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FC Chinese 2017
Posted 9 years agoWith FC approaching again, I'd like to announce the 9th annual Saturday Night Chinese meetup. It would be the 10th, but I had to cancel the event last year.
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown. The place has been run by the same family since 1925, so they're obviously doing something right. Since we've been doing this for a while (and we tip really well), they definitely know who we are. XD
At 5:30, we'll meet up at the Marriott end of the Convention Center, by the stairs on the lower level. We're starting this a little earlier than usual so we don't overlap with the Dance Competition. You can look at the con Schedule here: Further Confusion 2017 Schedule
We'll take the 5:40 light rail up to Japantown. Here's a map link & details: Google Maps
The light rail tickets cost $2.00, but they're good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. Also, the light rail kiosks are finally able to accept credit cards. (TIP: don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back.)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
> Cost-wise, we're looking at about $15-20 per person (plus light rail tickets). No, I'm not paying for everybody.
> Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
> To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
> Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel! We can always order more if we need to.
> Since I've been asked this before: No, this is not a fursuiting event. Tails & ears are fine (much to the delight of the restaurant staff), but it's a small space with no changing room, and lots of saucy food that will stain your suit.
> Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT, Tweet (@SDWolf), or nudge on Telegram (@ShadowDWolf) by 5 pm so I can give them a headcount.
Take care!
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown. The place has been run by the same family since 1925, so they're obviously doing something right. Since we've been doing this for a while (and we tip really well), they definitely know who we are. XD
At 5:30, we'll meet up at the Marriott end of the Convention Center, by the stairs on the lower level. We're starting this a little earlier than usual so we don't overlap with the Dance Competition. You can look at the con Schedule here: Further Confusion 2017 Schedule
We'll take the 5:40 light rail up to Japantown. Here's a map link & details: Google Maps
The light rail tickets cost $2.00, but they're good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. Also, the light rail kiosks are finally able to accept credit cards. (TIP: don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back.)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
> Cost-wise, we're looking at about $15-20 per person (plus light rail tickets). No, I'm not paying for everybody.
> Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
> To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
> Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel! We can always order more if we need to.
> Since I've been asked this before: No, this is not a fursuiting event. Tails & ears are fine (much to the delight of the restaurant staff), but it's a small space with no changing room, and lots of saucy food that will stain your suit.
> Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT, Tweet (@SDWolf), or nudge on Telegram (@ShadowDWolf) by 5 pm so I can give them a headcount.
Take care!
Enough, already. I'm out. I'm done.
Posted 9 years agoI've been an FA user for about 10 years now, since January of 2006. Back in those days, there weren't really any alternatives; I was among those who came over from SheezyArt and y!Gallery when they banned furry art. Of course, SoFurry (known as YiffStar back then) was around, but they were exclusively a story site in those days.
Times have changed. FA isn't the only game in town anymore; they now have at least four other sites to contend with, all of which have better designs, better reliability, and more competent administrations than FA. It's been over a year since FA was sold to IMVU, so you'd think there would be significant improvements on all of those counts. Sadly, that hasn't been the case. Indeed, all that's really changed is that there really isn't any excuse for FA's failings and shortcomings anymore. The money and resources are there, but they haven't done much.
Here's a quick rundown of my general concerns with FA, in no particular order:
- Uptime Issues
- Ongoing Security/Privacy Issues
- Malware-laden Advertisements
- Inequitable Enforcement of Policies
- Pretty much everything in this FA Timeline
In addition, I still have concerns about the IMVU acquisition, and FA's long-term viability. Consider this:
- IMVU is a for-profit company. They're a Silicon Valley startup backed by venture capitalists. They're in business to make money.
- While there's nothing wrong with that, it means IMVU bought FA as an investment, and they expect to see a return on that investment. In other words, they expect to make money from FA.
- FA is a money pit. It's expensive to operate and maintain, consumes a lot of bandwidth, and we all know that the ads produce very little revenue, especially when you consider how many users run AdBlock.
Given all of that, we can start drawing some conclusions:
- IMVU has been remarkably patient with FA thus far, but that patience will not last forever.
- They are going to want FA to start turning a profit. As a company, IMVU is doing well because they've been effective at monetizing their assets. They expect the same of FA.
- In all likelihood, that will mean turning FA into a paid site, probably requiring a paid account to view adult content, just like the main IMVU site already does. They might start blocking AdBlock users, or start selling prints or other merchandise, but converting to a paid site will make them the most money.
- IMVU may decide to shut down FA entirely, especially if they or their investors feel that there isn't any money to be made. If IMVU decides to go public, I can almost guarantee that they'll shut down FA shortly after their IPO; shareholders won't be interested in the community, especially if it isn't making money.
Whatever happens, I'm done with FA. There are much, MUCH better options out there. I'll pop in to check on those artists I can't find elsewhere, but there really aren't very many; most of the artists I follow cross-post to at least one of the other major art sites, if not all of them.
Staying with FA is like being trapped in a bad relationship. As horrible as it might be, you're comfortable with it because you've gotten used to it. But, the fact is, you can do so much better, and you'll be much happier elsewhere. It's time to move on.
Times have changed. FA isn't the only game in town anymore; they now have at least four other sites to contend with, all of which have better designs, better reliability, and more competent administrations than FA. It's been over a year since FA was sold to IMVU, so you'd think there would be significant improvements on all of those counts. Sadly, that hasn't been the case. Indeed, all that's really changed is that there really isn't any excuse for FA's failings and shortcomings anymore. The money and resources are there, but they haven't done much.
Here's a quick rundown of my general concerns with FA, in no particular order:
- Uptime Issues
- Ongoing Security/Privacy Issues
- Malware-laden Advertisements
- Inequitable Enforcement of Policies
- Pretty much everything in this FA Timeline
In addition, I still have concerns about the IMVU acquisition, and FA's long-term viability. Consider this:
- IMVU is a for-profit company. They're a Silicon Valley startup backed by venture capitalists. They're in business to make money.
- While there's nothing wrong with that, it means IMVU bought FA as an investment, and they expect to see a return on that investment. In other words, they expect to make money from FA.
- FA is a money pit. It's expensive to operate and maintain, consumes a lot of bandwidth, and we all know that the ads produce very little revenue, especially when you consider how many users run AdBlock.
Given all of that, we can start drawing some conclusions:
- IMVU has been remarkably patient with FA thus far, but that patience will not last forever.
- They are going to want FA to start turning a profit. As a company, IMVU is doing well because they've been effective at monetizing their assets. They expect the same of FA.
- In all likelihood, that will mean turning FA into a paid site, probably requiring a paid account to view adult content, just like the main IMVU site already does. They might start blocking AdBlock users, or start selling prints or other merchandise, but converting to a paid site will make them the most money.
- IMVU may decide to shut down FA entirely, especially if they or their investors feel that there isn't any money to be made. If IMVU decides to go public, I can almost guarantee that they'll shut down FA shortly after their IPO; shareholders won't be interested in the community, especially if it isn't making money.
Whatever happens, I'm done with FA. There are much, MUCH better options out there. I'll pop in to check on those artists I can't find elsewhere, but there really aren't very many; most of the artists I follow cross-post to at least one of the other major art sites, if not all of them.
Staying with FA is like being trapped in a bad relationship. As horrible as it might be, you're comfortable with it because you've gotten used to it. But, the fact is, you can do so much better, and you'll be much happier elsewhere. It's time to move on.
BLFC2016 Meme
Posted 9 years agoWhere are you staying? GSR.
