Busy summer furry con season coming up so rather than post three individual furry con memes I'll just post one and be done with it:

Where are you staying?
Main Hotel / Main Hotel / Main Hotel

What day are you getting there?
Thursday / Friday / Wednesday

How are you getting there?
Plane / Car / Plane

How long will you be there?
Until Monday / Through Sunday / Until Monday

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
Kokanee, November, Hamatu, More / AJ, Chip, Nevermint, More / Kokanee, Yukifox, Ianto, More

Who will you be rooming with?
Furries / Furries / Mormons (just kidding... Furries)

What is the best way to find you?
I'll be across from PNC Park / I won't be too far from Cherry Creek Reservoir / Just west of the Spree

Are there any panels you might be attending?
Yes / Maybe / Vielleicht

What do you look like?
Spots / Tall / Gray

Will you be suiting?
Yes / Yes / Yes

What is your gender?
Male / Male / Probably still Male

How tall are you?
6'3" / 6'3" / 190cm

Are you mated/in a relationship?
No / Maybe / No

Can I talk to you?
Yes / But I may Not Talk Back / If I'm in suit

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
In Suit / In Suit / In Suit

Can I visit your room?
By Invitation Only / Probably / Maybe

Can I buy you drinks?
Strawberry Lemonade / Strawberry Lemonade / Strawberry Lemonade

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Yell / Wave / Poke

Can I take your picture?
Yes / Yes / Jawohl

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
To Have Fun / To Relax / To Experience New Things

See you at the con!

Where are you staying?
I'll be at the Corporation-recommended GSR, as all good citizens should!

What day are you getting there?
I'm so eager to embark on this Corporation sponsored event that I'll be getting in on Thursday morning!

How are you getting there?
As quickly as I can via airplane so I can enjoy Corporation-supplied utopian bliss!

How long will you be there?
I'll be there for 4 full days of Corporate fun!

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
With other Corporation-recognized citizens!

Who will you be rooming with?
The Corporation requests that I keep this information confidential.

What is the best way to find you?
I think the Corporation is supplying us all with complimentary digital tracking devices

Are there any panels you might be attending?
I guess, um, those that the Corporation suggests I attend

What do you look like?
Just like the rest of you, with bland, Corporation-approved uniforms that zap us of our individuality.

Will you be suiting?
If the Corporation will allow it

What is your gender?
Does the Corporation even want us differentiating each other on such matters?

How tall are you?
You know what? F*ck the Corporation!

Are you mated/in a relationship?
Does it matter if I am single or in a relationship? I'm sure it might to the Corporation but I refuse to let them know everything about me!

Can I talk to you?
As long as it's not about how f*cking great the Corporation is!

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Maybe, but don't be surprised if I'm apprehensive. I heard a rumor that the Corporation might try to drug dissenters with chloroform hugs.

Can I visit your room?
If you are not an official administrative representative of the Corporation.... then maybe. Must stay vigilant!

Can I buy you drinks?
No (see 'Can I hug or snuggle with you?')

Can I give you stuff?
Anything given may be dismantled and examined for bugging devices

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Whisper the words 'Viva la Resistance!' into my ear

Will you be performing?
I think it might be best if I stay in the shadows and out of public eye as much as I can.

Can I take your picture?
Something tells me the Corporation will be taking more than enough pictures of ALL of us. Two words: BIG BROTHER.

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
TO OVERTHROW THE CORPORATION! VIVA LA RESISTANCE!

Where are you staying?
At the Hilton, trading in longer distances for faster elevators

What day are you getting there?
Thursday afternoon

How are you getting there?
Flying into SJC!

Who will you be rooming with?
Same roommate as the past couple years:  Petorawolf

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
Looking to see as many of my... bah, who am I kidding, nobody really reads these things do they?

What is the best way to find you?
I mean, I barely read them myself.

Are there any panels you might be attending?
People just go and see 'Convention Name Meme!' and immediately respond with 'See you there!'

What do you look like?
Or maybe 'Have fun!'

Will you be suiting?
Or sometimes simply 'Enjoy'

What is your gender?
And yeah, it's good to see responses to journals.

How tall are you?
Strokes the ego and all.

Are you mated/in a relationship?
But I used to spend a lot of time putting these things together in unique ways.

Can I talk to you?
Like using answers in foreign languages, or offering multiple-choice answers.

Can I touch you?
And most people didn't notice or care.

Can I visit your room?
Nobody noticed that last con's meme answers were alphabetical.

Can I buy you drinks?
Are you still reading?

Can I give you stuff?
If so, prove it by incorporating your favourite colour into your response below.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
It'll be our little secret code.

Are you nice?
Something like 'I can't wait to see your blue eyes in person!'

How long are you going?
Or 'I'm green with envy that you get to go!'

Will you be going to parties?
But nothing too obvious like 'I like red' 'cause it might cause people to go re-read the meme and that would defeat the purpose of our secret little code.

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
I should probably tag some people in here so the meme looks legit. Hi  Reggiesouthpaw and  Xaff!

Can I buy you drinks?
Hey, isn't that the same question as one above? Sure it is, but it's not like I'm answering these anyway.

Will you be performing?
One more tag for good measure.  November Okay, that should do it.

Can I take your picture?
So if yer there I'll see ya there.

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
Or maybe not.

Where are you staying?
At the main hotel

What day are you getting there?
Before the con officially starts, on Thursday!

How are you getting there?
Courtesy of United Airlines

Who will you be rooming with?
Definitely another feline-ish room this year with  calico.firethorn  Miezekatze-suit and  Kiraswiftpaw

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
Everyone I can!

What is the best way to find you?
Follow the aroma of strawberry lemonade!

Are there any panels you might be attending?
Going to attend several!

What do you look like?
How do you think? Gray with spots!

Will you be suiting?
I intend to!

What is your gender?
Just let me double check here... Yup, still male.

How tall are you?
Kinda tall! 6'2" out of suit, 6'5" in

Are you mated/in a relationship?
Looking? I guess?

Can I talk to you?
Maybe! You know if you can talk or not! I'm prepared to listen though!

Can I touch you?
Now that depends on touches. Hugs: yes! High fives: yes! Ruffles: Yes, but be gentle Gropes: Eeeeh, not so much.

Can I visit your room?
Only if invited

Can I buy you drinks?
Possibly, if it's Strawberry Lemonade!

Can I give you stuff?
Questions like this always throw me off. Maybe? I guess? But really you don't need to.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Really prefer hugs over snuggles, but I'll play it by ear.

Are you nice?
Some say I am! But some also say that the Stig is afraid of stairs, so take it for what it's worth.

How long are you going?
Til Monday!

Will you be going to parties?
Up to the people throwing the party really! It all depends on if I can get past the doorman

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Vociferously shout my name?

Will you be performing?
What is your definition of 'performing'? Won't be singing or dancing or doing magic tricks, but I'll be out and about in suit if that counts?

Give me one dead celebrity that begins with an "X."
Xerxes

Can I take your picture?
Yes please! At least if I'm in suit. I'm really kinda a colossal dorkwad out of suit so I'm not sure why you'd want any pictures of that

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
Zero goals! If you set the bar really low it's pretty easy to clear it!

My mom called me late this evening. We usually talk once every week or two, and I'd only just talked to her two days ago so when the phone rang tonight I immediately feared the worst: Who had died? A pet? A neighbor? A family member?

Nobody died, but in a roundabout way she was calling about a death in the family.

Many, many years ago my younger brother was preparing for his freshman year at a private high school. To help pay for the tuition he was working at the school over the summer, mowing the lawn, cleaning the classrooms, repairing desks, that sort of thing. On lunch break one day in late June another student in the work program snuck up behind him and teasingly rubbed peanut butter on the back of his ear. She dashed out of the cafeteria. He gave chase. She ran up two flights of stairs and down a long hallway. He was close behind. She ducked into one of the last classrooms on the left and slammed the door behind her, then turned around to see my brother's face in the narrow glass window. He stood there for a moment, rattled the doorknob once, then his eyes went glassy and he fell away. For reasons that were never entirely known, his heart stopped and he died on the floor of that hallway that day.

That fall, the school put up a plaque outside that classroom door with my brother's name and picture on it. The principal wanted it to serve as a quiet reminder that life is precious and that it can be taken from you at any moment. It was a very nice gesture, but I was sure that as the years passed by at some point the plaque had been taken down. It had to have been a casualty of remodeling or of a new administration or simply of fading memories. Why memorialize someone who never took a single class at the school 5, 10, 15 years later?

But no, it still hangs there. And that's why my mom was calling.

Earlier in the night my parents were having dinner with some friends whose granddaughter now goes to that school. They asked her, curiously, if there was still a plaque hanging outside one of the third floor classrooms near the east stairwell?

'Oh yes!' she said, 'There are so many stories about that!'

Apparently when students are in the school late at night they'll say to one another 'Don't go up to the third floor! It's haunted! You can hear Tommy's footsteps in the hallway!'

So that's my brother, the ghost, forever running down that hall.

I don't know if I really believe it. Part of me wants to. I mean, who wouldn't want to take comfort in believing that their lost loved one was still around, perpetually haunting teenagers?

It's entirely possible--and a skeptic would say almost certain--that the stories of haunting footsteps simply grew out of the imagination of a future creative writing major, but I take some comfort in knowing that even if his spirit isn't literally wandering the hallways, he's there in spirit and has been part of the lore of each class that's passed through those doors over all these years.

Round one of the FFFF has me pitted against fellow gray fur  Godzuki!

