Indy Fur Con 2022 Review!

Character Art by: nilsongomes (Fiverr)

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Most might not know it but, I was born and raised in Indiana. I grew up in a small city known as Terre Haute and it’s very easy to live under a rock when you come from a place so tiny. Some might know my history in finding the Furry fandom. I was introduced to it via a friend back in 2007 and had a very hard time finding communities so that I might explore the fandom a bit more in my teenage years…
Needless to say, Furries still weren’t very well-known back in 2007 (at least, not where I was from), and those that did know about Furries did not really accept them. So, a few years back when I was checking out a massive list of stateside conventions, you could say that I was more than a little shocked when I found out that my home state hosted its own Furry convention, and that this convention was only about an hour away from where I lived!

IndyFurCon (iFC) is an annual furry convention based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event was first held at the Hilton Indianapolis North on August 13-15, 2010.

– WikiFur

Like all Furry conventions, this event was partnered with an organization for charity. In the past, iFC partnered with Southside Animal Shelter, but, for the past few years (maybe more) and in 2022, iFC partnered with EARPS (Exotic Animal Rescue & Pet Sanctuary), raising money for the various animals in their care in order to get them the surgeries and medical attention they need as well as raising awareness and hopefully finding these animals their forever home.

Having not gone to a convention since 2018, I was itching to get back into the scene of it. I missed suiting, I missed the energy that the conventions had, and, I wanted to see how my homestate and its convention might differ from the other conventions I had attended in the past. Also, unlike other conventions where I would be rooming and hanging out with other suiters and Furries, this year my little Sister wanted to come along…a non-Furry wanting to attend a Furry convention to see if she could figure out the appeal.

And here was my overall impression…

• The Hotel:

The convention took place at the Marriott East Hotel in Indianapolis, and don’t get me wrong, this place is beautiful! There were several spaces open and available for running panels, the rooms themselves were very spacious with a few appliances for use (mini-fridge, TV, reading lights on the bed boards, coffee maker). The bathrooms were a bit cramped but, there was a massive tub so…there’s a plus! The rooms were nice and clean and I had no complaints about where we were staying in the slightest. We even had a good view of the courtyard! Between the restaurant/bar, the courtyard, the massive parking lot, the fountains, etc…this hotel really was like a dream!

Not only was the hotel itself super nice but, the location of the hotel was nice as well. While it’s nowhere near downtown Indianapolis (which is where all the shopping and bars are located), the hotel itself was located close to several different restaurants that were all within walking distance. There was Subway, Arby’s, Culvers, and even a McDonalds. For Furries that were on a budget this was super convenient since you would not have to DoorDash your food, and what was available wasn’t super expensive either. Not to mention, if you don’t have to use your car, you won’t have to worry about losing your parking space. There was also a Dollar Tree within walking distance which means even more for those that are struggling with extra money. So…as far as location goes, I think the Marriott is super convenient and a blessing for those that don’t have a ton of money to spend at the convention.

My only complaint would be the lack of elevators and the fact that for a hotel that has done this convention before…the Staff at the hotel did not really seemed prepared.

The first issue I had with the hotel was entirely my fault. Like most people, I reserved the hotel room online several months in advance (since rooms fill up quick) and I was convinced that the money had taken out from my account. But, when I got to the hotel, it turns out that online I had never paid- the system merely reserved my room for me and now instead of $325 and some change, I would owe $450 because of an incident fee they apply to the room (which you get refunded if there is nothing wrong with the room). Because I did not have nearly $500 in my account, my card was getting declined and my Sister ended up having to pay for the room which was a bummer. Not to mention, rooms were not open for check-in until 3pm. As a suiter, this makes it really hard since I have several cases of luggage that they are expecting me to leave in my car (and let me just say that Indianapolis is not the safest city- I used to live there and I’m speaking from experience) until that time, and, that makes suiting nearly impossible until later in the evening because of this. I also feel like the staff at the hotel was not super great at explaining their process, they just gave a lot of blank stares when asked basic questions and even their systems did not seem to be working properly because they couldn’t even print out receipts. So, while not knowing about the money taking out was totally on me, just…not being prepared for a massive group to come in and not having systems for even a simple reciept was a little annoying. I suppose in the future I could just come a day early for the convention but…that’s super expensive and I’m not sure I have the money for that.

They even gave my room to someone else after we had already checked in? My sister and I were rleaxing and unpacking our things when a random man just unlocked our door and walked into our room. We just stood there confused for a moment when the guy said he would go downstairs to fix the issue. My sister and I offered to watch his things while he worked on this problem…and then his friends showed up too! They didnt want to come in the room so we now had one guy down at the desk, another guy that went after the first guy, and this random girl outside our door watching everyone’s luggage minus the one bag we chose to watch for the guy. He did get his room fixed and he was a long way down the hall from us. But, that whole moment just made me think…

What if I had been changing? What if we had been sleeping or just crawling into bed? It really made us paranoid for the rest of the night every time we heard someone pass by our door.