When are you there? Wednesday - Monday.
Flying or driving? Driving (Donner Pass).
Rooming With? BeachFox and Moof.
Email? [Redacted] Sorry, I almost never check it at cons.
Telegram? @ ShadowDWolf
Twitter? @ SDWolf
Best way to contact you? Twitter & Telegram.
Personality Type? INTJ
Are you a Therian/Otherkin/Were? Yup.
Are you a party animal? Eh, not really.
Suiting? Sadly, no.
Arting? Nope.
Gender? Male, Kinsey 6 (Teh Gay!)
Height? 5'9"
420? Nope.
Drugs? Nope.
Alcohol? Maybe, but I'm not much of a drinker.
What do you look like? Blonde hair, blue eyes, glasses, black pants, random t-shirt, and a wolf tail. =P
Can I talk to you? Sure!
Buy you a drink? Eh, maybe.
Can I hang out with you? That depends. Message me on Twitter or Telegram, and we'll see.
Hugs and general affection? Hugs, sure! Beyond that, depends on how well I know you.
Panels you're likely to attend? Dunno yet. If they have another Therian panel, I'll be there.
What do you hope to get of the con?
This con is a badly-needed vacation. I'm there to relax, have fun, and spend time with friends I otherwise don't get to see. This is also my first full con without my mate (not counting FC since I just dropped by after work), so there might be points when I'm not doing so well. If there are times when I vanish for a bit, that's probably why.
Take care!
When are you there? Wednesday - Monday.
Flying or driving? Driving (Donner Pass).
Rooming With? BeachFox and Moof.
Email? [Redacted] Sorry, I almost never check it at cons.
Telegram? @ ShadowDWolf
Twitter? @ SDWolf
Best way to contact you? Twitter & Telegram.
Personality Type? INTJ
Are you a Therian/Otherkin/Were? Yup.
Are you a party animal? Eh, not really.
Suiting? Sadly, no.
Arting? Nope.
Gender? Male, Kinsey 6 (Teh Gay!)
Height? 5'9"
420? Nope.
Drugs? Nope.
Alcohol? Maybe, but I'm not much of a drinker.
What do you look like? Blonde hair, blue eyes, glasses, black pants, random t-shirt, and a wolf tail. =P
Can I talk to you? Sure!
Buy you a drink? Eh, maybe.
Can I hang out with you? That depends. Message me on Twitter or Telegram, and we'll see.
Hugs and general affection? Hugs, sure! Beyond that, depends on how well I know you.
Panels you're likely to attend? Dunno yet. If they have another Therian panel, I'll be there.
What do you hope to get of the con?
This con is a badly-needed vacation. I'm there to relax, have fun, and spend time with friends I otherwise don't get to see. This is also my first full con without my mate (not counting FC since I just dropped by after work), so there might be points when I'm not doing so well. If there are times when I vanish for a bit, that's probably why.
Take care!
Reminder/Update for Steele's Memorial
Posted 9 years agoHi, all!
The memorial for Steele is still on, and I figured I'd fire off a reminder here, and address a few items that've come up. Do also keep in mind that organizing these things is NOT my forte (that was always Steele's realm), so please bear with me. XD
* Weather: As of Wednesday night, the forecast calls for partly to mostly sunny skies at the time of the memorial, with moderate humidity and temps in the mid 60's. Wind should be under 10mph.
* Fursuits: While Fursuits aren't unwelcome, they might not be entirely appropriate, especially during the formal ceremony (yes, there will be one). I'd suggest gauging the mood of the crowd carefully before suiting up.
* Food: The site has two barbecue pits (charcoal fired), but no electricity. Please plan your potluck items accordingly.
* Parking: This is a county park, and while there's more than ample parking, it isn't free. A day pass is $6, and the machines do take plastic. If that cost is a dealbreaker, please contact me and we can work something out.
* GoFundMe: Yes, it's still running, and... wow. Seriously, you guys rock. Thank you so very much.... https://www.gofundme.com/steeleheart
Take care!
The memorial for Steele is still on, and I figured I'd fire off a reminder here, and address a few items that've come up. Do also keep in mind that organizing these things is NOT my forte (that was always Steele's realm), so please bear with me. XD
* Weather: As of Wednesday night, the forecast calls for partly to mostly sunny skies at the time of the memorial, with moderate humidity and temps in the mid 60's. Wind should be under 10mph.
* Fursuits: While Fursuits aren't unwelcome, they might not be entirely appropriate, especially during the formal ceremony (yes, there will be one). I'd suggest gauging the mood of the crowd carefully before suiting up.
* Food: The site has two barbecue pits (charcoal fired), but no electricity. Please plan your potluck items accordingly.
* Parking: This is a county park, and while there's more than ample parking, it isn't free. A day pass is $6, and the machines do take plastic. If that cost is a dealbreaker, please contact me and we can work something out.
* GoFundMe: Yes, it's still running, and... wow. Seriously, you guys rock. Thank you so very much.... https://www.gofundme.com/steeleheart
Take care!
Valentine's Day....
Posted 9 years agoFor six years, I rather enjoyed Valentine's Day.
Steele would come into the office on Valentine's Day (or a day or two ahead if it fell on a day off) and 'surprise' me with a vase of a dozen roses, making all my lady co-workers jealous. "Why doesn't my husband/boyfriend ever do that?" they'd exclaim, and I'd laugh. He loved making a show of it, and I loved the rush of feeling special and loved.
Then, I'd bring the flowers home and 'surprise' him with chocolates (and let's face it, after the first two years, none of this was a surprise anymore), then we'd cuddle, have a nice dinner, cuddle some more, and... well, I'll leave the rest to your imaginations....
*chuckles, then sighs*
... There were no flowers brought to the office today. No jealous coworkers. No rush of feeling special. No chocolates. No cuddles. No nice dinner.
Just an ordinary day. A quiet house. Some reheated leftovers. An empty bed. And me....
This is nothing like past Valentines when I was single. There's no bitterness, no sarcastic references to "Singles Awareness Day," no "Valentine's Day sucks" vitriol. A local fur is hosting her annual "anti-Valentine's Day" dinner, and while I'd gone a couple times before I met Steele, I have no desire to go now; it just feels... wrong, somehow.
I don't begrudge Valentine's Day, or resent those who're enjoying it. You'll find no snarky, bitter rejection of Valentine's Day here. Rather, I miss it, and I wish I could still take part in it. I still love him, and I desperately, hopelessly wish he was still here. I'd give anything to hold him in my arms again, to hear his voice again... hells, I'd even settle for a big argument with him. I don't care, I just want him back. I miss him....
Heh... I've had to stop and fight back tears a few times while writing this, but I needed to get this off my chest. I think I'll be making myself scarce for a day or two, but at least you'll know why.
Take care....
- Shadow Darius Wolf, Esq.
Steele would come into the office on Valentine's Day (or a day or two ahead if it fell on a day off) and 'surprise' me with a vase of a dozen roses, making all my lady co-workers jealous. "Why doesn't my husband/boyfriend ever do that?" they'd exclaim, and I'd laugh. He loved making a show of it, and I loved the rush of feeling special and loved.
Then, I'd bring the flowers home and 'surprise' him with chocolates (and let's face it, after the first two years, none of this was a surprise anymore), then we'd cuddle, have a nice dinner, cuddle some more, and... well, I'll leave the rest to your imaginations....
