I have not been active on FA in over 4 years. I'm currently active on Telegram as MysteryOtter! Say hi to me there! Add me to crazy groups and things!

I'm taking a brief break from all these random appearances. Who knows when the next one will be? I could be swimming down the creek by your house any day now.

I'm in the Funday Pawpet Show chat room right now and my friend  spinningpeanut is there chatting with me! She was really nice at Rocky Mountain Fur Con last August and I've been looking at her art and it's getting really good! Go check her out! My favorites are the one with Fox Albi Azul and the "Wolf-I-Fied" one. :3

I've been somewhat busy since April Fools Day (Thanks  Twitchdawoof for being such a good sport - or should I say THANKS ME?).

First of I want to thank the kind, thoughtful folks at BLFC who invited me to attend and made me a cool personalized badge

I had a great time meeting new people, nomming Feesh and giving out new rainbow ribbons. Do YOU play well with otters? I hung out with the Guest of Honor, WolfPupTK, a super nice wolfy! The resort opened the pool early for the season for the BLFC guest requests, but they closed it for threat of lightning. But at least it rained. We otters don't like being dry! :3

There was an all-you-can-eat sushi bar! Sadly it was in a humans-only area, but it smelled really good, and fortunately have my endlessly regenerating Feesh to nom on. :-P

Late Saturday night, I made it to the epic Room 2015 party. The guy at the door tagged me as a Certified VIP Biggest Little Party Animal. Like any Nevada resort drama, my trip was not without scandal. Feesh was photographed making out with Consuela, a cute little lemon that  HornetV2 brought with him to the dance. That dance kept going until 6 A.M.! I made a friend sitting on the edge of the stage, reflecting on my fun time in Reno.

Congratulations to BLFC for starting a great new con. I hope to return someday, but my upcoming schedule is, as always, shrouded in mystery. :3

PS. Sorry if I scared you,  stoicwolf!

Not that I even HAVE one. Everyone knows I'm just a mysterious otter and nothing more.

But...what if...just what if I was really  twitchdawoof?

The last 4 weekends have been super fun! I went to EVERY TIME ZONE. Well, not all of them. But all of them in the U.S. Well, except for the outlying islands and territories and stuff. Just the U.S. states. But not Alaska or Hawaii.

I've been to each of the 4 time zones of the contiguous states in as many weekends. There.

So did ya notice anything different about me? I got a lot of compliments about my weight loss! Thanks so much guys! And to the tummy lovers...well, my love for feeeeesh is very easily rekindled, so maybe I won't be donating my baggy clothes to Purple Heart just yet. ;)

Texas! Congrats to fellow rainbowites Trist & Piston on their engagement! I am so happy for you two! And thanks Mary Mouse for the "Cuter than you" badge! Some people asked questions about buttons. I'm out of most colors but there might be something new in the future, so stay tuned.

California! Was NOBODY watching when I got that strike? Figures :P

Idaho! IDAHO?? Everyone was just running around with potatos everywhere. No, not really. But I met lots of cool new friends and I also got to hang out with my fellow weasel friend Syd Stoat! And that bus. That bus!!

Georgia! The con where you were either dancing or waiting for the elevator, amirite? And sometimes both! Saw a lot of east coasters who I've met at other events out this way, and lots of warm hugs and fish-bopping happened. You couldn't avoid that. :3
By the way Tobias, I've got my eye on you!

Hello there! It's your friendly rainbow ottah again (and nothing more)!

I just wanted to clarify what I meant by "the rules are changing" in my previous entry. I'm terrible at clarifying though, so I'll be as cryptic as usual: Read that entry again, very carefully. ;)

It's my birthday! It's been a year since my first appearance. :3 As many of you know, I have challenged myself to go for a full year without my "seeecret alter ego" being found out. Well, time's up! Game over!

How did it go? Who won - the detectives or me? Well...it depends on the challenge, specifically: If it was never to become PUBLICLY known, then I WON!! Nobody ever found out about my alter ego and leaked the info to the world.

But really the challenge was never to let ANYBODY know. Which means I LOST!! Although I like to think I had a good run.

See, for more than 18 weeks after I first greeted the world NOT A SINGLE PERSON knew the answer. That's longer than one third of my existence! I managed to go to lots of fun furmeets, conventions and even a couple of private homes... and NOBODY had figured it out.

Yet, a handful of extremely clever furs did a very impressive job of playing detective, and they eventually got to the bottom of the mystery. Congratulations to them! Those privy to the answer have been sworn to secrecy. You'll never know who they are. The members of the Illuminotter walk among us! :3

And FOR THE LAST TIME, there's just one of me. XD

So...now what? If the game's over, what happens next?

I have enjoyed playing games with all my new friends across the country, and I want to continue meeting people and sharing fun and feeeesh! Over time I've found it's a lot more fun just being a cute wiggly otter and seeing you and making you smile. That means there are no more guessing games: The truth about my identity, as it has been speculated here and there, is that I'm just me. Mystery Otter. Here to have fun, be silly and nom on feesh. :3

No alter egos, just a happy, bouncy mustelid here!