• The Panels/Events:

The theme for iFC 2022 was “Furries on Broadway”, and so, a few of the panels and events revolved around this theme. There was an event called: “The Phantom of the Community Theater” and there was even a showtunes sing-along panel. A lot of panels just had to do with music in general but, like many Furry Conventions, there was an event or panel for just about everyone. The convention had video-games, tabletop gaming, they played “Artemis” which I have never done before (maybe next year), there was the Dealer’s Den and the Artist Alley, and even an escape room. There were a ton of comedy panels from stand-up mic shows to “Whose Lion is it Anyways?” which was absolutely amazing to attend. Then there were panels which had no real theme to them and just ended up being utter chaos (ie; Monkey Knife Fights). There were dances every night and they even had a DJ booth set up out in the courtyard for some partying. The courtyard itself had yard-Yahtzee and corn hole.

The organizers for these events were all VERY passionate about what they were doing…of that I have no doubt. But, for all the events that I attended with my sister…there were many that came off as a bit unorganized, some were downright boring, and my biggest issue was that there were a ton of good events that overlapped a lot of other events making it impossible to attend a lot of what you wanted to go to!

For example, Floor Wars was happening at the same time as the Phantom of the Community Theater…and that bled into another event for Furry Mingling which I really wanted to attend. I finished Floor Wars and ran to the Mingle only to catch the last 30-minutes of it which didn’t really give me a lot of time to do anything. Also, the Mingle…for as good idea as it was, it was poorly executed. Covid has obviously changed our culture, and it is always better to be safe than to be sorry…but, when you have 20 people (or more) sitting side-by-side, talking full-force at each other in hopes of building a connection, but we have to talk through masks? That’s horrid. My throat hurt so much from having to yell over so many other people. Most of the conversations I ended up having was me leaning into the person I was speaking to and yelling: “What?!” “Huh?!” “I’m sorry, what did you say?!” – and that was a vast majority of what we managed to cover. Don’t get me wrong, I still managed to talk about some subjects, but barely. Then, when everyone got up to exchange contact info, because I only made it on the butt-end of the event, no one even came up to get any of my contact info which really was a bit sad.

Likewise, there were a few events that did not really do what was advertised on the website description? I chose a panel based on War Reenactment. I like history and my family are all history buffs…so this was something I was super interested in. I walk into the panel room, see some of the war equipment, and I was fully expecting some sort of demonstration, only to be sitting there listening to someone talk about their reenactment stories and what it means to them. Now, is that a bad thing? No. But this speaker ended up running out of things to talk about…and it’s clear that this event could be so much more elevated. If you brought props, show how they are used! Pass around some items for the people to touch, to see, to tinker with a bit. Make it more interactive, make it more fun, and maybe even dress the part! I just feel like the event was at a 20 and could have easily been elevated to a 75 with minimal effort. Same with the campfire songs. I liked the event, but, I saw where it could have been so much better. There were so few attendees, chairs could have been arranged in a circle around the campfire to really give it a “camp” feel. There were three organizers all singing songs, but they all sang songs that the other organizers did not really know. I feel like the organizers would do well to learn the songs together, and they could have added things like music tracks, a screen where lyric videos could be posted for the audience, and, if any of them knew how to play the guitar, they could get in on that action as well! Again, it’s an event that was a 20 but could have been made into a 100 with very minimal effort. But of course, these are all volunteers and so, I know they don’t have all the time in the world for these things…but, these are ways they could improve for next year if they want to do similar events again.

But all the comedy panels were pure gold and I love the audience participation. I hope to catch even more of these panels and shows in 2023.

• Con Staff:

The convention staff were all super friendly…and the extra volunteers were really nice as well. I did not run into a single staff member that wasn’t very nice and willing to help in any way they could. Security was very vigilant in making sure that everyone was staying safe (and that included wearing their mask). And, even when there were blatant rule-breakers causing issues (which I saw a few), the Staff was very nice and professional in handling this issue. So, I give a thumbs-up to the con Staff and I know that I thanked quite a few of them for all their hard work and efforts to make iFC great!

• The Cons of the Con:

As I mentioned before, there were a few things that did not thrill me when it came to iFC. The overlapping of several of the panels was one such issue that was hard to overlook. also just the array of what was available. There were so many panels for some niche hobbies…but I still found nearly a whole day where I was waiting for some event that I was actually interested in. But, my biggest issue with the convention was the lack of a Fursuit Parade. Fursuit Parades are ICONIC at conventions and damn-near a staple of them. Fursuiters gather around and get their picture taken and then parade around the convention space so you can see all the fursuits all at once. This is always great for YouTubers to grab video and great for fursuit lovers to grab some pictures of their favorite suits. It’s also just a wonderful time for fursuiters! I know that when I asked the help desk about the parade, I was told that I was not the only person asking about it…and that they did not really have a reason as to why there was not one happening this particular year. and while it may seem silly, the lack of a parade just made the convention feel a little empty as the parade is practically a tradition.

The other con to the convention was during the dance competition. Seating made it impossible to see. And yes, I am aware that getting there early is impairative (but again, we go back to overlapping panels), but I think it’s really bad when behind me, I hear people talking about leaving because they can barely see the tops of the dancers ears. The seating was so terrible and, even though this particular room has two massive screens on either side of the stage, not a single one of them was utilized for streaming or showing the dance competition. If they had only done this, this would have made the xperience a billion times better. And my last gripe about the dance competition isn’t about the organizers…its about the people attending.

