The past few nights, I've been perusing old, old, OLD chat logs, and I came across some logs from my chats and RPs with a like-minded artist who was highly respected in our little niche corner of the fandom...KangarooBoy.

I miss him. A lot. I know many others who share our mutual interests miss him too. He seemingly vanished overnight from the fandom and the internet many years ago, leaving behind only his art slowly circulating on various art sites and forums.

No, it's not just the potential for new art that I miss...it's actually talking to him too. Although my socialization has diminished as I get older, I still miss talking with old friends such as KangarooBoy, and when they suddenly disappear with no word...it hurts.

If anyone knows where he went...why he left...let me know, if you are able. If not, then at the very least, please...let me know if he is ok. If something happened that drove his decision to leave, then I shall respect that wish of his. At the very least, I just want to know that he is still doing well, and I want to wish him well no matter what he is doing in life.

The last fur con I went to was 2016.

Then lack of money happened.

Then even more lack of money happened.

Then COVID happened.

And lastly, yet more lack of money happened.

Then, I decided "fuck it, I don't care how much it costs me, my emotional wellbeing NEEDS a con!"

That said...I'm going to MCFC. :3

Honestly, I was already planning on being in the area anyway to visit friends for the solar eclipse (the day after the con ends), so I figured if I'm gonna be in the area anyway, I might as well go.

So...see y'all at MCFC! ^_^

It's rare for me to post stuff like this...but this definitely needs to be shared.

A very close friend of mine,  Ryuuie, lost his mother this past week. He is needing help covering final and other expenses. He has started a GoFund Me. If you can't help financially, at least share this around.

Details in his journal: https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10678329/

I have not yet heard whether my Spyro art is allowed or not despite asking support. Same with my Yoshi art. So, until I am told otherwise by staff (or until my account is banned out of the blue), I will be leaving them uploaded for now.

However, I WILL be deleting any art showing low-tier Pokemon and Digimon. This will be happening on June 1st, so you have ONE WEEK from the time this journal is posted to save any affected art from my gallery.

It sucks...but it needs to be done.

As for if, when or where I'll reupload them...I dunno. We'll have to see.

============================

UPDATE: As mentioned, my low-tier Pokemon and Digimon art has been deleted. Still waiting to hear back from staff on whether I need to delete anything else, so it's possible more may be removed from my gallery in the semi-near future.

To be honest...I don't know how it'll affect my Spyro art. He doesn't really "look" underage, but the new policy specifically says such characters must be "aged up", which in pretty much all other artists cases means the bipedal buff version of Spyro. So, I might have to delete it all anyway... :/

The couple of Jake Long pictures I've drawn are borderline. Just like Spyro, he doesn't "look" underage in dragon form. But, the policy is nebulous enough that I might have to delete that art anyway. Yoshi is another borderline character. The few pics I've drawn and commissioned of Yoshi might also have to go.

I know for a fact I'll have to eventually delete the singular pics I've done of Veemon and Agumon, since low-level Digimon seem to be one of the biggest targets of this new policy. So, I'm giving forewarning that these will likely be gone very soon, save them if you haven't already.

So basically...upwards of 75% or more of my gallery might have to go. The thing is, I simply don't know what is allowed and what isn't anymore.

Right now...other than sharing them on relevant Telegram channels, I have nowhere else reliable to post my art. So, if I do have to purge my gallery...I dunno what to do.

Got my second shot (Moderna) yesterday...and boy is my body not happy about it. x_x

BUT, this is a good thing. It means it's working!

Fuck you COVID, time to kick your ass! >:(

Those who have been following me here for at least nine years may recall a journal I posted way, way back in 2011 titled "I survived a Category 3 hurricane...kinda..." (https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2533146/). It's a journal about a derecho...a massive, MASSIVE windstorm that hit my town and many surrounding areas across a significant portion of the entire state of Iowa with 100+MPH winds (in my case, 130MPH) back on July 11, 2011.

On Monday, August 10th, 2020...it happened again.

This time, the worst of it passed just south of me, so my town was spared a majority of the serious damage. Structurally there are a few broken windows around and lost shingles or roof materials, but otherwise almost all of the damage right in my town this time was tree damage. Lots and lots of tree damage.

Drive south from my town a couple miles, and you begin to see corn fields completely flat on both sides of the highway.

Drive another two miles south from there, and you begin to see buildings with serious damage and power lines down.

Drive one mile further, and you begin to see buildings that were completely destroyed.

