner was a diplomat who didn't drive it much, and sold it back to the dealership when he was recalled to France.

I initially wanted something more esoteric; I test drove a 2008 BMW 135i convertible on Thursday, and that was a lot of fun (that turbo has a lot of kick) but I couldn't justify getting a convertible as my daily driver when I already have one wildly impractical car. Really, if BMW sold the 1-series hatch in the US it'd be perfect. Instead I got an anonymous silver sedan of a model that is thick on the ground around here. Oh well. After reading lyrical reviews of the 3-series for years in magazines I couldn't ignore it. Wow, that engine really is that smooth.

The car was affordable, but all the warranties and the maintenance plan pushed the price up more than I was expecting. I hope I'm not making a mistake.

Mobilely yours,
Kinto M.

Fur The More is less than a week away and I haven’t done a meme yet! AAAAAH!
Meme purloined from  BaltoRacing

Where are you staying?
Hunt Valley Inn

What day are you getting there?
Friday, after I call in sick – I have more sick days than vacation days right now

Departure?
Sunday

Transportation?
If all goes well, my time machine: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3024510/ I may be dressing to match, in keeping with the convention theme.

Who will you be rooming with?
At the moment, no one. If you're looking for a room, I may be able to help.

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
I dunno. You?

Will you be suiting?
Don’t have one.

Which suits?
Zoot!

What is your gender?
XY

How tall are you?
5’5”

Are you taken? Are you looking for a 'mate'?
No. Not actively.

Can I talk to you?
Sure.

Can I touch you?
If I can touch back. In a completely non-creepy way.

How can I find you?
I’m 5’5” and I’ve recently gotten my light brown hair to the point where it’s long enough to wear in a ponytail. I wear probably be wearing this tail - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5858066/ - and possibly one of my dad’s old disco shirts.

Can I visit your room?
I’m rather private. So unless you’re staying there, probably not.

Can I buy you drinks?
I can buy my own.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Do I know you?

Are you nice?
I try to be. I’m socially awkward.

Do you have an artist table?
No.

Will you be going to parties?
What sort of parties?

Will you be performing?
Unlikely.

Do you do drugs/drink/smoke?
No/no/no. I’m boring.

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Shout ‘Kinto!’ or something.

What/where will you be eating?
I have no idea.

Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?
I’d like that. I don’t like always fooding/funning/etcing alone.

Can I draw in your sketchbook?
I don’t have one.

Can I take your picture?
I don’t know why you would want to.

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
Now you’re getting philosophical and I’m not sure I’m ready for that.

...is not fun. Ow.

What's really sad is, one of my first thoughts was 'How can this be anyone's fetish?' After more reflection, I suppose I can see how it might be erotic if I had been in a more receptive mood. It certainly made me feel alive when I let go and stumbled down the ladder and out of the room to go sit in the hallway until my limbs stopped shaking. It made my whole mind buzz and feel fuzzy around the edges. It felt like static sounds. Given how loudly I yelled, I was slightly disappointed no one came running.

So how was your day?

Hello FurAffinity,

The 11th edition of MAGFest (Music and Gaming Festival) is less than 40 days away, and not even a Mayan apocalypse is going to stop it. On January 3 to 6, 2013, several thousand gamers and associated riffraff will descend on National Harbor on the banks of the Potomac just downstream of Washington, DC, for a weekend of nonstop games and concerts. I will be there. You should be there, too. Check it out at magfest.org

Festively yours,
Kinto M.

P.S. Today is my 26th birthday. Just throwing that out there.

P.P.S. Random anthro thought of the day: An anthro starling would be an awesome beatboxer.

Hello FurAffinity,

The storm that blew through the DC area late in the evening of June 29 turned the sky alternating hues of red and green, knocked out our power, and installed a three inch unglazed skylight in our roof. The power came back on for us after 24 hours, but our cable, phone, and, most crucially, internet, remained inoperable. It did not return until this morning.

I could access my e-mail at the office, but visiting FA while at work feels wrong on multiple levels.

And that is why I haven’t been around lately. Now it’s time to get caught up.

I missed you.

Curing my withdrawal,
Kinto

Drive to Pittsburgh: 4.5 hours, including a stop for gas and lunch at Taco Bell; the Doritos Locos Taco is as delicious as I expected.

Thursday night dinner at Primanti Brothers with a whole bunch of people.

Technodanceparties are especially fun at furry conventions because the lighting eases the suspension of disbelief when sharing the dance floor with bipedal animal people.

Thank you to  PrincessRei and  Odin36519 and their scurvy crew for letting me spend Thursday night in their suite.

At some point I recall noticing that there seemed to be more mundanes around than usual.

Picked up my new themed badge from  Sigil.

Introduced myself to  Chrispco - if you aren’t reading his webcomic I heartily recommend it.

Played “We Didn’t Playtest This at All” with a trio of cool people I’d never met before.

Projectile leprosy.

This shirt is awesome at dance parties: http://shirt.woot.com/offers/run-away-run-away

Moved my stuff to the Doubletree now that the rest of my contingent had arrived.

 BuckHopper’s voice-acting panel was a boatload of fun.

