A million thanks to  orange04 for posting this very original, very true journal about creepy commissioners. I recommend everyone read it. I mean it. Go read it now, then come back and finish this:

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2649711/

Now, for my own additions to this observation: It's not just commissioners that can be creepy. I get people acting like this who haven't commissioned me. I get people who act like this because of a comment I replied to, a picture I posted, or because I said okay to them drawing fan art. I'd like to start out by directly stealing this quote from the original journal -

"I have no problem forming friendships with commissioners or fans as long as they don't seek constant attention... or ask for personal info (like where I live or what my relationship is like), or spam me with murry-purry emotes just because they do that with everyone all the time."

DAMN STRAIGHT.

I love you guys, and I love flirting with you, chatting with you, giving you hugs at conventions, drawing art for you, reading your comments, etc. But sometimes, the occasional person crosses the line. And different people have different ideas of "creepy". So how do you know if you're being what I would call creepy? Well, here's some guidelines:

---

- FAN ART: If I give you permission to draw my character or be drawn with my character, that is MY CHARACTER. Not me. My characters can sleep with anyone I choose, but that does not mean I personally have any feelings, connection, or interest in you. If I do have an interest in you, I'm an aggressive girl, I will pursue YOU, and you will know. (I keep a Clue Bat in my closet for bludgeoning people I'm attracted to.) Otherwise, please keep it in the fantasy world where it belongs.

- FLIRTING: I am a flirt. A HUGE flirt. I know, very Leo of me... But you guys seem to enjoy it, and I get a kick out of it, and it's all in fun. Lust after my tiger all you want, and feel free to engage in witty banter and flirty comments. However, flirting does NOT mean I am actually interested in pursuing a relationship. I'm horribly picky. If I am actually interested in someone, I will make it painfully obvious with said Clue Bat. Otherwise, take it as all in fun, and don't get attached.

- PET NAMES: I'm from the South, where it's common to call perfect strangers pet names such as "darlin", "sweetheart", and "hon". I don't mind the type of pet name that you could use with just anyone walking down the street without getting slapped for sexual harassment. But unless I'm fucking you, don't call me anything that's overly familiar or implies any kind of relationship, ownership or mastery over me. No "pet", "slave", "my love", nada.

- EMOTES: I don't mind hugs. I love hugs. I give them away free at cons. And when it comes to chatting, I don't mind people emoting hugs. Anything beyond hugs, though, is off-limits. That's right, no nuzzling, licking, kissing, petting, curling up in my lap (unless you want to get thrown across a room), none of that. I'm REALLY not the touchy-feely sort. The exception is, again, people I sleep with. And my bestest bestest buddy Dennis, who is so damn awesome he's allowed to lean his head on my shoulder.

- CHIT-CHAT: I'm not a very talkative person. I don't tend to converse on the Internet much, partially because I don't like sitting at a computer for long stretches, partially because I'm kinda socially awkward and don't know what to talk about, and partially because I'm a hermit who more than often just wants to be left alone. It's a character flaw. I have a very few select people I chat with on any kind of basis, at all. I don't normally share my IM information, because I'm never on. I don't reply to social emails or notes unless there's a point to them, aside from replying for the sake of being polite. I don't like to chit-chat. I do appreciate notes, but I'm not going to reply if you're just asking me how was my day or being idly friendly. I have enough friends that barely get any of my time as it is (and for that I'm really sorry, you guys!), so don't expect me to start in on much of a conversation with a stranger. If you want to chat with me, come to my streams, where I'm happy to chatter away on a mic while I work because I'm sitting at a computer for hours anyway, and I love company while I draw.

---

I hope this helps clear up the boundaries. I love you guys, and most of you have been nothing but really awesome and fun to interact with, and I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart. I'm not writing this to target anyone in particular, it just happened that orange04 wrote this journal at a perfect time, when I just got a flood of fan art requests and am about to go to a couple of conventions and so on, and it inspired me.

