Well heck, that was fast! 10 months later and I have been to three cons
-TFF (in Dallas! By myself)
Which spurred me to kick off a conversation with a person who became a new best friend!
-TFS (in Dallas!)
In which I suited, snuggled with another new friend, and presented a panel on snoozing!
-ACFL
Which I toured with both friends and made a few new acquaintances.

Other amazing things and experiences I now have:
* A fantastic half suit that I strive to maintain.
* A commission from one of my favorite active artists, glopossum
* A gender-fluid sona
* Experience at a Furry Rave in North Austin!

A lot of this was made possible by a couple of things I could not control. And a couple things I could.

Generational wealth
I have a stable salaried job and a positive relationship with my family. I'm now a Suspiciously Wealthy Furry. Hooray!

CHWM privilege
I deliberately keep my presence in the community under wraps from all family except my partner and close friends. Same goes for queerness. I can pass as being a cis-het white male to all the power structures in my life. This is a huge deviation from a lot of furries and other folx I know, who live their truth. But it does give me a reserves of financial and emotional stability that I can share with other friends of mine on the margins.

Mental health management
I seek therapy, couples therapy, psychiatric support and spiritual support. I've found that the advice of other people, paid and unpaid, drastically outperforms whatever I came up with. I take medications as prescribed to me, and I've seen a major drop in my anxiety.

Infertility
My partner and I would have had a baby by now if we had the choice. Earnestly, I would trade all of the experiences I've had this year away if it could have meant that I had a child by this time. But I don't get to call the shots. so for the time being, I'm making the best of the time I have without a child.

Another con is coming. It might be the first of many more. It might be my last. It's my hope that in the next month, I can decide what it is that I want to take away from it. One way or another, I have faith that it will be very special.