Original inflatable Guilmons

http://www.ebay.com/itm/17134831510.....84.m1555.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/17134831766.....84.m1555.l2649

Ok, so I have only been to a handful of cons in my life but this last BLFC was by far one of the best. Casino cons are a completely different ball game. The alcohol runs like water. The restaurants in the hotel are fantastic so no reason to leave. A person could walk from their room to a restaurant with a sig and a beer if they so desired. The only catch is staying off the casino floor with the head on. Not a problem at BLFC as the con space is below the casino and there is direct elevator access from the rooms. However, should one choose to leave the con, we found Reno to be a really cool little city. The list of bfast places was long, we choose a small place that was fantastic and returned several times. The liquor store we found was EPIC. I have to give these guys a shout. This place blew my mind. http://craftreno.net . Next time your in Reno, you must see this place.
Arriving thursday, I drove up from San Jose with  shoreleave. The drive was great. First experience suiting BLFC and the GSR was great. NO ELEVATOR CON!. I could get from my room to the con space in under three min. It was excellent. Reg was great too, no more than 15 min. This is what a well run con feels like. The panels where fun. The inflatable panel went really well.  kijani_lion stopped in a posed with my lion for a few photos, I hope I can find where those are posed. It was awesome meeting him. Saturday  Koldsteel ,  shoreleave ,  SpotGideon , and myself found a really nice range about 20 miles north of the con so we went shooting. I stuck mostly to the 1911 (thx again for letting me exercise that excellent piece of hardware) but I took one shot with a .308 riffle and hit a 12"x12" gong at 300 yards. It was my fist time on a riffle and I hit it first shot. The rest of the con was drunken suit shenanigans.  shoreleave and I left at around 10 am monday. Shoreleave decided to ride home in suit and troll other divers (it's his greatest skill, really). We stopped at Cabela's for a stuffed fish (or Feesh, as I'm told) and stopped for several photo opportunities along the way. We beat the storm through Donner pass but we hit it between Livermore and San Jose. I've never driven in that kind of rain, but it beat driving over the pass in a blizzard.
It was an amazing time. Plan to do it again next year.

So FC 2014 is finished and it was a big deal for me. This was my first con with my Lionel suit. As far as being in suit goes, its a lot better than I feared it would be. Not as hot and uncomfortable and predicted. I still have a few little things to dial in, but furst flight was a good one. I'm realizing that my performance in suit however will require some work. I need to practice my body language and expressions. Its not as easy and one might think. The feel of the con itself also changes dramatically when your there in suit. You become one of them, ONE OF THEM. anyway, its great fun. Hope to do much better at BLFC (crossing fingers I can make BLFC happen).
TC

So the semester is over. I had the second part of my Math final and my English final today. I'm tired, really tired. English class was really interesting this semester, I think I found I have a taste for Poetry of all things. My English instructor pulled me aside and invited me to his Shakespeare class next semester. He said I'll fit. I do like reading Shakespeare and its special "one semester only" thing. we'll see.

During my English final I had and idea for a little poem about pool toys. I had some time to burn but the only thing I had to write on was a Starbucks sleeve, so I was at least able to preserve the idea. Some of you saw it on twitter but here goes.

Let me be your pool toy.
Fill me large with air, I promise your friends will love me.
Take care of me; patch me should the worst happen and
I will be with you for many warm summers.
Deflate me and put me away when the leaves change.
I would rather not know old man winter.
Let me be your pool toy.

I guess it expresses a submissive thing I kinda enjoy from time to time.

I added a bit that would not fit on twitter. I know it still needs work but I'm tired and do not care to polish any further tonight.

Oh, Con season is right around the corner for me. I'm super stoked for that.

That completes my stream of random thoughts for the evening. My eyes will no longer focus on the screen and my fingers are no longer able to find the proper keys.
talk at you guys later.

Today on Twitter there was some talk of a Hyena sanctuary in Texas ( http://www.hyenasanctuary.org/ ) that is in need of volunteers to help with some construction projects going on. Immediately my five years working at a large cat sanctuary came flooding back. I remember the calls for volunteers to build enclosures, build fencing, helping care for the animals, and so on. The first and most obvious benefit for the person that is willing to donate their time and energy is being able to enjoy the company of their wild animal brethren. For me it was, and still is, the Lion. Its difficult to put into words what it was like the first time I was around a fill size male lion. intense hardly begins to describe the feeling. I'm not talking about viewing them from an observation deck like a zoo. I'm talking about being on flat earth with nothing but a chain link fence between myself and this cat. That moment my life was changed forever. Next came the cubs. We where a non-breeding facility but on occasion we would get cubs. First time playing with a lion cub was out of this world. Cute and fuzzy but they can still bite hard as shit.
Now not all sanctuaries will allow interaction with cubs, nor will they allow you to even stand at a fence watching. To just to be there and to know that your working to build a better world for these animals is amazing. Its a feeling that I can't begin to put into words. Especially identifying with a certain species, the feelings are magnified. For me, getting to know the mannerisms of Lions ad Tigers and being able to observe their intricate social structure from just feet away was a once in a lifetime type of experience. As a Furry, I cannot recommend it enough. Its extraordinarily satisfying to work with these animals. A simple google search will almost always find a sanctuary in your area that is working to rescue your particular soul brethren from some terrible condition as a road side display or someones neglected pet. Just get out there and do it, your life will be more fulfilled and you'll be helping to save an helpless animal.