When people saw that the seating was pretty trash (myself included), many people then moved to stand against the wall so they could at least see something. This was fine as we all were very courteous with each other (ie; we stood flat against the wall and didnt angle out). But, there wa s agirl and her friend who not only decided to bring a bunch of their luggage and crap into the dance competition (NEVER do this), they then placed all their stuff by an outlet and speaker (again, do not do this…security might have forced us all to sit down had they seen this obvious fire hazard and risk to the equipment) in front of me…and then one of the girl angled herself out to where neither me nor my sister could see. Her friend noticed this and tried to get the girl to move against the wall, but the girl snapped at her friend causing some rather awkward drama. Just please…read the room, see what others are doing, be considerate of others.

The only other con to this convention is again, a personal one. This is my first year going to a convention in my home state where I really do not have a group of friends to share this…hobby with. Therefore, much as I had a great time with my sister, it did make me miss the days with Captain, Patch, and the other friends we made in the fandom. I think that next year, I want to try and not be such a wallflower…really insert myself into some groups and make some friends so I just don’t feel so left out and lonely for the next year.

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In conclusion, it wasn’t a bad convention. It actually reminded me a lot of Alamo City Furry Invasion when it first ran. It’s a smaller convention, clearly…and it was a little unorganized. There was a jumbled schedule that seemed to be always changing. There were overlapping events and misprints in the booklets. There were long waits to get to rooms due to there only being one elevator, and, there seemed like there were massive gaps in between some of the larger events. There were events missing that many people missed…but despite all of those things, I still had a blast.

Furries at these sorts of conventions always pass the vibe check. I might not have made any friends…but, the people I did have conversations with were wonderful company and we got in a lot of laughs. I actually did get a few people to exchange Twitter usernames with me so we could game together and even learned about a few Furry apps that I can make use of to find friends for next year. I got to joke with people, take some great pictures with some amazing fursuits, and got to share a lot of my previous con stories. I even learned about a few species I have never heard about before and so, I look forward to sharing those with you all (maybe in the future).

Was it perfect? No…but, it really didn’t have to be. The convention was still a fun and wonderful time and, it’s nice to know that they have so much room to grow because it means I get to experience those moments when they improve in the future. Also, it was just fun see ing the way my sister took it all in…the fandom, the events, just watching people live and party for a weekend without a care in the world.

But, I am so happy to be home now…back in my house, back with my dogs, ready to spend the week relaxing before I have to go back to being an adult.

But, tell me what YOU think?

Have you ever been to iFC? If you went to past conventions, how did iFC 2022 differ from other years? did you have fun at the convention? What is your local Furry convention and how often do you go? What was your favorite Furry convention and your least favorite?

As always, let me know your thoughts and opinion in the comment-section down below. While you’re at it, you can also view my iFC convention video!!! Thank you all for your continued support of this blog and, I will see you fuzzbutts in the next entry!!!

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• iFC 2022 – convention video:

• iFC Gallery:

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Cheshire’s Fursuit Journey (+ Unboxing)

Art by: Blu3Dawn14

A few years ago (3-4 years), I saw that Rune (my fursuit- mainly the head) was falling apart. Fearing that a 2.0 version would not really be possible for quite awhile, it was a relief when at long last an opportunity for another suit came along. My dear friend, Patch at CCSMascots wanted to try a new technique using liquid foam (which had become all the rage in making Fursuit head bases) and, he said that if his friends were willing to pay money towards the materials, then he would be willing to send them one of his new foam bases.

It was at this point that my friend Flamesvoices had started their own fursuit business and wanted some more items for promotional pictures. They made me an offer that I could not refuse. If I got the head base from Patch then, after paying for materials, they would make me a partial. It was winning scenario for everyone. Patch got to try a new technique in order to further improve their existing business, Flamesvoices got a project that they could show off as part of their portfolio, and I would get a new partial suit.

But…things started to get a little complicated from the very beginning…

Due to circumstances that I can no longer remember (it really was a long time ago), the liquid foam bases did not really work out as planned. But, still wanting to keep his word and promises, Patch offered to send one of his classic carved bases instead. I was fine with this arrangement as I was still desperate for a suit, and so, when the foam base was sent over, Flamesvoices got to work.

Because the base was more canid, the plan was to go with my Mecari character named Cheshire. The Mecari are an open species created by Patch, so, it only seemed fitting to bring her to life using his base. Cheshire’s character had also been designed originally by Flamesvoices so again, it just seemed like the perfect match. Cheshire had been designed with certain suit parts already in mind, and it would be Flamesvoices first time integrating solid parts (plastic, resin, etc) on a foam suit…so it was an experiment to say the least.

The parts pinned on and held to the foam just fine…

But when Cheshire moved into the “furring” part of the process, that’s where things began to take some more turns.

Again, this was a long time ago and so, I can’t really remember all the specifics. But at some point, Cheshire’s horns were just not working. They sat too small on the head and interrupted the shape of the ears. It was a complicated mess, and so, Flamesvoices asked me if they could try some minky horns instead to see if maybe those looked any better. I told them to go ahead and try it out, but once it was done, the end result was not really all that desirable (to me).

So, Flamesvoies decided they would try and find a way to make the original horns work. It was at this point that the head was becoming extremely heavy. More foam had been added to give it more shape and to smooth out a lot of the rougher cuts, and the ears were now causing a bit of an issue. At one point there was a problem with the jaw, and, Flamesvoices wanted to use the original teeth for a different project anyways- so fabric teeth ended up being used instead. Again, this method was more of an experiment, and something about the way the foam all came together made the jaw look a bit lopsided when the tongue of the suit was not completely center.

I was given a few other updates like the eyes, how the head was coming along after shaving and etc…and then life happened.