Stop right at that point. Five miles south of my town. The winds were powerful enough to destroy barns, sheds, and in a few cases, houses. This wasn't a tornado, this was straight-line winds exceeding 100MPH. The highest measured wind gust I've seen officially reported out of this storm was 112MPH. That's equivalent to a category 3 hurricane. That's what it was like for 30 CONTINUOUS MINUTES just five miles south of my town.

Imagine those conditions.

NOW, imagine these conditions being generated by a wall of storms 60 MILES wide, plowing across 200 miles of the state of Iowa, from west of Des Moines all the way to the Mississippi River...and then on into Illinois all the way to and beyond Chicago.

Not a single little supercell thunderstorm or cluster of storms hitting a few towns here and there. We're talking friggin' BULLDOZER of storms screaming across the land at 70+MPH while generating 100+MPH winds along its entire breadth and path.

This is a derecho.

This is what Iowa had to deal with on July 11, 2011...and it is what Iowa had to deal with again last week, on August 10, 2020.

Many people lost their homes, while many more had serious damage. Likewise, a lot of businesses were also destroyed or severely damaged. Over 40% of our corn and soybean crops are destroyed, which means the prices of food and other products that utilize corn and soybeans will go up over the next many months not just in Iowa, but across the entire country. Nearly half a million people in Iowa alone lost electricity from this storm. Many of them have it back now, but several tens of thousands still don't have power now six days later, and many of THOSE people aren't expecting to get power back for at least another week.

The city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, population approximately 120,000, got hit hard by a major flood back in 2008. I'm sure you remember hearing about it on the news, it was the top story on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, etc. for several days in a row. The destruction in Cedar Rapids from this derecho is much, MUCH worse than the 2008 flood...

...and I bet you didn't even know it happened, because the news is ignoring us this time.

Financial assistance and recovery follows the news in events like this, it's an unfortunate truth. Since the news never came and told the country what is happening here, the assistance is not coming.

WE. NEED. HELP.

No, I'm NOT saying >I< need help. I personally am fine. Since my town was spared the major damage from this particular storm, my apartment had no damage, no power lines within town were taken down, and we had power back within hours thanks to the fact that this town is small enough to have its own emergency backup power plant. In fact, my town became a safe haven for people from Cedar Rapids and other impacted areas, coming here to buy gas, ice, water and groceries since we were one of the closest towns to have power the following day.

What I'm saying is that we, the state of Iowa, need help.

I must admit I didn't plan ahead of time while typing this journal out, so I don't have any ready-made links to post here for you to look at and determine how to help my state. But, one thing I can do is simply request that you spread the word. Tell people what has happened here. The more people that know about this, the more likely the millions of people affected by this storm (not just in Iowa, but also in Illinois!) will get the assistance we need to rebuild our homes and our lives.

Tell people. If you know ways to help, certainly look into it if you are able and willing. But at the very least, tell people, and spread the word.

We need help...

==============

UPDATE: Field surveys are now saying that the maximum wind speeds from this derecho were around 140MPH.

One hundred and forty fucking miles per hour.

That's as strong as a major category 4 hurricane.

I sure don't post much on here anymore, do I? Well, I'm still active, as anyone who follows me on Twitter knows. I've just...all but given up on doing art, for now anyway. I got a story that's been a WIP for far too long that I hope to finish and post, but beyond that, what the future may bring from me art-wise, I don't know. But for the time being, my FA is primarily being used just for viewing other submissions.

But I digress, onto the topic of this journal...COVID-19, aka "Coronavirus".

I need to say right off...my asthma and diabetes do put me in the "high risk" category, despite my relatively young age. This means that if I WERE to catch it...it could potentially fuck me up quite seriously.

There's also the fact that I work retail, a job which is 100% incompatible with telecommuting. And not just any retail...but a retail pharmacy. I'm basically working on the front lines here, since people who are just starting to feel sick may be more tempted to go to a pharmacy and buy stuff to self-medicate before it finally clicks in their head that maybe they should go to a doctor. Therefore, not only am I at high risk of serious complications if I catch COVID-19, I'm also at a higher risk of catching it in the first place, especially if it begins to spread through the general public in my town.

I'm not panicking. I'm not hoarding toilet paper, hand sanitizer or other supplies (if anything, I admittedly might not have enough food on hand if I were to end up having to stay home for 2+ weeks). But, I am concerned.

Already this week, I was sent home from work with symptoms of a "respiratory something" that, so far anyway after two days, has not evolved into anything. It's highly unlikely to be COVID, unless I just happen to be one of those rare one-in-a-million-random-chance asymptomatic carriers. More likely it's just a really minor cold, or maybe allergies causing my asthma to act up. But still, out of an abundance of caution, my boss decided to send me home yesterday and have me stay home today.

