Well folks, what a day it has been. The weather ended up clearing up and becoming nice after all. There was good food, good music, and the fursuiters played lots of fun games. It was still plenty cold though, and the hot chocolate was quite the hit!

I spent alot of my time milling about visiting with friends, drawing in the artists' alley and playin' some games, and also got to talk to a friend about the progress of my own fursuit. Got to meet a lot of interesting folk during and after the picnic, I think.


So what do you all have to say? Think it was a worthwhile extravaganza?

Cheers,

 thesomething

Howdy, folks, Cyrus here:

The Fall Picnic is once again upon us this Saturday. Most of the information hasn't changed much since the spring picnic, so I will just repost that here.

As a note, the weather will not be in our favor yet again -- a high of 58 and all-day rain -- so be sure to bring warm clothes and/or raingear. Possibly even lighting if it gets dark.

-Saturday, September 25
-11 am to 10 pm
-Hidden Falls Park, St. Paul
-Park entrance is located at the intersection of Hidden Falls drive and Mississippi River Blvd S, St Paul, MN 55116
-First shelter at the bottom of the hill (to the right)
-Food is on a potluck basis -- bring your own food.

-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.

-You will have to bring your own entertainment, so bring drawing pads, cameras, board/card games, iPods, 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. Due to the rain, there may be a chance that some of the outdoor toys may go unused, so don't bring too much.

-Prepare for weather! It will be cold and rainy, so plan ahead in case it gets worse. 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 will be mud, rocks or other hazards that could wreck the suit. Bring something you can put it safely away into so it won't be wrecked by rain or anything else.


Well, I think that covers most everything, but if there's anything I missed, be sure to check the info page on MNfurs.org. Hope to see you there!

 thesomething

Howdy folks:

Yarrrr, I've been a derp, I'll confess. So here's a more properly researched journal...though it might not do much good since most of you are already in the know.

Basically,  mnfurs wants to attempt to mix things up a bit, and so will not be hosting a gathering at the Hopkins Perkins this weekend. Instead, it will be at the El Toro Mexican restaurant.

Here's the skinny of it:

-Saturday, September 4
-5 pm to 11 pm
-199 Plato Blvd, St Paul
-Reserved room

A few extra notes:

-Please leave furry accessories in the car or at home. No ears, tails, etc. The group is trying very hard to create a good first impression, so please try to act your best. Drawing pads and laptops -may- be okay, though I cannot confirm this.

-Everyone is recommended to at least order one thing. This isn't a must, but will help the first impressions if we purchase something, and not just come to loiter around.

-There will be no meet at Perkins. I've already stated this, but a few people may need reminders.


I've already heard a few people complain about the change, and it's starting to irk me. Seriously, do you really want to stay cooped up in the same place over and over again? The group is just trying to branch out, try something different to interest people in new things. If it doesn't work out, they'll go back to the Perkins, same as always. Even if it goes well, likely the same thing, but then with the occasional extra events.

I understand your plight, but really...a change in location for one weekend isn't a life-or-death thing...

Cheers,

 thesomething

Hey folks! I need to apologize for the lack of updating. My life has been becoming progressively busier with college and so on, so I've been trying to make time for catching up on my hobbies.

I've been hearing rumors about the next furmeet taking place somewhere other than the usual Hopkins area, but haven't been exactly sure what the full story is. If anyone could pm me (my account, not this one!) about details or disproof or anything of that sort, I'll gladly try to bring things up to speed.


Currently there is no progress on the FA policy, because I have not had the time to research it. So there is still no possibility of a Featured Local Artist just yet. If someone would like to lend a hand to speed the progress up, feel free to contact me about that as well.

Cheers,

 thesomething

Sorry for the last-minute post! Been busy, as usual.

I've just been reminded that fursuit bowling is tomorrow, in the usual place. However, due to what I assume is issues with the MNfurs webpage, I cannot access it to double-check the information.

I presume most of the need-to-know info is more or less the same.

-Sunday, August 1
-2 PM - whenever
-Classic Bowl, Coon Rapids
-11707 Round Lake Boulevard Northwest
-~$3.50 for one game (pay afterwards)
-Water w/ fursuit straws provided

---

Also! I am currently looking into what FA's policy regarding groups are, so there is no greenlight on the Local Artists idea just yet.

I am hoping at some point to help organize some gatherings outside the Hopkins furmeets for local furs to get together and do stuff. I have not currently decided on anything towards a Mall of America gathering, but an off-weekend picnic at Hyland Park may be possible.

Cheers,

 thesomething

Hey folks, sorry for being rather inactive, I've been busy.