If you read my last entry then you will know that things got a little out of hand in my life. Cheshire as a project was already taking too long because of unforeseen complications and, on top of that, my own life was flipped completely upside down. So, in late 2020, I had to move from Texas back to Indiana. I took Rune with me but, because I did not have a solid place to live, I did not ask for Cheshire just in case I ended up moving a lot more. That same year I moved in with my Father and felt comfortable enough to have Cheshire mailed to me, but alas, she had yet to be completed.

More time passed and I was so busy in my new life that I gave up on Cheshire for the time being. In 2021 I got my own place and then in 2022, I finally had been at my job long enough that I had vacation time. That’s when I signed up for Indy Fur Con and I decided that now more than ever that it was time for Cheshire to come home.

Originally, Cheshire was supposed to be a partial but…that plan was never truly realized. Life and other things happened (obviously) so while I do finally have Cheshire in my possession, I was only given the completed head and I have a tail that was made for her by CCSMascots. I had some badges made for Cheshire as well. One was made by Patch and the other from an artist I commissioned at my first-ever Furry Convention. Alas, divorce can be such a messy thing and there were a lot of items I lost in the move that I might never find again.

But, I have Cheshire now and she is lovely. I was also given a lot of other small goodies which really made me feel good~ so it was a wonderful end to my day when all of that got delivered. I even made an unboxing video so, if you want to see me put on Cheshire and go over what it’s like to wear her, you can check out my video for that HERE.

Anyways, that’s all I got for this one. Next blog will probably be my overall thoughts and review of my experience at Indy Fur Con 2022 – so, I will see you then!!!

Making History at the Alamo City Furry Invasion 2017!

“It’s a sleepy day in the sleepy town of Fur City Bluff…” begins the narrative of ‘The Furry, Furry West’ within the ACFI con-book. The page sets the tone, giving us insight to a dusty town under the watchful eye of the Sheriff and his team, to a place where there is a fair coming up, and the looming threat of the Red-Mask-Gang.

Boots, badges, masks, and moneybags…this was the stage for San Antonio’s first-ever Furry Convention.

As someone living in Texas, I first heard of the San Antonio community back in 2016. I had just gone to a comic-con in Alamo City to meet the Power Rangers and I took my fursuit head with me. I thought this would be a great opportunity to suit for a little while, and get used to wearing my character in a crowded place…Needless to say that there were not as many furries there as I thought, and I quickly became intimidated. Long-story-short, this got me noticed (after the con) by a local who mentioned the furmeets happening within the area, and she asked me to add her on facebook so that she might invite me to said-events so I could attend.

While I was never really in the area to go to any of the meets (as I live over 2 hours away) I did research on them. This lead me to videos, and photos, to chatting with Adam King occasionally, and it really gave me an idea of what a Furry Community really looked like. Never did I think that such a tight-knit community could evolve into something so much greater…but after this weekend, I realized that myself along with 737 other people made history as we celebrated and experienced San Antonio’s new Furry Convention!

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• Standing out from all the rest:
  —Since there is already a Furry Convention held in Texas, a lot of people were wondering how ACFI stood apart. On the Official Website, their statement said: “We are working to bring more of the fandom to the state of Texas. We believe that by holding Furry Invasion on the dates we do, we will be offering more options to those that wish to participate in furry conventions rather than competing for attendees with limited time and resources.”
  There were other ways in which ACFI tried to distinguish itself as well. First was with a narrative: not just the one written in the con-book…this was a “live narrative” that followed the story from the con-book and would pop up during events around the convention. It followed the takeover of the town by the Red-Mask-Gang and the efforts to stop them. It ended with a ransom being collected to free one of the staff at the closing ceremonies, and then ended with a cliff-hanger when we learned that someone had taken the safe-box. This narrative would then pick up at ACFI 2018.

  Also, to set itself apart…the con-book was also made to be something like a yearbook. Attendees could have people sign their books or use the spaces to fill in their favorite memories. All of which I thought was an amazing and unique idea that would appeal to a large amount of those going.

(Top left):Avisiris Minnowgulper/ (Top Center):Captain/ (Top Right): Rune/ (Bottom Center): Escap’e

• Benefits of a brand-new convention:
  —There are several benefits to participating in a newer convention. Some reasons might be more selfish than others but it’s still fun to think about. I think the more ‘selfish’ reason is that you get noticed a lot more and its much easier to be social in a smaller crowd. One thing I noticed about TFF was that there was already established ‘groups’ of friends…and there was so much going on, it was often hard to get pictures, harder to stop and socialize, and it was much harder to stand out. But, with a smaller convention…you get noticed more often which means more pictures, more hugs, more people you actually get to talk to and get to know.

  But, the main reason that I like the idea of a new and smaller convention is because you get to see how it will change! You get to see the convention grow and evolve into something bigger, something better, something greater than you ever imagined…and you do so knowing what the first-ever convention looked like. You are written in as part of that convention’s history, and it’s something really neat to think about. I think it makes those memories in particular stand out all-the more.

 

Fursuit Parade- Group Photo 2017

• Breaking records:
  —ACFI ended up placing 2nd place for first-year attendance. There were 737 furries that attended this convention with 100 fursuiters. We raised over $1000 for charities, and this all stemmed from only 200 people originally being invited to the con. So, while we may not have placed first, there were still records broken which ACFI should be proud of!