It's an epic battle of gargoyle vs feline!
Of perching on sides of buildings vs sprawling lazily in the sun!
Of claws and... claws... Okay that's sort of a push there.
Of... Um... catnip and... whatever gargoyles eat? Gravel? Do they eat gravel? I'm not big on my gargoyle lore.

Win or lose, it's an honor to be nominated and a neat experience! At least that's what all the big award nominees say. Thanks to  crimsonmercury7192 for the nomination!

http://fursuittourney.livejournal.com/180604.html

Looking over the schedule for the weekend I may (or may not) be at some or all or none of the following events.

How's that for a qualified statement?


Thursday
Opening Ceremonies
Ingress Competition
Suiting!


Friday
Errands in downtown Seattle
Suiting!
Sixty Second Meet & Greet (in suit?)
Fursuit Meet & Greet
Unsheathed
Rahne's DJ Set


Saturday
Guest of Honor Reading Q&A
Calling All Hackers
Suiting!
Fursuit Parade (or POSSIBLY Ingress Event)
Partner Dancing (in Suit?)
BASEBAW! (Mariners/Angels)


Sunday
Fursuiting Beyond the Con
FOOTBAW!!! (If I can find a TV that's showing my team!)
Suiting!
Fursuit Games (as an observer)


More info on the schedule can be found at https://www.rainfurrest.org/2014/sched.php

Okay, I get bored answering these meme questionnaires straight up. I would rather make them interesting like 'answering with one word only' or 'answering in foreign languages.' It's mostly a challenge to myself, but if I can get a chuckle out of someone who bothers to read the whole thing it's a nice bonus. That said, this one is about the most bizarre and out there memes I've ever done.

But then who really reads these things anyway? The TL;DR version of any con meme is 'I will/won't be there'

So without further adieu: My RF Meme!

---

Seattle's the city that gave us the grunge sound, so I'm going to answer every question with the title of a song from Pearl Jam.

- Arrival and Departure?
Future Days

- Mode of transportation
Given to Fly

- Rooming with:
Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me

- Who Will I likely see you with?
Jeremy

- Con Plans:
Driftin'

- Where can I find you?
Around the Bend

- Will you be going to parties?
Alone

- Smoke?
No Way

- Drink?
Indifference

- Gender?
Mankind

- Can I hug you?
Hold On

- Can I talk to you?
Sometimes

- Will you be at any panels?
I'm Open

- Can I touch you?
Can't Keep

- Can I buy you drinks?
Nothingman

- How old are you?
Immortality

- Can I snuggle with you?
Mind Your Manners

- If you're pissed off, should I approach you?
Don't Gimme No Lip

- Are you nice?
Better Man

-Single or Taken?
Sleeping By Myself

-What suits will you have?
I Am Mine

- Cliquey?
No More

- How tall?
Untitled

- Can I Take pictures of you?
Man of the Hour

- Will you get anything commissioned?
Wishlist

- How can I get your attention?
Hail, Hail

- Can I ask you to dance at the raves?
Once

Borrowed from  Aerak and kinda-sorta written in the spirit of Fargo

How do you want to be addressed?
'Hey you!' should do, if yah know me that is

Gender?
I'm a guy, doncha know

Age?
For Pete's sake, it isn't so polite to be askin' people their age!

What do you look like?
I'm a kinda tall fella. Sorta funny lookin' in a general kinda way.

Where/how can I find you?
I'll prolly be at the con, doncha know. Though with the big 'ol Mall of America nearby I might take a gander at that!

How are you getting there?
I figure I'll be takin' one of dem der planes.

Which days will you be attending?
Friday through Monday (not sure how to make this sound Fargo-an)

Do you do requests?
I'm not very super at the whole drawin' thing

Do you do trades?
Fer like, baseball cards? Nupe. Not fer anythin' else either

Do you do commissions?
Nupe!

Will you have prints, CDs, or merchandise?
Nuh uh!

Will you have Art in the Art Show?
Nupe!

Who will you be with?
Not really goin' wid anyone

What is your main purpose for attending?
Lookin forward to seein' Minne-soooo-tah again!

Can I talk to you?
You betcha!

Can I take pictures with you?
Yah sure!

Can I touch/hug/cuddle you?
Uff-da! Maybe hugs but cuddles are, you know, maybe a lil' bit much.

Can I hang out with you?
Fer sure!

Do you go to parties?
Not all that big into alcohol, far as that goes

Do you fursuit/costume?
Darn-Tootin'!

What is the best way to reach you?
See dat der first question!

Multiple Choice FurCon Meme!

Stolen from:
A. Carbyn Copy
B. Spikester
C. Ian the Gecko
D. Myrrdyn
E. All of the Above

Convention Name:
A. Megaplex
B. Rocky Mountain Fur Con
C. Eurofurence
D. Pafcon

Transportation type:
A. Planes
B. Trains
C. Automobiles

Hotel you're staying at:
A. Holiday Inn Express, Aurora CO
B. Marriott Denver Tech Center, Denver CO
C. Howard Johnson's, Casper WY
D. Home, Fort Collins CO

Dates:
A. August 8-10
B. August 7-11
C. September 1-3
D. August 1-30

Rooming with:
A. A cat
B. A dog
C. A cat AND a dog
D. Wherever I can find a bed

Gender:
A. Male
B. There is no 'B'

How tall are you:
A. 5'8"
B. 6'0"
C. 6'3"
D. 6'6" with ears

Description (out of suit):
A. A tall, lanky dufus with a bird face and hair like the bride of Frankenstein.
B. A guy with horse face, big teeth, and a pointed nose.
C. A short guy with glasses, looking like Humpty Dumpty with a melon head.
D. A pretty woman, kinda short, big wall of hair, face like a frying pan.

Fursuit(s):
A. Tremelo
B. Trace
C. BOTH Tremelo AND Trace
D. NEITHER Tremelo NOR Trace

Relationship Status:
A. Single
B. Separated
C. In a relationship
D. In many relationships

Who will you be with a majority of the time:
A.
B.
C.
D. All of the above, and MANY MANY more

Are you cliquey:
A. Yes
B. No
C. Maybe?
D. Depends on your definition of cliquey.

Main purpose for attending:
A. Searching for strawberry lemonade
B. Supporting my local con
C. Hiding from the CIA
D. Training for the 2018 World Cup

Parties:
A. Democrat
B. Republican
C. Independent
D. Oh, that's probably not what this means

Daily activities:
A. Fursuiting
B. Eating
C. Drinking strawberry lemonade
D. Panels
E. All of the above

Nightly Activities:
A. More fursuiting
B. More eating
C. More drinking strawberry lemonade
D. Sleeping (hopefully)
E. All of the above

What time I usually go to bed and get up:
A. Dawn & Dusk
B. Dusk & Dawn
C. Midnight & 6AM
D. Whenever I pass out & whenever I come to

Do you talk out of suit:
A. Yes
B. Yes
C. Yes
D. Does mumbling count as talking? If so, then yes

Do you talk in suit:
A. No
B. Well, sometimes
C. I try not to, I really do
D. Yes. All the time.

Rules of engagement out of suit:
A. What is this, Call of Duty?
B. No punches to the face
C. Isn't that the name of a TV show I never watched?

Can I talk to you:
A. Are you capable of talking? Really that's a question for YOU!
B. Sure, I don't bite! And I don't even make that 'Unless you want me to' joke when I say 'I don't bite'
C. I'd like to think I'm approachable
D. Am I sleeping? Then no. Really, that'd be sort of awkward, especially if I started talking back. That happened to me once. Very embarrassing.

Can I tag along with you:
A. Yes, if I know you well
B. Probably, if I know you a little bit
C. Maybe, if I don't know you but think you're cool.
D. No. Not you, you stay away.

Can I give you hugs or snuggles?
A. Yes and Yes
B. Yes and No
C. No and Yes
D. No and No
E. Maybe.

Can I dance with you:
A. If you get me drunk enough
B. You can dance in the vicinity of me while I nod my head and point at you as if to say 'Yeah! You go! Woop woop!'
C. If you don't mind having your feet stepped on

Can I take pictures with you:
A. Yes, in suit
B. Yes, out of suit as long as I don't look too bad
C. Actually, scratch that I always look bad out of suit

Can I buy you a drink:
A. NO!
B. Well maybe
C. A strawberry lemonade will do!
D. Or a Coke

Can I buy you things:
A. That's very kind of you, but no thanks
B. I'm good, I have too much stuff already
C. No no, seriously, I'm good.
D. What part of 'No' don't you understand??

Best communication medium to reach you:
A. Texting
B. Tweeting
C. ICQing
D. Usenet Newsgroups

Yeah, this is a wall of text. So here's the TL; DR version - Went to AC, didn't do much 'officially' at the con, but met lots of people and had a good time

----

Last year my con roommates and I toyed with the idea of driving out to Anthrocon instead of flying but in the end we did the smart, sensible thing and flew. This year? Well... I was going to fly but then floated the 'should we drive?' idea to the fox. Turns out the fox's sister's boyfriend had these big heavy mirrors he was trying to get from the west coast to the east. They'd already been transported from California to Colorado a few months earlier. If we drove we could bring them with us and deliver them in Pittsburgh!

Okay! That was excuse enough for me! Plus we could see the country and I could bring a few things along to drop off with Mama and Papa Snow Leopard en route!

It wasn't really until a week or so before the con that I realize the enormity of the whole 'driving to AC' commitment: we'd be at the con for 3 full days and on the road for 4. And the part of the country we'd be seeing, the mostly flat, largely treeless middle part, was something I'd seen many times before and didn't really need to see again. But it was too late to turn back now! Adventure, Ho!

