Hey guys,  thesomething here.


I'm afraid that I've decided it's not worth trying to keep this group updated any longer, as I am too busy to update on a regular basis, and that there is another group that can already do a better job than I can.


I am placing this group into dormancy, but perhaps it is more like putting it into a more appropriate role. From now on, this group will be more or less a unity group, for people of our shared interests (namely, coming from or being lovers of Minnesota).

If you want information about local events, please go to the  mnfurs group.

I am not taking anything down, but I will not be updating with events. Anything of that sort will link back to the MNfurs group.

Howdy folks!

Unfortunately, with college having started this week for me, I don't have much time to myself to update the group aside from reminders of upcoming events.

On that note, you might have noticed that I've been getting lazy with explaining the outings. Truthfully...I've started to feel that it seems a little redundant to constantly reword what  mnfurs puts up on their website on regular basis. I doubt you folks would mind too much, seeing as they can be a lot more thorough and more informative than I can be by my lonesome.


I've been starting to spend more and more time exploring their forums...and personally, I think you all should too! The forums are painfully quiet when I go, and in need of all of you who want to contribute to speak up, especially those of you who live outside of the Twin Cities and want to arrange events in other areas of the state. It's also a great way to just speak your mind about anything at all with other local furs, be it anything from fursuiting to just looking for someone to talk to.

With that in mind, I'll still be lurking and keeping things tidy despite my busy schedule, so if you guys want to grab hold of me or any of the folks behind the local events, be sure to check out the forums! (There's a link in the journal header up above.)

Cheers,
 thesomething

Hey guys, sorry for bein' quiet again. You know how life gets~
But fortunately, the next few weeks I have some un-busy time to veg a little and do some art. And also keep you guys updated on what's coming up for the group!

For starters, on August 20 our usual Saturday meets will not be at Hopkins Perkins, but instead at the Emma Krumbee's in Inver Grove Heights. Again, this is a new location for the meet, so be on your best behavior!

Secondly, our bi-annual picnic will be occurring on September 10, with the agenda and location being much the same as traditionally. There will also be a Friday night gathering the night before at Event Horizon at the GPS Center. I will update this more as the event draws closer.

Finally, there is a Halloween event for the group coming in October 15...but what could it be? It's a surprise!


That's all for now! I'll keep you all posted as things come by.

Cheers,
 thesomething

Howdy Folks,

Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm running a little behind. It's been a busy week for me. And I'm sure for some of you it has been as well!

On that note, did anyone do anything particularly fun for Independence Day? I ended up running around St. Paul with the family attending some garden parties with friends, as well as having a nice grillout picnic in my own yard. So much watermelon~


Hopefully I can see about arranging some activities outside of the regular meets, but I've been quite busy with life, or at least trying to be.

Stay cool,

 thesomething

Howdy folks,

As I'm sure a lot of you are aware, the weather lately hasn't been too great, and still going to be for a while. Lots of thunderstorms, followed by high humidity, make for a pretty dull week ahead. Hopefully, though, things should start to dry up by next weekend in time for our regular weekend meets (and trips to AnthroCon, for you lucky bunch that are going this year).

I know when the weather gets particularly sour, I usually wind up going to do something in town with friends like visiting the Mall of America, or stay at home and watch some movies, or play some video games.

What do you guys like to do during rainy weather to keep yourselves entertained?


Stay dry,

 thesomething

Howdy folks,

Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow's meet is back to normal; we will be meeting at the Perkins in Hopkins around 5 as usual.


Hope to see you there!

 thesomething

Howdy folks,

As I mentioned before the picnic last meet, the next furmeet will also NOT be at our usual meeting place at the Perkins in Hopkins. In hopes of trying to mix things up,  mnfurs has opted to try a meet at Angeno's Pizza & Pasta in Maple Grove. It will be the usual meeting time (5 pm to midnight), but however there will be a cover cost of $10 per person. Remember, we're trying something new, so please be on your best behavior!

Address is 13588 80th Circle North, Maple Grove, MN 55369. The fee does include the pizza buffet, salad bar, and fountain drinks.


Have fun, and hopefully I'll see you folks there!

 thesomething

Howdy folks,

I hate to say it, but it's rather disgusting how Saturday had cold, crummy, rainy weather and then Sunday was gorgeous and sunny.