Those of you in the St. Paul/St. Cloud area, the weather has been rather intense. It's slowly inching its way across the metro, with strong winds, heavy rain and potential funnel clouds. Right now, I have my eyes glued to 5 Eyewitness News, but I know I can't keep as up-to-date as the weather reports can.

If you're in the line of fire, take cover -- get inside, get downstairs, the usual routine. Perhaps keep a back door/window cracked open so you can hear for sirens if need be.

For more info, check http://www.weather.com/weather/news.....swxcategory/MN

UPDATE: It's mostly calmed down around most of the Twin Cities area, and most of the storms have subsided...what little is still active is nearing the Wisconsin border. So most of the danger has passed.

Stay safe, people!

 thesomething

Howdy folks, Cyrus here:

Now, as most of you can already tell, I've been fiddling around with the layout every now and again, mostly toying with the [/center] code to make things stand out more. I've also added a few things here and there, nothing special, simply trying to make it look nicer.
____________________________________________

Now, I know the first month of summer has already slipped by, but I thought I would ask people anyways. There's quite a few of us (myself included) who have free days during the week where we have absolutely nothing to do aside from sit around the house. Heck, there are a few of us who are stuck without a summer job, or college classes, or anything of that sort, and therefore have absolutely nothing to do.

So! I thought I would ask you, those of you who share my boredom -- is there something you would like to do, during a weekday/off weekend when there's no meet? We could plan another picnic, perhaps, or a hangout at the Mall of America. Perhaps even for those of you who have some spare cash, could plan for a movie outing. Throw out your suggestions!

Now, before anyone gets too excited, note this -- it's only a suggestion box, I will not guarantee anything that is said will be implemented. However, I will take some of the popular suggestions in a future post and put them to a vote -- after all, we want to do something everyone would enjoy, yes?
____________________________________________

I hope no one minds this, but I also wanted to take a moment to answer one of the suggestions made in an earlier poll I posted.

 aurorawolf said this:
I think it'd be cool to have some kind of feature that shows all of Minnesota's furry artists/writers/crafters. I'm all about supporting local community (farmers markets and such). I'm an artist myself but when I have extra cash I like to commission folks too and if there are local artists that could do what I'm looking for I would be ALL over that. :D
Personally, I think it would be a great idea, perhaps hold an occasional thing where MN-based furs could submit their favorite art piece to upload here in the group, or something to that extent. Again, I'll post something later on about it, but for now, what do you guys think?
____________________________________________

Sorry about the lengthy topic this week, but I certainly had plenty of things to talk about! Feel free to send me a message if anything strikes your fancy, and I'll be sure to keep the group updated regularly.

Keep cool, folks!

 thesomething

Howdy folks, Cyrus here:

Aside from reminding you all that AnthroCon is this coming week, I have nothing major to report. I did, however, stumble across something that could be somewhat entertaining.

For those of you who are irc users (internet relay chat -- perhaps one of the oldest forms of internet chatroom around), I have been browsing some of the channels on the FurNet server and stumbled across a channel called #MNFurs, which is exactly what it sounds like: a general social chatroom for Minnesota-based furries. However, I do not believe it is owned by  mnfurs or their website. I also found that it was disappointingly quiet, having at most 4 members at its busiest (including myself).

So I thought I would invite you to come peek around a bit if you're ever on. I myself am often lurking on it when I'm on irc, and wouldn't mind seeing the place become a little more lively, as well as seeing some familiar faces pop in. Remember to sign onto irc.furnet.org when you try to join!

Regards,

 thesomething

Howdy folks, Cyrus here:

For those of you who have been keeping up with the Weather Channel, there's been a bit of a tornado outbreak earlier this evening. Wadena, Mankato, and the area around there has especially been hit hard. While I'm usually the worst when it comes to keeping up with current events, I've been trying hard to keep up to date with the info as it happens.

All I can say is, those of you who live in southern/Metro Minnesota, be on your guard, keep safe, camp out in the basement, do whatever it takes.

For more info on current severe weather alerts, visit http://www.weather.com/weather/news.....swxcategory/MN

UPDATE: It looks like most of it has started heading straight east towards Wisconsin. Rochester is still in the line of fire, but otherwise most of the severity has passed and is mostly a windstorm.


Stay safe people!

 thesomething

Howdy, folks, Cyrus here:

As you may be aware, the MN Furs bi-annual picnic is upon us this coming weekend. You might say it's a sort of miniature convention -- critters from all over the state (and, rarely, neighboring states) are coming to visit friends, draw, show off their beloved fursuits, play games, you name it. And we certainly hope you can attend as well!