Remember: love your artists, but respect their space. Thank you all! I'll be here all week! Try the veal! *blows a kiss to everyone*

Sorry I haven't been around... After painting that buck, I got a little burned out, and then shortly after got SLAMMED with a huge fibromyalgia* flareup that took me out for over a week, and is still going on. I'd like to be drawing right now, but I physically can't. Sucks, but I'm doing everything I can to feel better. I've got all the pendants done (still waiting on some people's addresses though!!) but haven't been able to get out to have them shipped, but I'll be getting to that ASAP. If I contacted you about a commission, I'm sorry about the necessary delay.

But there IS good news: Looks like I'll be going to MFM after all! I decided that I really need a vacation, and that's the one con I can actually kick back and relax at. So if you're going to MFM, I look forward to seeing you there! I might try to snag some time at Artist Alley, if I can, and if I feel up to it. Otherwise, I'm just looking forward to seeing old friends and having some fun. I'm hoping my health stays good for the convention... I haven't traveled for a con since this fibro stuff started seriously kicking my ass. But at least I should be able to be prepared for the worst.

Meanwhile, I'll be resting up, and drawing when I can. Thanks for the patience and the well-wishing! One of these days I'll kick this thing...

---

*For those of you that have to ask, and someone always does, fibromyalgia is a pain condition. It feels like someone with a voodoo doll is poking and prodding randomly with sharp pointy things, or squeezing until my arms/legs go numb. Among about a half dozen other symptoms, like exhaustion, headaches, fuzzy mental state, stiff muscles, and weakness. No one knows what actually causes it, or how to cure it, and trying to treat it is like playing roulette with pills.

So hey there! Sorry about flaky updates here, but GOOD NEWS!! All the icons are done, and most of the pendants are, too! (Some of them suffered a minor glue mishap and need to be redone, but all the ones that said they needed them by a certain time ARE finished.)

So I don't have everyone's address, and if I do, it's likely buried in my unsortable mess of notes here, so I'd like to ask a favor:

If you ordered a pendant from me, please EMAIL me your mailing address at commissions[at]ksharra.com

Part of the reason I prefer email is so your address doesn't get lost. The other part is so I can quickly email you right back when I get yours shipped!

For the few that didn't turn out, I'm having to order some more supplies, but luckily my supplier is fast, and I now know how to avoid the glue mishaps, so those should be coming up quickly.

Thank you all for your patience, and I hope you're thrilled with your new pendants when they arrive!

So I've seen several journals suggesting we should start a holiday for fan art and artist's appreciation. See original post by  caustickeet here:

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2557279/

It's interesting, and it's definitely a unique idea. But, apparently to the shock of others, I don't think it's actually that great of an idea.

When I was first starting out as an artist, I was too embarrassed to send my art to another artist, because if anyone was going to see major flaws in my work, it would be an artist I looked up to, and I knew they wouldn't have liked it. Yes, it's amazing to have another artist show approval for your work, and it's a huge rush to have someone you look up to say they like your stuff. And I'm not conceited or rude enough to smack someone down if they send me art. But I've also gotten some fan art that made me really want to cringe. It's not fun.

Maybe I'm jaded from years of having fans come up to me unsolicitedly begging approval for their art, but I feel like shit when I don't like something a fan sends me. I feel guilty for not absolutely loving it, because I know they're so proud of it that they really wanted to show it to me and hear my praise, and they've worked hard on it, but it's not the caliber of art I usually watch (which is, admittedly, fairly elitist: my watchlist contains only some of the best artists on FA because I'm horribly picky and like to look at things that inspire me).

That's not to say I want people to stop sending me stuff to look at. I am more than happy to give pointers and do redlines and share tips and secrets and offer encouragement freely. I love doing it. I love supporting artists in learning, just as much as I know I'm still learning myself. And I love you guys. I love chatting with you and laughing with you and asking you for input on what you want to see. I care about all of you, whether you can draw or not. And I try to show it in the best ways I know how.

