last journal from many years ago felt dated, thought i'd update.
i dont really use inkbunny much anymore either. while keyword blocking was nice, it wasnt really what i was after as a whole.

im mostly on twitter, telegram, discord, and VRchat these days.
ive started selling VRchat content on gumroad, maybe i should post info about it as submissions here. time will tell if i follow through with that.

for now i'll just leave a link to my gryphon VRchat av base for sale.

https://gum.co/gryph

i went to inkbunny a while ago, but here you go.

Inkbunny: https://inkbunny.net/Zarphus

i also have weasyl and FN accounts, but will be most active on IB.

Weasyl: https://www.weasyl.com/~zarphus
FN: https://beta.furrynetwork.com/zarphus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Zarphus
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/Zarphus
Telegram: https://telegram.me/Zarphus

i have skype too, but prefer telegram these days.


disclaimer: i may still browse FA a little, but ive found myself becoming less and less active on FA as time goes by.

yep, i'll be there saturday only though. msg me on twitter or telegram to meet up. :>

Excerpt from a journal by OmegaLTD: "I received an email from Faithry's father informing me he passed away from a brain hemorrhage on the 8th November, age 34. This is why we have not heard from him since then."


I knew Faithry pretty well, or, as well as one can expect. Faithry was always diligent about keeping their real life and online life separate, so i didn't get to know too much about them outside of their online identity.

As a person, he was kind, and fun to chat with. he helped me keep my sanity during a pretty rough time, back around 2005. i feel really bad now for not talking with him much over the last year. its easy to take the ability to chat with a friend for granted, sometimes. :/

As a character, Faithry was the dommy swan everyone knows. I'm sure the lights will be left on in her lab for a while to come, keeping her work going; her employees and some of her friends will see to that. :)

Both the person, and the character, will be missed dearly.

Remember to celebrate their life, rather than dwell on mourning their death. I'm sure they would much prefer a jovial remembrance, over a somber one.

FA: its turning to shit so fast...

google surveys? really? google already has enough info on me to know where i am every day, what my favorite foods are, and probably how to talk dirty to me the way i like. i dont need this shit.

i have ABP. i have noscript, but im tired of having to treat my furry art site with the same suspicion i have to with your average mp3 download site.

https://inkbunny.net/Zarphus < most active, most content.
https://beta.furrynetwork.com/zarphus/ < somewhat active?, not as much content, im currently leaning towards this over weasyl, however.
https://www.weasyl.com/zarphus < not very active, not much content, still a little more active on FA than Weasyl, soon to change?

Telegram: https://telegram.me/Zarphus
Steam: https://steamcommunity.com/id/Zarphus
Skype: Zarphusaran (prefer telegram or steam these days unless for voice. skype is turning as bad as FA with its ads and invasive crap)

wow. what a great con. i barely know where to begin on this one.

game room:
it started with a little concern for Arek, who i saw alone in a completely empty game room thursday night looking like he had to set everything up himself! i wish i had the time to have helped him out, but i was already there for a reason and couldn't break that plan. despite that he did a great job handling the game room. i had a great time throughout the weekend at it between Steel battalion (thanks to Salun for bringing it), Gon' E-Choo! (thanks to Ante for both developing it, and bringing it! buy it on steam :V http://store.steampowered.com/app/384990/ ), and smash bros, which i brought controllers and controller adapter for the room, that got plenty of use. :>

con space:
people loved my gryphon fusion t-shirt almost as much as my fursuit! XD its a good thing i commute, so i was able to take it home and wash it so i could wear it both friday and sunday :D
so many people wanted hugs and photos and to say hi, and interact with me! it was a wonderful boost to my self esteem. i think i really needed that about now, too, so thanks to everyone who made me feel like a welcomed part of the con experience.
my sphero went over well, too. people really enjoyed it and i had a lot of fun driving it around :D
this was my first furpoc with the bird call, and after having nearly 8 months to learn how to use it, i really had an impressive range and i got all around positive reactions to it! i wanted to break away from the traditional 'squeaker' sound, and i feel like i pulled that off very well. :>

events:
i got pretty lucky this year!
first prize in apples to apples tournament
first prize fursuit games
semifinals grab bag 64 tournament [thanks to Yoshils for hosting that!] i felt bad leaving a bit early, but i wanted to socialize more around the con, and i was surprised by how long i'd already stayed in the tourney to begin with!
win or lose, i always have fun at these events, and was glad to participate again this year!


