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well...shit
Posted 11 years agookay I've been admittedly awful in checking in here. apparently, no since last November. and considering I don't have a whole armada of friends on here, I'm already overwhelmed looking at the 268 submissions and 178 journal submissions.
anywhooo...
DEAR FURRY FRIENDS. I miss you all. Much. No bullshit. So since I'm a bit of a cunt and won't leave Pittsburgh for a Con, I've decided to ask around and see if any of you folks were coming into da 'Burgh for AC this year. Normally, I'd've already bought my sponsor pass for the event, but I've held off so far until I know who (if anyone) will be swinging through.
I want to play. I want to be mischievous. I want a furpile.
If anyone sees this and hasn't forgotten who I am ("who the hell is this TonicJim guys and why did I get a notification?!"), just drop a response to this thread so I can plan accordingly.
cheers.
~Jim
anywhooo...
DEAR FURRY FRIENDS. I miss you all. Much. No bullshit. So since I'm a bit of a cunt and won't leave Pittsburgh for a Con, I've decided to ask around and see if any of you folks were coming into da 'Burgh for AC this year. Normally, I'd've already bought my sponsor pass for the event, but I've held off so far until I know who (if anyone) will be swinging through.
I want to play. I want to be mischievous. I want a furpile.
If anyone sees this and hasn't forgotten who I am ("who the hell is this TonicJim guys and why did I get a notification?!"), just drop a response to this thread so I can plan accordingly.
cheers.
~Jim
AC13. Checking in...redux
Posted 12 years agoI know for sure which of my buddies and brothers-in-mischief are NOT making it to AC this year...consider beers raised in your honor in advance...so now I'm checking to see which ones officially will be visiting my little hamlet over the July 4th extended weekend.
This will be a crazy weekend as it's the 4th and my mom's birthday, but I should be around enough to visit with most folks who swing through. And maybe I'll kidnap a car-full of you and show you there's more to Pittsburgh than the 3-block convention center area.
As a bonus, I was supposed to tend bar at Leather Central that Friday night (and was going to coordinate a van for suiters from the Westin to my place), but The Pup has swapped shifts with me, and given me the night off. As such, I'LL be the shuttle service to/from my bar for anyone who can bear to separate themselves from downtown and the Tonic chaos for a couple hours and much, much cheaper beverages. Suiting not required, but my patrons would definitely encourage it. LOL
Drop me a note here, or text me if you have my cell. If you are coming and want my cell, send me a PM. Cheers.
This will be a crazy weekend as it's the 4th and my mom's birthday, but I should be around enough to visit with most folks who swing through. And maybe I'll kidnap a car-full of you and show you there's more to Pittsburgh than the 3-block convention center area.
As a bonus, I was supposed to tend bar at Leather Central that Friday night (and was going to coordinate a van for suiters from the Westin to my place), but The Pup has swapped shifts with me, and given me the night off. As such, I'LL be the shuttle service to/from my bar for anyone who can bear to separate themselves from downtown and the Tonic chaos for a couple hours and much, much cheaper beverages. Suiting not required, but my patrons would definitely encourage it. LOL
Drop me a note here, or text me if you have my cell. If you are coming and want my cell, send me a PM. Cheers.
AC13. Checking in...
Posted 12 years agoReceived my registration confirmation -- will be a Sponsor again this year, so I'll have the means to get in & out of all the debauchery.
Thu 7/4 is a company holiday, so I'll be out of the office, but might be held to familial obligations. I'm hoping to take Fri 7/5 off work at both the office, and will definitely switch my bar shift that night to the following weekend. For now, Sat 7/6 is open. And hopefully there will be enough interested folks to coordinate another "Last Supper" at the Church Brew Works on Sun 7/7.
All told, I should be able to hang out significantly with those who are going and are willing to have me as a shadow. As it gets closer and folks start making determinations, keep me posted.
Looking forward to seeing some of you in a few months.
~Jim
Thu 7/4 is a company holiday, so I'll be out of the office, but might be held to familial obligations. I'm hoping to take Fri 7/5 off work at both the office, and will definitely switch my bar shift that night to the following weekend. For now, Sat 7/6 is open. And hopefully there will be enough interested folks to coordinate another "Last Supper" at the Church Brew Works on Sun 7/7.
All told, I should be able to hang out significantly with those who are going and are willing to have me as a shadow. As it gets closer and folks start making determinations, keep me posted.
Looking forward to seeing some of you in a few months.
~Jim
So, yeah...that was different
Posted 12 years agoI've been out of touch with you guys for a while -- sorry about that. Weird thing is - it was almost permanent.