I support drawing fan art and sending it to your idol, once you're confident in your skills and ready to show them how much they've affected you. I think it's a fantastic idea. I've been sincerely flattered every time one of you guys has drawn a picture of my character, and it gives me such an amazing feeling, and I feel loved.

I DON'T support having a holiday for it for everyone to participate in, though. If you want to take the time to draw something for me or any other artist who has inspired you, and you want to take this as an opportunity to do so, that's cool. But you should wait until YOU feel you are ready, and it should be because you feel honestly inspired by that person, not just because there's a holiday or because everyone else is doing it. Fan art is a personal tribute, and no one should do it before they feel they are ready or because they think they have to.

And it makes a difference to the recipient, too... It's like the difference between getting a dozen roses on Valentine's Day (oh, thank you, how thoughtful) and getting a dozen roses on a Thursday for no reason (oh my god look at what ____ gave me, isn't he the most incredible, warm glowy happiness that floats to the clouds). The best fan art is the art that comes out of nowhere and blindsides you with its generosity.

Now, I know my opinion on this isn't going to be popular; I've already pretty much been shot down as a stuck-up bitch for saying I don't wholeheartedly agree with this and don't like every single piece of art someone has handed me. But you know what? That's okay. I have some pretty harsh opinions sometimes, and I have reasons for them, and I understand.

If you want to stop following me because of my feelings on this (like I've been told will happen en masse), I won't feel offended. And if you want to participate in this holiday thing, I wish you the best of luck and hope your idol showers you with honest-to-god praise. But don't feel like you have to send anything to me. Or anyone else. Unless YOU really want to and you feel confident that you're up to the task.

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2553135/

One of the artists I idolize, WolfNymph a.k.a. Eskiworks is having a print sale to help cover her bills. If you have not seen her art, it is AMAZING! She's one of the biggest influences on the recent improvements in my digital at coloring style, and an absolute wizard with a simple round brush.

Go check out her sale and if you can afford it, grab a print!

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2553135/

Hey, lately I've been looking at doing some more socializing, getting out, meeting people, doing art jams, etc. Thinking maybe Google + might be an interesting way to keep track of new friends and try to schedule get-togethers (I keep my Facebook furry-free). If you're local and want to hang out sometime, shoot me a note and I'll add ya!

EDIT: Am NOT looking for new places to schedule open events! I'm already on FurLife for that. I mean scheduling SMALL PRIVATE friends-only things, which social networks are better for. Please don't suggest any other meeting sites, I've got one.

(And no, I'm not making this up.)

To celebrate, as soon as I get home from work, I'll be opening up a Live Stream and doing a tasteful nude of some lucky fur! Who? I dunno... But keep an eye out for updates around oh, 6pm Pacific time and show up with ref pics in hand, just in case!

So I've been getting a little frustrated with the pendants lately, and spent some time away from pendants, doing a teensy bit of traditional art. Mmmmm, painting. And I'm glad to say I'm pleased with the results! One painted badge, and one small 6"x8" painting of an otter.

The problem is, CANON SUCKS.

You remember I upgraded my computer recently...? Well, come to find out, my trusty little Canon scanner of several years doesn't work with Win7 64 bit. Canon doesn't make the drivers for it. They make the TWAIN drivers for 32 bit, but they won't do the weird WIA drivers that 64bit takes.

Angry kitty cannot scan her art.

So I'm having to loan my scanner to my roomie on Linux, to see if he can get it to work, so I can show you guys the awesomeness that is fun with acrylic paints. Fingers crossed. And then at some point I have to be not broke so I can replace my scanner.

Stoopid Canon. Haaaaaaaaaaate.

Eh, what the hell, I'm bored. I'll pretend I was tagged by  reivegan.

Rules :
1. You must post these rules.
2. Each tagged person must post 10 things about themselves on their journal.
3. You have to choose and tag 10 people and post their icons on the same journal.
4. Go to their pages and tell them you tagged them.
5. No tag backs.
6. No crap in the tagging section about "you are tagged if you read this".