I left northern Colorado on Wednesday morning and headed down to pick up the fox at the airport in Denver. It only took three go arounds at DIA until we were both able to be on the same level at the same time. The third time was thankfully the charm, but already we'd killed about 15 minutes going literally in circles.

Normally this wouldn't be too big of a deal but we had plans for the night: authentic (or at least authentic-ish) Kansas City BBQ for dinner! The only problem was that the two restaurants we were looking at closed at 9:30 and 10PM CDT, and the GPS said it'd take 9 hours to get from Denver International to either one of them. It was already 1:30 CDT so if we were good, law abiding animals that would put us in town too late.

So we raced across Kansas passing multiple Jesus billboards. I'd like to think that the Jesuses were blessing us and protecting us so that we could enjoy that yummy KC BBQ but I guess it's equally possible that they were gazing down upon us disappointingly because we were breaking the 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Speed. But in the end we got into Kansas City just in time to hit Q39 BBQ for a DELICIOUS meal, so thanks Jesuses!

We passed into Missouri and bedded down for the night in Columbia. The beds were stiff and the air conditioning was noisy, but I was out like a light within 20 seconds of crawling into bed.

<--->

Thursday we soldiered on towards Pittsburgh with a stop in Indianapolis to have a late lunch with the parents. We left Missouri later than I'd hoped, spent more time doing the 'lunch' thing than I planned, and then ran into constant construction slow downs all throughout Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. We got to Pittsburgh late on Thursday evening, but we got in safely and that's what mattered. We met up with the weasel, handed over the mirrors and had dinner with the fox's sister and her boyfriend, then met up with the wolf in our hotel room.

<--->


Thoughts from the road:

+ It must be said that Kansas was a lot more scenic than I remembered it. Though it might just be that we hit eastern Kansas, the part of the state with hills and trees, right around the time Hollywood calls 'magic hour' when the setting sun casts a golden glow that makes almost everything look heavenly.

+ Billboards must be one of the top three crops growing in Missouri. I've not been to all 50 states yet but nowhere I've been have I seen billboards grow as high or as plentiful as in Missouri.

+ I'm originally from Indiana so I think I'm allowed to say this: Hey Indiana, WTF is up with your freeway traffic? 90% of semis were driving in the left hand lane. This isn't England, this is 'Murrica! Move over to the right and let me pass, dammit!

+ We listened to the audiobook of Red Devil as we crossed the midwest. I'd read the book and knew what was coming (minor spoiler alert: it has some sad parts), so luckily I was prepared and did not cry. My eyes teared up a bit, sure, but that was because the sun was setting low on the horizon. (Never mind that the sun was behind us and actually below the tree line by that point. I didn't cry. Really!)


<--->

I... Had a good time at Anthrocon? I think? The only official Anthrocon activities I participated in were the parade, the photobooth and 5 minutes of one of the dances. I also 'did' the headless lounge, the fursuit badges and dealers room too if those count. But most of the experiences I'll remember are the dinners, the hanging out with friends and the public fursuiting.

Some complain that as a con it's almost too big. It's very possible to spend a whole weekend not seeing someone you were hoping to see simply because everything is so spread out and so densely populated. I can't really disagree with that at all. But I still like Anthrocon. I think the most impressive thing about it is the relationship that the con has developed with the city of Pittsburgh. Many furry cons are barely tolerated by the staff in the hotels in which they are held, much less the surrounding community, but man does Pittsburgh love it some furries. The effing MAYOR showed up to declare it 'Anthrocon Day' on Saturday. Granted, a big part of the furry love we get is because of the money we bring in for the weekend, but other furry cons bring money into the local communities too and those cities don't exactly roll out the red carpet.

I think it's because of this relationship that most of the best times I had at the con weren't really at the con itself, but walking back and forth between the convention center and my hotel 4 blocks away. It's very nice and flattering when furries want to take a photo with me, but it's downright AWESOME when Pittsburghers want a photo, or beep their horns, or give a thumbs up.

<--->

Friday was pretty indicative of how AC went for me: I spent a good chunk of the early afternoon trying to track down some fursuit parts in what became a giant game of phone tag. Where are you at now? When is a good time to meet? I'm on my way! No wait I got sidetracked and am running late. Hello? Are you there? Oh crap, sorry I didn't hear your text go off. I know it was an hour ago but are you still in the elevator lobby?

I finally flagged down the sabercat and purple wolf I needed to get the parts from and headed back to their hotel room. And we talked. And talked. And talked some more. My phone kept beeping with people texting to see where I was, other games of phone tag that I was losing because I wasn't responding. We talked for 3 hours about fursuits and furries and how awesome Colorado was. We decided to meet up with 10 others for dinner and, after a whole day of trying to track them down to pick up the fursuit parts, I then left said fursuit parts in their room where they'd stay for another 24 hours.

<--->

After a wonderful dinner at Ten Penny in which our party of furries was inexplicably given a private room all to ourselves, we retreated to the roof to watch the fireworks. Me, the purple wolf, the saber cat, the guy who has so many fursonas he could fill a zoo, and about 90% of the rest of the convention watched the night sky explode in fireworks. It was very purRRrrrty.

Afterwards I went suiting with my con roomie the weasel and my con-roomie-for-one-night the wolf. The weasel was was dressed up as an edgy GSD and the wolf as, well, a wolf. We took the shuttle over, meandered around a bit and then hit the dance, where we stayed and danced for... Oh, about six minutes. Then it was off to the headless lounge where we chatted headlessly with other fursuiters for the next two hours.

<--->

Saturday is a bit of a blur. Maybe weasel or con-roomie-for-one-night-wolf slipped something into my drink. I vaguely remember wandering around a bit in the morning and then suiting up for the parade but there are big, unaccounted for time gaps. If you happen to have any photos of me that might explain what the hell I did with most of my day, say, I dunno, dancing around foolishly in the streets, please let me know.

<--->

Dinner Saturday night was an unexpected surprise. How often does this happen at a furry con: A group of a dozen furries agree on a restaurant & a meet up time, and then not only does *EVERYONE* show up but they actually show up EARLY? It's like, unheard of! I can't say for sure that everyone tipped generously as well (it would have been awkward to examine every receipt... how would I explain that? 'Yeah, I was just looking to see if I could steal your credit card info'?) but I'd like to think we didn't skimp.

After dinner I suited up again but this time I figured I'd do some species swapping. In an effort to see how the other half--specifically the canid half--lived, I donned a german shepherd partial and went suiting with the weasel in his partial-ized german shepherd. I'd never partial'd at a con before and it was a new experience. I have to admit that up until Saturday night I was a little bit of a full-suit snob, thinking partials had it 'easy' because they weren't wearing full on carpets covering their entire body. After that night though I have a new appreciation for them though. Simply put: It was still pretty damn hot! Especially when you're wearing jeans and a long sleeved parka to cover up your arms and legs.

So we strolled around a bit, saying hi, posing for a few pics and ultimately serving as WATCH_DOGS (*unpaid plug) for the fox and his friend who requested a security escort back to her car.

<--->

Sunday morning at a con is always for the zombies and the merchants who drew the short straws to tend to the tables. A spattering of people here and there, but barely any suits or any activities going on. I milled about the dealer's room, bought a plush hawk from the convention's charity and a book written by an invisible wolf, and then headed back to suit up for photo shoot pics. Which I was late for. Very late. Oops. We took a series of standard pictures (here we are in a line!... And now here we are in three rows of four!) but we also had some fun with head swap photos. For a short time I got to see the world through the golden eyes of a wolf and my decapitated head got to ride atop the shoulders of a wolf and a dingo.

I had dinner with several other olde... er.. more mature furries at a church that'd been converted into a brew pub. You may think there's something a little bit sacrilege about that but the Jesuses I passed in Kansas who blessed my speeding were probably okay with it on the condition that the food was good. And it was. The company was quite good as well, even though sadly I'm forgetting one or two of the guests.

I toyed with the idea of doing one last suiting run on Sunday night, but it was late and with the suiting up, walking to the con, milling around, walking back, desuiting and showering it just seemed like it'd eat too much into my sleep. Sleep would be important with back to back 13 hour days of driving looming ahead.

<--->

The weasel left at 4AM, sneaking out quietly as weasels tend to do. The fox and I 'slept in' til 7:30, showered, got breakfast, and lugged our stuff down to the car. We buckled in and I turned the key.

*click*

I turned the key again.

*click*click*click*

Well f*ck.

The guys in the garage were able to give us a jump and the car started right up. It carried us faithfully off into the west.... and then failed to start again when we stopped for gas in Cleveland.

*click*

Yay for Smartphones though. After another jump we drove on to a suburb of Toledo where the fine folks at AutoZone would hook us up with a new battery that would (hopefully) carry the car to Minneapolis and points west.

The fox and I used to live in Minneapolis and our goal was to make it into town in time to stop by Annie's, one of our old haunts. Technically we did get there before the dining room closed, walking in at 10:55PM, but the kitchen wasn't taking any more orders so after a quick glance about the dining room that neither of us had seen in over 15 years, we headed downstairs and went elsewhere for a late, late dinner at Old Chicago's, where I had my only strawberry lemonade of the entire week.

It might be for the best that we weren't able to eat at Annie's. It'd been the first time either of us had been on the campus of the University of Minnesota since the late 90s and it was just so different now. Light rail stations, apartments and even a towering football stadium had all been built since the last time we'd been there. It's sort of an odd moment to get nostalgic over a McDonalds that was still standing, but as it was one of only a handful of buildings I recognized, that's how I felt.