*chuckles, then sighs*
... There were no flowers brought to the office today. No jealous coworkers. No rush of feeling special. No chocolates. No cuddles. No nice dinner.
Just an ordinary day. A quiet house. Some reheated leftovers. An empty bed. And me....
This is nothing like past Valentines when I was single. There's no bitterness, no sarcastic references to "Singles Awareness Day," no "Valentine's Day sucks" vitriol. A local fur is hosting her annual "anti-Valentine's Day" dinner, and while I'd gone a couple times before I met Steele, I have no desire to go now; it just feels... wrong, somehow.
I don't begrudge Valentine's Day, or resent those who're enjoying it. You'll find no snarky, bitter rejection of Valentine's Day here. Rather, I miss it, and I wish I could still take part in it. I still love him, and I desperately, hopelessly wish he was still here. I'd give anything to hold him in my arms again, to hear his voice again... hells, I'd even settle for a big argument with him. I don't care, I just want him back. I miss him....
Heh... I've had to stop and fight back tears a few times while writing this, but I needed to get this off my chest. I think I'll be making myself scarce for a day or two, but at least you'll know why.
Take care....
- Shadow Darius Wolf, Esq.
Steele's Memorial
Posted 10 years agoHi All,
While the family church memorial has come and gone, getting the details pinned down for the Memorial For The Rest Of Us™ has been an exercise in herding cats. Fortunately, I finally do have a time and place set, and while I made mention of it on Twitter earlier today, the time has come to announce it here.
The reservation is set for 2:00pm on Sunday, February 21st. Please DM me for details on the location, since I don't want to post it publicly here for obvious reasons.
The intent here is to give Steele the kind of send-off that he wanted: celebrating his life, rather than mourning his passing. To that end, in addition to the ceremony, this will also be a potluck bar-b-que. We'll eat, drink, and share stories & memories. One of Steele's greatest passions was organizing events that brought our community together, so I can't think of a better way to honor his legacy.
Also, (and I feel REALLY awkward bringing this up) local furs Stormy & Sam started a gofundme to help with covering the costs of all this and Steele's other final expenses. This is something they came up with on their own, and I am immeasurably grateful to them for starting it, and anyone who wants to contribute, as this whole ordeal has pretty well wiped me out. Here's the link if you're interested: https://www.gofundme.com/steeleheart
I'll post more details as we get closer to the date, but I figured 3 weeks will give everyone enough time to plan.
Alright, that's enough from me for now. G'night all, and thank you.
- Shadow D. Wolf, Esq. ^..^
While the family church memorial has come and gone, getting the details pinned down for the Memorial For The Rest Of Us™ has been an exercise in herding cats. Fortunately, I finally do have a time and place set, and while I made mention of it on Twitter earlier today, the time has come to announce it here.
The reservation is set for 2:00pm on Sunday, February 21st. Please DM me for details on the location, since I don't want to post it publicly here for obvious reasons.
The intent here is to give Steele the kind of send-off that he wanted: celebrating his life, rather than mourning his passing. To that end, in addition to the ceremony, this will also be a potluck bar-b-que. We'll eat, drink, and share stories & memories. One of Steele's greatest passions was organizing events that brought our community together, so I can't think of a better way to honor his legacy.
Also, (and I feel REALLY awkward bringing this up) local furs Stormy & Sam started a gofundme to help with covering the costs of all this and Steele's other final expenses. This is something they came up with on their own, and I am immeasurably grateful to them for starting it, and anyone who wants to contribute, as this whole ordeal has pretty well wiped me out. Here's the link if you're interested: https://www.gofundme.com/steeleheart
I'll post more details as we get closer to the date, but I figured 3 weeks will give everyone enough time to plan.
Alright, that's enough from me for now. G'night all, and thank you.
- Shadow D. Wolf, Esq. ^..^
Final Cancer Update
Posted 10 years agoA quick review of how things have gone so far....
Original Post (10/27/2013): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5195914/
Update (3/25/2014): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5615695/
Update (11/30/2015): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7213579/
On Monday, December 28, I took Steele into the hospital with pain in his left knee and swelling in his legs, and what seemed like dehydration. Turns out, it was liver failure, and his health began a sharp downward spiral. There was no warning. On Thursday (New Year's Eve), we still thought he'd be stabilized, medicated, and eventually sent home. The next day, it was made clear he wouldn't be coming home at all. On Saturday, we made the decision to switch from treatment, to maximizing comfort, and Steele signed the DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) paperwork himself. At first, we thought he'd be moved to a nursing facility for hospice care, but things accelerated again, so he's staying in the hospital. He has very little time left, and his quality of life at this point is basically nil.
I just wanted to give everyone an update, and to thank everyone who's been so kind and supportive though this nightmare. Please free to send thoughts/prayers/good vibes/whatever his way, as he can certainly use them right now. In the meantime, I need to get to bed so I can be at work in the morning.
* * *
About half an hour after I wrote that, Steele passed away; I was at home, half-asleep when I got the call at 2 in the morning. It seems he passed quietly and peacefully. I have no doubt that he knew he was surrounded by friends and people who love him.
And yes, I know my mental state is... suboptimal, especially considering how little sleep I got last night, so I apologize if I seem a little spacey here. But yes, I am getting help. I just want to thank everyone for all the love and support you've given us through this ordeal. It truly has made all the difference.
RIP
steeleheart, Beloved Mate, Domestic Partner, and Best Friend. 4/26/1969 - 1/6/2016
I'll always love you, Kittymine....
Original Post (10/27/2013): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5195914/
Update (3/25/2014): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5615695/
Update (11/30/2015): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7213579/
On Monday, December 28, I took Steele into the hospital with pain in his left knee and swelling in his legs, and what seemed like dehydration. Turns out, it was liver failure, and his health began a sharp downward spiral. There was no warning. On Thursday (New Year's Eve), we still thought he'd be stabilized, medicated, and eventually sent home. The next day, it was made clear he wouldn't be coming home at all. On Saturday, we made the decision to switch from treatment, to maximizing comfort, and Steele signed the DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) paperwork himself. At first, we thought he'd be moved to a nursing facility for hospice care, but things accelerated again, so he's staying in the hospital. He has very little time left, and his quality of life at this point is basically nil.
I just wanted to give everyone an update, and to thank everyone who's been so kind and supportive though this nightmare. Please free to send thoughts/prayers/good vibes/whatever his way, as he can certainly use them right now. In the meantime, I need to get to bed so I can be at work in the morning.
* * *
About half an hour after I wrote that, Steele passed away; I was at home, half-asleep when I got the call at 2 in the morning. It seems he passed quietly and peacefully. I have no doubt that he knew he was surrounded by friends and people who love him.
And yes, I know my mental state is... suboptimal, especially considering how little sleep I got last night, so I apologize if I seem a little spacey here. But yes, I am getting help. I just want to thank everyone for all the love and support you've given us through this ordeal. It truly has made all the difference.
RIP
steeleheart, Beloved Mate, Domestic Partner, and Best Friend. 4/26/1969 - 1/6/2016I'll always love you, Kittymine....
Cancer Update....
Posted 10 years agoIt's been a while since I've posted anything about this in detail, so I figured it's about time for an update.
Original Post (Oct 27, 2013): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5195914/
Update (March 25, 2014): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5615695/
It's been a little over two years since my mate was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer colon cancer. He was doing chemotherapy, and his treatments were going well until around May, when the cancer started resisting the chemo. They tried switching chemotherapies a few times, but nothing worked, so he's basically been off chemotherapy since the end of June.