(Okay, so I'm not gonna tag all ten, because that's silly. If you wanna consider yourself tagged, feel free to blame me.)

Anyway....

1. I can draw with both hands (though I mostly draw right-handed).
2. I'm a functional non-medicating manic-depressive.
3. I have a mild phobia of babies and pregnant women.
4. I'm a huge Legend of Zelda fan, even though I suck at video games.
5. I occasionally do leather carving, sewing, and latex mask making.
6. I refuse to play any Bethesda game titles because they stole my name. Bastards.
7. I really like snickerdoodles. They're like crack.
8. The only thing I like to smoke is clove cigarettes (not those crappy cigarillos), which I can't get in the US anymore.
9. I have really bad memory, like forgetting why I leave a room before I've actually left it.
10. I carry an emergency collapsible spork in my purse.

And I will taaaaaaaaggggg......

 beowulf and  calypte and  ladyfoxglove

So minor change of plans with the pendants: I did a batch of them last night, and the glue decided to be persnickety. Only three of twelve came out looking good. So I've decided to go a slightly different and hopefully better route: metal backings and glass covers. Should look better, be more weather resistant, and hopefully be easier for me to work with. (The adhesives involved don't act the same, so hopefully less mishaps.) The one downside is you don't get to choose a backing color, they'll all be gunmetal.

If you ordered a pendant and would still prefer the wooden backing, please let me know, I've still got enough supplies to redo them until they turn out right.

Okay so I've realized I'm not being as universal with my updates on icons as I should be. I tend to forget not everyone watches my streams...

So! Progress!

I just finished #15 of 25 last night, and with my health doing a bit better, I should be able to make some good progress on things. I stream every time I work on icons, and I post on this journal (and my Twitter) every time I stream, so if you're looking to watch some icons artsies, just keep me watched!

As far as the pendants, I'm planning on doing all of those in a batch and mailing them out all at once. I know it's going to mean a bit of a delay for the people at the top of the list, and I suppose if you ordered one and the icon's been finished and you want the pendant early for a con or something, I could make a special exception, but otherwise, I'll be doing them all together.

Thank you to the ones who've been contacting me, for calling me to task and keeping me up on this. Without you guyses emails and notes, I would have forgotten to post something to let everyone know what's up.

See you in the next stream!

...because it seems like I'm dead and alive so much of the time.

So, after a long bout of failed medications, generic Vicodin, and plenty of blood tests (six draws in a day, wtf)... There seems to be a glimmer of hope? Found a pill that, so far, seems to be helping. Fingers crossed.

By the way, should be getting back to doing those icons again soon. Sorry, no more Vicodin-induced porn for a while (if all goes well).

On a slightly different note, does anyone know of a Seattle-area tattoo artist willing to take on a weekend apprentice? It's been a dream of mine for many years to do tattoos (even before I got into furry art) but my health has always stood in the way. If this medication works, I want to get back to following my dream, but I don't personally know any tattoo artists in this area (except a few shops that are too busy to take anyone on).

Lock Transparency then Ctrl-F to recolor sketch lines.
Stabilizer works on non-vector lines too.
Tab opens and closes the toolbars.
Hold Alt-Space and drag to rotate the pic.
 spookable is craaaazy fast with her tools. If you don't watch her, DOO EET.

THANK YOU SPOOKY!!!

Woo! Happy Friday the 13th!

Sorry I haven't been busting my butt on icons during the week, I've been fighting off some horrible nasty allergies. I've never had allergies before in my life, and then this week, BAM! I'm sniffling and sneezing and falling all over myself with big cartoony watery eyes. I'm a walking ad for Claritin, I swear. Buh.

So this weekend, going down to Pike Place to grab some local honey (a friend suggested this'd help with allergies) and then the rest of my Saturday should be spent drawing! And the rest of my Sunday should be spent drawing! So this weekend is gonna be all about drawing! (While I sip my honeyed herbal tea and pop allergy meds like a madwoman.)