<--->

My Anthrocon experience came to a close on Tuesday. The fox was sticking around in Minneapolis to take care of a few obligations and to talk to people about books, so I'd be making the last leg solo. 915 miles and 13+ hours of driving through scenic southern Minnesota and then decidedly less scenic Iowa and Nebraska. It was a long, dull ride but I pretended I was Jeremy Clarkson zooming through flat Nebraska while an unseen Richard Hammond and James May were racing me back to Colorado in a hang glider or rocket ship or shopping cart or something. I'm pretty sure I won.

I can't say I'm glad we drove rather than flew, but sometimes life is about making memories and driving across the middle of the country with the fox is definitely a memory that'll stick with me for a while.

<--->

Shout out to several people I met at the con, many of whom I will forget to credit here or whose FA names I don't know who to tag:

Since AC is like, the biggest furry con in the world I figure I'll answer every question in a different world language (and maybe 1 or 2 in out of this world languages!)



Where are you staying?

Jag bor på Doubletree


What day are you getting there?

Ich bin Donnerstag Abend anreisen.


How are you traveling?

Køre min bil


Who will you be rooming with?

S přinejmenším dva další lidi, možná až čtyři


How is the best way to find you?

Etsi Iso harmaa kissa vaaleanpunainen Kirsu ja kohteet


Are there any panels you might be attending?

Možno, že? Som sa pozrel na plán ešte!


What do you look like?

Tall. Gris. Nez rose. Taches.


Will you be suiting?

Mis on plaani!


Do you do free art?

Vaig esbossar ocasionalment petites figures de pal


Do you do trades?

In het fantasy voetbal!


Do you do badges?

Да привлечем значки? Не. Да ги носите? Да


What is your gender?

我是個男人


How tall are you?

छह फुट चार


Can I talk to you?

Tikrai galite! Jei aš kostiumas aš gali ne kalbėti atgal nors


Can I touch you?

애완 동물 및 경례 군 악 감사 합니다. 공공 너무 많이 더 듬 고.


How can I find you?

È preferibile utilizzare gli occhi. Forse le orecchie. Forse le zampe. Speriamo che non naso.


Can I visit your room?

Benim odam bir turistik değil


Can I buy you drinks?

Hvis det er jordbær brus!


Can I give you stuff?

Я ціную почуття, але я вже занадто багато речей!


Can I hug or snuggle with you?

hugs: HIja'. snuggles: chaq.


Are you nice?

Хотелось бы так думать, но я уверен, что некоторые будут не согласны


How long are you going?

Eu vou estar lá desde quinta à noite até segunda de manhã


Do you have an Dealers table?

不


Will you be going to parties?

Improbabbli iżda li taf?


Will you be performing?

Nyob hauv ib tug dav heev hnov lo lus, kuv twv.


If I see you, how should I get your attention?

Azt mondja, az én nevem valószínűleg működik!


Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?

Prawdopodobnie w przestrzeni con lub pokoju. Może stadion baseballowy.


What/where will you be eating?

Es probable que voy a terminar por lo menos una vez en McDonalds


Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?

I AM looking to plan a Scribbler's sushi dinner one night. If you're a Scribbler give me a poke! (this one is in English!)


Can I take your picture?

Fil-kawża, iva! Minn libsa, għaliex ma trid?

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but there's no such disclosure rules when it comes to Reno, so on with the BLFC Con Report!

I arrived late on Thursday evening, taking what appeared to be the BLFC Express from Denver. I was able to spot at least 4 other

furs on the flight, including  Mavi who tweeted '@TR3M3LO is standing 15 feet away from me in DIA and he doesn't even notice me! I'm hurt XD'.

Ah well. So much for flying discretely. I was busted.

We blended in fairly well with the gamblers and cowboys and, um, whoever else was on the plane headed to Reno late on a Thursday night. We landed and took the last shuttle of the night over to the con hotel. There I met up with  Xaff,  Reggie_Southpaw,  Lakotalutrova and  aktiger. They supplied me with a stash of Powerade Strawberry Lemonades and I supplied them with a couple bags of Under Armour Heatgear. I think it was a fair trade. By the time I checked in it was closing in on 1AM and registration was already closed, so I called it a night.

<--->

Friday started off with the breakfast buffet with  Nevermint,  Sprocketdog and  NyeDyr. The meal was alright. Good price. Decent quality. At least 4 different varieties of breakfast pork. But most importantly: THEY HAD BREAKFAST TACOS! I don't think I can emphasize enough how awesome that was! And when I say 'breakfast tacos' I don't mean like, waffle shells stuffed with sausages and eggs and syrup, I mean the real thing: corn shells, beef, lettuce, cheese. The con couldn't have gotten off to a better start!

<--->

Quote of the con by a non-fur: As 70+ fursuiters were making their way out to the go kart track for the tourney on Friday afternoon, an elderly woman arriving at the casino with her husband spotted the parade, rubbed her eyes and quipped 'Oh my. I haven't even had anything to drink yet!'

<--->

The big event for the day--for me at least--was the the go kart tourney. The weather was perfect for 'suiting. It was brisk and

windy out, allowing nearly every 'suiter to stay headed for hours on end without overheating. The go karts were *fun* too, with a slippery track and slick wheels that made things challenging. I think I raced well, starting 2nd and in position to lap some of the backmarkers when the race ended. I wasn't among the three that advanced, instead becoming a shameless cheerleader for Sprocketdog and  Kartfox. Though I only realized afterwards that cheering for Kartfox sort of made me look... um... special?... as I pointed at the action on the track and cheered 'GO KART! YAAAY! GO KART!'

<--->

Friday also marked the most embarrassing moment of the con for me. When an entirely adorable Maid Marian 'suit was gracefully posing nearby I made the mistake of admitting to Nevermint that I had a HUGE furry crush on the character back in the day. That resulted in the following exchange:

Minty: 'Go and ask her for a hug!'
Me: 'No. I'll do it tomorrow when I'm in suit and more presentable.'
Minty: 'Now! Do it now!'
Me: 'No! Tomorrow! I don't have my camera with me now and if I wait til tomorrow I can pose for a picture!'
Minty (calling ot Maid Marian): 'Hey Maid Marian! We have a huge fan over here!'
Me: *squirming, trying to wriggle away, but being held by Ianto and Minty*
Maid Marian: *holding out her arms for a hug*
Me: *squirming, flushing fire-engine red*
Everyone nearby: *laughing*
Maid Marian: *patiently waiting*
Me: *shyly hugging the vixen, then trying to find the biggest pit in which to cast myself into in embarrassment*

(I did get a picture with her the next day in suit, but did not admit that I'd been the awkward dork from the night before; I figured she might have a restraining order out against me by then)

<--->

I think I saw everyone I was hoping to see (even if it wasn't for nearly long enough) with one exception:  Kellogg! Though, that's not entirely true. I did see him. Briefly. While walking with Ianto and Nevermint we spotted the bandana dawg at the far end of the hallway.

'KELLOGG!' we said.
His ears seemed to perk.
'KELLOGG!' we said again.
He looked down the hallway and started dashing our way...
...and then right past us...
...and into the conspace...
...and then *poof* into thin air.

Oh well. I don't entirely blame him. None of the rest of us were suited up at the time so how could he recognize us?

I was really hoping to get his autograph though :/

<--->

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the awesome food! Every night I ate dinner with  LoboLoc0, Ianto and Nevermint. On Friday night we mixed in  Calico and  Tortiekitten at the hotel's buffet (they had DINNER TACOS TOO! but admittedly that's not quite as out of the ordinary as breakfast tacos). On Sunday night we were joined by Kartfox and  BigFootCat at the Canteena for May-Hee-Kahn foods. But really the best meal of the night was the all you can eat sushi bar on Saturday night. It was just the four amigos for that, and it was sooooo good. Loc0 took one for the team and patiently sat at the bar for over an hour, waiting for 4 seats to open up, obediently downing drink after drink (wolf's got to do what a wolf's got to do) til we were able to be seated. It was something like $27 for an hour's worth of sushi, and we ate our fill and more. Too much more. Way. Too. Much. More. Mmf. I'm feeling bloated just thinking about it.

Whatever you do, don't eat yourself to the point of being overstuffed around those three, and DEFINITELY don't admit to it, because they *will* bring up the 'pie eating scene' from Stand By Me.

<--->

It'd be sooooo easy to make a joke about Sunday morning. 'Let me tell ya about the foursome I had...' or 'A cat, a dog and a fox hook up with a human...' But, yeah, it was just golf. Once again the weather was perfect if you were a 'suiter, though the course may have left a bit to be desired with tears in the turf and some bricks missing from the borders. I also suspect the group in front of us dumped a half a metric ton's worth of bark on hole #16 before we arrived. But it was free and so worth it! Final score card:

Tremelo - 58
Ianto - 60
Nevermint &  DoubleoFox - 62

<--->

If you don't count the Powerades (and really, I don't), I only had *1* Strawberry Lemonade this con *gasp*

<--->

Shout out section!

Was so awesome to meet / hang out with / see in passing so many awesome furs, including but not limited to: Xaff, Reggie, BlueBlood Tiger,  BigTig,  -ash, Lakota,  Taofox,  Lazarusg, Ianto, Nye (INTESTINES!), Sprocketdog, Nevermint,  Arrow, Yippee, Croc, Cooner, LoboLoc0, Calico, Kartfox, and Tabbicus

And of course, JOSH! (aka Mavi)

Stealing... er... I mean, borrowing from  Katanaredwolf

Arrival and Departure:
Arriving very very late on Thursday, March 27th
Departing very very early on Monday, March 31st

Staying at:
At the Grand Sierra Resort

Mode of Transportation:
Big ol' jet airliner

Room Share:
Looks like I'm stuck rooming with  Hollofox

Major Plans at the Con:
Go karting. Mini golf. Go karting. Bowling. Go karting. Laser tag. Go karting. Gambling. Maybe some go karting too.