I have paid sick leave...but only one week's worth. So, I've basically already used half of it over something that turned out to likely be nothing...this time. If absolutely necessary, I do have three weeks of paid vacation time I could dip into, but hopefully I don't have to.

So, I'll have to see what comes my way. I do hope everyone else stays well, and if somehow any of you do catch COVID, that it treats you mild and passes with no major effect.

Dunno why I felt like posting this...I just did, I guess. Take care.

It sucked.

The end.

Another retail giant has bitten the dust. Toys R Us has ceased to exist in the US, and may soon follow in other countries. For the handful of stores that were still open, today was the last day. They are now closed.

To be honest, I didn't get to go to Toys R Us very often as a kid, primarily because the toy store I typically went to (KB Toys) was conveniently located right in the mall where my family would frequently go for other reasons, while Toys R Us was in a separate building away from the mall property. Since I was already a semi-regular visitor to KB Toys, my parents didn't see the necessity in also going to Toys R Us. That said, I DID get to go to Toys R Us a few times as a kid, including one memorable visit I will never forget.

Back around 1993 or so, a new Toys R Us store had a grand opening in a nearby city, and I BEGGED my mom to take me there because they had various people dressed up in different cartoon characters, such as the Biker Mice from Mars, the Ninja Turtles, and Geoffrey of course. BUT, the one character I most desperately wanted to meet...was Sonic the Hedgehog. Aside from being a bit nervous when I first got there, it was fun to meet Sonic (even as a kid, I knew it was just someone in a costume though, but it still felt like meeting Sonic). I even got my picture taken with him, among other photos from that day. Sadly, unless they are buried somewhere in storage, those pictures are now long gone, lost in the winds of time. I still have the memories though, which I shall cherish.

This past Monday, I went to the nearest Toys R Us for the final time and looked around, the one that was not far from the previously-mentioned mall where I more often went to KB Toys instead (BTW, that mall is gone now, torn down four years ago). Not much was left...a metric shitton of Skylanders toys and Waluigi Amiibos, among a few other miscellaneous things. Along with an inflatable Spiderman plushie for a friend, I did manage to find myself something to buy there, one last toy...a My Little Pony Hippogriff Guard figure. The last thing I'll have ever bought from a Toys R Us.

I may not have gotten to go to Toys R Us very often as a kid...and in fact I've gone there far more times as an adult...but as small as it may have been, it was still a part of my childhood, even if a majority of it was just the commercials, and that jingle.

"I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid..."

...

...I had to grow up...but I'm still a Toys R Us kid. Maybe only in a small sense, since my childhood exposure to Toys R Us was fairly limited to begin with. But, it still counts...I'm still a Toys R Us kid.

Farewell, Geoffrey.

First and foremost...what the hell were they thinking?

For those who haven't heard, FA is gonna be rolling out a new "paid subscription mode" soon, I presume as an alternative to Patreon. I didn't read through the entire announcement because, as you already saw above, I think it's a really stupid idea. But the gist of the idea I got from briefly skimming it is that artists will be able to register for this FA paid subscription program, and then people who want to see their art when they post it has to pay $10 a month. Anyone who follows registered artists that don't pay the monthly subscription will need to wait for THREE MONTHS(!) before they'll finally be allowed to view submissions made under the subscription program.

You....

...Have...

...Got...

...To...

...Be...

...SHITTING ME!

Look, I understand that artists need to make money. I'm not against that. But, when what is currently (I think still) the largest furry art site on the internet starts FORCING such a requirement upon their users, that's really stupid...not to mention the three-month waiting period before non-paying-subscribers will be allowed to see artists submissions...THAT SUCKS. Almost all artists I know who use Patreon typically only have a two week to one month tops period between posting their art there and then making it freely available elsewhere...but a mandatory THREE-MONTH wait is too fucking long. It's like FA is punishing those of us who are either unable or unwilling to pay the subscription fees.

ALSO...how much of that $10 per month is actually gonna be going to the artists, hmm? Think about THAT. I guarantee you not all of it is. Who knows how much FA is gonna be skimming off the top?

I just...UGH. This whole idea feels as though it was rushed without any real thought to the potential consequences and fallout behind it.

Yet again, lack of money... :/

Yep, not going to any fur cons this year. D:

Two primary reasons:

1. Lack of money

2. Self-imposed punishment for slipping on my diet

Sucks too, because I wanted so badly to go to IFC because it's 80s themed, which I love so much. D:

A month ago, I posted a journal about a problem I've been having as a result of being uncircumcised.