OH, but there will be so many games to play yet! The rules are changing. There are many plans in the works and I promise it will be fun for all of us. Immersive puzzle games everyone can participate in, more awesome buttons, a special guest...and a few more tricks up my proverbial sleeve. ^^

So keep an eye out for me! I can't wait to see you all again! And until then have an awesome year! :3

...a mysterious rainbow otter descends to the earth, drifting along holding his brightly colored umbrella, to join the wet and frigid furries, bringing them warmth and cheer.

It was said that this unusually wet Arizona day, coinciding with an equally rare Arizona furmeet, was a sure sign of the ancient sayings of the tongue-in-cheek: "God hates furries."

An event was rained on sure, but 50 or 60 furries braved the weather anyway (some even without jackets), huddling together, laughing with each other and playing all sorts of crazy games. (I even won one! ...Or was it my Feesh who won?)

Whatever comes our way, furry comraderie and sheer stubbornness prevail. No force can overpower us. We are furries. We are unstoppable!

That's right, I do NOT have a Twitter account. Hope that clears things up.

I have no idea who is impersonating me on Twitter! I kind of wish they had asked me first before doing something like that.

Apparently some people are exchanging direct messages with that account. Although my whole game revolves around secrets and mysteries, I don't want people taking private conversations to someone they think is me. I would NEVER condone fraudulent or dishonest activities. I may be a slippery bastard myself, but I'd like to be an honest one!

To whoever is running the fake account on Twitter, sorry to rain on your parade. ...But on the bright side, more rain = more rainbows :3

Anyway, in case there are any followers on Twitter who don't read my journals, I'd appreciate the help if anybody would like to link to this journal on Twitter. Thank you!

I have this account and a YouTube account (both created last year), and if I join any other social networking site I will mention it here first. :3

A quick October & November recap! You North Carolinans are super fun! There are lots of cool people there and I got to meet  contourcoyote who is a very nice coyote! And FurFright is a great con staffed by the funnest and friendliest people. Same goes for the spectacular Midwest FurFest. No fire alarm can slow these cons down! Thank you all for the great company and such wonderful times!

So back in February I was challenged by a very good friend to see if I can maintain my secret for a WHOLE YEAR. Living two lives has been quite a challenge. But I have just 3 more appearances to make before time's up, and I'm gonna wiiiiin! Then it's Game Over, and I will carry my secret to the grave. Who am I? I am the Mystery Otter, and nothing more. :P

It is interesting that few people want to play detective, but it's been fun playing "Catch Me If You Can" with you guys nonetheless. For those of you who don't want to know because it could ruin the game and all the fun, or because you simply prefer to play along and enjoy my antics as you would any other character's, or because you just don't care...That's cool, that's OK! I'm glad to have your company and to put a smile on your faces.

I'll keep trying to think of new and interesting ways to charm you with my presence. I have another fun game in the works that I hope you will all enjoy playing. I can't wait to finish it and share it with you all!

And don't forget that there are some amazing characters out there who don't need a silly gimmick like I do to put on a great show, to draw people in, to make people smile and laugh. Many of these performers appreciate maintaining the illusion and they do so very impressively. The next time you meet an energetic character who can interact with you and make you laugh without saying a single word, take a moment to just appreciate that fact. And don't forget to give them a big hug!

And for the record, there really is JUST ONE OF ME. :P

Guess who was assigned to Room 366 at Furlaxation?

Just throwing that out there.

...and I smell feeeeesh! *sniffs around*

The green buttons are gone! The last of them disappeared at an awesome place called Mephit Furmeet. But now, who will be the first to receive the latest one?

But...where could I go to do that...?

*noms his feesh and waddles off*

If you can see this message and you're at Rocky Mountain Fur Con, be the first to give me a high five to get a free "Made Fur You" Bandana and t-shirt, courtesy of the con's GOH Syber!

You're welcome to take one from me this weekend if you can find me! :3

("One" is NOT "a handful" ...thank you!)

For the curious, the winner of the lottery raffle "mystery questions" handed them off to a friend, and the exchange has been completed. However, the person has decided to choose whether to distribute the answer(s) on their own accord and so I will not be sharing them here unless they explicitly want me to. Sorry! :3

Yes, my appearances this past weekend were an insane amount of fun. Though very exhausting, it's always worth it. :P Thanks for all the hugs and feesh, fellow convention-goers! There are plenty more green buttons with art by  howee to give out, so look for me at the next con or two if you want one!

Drawn for first prize is  bomba! Bomba, you can choose between the Mary Mouse commission or the chance to ask me some questions as detailed in the raffle description.

Runner-up is  techwolf, who will receive the remaining prize.

UPDATE! A surprise third winner,  croc, wins a free piece by  gear-paw, who has generously offered to do a commission.

Congratulations to the winners!