His doctors have since been looking for experimental treatments, studies, and the like, but we didn't have much luck. A new oral chemotherapy became available around September, but then he started having other issues. Aches and pains, and high fevers that his doctors had a great deal of trouble explaining or treating.
Needless to say, I spent most of September and October freaking out, especially since he couldn't be on chemo during all this. Turns out, it was a low-grade bacterial infection, and it wasn't until early November there was enough of it to finally show up in cultures. A couple weeks of targeted antibiotics later, and that's all cleared up.
Unfortunately, he also had a new CT scan done & met with his oncologist, and the news wasn't good. There's very little left of his liver now. Even if by some miracle he woke up tomorrow morning completely cancer-free, he'd still need a new liver. Plus, there are signs that the cancer has also spread to his lungs. And no, they still haven't had him resume the chemotherapy....
This is crazy, almost surreal.... This time last year, he was doing really well; conservative estimates were that he'd be cancer free by the end of this year and looking at getting the colostomy removed. But now.... *shakes his head*
So, yeah. There's 2015 in a nutshell. x.x
Original Post (Oct 27, 2013): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5195914/
Update (March 25, 2014): https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5615695/
It's been a little over two years since my mate was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer colon cancer. He was doing chemotherapy, and his treatments were going well until around May, when the cancer started resisting the chemo. They tried switching chemotherapies a few times, but nothing worked, so he's basically been off chemotherapy since the end of June.
His doctors have since been looking for experimental treatments, studies, and the like, but we didn't have much luck. A new oral chemotherapy became available around September, but then he started having other issues. Aches and pains, and high fevers that his doctors had a great deal of trouble explaining or treating.
Needless to say, I spent most of September and October freaking out, especially since he couldn't be on chemo during all this. Turns out, it was a low-grade bacterial infection, and it wasn't until early November there was enough of it to finally show up in cultures. A couple weeks of targeted antibiotics later, and that's all cleared up.
Unfortunately, he also had a new CT scan done & met with his oncologist, and the news wasn't good. There's very little left of his liver now. Even if by some miracle he woke up tomorrow morning completely cancer-free, he'd still need a new liver. Plus, there are signs that the cancer has also spread to his lungs. And no, they still haven't had him resume the chemotherapy....
This is crazy, almost surreal.... This time last year, he was doing really well; conservative estimates were that he'd be cancer free by the end of this year and looking at getting the colostomy removed. But now.... *shakes his head*
So, yeah. There's 2015 in a nutshell. x.x
FurryNetwork!
Posted 10 years agoI'm checking out their beta, and it looks pretty nice!
You can find me here: https://beta.furrynetwork.com/shadow/
You can find me here: https://beta.furrynetwork.com/shadow/
About FA's New Ads
Posted 10 years agoAny guilt I might have felt about running AdBlock on FA is definitely gone now.
FC Chinese 2015!
Posted 11 years agoWith FC approaching again, I'd like to announce the 9th annual Saturday Night Chinese meetup.
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown (www.wingsofsanjose.com). The place has been open since 1925 (under the same family ownership for the last 80+ years), so they're obviously doing something right. Since this will be our ninth year there, they'll definitely remember us. XD
This is planned for Friday evening starting at 6:15 pm. As usual, we're overlapping with the Masquerade, which is why it's Friday this year rather than our usual Saturday. You can view the FC2015 schedule here: http://sched.furcon.org/
We'll meet up at the Marriott end of the Convention Center, by the stairs on the first floor, at 6:15 pm. Then we'll take the light rail (6:32 pm train) up to Japantown. Details & map here: http://j.mp/1DEOLj0
The light rail tickets cost $2.00, but they're good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. (Also, don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back.)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
- Cost-wise, we're looking at about $15 to $20 per person (plus light rail tickets), depending on how much we end up ordering. No, I'm not paying for everybody.
- Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
- To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
- Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel! We can always order more if we need to.
- Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT, IM, or Tweet (@SDWolf) by 5:30 pm so I can give them a headcount.
That about does it for now. Take care!
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown (www.wingsofsanjose.com). The place has been open since 1925 (under the same family ownership for the last 80+ years), so they're obviously doing something right. Since this will be our ninth year there, they'll definitely remember us. XD
This is planned for Friday evening starting at 6:15 pm. As usual, we're overlapping with the Masquerade, which is why it's Friday this year rather than our usual Saturday. You can view the FC2015 schedule here: http://sched.furcon.org/
We'll meet up at the Marriott end of the Convention Center, by the stairs on the first floor, at 6:15 pm. Then we'll take the light rail (6:32 pm train) up to Japantown. Details & map here: http://j.mp/1DEOLj0
The light rail tickets cost $2.00, but they're good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. (Also, don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back.)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
- Cost-wise, we're looking at about $15 to $20 per person (plus light rail tickets), depending on how much we end up ordering. No, I'm not paying for everybody.
- Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
- To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
- Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel! We can always order more if we need to.
- Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT, IM, or Tweet (@SDWolf) by 5:30 pm so I can give them a headcount.
That about does it for now. Take care!
Suicude....
Posted 11 years agoI know I've written about this before, but it bears repeating given recent events. Robin Williams is the obvious example, but there have been a few furs recently who have either considered suicide or have actually attempted it. This fandom has lost more than a few good people to suicide over the years, and I think we owe it to each other and ourselves to try to change this.
I've always felt that the greatest strength of this fandom is the sense of inclusion we all have. It's really quite amazing when you think about it. This fandom transcends race, gender, sexual identity, color, faith (or lack thereof), socioeconomic boundaries, and national borders, binding us all together, for better or worse, into this crazy mass of animal people.
And yet, despite all of that, these suicides happen, leaving the rest of us wondering how or why, and what we could have done to prevent it.
I see suicide as the ultimate act of despair. It is the act of someone who feels utterly and profoundly hopeless, the act of someone whose suffering is so great that they cannot see any possible escape other than taking their own life. It is the act of someone who feels totally alone, even when surrounded by friends. It is the act of someone who truly believes that they have no value, that world would be better off without them. It is the act of someone who believes they are Doing The Right Thing™, even if it's not what they really want.
Most importantly, it's the act of someone who needs help, both professional help and support from this community we're all a part of.
I'm not sure how so many of us got to be so jaded and mean-spirited. I know there are a few in my age group that blame the young furs and newcomers, but I think that's a bit shallow; I've seen more than a few brutally mean greymuzzles about. I think it has more to do with human nature, and fortunately it's something we can overcome.
Consider this: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/
Most everyone has come across this idea in some form or another, and it's largely accurate. The thing is, becoming a "total fuckwad" is a choice. Being a douche and treating people like crap for the lulz is a choice. One of my favorite cartoonists put it this way:
The anonymity of the internet provides a test of almost spiritual potence; a test of the human psyche, if not soul.
Utterly free of consequence, devoid of any fear of repercussion, hidden under the potentiality of a false name and a false identity, the test asks, "Are you kind and mature and loving, or are you cruel and childish and mean?"
( from http://www.jenniverse.com/rants10.html )
I realize I'm going off on a tangent here. I don't know that fuckwads committing acts of douchebaggery and Internet schadenfreude are what lead to suicides. I do, however, know that such behavior can contribute to them, perhaps significantly. I also believe that behaving as a community and providing support could help these people survive. It literally could be the difference between life and death.
I guess the point of this wall of text is simply this: Be nice. You never know just how big an influence your behavior may have on those around you.