Bought an  ECMajor original.

Saturday night dinner at Fernando’s.

Story Hour!

Cards Against Humanity.

Missed the Saturday night dance party completely but didn’t mind because I was having too much fun at “Can You Read It?”

Two people asked me if my “Jenius” t-shirt was a reference to a Scandinavian Youtuber I’d never heard of; I’ve had the shirt since high school.

Got poked by  HBruton when she mistook me for someone else.

My Iron Author entry got a score of negative 6 and earned the hatred of the judges, but alas did not place in the bottom three. I’ll have to do worse next year.

I didn’t want to leave, and for an hour I didn’t. I had left the dome light in my car on all con and depleted the battery. Four furs in a blue Honda Accord with Ohio plates whose names I sadly cannot recall – one was a girl they called Foxy – were supremely helpful but their jumper cables were not up to the task. The AAA tow truck driver had instant success. While I was waiting, I caught an impromptu Sardyuon performance on the sidewalk outside the Westin.

Drive home: 3.5 hours nonstop.

I got home at midnight, hungry and almost half asleep at the wheel. Standing in our front yard was a buck; I was in awe. A buck in the front yard at midnight after coming home from a Midsummer’s Night Dream feels like a beautiful omen, or perhaps just a wonderful coda to a wonderful weekend.

Get inside, check my e-mail for the first time since Thursday. I need to work Monday at 6 AM at a jobsite 30 miles away. Back to reality. Getting less than 4 hours of sleep is no fun when I’m not at a con.

I miss Pittsburgh.

Hello FurAffinity,

It’s that time of year again. Anthrocon is less than a month away.

Firstly, a crisis has been averted and I have a place to perform my Thursday night ablution. I will be at the Westin Thursday night and at the Doubletree the rest of the weekend.

Secondly, and more importantly, I have been to four Anthrocons so far and I inevitably feel like I‘m missing something. I am oblivious to things that occur beyond the official program. So I’ll repeat my unanswered questions from last year’s journal: What sort of things am I missing out on? What should I definitely not miss? And where would I go to find out about them? I would appreciate any advice you might have for maximizing my con experience. (HINT: If for some reason you think you want to meet me, this is your cue to tell me where to find you)

I am frightfully socially inept. I can’t just walk up to random people I kinda-sorta know from the Internet and whose work I admire and introduce myself without feeling like I’m being rude. Is there an accepted protocol for this sort of thing, or am I being paranoid?

Also, I’m getting tired of eating alone all the time. It’s boring. If you see me, feel free to invite me to meals; I can pay for myself.

Lonesomely yours,
Kinto

Hello FurAffinity,

Tuesday Anthrocon is coming. Did you bring your coat?

For the fifth year in a row, I will be at Anthrocon, and I'm not flying solo this year - kinda. The people I'm going to be sharing a room with at the Doubletree are traveling on Friday, but I'm planning to travel Thursday. This means I will need a place to repose on Thursday night.

I have an air mattress and am willing to pay my share. I do not smoke and I do not drink alcohol. I am a quiet, practically invisible person.

I'm pursuing at least one lead right now, but I'd like to get this settled as soon as possible so I can worry about other things. If you have space available for Thursday night, or know of someone who does, and would be willing to accommodate me, please contact me either in the comments here or via private message.

Also, I'm looking for folks in the Washington, DC, area who would potentially like to carpool to Pittsburgh on Thursday and/or back on Sunday.

Thank you,
Kinto

I have 100 watchers! Hooray! *confetti*

How many more do I need to be popufur?

But seriously, thank you to everyone who, by one way or another, found their way to my little corner of the Internet and discovered something that you decided was worth clicking a pale green "+Watch" for. "Thank you for the watch" is a bit cliche, but I truly appreciate it.

I'd like to do something to celebrate and reward my century of watchers, but it will have to wait. I've been working six days a week for the past month, and I don't have time to put together a proper journal right now, but I will get to it eventually. Watch this space. :)

-Kinto

Hello FurAffinity,

Kinto’s new year’s resolutions:
1. Stop procrastinating (Oops)
2. Try new things
3. Commission more art
4. I want to make a major purchase – my own apartment or a new car
5. 1366x768
And, of course,
6. WRITE! I posted 7 stories in 2011; I want to better that mark in 2012.

Unfortunately, I have not been doing much writing lately. I’ve been having trouble finding the time. I like my office job better than the field work, but as I feared it has so far proven to be less conducive to my creative pursuits.

So to possibly help motivate me, I have some questions for you, my watchers: What would you like to see more of? What sort of things do you like about my stories? What do you not like? What should I endeavor to improve?

Graciously yours,
Kinto

One quarter century

Hello FurAffinity,

Saturday is my 25th birthday. I really don’t have much to say about that. One quarter century on this earth and I feel like I haven’t accomplished anything. I… I don’t know. I feel old.

In other news, a couple weeks ago at work I was… promoted? I’m still not sure if it was meant as a promotion or a demotion or whatever, but there was no change in my pay. Anyway, I am no longer a fulltime field tech. I am now receptionist/lab assistant/office monkey/field tech as needed. Instead of working bizarre hours in dusty basements, abandoned airport gates, rooftops of government buildings, etc., I now have regular hours in the office. The scenery is less interesting but it’s also less stressful.