 

• Helping Charity:
  —This year, ACFI chose a local charity called: Pets Alive!
  Their mission is that they are a life-saving organization that only rescues cats/dogs that have been selected for euthanasia. They are working hard to make San Antonio a no-kill community which is something I think we can all get behind! This organization provides a neonatal kitten nursery, parvo-ward, ringworm ward, medical clinic, foster and adoption programs, and a transport program- as well as other amazing things!

  ACFI was able to raise over $1000 for charity and if YOU would like to help this organization, links will be provided down below.

 

Rune giving high-fives

• Bringing smiles to people’s face:
  —I have always said that while Furries have become more normalized than they were before, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding the fandom. That is why I think that conventions are really important. It is a chance for us to mingle with the general public…to show them what we are about, and to really make a positive impression on the surrounding community. I loved walking off the elevators and the hotel staff asking for pictures. I also loved all the kids running around, asking for hugs and high-fives. I always love seeing the smiles that fursuits put on everyone’s faces. It shows me that we are setting the right example and really putting the fandom in the right light. Furries, to me, means fun and happiness…that is why I love dressing up in a fursuit for conventions such as this one.

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• Scheduling Errors:
  —Since it was a new con, one has to expect that things like scheduling might get a little out of hand. I guess that there was an issue with the schedule being printed in the book versus what was on the website. The schedule of panels that was posted on the website was correct, but, the schedule posted within the con-book were incorrect. This lead to a lot of people missing their events as well as some events having been cancelled that people were trying to attend ( as well as events overlapping and such). It was not so much ‘bad’ as it was inconvenient…and luckily, we still managed to make most of what we had planned to do.

 

• Very Small and Understaffed:
  —New Conventions are very small, and so one can not predict what may or may-not be there. At this con, there were a few vendors, but nothing on the scale of TFF or Anthrocon. Same as with the panels. They were small and kept simple. There are not so many rooms to utilize at the El Tropicano so panels were few and far in-between, but what they did have to offer was still fun and would still appeal to a majority of their attendees.
  However, the bigger problem was the fact that ACFI was obviously understaffed. I often saw people running around like crazy, there was mixed-info on what was happening at any given time, and sometimes the staff did not know what was happening at all. The Fursuit Parade was one of the biggest examples where the time got pushed back twice, and staff did not know what to do with us in the meantime. People in suit were getting hot and had no idea what was happening…and no one really had any answers for us. There was a booth where they were asking people to volunteer for teardown, and my wife and I (as well as my group) put their names down because they really had no one and we did not want to think that they would be there all night working if they did not get a little more help.

  Short staff and poor communication between the staff was also apparent in the closing ceremonies where, they asked for shaving cream pies and a tarp…only to then get the pies but no tarp because: “No one asked for it”. Small mistakes, but things that can definitely be improved upon for next year.

 

(Left): Captain/ (Center): Escap’e/ (Right): Rune

• Etc:
  —One thing I find that was also poorly coordinated was the group photo for the fursuit parade, and then seating for the dance competition. When they smooshed us all together for the group photo, my buddy and I already knew we would not be seen. There was no lift for the photographer so there was no way that everyone was getting in. The room was much too small. Sure enough, when the group photo was released…people were sad because they were nowhere to be found.
  The same could be said (in a sense) for the dance competition. My wife was standing behind my chair and though she got to enjoy the show, I saw more of the judges than I did the dancers until finally enough seats opened so that I could move in closer. The room was just too small for all those chairs…and it made it very difficult for short people like me to see. This same scenario could apply to the opening and closing ceremonies. I thought the narratives were hilarious but I could not see them and could barely hear them. I could barely see people getting a pie in the face at the closing ceremonies even though I was near the front.

  Another small complaint happened before the convention…
  I was told via the team that there was nothing I needed for the convention except an ID card. I asked them whether I needed a confirmation e-mail (and whether I would get one) and they said ‘no’. But, the first day that I arrive, I am asked about a confirmation e-mail and whether or not I had one. Then I have to go through a registration process AGAIN just to get my badge and bag. It seemed like this took a lot of unnecessary time and, I feel like this is something they should fix for the next convention.

  Also, I contacted the department about the use of “props” – I contacted the team via their website and through the facebook page which said they typically reply within an hour. I even messaged Adam King himself since I had friended him on facebook. I got no reply from any of the 3 outlets. The question about registration I had received in a day…but a question about props got no response. So, if they are not going to respond to questions about it, they need to at least include cosplay props and such as a section within their code of conduct since I could not find it anywhere.

 

• Suggestions:
  
  —The Headless Lounge needs to be bigger or at least needs more water and more “trees” for the fursuit heads. One is just not enough.

  —Seating for the Dance Competition should not include chairs unless they are in the back- suiters should be warned of this ahead of time so they can make whatever adjustments they need.

  —People doing the narratives need a microphone, and narratives should maybe just get their own panel or their own little event? Just seemed weird how they were shoved into opening and closing ceremonies, although the ransom thing was hilarious.

  —I think next year should focus on getting more staff and working to make better communication between the teams.

  —Code of conduct needs to include a section on cosplay props ( as there currently is none)

  —ACFI needs to work on getting back to people messaging them through the website with questions (and messaging their facebook page as well). Also, I was given some false information which made my process of getting through registration longer than necessary. This is also something that needs to be fixed for next year if possible.