Still, despite the terrible weather, I think we managed to have a lot of fun. The food was great, the fire was warm, and there was plenty of people to mingle with...in fact, I think there were more first-timers than I had ever seen at any other event.

I wasn't too surprised that a lot of us bailed out early to go to the afterparty though...it was a little hard to find at first, since I'm not used to how buildings in Minneapolis work, but I did find it a lot more enjoyable than the picnic...at least in the regards of it being indoors. I definitely think that an occasional meet could be scheduled there, provided everyone brought their own snacks and things to do like table games and movies.


But enough about me. What did you all think about this weekend?


Cheers,

 thesomething

As most of you are aware, the seasonal picnic is fast approaching...this coming Saturday, in fact. It's one of the largest furry gatherings in the state, so it's a great chance to come out to see some friends, enjoy the (hopefully) nice weather, and maybe even meet some new ones. Heck, we even have friends from Canada that come down to meet with us sometimes. I only hope you're planning to come too!

Now, due to flooding issues along the river, the picnic is NOT being held at Hidden Falls Park this year. Instead, it will be held at Trapp Farm Park in Eagan, which is just a short ways southeast out of St. Paul from Fort Snelling, so it's not much farther than it was before.

Other than that, the usual rundown is the same:

-Saturday, May 14
-11 am to 10 pm
-Trapp Farm Park, Wilderness Run Road, Eagan
-Located between Park Knoll Dr & Lynx Ct.
-Food is on a potluck basis -- bring your own food.
-This is a non-alcoholic meet. Not just for the sake of the minors, but to prevent any possible issues with all of the guests.

-Power outlets are reserved for crockpots and lights ONLY -- you will not be able to plug in any electronic devices. Therefore, make sure your phones and laptops are fully charged, and bringing music systems or video games is not recommended. There will be a speaker system set up for music, however.

-Bring your own entertainment, so bring drawing pads, cameras, iPods, table games, etc.

-Outdoor games are a definite must. Frisbee, bocce ball, volleyball, etc are good toys to bring. However, do not bring something that could easily be lost or requires large distances to play, such as softballs and footballs. Bikes, roller blades, and hiking shoes are also ideas of things to bring. Table gaming such as board games and playing cards are also acceptable, but be wary if it gets windy or rainy.

-Prepare for weather! Check the forecast ahead of time, and if necessary, bring anything that might be of use should the weather turn sour. Ponchos, umbrellas, perhaps tarps or protection if carrying things that can't get wet. It may also become windy, so if you have a lot of loose articles, be sure to have something to hold them down or keep them together. If you plan to stay after dark, be sure to have a light source you can use -- flashlights, lanterns, anything!

-Fursuits are welcome, but please be careful, as there could be mud, rocks, or other hazards that could wreck the suit. There will be lots of photo ops for fursuits.


There will also be an afterparty at Geek Partnership Society’s Geek Community Center in Minneapolis from 10 to 1 am. The address is 1121 Jackson St NE Suite 106, Minneapolis -- I'm not sure what will be going on there, but I presume that it being an indoors public building, there will not be fursuits. We'll just have to see what's planned~

For more information, visit http://www.mnfurs.org/mnfurs-spring-picnic-2011/

---

The next furmeet will also NOT be at our usual meeting place at the Perkins in Hopkins. In hopes of trying to mix things up,  mnfurs has opted to try a meet at Angeno's Pizza & Pasta in Maple Grove. It will be the usual meeting time (5 pm to midnight), but however there will be a cover cost of $10 per person. Remember, we're trying something new, so please be on your best behavior!

Address is 13588 80th Circle North, Maple Grove, MN 55369


Have fun, and hopefully I'll see you folks there!

 thesomething

Howdy folks,

I know I proposed an outdoor gathering today, but now I'm not so sure how able I am to go through with it. Part of the problem is that the weather has not been as great as it could be, but also because of the end-of-college-semester crunch. However, if people are still wanting to go, we could possibly still arrange something.

Be sure to drop your opinion here; if enough of you are still planning to go, I may just tag along to see what happens.