Today, I had surgery to correct the issue.

It wasn't a full circumcision. Rather, it was a procedure called a "dorsal slit". Do yourself a favor and don't Google it...it's pretty icky. Let's just say...my cock kinda resembles a partially-peeled banana now...ewwwww. XD

I do have some pain, and likely will for a while. They say it'll take 2-4 weeks to heal, barring any complications. It will make my penis look weird...but it will not affect sexual function. Most importantly though, it will fix the problem I was having of not being able to properly urinate, which in turn will solve the recurrent UTIs and prevent further damage to my kidneys.

So, it is fixed...and now I just need to endure the pain of recovery...

...and the agony of not being able to fap for a month or possibly longer. D:

=================================================================================
WARNING: THIS JOURNAL HAS GRAPHIC MEDICAL-RELATED CONTENT. DON'T READ IF YOU'RE SQUICKED BY THAT.
=================================================================================







Thanks to a decision my parents made when I was a baby...I now have to deal with a severe health problem that, if left untreated, could kill me.

I am uncircumcised.

Now, how could that kill me? Well, it all begins with a little medical condition known as "phimosis".

In simple terms...my foreskin will no longer retract, and the hole on the end is shrinking.

I have had this condition for years, and it has grown progressively worse over that time, especially during the past year. The hole on the end of my foreskin has continued to shrink until now it is literally what they call a "pinhole". This makes it excessively difficult to urinate, so much so that it has become painful to do so. My foreskin literally inflates like a balloon whenever I pee, because it's not able to come out fast enough. This causes two problems:

1. Because of how slowly my urine passes, my system isn't able to sufficiently flush itself out

2. Urine can actually collect under the foreskin and stagnate since it cannot be retracted for cleaning

Both of those issues can, in turn, cause chronic repeat urinary tract infections...which I've had to deal with for over a year now.

This is where the "it could kill me" part comes in. Repeat chronic UTIs are very hard on the kidneys, to the point where it can actually cause kidney failure.

...I am approaching that point now...

The ultimate solution is circumcision. That's the only permanently-effective fix for phimosis as advanced as the type I have. However, this raises another problem:

I cannot afford it.

NO I AM NOT ASKING FOR MONEY. I am just stating a fact as it exists right now.

BUT, even though I cannot afford it...it still needs to be done. Or I will die.

I WILL DIE IF I DON'T GET THIS FIXED.

Money aside...I am also fucking terrified. Yes, circumcision is relatively basic and simple surgery...but it is still surgery. They are literally cutting off a part of my dick! Still, I cannot allow my fear to keep me from getting this necessary operation. As scared as I am, it bears repeating...

I WILL DIE IF I DON'T GET THIS FIXED.

So, despite being the most scared I've ever been in my entire life AND likely going to come out of this bankrupt on the other end...I'm going to get the ball rolling on getting the circumcision I need done. This means no cons for the foreseeable future, along with other yet-to-be-determined cost reductions.

This needs to be done, because despite my crippling fear and inevitable crippling debt that will result from it...I don't want to die.

...I don't want to die...

Take I-88 west to the Quad Cities, then I-80 west to Iowa City, then I-380 north to Cedar Rapids, then US 30 west to...




















In other words, I'm not gonna be there. :p

So, I went to Furry Migration this last weekend, and....eeeeeeehhhhhh, likely not gonna be going back again, not until some badly-needed improvements to both location and operations have been made and confirmed as effective. Don't get me wrong, I DID have fun. I went to some panels, met some people and did some stuff. BUT, compared to every other con I've been to so far, FM 2016 is...well, at the bottom of the list.

A lot of these gripes were primarily brought up by  graystone, but I do agree with him on these points, and I'll also include my own observations where possible.

First off...the construction. Oh god, the CONSTRUCTION. Now, the fact that the construction was even happening is, obviously, 100% beyond the control of the con staff and organizers. It's an inconvenience that, through simple coincidence of timing, just needed to be dealt with. The problem was...the con staff neglected to mention that this construction was even happening on social media until, literally, people started arriving on Thursday, the day before the con. Only after a flood of messages from arriving attendees not knowing how to get around or where to park did they finally post a map with directions. On THURSDAY, when people were already arriving. This was not good. Something of this magnitude should have been announced weeks in advance, but it wasn't. Also, the construction made it very difficult to fursuit outdoors, because of all the mud everywhere.