On Friday 2/15, while on vacation up in the Rockies to celebrate a friend's 40th b'day, I ran into a few complications. We were skiing at Breckenridge and it was a gorgeous day, full of freshies and powder. The first run was fine. But halfway through the second run, I kinda started to feel funny. Couldn't catch my breath, heart rate all over the place. Figured it was just a fluke, and decided to go for a third run. About 500 yards down the run, I was just flat-out crushed, couldn't breathe right at all.
My friends noticed I'd stopped and waited for me to catch up. I told them it appeared I was finally suffering some altitude sickness after countless years and visits to the mountains. Seemed odd to me, but I told my friends I'd be down in the lodge relaxing, trying to ride it out.
That night, I still felt real wonky. The next day (Saturday 2/16), I felt worse. In fact, it got so bad that I ended up not being able to drink water at all. Around 11pm that night, my friends called the ambulance. The rest of the night was kind of a blur, but I do remember being in an emergency care center up in the mountains and the doctor there saying "Bro, you have so much going wrong with you, there's nothing I can do to help" and getting a inter-jugular line placed, for which I asked the doctor to knock me out.
Woke up in an ICU at a Denver Hospital, where for the next three days, they ran tests to rule out everything that *wasn't* causing my issues, and tried to rebalance my body functions. My heart, lungs, liver and kidneys all failed throughout the course of 24 hours from the time I started to feel wonky on the slopes until my friends called the ambulance. The doctor at the ICU told me it was incredible I was still alive, and that if I had not gotten help when I did, she was pretty sure I would have succumbed to multi-organ failure within a few more hours.
For the next 18 days, I was on the Great Multi-State Hospital Ward Tour '13. Ten days in the Denver hospital (3 in ICU, 7 in the ICU Stepdown Unit) hooked up to oxygen (for the first four days only), IV's and a shitload of monitors. My recovery was so rapid and so unexpected that the doctors there who had initially estimated I'd be in Denver for 4-6 weeks felt confident I could fly home to Pittsburgh to seek additional help, so on Tuesday 2/26 I took a commercial flight home and checked into my second hospital for the next eight days.
All my trauma was caused by an acute attack of pulmonary hypertension. Basically, for the past several years, my heart has been in distress. I ruled some of it as stress from work, and some of it as just being wicked out of shape. The doctors at all of the hospitals and wards said because I was *in* such good shape, it was the reason I recovered so well and so fast.
I'm free from the hospital for a few days, recuperating at momz, sleeping in my old bedroom. It's weird for a 41 year old...especially since the room decor hasn't changed all that much since I was 18. But it's not a hospital, there are no monitors, and I don't have nurses, doctors, and specialists coming in and out of my room at all hours.
Next week, I go back into the hospital for additional treatment and the installation of a semi-permanent subcutaneous pump which will continuously inject me with a medication to help reduce the extreme pressures in my lungs and right ventricle. Pretty big lifestyle change for me. The main change is the avoidance of alcohol (a glass of wine every once and a while is okay) and tobacco. No more cigars, dammit. I'll eventually build my endurance back up to skiing, but it'll be East Coast only for me for at least the next five years. The main goal is to get the pulmonary hypertension under control enough that I can at least visit Denver...and maybe (someday) go back up into the mountains. Just probably not to ski. We'll see.
Anywhooo, just a little update as to where I've been, where I could've been, and where I might be going. Truth be told, it'll probably be a week or more before I can check back into this account. But in the meantime, keep posting those submissions and journals so I have something to look forward to when I get back.
Never take what you have for granted. Live every day like it's your last. And only regret those things which you did that didn't make you stronger.
Just sayin'...
Much love.
~Jim
On Friday 2/15, while on vacation up in the Rockies to celebrate a friend's 40th b'day, I ran into a few complications. We were skiing at Breckenridge and it was a gorgeous day, full of freshies and powder. The first run was fine. But halfway through the second run, I kinda started to feel funny. Couldn't catch my breath, heart rate all over the place. Figured it was just a fluke, and decided to go for a third run. About 500 yards down the run, I was just flat-out crushed, couldn't breathe right at all.
My friends noticed I'd stopped and waited for me to catch up. I told them it appeared I was finally suffering some altitude sickness after countless years and visits to the mountains. Seemed odd to me, but I told my friends I'd be down in the lodge relaxing, trying to ride it out.