For those of you who have attended these picnics regularly, most of the information is still the same. However, for fresh reminder, and for those who are attending for the first time, here is a rundown of what you need to know:

-Saturday, June 12
-11 am to 10 pm
-Hidden Falls Park, St. Paul
-Park entrance is located at the intersection of Hidden Falls drive and Mississippi River Blvd S, St Paul, MN 55116
-First shelter at the bottom of the hill (to the right)
-Food is on a potluck basis -- bring your own food.

-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.

-You will have to bring your own entertainment, so bring drawing pads, cameras, iPods, 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.

-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.


Well, I think that covers most everything, but if there's anything I missed, be sure to check the info page on MNfurs.org. Hope to see you there!


P.S. For those of you who were asking, I myself will be bringing a ladderball set, some useful stuff for the shelter like extension cords, possibly some food, and -may- see if I could bring a tv and some games to set up in the shelter, though not likely.

 thesomething

Howdy folks, Cyrus here:

Well...I'm not sure what to say after the last few weeks of problems. I've tried hard to stay neutral, and hopefully the reputation of this group (and consequently my own) hasn't been too tarnished.


Now, with the end of May and the start of June, there's a lot of things people have been planning for. Probably the most notable is AnthroCon on the 24-27...then of course there's the MN Furs spring picnic two weeks before. Some people have their own excursions planned...some simply have projects around the house that need to be done with the warm weather.

As for me, and certainly others, there's the matter of finding a summer job to earn some quick cash so that we can do the fun things others normally get to. There's also the matter of taking care of business at college and such.

As for this group, well...there's not a whole lot that necessarily needs to be done right now. Simply a matter of being able to keep you informed on meets and special events. I'll try to help keep things tidy every so often, but I might not be around often enough to get to everyone's comments and suggestions.

I'll probably update the journals as more things come up. In the meantime, enjoy the warm weather everyone!


 thesomething

Howdy, folks! Cyrus here:

As you may or may not have noticed already, I've been experimenting with organizing the group's FA profile, tidying things up here and there, omitting redundancies and useless info, and moving things around to spaces they may be more useful. Hopefully, this will improve the ability to convey information that may be useful to those of you who are actively involved in the local furry community.

Now, since there are only three of us, and nearly 200 of you, we can only predict so much of what you folks want from us. We're not even shy of our first year in use, and obviously there is still much that can be improved about us.

So here is my question to you: What sort of things would you like to see us do? Is there perhaps some sort of activity we can host on this page that will get people involved? Should I perhaps try to post current events to get conversation started? I want to hear from you.

I can't guarantee that we will implement anything suggested, but it would be certainly great to hear feedback from you guys.


Also, for your convenience, I have added extra journals providing information about the various gatherings listed above. Simply click on the links and they will take you to their information page.


 thesomething

Once a month, blackdragon8186 and his companions host a meeting in a small office space in Richfield. It is a comfortable size for a medium-sized group and has a smoking room for the convenience of those who need it.

There is a large, old-but-functioning television that we are allowed to use, as well as many plug-in outlets for your electronic toys. However, there is a significant lack of tables to sit at, so those will need to be provided. Also, food will not be provided, so you will need to bring your own treats, or purchase some at one of the nearby gas stations. Wifi is occasionally available, but cannot be guaranteed.

The location is southbound on Lyndale Avenue off of 35W, but don't let Google Maps throw you off! The address is actually a few blocks farther down than what it shows. It should be in a small parking space by a closed hair salon and past the gas station on the right. Here is the correct location on Google Maps.

The party does not start until 7 pm. It is not recommended to arrive early. The doors will not be open until the owners arrive to take care of things.


To summarize:

-Address is 6336 S. Lyndale Ave., Richfield
-7 pm - whenever
-Bring your own food/drinks
-Bring your own entertainment
-Bring tables
-Wifi available

Changes for May 21, 2010

Due to what will hopefully be more pleasant weather, the meet for May will NOT be hosted at the office space. Instead, it will be located at Hyland Lake Park. The shelters are free to use, but there will not be food provided, so you will need to bring your own. Anything you might find useful for outdoor play or picnic is encouraged, and fursuiters are welcome.

Address is ‪10145 Bush Lake Rd, Bloomington‬, and there will be parking spaces available.

For those of you who live around the Twin Cities metro area, there is a major furmeet that occurs every other weekend in Hopkins.

From about 5 pm onward, there is a gathering in the back party room of the Hopkins Perkins, where visitors can bring cards, games, tech toys, etc. and visit with each other. Food is not provided, and will be at your own expense if you decide to purchase meals at the restaurant.