final:
i met so many old friends, made some new ones, and i had a wonderful time all around! i wish i could name them all here but that would honestly be a daunting and time consuming task to make sure i didnt leave anyone out! most of you already know who you are anyway :D


future cons: i dont know if i'm going to be doing ANE or Anthrocon, or both, but right now it seems likely that i will be doing at least one, and leaning towards AC.

yup, i'll be there! anyone else? :D

Diner meets: June 5, July 3.
Furry Picnic: June 6
Anthrocon: July 9-12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-77ElyvRxI

First of may
First of may
Outdoor fuckin' starts today!


And if you hate WoW so much you cant stand a funny vid containing it, heres a boring version. :3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCbD8nsxcd8

still a bitter taste with that sidebar crap, but at least they fixed it.

disclaimer: im not pulling a 'baww im leaving 5evr'.

i sat back and watched.
and waited.
and said "i'll stick around, but the moment i see IMVU make its first big step towards totally fucking over FA, i'm kinda done".

SIDEBAR!

gg.

what this means for me:
i probably wont post too many more pics to FA, but i might browse some. and whenever i have the option to use FA or IB when doing something, i'll opt for IB as first choice. anything i post here will also be viewable on IB, but you can expect IB to have more content.
what this means for IMVU:
they can eat a bag of zombie dicks. not regular, relatively clean, fresh dicks. rotting, smelly zombie dicks.

have a link.
https://inkbunny.net/Zarphus


if you feel the need to keep using FA, i suggest either:
1: getting adblockplus.
2: re-enabling ABP for this site if you have it but disabled it for FA.
3: keep using ABP.

yup, im going! i'll be there friday through sunday.
PM or IM me if you wanna hang out or something. it'll be easiest if we swap phone numbers beforehand.

furries are the only group of people i can think of with no major political, religious, or financial ties, that have been specifically targeted by chemical terrorism.

"what the fuck are you going on about now, Zarph?"

- about 12:45 AM on sunday, dec. 7, in a stairwell at MWFF, a container of what is believed to be chlorine powder was broken open, producing high amounts of chlorine gas. this caused 19 to be hospitalized, and 2000+ to be evacuated from the convention hotel. investigators, at this time, believe the act was intentional.

what.
the.
actual.
fuck.

seriously. it must take some seriously deranged individual to pull this kind of shit. a makeshift chlorine bomb?

i havnt posted journals in a while, so i thought i'd just give a little update and a few of my current thoughts and projects. i also noticed i never posted a furpocalypse journal!

so, lets start with furpocalypse. i had a wonderful time. compared to furfright, it was nearly identical. a few small changes, some for the better, some were indifferent. nothing really worse in any way. Belic set a good thing in place with furfright, and they didnt stray very far from the formula, as i expected and hoped.

my bat-bird costume went over great! though the wings saw a fair bit of abuse in the fursuit games, they got minor tears and held together fine. the instamorph teeth were so easy to make too <3

i was a little disappointed i didnt see certain people there, but i guess that always happens with a convention youve gone to for 10 years. some people return every year, some dont.

the person who won the faux fur in the raffle was nice enough to let me have the remainder of what he didnt want, which was actually a *lot* of scraps and sections of fur. ive recently obtained a simple sewing machine and plan on experimenting with what i can make :D

so, after furpocalypse-

i went back to maine for my brothers wedding. which was neat. until my sister stole my medicine and sold it the last day i was over. that was a nasty hassle to get the meds back, but i got that solved before i completely ran out. so, whatever. i just had no idea she was so messed up. she wasnt like that when i moved out. but ive moved on.

i'd like to leave on a good note however, so, here's a quote :>

"it takes a keystone to keep a bridge up for people to travel on. you were that keystone for a long time and you deserve recognition for it" - me, to belic just before leaving furpocalypse Sunday night.

i know i know, everyones journal inbox is flooded with these. but i'd feel terrible if i didnt show my respects.

recently we've lost a lot of iconic figures.