There may be OC sexy tiems included. There may be work on a time-sensitive commission (not icon) included. There may be dragons and monsters and stripper poles and I think the allergy meds are kicking in again...

Keep an eye on my Twitter account (ksharracat) or here for updates! YAY!

Okay, so the one I got wasn't the $20, I opted for the next size up, but here's a link:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10841

Monoprice sells art tablets at incredibly low prices. And I MEAN incredible. The smallest one is less than $20, perfect for anyone who's been wanting to try a tablet but can't afford the $100+ premium Wacom charges.

So, are they worth the price? Well, I figured I'd go ahead and find out, and bought the $26 5.5"x4" to test it out (since I need a smaller tablet for cons and such anyways, I can't lug around a big heavy Intuos everywhere).

PROS:
- The drivers installed... pretty painlessly. It works just great with Paint Tool SAI, my program of choice.
- The pen has a battery, but the battery gives it a good weight. Even with the battery, it weighs barely more than my Wacom pen.
- It came with a pen holder AND three spare pen tips! Woo!
- It's lightweight and comfortable to hold, seems like it'd be great for travel or as a regular-use tablet.

CONS:
- No "eraser" button. Booooo.
- The side buttons on the pen are kinda wobbly. They work fine, but they have a cheap feel.
- There's a noticeable difference in pressure levels from my Wacom. If you're used to a different tablet, expect a learning curve on the sensitivity.
- It spans both monitors when used in Paint Tool SAI. I don't recommend this tablet for a dual-monitor (or more) setup. There's no way to change it.
- GIMP seems to have some trouble figuring out where the cursor is. You can adjust the settings a bit, but this may indicate compatibility issues with other programs. (I don't have said other programs to check.)
- DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT install this tablet on the same computer as a Wacom. The drivers clash and the Wacom will stop working and require a complete driver reinstall to fix.

VERDICT:
Totally worth it for beginners who don't have a tablet and want to get started, or for artists who need a travel tablet. It works great with Paint Tool SAI, but other programs could be hit and miss, so expect a bit of frustration if you use something different. Better than the Genius tablet I got a few years back for about triple the price. Certainly not the same quality as a Wacom though.

I am currently taking commissions for icons and matching necklaces!

ICONS ONLY: $10
- You will receive the 500x500px original and a 100x100 icon for use anywhere across Le Internetz

ICONS W/MATCHING PENDANT: $20
- You will receive the 500x500 and 100x100 icon, as well as...
- A 1" square pendant with your icon on it
- Pendants are mounted to a wooden base, your choice of black or wood grain, with a clear epoxy dome protecting the image
- Price includes shipping cost - No additional shipping!

ICON EXAMPLES:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4702065/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4711466/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4714780/

PENDANT EXAMPLE:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5666998/

I have 25 slots available for now, and will work to get these done as quickly as possible. Work will be broadcast on LiveStream, and I'll be posting here and tweeting (ksharracat on Twitter) when I start work. It's great if you can make it, to offer feedback.

TO GET A SLOT:

Comment here on this journal! I don't mind if you post "I want one!" to snag a slot, then reply to yourself with the details... That's actually recommended. I'll reply to you to request payment, and work on the paid ones as I go. I accept payment via PayPal , which accepts regular credit cards (if you don't have an account).

For character details, please copy and paste the below "form" and just fill out the details:

---

Character Species:
Eye Color:
Reference Pics:
Preferred Expression:
Preferred Background/Color:
Pendant?:
Black or Wood Grain?:

If no reference, then add the below:
Gender:
Hair Color/Style:
Character Details/Markings:

---

COMMISSION SLOTS:
(25 slots for now but if it fills up, or not many people request pendants, I may open more)
P = Pendant, I = Icon only, $ = Paid