There is also a smaller furmeet that breaks away to the Caribou Coffee across the street for drinks and free wifi. Most of the group there remains until about 9 pm, when the coffee shop closes, then congregates across the freeway at Knollwood Mall to eat at the Applebee's. Since Saturday nights are half-off appetizers there, a decent-sized meal or bite to eat is usually around $5.

Remember, these are public restaurants, so FURSUITS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED. This is a social gathering, and not necessarily the best place to show off your outfits.

Here's some useful info to sum it all up:

Hopkins Perkins

-Located on intersection between Highway 7 and Hopkins Crossroad
-Address is 11300 Highway 7, Minnetonka
-5 pm -- whenever
-Bring your own entertainment
-Food is at own expense
-No wifi

Hopkins Caribou Coffee

-Located across Hopkins Crossroad from the Perkins, within walking distance
-5 pm -- 9 pm
-Bring your own entertainment
-Food is at own expense
-Free wifi

Knollwood Mall Applebee's

-Located across 169 from the meet, follow signs to the mall
- ~9 pm -- whenever
-Food is at own expense
-No wifi
-Look for party seating

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=44.823392,-93.371891&spn=0.005555,0.016512&t=h&z=17 << ITS THERE... If you don't bring food or soda, then you won't eat. Noone will feed you for free so bring your own stuff.

Pepper

Howdy folks! You may or may not know me, but I'm Cyrus, also known as thesomething. I'm a blue Mewtwo from Chaska who's been following this group since its formation.
I've been recruited by the group to help organize and keep things running smoothly. If you see any major changes, don't fret, I'm just doing my best to keep things orderly.

I'll try my hardest to keep things up to date as well as provide some interesting topics of conversation to keep the group active.

Anyways, to reiterate the topic of the day, tomorrow is fursuit bowling as organized by the official MNfurs website. Most of the info is up above in the link, but for those of you who are going "TLDR," here's the short of it:

-Sunday, May 9th
-2 PM - whenever
-Classic Bowl, Coon Rapids
-11707 Round Lake Boulevard Northwest
-$3.50 at the door for one game
-Water w/ fursuit straws provided

Hope to see you there!


 thesomething

http://www.mnfurs.org/forums/?vasthtmlaction=viewtopic&t=48.0

Read the post on http://www.mnfurs.org/forums/?vasthtmlaction=viewtopic&t=45.0#postid-203 << IT'S MAY 9TH. It will be updated tonight. She is changing it back to May 9th...ALL MUST GO! starts at 2pm

St. Paul - siv , mouthrot , jacek , CircuitWolf , ominipotentgoldfish , JusticeWolf , Maynx, min, Kittenfrmhell, Carcar, kate-strife06, boombox

Savage - The_Woebegone_Jackal

Chaska - thesomething, Yanagi

Shakopee - phoenixwolf33 , Shadosword17 , Kody-the-Fox, loverofbalto

Hilltop - c-prime

Lino Lakes - kadjet , H-Dub, Drakowolf 21

Minneapolis - hotactionyifffur , robotplanedinosaur , Vanillin , Winail , Farellemoon , GoldenBoiBlaze , rexg , Tim_Kangaroo , Wolfknightx , minu_luffs, Kriosk
(Twin Cities) - FoxTrot84, barepawcub, Pimpjuice

Forest Lake - tabris9909

New Brighton - nauta , midnightfury

Grand Forks - sperklespice , Viral , ff-n-fma 41

Grand Rapids - Draces

St. Cloud – corbinbusker , illogicaltomb , jollyzjackal , art-of-df, Foxtwo

St. Michael - kisa-chan

Eagan - howlietigerpaw , blackdragon8186 , Umbra , xXShifterWolfXx, zachhart12

Buffalo - miranwolf , Cloudbreaker, Arcine

Minnetonka - renton_whitetail , LuckyChancePup , Chaos_Coyote , Norfox , shorty-antics-27 60

Apple Valley - kawaiixteddy , Kae_Kiama , Katsuyuki , WittyUserName

Waite Park - sugoi_sakaki

Burnsville - Pretzel , Terl, huskybutt

Coon Rapids - LoupTigre , Wyngaed , JoeySparkz , Zaos , Lightsylvan, Higesama

Brooklyn Park - FlyingFire , Imari_Edehn , HybridMarine, Kitsunekla

Anoka - Deragon

Kasson - xXxKirai_KainashixXx, Willis-Ax 80

Mound - shadowquine

Linwood - Zeezy

Champlin - Photosis

Blaine - WulfSige

Winsted - KyubiNoKitsune

Inver Grove Heights - Yarrick , Kurst

Ramsey - valkura

Hines - ZanthWolf 90

Mankato - indigo_the_cat , Squeeji , Skoll , Calico-Feathers , Sorriz , atfgunner