James Hardiman, known by many as Skunkworks, was taken from us far too soon. if you followed along, you, as well as he, knew there was a risk this day would come. he was on a waiting list for a new kidney. and if he didn't get one in time, he would die. he acknowledged this. i do not know the details beyond that, and dont want to jump to conclusions, but it's possible that he either didnt get the kidney in time, or there were complications from a transplant surgery.

Robin Williams' death was shocking and sudden. a sobering call back to the very real dangers of depression and suicide.

Joan rivers, just as sudden. she was 81, and had lived a long, and successful life.

all three of these people will be greatly missed by their fans, friends, and families alike. each of these individuals helped shape the very communities they were involved with, and those respective communities will remember and honor those contributions for years to come.

20+ hours of fursuiting.
second place in steel battalion tourney! <3
First place in Fursuit Games!
played lots of cards against humanity.
beat a lot of people in smash bros while fursuiting, lol.
met tons of awesome people.
the people of pittsburgh made me feel like a celebrity.
ordered a meal in fursuit :P
drunk nonfur guy slapped my feathered ass o.o
a news photographer thought checking my phone in suit was amusing!
http://wesa.fm/post/updated-furries.....anthrocon-2014
another photographer pulled me aside for this shot! :3
http://instagram.com/p/qCRGAMIHG4/

this is the LONG version of the journal. only read this if you are REALLY interested in my weekend. i'll post a much shorter journal covering highlights in a bit.

i should have made this sooner. like a dream, the wonderful details are already growing hazy as i fondly look back at anthrocon. once again it has trumped every other convention weekend to be the best i've ever had.

thursday i barely remember now xD i know i picked up my badge. then i fursuited around a little, and met a few people.

friday: i fursuited for 7 solid hours, taking a break for an hour in my hotel room in the middle of this. i felt absolutely amazing. my first full convention fursuiting with the new halfsuit, and i felt like a goddamn rock star.
its the 4th, and both the tourists and the pittsburgh natives were so incredibly welcoming and friendly towards me. countless people running up to me and asking for photos, piled on top of meeting so many friends, i couldnt even begin to name them all here, and i'd be too afraid of forgetting one in the list anyway, but if i saw you, and i hugged you or did anything to try to get your attention or chat it up even briefly, you are one of those people who made my weekend great!
During friday, one random guy with a nice camera pulled me aside as i looked for the game room, asking for a photo. i posed for him on the roof of the con center, and he got an incredible shot of the roof area and sky above, with a rather small looking me in the center. it was impressive! he asked me if i had instagram and i said no. but i made an instagram on saturday to discover a photo by a well known indie photographer with hundreds of favs already! http://instagram.com/p/qCRGAMIHG4/ i was speechless. i felt so wonderful not only to be welcomed by the locals so thoroughly, but to even be unknowingly representing the fandom for the start of the con on this guy's feed was really nice. and then i checked twitter and my mind was blown. valdor fox pointed out that i had managed to end up on a pittsburgh radio news site. http://wesa.fm/post/updated-furries.....anthrocon-2014 apparently one of the photographers for the site thought it was quirky and cute that i was checking a text on my phone as i walked the path of the convention center's beautiful water display on 10th street. in reality i think i may have merely been checking the time, wondering if it would be feasible to wait for a shuttle on the street above :P at some point throughout the day, i went the game room in fursuit for a bit, and kicked everyones ass in smash bros. still not sure how i did that with the fursuit on. later, i ended up wandering the dealers room. met a lot of artists and friends from past years, mingled, checked out some merchandise, talked to someone selling necomimi ears about my plans for a fursuit head using one, and then i found a steel battalion machine. i couldnt believe someone had brought steel battalion to anthrocon! i had always pondered the idea of bringing my own copy to a convention to let people try, but never did out of fear for the device and the possibility of it being damaged. then i found out this guy had 6 of them there and was doing a tournament that night! damn right i was in! i also found the new Zoo. it looked like a prison cafeteria, but it had food and ice cream stand. still a VERY unappealing atmosphere though, especially compared to the ballroom we're accustomed to from prior years. but i didnt have long to the tourney. i went to my hotel room for the second time, got out of fursuit, cleaned up, got some food, and went back to the con center for the first time out of suit that day. made it to the roof of the con center just in time for the fireworks, and then ran over to the tournament. as one of the few people who actually owned the game, i made it to the last round with ease (a bye helped, too). in the last round there was a lot of error and confusion, leaving me with a somewhat sub par mech due to a mistake, and nobody could find eachother to fight. i ended up getting shot from behind while everyone was lost. oh well. i still took second, and won some neat stuff! it was 1AM by then, so i went back to the room and collapsed into bed being thoroughly satisfied with a mind blowing beginning to the convention.