Second, the hotel...granted, it's a significant improvement over the first year hotel, but then again an RV in the parking lot of a Denny's would also have been an improvement over the first year hotel. :p BUT, it felt like the hotel had tried to...well, "shoehorn" us out of the way into a corner. We were in what felt like the smallest con space I've ever been in. If I recall correctly, it was less than half the space of RMFC 2012, a con I went to that had similar attendance numbers. Supposedly this is going to be remedied next year, but...well, I don't plan on going back next year, so I'll have to wait and hear second-hand whether this turns out true or not.

Then there's the deceptive room pricing. They were advertising loud and clear $139 a night at the Hyatt, which IIRC is on par with most other cons...BUT, once you looked at the fine print, you discovered that price was good for only two people. Most rooms at a con have more than two people. It's $25 extra per person. Therefore, a room with four people in it actually paid $189 a night. I stayed across the street in the Millennium with three other people, in one of the club floor rooms. $189 a night, the same it would have cost for four people to stay in the con hotel. BUT, for that same $189, we got a larger room, free parking and free breakfast buffet every day. Other than a wonky AC unit, our room and everything we got for free along with it was definitely worth the $189/night, unlike what you got over at the Hyatt. The construction wasn't an issue in this case, because the Millennium is connected to the Hyatt by a skywalk!

Third, the location...why, why, WHY in the middle of downtown? Yes, the first year hotel was crap, BUT it was in an awesome location, right across the street from the Mall of America. You have shopping of various price points, food of various price points, a movie theater, and a friggin' AMUSEMENT PARK for crying out loud! Also, parking is easy, and it's easy to get around the MoA area. Not to mention it's right next to the airport, making it very convenient for people flying in to get to and from the con. By shoving the con into the middle of downtown, this means that all the surrounding shopping is expensive, the food is expensive, activities outside the hotel are expensive, parking is expensive and/or difficult, it's hard to get around (especially with the entire neighborhood literally torn up), and people flying in for the con either need to rent a car and fight with the traffic, or pay for public transit and keep paying every time they wanted to go someplace not within walking distance, like...oh, I dunno...THE MALL OF AMERICA?! For fucks sake...just move the goddamned con back out to a hotel next to the MoA!

Fourth, the programming...yes, there were a few panels I went to, most of which I enjoyed, others which were "meh". But overall, the programming just felt significantly lacking compared to other cons. Literally, there was nothing aside from closing ceremonies on Sunday that interested me, and even those I skipped. Instead, my roomies and I decided to go to the mall, and have more fun there. I've heard several other people comment along the same lines, that the schedule was rather lackluster. I know different people go to cons for different reasons. Some go for the panels, others go for the friends, while yet others go for the parties. Me...while I do go for friends, I also go for the panels. If there's little or nothing on the schedule to interest me, and any friends I do want to meet up with are too busy off doing their own things to meet up with me anyway...then I have little or no desire to go anyway. A con needs to suitably satisfy people in all three categories that I mentioned. Lackluster programming doesn't achieve this.

Last...and this was unexpected and totally not the fault of the con, staff, operations, location, construction, hotel or anything, but it still puts a shadow over the whole con...but FM 2016, to the best of my knowledge...is now the first fur con where an attendee died. No, not from alcohol poisoning, not from jumping off a balcony, not from falling down a flight of stairs, and not from being hit by a car. It was natural causes, confirmed as such by authorities. I do not know who it was or how they died, and honestly as long as it wasn't someone I personally knew, it's not any of my business anyway who or how. But still, when a fur dies, even if I didn't know them...I grieve. Despite our eccentric and sometimes dysfunctional natures, the furry fandom is effectively a community, and a family. To lose one of our own, especially in the midst of what is supposed to be a fun celebration of what we all enjoy...it hurts. It truly does. My heart and thoughts go out to the family and friends of the individual who passed, and also to the con staff and hotel staff who had to handle this occurrence. Because of this, though...other issues aside, FM 2016 will always have an aura of sadness to it...

Now...despite all the problems I saw and was told about, many of which I've been told actually have not improved since year one...the con still showed a growth in attendance. There is a slight glimmer of hope that things could get better. And, honestly, I hope it DOES get better. Like I said earlier, supposedly the issue of lack of space is going to be tackled next year. There's a new con chair at the helm to start ironing out the kinks and making Furry Migration a better con, a con that everyone can enjoy. There are numerous, NUMEROUS things that need to be improved upon to achieve this though, and it will take a lot longer than just one year...but I hope it does get better, and continue to grow, and eventually reach a point where all the good things I keep hearing about it makes me want to go back again.