The park I had in mind is Hyland Lake Park reserve in Eden Prairie, we had a blast there last summer and am hoping we could perhaps have more outings there again another time. The address is 10145 Bush Lake Road
Bloomington, MN 55438 and we would likely be at the shelter by the parking lot past the playground, near the end of the road.

I'm thinking maybe between 4 or 5 or later this evening would be a good time to gather. The park closes at 10, so don't expect to stay too late.

If you decide to come, hope to see you there!

 thesomething

UPDATE: I have decided that this is not a great weekend for a lot of us, either because of the weather or because of Easter plans, so I am pulling the idea for now. It will be reconsidered on another date when the opportunity strikes. Sorry guys!

Howdy folks,

With the weather getting warmer, a few of us (or perhaps I should say a lot of us?) are starting to trade our jeans for shorts, our parkas for our windbreakers, and our wardrobe in general is getting a whole lot lighter. Of course, with the storms we've been having on and off all weekend, perhaps the grass might get a little greener as well. To sum it up...it's getting fantastic outside.

So! I was going to ask you folks if perhaps you wanted to do something for an off-meet. The official MNfurs picnic doesn't come by until mid-May, but I'm sure some of you are itching to get outside to do stuff.

What would you guys think of an afternoon/evening at a local picnic grounds somewhere? Perhaps on Saturday the 23? Maybe that old park in Eden Prairie we went to a long while back?

I'm just tossing things in the air here. You guys are encouraged to brainstorm and suggest your own ideas.


Cheers,

 thesomething

Folks, there's been some complaints about the local group at our regular furmeets. I'm sure some of you have already heard from the more vocal members, but I think it's necessary to re-iterate here.

Now, I know most of you who are regulars to a meet have no problem with these things, but because they have been issues I need to remind everyone about them.


The Perkins and Caribou in Hopkins have been incredibly patient with us, despite the various problems that have arisen, namely behavior and courtesy with the employees. However, there have been several new complaints that may wear the group's welcome to the point of refusing us outright, the worst of which being -- believe it or not -- a pair entering a single-person bathroom and staying for an extended time, possibly sexual activity.
Naturally, this is very concerning for both workers and other customers, so this kind of behavior needs to be stopped and taken somewhere else. Our behavior has already made incidents where other customers would simply walk out as soon as they walk in upon seeing us, and this will also give us bad marks by the restaurants.

Now, I'm not going to point fingers, especially since I was not witness to these things, but I do need to sternly remind you all of proper etiquette at a furmeet, whether you're guilty or not. You have to remember that not everyone out there is a furry, and can be uncomfortable with porn, costumes, homosexual behavior, or anything of an adult nature around themselves or children.



1. DRESS APPROPRIATELY. Fursuits are prohibited in public buildings by state law as they conceal your identity, but you folks know better anyways. Ears and tails are the biggest concern, however -- while they are not an actual problem, it's not exactly normal attire, so please, save the rest of us from embarrassment.

2. ACT APPROPRIATELY. Remember your "indoor voice" in grade school? Apparently this is still an issue for some people. I can understand the natural inclination to speak louder and louder in places like Caribou when it gets so full of people, but try to control yourself. Squealing and shouting at Perkins is rather frowned upon as well. Horsing around will only make matters worse as well, so don't start wrestling/tickling each other just because you're getting wound up.

3. GET A ROOM. Seriously? Making out (with tongue?!) at Caribou? Some of you seem to have trouble restraining your affection in public. Try not to take it more than hugs and brief kisses. Gay affections (two guys kissing, etc.) are also likely to get us dirty looks. And sex in the bathroom/sharing a single-occupant bathroom with another person is an absolute no-no.

4. KEEP ART/COMPUTER SFW. There seems to be a problem with artists and laptop users keeping open adult/pornographic material open in their sketchbooks and their desktops in public, and it's made other customers uncomfortable. Please, leave it at home or tucked in a folder, change your desktop wallpaper, whatever needs to be done. Browsing e621 at a Caribou Coffee is not exactly the most brilliant of ideas. And please leave pornographic badges at home.