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Mummy Furs!
(From Left to Right): Rune, Escap’e, Captain, @thatstupidsnowfox

• Favorite Memories:
  —ACFI really was a blast, even with all the snags. I have a lot of amazing memories from it, so it is really hard to narrow down my favorites. My biggest and most favorite memory would have to be the Drag Show! Slay Queen was amazing and it was so much fun!!! I was grinning like a goober the entire time and I really hope they continue to bring them back for years to come!!!
  

  

  

  My second favorite moment was actually making a new friend! We ran into @thatstupidsnowfox and he asked to tag along with us. Then we ended up spending a huge majority of the con together and he made for some amazing company. He is an artist and his work is amazing, so if you wanna check it out, his Twitter will be listed down below!!! But it was really great meeting someone new, and really developing what could be a lasting friendship with someone else in the fandom. We had a lot of laughs and adventures together, so here’s hoping we can meet up at cons in the future!

  My third favorite memory was getting to be mummies. There was a panel where people volunteered to be wrapped up as mummies and the other people did the wrapping. In Rune, I got covered in paper towels and toilet paper and then attempted to walk in it. Everyone got a lot of giggles out of it, and we all had a blast walking around like monsters! My wife, Captain, and even my new buddy Nick got to be mummified. We all got a kick out it!

 

• Least-favorite Memories:
  —I can not really say that there was a part of the convention that I “didn’t like” because there was nothing that was really ‘bad’ so much as it was probably just short or poorly planned. So, this one was really hard. But I guess if I had to pick something, I would say my least favorite part of the convention was actually the fursuit parade.
  So, usually the parades look better on YouTube…people add music and make them seem magical and fun. But, in reality they are quiet, kind of awkward if no one is cheering, and they tucker out the fursuiters. But this one was silent, awkward, and also extremely short. Not to mention it got delayed a lot…so it just made for a lot of unnecessary confusion. But I think that is something that will be fixed in the future, and it will be better once we get more attendees to go, and there are more suiters participating.

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(From Left to Right): Captain, Omnom, Splat, Rune, Escap’e

• Conclusion:
  —It was amazing laying in bed after the convention and looking at my wife as we talked about all the things that made this convention special. This was her first convention with me, it was also her first time being in a fursuit, and that’s when we realized that we were part of something special. By being there at that first convention, we were part of ACFI’s history.

  We both agreed that this convention is something special, and, we can only see it getting bigger and better in the future. We already plan to attend for 2018 and we wanna see what new things it brings to the table. We want to support this convention and really help it grow. We wanna keep making memories and look back fondly to this time when it was all new and all starting out.

  so, if you’re in the Texas area, ACFI is worth checking out and taking the time to see. The El Tropicano is great hotel, and as the convention grows, we can only imagine what new venues might host us in the future!!! But, give it a go and I think you will have a lot of fun.

  But, as always…what do YOU think? Did you go to ACFI? What was your first impression of the convention? What did you love about it and what did you dislike about it? Where do you think they should focus their improvements? As always, let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comment-section down below. Also, if you got any pictures of myself (Rune), Escap’e, Captain, or our friend Nick…feel free to link those to me in the comment-section as well.

  Thank you all so much for reading. I will see you all in the next blog 😉

Rune & Captain

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• LINKS:

1. Alamo City Furry Invasion (website)

2. San Antonio Furries (facebook group)

3. Alamo City Furry Invasion (facebook page)

4. @thatstupidsnowfox Twitter (click to see awesome art!)

5. Captain’s FA / YouTube

6. Rune’s FA / YouTube / Facebook

7. Pets Alive Website / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube

Original Species – an overview

“Volcanic Bonding” – Art & Leothaun species by thelostcause86
Masika belongs to MasikaRayne (FA) / Thyra belongs to shewulf7

Creativity has always been the highest focus of the Furry fandom outside of the love for anthropromorphic animals. That is to say that creativity is what keeps pushing the fandom forward whether it be art, music, crafting, or something else entirely. But, one of the amazing things that creativity has brought us within the fandom is the emergence of original species.

Why be a dog when you could be a RaptorDog? Why be a regular ‘ol rabbit when you could be a Bunninut?

Sounds crazy when you say it out loud, but these are actual species imagined by people within the community! Some create more of a stir than others…and in fact, most people know of a few original species that overwhelm the fandom today due to their popularity! For example: Primagen/Protogen and Dutch Angel Dragons. These species do not exist in the world that we know, therefore they were brainstormed and brought to life by individuals that wanted something different and something more. Sergals are another example of a popular, original species that was shown to the community and thus changed it forever.

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“Leo Friends”- Art & Leothaun species by thelostcause86 (FA)
(left) Masika belongs to MasikaRayne (FA) / (center) Thyra belongs to shewulf7 (FA)/ (right) Natalia belongs to thelostcause86 (FA)

• So, what makes an original species?

—Making an original species is a lot more complicated than it might sound. You can’t just slap two or more things together and call it “original” as that is just a hybrid (and don’t worry, the community will correct you if you try). Original species are a lot deeper than just a mix of animal parts- they require some sort of history, a lore, sometimes even a whole world. There has to be something that sets them apart as something rare and something unique.

For instance: Take the Mecari.

