Hookay, so...
Slowly getting my way back home to the frozen nordlands of Michigan. Had a blast at Great Lakes Furcon, rode the bus and then caught a ride with  Sorcererdale and friends and met up with our last minute roommate to begin the shenanigans. Met up with the fellow  yoopers for dinner and ran into fellow hobo and drinking buddy  amato for the sharing of drinks, food and interesting anecdotes. Met some new friends while I was down there, Deft Leppard,  catamount and  breadfox and shared my rum cake, made by  draco-silverflame , in celebration of my birthday. I also managed to introduce a bit of the UP at the con in the form of KBC beer. Overall, had an excellent time and am looking forward to making my way to Motor City.

Also, on a side note, upon my first year at MTU they hosted a huge winter carnival in honor of my birthday and now upon entering the fandom they gifted me a furcon for my birthday. I think I should continue to get into new fandoms and places as they keep hosting events for my birthday.

Because I am bored and memes are fun. Stolen from the lovely 'yote  Iarann

Where are you staying?
Hopefully the con hotel

How long are you going?
Should be around between Thursday and probably leaving Monday

How are you traveling?
Riding along in a horseless carriage, faster than the usual means of walking aboots.

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
Hopefully with a few yooperfurs but you can almost always find me/know where I'm at by asking  Sorcererdale

What do you look like?
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10594074/

What is your gender?
I am a man

How tall are you?
aboot 70"

How old are you?
25, but I'll be turning 26 at the con. Looking to get a little ad hoc room party to celebrate me being old...er

How is the best way to find you?
Look for  Sorcererdale, if not there, seek sources of alcohol. Smoke signals and carrier pigeons are also effective.

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Saying "yo" is pretty good but you can hail me and I'll usually respond to "red" or "injun" or "redman" or "asshole" or lots of other things.

Are there any panels you might be attending?
Potentially, I'll find oot at the con. I'll know what panels I'll be attending after the con is over.

Will you be going to parties?
Potentially, I'll find oot at the con. I'll know what parties I'll be going to after the con is over.

Will you be performing?
It depends on my level of sobriety, so potentially. I'll find oot at the con. I'll know where I'll be performing after the con is over.

Will you be fursuiting?
Alas, I shall not

Do you do free art/trades/commissions?
No such thing as a free lunch but I'll be happy to commission you an officer in my forming legions.

Do you have an artist table?
I do not

Are you mated/in a relationship?
I'm in several relationships and have lots of mates....oh you mean those kinds of relationships and those kinds of mates

Can I talk to you?
Indeed you can

Can I touch you?
Sure, why not.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Yes, yes you can.

Can I buy you drinks?
Yes, yes you can.

Can I give you stuff?
Yes, yes you can.

Are you nice?
Only one way to find out but I generally have a very easy-going demeanor

Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
Oot and aboot, wandering around looking for things to occupy my time with. I'll probably still be at  Sorcererdale 's heels like I always am

What/where will you be eating?
Food and hopefully somewhere where there is food

Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?
Sure, make for a lousy first date though.

Can I look in your sketchbook?
You could, but it's full of terribly inaccurate drawings of plant cells and whatnot

Can I draw in your sketchbook?
Sure, if you desire

Can I take your picture?
Sure, just be sure to send me a pic so I know what sort of things will be floating around the 'net to have to try to explain to folks

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
Main goal is always to stay alive.

So there I was...
...at MFF. It was an awesome time and I'm slowly started to get the hang of cons it seems. Started the great exodus south by bus and then by  jaywolfe2007 and  zinky. 's Express Coach Service. I was not alone however, fellow hobo and vagrant  amato joined me as we traveled to Chicago. Loitered around for a bit, hoping that the hotel staff wouldn't confuse me with a homeless person, until my dragon in scaly armor showed up and I was set with a room. The next few days were filled with fun, fun and every now and then alcohol.

Spent most of the con at my usual place, trailing at  Sorcererdale feet. Someday I'll be old enough to travel on my own. Friday was Yooper Dinner day and it was nice to see some folks I generally don't get a chance to see. Saturday was almost a blur as it was one activity after another, Sorcererdale and I also donned our pirate gear. I was a rum-runner but seemed to be confused with Red Green or a lumberjack, giving me the idea of debuting a Red Green look next con. I already started growing a beard and it should be ready to go by 2015! Sunday was fun and I met a few new friends whose FA accounts I drunkenly scribbled onto a napkin, only to ruin said napkin with use so sorry I can't add yoos guys.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I'm already excited to do it all again next year. Will hopefully be coming out of the woods for GLFC but time will tell. At any rate, now to unpack and try to reintegrate with all the NFFs out there and to drown my PCD in whatever cheap booze I can still afford.

Suppose a recap on this past weekend's events are in order. Went to  jaywolfe2007 and  zinky. 's awesome Halloween party along with a carload of local Houghtonites. Had a ball and met up with my old friends  Sorcererdale ,  xarzyth ,  platero ,  iarann ,  slymo ,  amato and a host of others and met some awesome new friends  kimbaquartez along with a few folks whose FA I haven't found or who currently don't have one. Conducted in some drunken revelry and danced/drank/debaucherized and otherwise had a good time. I also had an excuse to wear my Hawaiian shirt AND my beerdoleer all at the same time.