5. PROPER RESTAURANT BEHAVIOR. Common sense should tell you that if you're going to Perkins or Caribou, you should at least order something so that you're not simply loitering around (even just a glass of water). Bringing outside food and eating it inside is not appropriate, so leave/eat it in the car or out in the parking lot. And please, please, please, PLEASE TIP THE WAITERS/WAITRESSES if you order food. These people work hard to provide us with the environment we're so comfortable with, and may even be living off of the tips people give them. Please be considerate of them! Also, for pete's sake, what gives you the need to steal the tip jar to begin with? You're not five years old.


Remember folks, we need to leave a good impression with people when we are in public if we want to keep doing these things. A little self-control goes a long way. We need to act like grown, responsible adults. I can't stress this enough.

Cheers,

 thesomething



I could also put it this way: If you come to the meets just to get in someone's pants, or to jump out of your own for the whole world to see, and not to socialize, play games together, eat good food, and just have fun with others in a public environment...you may want to reconsider staying in that basement closet of yours for some time yet, or finding some place that's a bit more accepting of that kind of behavior, like a nightclub.

Howdy, folks!

Today is March 21, and that means that we have reached the spring equinox! Daylight and darkness will be the exact same length for one day, and slowly creep towards longer daylight in the coming summer.

While it hasn't exactly been warm out, the snow is most obviously melting at a rapid pace, thanks in part to the decent showers and haze we had all weekend.

In high hopes that the weather continues to slowly heat things up, what plans do you guys have now that spring is upon us? I know I myself have much spring cleaning to go about doing around the house...



Stay warm,

 thesomething

---

In regards to the issues with the other group, I have discussed the matter with their owners and it has been settled. There is no problem with me advertising their events, particularly since I've been considerate at placing many disclaimers about this group stating that they are not my doing. There was a miscommunication somewhere along the line that led to momentary tensions.

To put it simply, this is just a group for FA goers to share their pride, while  mnfurs is an actual organization for planning local furry events and activities. Therefore, I will continue to be separate, and perhaps even reorganize this group a bit to better suit our different goals.

Howdy folks:

Once again, I hugely apologize. Life has gotten in the way for me, among other things, so I have not had much time to update this group.

There are also things that may change with this group, depending on if I return to frequently updating. I won't say anything yet, but I can't say they're bad either.
Part of it, unfortunately, is due to (somewhat hostile) complaints by  mnfurs. I guess they don't really like me relaying information about events they host, so...I don't know. At this point, I'm still indecisive how to react.

---

Life drama aside, did any of you go to Snowpocalypse this weekend? I sure did. I had a blast, and even got to give my rough fursuit its first "test run."

Feel free to share your stories below!


Stay warm,

 thesomething

Howdy, folks:

Once again, I managed to space out on another upcoming local event that perhaps should be announced. Hooray for running a group all by my lonesome!


Right, so our seasonal bowling meet in Coon Rapids is once again upon us this weekend, and those of you with fursuits are invited to attend for a great photo opportunity! There's not a whole lot that you need to know to attend, so I'll just go through the usual rundown:

-Sunday, February 6th
-1 PM - whenever
-Classic Bowl, Coon Rapids
-11707 Round Lake Boulevard Northwest
-$6 at the door for one game per person
-Fursuits are welcome, feet are allowed on bowling lane
-Water w/ fursuit-friendly straws provided


Hope to see you there! I have my own bowling plans, ironically enough, so I myself will not be attending. I will be at the weekly meet Saturday night though!

Cheers,

 thesomething

Howdy, folks!

I'm posting this as a reminder for those of you who do not watch our sister/rival group,  mnfurs, about a special event they're hosting this spring: Snowpocalypse!

What is Snowpocalypse, you're asking? It is our own little convention of sorts, right here in the Twin Cities. Taking place at the Country Inn & Suites in Woodbury, all the comforts of a full-scale con will be provided for your entertainment. There will be games, an Artist Alley, music, and plenty of food. Fursuiters are also encouraged to attend.


While I don't know the full details of everything that will be going on, here's the skinny of it:

-Saturday, March 12
-2 pm to whenever
-Country Inn & Suites, Woodbury
-6003 Hudson Road, Woodbury, MN 55125
-The hotel is located on the south side of Interstate 94, take exit 247 to Century Ave N
-The main event is FREE, but access to The Den (event badge included) will be $5 preregistered, and $10 at the door.

If you have attended one of the spring or fall picnics in the past, you can expect some events to be similar.