The Mecari are a creation of Craig Aimes (Blackpawwolf on FA – and Founder of CCSMascots) and on the outside, they seem just like a bat/dog hybrid (but are bat, dog, and bovine to be precise). Still, these little guys are not just the average hybrid as they are a species rich in culture and their own way of living. While not all the info has been released yet (it is being developed and released in chunks), the Mecari do reside in a particular universe with other original creatures, and they live very social lives with one another. They take on more tribal characteristics from coming-of-age ceremonies, to other sorts of rituals they perform. Even their family structure has been lined out, and, just recently, it was announced that each Mecari gets a power over a single element. Even their diet is lined out – and in coming up, info will include other such things like family structures and etc.

Even the color of their eyes have a history which is why they stand out. But, I could go on forever…so I think you get the gist of it. I myself have owned a Mecari now for awhile (with a partial suit being finished this year -2017) and I act as an Admin of the Mecari Den. They are so much more than just a slap of some parts and a name. They hold a story, and therefor are an original species.

Another great example of this would be the species known as the Leothaun! As a proud owner of a Tempest Leothaun named Masika, and as Admin of the Leothaun page, I could ramble on forever as to why this species is absolutely amazing!

Leothaun were created by Natalia Hardy (thelostcause86 on FA) and they reside on a planet known as Qualdralis. This planet, has a lore deep in religious background, where there was a Goddess and the Light Bringers, and the first Leothaun stepped onto the planet. Then, as time went on, the Leothaun changed…they evolved. Each type mutating to fit their environment (the biome they were residing in at the time), leaving us with several different sub-types of Leothaun, all with different characteristics. I mean, these guys are DETAILED!!!

Natalia went all-out when developing the Leothaun. She has charts on differences between the sub-types, to how each gender develops per its sub-type. The height, the life-span, the special powers, even the specific and rare mutations each sub-type suffers from and/or can have is listed in very detailed charts.

As mentioned before, I own a Tempest Leothaun. Their specific trait is that they can either control the wind, control lightning, can control neither, or even both! I was given the opportunity to have a ‘rare’ Leothaun, meaning my gal Masika has two genetic defects that makes her stand out. Firstly, she has the glowing/blank eyes. Secondly, her spot pattern is actually rare and sets her apart from the common Tempest.

Here recently, I was informed that the Tempest Leothaun are getting a third mutation they may have which is wings! This has not been completely fleshed out yet, but it makes sense since the Tempest Leothaun reside in a city that is floating in the sky.

My wife was also given a rare Leothaun by the creator. My wife owns a Volcano Leothaun named Thyra. Thyra’s rare mutation is that the blood running through her glows blue rather than the normal magma-orange-yellow color that volcano Leothaun normally get. Because, she is a volcano Leothaun, the females of this sub-type are actually taller than the males. So, there are so many interesting facts about them! But, when asked what they are in terms of anatomy, Natalia said she took inspiration from a lot of different animals. They can sometimes have canid faces but most resemble big cats. A few of the aquatic ones look more like otters, and their retractable fangs are inspired by snakes. So the Leothaun example is one of an original species that is still mixed, but is a lot more spread out in making something unique…and it also has the rich story and history to boot.

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Cheshire the Mecari
Art by flamesvoices (FA) / Species created by Blackpawwolf (FA)
Cheshire belongs to: MecariCheshire (FA)

• What makes an original species popular/unpopular?

—So, there are a LOT of original species out there. So many that I could not possibly even begin to list them all. So that begs the question: What makes an original species take off? How does an original species get as popular as a Dutch Angel Dragon or Sergal? Why have I not heard of so many species?

The reason why so many of these species are unknown is because a lot of original species tend to flop…even those that get a lot of hype tend to fall off the radar rather quickly. And some species are mimics of other species with very few differences which makes them rather unpopular (and they get a lot of backlash from the community), and a lot of it is based in how hard a creator is willing to work in order to build up a decent community as well.

All of those are factors in whether an original species will fail or will succeed.

As for a few examples, I made 3 species of my own which I thought (at the time) were amazing. There were the Graul, the Nintius Lupus, and the Bunninuts. All of them had a history, had lore, and had guidelines for their looks and what would set them apart. I even made facebook groups for them! People came into the group, but no one posted, no one ever made their own creature, and soon the group died without ever taking off. Why? Because people need a starting point.

It was not enough to give them a creature with a lore and say: “Here it is. Now make one! Enjoy!”
No. People are looking for an active creator that really wants these species to take off. I am talking about making a facebook group, making an official banner, setting up Admins, giving out free bases for people to color, raffling off adopts, making adopts, letting other people make adopts. An original species eventually will become a sort of business where advertising is the key to success. You want people to have fun and you want them to spread the word around.

And while it may seem a bit rude to say: furries can be cheap. They will jump on a free base much faster than if they have to pay for a custom creature. Also, if you don’t let them make adopts for profit, it will dissuade a good few. But, no one blames you for having rules and wanting to keep your species controlled. Still, you have to be willing to be a little open with a species if you want it to succeed. I have also found that digital art will always do better than traditional art…and again, this kinda goes into making bases for people to use. Also, getting people that you know involved and having them rep your species to gain attention will help significantly. I know several species that started out with just a few friends having one, and now it is a whole community…and whether popular or not, these things still tend to thrive in one way or another.

But as for the people that mimic other species and/or make hybrids of species that don’t allow hybrids…well, those never go over well. Because the one thing about an original species is that with that comes a particular set of rules.

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“Korr – Skullin reference sheet” Art & species by Skylar Burge (facebook)
Edits by Element02/ owned by Element02

• If you make a sona of a particular (original) species: FOLLOW THE RULES!