That night, I still felt real wonky. The next day (Saturday 2/16), I felt worse. In fact, it got so bad that I ended up not being able to drink water at all. Around 11pm that night, my friends called the ambulance. The rest of the night was kind of a blur, but I do remember being in an emergency care center up in the mountains and the doctor there saying "Bro, you have so much going wrong with you, there's nothing I can do to help" and getting a inter-jugular line placed, for which I asked the doctor to knock me out.
Woke up in an ICU at a Denver Hospital, where for the next three days, they ran tests to rule out everything that *wasn't* causing my issues, and tried to rebalance my body functions. My heart, lungs, liver and kidneys all failed throughout the course of 24 hours from the time I started to feel wonky on the slopes until my friends called the ambulance. The doctor at the ICU told me it was incredible I was still alive, and that if I had not gotten help when I did, she was pretty sure I would have succumbed to multi-organ failure within a few more hours.
For the next 18 days, I was on the Great Multi-State Hospital Ward Tour '13. Ten days in the Denver hospital (3 in ICU, 7 in the ICU Stepdown Unit) hooked up to oxygen (for the first four days only), IV's and a shitload of monitors. My recovery was so rapid and so unexpected that the doctors there who had initially estimated I'd be in Denver for 4-6 weeks felt confident I could fly home to Pittsburgh to seek additional help, so on Tuesday 2/26 I took a commercial flight home and checked into my second hospital for the next eight days.
All my trauma was caused by an acute attack of pulmonary hypertension. Basically, for the past several years, my heart has been in distress. I ruled some of it as stress from work, and some of it as just being wicked out of shape. The doctors at all of the hospitals and wards said because I was *in* such good shape, it was the reason I recovered so well and so fast.
I'm free from the hospital for a few days, recuperating at momz, sleeping in my old bedroom. It's weird for a 41 year old...especially since the room decor hasn't changed all that much since I was 18. But it's not a hospital, there are no monitors, and I don't have nurses, doctors, and specialists coming in and out of my room at all hours.
Next week, I go back into the hospital for additional treatment and the installation of a semi-permanent subcutaneous pump which will continuously inject me with a medication to help reduce the extreme pressures in my lungs and right ventricle. Pretty big lifestyle change for me. The main change is the avoidance of alcohol (a glass of wine every once and a while is okay) and tobacco. No more cigars, dammit. I'll eventually build my endurance back up to skiing, but it'll be East Coast only for me for at least the next five years. The main goal is to get the pulmonary hypertension under control enough that I can at least visit Denver...and maybe (someday) go back up into the mountains. Just probably not to ski. We'll see.
Anywhooo, just a little update as to where I've been, where I could've been, and where I might be going. Truth be told, it'll probably be a week or more before I can check back into this account. But in the meantime, keep posting those submissions and journals so I have something to look forward to when I get back.
Never take what you have for granted. Live every day like it's your last. And only regret those things which you did that didn't make you stronger.
Just sayin'...
Much love.
~Jim
AC12 - cherry busted
Posted 13 years agoDamn, what an excellent weekend. From Thursday night's "I'm just here to check in & say hi...aww fuck it, let's drink and go to the rave" to Sunday night's Last Supper at the Church Brew Works, I had an awesome time. The overall events I'll remember, as they happened:
...in addition to Thursday night raving, it was definitely entertaining to meet a slightly-more-than-tipsy
_Huttser-coyote. Under the watchful eyes of a few wolves and shepherds, the night started off with him all giggly and shy, and then came Coronas, and a shot of Rumple Minz...and...well...I went all paternal on his drunken buffoonery instead my usual majordomocorrupto. Who knew it was in me? Glad I did, though...'cos he's good people. So the tradition of Tonic drinking...raving...but not sleeping began for the weekend.
...on Friday, it was awesome getting a hatchback full of Furs (
_stormwolf77, 
_gshep08, 
_wolf400) out of the Convention Center radius and drag them up to Mt. Washington for lunch out on the deck at the Shiloh Grill and subsequent digestion on the deck at my apartment. And we also began the corruption of a new innocent, Pup. Dragged him along to the Leaf & Bean to grab cigars, and then back down to AC so he could see for himself why I became such a fanboy. He's still texting me about you guys. Good to meet 
_shadowsfox at the subsequent cigar smoke-out in front of the Westin, too. More Tonic drinking...more raving...not so much sleeping.