Saturday: that morning i found the news pics of my suit. i was in the fursuit parade, and got together with all the other birds i could find for it <3. i entered the grab bag n64 tourney, lost to odendo in fighters destiny. notevenmad.jpg it was an awesome fight right down to the wire. and i hadnt played that game in like 10 years :D, afterward, i got my hands on an autograph from Jim Cummings for Mustel (thanks for helping with that, Yurex!) and went back to my hotel and fursuited more. but it was saturday night! the city was abuzz with activity, and not just furries! sports fans were in and out the whole weekend, and 4th of july tourists were there too. i had a hard time leaving the hotel, because so many people wanted photos with me! and then.. wow. just wow. a guy comes up to me, slightly drunk, asking tons of questions about furries. i answered them all pretty well, especially when it came to him trying to get me to say its a sexual thing. 'it takes all kinds' was more or less my reply. i would've liked to have been funnier, like "well you know, i heard sports fans have sex too. and catholics. and even teachers and doctors. and i heard even antiquing enthusiasts think about sex!". but then as i kept moving and yet another group stopped and asked for a photo, the same guy slapped me on the ass. 0.0 a straight, half buzzed nonfurry slapped my tailfeathered ass. and all i can do is be there like 'waitwat o_o'

Sunday: the fursuit games were top of my to do list. but i wanted to check out the dealer's room one last time too. not enough time to go back and get into suit in between. so i got into suit, walked to the con, walked around the dealers room, then went to the fursuit games. by all rights i shouldve been tired by then, but i had been careful all con to hydrate and preserve energy. and ultimately, we won! got a nice little trophy from it, too! the event kinda forced me to try to dance for the first time ever, too o.o. so, when you find the video, enjoy my lame flailing.
then i did something highly amusing. i went to subway on the way back to the hotel in full fursuit, to save time. ordered my meal, got my cup, got everything together, and left while sipping my drink in full suit. people seemed surprised i could separate the lid and get the straw out of the wrapper x3.
so then i got out of suit, and spent a little more time relaxing and around the con. the zoo was back in the ballroom now, and then the urge to fursuit one final time hit me. so, like any congoer with a little energy left on the final night of the con, i got into suit. this time changing my outfit from the 'tropical' getup to my 'hoodie' one. which proved amusing. im VERY glad i did get back into suit because even on the final night it helped me find a couple more people i had been meaning to locate and spend at least a few minutes with.

the return: even at rest stops on the way i met some new furries, lol. #reststopcon2014 we also detoured through manhattan, and then the bronx. manhattan was great. got some snapshots of the skyline.
everything bad you ever heard about the bronx is true. D:

anyway...
BEST.
CON.
EVAR.

i plan on getting there thursday morning. if you'd like to spend time together that day, just PM me contact info i can use at the con ^v^

Where are you staying?
the Renaissance, i think. (gotta doublecheck)

What day are you getting there?
Thursday morning, leaving monday.

How are you traveling?
road trip <3 Eidolun and Ottolupo

Who will you be rooming with?
also Eidy and Otto :3

How is the best way to find you?
BUURD!

Are there any panels you might be attending?
fursuiting ones, since i'm a bit new to that. :> oh, and a couple of the GoH ones!

What do you look like?
BUURD!

Will you be suiting?
yiss. BUURD!