So its 1am and I'm wide awake, in more than one way. I finished my first full semester at College last May. For whatever reason I have been in a funk for the last month.

I've had my suit from  Bycats4cats for almost a month but I had no desire to try it on. I was falling into a weird depression the likes of which I have never experienced. I was visited by a friend,  bigphin last week and his visit helped me a lot. I have pulled a lot of strength from him getting back into college and all.

I waited until today to look at my grades, I was terrified they would look bad. I was shocked to see they did not. I'm noticing a disturbing lack of self confidence but that's another story.

The last month in my funk I was questioning everything, Did I make the right choice moving to CA? Did I make the right choice going back to school? Did I make the right choice spending a large sum of money on a suit. All of the sudden, all in one day, the answer was YES.

I've also been getting more and more into the fur scene here in the Bay Area. I joined BAARF, a Bay Area Radio group for Furs.

Just a weird moment when all is right after so many questions. Whatever, i'm rambling.

Well, its official, my suit is underway. has started my lions head.

http://www.bycats4cats.com/2013/max...../headprog2.jpg

Today a woman was killed while working in the enclosure of a four year old male lion at a sanctuary out side Fresno, California. This lion was hand raised by this sanctuary since he was 8 weeks old and accustom to people. I have two distinctly different perspectives but only one opinion on the subject. Having both five years as a volunteer at the largest big cat sanctuary in north america, and a lion fursona, these cats are noting to fuck around with. I was on my toes and focused at all times. These cats are smart, fast, and quiet. You are no match in any way to these apex predators. As for the details of the accident, no one knows why she was in the enclosure or how the lion got to her. I'm sure it was an error on someones part. The point that I can't stress enough is that these are not pets. They are not safe even in the type of environment required by the state fish and game department. I hear people all the time talking about wanting a big cat as a pet. Big cats cannot be legally held in private hands in all but a few states. This is something that I hope to see changed in the future. Keeping the population in private hands down is better for everyone including the animals in question. Most of the rescues my sanctuary went on where awful. Very few people have the equipment, space, food, and infrastructure to keep a large cat safely yet breeding and cub sales goes on everyday. Most end up being euthanized. Its an awful problem in this country that needs to be solved. There are more tigers in private hands in the state of Texas than exist in the wild. I'm not talking about legitimate sanctuaries and zoos. I'm talking about people keeping them as pets or using them for things like photo ops with people. If you must have a lion or tiger to hug, get a plush or inflatable. Leave the living tigers to zoos and the wild where they belong. I know your fursona is a big cat, I also know very few here have any experience working with big cats and really understand what they are capable of.

So I know I'm a little early on this but here goes.
As some of you know I moved from Denver, Colorado to San Jose California to live with  reinhardt almost two years ago, February 26th 2011 to be exact. The opportunity presented it self when Reinhardts roommate at the time got married. I quit my job in Colorado and packed everything I could fit in the back of my xB and went for it. I had no idea what I was doing or how I would make it work. I was able to find little jobs here and there to pay the bills the first year. Spent the first few months with  infl8ablewolf living with us, that was awesome. Its a lot quieter since he moved on.
As soon as I was a resident I enrolled in College. It has been exactly ten years since High School and I'm really enjoying it. I'm working on an EE and hoping to graduate from San Jose State.

In the last two years I've moved a lot closer to the furry world, attending the weekly fur hangout and meeting lots of locals. The local scene here in San Jose is good, the weekly hang out brings quite the crowd. I was inspired enough that I took a major step and ordered my first suit late last year. I've never even warn a suit, this is going to be interesting but the crowd I have around me is awesome. I think it will be fun.
As of late I've had a feeling of contentment. As the bumper stickers say, life is good. I can honestly say that moving to California has been nothing short of awesome. I think these last two years have been my best time on this planet. There is nothing wrong with Colorado, but its not California. Life in the Bay Area is amazing.

So I did it, I placed an order with for my Lionel. He will be big and yellow. I'm so excited and a little shocked I'm doing this. Gonna be awesome. Btw, anyone in the Bay area that can help out with a duct tape dummy? I pay with beer or whatever.