Who Will I be with:
A short and in no way complete list of who I hope to see and/or hang out with (in reverse alphabetical order)
 Xaff
 Sprocketdog
 Nevermint
 loboloc0
 lakotalutrova
 iantogwynt
 Enlightener
 BigTig

Fursuit(s):
Tremelo

Attending Parties:
I'll be attending the pants party. But there's really only room for 1 in them :/

How best to find me:
I can say with 99% certainty that I will be on the con premises 100% of the time, so maybe start by looking in the dealer's room, the go kart track, the restaurants, etc.

Stage Performance:
Um. No.

Drink:
You know the drill: Strawberry lemonade!

Smoke:
No.

Hugs:
Yes, and they're free. For now. But get 'em while you can because I'm gonna start charging a nickel at AC. Maybe.

Talk:
Yes? I am capable of that?

Art:
I don't draw, if that's what you're asking

What is your gender?
Male.

How old are you?
Too old to be hanging around dressed up in a large animal costume. Though, you could argue that that applies to anyone over 12.

So yeah, I'm over 12.

Can I touch you?
Depends on where I guess? Being punched in the face is technically touching and I'm not very partial to that.

Can I buy you lots of drinks?
I can usually afford my own, but maybe I'll have one with ya?

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Hugs: Yes. Snuggles: Maybe

How tall are you?
Tall enough to get stuff off the top shelf at the super market

You look pissed off out of suit can I come up to you?
Why would you want to? If I'm annoyed I'll likely be in my room watching a Top Gear marathon.

Are you nice?
Does anyone ever answer 'No, I'm really a dick'?

Are you cliquey?
I hate this question. It's just here just so we can all pat ourselves on the back and say 'No! I'm not cliquey at all! I love everyone!' Well ya know what? I'm bucking the trend. I'm cliquey! Don't bother trying to hang out with me if you don't already know me. Though, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to say hi. And, you know, if we get along alright we could go drive go karts together or something and maybe hang out.

Can I stalk you?
You can try?

Do you like parties?
Depends. Baby Showers are parties right? But they're not really my thing.

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Serve me with court papers? That'd get my attention.

Are you fursuiting?
As I type this? No, but I sure hope to at the con!

Can I ask ya to dance with me during the dances?
You can ask, but the best you can hope for is for me to sort of bounce in place while you do all the leg work

Can I buy breakfast, lunch, or dinner sometime?
I would rather split the bill with you :). (I stole  Katanaredwolf's answer here too)

Can I take a picture of ya?
Sure, why not?

Would ya like to get a commission done of ya?
Maybe. I have enough badges to last me a few years though

Wanna take a photo of me too if I'm suiting?
Yes. We'll do a selfie and try to break Twitter like all those famous people at the Oscars did.

So in 2013 I went to a lot of cons. At least, for me it was a lot of cons. Up until that point my con list would usually be: FC. And that was about it. But in 2013 I went to FC, AC, RMFC, RF, and MFF. When the year wrapped up I kicked back and thought 'Well, that was a lot of fun. More cons than ever! 2013 will certainly be the high water mark in terms of the number of cons attended! I'll never go to so many cons in the same year again!'

Or maybe I will.

Efforts to reduce my con plans for 2014 have backfired! I tried to think which of the 2013 cons I wouldn't attend this year, but couldn't find any good reason to cut back on any of them. FC is my long time staple, AC is just so colossally huge, RMFC is local, RF is my 'Suit Anniversary Con' and MFF is where I get to see my Midwestern friends.

And then there were other cons popping up the horizon too, and I... meh, let's just get to the list:

FC - Attended!
BLFC - Maybe/hopefully; Four words: FURSUITS IN GO KARTS!
AC - Registered!
RMFC - Local
Furry Migration - Airfare secured! Yay! I get to return to Minnesota!
RF - Airfare secured! Tremmy turns two!
MFF - I received a death threat from  Miezekatze-suit if I don't attend

I may also ghost Furry Ski Weekend for a day or two in February.

Argh. Gonna be an expensive year. I'll NEVER go to this many furry cons again.

Probably.

-Where are you staying?
Hilton!

-Means of transportation
Plane!

-Sharing a room with
Friend!

-Gender
Male!

-Relationship Status
Single!

-How old are you?
Too!

-How tall are you?
Very!

-Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
Inside!

-Who will you be with?
Strangers!

-Do you do free art?
No!

-Do you do trades?
Nope!

-Do you do commissions?
Nein!

-Do you have prints/ CDs ?
Nopers!

-Can I touch you?
Maybe!

-Can I talk to you?
Probably!

-Can I buy you lots of drinks?
Nah!

-Do you smoke?
Negative!

-Can I give you lots of money?
Sure!

-Do you have a fursuit?
Yus!

-Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Maybe...?

-Are you nice?
Naturally!

-Can I buy you food and/or eat meals with you?
Perhaps!

-Can I give you presents?
Conceivably!

-Can I hang with you in your room?
Unlikely!

-Can I dance with you at the dances?
Feasibly!

-Stage or public performance?
...

-Can I invite you to parties?
Certainly!

-Cliquey?
Ne!

-Personality Type
Quiet!

- Will you get anything commissioned?
Yes!

- How can I get your attention?
Steam!

-Panels?
Likely!

I just picked myself up this afternoon and I look great!

Er, that sounds wrong. What I mean is I dropped my suit off with  Nevermint a couple weeks back to have some minor repairs done and today I picked up the finished product. It was mostly re-enforcing some stitching and patching up some small developing holes. The best improvement, by far, is improving the structural integrity of the tail hole. This is a godsend as 'Tug the Kitty's Tail' seemed to be the most popular game at a volunteer gig I did a couple months ago, and this often resulted in the tail plate being tugged out of the suit. It will be virtually impossible to tug the tail out of the suit now! (note: this should not be viewed as a challenge)

Minty did a great job! The suit even fits snugger than before! (though that may just be the result of holiday over-eating)

MFF was just a blur to me. In part it was because I arrived at the hotel at 3:15 on Friday afternoon and departed 48 hours later on Sunday, but also because I got ill on Saturday and spent most of that afternoon and evening in a haze (not brought on by alcohol) and/or in bed (not in a good way). I missed participating in the parade. I missed the OFA photoshoot. I missed being in suit, period. I'd planned on 4, 6, maybe even 8 hours on Saturday but 2 minutes into the 'Being Awesome in Suit' panel and just 25 minutes into being in suit that morning I had to get out. Not sure if it was because of some cold like symptoms I'd experienced on Thursday, some particularly greasy Denny's food from Friday evening, the poor night of sleep that followed, the cooling vest that seemed to be just a little too chilly, or (most likely) a combination of all of the above. Whatever the case I went from enthusiastic and bouncy to fatigued and a little fevered in a very short amount of time and I remained lethargic/chilly/fatigued/fevered for the rest of the day.

In short, most of Saturday was just a big giant ball of suck.

But the con itself was not a complete waste. I got to meet 9 of the 10 people on my 'Hope to meet and/or hang out with' list as well as to meet some new folks and acquired an awesome new badge. And while the loss of almost all of Saturday's 'suiting and panels will likely cause me to remember MFF 2013 as a miserable *personal* experience, I can take some vicarious pleasure in that I got to see some of my friends ( Miezekatze-Suit,  Calico.Firethorn &  Kiraswiftpaw) experience the magic of their first full furry con. If one of us was gonna have a lousy con, I'm glad it was me.

So... Sorry to those handful of ya who really hoping for snowy hugs and/or wanted to see my suit in person but didn't get to... Maybe next year. :(

Strawberry Lemonades consumed: 1
Strawberry Lemonade-flavored Powerades consumed: 2

PS - Special thanks to those of ya who kept my spirits up while I languished in bed on Saturday and/or who tried to cheer me up and end the con on an up note on Sunday. You know who you are.

What? An MFF meme already? But the con's like, 6 weeks away! People will forget you're going before we even get to November!
I know, I know, but all the cool kids are doing it and you know how that goes. I hear that next week they are going to jump off a bridge so I want to get this out before we all take the leap.


Where are you staying?
The Hyatt


What day are you getting there?
Friday


Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
Probably in suit. Or at a fursuiting panel. Or in the dealer's room. Or watching football in a sports bar. I may slip out on Saturday evening, hop on the 'L' and get dinner somewhere in downtown Chicago 'cause downtown Chicago rocks.

Here's a VERY tentative schedule of where I expect to be:

Fri
3:00 Fursuit Roundtable (if my flight gets in early enough and I can rush to the hotel and pick up my badge and change in time! So yeah, that probably won't happen)
7:00 Kage Story Hour
10:00 Fursuit dance -or- Fursuit charades

Sat
10:00 How to Be Awesome (at Fursuit Performance)
11:00 Athletics and the Furry Fandom
1:00 Fursuit Parade
3:00 Last-Fur-One Dance Workshop (MAYBE)
5:00 - 9:00 Downtown Chicago (MAYBE)
10:00 Fursuit Dance

Sun
11:00 Fursuiting Outside the Fandom
12:00 FOOTBAW!


Who will you be with?
The hotel room will be a cat house: a snow leopard, a lynx, a tiger and a calico.


Through out the con?
Apologies in advance 'cause I know there's one or more obvious people that I want to meet and/or hang out with and I'm going to forget to list them and they'll IM me with '*sniff* I thought we were friends :('. So to all those people who aren't listed here, it's not because yer weird and I want to avoid you, it's because I'm senile. Except for you. Yeah you. You know who you are.