1. Miksn (P$)
2. Kelfox (?)
3. chocolatevixen (P$)
4. RealZero (P$)
5. Valthonis (P$)
6. KellicJTiger (P$)
7. KittyFlame (P$)
8. purrpurr (P$)
9. kingodin (P$)
10. STrRedWolf (I$)
11. takatiger (I$)
12. tenayaowlcat (P$)
13. SilverZen (I$)
14. tigressluna (I$)
15. KazeNoKitsune (P$)
16. Ulric_Frost_Fang (P$)
17. FurSat (I$)
18. Wandering_Smoke (P$)
19. Hell_coyote (I$)
20. Aaaamory (P$)
21. WolfRunner (P$)
22. Psilynx (P$)
23. Miezekatze (P$)
24. R_uv (I$)
25. broken_dragon (P)

I know, I've been off and on. I'm sorry about that. I've been dealing with a ton of stuff: chronic pain, the flu, food poisoning, medical bills, and depression. Hard to sit down and draw when you can't sit down. Or sit up. Or just don't want to exist at all. You know how it is.

Still working on those commissions. Almost done with the next to last one, then will do the last. I haven't forgotten about you guys, really, and I'm trying to make sure I'm doing my best on them. I'm not even working on any side or personal projects. When I can draw, I do.

I always feel guilty for not uploading as often as some other artists, and I'm sure it's lack of regular practice that keeps me from improving the way I want to, but I do my best.

Thank you guys for watching me, and for taking the time to read. Your comments and faves help keep me going, and I appreciate it. I will keep trying, and doing my best, and working to improve so you have better art to look at.

https://www.rainfurrest.org/2011/

Message from the chairman says...

"Given the interest, we will be having an Artist Alley this year. The exact plans on how it will be implemented are being worked out and we'll make sure to inform everyone once it has been decided.

Again, we are as surprised as you guys are at the demand for dealers tables this year; we were expecting a few more months before the room was full.

Thanks for your understanding,

Loial Otter - RainFurrest 2011 Chairman"

So if you didn't get a table in the Dealers' Den, keep an eye out on their forums/Twitter/etc. for Artist Alley info. Spread the word to anyone you know who was miffed about the DD being sold out....

http://ksharra.com/commissions.php

Go here, it explains everything.

http://ksharra.com/commissions.php

Ta daaaaa.

Comments, advice, etc. welcome.

Also, there MIGHT be a login form on the confirmation screen. I don't know why it's there. Please ignore it.

Okay so I regularly get questions about "When are you gonna be open for commissions?" and "How much do you charge for commissions?" and so on...

Well, I don't, usually. I've shied away from drawing commissions for a long time, because I tend to get overwhelmed and burnt out because I feel guilty for taking people's money and taking so long to draw their stuff. This most recent batch of commissions was an "emergency fund": I needed the money to completely replace my dead PC which was completely non-functional, leaving me with a 2GB netbook (that's hard drive space, ladies and gents) and traditional media. And my markers are all dried up.

But I digress.

I got an idea about how I can handle taking commissions WITHOUT burning out, and WITHOUT feeling overly pressured. But I'm not doing it quite yet... I need to take some time to think up pricing and get some kind of system into place. I will most likely be doing this over the weekend. I'm also thinking about setting up a website so people can order prints, but that's another story entirely, maybe.

So...

Watch for a journal this weekend or shortly thereafter. I CANNOT take requests or names for a waiting list until I officially announce that I'm open, that's no fair. I don't care how long you've been waiting, I can almost guarantee someone asked me for a commission a year before you did.

I just figured I'd give adequate heads up, so no one is completely caught unaware.

Yay, I finally shook off the flu! And I've done a couple personal pieces to celebrate a new start with the new year with a new (sorta) mate to get back into practice and free up my personal creativity.... So I should be getting back to work on commissions here ASAP! I'll post here and on my Twitter (ksharracat) when I'm going to be streaming.

BTW....