I hope that the worlds turns, and that things get better.
But what I hope most of all is that you understand what I mean when I tell you that, even though I do not know you, and even though I may never meet you, laugh with you, cry with you, or kiss you, I love you.
With all my heart, I love you.
( from V for Vendetta )
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8522)
I've always felt that the greatest strength of this fandom is the sense of inclusion we all have. It's really quite amazing when you think about it. This fandom transcends race, gender, sexual identity, color, faith (or lack thereof), socioeconomic boundaries, and national borders, binding us all together, for better or worse, into this crazy mass of animal people.
And yet, despite all of that, these suicides happen, leaving the rest of us wondering how or why, and what we could have done to prevent it.
I see suicide as the ultimate act of despair. It is the act of someone who feels utterly and profoundly hopeless, the act of someone whose suffering is so great that they cannot see any possible escape other than taking their own life. It is the act of someone who feels totally alone, even when surrounded by friends. It is the act of someone who truly believes that they have no value, that world would be better off without them. It is the act of someone who believes they are Doing The Right Thing™, even if it's not what they really want.
Most importantly, it's the act of someone who needs help, both professional help and support from this community we're all a part of.
I'm not sure how so many of us got to be so jaded and mean-spirited. I know there are a few in my age group that blame the young furs and newcomers, but I think that's a bit shallow; I've seen more than a few brutally mean greymuzzles about. I think it has more to do with human nature, and fortunately it's something we can overcome.
Consider this: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/
Most everyone has come across this idea in some form or another, and it's largely accurate. The thing is, becoming a "total fuckwad" is a choice. Being a douche and treating people like crap for the lulz is a choice. One of my favorite cartoonists put it this way:
The anonymity of the internet provides a test of almost spiritual potence; a test of the human psyche, if not soul.
Utterly free of consequence, devoid of any fear of repercussion, hidden under the potentiality of a false name and a false identity, the test asks, "Are you kind and mature and loving, or are you cruel and childish and mean?"
( from http://www.jenniverse.com/rants10.html )
I realize I'm going off on a tangent here. I don't know that fuckwads committing acts of douchebaggery and Internet schadenfreude are what lead to suicides. I do, however, know that such behavior can contribute to them, perhaps significantly. I also believe that behaving as a community and providing support could help these people survive. It literally could be the difference between life and death.
I guess the point of this wall of text is simply this: Be nice. You never know just how big an influence your behavior may have on those around you.
I hope that the worlds turns, and that things get better.
But what I hope most of all is that you understand what I mean when I tell you that, even though I do not know you, and even though I may never meet you, laugh with you, cry with you, or kiss you, I love you.
With all my heart, I love you.
( from V for Vendetta )
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8522)
RIP Robin Williams, 1951-2014 (Suicide)
Posted 11 years agoHis apparent suicide this morning came as a total shock to me. He was only 63....
Few things are as soul-destroying as depression, and frequently, comedians use their comedy to mask their inner pain.
Please, if you are suffering from depression, get help. You're not alone, and it can get better.
If you're considering suicide, call the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255. You're not trapped, you're not alone, and people really do care.
Few things are as soul-destroying as depression, and frequently, comedians use their comedy to mask their inner pain.
Please, if you are suffering from depression, get help. You're not alone, and it can get better.
If you're considering suicide, call the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255. You're not trapped, you're not alone, and people really do care.
Cancer Complications- BLFC Cancelled
Posted 11 years agoNo BLFC for me or my mate this year. We were planning to go, and had hotel reservations and our registration done, but then things turned into a nightmare about 3 weeks ago.
I posted in detail about Steele’s fight with Cancer here: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5195914/
On Friday the 7th, Steele went to the oncology department at the hospital for his chemo session, and to get his chemo pump connected. Totally routine, nothing special. That Sunday, he went in again to get the pump disconnected. He wasn’t feeling too well, but we figured it was just the chemo making him feel lousy. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. His appointment was at 4:30pm, and it’s usually pretty quick.
At first, I didn’t worry when he didn’t come back home right away. I figured he went to Lowes or Home Depot, or was running errands or something. But, by 7:30, it was getting dark and I was starting to worry. So, I texted him. No response. I logged into Google+ and located his phone. It showed him still at the hospital. I called, and it went to voicemail. I was about to call the hospital when he called me back. He sounded really out of it, and told me he was in the ER.
Three weeks later, he ‘s still in the hospital. Basically, the chemo was working, and all of the tumors were shrinking. The problem is that the tumor in his colon didn’t just shrink. It constricted, and it hardened, overpowering the stent they put in earlier and effectively closing off his colon so waste couldn’t pass through.
They did an emergency colonostomy, so now waste exits his system through an opening in the side of his belly and goes into a bag. He’ll have that at least until they remove the tumor in his colon, though there is a possibility that he’ll be stuck with that for the rest of his life. The doctors just don’t know yet.
After the surgery, and fighting off a nasty infection, he’s recovering nicely and could be home as soon as Friday the 28th. But, this obviously means we had to cancel our BLFC plans. To say that we are extremely bummed would be an understatement.
I hope everyone who's going has a great time at the con. We wish we could be there....
On Domestic Abuse, and the FurCon 2015 Chairman
Posted 11 years agoAs I'm sure everyone knows by now, Sasho Windfeather has been selected to be the chairman of Further Confusion 2015. As many of you also know, in March of 2012, he was arrested for beating his boyfriend at the time, Scott J. Fox. If that same sounds familiar, that's because he earned some notoriety a few years ago when he rescued a fur named ThunderRoo, whose parents had thrown him out upon discovering he was gay and furry.
Anyway, the police report for Sasho's arrest can be found here: http://bit.ly/1aN7XPf
My feelings on this issue are certainly no secret, but in the interest of full disclosure, I'll start off by stating them here. Scott is a friend of mine. I was made aware of the ongoing abuse in his relationship with Sasho a couple months before the incident in the police report. Actually, it was during FC2012, and my housemates and I had offered to help him move out here, just to get him out of that situation. We'd even invited him to stay in our home until he could get himself established.
To put things simply, I don't respond positively to people beating the crap out of my friends, particularly when that friend is about half the weight of his attacker and has debilitating back problems. I don't need a trial to know what Sasho did, nor do I need a conviction to tell me it was wrong.
I'm also no stranger to domestic abuse. When I was a kid, my first stepdad would beat the crap out of my mom on a regular basis. We lived in a small town back then, and EVERYBODY knew what was going on. Bear in mind that domestic violence didn't get the attention then that it does now. It wasn't a buzzword you heard all the time, there were no hotlines, and no one wanted to get involved. It Was A Private Matter. So, they did nothing. The neighbors heard the screams at night, and they did nothing. They saw the bruises, and they did nothing.
Well, almost nothing; they did gossip. "It's such a shame," they'd say. Then there's my personal favorite, "He always seems like such a nice man. I wonder what she did to deserve it." Indeed, in public he was charming, polite, charismatic; they never knew the monster he became at home. But, the most damning comments of all were the "It's none of our business," or, "There's nothing we can do," and, "It's not our problem."
We've all seen the good that this fandom--this community--is capable of. This is a group of people who can be amazingly kind, compassionate, and generous. I've seen some of that since my mate's cancer diagnosis, and for that I am immensely grateful. So with that in mind, I simply can't comprehend why the AAE board would choose to ignore what Sasho has done. Despite having known about it for about a year and a half now, they've chosen to do nothing. It's none of their business, I suppose. Nothing they can do. Not their problem.
