I remember getting to meet Dragoneer at my last Anthrocon 9 or 10 years ago. I knew of him and knew his interests and his relationship with the site and the community. It was excellent to meet him and to talk with him. I found him a vibrant and wonderful individual.

I can only hope that the community and his family keep remembering him for the person that he was and the things that he brought into this world, this site included. FurAffinity hasn't always been a paragon of everything for the community, but what it has done for us is something to be remembered, I think. And Dragoneer was there at the start of it.

You will be missed, sir. Thank you for everything.

Hello all!

This is to let folks know that I will be up at Midwest Furfest for the first time since 2019! I'll really only be up there for Friday and Saturday, though. I should be getting into the con area Friday afternoon and will be leaving sometime on Sunday morning.

I'm always offline during cons, but I'm usually roaming the Dealer areas or hanging in the gaming rooms. I look forward to seeing folks!

To those who know me and speak with me on a regular basis, I'm sorry if I've been a bit more frustrating than usual, or if I've been coming off as vague or...I dunno.

Winter is never a good season for me; I love the heat and the ability to go outside in the evening when it's still nice and warm, and winter often sees me reaching a state close to cabin fever at times. It's a bit worse in the past couple of years because my eyes are not what they once were, and the way to blunt the edge of that restlessness and frustration would be playing video games with folks, but I can't do that as much, and even finding games that I suspect I'd enjoy, only to find that I won't be able to devote the proper amount of time to make the purchase worthwhile...well, it really gets to me!

As for writing, I still love it. The feeling it evokes in me to craft something and edit and work on it is still wonderful, and I usually have more than a few long-term ideas rolling around in my head. The problem comes in that I've worked on a few too many short or teasing pieces that have sort of worn away some of my drive to dig into a longer, more thought-provoking piece. The desire is there, but sitting down and realizing I'll need to put two or three hours into it to really get something I'd like, and even then it's only a few pages...well, it becomes both daunting and a bit frustrating, and I just tend to put it off.

Spring is always a time where the urge to write blossoms and I'm better able to just settle down and work on a few longer pieces, but...again, I don't rightly know. I've become lazy: not physically, per se, but I don't seek to stimulate myself as much mentally in seeking new, potentially harder to reach heights, and it means I've just sort of stagnated, and that feeling has left me here in this rut where I just keep treading the same path in circles.

Suffice to say that I am in a rut right now, and I appreciate everyone who is there for me in so many capacities, be it simple or complex. I suspect I'll be able to find a way to work through most of these things, and as spring goes on and the weather gets warmer, it'll be a bit easier for me.

I just wanted to put this out for folks to help explain things. I love to work with artists and friends on commissions or stories, and I still greatly love to do things for people. You folks are a great joy and inspiration to me, and I really appreciate each of you.

It may be that I just need to take a step back from things for a while and look for regular things outside of the house to get into, who knows! But thanks for listening, and thank you for being there.

I'll be arriving on Thursday late afternoon and will be there until Monday morning-ish. I hope to see everyone there. :)

I'll see everyone there! I'll be arriving on Thursday and I'll be leaving on Monday. :)

So, amazingly enough, I have something like 1,150 people watching me. Let's say that probably 200 or so are friends on various accounts. So...what brought the rest of you to my little corner? Why watch me?

I don't upload very much, and I'm curious if it's the art commissions I get that bring people to my page, or if it's the actual stories I submit. I sincerely hope it's the latter, because that's MY actual content that I've created, and it's important to me.

That being said, I'd rather people be honest. If it's the pics of Stalbon, Jedana, and Marianna, then I'm glad they're appealing enough to bring you to watch me for more. If it's something else, I'd love to hear it! I just want to know what motivates so many people to watch me when I don't put out a lot.

I appreciate your feedback; it means a lot to me. :)

Edit: I suppose I should edit this to be a bit more clear. If we know each other, I'm pretty sure I already know why you're watching me. ;) This was moreso for the people I don't know that have taken the time to watch me. I'm trying to find out what made them click that button!

Hi all! So normally I go to Midwest Furfest each year and get a room for myself with a couple of others as guests. However, those people have informed me that they have other plans this year, and as such, I don't think I can consider a solo room as the 'affordable' option this year. Admittedly, there is a Motel 6 a mile or so down the road that I could stay in as a sort of 'final option', but I'm going to post it here that I'm open to talking with others regarding their own room options and if there is any spot available for me.