...on Saturday, even though it was too brief, I was glad to get some facetime with my major fanboy crush
_sigdog (frikkin' big huge-ass hugs, my man...hit me up anytime). A little bit later, the watcher-to-participant cherry done got all busted. My first time ever putting on a suit, and I chose to do it for the "Death March" parade. I cannot thank 
_firestormsix enough for being gracious and letting me wear Zeke the leather harness-clad Hyena. Many thanks to both him for the privilege (hope I did it justice), and to 
_dodgercr for covering my back and making sure I didn't fall over during the march. Escalators are trickier than I thought. Great to run into and hang out with 
_jyno, 
_lavshep, 
_dershep and 
_shortwave too. Kinda didn't want to get out of suit after the parade, and the mental machinery started to kick into gear. I see another "baby step" coming in the next year. Then more Tonic drinking...more raving...even less sleeping.
...on Sunday, I finally took care of my postponed-by-Con-fun errands, but got my ass down there in the early afternoon to meet up Stormwolf and
_graywolf769 to wander around the closing afternoon of the artist's alley. That evening was the Last Supper at the Church Brew Works. Good beer, good nosh...and a lot of laughter. It was sad knowing the weekend was wrapping up, but it was such a great weekend, it kinda overruled the sadness. Unfortunately, my body went all "dude, you've had eight hours of sleep since Thursday morning...I'm shutting down now" and I crashed out by 9:00pm. So no more Tonic drinking...no more raving...just nine hours of sleep.
I'm seriously glad you guys made it this year, and that I was able to hang out as much as I could. Guess my next step will be to make the transformation a little more official. TonicJim will add "Doberman" to the AC'13 conbadge.
Much love to my peeps.
...in addition to Thursday night raving, it was definitely entertaining to meet a slightly-more-than-tipsy
_Huttser-coyote. Under the watchful eyes of a few wolves and shepherds, the night started off with him all giggly and shy, and then came Coronas, and a shot of Rumple Minz...and...well...I went all paternal on his drunken buffoonery instead my usual majordomocorrupto. Who knew it was in me? Glad I did, though...'cos he's good people. So the tradition of Tonic drinking...raving...but not sleeping began for the weekend....on Friday, it was awesome getting a hatchback full of Furs (
_stormwolf77, 
_gshep08, 
_wolf400) out of the Convention Center radius and drag them up to Mt. Washington for lunch out on the deck at the Shiloh Grill and subsequent digestion on the deck at my apartment. And we also began the corruption of a new innocent, Pup. Dragged him along to the Leaf & Bean to grab cigars, and then back down to AC so he could see for himself why I became such a fanboy. He's still texting me about you guys. Good to meet 
_shadowsfox at the subsequent cigar smoke-out in front of the Westin, too. More Tonic drinking...more raving...not so much sleeping....on Saturday, even though it was too brief, I was glad to get some facetime with my major fanboy crush
_sigdog (frikkin' big huge-ass hugs, my man...hit me up anytime). A little bit later, the watcher-to-participant cherry done got all busted. My first time ever putting on a suit, and I chose to do it for the "Death March" parade. I cannot thank 
_firestormsix enough for being gracious and letting me wear Zeke the leather harness-clad Hyena. Many thanks to both him for the privilege (hope I did it justice), and to 
_dodgercr for covering my back and making sure I didn't fall over during the march. Escalators are trickier than I thought. Great to run into and hang out with 
_jyno, 
_lavshep, 
_dershep and 
_shortwave too. Kinda didn't want to get out of suit after the parade, and the mental machinery started to kick into gear. I see another "baby step" coming in the next year. Then more Tonic drinking...more raving...even less sleeping....on Sunday, I finally took care of my postponed-by-Con-fun errands, but got my ass down there in the early afternoon to meet up Stormwolf and
_graywolf769 to wander around the closing afternoon of the artist's alley. That evening was the Last Supper at the Church Brew Works. Good beer, good nosh...and a lot of laughter. It was sad knowing the weekend was wrapping up, but it was such a great weekend, it kinda overruled the sadness. Unfortunately, my body went all "dude, you've had eight hours of sleep since Thursday morning...I'm shutting down now" and I crashed out by 9:00pm. So no more Tonic drinking...no more raving...just nine hours of sleep.I'm seriously glad you guys made it this year, and that I was able to hang out as much as I could. Guess my next step will be to make the transformation a little more official. TonicJim will add "Doberman" to the AC'13 conbadge.
Much love to my peeps.
*update* AC12
Posted 13 years agoMy Thursday 6/14 night shift at the leather bar was swapped out for Thursday 6/7 instead. The bad news - I won't be behind a bar plying my friends with cheap booze that night. The good news - I can get my drink on a night earlier than I planned. Looking forward to running into a bunch of you guys next week.