If you don't agree with me and think that FM 2016 was awesome...then good for you, and I genuinely mean that. I'm glad you enjoyed it. People who can find ways to enjoy a con despite its flaws can be part of the driving force needed to hopefully achieve needed improvements, and raise the con to a point where we more skeptical people can start calling it awesome along with you. As it is right now for me personally though...I tried it once, had a little fun, but saw enough problems that I have no desire to go back again of my own volition anytime soon.

So, that's basically it. my rundown on Furry Migration 2016...the worst-but-at-least-still-had-some-fun con I've been to so far.

Now...to figure out which con I'm going to next...

On my tablet, so can't really C&P the past con meme I've done. Gonna be staying at the Millennium with some friends from Thursday-Monday. I don't have a fursuit, so look for the guy with a small Spyro plushie on his backpack. Hope to see everyone there! ^_^

First off, I'm ok and so is my place, and there were also no serious injuries. But...the town I live in was hit by an EF2 tornado yesterday morning, first one in my lifetime, and AFAIK actually the first one to ever hit the town directly. The damage was restricted to a fairly small part of the town, but where the damage occurred, it is bad. Very bad.

Five years ago, we had a derecho with 130MPH winds come through. Buildings and structures that survived that 2011 storm were outright obliterated yesterday. Several apartment buildings, including nearly an entire apartment complex, were destroyed. Multiple houses on the far east side of town were also hit, although by this time the tornado had weakened enough that most of the damage was only done to the roofs, bar one garage I saw with an entire wall blown out.

What's most scary about this...the county fair was going on this past weekend. 250 people were camping in RVs at the fairgrounds. The tornado missed the fairgrounds by only 200 yards. Had the track gone only two football fields further to the south, many, MANY people could have been severely hurt, maybe even killed. They got lucky...so fucking incredibly lucky.

A radio tower used for Verizon, Sprint and a regional wireless ISP was also destroyed. 60% of the town's communications ability is now gone. I have almost zero cell service because of this, one bar of fringe 1X coverage depending on where in town I am. If anyone is trying to get in touch with me on Telegram or Twitter, I likely won't be able to respond until I either get home or find wifi for my phone.

I've seen tornado damage before, including the aftermath of the EF5 that hit Parkersburg back in 2008. Even though the damage here isn't near as bad as what I saw in Parkersburg, it's still horrible to see it in my hometown, the town I was born and raised in, and still live in. And all those people who are now homeless...yes, it is good that there were no serious injuries, but my heart still breaks for them having lost, essentially, everything...if not from the tornado itself, then from being exposed to the elements after the buildings were destroyed.

It's shocking to see the damage from a tornado after it strikes somewhere else. It's...mind-numbing...to see it in your own town, even as relatively confined as it was here. I did take several pictures of the damage. I may or may not post some of them here, just to share. I've already posted most of them on my Twitter.

So, that's what's going on here. Again, I'm ok and so is my place, but still...it's crazy...

This is a direct C&P from my journal announcing it last year, with very few edits necessary. XD

MOTOR CITY FURRY CON 2016

What is your name?
Torin Darkflight, or just Torin. :3

Where are you staying?
Friend's house in West Bloomfield (About 15min from the hotel)

What day are you getting there?
Arriving in Michigan Monday the 4th, gonna spend a few days before the con doing stuff with my friend :3

Who will you be rooming with?
No one

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
Along with any fellow Iowa furs, I WANT to hang out with other dragons and/or fellow otherkin. But otherwise, shyness pending I'd like to hang out with just about anyone.

Are there any panels you might be attending?
Charity auction assuming I find something to donate, Otherwise I'll likely end up deciding on a day-by-day basis. I haven't seen the schedule yet.

Are you attending any stage or public performances?
Most likely, but only as a member of the audience.

Will you be suiting?
I don't have a fursuit.

Which suit(s) will you be bringing?
See above

Do you do free art?
I don't consider myself good enough of an artist to feel comfortable drawing for others. Specifically, I feel that my current artistic methods are wholly incompatible with producing a custom-requested image that would ultimately meet the expectations of the requester or comissioner, unless they by unlikely chance happen to fall within the narrow scope of my current skills and abilities...I.E. more Spyro art that looks far too similar to my old art. :p

Do you do trades?
See above

Do you do badges?
See above

Do you do commissions?
See above

What is your gender?
Male

How tall are you?
5'6", short. :p

Are you taken? Are you looking for a 'mate'?
I am not taken, but currently not looking for a mate. I'm always looking for new friends tho! :3

Can I talk to you?
Although I am excruciatingly shy, I have no trouble with people approaching and talking to me. I'll just apologize ahead of time in case I'm not very talkative in response. It's not lack of interest, I promise you that. It's my shyness combined with often not knowing what to say.