So I don't have many journals but I found this and was so disgusted I thought I would put something here. You assume that we have moved along, we are an evolving society and we pat our selfs on the back and say good job. We look at what is going around the world and thing "wow we are so much better". Then you see an article like this and you realize that we really are not all that much more evolved.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201.....e-too-far?lite

That's right. That is what they are implying. Sad and disgusting that someone used their judgement and thought that was ok. I'm not sure how free speech would come into play here but just the fact that someone thought that was ok is sad.

So this FC was my first con after being in the community for almost seven years. It was a lot of fun and not at all what I was expecting to find. Met lots of old friends as well as some new ones,  Slosiris ,  Rarakie ,  toastedwheat ,  ekanssssssssss ,  Baphnedia , as well as many more. I stunned myself as well as most people that know me when I declared that I must have a suit (the room has not stopped spinning for some). It was a lot of fun.

Its three thirty in the morning but I feel motivated so here goes. So I've been living in the bay area with  reinhardt for a year now and I'm in a whole new world living here 1300 miles form my life long home state of Colorado. I have changed quite a bit, I still very much love building inflatables but something inside me says that is coming to an end. Let me be clear, I don't mean I'm growing tired of the toys them selves, I mean that I've reached a point where I no longer desire any new toys. Maybe that's part of growing up. The net result is that I'm happy where I'm at.

The whole point of moving to California was to explore my self, the world, pick up a bit of independence, and of course to live with another toy collector HELLO!
I've always had a little part of me that was at least a little fur and I think I realized that I might want to explore that a little bit this evening. In my mind this would be the logical continuation of my big yellow inflatable lion, Lionell. He is a character that I have thought about for years. I love the juxtaposition between a big, strong, powerful lion that has a very obvious soft side that he wears on the outside in the form of his inflatable image. Who is threatened by a big cute inflatable lion? The notion of an inflatable lion represents some very deep part of me that I have harbored since a young childhood. Its quite powerful but I can't explain it.
The inflatable version was the first conceptualization of this and in my mind I think I'm ready for it to evolve further, and as I sad before, this would be the most logical progression. Idk, need to think on it some more.

I've been wating for this since May last year. Its been a really long eight months waiting but its really going to happen. So In my last journal I told you I left my job to go back to school. That didn't happen but I'm still starting a new life. I'm moving from Denver Colorado to San Jose Califonia. I had a really hard time leaving my volunteer job at the animal sanctuary, and my tiger Frita will be with out her treats every week. I'm moving in with Reinhardt  reinhardt and its gonna be a blast to live out there. I've been talking to friends out there looking for a job. I have an interview with a Porsche dealer as soon as I get to town as well as a Rolls Royce dealer that has expressed interest in me. I've got my fingers crossed for the Rolls Royce dealer but the Porsche dealer will do in a pinch. Its a big move and its a lot to think about all at once, so I'm taking it one step at a time. Wish me luck, Reinhardt needs it to work out too LOL

I just mowed the grass in a hurry because there is snow coming. Yup, snow. Lots of it, too. They are calling for two to three feet in the mountains and maybe a foot here in town. Just as I was planing to drive across the rockies to get to CA. I'm gonna have to push my vacation (or atleast the driving part) back a day or so. I haven't had a vacation is six years so whats another day I guess. So I decited that I want to take a few trips this summer. This first time I'm heading out to CA to visit a few people,  reinhardt,  infl8ablewolf,  bigphin,  shutaro, and last but not least,  grimmroth. Its just gonna be awesome to hang and stuff. Will take lots of pix, I always do.

So I just turned 26 and for the last few years I've been wanting to make a change. I had an ok job at a car dealer but it wasen't great. Was looking at buying a place (thank goodness i didn't) and just keep doing that thing. It wasen't good enough so i quit the job and will be returning to college this fall, and not a community college but a real college this time for Electrical Engineering. Electronics are someting that I know and enjoy and I think it will work.

So I've spent the last week unemployed and i'm starting to really not like the feeling after having been in the working world for eight years amost solid with only two different jobs. I'm sitting on a little cash (saved to buy a condo), trying to figure how to make that work for the next few years. I thought it would be easy not doing anything all day, it kinda sucks. I left my job sooner rather than later because I haven't had a vacation away from home in six years. Maybe getting out of here for a while will help with that. Go visit some people I really want to see, and get out. This is not a great time to quit a job, i do believe that this is my chance to start again and improve things. Anyway that's been sitting on my mind lately.

I was challenged by  DragonSam and this is my first journal post ever so here goes:

1. Respond with something random about you.
2. Tell you which color you remind me of.
3. Tell you my first memory of you.
4. Tell you what animal you remind me of.
5. Ask you something I've always wondered about you.
6. Tell you my favorite thing about you.
7. Tell you my least favorite thing about you.
8. Challenge you to post this on your journal.