I like costumed characters and I like bringing smiles to people that need them.

So do these folks. Check 'em out. And if you can, well... you know what to do.

https://www.facebook.com/mascotsforacure/

I am a juggler.

Did you know there's an objective standard for being able to call yourself a juggler? There is! You have to be able to throw and catch at least 3 objects, and do at least twice as many consecutive throws and catches. If you can do that, you've done one full juggling cycle.

Yesterday I was not a juggler. Oh, I had tried before. More than once. Several times. On several different occasions, over several years. But I had never gotten it. And I had given up trying. Fact is, I'm a spaz. Feats of coordination are not my strong suit.

But yesterday a friend prodded me to try again. He knew how to juggle, and was willing to coach me. And I did it!

I am a juggler. A bad one, still. I need more practice. But I did actually get it.
Success!

Reflecting back on that... The ladder to success is failing just one last time.

Yes, it's a stupidly simple idea. But I'm a slow learner. I think I get it now.

I'm starting a new job on Monday. I was dreading it. But not any more.

I can't wait to fail just that one last time.

"Are you real?"

I recently suited up for a visit to one of the shelters helping people who fled the hurricane damage down south. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to show, but it is a good policy for the shelters.

Every time I suit up brings both familiar themes and new experiences.

Most of the time when a kid spots my lion I get a reaction that I call "the big-eyed moment". When a kid first sees my lion, they usually stop whatever they're doing very suddenly and stare, trying to decide how to respond. It's at that moment that I try to convince them I'm friendly & fun.

And do you know what's funny? I get the big-eyed moment from adults, too, but they usually make up their minds about the lion before I have a chance to respond.

But this time at the shelter was the first time I've ever seen a kid have the big-eyed moment and ask, in all earnestness, "Are you real?". Snowlions are mythical creatures of hope and joy. And there were those big eyes, wondering if I was real.

I nodded enthusiastically, of course. And got a smile. The joy was real.

And then the kid asked to touch my lion's eyes.

Every time is a new experience.

She's got good stuff, and not too pricey. Check it out here:

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/8330524/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBjfki-sNcM

White lion at 7:25, with  flamesvoices and  runeangeldragon and a couple of other nice furs whose names I don't know.

Thank you again to  tiggerpup and  karter_blackpaw. You make all the events possible. Just the fact that you're willing to be there means the world.

And thank you to  lunovulpes, who made my suit. You made it possible, too!

I suited up for the Plano Christmas parade and the Snowball Express this last week. I'll have photos of the Plano parade up soon. The Snowball Express I did without a spotter, and so I don't have photos. I do highly recommend working with a spotter whenever possible, but my only window for the Snowball Express was on a Monday morning, and my usual posse wasn't available. I stepped off the walkway by accident twice, and walked into a column once. Hey, it was crowded, and the lighting was a bit dim. But no damage done, and there were a lot of smiles, so I chalk it up in the "win" column.

Totally worth it, both events!

And a shout-out "thank-you" to my posse of spotters,  Karter_Blackpaw,  Jesse-McOtter, and  Tiggerpup !!!

I suited up for a couple of last-minute events this week. I attended the Salvation Army Kettle Drive parade in Fort Worth, and visited the Ronald McDonald House.

Usually I plan events out weeks in advance, but my life as been unusually unsettled lately. These opportunities popped up unexpectedly, and I grabbed them. I'm glad I did!

The parade was especially a lot of fun. I got to interact with all kinds of folks, both in the parade and onlookers. The Kettle Drive featured cowboys hearing cows around a local mall. As they were prepping for the parade, the cowpokes kicked back against the wall to enjoy a cuppa joe. Classic cowboy poses. I mimicked them, and got a round of chuckles. I also borrowed a cowboy hat and chased the Chik-Fil-A cow around for a while. And there were the usual high-fives and photos... unfortunately I don't have any pictures to show. It was such a last-minute event that I didn't get a chance to invite my usual posse of spotters, and had no photographer of my own. Sorry guys, I missed having you around a lot.

I also did a Ronald McDonald House visit. That was a much quieter thing, but I did manage to entertain a handful of kids. This was the first occasion where I've worked with a small audience for an extended period in suit. I guess my improv is improving. We had fun!

Anyway, I'm planning (for now) to return to the Ronald McDonald House on Dec 17 as part of a larger cosplay event. Wish me the best!

Yes, for real.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21137581/

I suited up for a visit to Dell Children's Hospital today. It was such a great time! I wish I had pictures I could show. Patient privacy, though, so no visuals. There were so many smiles from kids in the ward, their siblings, and their parents! And the hospital staff was wonderful.

I met one family that consisted of a mom, dad, and four kids. Three of the kids were inpatients. I don't know what happened to them, but those 3 kids were banged up pretty bad. That was a hurting family. But they were sticking together, and I got to see them smile with a few moments of escape.

Later, when I was out of costume, I passed them in the hallway. They didn't recognize me. I didn't let on. And the usual social boundaries were back.

But that's the magic of fursuiting. We had met. We had fun for a while. We were friends, and they didn't even know it. It was possible because I was dressed up as a lion.

I hope I'll be able to do more stuff like this. The hospital has invited me back. I'm going to try reaching out to hospitals closer to where I live, too. And with the references I picked up today, I think it'll happen.

The awesomeness is too awesome and I am in awe.

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/a-t-rex-d.....paign=mondayPM

My friend  RacerDragon is having a raffle!

Just, um... don't ask about the 14 chickens.

I went to the Lion's Club xSIGHTment fun-run in Colleyville today. I have such a blast supporting charity events like this! xSIGHTment benefitted several organizations that help people with visual impairments.