Can I touch you?
Touch me how? X3 Hugs and snuggles are ok. Sex is a big maybe, but I don't expect it to happen, and even if it does it'll be quite limited in scope (It would depend heavily on my mood at the time). I will confess to a desire for stuff related to my kinks to occur (especially with other dragons or a gryphon, but any guy really), but I know this is highly unlikely to occur. If somehow it DOES occur though, it will be of a very limited fashion (I shall not elaborate what specifically I am wanting here).

How can I find you?
I'll be the one with a classic Spyro plushie attached to his backpack. XD Otherwise I'll be wearing a badge. :3

Can I visit your room?
I'm not staying at the hotel, so this isn't possible. Sorry.

Can I buy you drinks?
Only if it's non-alcoholic and low sugar/sugar free (Water, diet soft drinks, certain juices, etc). I'm diabetic so can't have sugary drinks, and alcohol reacts quite badly with my cardiac meds.

Can I give you stuff?
Sure, if you'd like. Depending on what it is though, I might not have anything suitable to give you in return right at that moment in time.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Of course you can hug me! Despite my shyness I LOVE hugs! :D Snuggle will depend on my mood at the time, but more likely than not I'll allow it (I like snuggles, but my shyness can hold me back).

Are you nice?
Yes, but again, my shyness can make me seem anti-social at times. I apologize for this, it is beyond my control.

How long are you going?
I'll be at the con proper all three days, but I'll be in Michigan the 4th-11th.

Do you have an artist table?
No

Will you have art in the Art Show? General or Adult sections?
No

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Approach me from the front. Calling my name across the room, especially a crowded one, would potentially be futile because I'm partially deaf and likely wouldn't hear you.

Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
Inside or within walking distance of the hotel most likely. I'm not familiar with the city and likely won't want to move my car while at the hotel out of fear of losing my parking spot. :x

What/where will you be eating?
Aside from perhaps the sponsor's lounge, I do not know yet. My diet limits my options when it comes to eating out.

Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?
If my plans allow for it, then sure! :3

Can I look in your sketchbook?
I do not have a sketchbook, I am a purely digital artist. I have a binder with printed copies of my art that also includes blank (regular printer) paper in it, but I can't really call it a sketchbook. Regardless, I won't have it with me anyway. :p

Can I draw in your sketchbook?
See above.

Can I take your picture?
I don't mind, as long as I don't look like a derp in it. XD

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
Give/receive more hugs! Also have fun and meet more new furs. Lastly, continue to better myself socially. :3

If you doooooo, note me your address, or DM me on Twitter TorinDarkflight. ^_^

32. :p

Wow, I barely had to modify this from the last time I used it. XD

ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUR CON 2015

What is your name?
Torin Darkflight, or just Torin. :3

Where are you staying?
The Marriott

What day are you getting there?
Thursday evening the 6th

Who will you be rooming with?
 katuro

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
Along with friends who will be there, I WANT to hang out with other dragons and/or fellow otherkin. But otherwise, shyness pending I'd like to hang out with just about anyone.

Are there any panels you might be attending?
Charity auction b/c I'm donating something. Otherwise I'll likely end up deciding on a day-by-day basis. Sadly, I see there is no otherkin/therian panel this year. :(

Are you attending any stage or public performances?
Most likely, but only as a member of the audience.

Will you be suiting?
I don't have a fursuit.

Which suit(s) will you be bringing?
See above

Do you do free art?
I don't consider myself good enough of an artist to feel comfortable drawing for others. Specifically, I feel that my current artistic methods are wholly incompatible with producing a custom-requested image that would ultimately meet the expectations of the requester or comissioner, unless they by unlikely chance happen to fall within the narrow scope of my current skills and abilities...I.E. more Spyro art that looks far too similar to my old art. :p

Do you do trades?
See above

Do you do badges?
See above

Do you do commissions?
See above

What is your gender?
Male

How tall are you?
5'6", short. :p

Are you taken? Are you looking for a 'mate'?
I am not taken, but currently not looking for a mate. I'm always looking for new friends tho! :3

Can I talk to you?
Although I am excruciatingly shy, I have no trouble with people approaching and talking to me. I'll just apologize ahead of time in case I'm not very talkative in response. It's not lack of interest, I promise you that. It's my shyness combined with often not knowing what to say.