Over the past year and a half, I've spoken with a variety of people involved with FC and AAE at a variety of levels about this. This includes the new vice-chair and a member of the board, both of whom have been gracious and reasonable in discussing all this with me. Most of what all these people have told me makes sense, though some of it was contradictory- par for the course, I guess, but that's not the issue here.
What I've ultimately come to understand is this: There's really very little I can do. I'm not on the board, I don't have mountains of money, and I'm not popular or even particularly well-known. I'm just another one of the roughly 3500 people who attend FC.
Well, not anymore.
I cannot and will not support AAE's choice of Sasho as chairman of FC. What he has done reflects badly on this convention, on this community, and on this fandom, and I am embarrassed to even have a peripheral connection to him. So long as he is chairman, I will not attend, and neither the con nor AAE will get one penny from me.
Do I honestly think this will change anything? Probably not; I'm just one out of a few thousand, and I'm pretty sure that neither I nor my money will be missed.
But, at least I know I'm doing the right thing.
Anyway, the police report for Sasho's arrest can be found here: http://bit.ly/1aN7XPf
My feelings on this issue are certainly no secret, but in the interest of full disclosure, I'll start off by stating them here. Scott is a friend of mine. I was made aware of the ongoing abuse in his relationship with Sasho a couple months before the incident in the police report. Actually, it was during FC2012, and my housemates and I had offered to help him move out here, just to get him out of that situation. We'd even invited him to stay in our home until he could get himself established.
To put things simply, I don't respond positively to people beating the crap out of my friends, particularly when that friend is about half the weight of his attacker and has debilitating back problems. I don't need a trial to know what Sasho did, nor do I need a conviction to tell me it was wrong.
I'm also no stranger to domestic abuse. When I was a kid, my first stepdad would beat the crap out of my mom on a regular basis. We lived in a small town back then, and EVERYBODY knew what was going on. Bear in mind that domestic violence didn't get the attention then that it does now. It wasn't a buzzword you heard all the time, there were no hotlines, and no one wanted to get involved. It Was A Private Matter. So, they did nothing. The neighbors heard the screams at night, and they did nothing. They saw the bruises, and they did nothing.
Well, almost nothing; they did gossip. "It's such a shame," they'd say. Then there's my personal favorite, "He always seems like such a nice man. I wonder what she did to deserve it." Indeed, in public he was charming, polite, charismatic; they never knew the monster he became at home. But, the most damning comments of all were the "It's none of our business," or, "There's nothing we can do," and, "It's not our problem."
We've all seen the good that this fandom--this community--is capable of. This is a group of people who can be amazingly kind, compassionate, and generous. I've seen some of that since my mate's cancer diagnosis, and for that I am immensely grateful. So with that in mind, I simply can't comprehend why the AAE board would choose to ignore what Sasho has done. Despite having known about it for about a year and a half now, they've chosen to do nothing. It's none of their business, I suppose. Nothing they can do. Not their problem.
Over the past year and a half, I've spoken with a variety of people involved with FC and AAE at a variety of levels about this. This includes the new vice-chair and a member of the board, both of whom have been gracious and reasonable in discussing all this with me. Most of what all these people have told me makes sense, though some of it was contradictory- par for the course, I guess, but that's not the issue here.
What I've ultimately come to understand is this: There's really very little I can do. I'm not on the board, I don't have mountains of money, and I'm not popular or even particularly well-known. I'm just another one of the roughly 3500 people who attend FC.
Well, not anymore.
I cannot and will not support AAE's choice of Sasho as chairman of FC. What he has done reflects badly on this convention, on this community, and on this fandom, and I am embarrassed to even have a peripheral connection to him. So long as he is chairman, I will not attend, and neither the con nor AAE will get one penny from me.
Do I honestly think this will change anything? Probably not; I'm just one out of a few thousand, and I'm pretty sure that neither I nor my money will be missed.
But, at least I know I'm doing the right thing.
Reminder: FC Chinese 2014
Posted 12 years agoJust a reminder that the FC Chinese meet is set for Saturday at 7pm.
More details on the original post: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5399423/
More details on the original post: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5399423/
FC Chinese 2014!
Posted 12 years agoWith FC approaching again, I'd like to announce the 8th annual Saturday Night Chinese meetup.
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown (www.wingsofsanjose.com). The place has been open since 1925 (under the same family ownership for the last 80+ years), so they're obviously doing something right. Since this will be our eighth year there, they'll definitely remember us. XD
This is planned for Saturday evening starting at 7:00 pm. As usual, we're overlapping with the Masquerade. You can view the FC2014 schedule here: http://fc2014.sched.org/
We'll meet up at the Marriott end of the Convention Center, by the stairs on the first floor, at 7:00pm. Then we'll take the light rail (7:13pm train) up to Japantown. Details & map here: http://goo.gl/maps/ybI05
The light rail tickets cost $2.00, but they're good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. (Also, don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back.)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
- Cost-wise, we're looking at about $12 per person (plus light rail tickets). No, I'm not paying for everybody.
- Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
- To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
- Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel! We can always order more if we need to.
- Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant 30 minutes ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT, IM, or Tweet (@SDWolf) by 6:30pm so I can give them a headcount.
That about does it for now. Take care!
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown (www.wingsofsanjose.com). The place has been open since 1925 (under the same family ownership for the last 80+ years), so they're obviously doing something right. Since this will be our eighth year there, they'll definitely remember us. XD
This is planned for Saturday evening starting at 7:00 pm. As usual, we're overlapping with the Masquerade. You can view the FC2014 schedule here: http://fc2014.sched.org/
We'll meet up at the Marriott end of the Convention Center, by the stairs on the first floor, at 7:00pm. Then we'll take the light rail (7:13pm train) up to Japantown. Details & map here: http://goo.gl/maps/ybI05
The light rail tickets cost $2.00, but they're good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. (Also, don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back.)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
- Cost-wise, we're looking at about $12 per person (plus light rail tickets). No, I'm not paying for everybody.
- Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
- To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
- Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel! We can always order more if we need to.
- Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant 30 minutes ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT, IM, or Tweet (@SDWolf) by 6:30pm so I can give them a headcount.
That about does it for now. Take care!
The Week From Hell (or, My Mate Has Cancer)
Posted 12 years agoI don't generally post a lot here, especially personal stuff, but given the scope of this, I'm making an exception.
This all started a couple weeks ago. My mate was having a particular stomach issue, and he starting taking a laxative to try to get his system unclogged. After a week of it not working, we decided it was time to go in and see his doctor. That was the night of October 17th, a Thursday. The next morning, he was in enough pain that I took him to the ER instead.
The ER doctors did the usual things they do for severe constipation- enemas, etc. It didn't work, so they did an x-ray. When the x-ray came back inconclusive, they did a CT scan. When those results came in, the number of doctors involved suddenly tripled. A sigmoidoscopy (partial colonosopy, since he was so badly blocked) confirmed that the blockage was a tumor.
Subsequent tests, samples, and biopsies have confirmed that it is cancer. In addition, the CT scan also revealed that the cancer had spread to his liver. The docs found no fewer than 10 tumors in the liver before they stopped counting, each at least the size of a golf ball. The final diagnosis is Stage 4 Colon Cancer, metastasized to the Liver (as a point of reference, 4 is as bad as it gets- there is no stage 5).