AC12. Checking in...
Posted 13 years agoSo AC12. Yup. All ready on this front.
I submitted the "personal time off" request for 6/14 & 6/15 this past Friday, and then registered (sponsor level) officially today...and it made me all warm and tingly.
Won't be working at Tonic this year - haven't been there in over a year - but still willing & able to meet you guys down there to coordinate the mischief and merry-making.
Nowadays I work a few nights a month as a seminekkid bartender at a local gay leather bar - who (seriously) would love a Furry visit. We'll talk more as the event approaches...gettin you guys out of the convention center area and into the unsuspecting-yet-intrigued general Pittsburgh populace. One of these days, I might actually change my screenname too. Maybe. I'm pretty damn lazy though. LOL
Anywhooo...glad to be registered, and looking forward to seeing my pack in June.
PS - I needs me a frikkin' furpile this time around!
I submitted the "personal time off" request for 6/14 & 6/15 this past Friday, and then registered (sponsor level) officially today...and it made me all warm and tingly.
Won't be working at Tonic this year - haven't been there in over a year - but still willing & able to meet you guys down there to coordinate the mischief and merry-making.
Nowadays I work a few nights a month as a seminekkid bartender at a local gay leather bar - who (seriously) would love a Furry visit. We'll talk more as the event approaches...gettin you guys out of the convention center area and into the unsuspecting-yet-intrigued general Pittsburgh populace. One of these days, I might actually change my screenname too. Maybe. I'm pretty damn lazy though. LOL
Anywhooo...glad to be registered, and looking forward to seeing my pack in June.
PS - I needs me a frikkin' furpile this time around!
AC11? Oh hells to the yeah.
Posted 14 years agoDamn. Seriously, I cannot believe how much fun I had this weekend. Huge props to the tentwelve crew for not only putting up with my lurking, but also encouraging it.
Thanks to Stormwolf (hotass mofo letting me nuzzle in on the action), Firestorm ("you shook Sinatra's hand...you should know better"), Sig/FL (naughty thoughts...veeeeeery naughty thoughts), DodgerCR (dude...totally...any frikkin' time), Jyno (hey buddy...how's that tail?), Lav & Der (and do we need more Cosmo Iced Teas?), and Wolfgang (my ass is still red, bastard).
The "gradual induction" became a full-on immersion, and I hope to suit up next year. Thank you, thank you, thank you all.
Fanboy for life.
Thanks to Stormwolf (hotass mofo letting me nuzzle in on the action), Firestorm ("you shook Sinatra's hand...you should know better"), Sig/FL (naughty thoughts...veeeeeery naughty thoughts), DodgerCR (dude...totally...any frikkin' time), Jyno (hey buddy...how's that tail?), Lav & Der (and do we need more Cosmo Iced Teas?), and Wolfgang (my ass is still red, bastard).
The "gradual induction" became a full-on immersion, and I hope to suit up next year. Thank you, thank you, thank you all.
Fanboy for life.
Newbie. Innocent. Uncorrupted.
Posted 14 years ago(well, mostly)
Was directed here by a certain German Shepherd who shall remain namless. Basically been a watcher for years, but not a participant. Kinda thinking I'd like to change that up a little.
Definitely want to get back in touch with the friends & folks I've met over the past few years at the Pittsburgh Anthrocons.
As of 2/4/11, I won't be "that host-guy at Tonic" as I'll be focusing on just the full-time job, but there's a good chance they'll ask me to help out during June's festivities. If not, I already have my AC'11 badge lined up & vacation time reserved so I can experience more than just the sideline views.
Pretty much an easy going guy here. Was told I should be a gray wolf, so I'll start down that path & see where it goes. In any case, I'm good with random messages and always lookin for new buds for drinking, cigars, and...uh...um...yeah, other things.
Was directed here by a certain German Shepherd who shall remain namless. Basically been a watcher for years, but not a participant. Kinda thinking I'd like to change that up a little.
Definitely want to get back in touch with the friends & folks I've met over the past few years at the Pittsburgh Anthrocons.
As of 2/4/11, I won't be "that host-guy at Tonic" as I'll be focusing on just the full-time job, but there's a good chance they'll ask me to help out during June's festivities. If not, I already have my AC'11 badge lined up & vacation time reserved so I can experience more than just the sideline views.
Pretty much an easy going guy here. Was told I should be a gray wolf, so I'll start down that path & see where it goes. In any case, I'm good with random messages and always lookin for new buds for drinking, cigars, and...uh...um...yeah, other things.