 Calico.Firethorn
 Iantogwynt
 KiraSwiftpaw
 Kokoes12
 Masquerade
 Miezekatze-suit
 Nevermint
 Soboku
 Tazara
 Zargoth

I expect to meet some folks for 20 seconds, eat lunch with others, eat dinner with yet others still, and for a very select few rob banks together.


Hey, nameless voice asking me questions. Now I have a question for YOU!
Fair enough..
Do you know if the King's Bowl at nearby MB financial park would allow fursuit bowling? Would anyone be interested in that if they did?
I can't really answer that. But maybe someone else can in a reply?


Do you do free art?
Do I do *any* art? No


Do you do trades?
I have an extra copy of Saints Row the Third. What do ya want to offer for it?


Do you do commissions?
Nupe!


Do you have prints/ CDs?
Nupe!


Do you do badges?
I wear badges, but I don't create them.


What is your gender?
Male. I think. *double checks* Yes, male.


How old are you?
Probably older than you. Also taller.


Are you taken?
I got taken once by someone pulling the three card monty scam, but I've wised up and haven't been taken since then.


Do you have a fursuit?
Yus!


Can I touch you?
In suit? Preferably gently hugs or pets! Those airbrushed spots come off if ya scritch or rub too vigorously! Out of suit? A hug or a fistbump works fine. Gropes not preferred in either state.


Can I talk to you?
*sigh* Probably. Every con I promise myself I won't talk in suit, that I'll only speak when answering specific questions that can't be pantomimed like 'Who built your suit?'. But every con I end up slipping and talking way too much, answering such simple questions as 'What's your favorite color?' and yes/no questions that could otherwise be answered with a nod or a shake. So yeah, talk away and I'll probably talk back.


Can we hang out?
Probably. Unless yer a crazy person. Then I'll act like I got a text and excuse myself to 'make a work call' but will instead 'run like hell'


Can I look in your sketchbook?
I have no sketchbook!


Can I draw in your sketchbook?
If I had a sketchbook, you could. Want to buy me a sketchbook and then draw in it? Be my guest! :D


Can I buy you a drink?
Strawberry Lemonade please!


Can I take your picture?
In suit, SURE! Out of suit, um.... sure?


What do you look like?
In suit? Tall and gray with rosettes and bright blue eyes. Out of suit? Not quite the same. No rosettes. No blue eyes. No gray fur. If you insist on trying to track me down out of suit I'll give you a clue: I'm probably wearing gray and/or purple. Or you can just ask me for my cell (or Steam, or Skype, or AIM) and contact me over the phone.

I really wanted to return to Rainfurrest this year to commemorate Tremelo's first anniversary, but I also wanted to return for another reason: I was miserable at Rainfurrest in 2012.

Wait, what?

It certainly wasn't the fault of the con itself (it seemed to be run awesomely) or the city of Seattle (it couldn't have been a more beautiful weekend) or the people there (they seemed very nice). It pretty much came down to not being in the right mindset to be there. When it came to wearing my suit for the first time I was terrified. My biggest nightmare about fursuiting was that I'd have a brilliant looking suit but would be about as animated as a dead toad on a rotting log when wearing it. It didn't help that the friend who I'd hoped would serve as my wrangler backed out because (this is true) he found the suit to be too adorable and he feared he might get too affectionate if he was anywhere within 20 feet of me in suit. He only agreed to even look at the suit if I promised not to put any part of it on in his presence.

So yeah, I'd be out there in suit with no wrangler and no confidence and no friends and no prospects and NO HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW AND OH MY GOD WHY DID I COME TO THIS CON BECAUSE I SUCK SO MUCH!?!?

Ahem. Sorry. You get the idea. I spent a lot of RF2012 wandering about downtown Seattle or catching up on books. I owed the con another visit to make things right.

<--->

We stayed at the overflow hotel, the Holiday Inn. All things being equal this would have been a good decision. It was $5 cheaper per night and it came with complimentary breakfast each morning. We're not talking those cheap yogurt/bagels/cereal breakfasts either, we're talking a buffet with scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, toast, pancakes, cereal, and fruit. Yeah, yeah, the food was sort of bland and the menu was the exact same every morning, but it was calories. Free, not-particularly healthy calories. It was also an easy way to easily check off part of your 6-2-1 list every morning.

The hotel wasn't too far away either, just a short 5 minute walk outside and a chance for 'suiters to wave at passing cars and to inspire puzzled looks on the faces of those waiting at the popular bus stop between the hotels.

Of course, all things were NOT equal. As Rainfurrest approached the forecast for the weekend changed from perfect to good to damp to dreary to soaking wet.

Go ahead. Make your sarcastic remarks now: 'What did you expect? It's SEATTLE!', or 'Hey, it had RAIN right there in the name!' Yes, rain is always a possibility but this was really nasty rain. This was drops-the-size-of-ping-pong-balls rain. This was knock-out-the-satellite-tv-reception rain. Walking in suit from the Holiday Inn to the Hilton was guaranteed to result in a very, VERY wet suit and an unpleasant experience. Luckily we had friends in the main hotel who were kind enough to let us change in their room on Saturday for the fursuit parade. We only got soaked OUT of suit when shuffling between the two hotels.

<--->

I thought that a long-strawed 1qt water bottle typically used by hockey goalies would be an ideal hydration bottle for fursuits. It wasn't. It was difficult to drink out of and at its size and weight was like lugging along a small pumpkin, something not easily accomplished without using both paws. So the one time I used it I stumbled through the con space, clutching it like it was filled with the ashes of dead relatives. It made it difficult to pose for pictures or interact with anyone in any way other than to gesture ‘Hey, look at my water bottle!’ The ironic thing? In the whole stint with the bottle I didn’t even take a sip from it.

<--->

There's an old joke about furry cons that ’you never go to Denny's, you just end up there.' Rainfurrest may be the exception. One of the few slights of the convention is that there are very, very few restaurant options nearby. There's the pricey hotel restaurants, the upscale 13 Coins, and, well, Denny's. That's about it. Wait, I take that back: the 7/11 at the top of the hill actually sold pizzas. Or something resembling pizzas. The title of this journal was lifted from something I overheard in the elevator and I'm pretty sure it was the 7/11 pizzas that they were talking about.

I'm not proud to admit it, but I 'ended up' at Denny's three times over the course of Rainfurrest.

<--->

I attended several panels over the course of the long weekend, from Kyell Gold reading excerpts from Red Devil to my creator Scribblefox discussing fursuit design to a panel about being an effective spotter to a panel with fursuit performance tips. All of them were informative and/or important. I learned that the fairy tales that Alexei tells are rather short and confusing. I learned that, when it comes to fake furs, there really is only *one* shade of gray. I learned that if you're a spotter taking pictures of fursuiters interacting with children and you don't look professional and don't make it abundantly clear that you are with the fursuiters, you might end up being accused of some pretty creepy behavior. I also learned how to use the mesh part of the inside of my eye to change my expression from sly to shy to happy to aloof. I guess you just had to be there for that one.

<--->

So here’s an uninteresting fact: While the Mariner’s home ballpark, SafeCo field, has a retractable roof, many of the stadium’s walls are still very much open air. I found this out when I escaped the con to catch a Mariner’s/A’s game on Friday night. I did not bring my fursuit (I seriously doubt they would have let me in with it) but I wish I had because it was EFFING COLD!

<--->

In all I got about 8h of suiting in over the course of 3 stints, a quick Thursday night reconnaissance run of the con space, an extended run on Friday where I got my ear tag, and a (sadly) final run on Saturday for the fursuit parade and the OFA photo shoot.

I must confess: I sort of cheated during the parade. Along with another unnamed co-conspirator, I sort of, um, did the parade route twice. It wasn't in the name of self-aggrandizement or vanity, it was, um, to uh, walk for those suits who couldn't walk themselves because the rain had spooked them off. Or something.

<--->

Total number of Strawberry Lemonades consumed: 5

<--->

I attended my first fursuit dance. No, not as a dancer (this cat can’t dance), but simply as a curious observer. I came away very impressed. First, I was impressed that when faced with a fire alarm and subsequent back-to-back-to-back-to-back ‘Evacuate!’ ‘Go back!’ No, really, Evacuate!’ ‘Nah, it’s okay! Go back!’ orders, the hundreds of furries left and re-entered the room in a safe and orderly manner. Then I was actually impressed with the dancers. There was not a bad dancer one them (though I may have a very low bar to clear in that regard). The choices of music spanned from thrash metal to pop to rap to dub step to Smashmouth, whatever that is. And the styles ranged from elegant to frantic to bouncy to something out of the 50s. The only thing not represented was country. I think that’s a gauntlet being thrown there. You heard it dancers, next con I want to see someone dance to a medley of Red Solo Cup and Achy Breaky Heart.

<--->

By the time Sunday rolled around I was ready to go home. There was still plenty to do and see (the fursuit games were awfully fun to watch) but two and a half days of pouring rain and greasy Denny’s food had taken its toll. In the end it was a very good con. Last year the weather was perfect and Tremelo was delivered, but the rest of my con was crap. This year the weather was crap but every other aspect was fun and memorable. I met a lot of new people, learned some new things and most importantly had fun.

But next year I’m bringing an effing umbrella.

"That's not a pizza, that's a disc dull of lies."

Also overheard: "I sure wish it would stop raining. Hard to suit up and then walk 150m from the overflow hotel in a rainstorm."