After spending just over a week in the hospital, Steele was released yesterday afternoon. His colon is being held open with a stent, so he's no longer blocked, and he's able to eat a mostly normal diet. That said, they're also started him on chemotherapy, which is going to mess with his... well, everything.
This has been a huge shock, to say the least. He and I have been together over 4 and a half years, and he's not much older than I am. We're hopeful, especially since, cancer aside, he's pretty healthy. That said, I think it's still sinking in, and I can't shake this feeling that the other shoe is going to drop soon. I'm trying really hard not to get overwhelmed by the enormity of OMGCANCER, but.... Yeah.
omg. fucking. cancer.
We'll get through this. The local furry community has been (for the most part) amazingly helpful and supportive. It's nice to know that, despite all the drama and crap that goes on in the fandom, when it really counts, this is an amazingly awesome group of people.
Fuck Cancer.
- Shadow
This all started a couple weeks ago. My mate was having a particular stomach issue, and he starting taking a laxative to try to get his system unclogged. After a week of it not working, we decided it was time to go in and see his doctor. That was the night of October 17th, a Thursday. The next morning, he was in enough pain that I took him to the ER instead.
The ER doctors did the usual things they do for severe constipation- enemas, etc. It didn't work, so they did an x-ray. When the x-ray came back inconclusive, they did a CT scan. When those results came in, the number of doctors involved suddenly tripled. A sigmoidoscopy (partial colonosopy, since he was so badly blocked) confirmed that the blockage was a tumor.
Subsequent tests, samples, and biopsies have confirmed that it is cancer. In addition, the CT scan also revealed that the cancer had spread to his liver. The docs found no fewer than 10 tumors in the liver before they stopped counting, each at least the size of a golf ball. The final diagnosis is Stage 4 Colon Cancer, metastasized to the Liver (as a point of reference, 4 is as bad as it gets- there is no stage 5).
After spending just over a week in the hospital, Steele was released yesterday afternoon. His colon is being held open with a stent, so he's no longer blocked, and he's able to eat a mostly normal diet. That said, they're also started him on chemotherapy, which is going to mess with his... well, everything.
This has been a huge shock, to say the least. He and I have been together over 4 and a half years, and he's not much older than I am. We're hopeful, especially since, cancer aside, he's pretty healthy. That said, I think it's still sinking in, and I can't shake this feeling that the other shoe is going to drop soon. I'm trying really hard not to get overwhelmed by the enormity of OMGCANCER, but.... Yeah.
omg. fucking. cancer.
We'll get through this. The local furry community has been (for the most part) amazingly helpful and supportive. It's nice to know that, despite all the drama and crap that goes on in the fandom, when it really counts, this is an amazingly awesome group of people.
Fuck Cancer.
- Shadow
New Art, New Icon
Posted 12 years agoF5 for the new icon. New(ish) art is in my gallery, if you haven't seen it already. :)
FC Chinese 2013! [Updated]
Posted 13 years agoWith FC approaching again, I'd like to announce the 7th annual Saturday Night Chinese meetup.
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown (www.wingsofsanjose.com). The place has been open since 1925 (under the same family ownership for the last 80+ years), so they're obviously doing something right. Since this will be our seventh year there, they'll definitely remember us. XD
This is planned for Saturday evening from 8:00 to 10:00. As usual, we're overlapping with the Masquerade. You can view the FC2013 schedule here: http://fc2013.sched.org/
We'll meet up at the Marriott end of the Convention Center, by the stairs on the first floor, at 8:00pm. Then we'll take the light rail (8:13pm at the latest) up to Japantown. Details & map here: bit.ly/Y0Qp8b The light rail tickets cost $2.00, but they're good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. (Also, don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
- Cost-wise, we're looking at about $12 per person (plus light rail tickets). No, I'm not paying for everybody.
- Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
- To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
- Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel! We can always order more if we need to.
- Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant 30 minutes ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT or IM by 7:30pm so I can give them a headcount.
That about does it for now. Take care!
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown (www.wingsofsanjose.com). The place has been open since 1925 (under the same family ownership for the last 80+ years), so they're obviously doing something right. Since this will be our seventh year there, they'll definitely remember us. XD
This is planned for Saturday evening from 8:00 to 10:00. As usual, we're overlapping with the Masquerade. You can view the FC2013 schedule here: http://fc2013.sched.org/
We'll meet up at the Marriott end of the Convention Center, by the stairs on the first floor, at 8:00pm. Then we'll take the light rail (8:13pm at the latest) up to Japantown. Details & map here: bit.ly/Y0Qp8b The light rail tickets cost $2.00, but they're good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. (Also, don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
- Cost-wise, we're looking at about $12 per person (plus light rail tickets). No, I'm not paying for everybody.
- Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
- To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
- Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel! We can always order more if we need to.
- Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant 30 minutes ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT or IM by 7:30pm so I can give them a headcount.
That about does it for now. Take care!
Watch for This Stolen Fursuit Head- Please Repost!
Posted 13 years agoThe fursuit head in this picture: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9430492/ was stolen from the workshop of 
fenrirschild who is also taking donations to help cover the refund, $10 or more receives gift art from 
foxfairy.
Let's keep an eye out in the furry community for this head. If you should happen to see it please try to get a picture and use the contact information provided on Fenrir's Child's post.
fenrirschild who is also taking donations to help cover the refund, $10 or more receives gift art from 
foxfairy.Let's keep an eye out in the furry community for this head. If you should happen to see it please try to get a picture and use the contact information provided on Fenrir's Child's post.
Wait... what?!
Posted 13 years agoHypocrisy from FA Admins?
Unfair and unequal enforcement of the TOS and AUP?
Whimsical decisions based on personal feelings rather than reasonable application of policy?
Admin douchebaggery in general?
THAT NEVER HAPPENS ON FA!! [/s]
*le sigh*
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3372555/
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3371943/
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3372408/
And the best response to this nonsense: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7797488/
I don't know what the admins are smoking, and I'm honestly past the point of caring. Here we have a site that has no trouble hosting drawings of shitting dicknipples™. But, if you post a photo of a husky fursuit in a harness, OHMYGOD! *FLAIL* THAT'S SUGGESTIVE AND VIOLATES THE AUP!! *DELETE* YOU SICK BASTARD!!1!1!one!!eleven!one! *INSTABAN*
I can also be found on InkBunny and SoFurry, should you decide to go that direction. I'll still be watching people here, but FA will never, EVER see another penny in donations from me, and what little guilt I had about running AdBlock on this site is now gone.
https://inkbunny.net/SDWolf
http://www.sofurry.com/user/view/profile?id=2120
Unfair and unequal enforcement of the TOS and AUP?
Whimsical decisions based on personal feelings rather than reasonable application of policy?
Admin douchebaggery in general?
THAT NEVER HAPPENS ON FA!! [/s]
*le sigh*
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3372555/
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3371943/
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3372408/
And the best response to this nonsense: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7797488/
I don't know what the admins are smoking, and I'm honestly past the point of caring. Here we have a site that has no trouble hosting drawings of shitting dicknipples™. But, if you post a photo of a husky fursuit in a harness, OHMYGOD! *FLAIL* THAT'S SUGGESTIVE AND VIOLATES THE AUP!! *DELETE* YOU SICK BASTARD!!1!1!one!!eleven!one! *INSTABAN*
I can also be found on InkBunny and SoFurry, should you decide to go that direction. I'll still be watching people here, but FA will never, EVER see another penny in donations from me, and what little guilt I had about running AdBlock on this site is now gone.
https://inkbunny.net/SDWolf
http://www.sofurry.com/user/view/profile?id=2120
FC Wrap Up
Posted 14 years agoFC was totally awesome this year!