Do you do free art?
if i could draw, i probably would. or not. hard to say.

Do you do trades?
i'll give you my crackers for your fruit snacks!

Do you do badges?
badges? we dont need no stinkin' ba- *brick'd*

What is your gender?
BUURD!

How tall are you?
5'7"

Can I talk to you?
Sure.

How can I find you?
Birdwatching is a worthwhile endeavor.

Can I visit your room?
probably, just ask first.

Can I buy you drinks?
non alcoholic, yes. sorry, it's because reasons.

Can I give you stuff?
aw yiss.

Can I hug or snuggle with you?
*shrug* only if i know you?

Are you nice?
i try.

How long are you going?
Thursday morning, until Monday morning.

Do you have an artist table?
lolnope

Will you be going to parties?
i usually try to find one or two. i prefer the more laid back ones though.

Will you be performing?
Nope. I wish I did.

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
"BUUURD!"

Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
The con floor, game room, panels, Zoo.

What/where will you be eating?
i enjoy variety, but want to keep costs low, so places under 15$ to fill up.

Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?
plans are so hard to keep there, so just ask :>

Can I take your picture?
if i'm in suit, absolutely! if i'm not, you probably wont' want to. x3

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
its been 3 years. i have so much catching up to do! :D but above that, i want to have a world of fun with my new fursuit, and i know i will. <3 wait, does anyone even read these? eh, whatever.

so i finally ordered some of this Instamorph stuff. i was kinda skeptical at first. it made a lot of promises, moldable with your bare hands, non toxic, no fumes, completely reusable, durable and strong when hard.

it's all pretty much true!

so far i've tested and toyed with it a bit like one would a lump of clay. just making various little shapes and stuff, so i can see how strong it is when it cures. it's very easy to work with.

what it is: Polycaprolactone: a low temp thermoplastic that becomes soft and pliable at around 145F.

how to use it: it takes a couple of minutes to soften when put in water already heated to a simmer. when soft, it feels warm, but not anywhere near as warm as the water you removed it from. if it starts to harden before you're done with it, just dip it back in the warm water to keep it soft. if kept on the low end of the temperature, it's not very sticky. but the hotter you make it, the more sticky it becomes.

the price: fairly reasonable. i managed to find 6 ounces for 12$ USD. not bad, since it's reusable; even the scrap and shavings can be put back into the bag to use with the next batch

things i've done with it:
made shapes and thin rods to test strength, attached a switch to a battery case for a light up conbadge, added some material to the end of a wire to protect where it was beginning to wear.
experimented with using it as both a cast and a mold for the same item. due to its low rate of heat transfer, this does work!

things i havn't tried but have heard you can do:
paint it, sand it, mill it, cut it. - as long as the action is done slowly, as to not rise the temp too high.
custom fit wearables like rings and bracelets.
some clinics have started using it to custom fit the support cups for prosthetic limbs, and animal clinics to make custom animal casts and splints.
costume items galore! its natural color is good for costume teeth- especially fursuit teeth! and since it can be dyed and painted, claws, teeth, horns, or even hooves!
repair or even make your own toys and figures.

the up sides:
reusable
far stronger and more flexible than any form of modeling clay, but still very easy to work with and shape with bare hands or tools.
least expensive prototyping method i can think of.
no fumes, no need to wear special safety equipment.

the down sides: low melting temp is a double-edged sword. dont exactly leave this stuff sitting on the heater. as a rule of thumb, if you wouldnt want to place your hand on or in it for fear of it being too hot to the touch, you probably shouldn't leave this stuff on or near it either. i'd probably keep it out of extended direct sunlight, too, but i have not yet tested that. needless to say, that means it isn't dishwasher safe, either.