For more information, read here on the MNfurs website infopage.


Hope to see you there!

 thesomething

Howdy folks,

As you may already be aware, we're at the dead center of our big holidays for the end of the year. With New Year's this coming Saturday, and Christmas the Saturday before, it's hard to find anyone that hasn't been doing something or just generally feeling particularly festive.

A few of us, including myself, have had a few weeks off of classes to catch our breath, enjoy some wintery fun, and catch up on all the happenings that we may have missed out on. The rest of us, unfortunately, have been working our keesters off otherwise just to afford the festivities we enjoy at this time of year so much. (I myself wish I was one of them!)

So, let's hear from you guys. What sort of fun things are you planning to do with your break, or have already done? Got any Christmas presents that absolutely thrilled you? What're your plans for Friday night (New Year's Eve)? I want to hear all about it!

Happy Holidays,

 thesomething

Howdy folks,

After the hectic snowstorm last night, the folks that arrange the Hopkins meet decided to hold it tonight instead. The actual meet schedule is arranged for Christmas Day, but will not happen, and instead the next scheduled meet will be in January.

So if you got some time to spare tonight, come on down to Hopkins to see the regular gang back in business!

Cheers,

 thesomething



P.S. I was a little disappointed with the turnout to Tron Legacy 3D last night. I suppose it's understandable since it was a weeknight and an off-meet gathering, but it was still a blast. Us geekfurs seem to have all the fun~

Due to the snowstorm, the Hopkins meet was canceled this weekend. However, there has been talk of "makeup" furmeet the following weekend, due to the success of the gathering on Sunday night. Stay tuned to both FA groups and the website for potential updates as discussions are held.

---

I recently had an idea hit me, that I wanted to propose to you guys.

As much trouble as we've had with other people running the group in the past, it's become obvious that I can't keep up with everything by myself. And frankly, this group is getting lively enough that it's going to take more than one person to keep regularly updated.

I've been pondering the possibility of perhaps getting several people to contribute, provided that they all go through me first -- but here's the catch: they all could also represent from the various hubs of Minnesota. So instead of just one person trying to keep updated with all the happenings in the state, you could have several people putting their heads together on all the major stuff, plus chiming in about their respective parts of the state.

For example, myself and a few others could do different corners of the Metro area. There would be at least one person I could get to talk about local events for Mankato, St. Cloud, Duluth, and so on.


What do you guys think? Worth a try?

Howdy folks,

For those of you who live in a basement room without a window (or just simply live outside the Metro), we've been getting hit with quite the blizzard since last night. While I don't know the exact magnitude of the snowfall, just glancing out my front door is sign enough that I won't even be able to get out of my own driveway, and I'm sure a lot of people are having the same opinions at this point.

To quote the Weather Channel's online report:

Through 7pm: A steady snow will continue to fall through early evening. Cloudy and windy. Temperatures falling to the low teens. Winds N at 25 to 30 mph. Additional snowfall of 5 to 8 inches through 6:30pm.
Since I'm not the one who arranges for the Hopkins meet, I can't speak on their behalf on whether they're canceling or not. But I will say this: If you do not honestly believe you can traverse safely to the meet, it's best that you don't attempt to come. I really don't think some people can afford to risk life and limb just to see a couple people they can meet again later at the next meet. (Maybe not that extreme, but you can probably understand the concern.) At the same time, if you think you can make it, more power to you.

Either way, good luck with whatever you plan. And whatever you do, play it safe. There's always next meet.

Stay warm, people!

 thesomething

Howdy folks,

Well, December is already upon us, and the snow is here to stay. I can't speak for everyone when I say I love winter, but I know a few of you can possibly agree with me.

Just recently, I managed to nose around the thrift store in my town coming home from college classes for the day. Out of sheer dumb luck, I managed to walk out of there with a complete pair of skis, poles, and a carry bag, still in good working condition, for 30 bucks. So, naturally, I've already been plotting a weekend to hit the slopes.

Then I thought, why not invite the gang?


For those of us who live in the Minneapolis Metro area, I propose on an off-meet weekend that we have a day at the snow hills that we can all have some fun.
Right off the bat, I know three possible ski resorts, Afton Alps and Highland Hills. Or, for those willing to make the hour and a half drive from the cities, Mount Kato down in the Mankato area.