I’m still evaluating whether this is an all-around improvement. I had no objections to working nights; I’m not usually much of a morning person and it was nice to have an excuse to regularly sleep until noon. Also, empty rooms with no internet access and industrial white noise can be very conducive to my writing. I don’t think I can get away with writing much furry porn when I’m sitting at a desk at the front of the office. Sometimes I scratch out a couple paragraphs at lunch, but most of the time I nap instead.

On the other hand, I was pretty bad at the field work. Long story short, I am nowhere near aggressive enough and don’t command respect. I didn’t much like it. So far the office position feels like a better fit; we’ll see if I still feel the same way after I’ve been doing it for a couple months.

Honestly, I don’t think I want to be in the industrial hygiene field at all. I’m probably too lazy to earnestly look for something better, though. And I’m 25; I feel like I’m too old to start over and I know that’s not true at all.

Quadranscentennially yours,
Kinto

P.S. During my year as I field tech I worked for AOC, CIA, CUA, DOD, GMU, GSA, HUD, IMF, LCPS, MWAA (DCA and IAD), and PWCPS. Alphabet soup!

Where were you?

This isn’t about politics. This isn’t about war. This is about memory. Take yourself back to that day and remember.

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Ten years ago today, I was a freshman in high school. My first class on Tuesdays was gym class, 8:30 to 10:00. We were outside running the mile when we heard a heavy thudding boom, like a heavy boulder dropping onto hard-packed ground, a sound with weight. A short while later, a plume of white smoke could be seen rising to the northeast. I theorized it was some kind of gas explosion; I resolved to watch the news later to see if they mentioned it.

It wasn’t until later that we realized that what we had heard and seen was the result of Flight 77 hitting the Pentagon, six miles away.

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Late in the evening of that day, I sat down at the computer and wrote down what I had experienced, composing my thoughts in an e-mail to my cousin. The following passages were written by a fourteen-year-old me on Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

“[The gym teacher] told us that two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center and that the Pentagon had been evacuated as a precaution, and that any students who had parents who worked at the Pentagon could go to the office and call them.

“When I went inside to the locker room to take off my gym uniform, it was a full blown rumor mill. They were saying that the World Trade Center had been attacked and that the Pentagon and the State Department had been bombed.

“As I was walking to my next class (Computer Science), I caught snippets of news and video through open classroom doors where they were watching CNN. The videos only showed one of the towers, and I assumed that the other one was behind it. When I got to CS, [the teacher] left the TV on for a few minutes and I learned that one of the twin towers had in fact collapsed.

“We had Computer Science in the computer lab [across the hall], where there was no television, but the students could choose to stay behind and watch CNN if they wanted to. [My partner and I finished early] and returned to the classroom to watch CNN, where I learned that the other tower had collapsed. I don’t remember when I first heard about the attack on the Pentagon, but it was sometime before we went to the computer lab.

“Towards the end of the day, the principal … got on the P.A. system and gave us the homework assignment to go home and give our parents a hug.”

“I watched NBC from [when I got home] about five all the way until 8, when mom and I finished dinner. After dinner, I did the homework [the principal] assigned. Dad is in Paris on business and was scheduled to fly home tomorrow, but he called and said that he had been informed that he would not be able to return until at least Friday.”

“The full impact of what has happened today is incomprehensible and it has yet to fully hit me. All day long I’ve been rocking between shock and disbelief. The scenes they keep showing on TV are like something out of a movie like Independence Day or Armageddon, and yet I know that they are showing actual video.”

“It was, and still is, unthinkable that such a well coordinated attack could be carried out so seemingly flawlessly without us having any forewarning. This attack was unannounced, unsolicited, unwarranted, and undeserved.”

“The attack brought more than just buildings, planes, and lives crashing to the ground today, it has also brought with it our sense of security as Americans, the sense that we are invincible and immune to any attack. But the American spirit still refuses to be crushed. Earlier this evening there was a speech by, I think, the Attorney General, or someone like that, on the steps of the Capitol. Obviously that part did not stick in my mind, but afterwards many members of the House, Republicans and Democrats, all races, sang ‘God Bless America.’ We will persevere, and we will survive.”

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In my school, the TVs stayed on in many classrooms. Everyone wanted to know what was going on.

My dad was in Paris on business; he eventually got home during the weekend. My uncle was in the air, on a cross-country flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles and then Hawaii. When air traffic was grounded, his flight landed in Kansas City; Hawaii it wasn’t.

A student in my class had a father on Flight 77. A teacher at my school had a brother in the World Trade Center.

For me, this day isn’t about politics. This isn’t about war. This is about remembering. This is about what was lost that day.

September 11, 2001, is a day I can never forget. Every year, I try to take time to just sit and remember what that day was like. What happened, and how it felt.

On a clear September day, 19 men got on board four planes and created hell on earth. They proved that America was vulnerable, a truth no one wanted to believe. The events of that day got to me in a way that few things ever have.