Thanks for playing, everyone! Watch me here on FA if you're interested in more games in the future. :3

Hello visitors! If you're wondering who I am or what this is about, I'm a very bouncy otter who loves to make surprise appearances, to keep people guessing at my mysterious alter ego, and to tease my watchers with clues. (Think EXTREME staying-in-character.) I also love giving away stuff like buttons (and hugs!) at random furry events, and I've made 9 appearances already this year. You can check out my journals for more information and clues if you're curious. Most of it is up to date. ;)

This raffle is my first online giveaway!

ENTERING THE RAFFLE

You will only be entered in the raffle if you follow these instructions correctly!

Step 1a) Create a new journal entry here on FA with the subject "I am Mystery Otter" ...and/or...
Step 1b) Create a tweet on Twitter with the same message.
Step 2) The same FA journal and/or tweet must link directly back to THIS POST.
Step 3) Reply to THIS POST with the link(s) to your FA journal and/or tweet.
Step 4) For your entry to be valid, the journal and/or tweet must still be visible for me to see on Sunday, July 15 when the drawing occurs.

You are allowed to post on FA and Twitter for a second chance to win! Just link to both your journal and tweet in your reply. In this way there is a small chance you can win both prizes.

For fairness, "group accounts" and "alt accounts" cannot enter for multiple chances to win. Each person may create only one FA entry and one Twitter entry (as specified above).

RAFFLE DRAWING

Two valid entries will be randomly selected using a random number generator at some time on Sunday, July 15.
First prize is the winner's choice of one of the two offerings listed below. Runner up will win the remaining offer.

RAFFLE PRIZES

1) A FREE commission for a single character digital drawing by the marvelous  marymouse with these important restrictions:
* All of Mary Mouse's usual commission rules and restrictions apply. [Click here for commission info]
* Keep the rating at G or PG. Nothing fetish-related please.
* Nothing too complicated. A single character with prop and simple background is acceptable. Examples: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I can't thank  marymouse enough for graciously contributing this prize. (She is otherwise closed for commissions at the moment, which makes this one extra special!)

2) An HONEST AND TRUTHFUL CLUE about my identity! Ask me 3 or more "Yes-or-No" questions, and I will randomly select ONE question from the list to answer in a private message to you. Ask me 5 or more questions, and I will answer TWO of them.

You may feel free to distribute the answers if you wish. All questions must be unique, but they can be about anything. For anyone playing detective, this is a perfect chance to get some real info, so you'd better make your questions really count!

Note: Yes, prizes are TRANSFERABLE! If you want to pass it on to a friend, go for it. If you win, just send me a note and let me know who. :3

Good luck! <3

Preferably where it isn't a billion degrees outside? :3

That's right, I was there! Terribly exhausting, but so much fun.

5,179 hugs administered
300 new buttons given away
100 hours of awesome
1 tasty rainbow trout (Its name is Feesh by the way!)

Mystery Otter signs were mysteriously left around the con! If they led you here then congrats, you found me. XD

Also,  yippee has started an article about me on WikiFur to help get all clues about Mystery in one place. This is a pretty good idea for any detectives out there trying to find my alter ego (yes, go ahead and try!) so be sure to check it out and see if there are any clues that can help you, or maybe you have something you can add. :3
http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Mystery_Otter

This is kind of a long shot, but I'm looking for a specific artist from the Dealer's room at Texas Furry Fiesta.

She was drawing lots of badges with colorful shiny backgrounds and she smiled a whole lot! I think she was in the same row as Mary Mouse, against the right wall from the entrance, but further back, near the corner.

Does anybody know who I'm describing?

I've learned from all of my appearances (including this one) that there are two types of people who have noticed me, differentiated by how they choose to react and "play the game."

My hope is that people would try to "chase me down" and figure out who my alter ego is. I haven't really figured out what I would give as a prize to the person or group of people who solved the mystery (with proof, of course, since merely guessing isn't going to get you far), besides high regard and congratulations; perhaps I'd pay for registration of their convention of choice? But the number of "detectives" - eyes open, looking for clues and hints to solve the puzzle - is lower than I expected.

More often than not I find people see me as an opportunity to play along without ever breaking the fourth wall or killing the joy of hanging out with a live, bouncing otter! Furries are closing their eyes and choosing to see me as a character without a performer. Perhaps like the great Wizard of Oz and without some man behind a curtain. (And perhaps I am, for all you know!) They want to suspend disbelief, play along and enjoy the ride.

Of course, the way I keep slipping up, I wonder how much longer the show's going to last! :3

So which one are you? Detective, dreamer, or a little of each?

I haven't updated much lately, but I promise I have still been visiting lots of wonderful furry events and making so many awesome new friends! May has been a month full of some crazy adventures, and I'm sure June will be too.

Wherever you wind up, maybe you'll get a lucky rainbow otter hug! :3

If you've got photos or video of yourself or your friends with me, whether it's here or on Flickr or YouTube or wherever, I'd love it if you share them with me! I don't wanna forget you guys! :3