I tend to like quiet rooms, I do not smoke or drink, and I can probably do about $500 as a 'maximum' for my side of things. If this means that it's two or three of us in the room, all the better; I'm not really big on crowded rooms. If you have a room open and are up to talking with me regarding things, please let me know so that we can try to finalize our options as early as possible.

Thank you for your consideration and I hope to see you all in Chicago in December!

Edit: the rooming situation has been resolved, thank you!

I'll be there again this year! The crew this time is  larus,  crediblemyth and  navyraptor. Be sure to say hi if you see me; I look forward to hanging out with everyone and having a great time!

So yes! It's that time again: Midwest Furfest 2016 is ten days away! As usual, I'll be attending, and below should be all of the information you'll need to find me!

I'll be rooming in the Hilton Rosemont (across the street from the main Hyatt) with  larus,  crediblemyth and  krown.

I'll be getting in Thursday afternoon and will be leaving Monday around noon. Until then, I am usually with various groups throughout the days and evenings, though the only real 'set' plans I have are to host a pizza party on Friday evening.

I hope to see everyone there, and to have a lot of fun!

Please stay safe, seek out proper shelter, and keep as calm as can be if an evacuation is called for. I certainly hope that everyone will be all right as the storm passes through.

So yes! I shall be attending Biggest Little FurCon for the first time next week. I'm flying in on Thursday the 12th, and will be leaving the morning of Monday the 16th.

I'm going to be rooming with the ever-dapper  navyraptor and the large-and-in-charge  mandarax in the Grand Sierra, and while I normally do try to put together some sort of party or what not, it seems likely that with so many dragons at the con, we'll eventually get something going together without me heading it. :)

Beyond this, I look forward to hanging out with people and participating in the complimentary bowling and go-karts! If you will also be attending and want to get in touch with me, let me know so that we don't miss out on any fun!

So yes! I'll be there this year. We'll be in the Hilton Rosemont across the street from the Hyatt, and it's me,  larus and  crediblemyth again. I'll be there Thursday-Monday, and I'm sure much pizza shall be consumed, many games shall be played, and art shall be bought on a decent-sized scale! I look forward to seeing everyone again, as this is by far the best convention out there. :)

These walls are my shelter, and yet…when I touch and rub them, they feel coarse and rough. Push too hard against the plaster, stumble in the dark and fall against them, and even the walls to my personal haven will bring forth blood.

Beneath the hot spray of water that is a shower, I am able to relax and let tension drain. I can let my thoughts wander from the rote and meaningless worries of my daily routine. This, too, is a haven, yet staying too long costs one in the end.

Beyond the flat depths of a computer screen, there are people out there just like me…and yet we are all uniquely different. We chat and gab and while away the hours with laughter and anger; things seem so much easier when we are all together in person.

I sleep; perchance to find visions of fire in my breast and a visage that strikes awe into those around me.

I dream; perchance to take out my fear and frustration on enemies that do not exist in my daily life.

I write; the better to bare my soul to the world around me and to instill the same fire and passion in all who dream.

I live. I live to forever seek ways to make my winged hopes and fiery heart a reality.