(that second one was me)

After years of going to no more than 2 cons a year I'm just going bonkers in 2013. Rainfurrest marks the *4th* furry con I'll be attending this year.

Stolen from  LigerZeroLindsey

1. What are you attending?
What? You really have to ask? You saw the title of the meme, right?

2. Staying at:
The Holiday Inn

3. Arrival and Departure:
Thursday - Sunday

4. Mode of transportation:
A giant metal bird that soars on the shoulders of the air gods.

5. Rooming with:
Can't really tell ya 'cause I think they are in the Federal Witness Protection Program.

6. Con Plans:
You know, the usual: A panel here, a fursuit parade there, an obligatory trip to Denny's and (maybe) a side trip to a Mariners game

7: How can I find you?
Cat. Tall. Rosettes.

8. Do you do free art?
Not really applicable.

9. Do you have prints/Cds?
Also not applicable.

10. Will you be fursuiting? if so: What suit(s)?
Oh, here and there probably. Tall snow leopard

11. Will you be going to parties?
Unlikely.

12. Will you be performing?
Performing WHAT exactly? Um. No.

13. Smoke?
Nopers

14. Drink?
Sometimes.

15. Gender:
Male

16. Can I hug you?
As long as you're not coming from my blind side

17. Can I talk to you?
Sure, but I may not talk back if in suit. Instead I may try to gesticulate wildly like a very bad charades player

18. Will you be at any panels?
*AT* panels? Probably. But solely as an attendee and not a presenter.

19. Can I touch you?
Pets, hugs and snugs are welcome! Gropes not so much.

20. Can I buy you drinks?
If it's STRAWBERRY LEMONADE then hell yeah!

21. How old are you?
Too old

22. Can I snuggle with you?
Let's just stick with hugs for now :)

23. If you're pissed off, should I approach you?
That's a really odd question. Maybe? Maybe not? Do you know me? Do you think you can cheer me up? Do you have strawberry lemonade? So many variables.

24. Are you nice?
I guess it depends on who you ask?

25. Cliquey?
Yes, but you're in luck! Most of my clique won't be there so I'll be semi-solo and open to meeting new folks

26. How tall?
Tall enough to see over you. Probably. Except you, yeah you that tall guy that's reading this.

27. Can I Take pictures of you?
Sure!

28. Will you get anything commissioned?
Probably not.

29. How can I get your attention?
Say my name (And no, it's not Heisenberg).

30. Can I ask you to dance at the raves?
I can guarantee you that I will not be able to get past the doorman at any of these so called "raves"

TL;DR Version - Had fun, looking forward to next year

---

Coming off the heals of Anthrocon, RMFC was definitely a change of pace. Where Anthrocon filled up something crazy like 4 complete hotels and the entirety of the Pittsburgh convention center, RMFC didn't fully fill one hotel and the activities were confined to that hotel's modest ballrooms. That is not a knock on RMFC. Obviously not every con's going to be as big as AC and, to be honest, it was kinda nice to be at a smaller, more relaxed con again. I've been so accustomed to attending huge furry cons lately (FC, AC, and to a lesser extent RF) that I've forgotten what it's like to attend smaller, more regional get togethers. The very first furcons I attended were like this, where it was more about hanging out with friends and less about the loosely collected assortment of panels.

That's not to say I didn't attend panels.

- I finally saw the famed '2 the Ranting Griffon' show. While some of it fell flat, the vast majority of it killed and it was an hour well spent. Doing a full hour of comedy is *hard*. I've heard Famous Well Known Comics ™ say that it can take up to a year just to fine tune a 20 minute set, so to get up there for a full hour earns my complete admiration and respect. And if I'm honest, some of the parts that 'fell flat' for me probably weren't because they weren't funny, but because they hit a little close to home.

- I also attended a panel in which Kyell Gold read excerpts from two stories, one Harry Potter like magical short story up for consideration in a magazine and *drumroll* excerpts from the upcoming 'Red Devil'! I can't wait til that comes out! I loved 'Green Fairy' so much that I gave a copy to my doesn't-know-I-have-a-snow-leopard-alter-ego mother to read and she liked it too.

And... That was about it for attending panels. But that's okay. It was really more about meeting new folks and hanging out. And sometimes turning into a snow leopard.

<--->

On Friday evening I escaped the con with Fox, Weasel and Coyote. We headed down to the Yard House on the 16th street pedestrian mall. It was very yummy food at a very reasonable price, but... it was... sort of... loud. Only hearing every 4th word and trying to piece together what other people are talking about can be amusing. For example: *mumblemumble* counting *mumblemumblemumble* placenta** *mumblemumblemumble* thunderstorm *mumblemumblemumble* soccer. (Go ahead! Try it! 'I was counting all the people I know who've kept the placenta and planted it in the ground and that number was just 1. And that guy was a little bit kooky, having been struck by lightning in a thunderstorm while playing soccer several years ago')

However, it can also be embarrassing if you introduce a 'new' topic only to realize that others at the table had already thoroughly discussed it already 5 minutes ago. Such was the case when Fox, Coyote and Weasel were--I only realized later--discussing the rumor that RMFC might be looking for a new hotel next year. Coyote'd mentioned how RMFC used to be downtown and how the fursuit parade walked up and down the pedestrian mall. She loved how there were so many restaurants nearby and hoped it'd return downtown again. Of course, I only heard every fifth word (some combination of 'unconfirmed rumor', 'used to be', 'next year', 'moving'). I nodded my head stupidly, pretending I was following along when in fact I was lost. Then 5 minutes later I opined 'Hey, I wonder if RMFC will move to a different hotel next year?'

*facepaw*

(** - Yes, the word 'placenta' really did feature prominently in our conversations that night; Or at least I THINK it did)

<--->

I did not make it to the group fursuit photo shoot or the fursuit parade on Saturday. I could blame Dachshund because he was still in the room asleep at noon (!!!) and I didn't want to wake him up while transforming into my spotted self. In truth I still had flashbacks from the death march that was Anthrocon. That, and I still am not very good at the whole parade concept. I know, I know, it should be simple but I'm just not very good at it. I've never been a wave-initiator, I've always been a wave-reply-er, so it's awkward to go out and wave to people who may have no interest in waving back. Ugh. As I type that out it sounds sooo lame. I'll have to make sure to remove it from the final edit.

Anyway, my personal parade-phobias aside, I thought it was very clever how the RMFC folks set up their parade route. The suiters entered the dealers room and immediately were bunched up at the photo booth. Each suiter then had their photo taken, which was cool for two reasons:

1) Suiters in the parade definitely got an individual photo taken of them.

2) After the photo booth bunch up the suiters were spread out so each suiter could get individual attention as they walked/bounced/crawled/danced through the dealer's room

<--->

I did suit up for a while on Saturday and milled about for a few hours. I briefly met SuiterFox and SuiterHyena/Raccoon in the hallway, along with Snowleopard/Lynx and SuiterOtherSnowleopard (I'm starting to regret using generic species identification here rather than just proper names). The one downside to suiting at RMFC this year was that there weren't a lot of places to go. It was pretty much either mill about the dealer's room, traverse the long and sometimes narrow hallway, or hang out in the crowded lobby. I could have gone outside for a bit but the hotel was at the intersection of 2 busy streets and the surrounding property was almost entirely comprised of parking lot asphalt. In short, the hotel didn't really lend itself to outdoor suiting. Hopefully next year's site, whether it be downtown or at the Tech Center or somewhere else will be better.

<--->

On Saturday night I joined Wolf, Fox, Weasel and Dachshund for another trip downtown. It was pouring rain. I'm talking whitecaps-in-the-streets rain. I almost had to put the rudder down in my car to successfully navigate some of the intersections. The downpour lead to one of the more interesting sights of the weekend that, strangely enough, did not involve furries at all.

While Fox and I waited under some shelter to stay dry, two athletic guys came whipping around the corner through the downpour, one pushing the other in a wheelchair. I've never seen a wheelchair do a power slide before, but they were carrying so much speed trying to get out of the rain they had no other choice. They were followed by two attractive women who had both tugged clear plastic bags over their heads. I thought about suggesting that wearing plastic bags over one's head while running might not be the best idea when it comes to, you know, oxygen, but they seemed pretty intent on keeping their hairstyles dry and awesome so I kept my mouth shut.

Eventually the rain trailed off and we made our way to Old Chicago's. I had forgotten at first that we went to Old Chicago's, but was reminded of the fact simply by looking at the wall and seeing a Chicago Cubs jersey. Or a Chicago Bears team photo. Or a record sleeve from every album the band 'Chicago' ever recorded. I think they even had a pair of lederhosen used in the parade in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which was filmed in... Well, you know.

I had a non-standard 'liquid diet' that night, but that's a whole nother story.

I wanted to get another suiting run in for RMFC and it pretty much came down to either a dance on Saturday night (if you want to call the strange twitches and gyrations I do 'dancing') or a return trip on Sunday. With strawberry lemonade still sloshing about inside me I figured I'd be better served waiting til Sunday.

<--->

I spent a good chunk of Sunday making two trips to Autozone. Turns out the battery on Wolf's car was on its death bed and he needed a new one to get his car out of the parking lot. And also to drive his car back to California.

I bought more stuff at the con (way more stuff than I expected to buy; Thanks a lot, Corgie! *grump*) and suited up one last time on Sunday afternoon. I was glad to be able to get some photos with SuiterHyena/Raccoon and SuiterOtherSnowleopard, as well as with SuiterYetAnotherSnowleopard and SuiterBatHusky. There were also pics with random humans too but I'm not going to try to give them individual generic nicknames.