Also, on a side note I experienced my first true 'VA experience.' While waiting for a flu shot I had to sit in the waiting room for about 45 minutes to get a shot that took less than 3 to administer. Fun stuff.

After nearly three years of watching nervously world affairs, I can say with confidence that I am a free man! Today I celebrate my EOS, ending the last bit of affiliation with the Department of Defense. No longer must I worry about being recalled back to active duty. Huzzah! Ironically enough though I can still be drafted for another 10 years I believe so it seems that unless WWIII starts I'm done sir done with the military. Now to join the VFW, collect my pension and woo all the girls with wild stories of spreadsheets gone wild and the many requisitions that I've slain.

Finally getting around to writing an After-Con Report, or ACR as I like to call it. I was lucky to have  Hundaro and his mate  Terai offer me a spot in their vehicle for a ride down to FCN and  Sorcererdale to share space in his room until my yote in furry armor  Iarann showed up the next day for bivouacing purposes. He also brought along an awesome badge I commissioned from him to add to my ever growing collection. If you're not watching him you should. It was fun to meet all the new folks and also catch up with old friends. As always, I had a blast and loved every minute of it. If you were lucky enough to catch us,  Amato and I had a yoopinese conversation on Sunday night and I even had a chance to introduce the trolls of the con to KBC. Fun times.

On a different note, it's also been one year on FA for me and mein gott hast it been an interesting one. I've met quite a few friends and had quite a few good times because of yoos guys. I hope the next year is just as interesting and awesome.

Because memes are fun and I am bored. Meme courtesy of Iarann, answers courtesy of Red. For those of you who will be at FCN this year:

Where are you staying?
Hopefully in the main hotel this time around.

Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
Hopefully mulling around the con area attending some of the panels and trying to meet new people. If you're really trying to find me seek out Sorcererdale and I'll likely be around.

Who will you be with?
I can usually be found with Sorcererdale though I've been known to wander aboot now and then.

Do you do free art?
I can do a fairly mean stick figure if I do say so myself.

Do you do trades?
I'm Indian, we barter. It's in our blood. If you get the reference you'll receive a hug, if not just ask and you'll still get a hug if you want.

Do you do commissions?
Nope, never cared for officers all that much.

Do you have prints/ CDs ?
Alas, I do not.

What suits will you have?
At least a birthday one.

What is your gender?
Male

How old are you?
25

How tall are you?
70"

Can I touch you?
Sure, but not without paying up front. I'm not a charity.

Can I talk to you?
Indeed, though I'm pretty shy at first so I'm not great at conversations.

Can I buy you lots of drinks?
Indeed you can, though I warn you I'm a forester in training and have done time in Uncle Sams Misguided Children, I've been known to rack up $70 bar tabs. Purchase at your own risk.

Can I give you lots of money?
Yes, yes you can.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
See above.

Are you nice?
I like to think so, but there's only one way to find out and that's meeting me.

Tomorrow I'll be 25 years old. Might as well be dead. But not really. Funny how going about living your life can produce such strange results.

5 years ago I was sitting in a bunker in Al Anbar killing requisitions and intimidating order statuses. I had a girlfriend, a job, and a rough view of where I wanted to be. If you were to tell my 20-year old self that I'd be where I am now, I'd likely politely tell you where you could pleasure yourself. I was a fur in denial. Three years ago I was proposing a business plan to my business partner to establish our surplus empire. Two years ago I began my quest for a degree in forestry and wildlife ecology and management at MTU. Today, I celebrate my 25th birthday with people I never thought I'd be in the company of. Funny how much difference five years can make in one's life.

I never thought I'd be where I am today, but here I am. Despite how the outside world views those of us in the fandom, I can honestly say I've felt something I haven't felt since by brief stint with Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. I feel like I belong in a family that truly cares about each other. While we may have our differences, in the end we all are part of a huge disfunctionally functional family and I am glad to be part of it. I've met amazing folks I'd otherwise have never had the pleasure of meeting and had I never opened myself up to my fur-side I'd be quite a bit more miserable.

In essence, yoos guys are a bunch of awesome people and I couldn't imagine better friends than those I met in the fandom.

I'll have to say, MFF was well worth the money. It was most excellent to reunite with old friends and catch up. I met awesome new friends and had quite possibly the best time of my life. It was the most fun I had in Chicago without being in Chicago. My brain, and also my liver, is still trying to process everything that went on.

Today I bid farewell to the Sault and ahoy to Houghton. Hopefully vast riches and fame await me but I'll settle for fine KBC and a reunion with my old friends.

I'm safely back home after a weekend of shenanigans and debauchery that I wish would have never ended. I had a blast at the local yooperfur meet that was held this weekend. It was fun to stretch out the legs and take some dips in Lake Superior, two things I haven't done in quite a while. I met back up with old friends and met quite a few new ones. Overall it was an excellent time and I would say that it was the most fun I had since FCN.

FNG reporting in. I've been a furry for a few years now and just lost my 'fur-ginity' as I've heard it described this weekend. Furry Connection North was so much fun and I met so many people I figured I might as well create an account to stay with the community.