“What do you see when you look at me, old man?” Cain rumbled.
His companion sat a bit straighter and looked up to him. “Mmm?” A gap-toothed smile showed for a second, and the old man seemed about to throw out a witty remark. He paused a moment then, and perhaps sensing the deeper meaning to the question, took a longer look, pensively stroking his snowy white beard. Cain tried to see himself as he might appear through the villager’s eyes: a great dragon, fifty feet in length, with scales the color of deeply-tanned leather and a pair of deep, ruddy-red eyes.
The old man cleared his throat. “I see an old dragon,” he said, “well past his prime.” The man stroked a palm aimlessly over the worn wood of his walking stick and loudly sniffed. “A dragon who stays too long in his cave and gets fat, and who occasionally holds conversations with an old man long past his better years.” That gap-toothed smile appeared once again, and the rheumy eyes twinkled with humor. “Why do you ask, then? Should I have seen someone else?”
The soft rumble in Cain’s chest was not a warning, but it quieted the man nonetheless. The dragon turned to look past his companion, out to the view beyond his cavern and the village that lay down out of sight. “Your town sees me differently, I think.” The old man plucked at his coat and remained quiet, seeing that more was to come.
“To them,” Cain growled, “I am the wolf, long since tamed, who now sits by their dinner table and begs for scraps, or lays himself out in front of their hearth. I am a gnawer of chicken bones and a player of games with their children.” The dragon slid his gaze down to the man again, and continued. “But every so often, I will fix them with my wolf’s glare, and they freeze and gasp for breath. For in that moment, they know I see them as nothing more than prey, and in my eyes they see their worst fears made manifest. I am a memory to them, but even so, they will remember that like the wolf, I was once something more. A ravager, a killer…a monster.”
As the growling rasp of his voice ended, the cave was left in an austere silence. Cain looked to the old man, unsure what to expect, but the phlegmy snort that came was not it. His companion tilted his head back and spat. “Do not speak so of monsters, dragon. They are many in make and form, but are most certainly not limited to your kind.” His elbows now resting on his knees, the old man turned his wrinkled hands over to gaze into his palms. “We are both memories now. How many years has it been since I was once a fisherman, a smith, a soldier, or even a lover?” Gnarled fingers curled in on themselves while he went on. “My wife passed away long ago, and my son and his family merely tolerate me. I sit and watch, now, and am asked to tell a tale or two to pass the time.”
The old man lifted his face, and Cain averted his gaze for a moment at the wetness he saw in those rheumy eyes. “I suppose you are no different in that regard, dragon, but I feel that you at least value me.” Cain snorted at that, the sound abrupt in the half-lit shadows, and looked to his companion again. “I do remember,” the old man said, “a dimly-recalled childhood where we did not sleep too close to the windows, for fear of gremlins and goblins coming in the night to spirit us away.” The man brushed an arm across his eyes and sniffed again, his gaze hardening. “And I remember tales of you and your kind sending us to bed with bad, bad dreams.” They were silent for a time, two old remnants now uncertain of their future. Then the old villager said, “If I still thought you to be that killer of yesteryear, I would not make my trips up to see you, and I fear that the both of us would have died of boredom in the interim.”
A rare smile tugged at Cain’s scaled lips, and he was grateful to see the old man wore the same expression. His companion stood, the walking stick coming down to support rickety knees and a hunched back. “I must head back now,” he said as he started to shuffle away. The dragon did not move to see him out, but merely called out, “Until the next time, old man.”
The bearded face half-turned back for a moment. “Until then, dragon.”

To all those interested, I'd like to put the link up for Gateway Furmeet 2015, a local convention in its second year for the St. Louis area.
You may find the information and dates of the con here: http://gatewayfurmeet.org/

Last year on Saturday, we had around 200 people come in. The venue has changed for this year, and while I am not quite on track with the decision, I understand that it was due to monetary and availability situations. I do not expect myself to attend the whole thing: as with last year, I am planning to drop in on Saturday for several hours. That being said, if people wish to make plans to come up for the weekend, I would be happy to arrange some space in my house and would otherwise enjoy seeing you. :)

So with it having turned March, I figured I would see who, as of now, is planning to attend Anthrocon in July! For now, I do have plans to attend, and am going to be setting up my travel and hotel reservations soon. With that in mind, I'm looking for one or two roommates.
As of March 1st, the Omni and The Doubletree are still open, and those would definitely be my two choices, with the Omni being the preferred of the two.
Now admittedly, I will be looking for people I know personally and have met or spent time with before. That being said, you can expect a large discount on the stay. My normal stay is Thursday-Monday, so we'd be looking at four nights. If I only have one roommate, I would ask for recompense in the amount of the nightly rate (I believe this is rarely more than $150). If there are three of us in the room, you can expect to pay no more than $100 for your stay. My room, my rules, obviously, but those can be discussed at a later time.

I will leave this up for two weeks. If, at that point, I have not found anyone willing to go in with me, I'll purchase a room for myself. As such, if you do have an interest, please get in touch with me via comment, note, or instant messenger. :)

I skipped out last year to attend Anthrocon the winter before, but I look forward to Pittsburgh and the people who go there. If you plan to attend, I eagerly await getting to see you (again)!