Can I touch you?
Touch me how? X3 Hugs and snuggles are ok. Sex is a big maybe, but I don't expect it to happen, and even if it does it'll be quite limited in scope (It would depend heavily on my mood at the time). I will confess to a desire for stuff related to my kinks to occur (especially with other dragons or a gryphon, but any guy really), but I know this is highly unlikely to occur. If somehow it DOES occur though, it will be of a very limited fashion (I shall not elaborate what specifically I am wanting here).

How can I find you?
I'll be the one with a classic Spyro plushie attached to his backpack. XD Otherwise I'll be wearing a badge. :3

Can I visit your room?
Only if my roomie(s) are ok with it.

Can I buy you drinks?
Only if it's non-alcoholic and low sugar/sugar free (Water, diet soft drinks, certain juices, etc). I'm diabetic so can't have sugary drinks, and alcohol reacts quite badly with my cardiac meds.

Can I give you stuff?
Sure, if you'd like. Depending on what it is though, I might not have anything suitable to give you in return right at that moment in time.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Of course you can hug me! Despite my shyness I LOVE hugs! :D Snuggle will depend on my mood at the time, but more likely than not I'll allow it (I like snuggles, but my shyness can hold me back).

Are you nice?
Yes, but again, my shyness can make me seem anti-social at times. I apologize for this, it is beyond my control.

How long are you going?
Thursday evening through Monday morning. It's a 13 hour drive and limited money prevented any opportunities to stay longer. x_x

Do you have an artist table?
No

Will you have art in the Art Show? General or Adult sections?
No

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Approach me from the front. Calling my name across the room, especially a crowded one, would potentially be futile because I'm partially deaf and likely wouldn't hear you.

Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
Inside or within walking distance of the hotel most likely. I'm not familiar with the city and likely won't want to move my car while at the hotel out of fear of losing my parking spot. :x

What/where will you be eating?
Aside from perhaps the sponsor's lounge, I do not know yet. I'm not familiar with the hotel surroundings, and my diet limits my options when it comes to eating out.

Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?
If my plans allow for it, then sure! :3

Can I look in your sketchbook?
I do not have a sketchbook, I am a purely digital artist. I have a binder with printed copies of my art that also includes blank (regular printer) paper in it, but I can't really call it a sketchbook. Regardless, I won't have it with me anyway. :p

Can I draw in your sketchbook?
See above.

Can I take your picture?
I don't mind, as long as I don't look like a derp in it. XD

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
Give/receive more hugs! Also have fun and meet more new furs. Lastly, continue to better myself socially. :3

Deutsch-Übersetzung am unteren Rand.

There is an item on the German eBay that I would like. But, the seller does not ship international. Would anyone who actually lives in Germany be willing to purchase this, then ship it to me? I am willing to pay you back double the total cost. The auction ends in nine days, so time is running out. Please?

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Crystal-MJ-0...../251990931705?

=======

Bitte beachten Sie, ich weiß nicht wirklich Deutsch sprechen. Ich bin mit Google Translate, diesen Beitrag zu erstellen. Verzeihen Sie alle Fehler.

Es ist ein Element auf dem deutschen eBay, dass ich gerne. Aber, der Verkäufer nicht Schiff international. Würde jemand, der tatsächlich lebt in Deutschland bereit, dies für mich zu kaufen, dann versenden es sein? Ich bin bereit, die Sie zurück zu zahlen das Doppelte der Gesamtkosten. Die Auktion endet in neun Tagen, so die Zeit wird knapp. Bitte?

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Crystal-MJ-0...../251990931705?

Yes, I'd be lying if I said my kinks weren't contributing to me wanting to know, but beyond that it is a genuine academic curiosity of mine as to how the biology of latex inflatable characters work.

I shall not name names as I don't wish to make anyone uncomfortable by indirectly attaching them to this subject matter, but I am following a few furs on Twitter whose fursonas are latex inflatable characters. One of them has confirmed to me via DM that their own character is capable of eating actual food, and implied that many others are capable of eating food as well.

Now, being made of latex, there presumably really isn't a true digestive system, meaning that any food they eat just sort of...accumulates inside them. This then raises the unavoidable fact that, eventually, the food they have eaten needs to come back out, somehow and in some form.

I'm genuinely curious to know how this works. When an inflatable character finally reaches the point where they need to rid themselves of a past meal...do they poop? Does the food, be in still in whole food form or otherwise broken down somehow, come out from their rear like how other creatures relieve themselves? Or, do they simply regurgitate it back up?

I truly am curious to know what is done and how it is done. And, yes, my kinks are curious too. Maybe I'll get lucky someday and find an inflatable character willing to demonstrate the process for me... :p