If you like watching me stream art, do us all a favor, and go contribute a couple bucks at http://www.watchtail.com - It's my preferred streaming site because they DO allow adult art streams, they don't have crazy invasive ads all over the videos, and they're in the process of upgrading their servers to improve their service. I wanna see this site thrive, because I love having you guys there with me when I'm drawing... It's so much fun talking to you!!!

So I've been cycling through being really sick (low grade fever, snot everywhere, death naps, etc.) and feeling better. Sorry for absence. Every time I feel better, I have JUST enough time to catch up with RL matters, and then I go sick again.

This sucks.

So please forgive me if I am not drawing. I'm probably buried in a ton of blankets and Kleenex somewhere in the vicinity of a couch.

Okay, so while all those great artists out there have been churning out fun Xmas pictures, I've been...

On the couch, sleeping. Trying to weather out a lovely case of bronchitis. Yeah, RIGHT after I got over my cold, too.

So no Xmas pictures from me this year, except the stocking ferrets, which are available as an ornament on CafePress. But if you haven't bought one by now, well, it's kinda late... Oh well.

But back to what I was doing, which is cranking out all those commissions people bought so I could have this lovely computer! Since WatchTail has a limit of watchers, and they've been worried about their bandwidth, I'm going to restrict myself to using them for adult stuff. And as I recall, my last commission wasn't adult (not many were, actually!) so I'll be streaming live today here instead:

http://www.livestream.com/ksharra

I'll add a note to this journal when I'm done, so people won't be coming into an empty room.

So I've been completely out of it with a nasty cold, and have been mostly resting and doing nothing. Sorry about the delays on commissions, I'm feeling much better now, and busy catching back up to life, so I can get started again. Seriously: bills, medical exams, library books, Xmas tree decoration, Xmas shopping, auction emails.... My life can't stop for ONE week! Once I get all that taken care of, though, I'll be posting links to live streaming art and whatnot.

Speaking of which, any good suggestions for a streaming service? I can't draw porn on Ustream or Livestream, and Watchtail has been complaining of bandwidth issues. I may have to divide my art time between the three. Though I HATE the popup ads on Livestream and haven't tried Ustream yet.

Oh, I DID get the chance to check out WoW Cataclysm last night though, for those interested in the new "furry" race, the Worgen. My opinions? The males look awesome. If you were thinking about playing a female, though, don't waste your money. They all have swollen puffy eyelids, botoxed muzzles, and prissy upturned noses. They don't look like the same breed as the males. They look like... were-chihuahuas. After a botched plastic surgery. Seriously, the artist who designed the faces should be fired. Ruined my expectations for the expansion, so don't worry, I won't be buying it and immersing myself in OMG LVL 85 WORGEN NAO.

Because it's the big thing.

If you haven't heard, no more cub porn on FA.

I don't care. Never drew it, never liked it, never cared one way or the other. It's not technically illegal. It's all fantasy. If freaky people want to get their freak on by drawing freaky things, like super fat chicks, insects with tentacle gore, or sex with babies, that's their thing. Ew.

It's not about any American rights of expression, it's not about censorship and oppression, and it's NOT likely to go any further.

Huh? What? Why?

Because it's the PAYMENT PROCESSORS who are demanding this, not the law. And unless all you people want to manually write out checks to FA and send them via snail mail for your donations and advertisements, they need a way to accept money.

Why won't this extend to normal adult stuff? Because payment companies have no issue with adult stuff. Think about alllllll the pay porn sites out there. And the fetish sites, too! Payment processors KNOW it's bank, and some of them (PayPal excluded of course) are willing to bend their morals a bit to cash in on it. But THEY draw the line at kiddie porn. And for good reason. It's a legal minefield, and not worth the risk financially.

If you don't like the ban, go elsewhere. Join a different site that hasn't had their money stripped away because of your fetishes. Start your own Cub-Only pay site, and find out for yourself how difficult it is to get a payment processor to back you.

Me? I'm gonna stay right here and do my own thing and not care. I suggest you do the same. Unless you're a cub porn artist, in which case, best of luck to ya. Bye!