First off, a few words on the evacuation incident:

Over the course of the incident and the hours following it that night, the main feeling I had was a lack of control, a wave of helplessness. I hated not being able to help my friends, who were worried and frustrated about what might happen should the forced evacuation last into the next day, and I hated seeing so many put out because of something completely beyond their control.
During the evacuation, I and many others saw people step up and volunteer to help in the incident and make sure that all involved were being moved to a safe area as quickly and efficiently as possible. Still, these people were unfamiliar to us (well, one was a friend) and didn't have marked badges. They simply yelled and pointed, sometimes without mercy for questions or the confused and curious. I felt a bit of frustration at some of these strangers, as at that point, we had no real knowledge of the depth or breadth of the incident and you don't want to be yelled at in the middle of the night. Some people apparently took this the wrong way and caused confrontations.
What I want to say is that for those involved in these sorts of stressful, tense situations...do not take it out on those who are volunteering to help everyone make it to safety. Yes, they are presenting themselves as an authority figure to you without the look or feel that you have come to expect, but they went to the staff at hand and volunteered because they have emergency training experience or training. I will understand the anger that comes at such a sudden and shocking disturbance of your normal routine, but the confrontations that will come about from such provocations are a help to no one and can cause a major hindrance.
On the flip side, to those who took it upon themselves to step up and volunteer, please keep in mind that you have been 'temporarily empowered' and are now being seen as a font of authority. I would ask that you use that authority with all the responsibility that comes along with it and try to keep undue violence to a minimum. When pushed or forced too far, people may push back.

I want to extend my thanks to all of the volunteers that night, along with con staff and security, for doing their best to secure us all within the convention center as quickly as they could and for keeping us updated.
I also wish to thank all of the involved emergency personnel for their aid in ending and containing the incident as quickly as they did.

This is where the important stuff is!!

The incident on Saturday night aside, this was a fantastic con, and it continues to get better with each visit.  larus and  crediblemyth were awesome roomies and great fun to hang around. Our room tended to be one of the main evening hang-outs for the dragon group, since we had Super Smash Brothers and pizza and what not. I want to thank Killrez and Rodent for taking a group of us out to Bob Chinn's for dinner, where I ended up getting to know  cantstopgrowing some more!
There are so many I always look forward to seeing at this convention, especially, that FurAffinity won't really let me show off all their icons, but I wanted to thank these in particular!
 dreamous
 evalion
 arcnova
 spelunkersal
 derecho
 myr
 kartonis
 fumei
and of course, many, many more.

Also, I learned that I am totally a mom when it comes to having folks in my room! No asses on pillows, people! Folks need those for sleeping! #midwestmomfest

My phrase for the weekend: 'Oh dear.' (Seriously, I probably said that more than anything else the entire time.)

Also, I realized that it's hard to find a replacement charger for your phone when it's a decade old, but that it will absolutely chug it out for an entire weekend even when it starts on just one battery life. <3

Thank you again, everyone, for making MFF 2014 a resounding success and an absolute blast to attend!

So I'll be up in Chicago next week/weekend for Midwest Furfest 2014! I'll be arriving up there on Thursday afternoon (the 4th) and will be leaving probably early afternoon on Monday, the 8th. During that time, I'm rooming with  larus and  crediblemyth at the main Hyatt. :) Mostly we'll be having a lot of fun, and I'll almost certainly be getting a few commissions, but one of the extra plans, at the moment, is to try and have a small room party on Friday, the 5th. I'll be bringing along my DVD player and the How To Train Your Dragon films, and we'll be watching them!

So anyway, if you are planning to go there yourself, and want to find me, let me know and I can provide you with my number and keep an eye out for you. :) I look forward to a fun (and hopefully not too cold) weekend!

So I know that Mephit FurMeet www.mephitfurmeet.org is this Labor Day weekend (the 29th-31st). I also know that local friends are going down, and since I already took days off to extend my personal weekend from Friday through Tuesday, I figured I might pop down to Memphis for Saturday and maybe Sunday, see what's going on. But I'd like to know if anyone outside the local circle of friends will be there! Reply here and let me know, as it'll certainly help me in making a decision! Thanks. :)

When the world all around me is a deep, brilliant blue and I feel I can touch the tallest mountaintop, that is when I’m truly alive. What joy there is in diving and turning and spiraling and forever and ever and again climbing until I am so high that I am lost amongst that brilliant sea, with a world grown so small and fragile below! And if I might fall, it is only so I can sweep my wings out and feel the rush, the exhilaration as I cry out my joy to that starlit sky above me.

When clouds think to bull in to my domain, I dive through them like an arrow through paper, to laugh and flick and lash at their scattering essences all around me. I am lord of these skies, and I revel in it! When it comes, the rain can be a blessing, a crisp breath of fresh air amidst the night. When those selfsame clouds gang up upon me and rumble their displeasure, I seek to climb higher than they might reach, always, always roaring my defiance.