The new convention center is great, the Marriott is fantastic, the Hilton... well, they could stand to improve. A lot. In fact, if you got screwed by the Hilton, CALL AND COMPLAIN to Hilton HHonors. You can reach them at 1-800-548-8690. If enough people file complaints with them, Hilton's corporate offices will take corrective actions, including possible discounts/refunds, as well as reprimanding the hotel to ensure they never treat their customers like that again.
Anyhow, my experience at the Marriott was fantastic, and the staff there were really quite cool. *wags*
Most of my time was spent wandering the con, meeting up with folks, and generally having fun. I got roped into helping
djwolf with the Wolves panel, which turned out to be an awesome experience- so much so that I'm going to volunteer to do it next year. Might even consider helping out in ConOps as well, but we'll see....
Chinese also went really well. We had a smaller group than usual, but I'm okay with that. We still had great food and great conversations with great people, and I'm looking forward to hosting it again next year. I know the restaurant staff will be looking forward to it, too. *wags*
Let's see, what else.... Oh, FC: Unleashed's content has improved considerably. They just need more acts! They've brought back prizes (including cash), audience voting, and more. So, if you were put off by the way FC was (mis)handling FNL/FC:U in past years, those issues have been resolved. Also, Bloop! (You had to be there....)
Speaking of improvements, the fursuit parade is no longer a death march! It's not too long, and it starts & ends in the (VERY COLD) main stage, where the photo is taken (no more abandoning all the fursuiters outside in the sun with no water). So, if an injured
chairo could do it in a wheelchair (he just had a bunch of metal installed in his hip a couple weeks ago), then so can you. XD
So yeah, FC was fantastic this year, and I'm looking forward to 2013. The theme next year will be The Furbidden Planet (retro sci-fi- think original Star Trek, Buck Rogers, Flash, etc), so that should be fun. Hope I get to see you there! *wags*
Bloop!
The new convention center is great, the Marriott is fantastic, the Hilton... well, they could stand to improve. A lot. In fact, if you got screwed by the Hilton, CALL AND COMPLAIN to Hilton HHonors. You can reach them at 1-800-548-8690. If enough people file complaints with them, Hilton's corporate offices will take corrective actions, including possible discounts/refunds, as well as reprimanding the hotel to ensure they never treat their customers like that again.
Anyhow, my experience at the Marriott was fantastic, and the staff there were really quite cool. *wags*
Most of my time was spent wandering the con, meeting up with folks, and generally having fun. I got roped into helping
djwolf with the Wolves panel, which turned out to be an awesome experience- so much so that I'm going to volunteer to do it next year. Might even consider helping out in ConOps as well, but we'll see....Chinese also went really well. We had a smaller group than usual, but I'm okay with that. We still had great food and great conversations with great people, and I'm looking forward to hosting it again next year. I know the restaurant staff will be looking forward to it, too. *wags*
Let's see, what else.... Oh, FC: Unleashed's content has improved considerably. They just need more acts! They've brought back prizes (including cash), audience voting, and more. So, if you were put off by the way FC was (mis)handling FNL/FC:U in past years, those issues have been resolved. Also, Bloop! (You had to be there....)
Speaking of improvements, the fursuit parade is no longer a death march! It's not too long, and it starts & ends in the (VERY COLD) main stage, where the photo is taken (no more abandoning all the fursuiters outside in the sun with no water). So, if an injured
chairo could do it in a wheelchair (he just had a bunch of metal installed in his hip a couple weeks ago), then so can you. XDSo yeah, FC was fantastic this year, and I'm looking forward to 2013. The theme next year will be The Furbidden Planet (retro sci-fi- think original Star Trek, Buck Rogers, Flash, etc), so that should be fun. Hope I get to see you there! *wags*
Bloop!
FC Chinese 2012! [UPDATED]
Posted 14 years ago[UPDATE: The fountain isn't a fountain anymore, location updated accordingly.]
With FC approaching again, I'd like to announce the 6th annual Saturday Night Chinese meetup.
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown (www.wingsofsanjose.com). The place has been open since 1925 (under the same family ownership for the last 80+ years), so they're obviously doing something right. Since this will be our sixth year there, they'll definitely remember us. XD
This is planned for Saturday evening from 8:00 to 10:00. We're overlapping with the Masquerade this year, but this hasn't really been an issue in the past. You can find the FC event schedule here: http://www.furtherconfusion.org/fc2.....edule/saturday
We'll meet up by the planter in the plaza outside the Convention Center's main entrance, on the Marriott side of the construction, at 8:00pm. Then we'll take the light rail (8:13pm at the latest) up to Japantown. Details & map here: http://bit.ly/zAsOw1 The light rail costs $2.00, but the tickets are good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. (Also, don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
- Cost-wise, we're looking at about $12 per person. No, I'm not paying for everybody.
- Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
- To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
- Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel. We can always order more if we need to.
- Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant 30 minutes ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT or IM by 7:30pm so I can give them a headcount.
That about does it for now. Take care!
With FC approaching again, I'd like to announce the 6th annual Saturday Night Chinese meetup.
We'll be heading to Wing's Chinese Restaurant again, located in San Jose's Japantown (www.wingsofsanjose.com). The place has been open since 1925 (under the same family ownership for the last 80+ years), so they're obviously doing something right. Since this will be our sixth year there, they'll definitely remember us. XD
This is planned for Saturday evening from 8:00 to 10:00. We're overlapping with the Masquerade this year, but this hasn't really been an issue in the past. You can find the FC event schedule here: http://www.furtherconfusion.org/fc2.....edule/saturday
We'll meet up by the planter in the plaza outside the Convention Center's main entrance, on the Marriott side of the construction, at 8:00pm. Then we'll take the light rail (8:13pm at the latest) up to Japantown. Details & map here: http://bit.ly/zAsOw1 The light rail costs $2.00, but the tickets are good for 2 hours, so you can re-use your ticket for the return trip. (Also, don't put a $20 bill into the ticket machine, as you'll get $18 in COINS back)
And now, the obligatory bulleted list:
- Cost-wise, we're looking at about $12 per person. No, I'm not paying for everybody.
- Hit the ATM before we meet up so you have some cash handy (you'll need it for the light rail anyway). This way we can avoid the confusion of giving the waitress a dozen different credit/debit cards.
- To keep things simple, and to keep costs down, we'll be ordering family-style. Individual dinner platters tend to get lost in the shuffle and cost more per person.
- Each family-style item is enough for about 2 people, so let's not go overboard at first. We've made that mistake before, and ended up carting a ton of leftovers back to the hotel. We can always order more if we need to.
- Because we're a fairly large group (we average around a dozen), I like to call the restaurant 30 minutes ahead so they can prepare for us. So, it'll help if everyone that's going could give me a TXT or IM by 7:30pm so I can give them a headcount.
That about does it for now. Take care!
FC Chinese 2012 Reminder
Posted 14 years agohttp://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3050425/
Just a reminder about the FC Chinese meetup on Saturday during FC. Again, please contact me by 5:30 on Saturday (twitter DM is best) so I know how many are coming. For additional important details, see the journal linked above.
Take care!
Just a reminder about the FC Chinese meetup on Saturday during FC. Again, please contact me by 5:30 on Saturday (twitter DM is best) so I know how many are coming. For additional important details, see the journal linked above.
Take care!