Special thank-you to  Tiggerpup, who was my spotter and photographer! I couldn't have done it without you. There are so many little unexpected things that pop up during an event like this that I just can't fix when I'm in costume. You kept the magic going.

Also thank-yous to  LunoVulpes, who made my suit (folks at these events keep complimenting it!) and  kijani_lion, who gave me a lot of useful advice and encouragement to try these events.

This will probably be my last outdoor event of the summer season. I was overheating near the end of the event. I hope I'll be able to find some nice indoor events, where I can work in AC. Anyway, I'll have pictures to post soon, and a video.

Whoo! I suited up for another big charity event today!

Special thank-yous to my spotters,  Jesse-McOtter and  tiggerpup! I couldn't have done it without you two. Just knowing you were there made all the difference in the world.

Also a thank-you to  LunoVulpes, who made my suit, and  kijani_lion, who gave me lots of advice and encouragement.

I'll have lots of pictures to post in the next couple of days, thanks to  Jesse-McOtter doing the shutterbug work.

The Officer Down 5K raised funds to support police officers who were killed in the line of duty and their families. It's a great organization and a great cause. I was honored to help bring a few smiles to their event.

And for now, I need to rehydrate, pull the burrs out of my poor feetpaws, and clean up the suit!

So... wow. I did a thing.

I showed up in suit at a local charity event benefitting Plano Children's Hospital. AND I HAD A BLAST!!!

Special thank-yous to  Karter_Blackpaw and  Jesse-McOtter, who were my spotters. This wouldn't have happened without you two. Really... your contributions might not have been as visible as mine, but they were no less real. Oh, and thanks for the camera work, too.

Also a thank-you to  LunoVulpes, who made my suit. Luno is a pro, does great work and keeps the deadlines... and earned the smiles today as much as anyone else.

One last thank-you to  kijani_lion, whose advice and encouragement got me going.

I'll post a few photos shortly, and a whole bunch more later.

Chimeras. The grim fairy tale is for real now.

http://www.march-against-monsanto.c.....-on-u-s-farms/

Where are you staying? : A nearby hotel.


What day are you getting there? : Friday. Noonish, probably.


How long are you going? : At least until closing ceremonies on Sunday.


How are you traveling? : Car


Who will you be rooming with? : Solo. I'll be doing my socializing away from the hotel.


Who will you hang out with during the convention? : Lots of folks, I hope.


What do you look like? : Tall, dark, heavy-set


What is your gender? : Male


How tall are you? : About 6 foot.


How is the best way to find you? : I'm pretty sure I'll be the only Tibetan snowlion there. White fur with leaopard spots and a blue mane.


If I see you, how should I get your attention? : Yell "Hey, Rary!" and wave a lot. Give me an ILY and maybe a hug.


Are there any panels/events you might be attending? : I'm sure, but I haven't decided yet. Planning to make the parade at least.


Will you be going to parties? : Eh, maybe. Loud noise and crowds aren't my thing.


Will you be fursuiting? : Yep.


Can I talk to you? : Please do.


Can I hug or snuggle with you? : Yeah, sure! Just don't expect it to go beyond friendly.


Can I buy you drinks? : A coke or a Monster, maybe. Diet, please.


Can I give you stuff? : Um... sure?


Are you nice? : Does anybody ever say "No, I'm not nice"? I try. I hope you will, too.


Where will you be most of the time during the day/s? : Mostly at the con site. Mostly in suit. Probably attending a lot of events.


What/where will you be eating? : Haven't planned that yet. Mostly, I'll bring food from home. A couple of nice restaurant meals would be cool, though.


Can I take your picture? : Sure!


What's your goal(s) for the con this year? : Relax, have some good clean fun, and see people.


How can I contact you? : Give me a shout on my FA page. Or just walk up to the white lion and say "hi".

'Cause dragons are cool! Drop me a line if you join!

http://www1.flightrising.com/

Flight Rising. It's a lot of fun, and addictive.

Limited registration window opens Jan 12. My username there is Exalt14. Drop me a line if you join.

http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ann/1705855

You like dragons, right? Check out Flight Rising.

www1.flight rising.com

They have a limited registration window that is open now!

Ping me there at Exalt14, Light Flight, and I'll help you get started!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu3ILcyZwQ0

Because I like it, that's why.

Oi! Check out my friend  RacerDragon who is giving away free art here:

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/...../#cid:47339483

If a derp falls in the forrest, does anyone remember what I was about to say?

My friend  timid-wolf issued the following a few days back:

"Comment, and I'll...

1. Tell you what animal/creature you remind me of.
2. Tell you what color I think fits you.
3. Tell you how I feel about you.
4. Insult you. (I don't mean the insult mind you)
5. Tell you my favorite OC of yours.
6. Tell you what season you remind me of.
7. Tell you what food you smell like in my head.
8. Think of a random nickname for you.
9. Tell you what element you remind me of.
10. Ask you to put this in your journal without using the words 'tag' or 'dare'. "

And, after letting him know that I like cheese, he responded with the following:

"1. snow leopard actually, even though you're a lion
2. blue, the color of loyalty
3. You seem like a nice guy
4. Furfag!XP(Just joking of course)
5. I like your lion character
6. Winter
7. Ginger bread(I think because I associate it with snow)
8. Lion winter
9. water(Or ice if that counts)
10. Ask you to put this in your journal without using the words 'tag' or 'dare'. "

And I thought the whole thing was kind of cool.

So, if anybody is interested, I'll repeat the favor for the first three responders below. And maybe a few others, if I really feel like it.

Be excellent to one another!

RIP, Sir Pratchett. Your books made me smile, and they made me think. I will sorely miss your wit.

http://m.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31858156