And then suddenly the con was over. It ended too fast, but then again it always does, doesn't it? I took a quick shower and changed into my 'normal clothes', then rode the elevator down with two non-furs. The hotel was starting to go through it's transformation now, from fantastical furry gathering to mundane place where normal people sleep at night when passing through town. One of the non-furs looked at me and quipped 'you're not wearing a tail', to which I patted my suitcase and remarked 'It's packed away'.

Swiped, cat-thief-like, from  Sarahdee

Where are you staying?
At home and sleeping in my warm bed. I'll be commuting to the con from my (not very) mountainous domain in Northern Colorado

What day are you getting there?
I definitely intend to be there most of the day Saturday and a chunk of Sunday too. Maybe, MAYBE on Friday afternoon.

Who will you be with?
Nobody in particular. Yet.

Who will you hang out with during the convention?
Not sure! I'll know when I get there.

Are there any panels you might be attending?
I very well might stick the schedule on a dartboard and go with random chance. But 2's Rant (if I'm there on Friday) and Kyell Gold's reading are 2 non-suit related things I may attend

Will you be suiting?
*purrRRRR* Mmhm!

What is your gender?
Male

How old are you?
Older than I want to be

How tall are you?
Taller than I want to be

Are you single?
Yes

Can I hang out with you?
Sure, I suppose. I'll try not to be boring.

Can I talk to you?
No. You are allowed to hang out with me but NOT talk to me. ;)

Can I touch you?
High fives, hugs, fist-paw-bumps, and the snow leopard secret handshakes are okay. Gropes not particularly appreciated.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Hug? Yes. Snuggle? Maybe. Depends on how drunk I am. (Note: I don't drink much)

How can I find you?
If I'm in suit I'm pretty easy to find. If I'm not in suit you can probably note me on FA or IM me via AIM or Skype (deets in my FA info)

Can I visit your room?
I won't have a room. You can visit 'my' sidewalk though?

Can I buy you drinks?
Nah, but you can ask if I want to have drinks with ya. I won't drink much though since (barring an unexpected 8h nap in the con hotel lobby) I'll be driving at high rates of speed on the interstate each night I attend the con and I want to avoid that drinky-drinky-crashy-crashy thing.

Can I give you stuff?
As long as it's something intangible like a hug or a ruffle or a kind word. I have too much stuff as it is.

Are you nice?
I'd like to think so? But who knows. I think most people think they are nice and most people think they are funny but the law of averages means that some of those people are wrong.

How long are you going?
Until Sunday-ish.

Do you have an artist table?
Nope!

Will you have art in the Art Show? General or Adult sections?
Nope!

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Preferably lurk in the shadows, sneak up in my blind spot and when I'm distracted by something else leap out and tackle me by the legs so you completely surprise me.

Wait, no, I mean the opposite of that.

Where will you be most of the time during the day?
Will probably be at the fursuit parade and/or the fursuit games (likely as an observer)

What/where will you be eating?
Food. At restaurants. That's about as specific as I can get at this point

Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?
The better question is: Can *I* come with *YOU* for food/fun/etc?

Can I take a picture of you?
Sure!

When you go to RMFC, what do you like to buy?
I hear the hotel commissary has killer prices on fingernail clippers and Denver postcards, so I will definitely be shopping there. Maybe an item or two from the dealer's room as well.

"Are you guys going to be in town next weekend? They've got this furry con thing going on downtown. It's like, people who dress up like animals and act like animals." So said Jack, the guy riding with us on the express bus from the airport. I'd never been to Anthrocon before but I'd heard that the city was welcoming to our community, and unofficial town representative Jack--a 20-something retail employee--seemed to reinforce that feeling. He had no idea we were furries at the time and he spoke of the event as... well... an event! Not an embarrassment or a freak show, but of a Real Big Deal ™ in the city. Even though Jack might have been a bit off on the con dates, it was a pretty good omen.

But then the bus driver, obviously being sabotaged by Dennis Hopper and without Keanu Reeves to save the situation, roared right past the stop at 7th and Smithfield. Eight furries on the bus gasped in fear 'Oh no!' said one. 'Why isn't he stopping?' said another. 'We're all going to die!' yipped a third**. We raced past the Doubletree, past the hockey stadium, under a bridge and into Oakland, miles and miles (well, blocks and blocks) from the convention center. Furries swarmed the driver, 'Help!' 'You've got to stop!' 'We're all going to die!' they said. How ever would this ragtag group of furries get back to the convention center and salvage their vacation weekend? How would they survive in this foreign part of this foreign city? It wasn't that hard, actually. The bus driver pointed out that even though several people had pulled the 'request stop' cord, nobody stood up (??) so he just kept going. He gave us all transfer slips and instructed us to walk a few blocks over and catch any bus going the other direction. They would take us back to Furry Mecca. So the eight of us trudged down sidewalks, some of us carrying conspicuously large suitcases, others wearing t-shirts with wolves and cats and dingos on them. It felt like a scene from an indie movie. A very short, not-that-interesting indie movie. We got back to the con in short order, but I still think Dennis Hopper was involved somehow.

** - Events may be embellished for dramatic effect

<--->

I've been to several furry cons before but only a small handful with a suit and never have I voluntarily worn a suit outside in public before, but I didn't have much choice this year. I'd be staying at the Doubletree, a good 5-blocks away from the Westin with the convention center another block beyond that. I'd have to walk it in suit in 85F+ temperatures and very high humidity. Yay for Heatgear ™!

I was nervous as I walked outside. I had no handler and had only a cursory knowledge of the layout of the city, but there I was, a giant snow leopard strolling down 6th Street. Cars honked, but it was to wave and give a thumbs up instead of to flip the bird. People asked for pictures. Others stated the obvious that 'It sure must be hot in there'. The vibe Jack-from-the-bus gave was dead on: The city was welcoming and tolerant.

<--->

At some point I'm going to be in a supermarket line and see 'Try the new Fursuit Diet!' splashed across the front page of a tabloid, probably next to a story about the most recent sighting of BatBoy at the Pentagon. I know, it's nothing new to point out how hot it can get in a fursuit, but just to put it in context I spent the 7 weeks leading up to Anthrocon participating in an walking challenge at work. I was walking 5-7 miles per day, every day and in the course of those 7 weeks I lost 0.0 pounds. After two afternoons of suiting at Anthrocon I lost 6 pounds. So yeah. Next time Seth Rogan or Jonah Hill needs to shed a few pounds for a role, may I suggest donning a fursuit and romping around a furry con for a weekend?

<--->

Sobo was right when he told me that the fursuit parade was commonly referred to as a death march. As we milled about the dealer's room Saturday morning he let me know what to expect: cramped quarters, interminable waits, and a loooong slooooow walk. I didn't *totally* brush him off but in my head I was thinking 'Hey, I just spent 4h in suit yesterday all by myself. I'm sure I can handle it. Hur hur hur!' I'd never been in a fursuit parade of any kind, and was naive about how stressful the experience would be. We gathered in a huge, air conditioned convention hall which you'd think would be plenty fine. Except that we were crammed together and had to stand completely still for 2 full minutes while they took a panoramic camera shot. That's not an exaggeration: They ticked off the time... 30 seconds.... 45.... halfway there... A minute 20 now.... I thought camera technology had advanced beyond that 'stand perfectly still' thing sometime around 1950? If they had taken a thermal image photo of all 1300 fursuiters I am sure the room would have looked like a supernova. Finally the photo was done, but then began the waiting. It took a good 10-15 minutes until it was our turn to go, 10-15 minutes of standing shoulder to shoulder with hyper-hot fuzzballs. There were no chairs to sit on. There was no room to sit down.

I marched with other Scribblers Jager, Sobo and Kaelian. It was a surreal experience. Everyone lining the parade route had cameras. Everyone. And they were pointed everywhere. I wanted to wave, but to who? I'd spot cameras pointed at Jager's impressive rack in front of me and Sobo's brilliant blue eyes right behind me and I didn't want to wave like a doof to those cameras because I didn't want to seem like I was trying to photobomb the shot. So I just sort of stumbled my way through the march, er, parade until it mercifully let out into an impromptu headless lounge. I don't know if there's really a way to practice being in a fursuit parade other than to imagine yourself a pompous celebrity and just wave blindly to nobody in particular and hope that the photographers happen to be looking your way when you do.

<--->

I went into the weekend with exceedingly low expectations. I only knew a small pawful of furries who would be attending and they were almost all going to be spending every waking hour and several sleeping hours working in the dealer's den or presenting panels. I knew only one other fur who would be there, but he was a fraction of my age and you never know how generational gaps are going to go over in person. It could wind up with big awkward silences:

Me - 'I remember when Prince changed his name to a symbol'
Him - 'Who?'
Crickets - *chirp*

But hanging out with the 20-somethings wasn't too bad. In order to protect their identities I'll simply call them 'Bobcat', 'Ringtail', and 'Bananadog' because I don't think they'd want it known that they were hanging out with an older dorkwad. They made for excellent dinner conversations on Saturday night and I thank them for putting up for my pointless rambles. It was quite enjoyable watching the three of them trying to drive in Forza while thoroughly blitzed on sake, and it was similarly entertaining listening to a tipsy Ringtail rant about just about everything: 'I hate foxes and how they clog up the elevators!'; 'Those fursuits look dumb dancing like that'; 'I hate losers who go all the way to a furry con to go play in the video game room.... Hey, let's go to the video game room!'

<--->

In the end I am glad I went. The time went by way too fast (as it always does) but I had a good time and it was nice to to put faces behind some of those FA/user pages I've grown so accustomed to seeing. So now the countdown starts for next year... Just three hundred and fifty some days til AC 2014!