Lakeville - Spac3pup , Vivianite

Alexandria - Shifter

Northfield - Osprey 100

Plymouth - Andy_Fox , CaptainSaicin , Blueberrithehusky

Monticello - Angeal

Kimball - InsaneYanish

Bemidji - PowersNDark

Maple Grove - Silfe

White Bear Lake - venowolfe13

Eden Prairie - Further , Wehrwolf

Farmington - Tathi

Granite Falls - VincentOroscoe

International Falls - Gubaguy

Mendota Heights - RunRabbitBounce

Rosemount - captobvious

St. Louis Park - Rileykek

Hibbing - Prisma_Lin , Tom_Beckett

Jackson - Radiowolf

Morris - Nasonxian

Braham - Misun

Fergus Falls - Serena_Fox

Richfield - ThatSoup

Grand Marais - Slymo

Albert Lea - Blackfrost

Moorhead/Fargo - Dragondrawer , Wargreymon

Golden Valley - SchreddedWolf

Pine River - Anthroguy101

Rochester – Lonewolfkait 130

Zimmerman – Iced-Mocha

South St. Paul - carbonXdiamond, RenardSavira

Red Wing - Fyremane , Kahmal, DosTheFox

Mayer - Anonkiba

Montgomery - Kody-the-Fox

Sartell - Vanbael

Excelsior - Fjf, ReddyWolf

North St. Paul - TannerWolfton

Winona - Karrionrot

Dayton - Emmet

Oakdale - Magus6

Northeast Metro - Maloo

Luverne - KodiDusty82

Edina - Storm-Wolf

Unkown - DoraneIrok (Out of state), Deragon , Sevron , kionukun (Out of State), PhazonAlloy , CaptainSaicin , Smashedupsanity (Out of State), (BloodyxSerenade and ShadowCatcher (would rather not say where they live))

I took a drive to the Hyland Lake Park Reserve and it looks like an amazing location! There's plenty of free grill sites, but I was thinking about renting either a pavilion or a small building (both have grills) to have the picnic in. The price is 240 dollars. That's pretty high, but if nobody wants to contribute, then we can just wait and find a grill site on the day of the picnic and take it. Here are some links. http://www.threeriversparks.org/par.....lake-park.aspx and also http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=44.823392,-93.371891&spn=0.005555,0.016512&t=h&z=17 This location looks way better than Crystal Lake Beach. Any thoughts?

-Pepper



message from blackdragon8186:
from what it sounds like we are not going to rent a pavilion, me and Zach will keep an eye on their reserves and make sure to nab it on the day so it is free...
also...
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1346254/
you know who you are.

-

I took a drive to the Hyland Lake Park Reserve and it looks like an amazing location! There's plenty of free grill sites, but I was thinking about renting either a pavilion or a small building (both have grills) to have the picnic in. The price is 240 dollars. That's pretty high, but if nobody wants to contribute, then we can just wait and find a grill site on the day of the picnic and take it. Here are some links. http://www.threeriversparks.org/parks/hyland-lake-park.aspx and also http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=44.823392,-93.371891&spn=0.005555,0.016512&t=h&z=17 This location looks way better than Crystal Lake Beach. Any thoughts?

-Pepper

So Nauta gave the idea that we should have our next meet outside, so that's what we're gonna do...We're going to have it at the original location at...well here's the link. Crystal Lake Beach in Burnsville, MN. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=44.725373,-93.257827&sspn=0.001384,0.004128&g=Saint+Paul,+Dakota,+Minnesota+55122&ie=UTF8&ll=44.725373,-93.257827&spn=0.001384,0.004128&t=h&z=19 Yuppers... How's that sound everyone? We'll have a grill and stuff and I can provide charcoal and lighter fluid and some food to grill. People are encouraged to bring soda and burger buns and that stuff and chippies :P. IT WILL BE ON MAY 21ST

-Pepper

7pm at 6336 S. Lyndale Ave., Richfield, MN...come!!!!!!! 5 DOLLAR ADMISSION..BRING UR OWN FOOD...NO chipping in anymore!

Just a reminder that the furmeet is this Friday, April 9th, starting at 7pm.

-Pepper

Ok since noone was really interested in the camping idea, we are canceling it. The next furmeet is next Friday, April 9th at 6336 S. Lyndale, Richfield, MN. REMEMBER... $5 for admission, NO CHIPPING IN FOR FOOD. Order yourself food or bring your own food. See you there!

Pepper