The wind is my greatest ally and my fiercest rival, and together we race one another through valleys and over rivers to see which of us is the faster. And whenever I fly, wherever I go, I keep this thought close to my heart.

I am free.

So St. Louis finally has it's own official furry convention, which is Gateway Furmeet. The website can be found here: http://gatewayfurmeet.org. It's the first year for this convention, and it'll be happening April 18th-20th. Now, admittedly, I don't expect much for it. According to the website, the setup is pretty small, as to be expected, but I wanted to post this to help let everyone in the area know about it, and maybe generate a bit more interest! I suppose it doesn't help that it's also Easter weekend, alas.
I'll actually be up there only on Saturday, the 20th, for the morning and most of the afternoon I imagine. I'll be bringing along a few friends, and hopefully it'll be a fun time. So if you are within the area and feel like making a daytrip up, I'm sure the staff would appreciate your stopping by and checking out the fun!

I yearn for sleep not filled by dreams, for in dreams I know what makes me sad.

I yearn for sleep filled by my dreams, for in dreams I know what gives me strength.

I yearn for nights emblazoned by stars, for in them I see what gives me hope.

I yearn for days with clear, warm skies, for in them I find the joys of life.

I yearn to keep my true friends close, for their laughter helps my heart stay strong.

She settled into the dark of the room with barely a whisper of sound, smiling to see him asleep on the bed by the corner. Moonlight shone in from the window, casting a soft glow that rested on the sparse furnishings and bare walls. When she sat by his side, he did not stir, save to nestle his head deeper into the pillow. He had grown lean and slim since last she'd seen him...the man now so different from the soft little boy she once remembered. She lovingly caressed the back of his head before sliding her fingertips down the long braid of his hair. It was tightly-woven and very neat, and she was pleased to see the care he had taken in keeping it so.

She leaned in close, then, gazing longingly at him. She could almost see his dreams taking shape, the shade of a smile on his lips a reassurance they were happy ones.

"You have always been my stars and moon, young one." Her voice was no more than a whisper, yet it filled every corner through little eddies of wind. "So bright and mysterious by night, yet so far away." She could not keep the creep of a sombre tone from her words, a sorrow she felt deep within her heart. "I have always tried to keep you near, but you are taking your own path now." Her palm cupped the back of his head, and she ran her thumb gently over the curve of his ear. "Soon, very soon, you shall fly. Many will stand in awe as you do, and many more in fear." She leaned ever closer, her lips a bare inch from his ear, her eyes following the quick flutters of his lids as he slept. "When you do, you must climb ever higher. Everything shall seek to hold you down, grasping like the hands of those who wish to chain you to the earth. Free yourself, and seek to break through to new, unimagined heights." Her throat trembled now, and she reached to grasp at it, as if to still the doubts and fears to which it gave an opening.

"For when you fly higher than the highest clouds, you will finally reach a realm of unlimited possibilities. There will be none to hold you back, and all the stars in the sky will be yours, their light shining on you." The hand at her throat moved away, closing tightly as if to hold in what she feared would be lost. Her lips brushed at his brow, and with the kiss, a soft tear spilled onto his skin. "And when you do reach that realm, my son, perhaps we shall dance in the sky, as I have always dreamed."

He woke, then, stirring to touch at the wetness which flowed down his cheek, but she was already gone; a rustle of wings and a shadow joining the night sky.

Further Confusion was excellent! Despite the fact that the con's dealer room, 'artist alley' and layout could stand to use some improvement, it did not at all take away from the fantastic time I had hanging with people and enjoying the magnificent San Jose area and weather.

So many dragons! *Deep breath*  torenth,  larus,  kirydos,  crediblemyth,  kearin,  mandarax,  nixx,  morca,  kartonis,  navyraptor,  tygerstkuan,  mnementh,  hypnoticdragon,  byzil,  arthro,  karosu,  azzyskies,  sammy73,  velos and so, so many more!

Thank you all for making it such a wonderful trip. And remember! Dragons act like big, mostly-scaled magnets and attract other dragons.

I'll be attending! This will be my first Further Confusion, and my first time ever on the west coast, so it should be a fun experience! I will be arriving at San Jose International early Thursday afternoon, and won't be leaving until Monday afternoon. I am staying with  kirydos,  larus, and  crediblemyth in the secondary hotel. The plan, quite frankly, is to hang out with dragons, dragons, and more dragons! A lot of my plans will probably revolve around the various groups I'm with during my time there, but if you see me and know me, please feel free to say hello!