However, not everyone can ski or snowboard, or wants to ski and snowboard, so a site that has a snow tubing hill will also have to be considered.

Then there's price, time, so on, that all have to be arranged for, as well as getting rentals arranged if needed.

It would likely be an all day thing like the picnics, and there may or may not have to be some reserved space at the lodge for a party, if some people would rather play inside, as well as food break for those outside.


What are your thoughts, folks?


Cheers,

 thesomething

Howdy folks!

It's been quite a busy week for a lot of us...especially those of us who made the annual pilgrimage to Chicago for this year's Midwest FurFest. And then after that we have a few days to ourselves, then Thanksgiving...and now today, particularly in the early morning, Black Friday rush to get Christmas goods for ridiculous sales and dirt cheap prices.

I was surprised by the huge number of local furs I crossed paths with while at MFF, truthfully. Perhaps it's merely the fact that being with you guys for so long has made me able to recognize familiar faces the second time around, but it's still a delight to see so many good friends and fursuiters walking among the mass of the convention goers for a few days.

Do you folks have any interesting tales you want to share from any of the happenings this week?

Cheers,

 thesomething


NOTE: The furmeet is still scheduled for tomorrow, despite the likelihood of many attendees having Thanksgiving plans keeping them away. If you are open Saturday, you are more than invited to stop by, but do be aware that it may be quiet this weekend due to others being unable to attend...so you may want to bring some form of entertainment or conversation starter if necessary.

Howdy folks:

Midwest FurFest is less than two weeks away, and most of us are just about finished with our plans for how to get there, where to stay, who to meet up with, and so on. For those of us who can't afford to go the distance for the bigger cons -- AC, FC, so on -- it's a fairly decent con with a new location, a host of celebrity appearances, a large alley for artists and their wares, and plenty to do elsewise. It's also a decent starting point for new congoers who get easily lost in the vastness of bigger cons, but don't want something tiny and uneventful.

Anyways, I sound like I'm advertising. I've heard word of mouth around the weekend meets of a possible MNfurs mini-gathering while at con, and a few more events going around as well. I myself am considering getting involved in the game room stuff, maybe loan a few game consoles for some multiplayer activities.


So, for those of you who are going to MFF, what're your plans for the weekend?


Hope to see you there!

 thesomething

I'm sorry guys, I've been incredibly busy, I haven't gotten much time to keep up with things, so here's my attempt at bringing things back up to speed.

Quoting from the mnfurs webpage:

Because of the problems negotiating with the hotel and not being able to afford alternative locations MNFurs Halloween event has been cancelled.

Any money that was planned to be used for this event will be used to reserve the picnic space for 2011 and to be used on other future event.

MNFurs hopes to have some future events after the busy holiday season like last year’s winter event.

MNFurs will still have it’s usual Saturday meet on October 30th. 2010.

So yeah. Same old meet as always.

We still should do some sort of off-meet, in my opinion. If the bonfire thing doesn't appeal to everyone, we could always arrange something smaller and simpler like a Mall of America get-together some weekend.

Cheers,

 thesomething

Howdy folks:

 mnfurs seems to have a lot of plans coming up, with a sushi meet in November and a Halloween hotel event and all that fun stuff.

Now, I know a lot of you aren't always interested in the small stuff other people do, but I'd been wanting to toss this idea around for quite some time: You remember those little bitty picnics we did in Burnsville last fall?

Basically, I've been wondering if anyone would like to do something Halloweenish in the upcoming month outside of the main meets. Specifically, I'm thinking of a picnic, but perhaps with more of a bonfire theme in mind. We could always plan it to an off-weekend near Halloween of course, and could find someplace to bail out if the weather goes sour.

The problem is mostly in being able to provide the bonfire. If someone lives in the Metro and knows of a good picnic spot that allows this, or has a backyard that could suit it and is willing to provide for a small-medium group, feel free to speak up.


For now, I leave this journal as a discussion forum-type with that idea in mind. You are more than encouraged to speak your mind, whether you have ideas for what/how to do it or just want to suggest a different kind of off-meet meet. This is your chance to contribute to something fun for everyone!


Cheers,

 thesomething