what can melt it:
lighters (leaves it a smoky color, though)
heat guns (this is ideal when working with small portions, or you want to reshape a part of something you already made.
a hair dryer on max heat up very close. (takes a while, but it'll do it)

it's a little weird to recommend the same thing to be in your art supply box AND your toolbox. but this stuff fits the bill in both areas :D

and finally: where to get it:
it goes by multiple names. polymorph, instamorph, shapelock. it's technical name is Polycaprolactone.
instamorph seems to be the most well established brand name for it, and best overall online price.
you can get it on Ebay, amazon, etc.
the website has some impressive examples of what can be done with it!
http://www.instamorph.com/

my fursuit is complete! (Thanks, Noble!) i'll probably post some pics to my gallery soon <3

i'll be at Furry Picnic, Anthrocon, ConnectiCon, and possibly Maltese Furcon this year!

and as a reminder to my friends: i'm on twitter now: https://twitter.com/Zarphus . its not my primary means of communication (skype, steam, FA, and IB are still higher on the list) but i find it handy to have, especially for finding friends at conventions, and telling friends where to find me at them :3

i cant believe i didnt make a journal about this sooner!

i've been to the NE furs CT bowling meet once before. it was fun, but without a fursuit at the time, and not knowing many people, it was a little less than awesome.

this time: complete opposite! some more people i already knew were there this time, and i feel like i was able to warm up to a lot more people, both newly met and ones i've seen around the local meets. which is just what i needed right about now. :3

HAVE SOME VIDYA! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpWyc4qrMhc

it was made even more special by Valdor Fox http://www.furaffinity.net/user/valdorfox/, who was recording video for the meet. I'm rather unaccustomed to being the guy in front of the camera, but he gave me a fair amount of camera time and a chance to see how i look in motion in suit. which really helps me learn what i'm doing right and wrong in suit in the way of gesturing and emoting. i'm starting to learn, but from what i saw i've got quite a ways to go, and i still do a lot of things wrong.


the bowling itself:

i impressed myself on this one. i do have a bit of experience in bowling, i played in a league once or twice several years back, and ive got a basic bowling ball and a pair of shoes to show for it. nothing special though. my normal average is about 135.
but i've never thrown a ball with a fursuit head and tail and gloves on. o.o

but, well, my first ever throw in fursuit was a perfect strike xD the fingers of the gloves still fit my ball, so i went with it!
i was pretty pleased and surprised to see i had done better than the non suiters by the end xD, got a 144, and i dont remember the second, something in the 120's

today on doctor phil:

segment 1: crazy rabbit lady breastfeeding bunnies. not a furry, genuinely weird.

segment 2: this was the trainwreck we all knew it'd be. boomer the dog: technically a furry? he wants to be a dog. changing name, acts like dog, 48 years old, never been on a date, still a virgin. doesnt have a job, lives off money from his parents. fursuit made out of shredded paper. he seems like the kind of guy even most furries i know would avoid.

segment 3: mom hates her daughter for being a furry. the girl seems like, from a furry social standpoint, isnt too out of the ordinary. the problem? she's a fucking mooch. no job, mom pays for everything, she's 20. i didnt buy a fursuit until my financial and living situation were both well stabilized.

her mom is afraid someone will decide it's "hunting season" and shoot her.
she's afraid a fursuiter will rape her daughter.
she says "there is no professional furry". i'd like to introduce her to the big name artists, and professional mascots.

phil in this one said he has no issue with furries.
"i dont care what she does on the weekends. i dont care if she learns math with a tail on, as long as she learns it"

she's at fault for not getting her shit together.
her mom's at fault for hating on furries instead of making her get her shit together.

they had some convention footage in the show too. i recognized some people xD

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pe.....-2014/q0Vkk0Zr

seriously, the deadline is near and this one's as aggressive as ever. one of the mentioned key points of this version even wants to kill fanfiction, fan art, and any other fan based content. websites like screwattack.org will be at risk of being shut down, and companies will have even more power than they already do to censor public reviews. if it passes, twitch.tv will almost certainly disappear overnight, too.

this one is gonna need some signal boosting, guys. i dont normally suggest the whole 'retweet/spread/tell your friends' crap, but i think this time it's nessecarry. make a journal, tell your friends. spread it on twitfacejournalbookspace.

yup, new convention taking Furfrights place is furpocalypse. same time, same place!

http://www.furaffinity.net/user/furpocalypse

but we also have two new conventions in the area. in Massachusetts we'll have maltese furcon, and next year will be the first anthro new england. :D