—Original species are more than just a lore and a look. They also have rules as to help keep them regulated. As with art, a creator wants to be credited for their work. They created the species, therefore they want to be recognized for what they have done. This is why most original species have rules! These rules MUST be followed!

Example: With the Mecari, they can only control a single element. While ‘spirit’ is considered an element, it is extremely rare, and only those given permission by the creator may use it. So far, only the creator himself has one that can use spirit. Also, there is a strict rule on how many Mecari a person can own. This is so that Mecari are not being circulated heavily outside of the group, and they are easier to keep track of on the master list.

The Leothaun also have rules…

While they are free to make, people making their own Leothaun may not have rare mutations. They may only do common mutations that occur naturally on the sub-type of their choosing. Also, they may only own up to 8 Leothaun at a time. Rare Leothaun are reserved for adopts that the creator makes herself for sale. This is to keep the rare mutations…well…rare and special!

Even the more popular and well-known species have such rules.

Dutch Angel Dragons do not allow their members to have a muzzle-ring. Only Telephone is allowed to have one. Same as Dutch Angel Dragons are not allowed to have any sort of digestive track, they do not engage in adult-content, and they must have certain traits like their feathered wings and more horse-like face. They are not allowed to be hybrids and may in no way have any sort of genitalia.

For some species, it is important to know the difference between them being open or closed. A closed species means that you can not make your own just because you want one. You either need special permission from the creator of the species to make one, or you must adopt one straight from the creator (which usually means buying one). This is so the species does not go unregulated. Closed species are often more strict with rules on how their species look and function as well. Open-species means you are free to make one whenever you like. Some open species are more regulated (like the Mecari and Leothaun) so that you can only make so many of the creature, but, most species let you go all out. But, even if a species is open, they will still have rules to follow.

Primagen are a closed species, therefore you must buy one from the creators or a former owner of a Primagen in order to get your very own. Protogen are open, but they too have rules that must be followed. Protogen may only have wings if they are the rare kind, and rare Protogen are closed and limited to auctions by the creators only. People making protogen adopts may only make 2 per week. Protogen are not allowed to be feral either, they must be anthro. Also, Protogen have certain parts of them that must be biological, and parts that must be robotic. This ratio may not be changed.

Breaking any rules of an original species can result in many things including one getting booted from the official group forever and a beware then posted. While these rules may exist, thieving still happens…species do get stolen all the time, and get altered so other people can claim them as their original creation. So, owning a species and regulating it can become something of a job. It takes a lot of time and a lot of dedication to make it work.

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“Zensu – Arual Dragon Reference Sheet” / Art & species by ZhiibeColorai
Edits by Element02 / Zensu belongs to RUNEAngelDragon

• Conclusion:

—Original species are everywhere, and, they really shine the light on all the creative minds within the fandom. They give people a place to feel they belong, to meet new friends, to really have something they see as special and unique. Now, original species may not be for everyone, and sometimes people see them as overwhelming…but, this fandom has always been about just being yourself, being an individual. So whether you are a cat, a leathersaur, a gecko, or a manokit, just be happy and stay true to what feels right for you and what makes you happy!

Thank you all so much for tuning in! For more info on some regulated-open species, check out the list below. Special thank you to Craig Aimes and Natalia Hardy for letting me use your species as examples! If there are other original species that I did not list that you know of (and maybe you created), feel free to lemme know in a comment down below!

As always, I will see you all in the next one!

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Art by Aoijinn
Portal belongs to RuneAngelDragon
Protogen species created by MaliceXRisu

• List of Original Species:

—So, while I may not know of all the original species out there (nor would I have time to go looking for them all), I have compiled a list of some of the few I know of, and I have placed them here. Some are newer, some are years older. A few of them I actually found this week while browsing the Furry groups on facebook because original species pop up just that often! So feel free to check these out. Yes, all of these species are open…just make sure that you read the rules:

1. Arual Dragons – created by ZhiibeColorai – (fb group)
   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1330933120254422/

2. Wisher Dragons – created by flamesvoices – (fb group)
   https://www.facebook.com/groups/OfficialWisherAngelDragons/

3. Shayu – created by Kristina Renee Haley – (fb group)
   https://www.facebook.com/groups/OfficialHomeoftheShayu/

4. Pokeball Dragons – created by RosexKnight – (fb group)
   https://www.facebook.com/groups/508866459260784/

5. Protogens – created by MalicexRisu – (fb group)
   https://www.facebook.com/groups/Prima.Proto/

6. Tea Tigers – created by Sophie Munro – (fb group)
   https://www.facebook.com/groups/318926134897778/

7. Mecari – created by Craig Aimes – (fb group)
   https://www.facebook.com/groups/301634430215800/

8. Leothauns – created by Natalia Hardy/thelostcause86 – (FA link)
   http://www.furaffinity.net/user/leothauns

Fursuit Friday Feature #26: FANG/ZAPHIRA

Heya fuzzbutts, and happy Fursuit Friday!!!!

It has been awhile, but, I wanna welcome you to another Fursuit Friday Feature!
I would have gotten one out much sooner, but, for those of you who follow my YouTube channel, you wil know that my activity all but stopped until recently. My computer has been on the fritz…and while I try and get this issue fixed, well, hopefully this is something to bring a smile to your face because it brought one to mine!

I was approached by a buddy named Togo that said he knew a fursuiter that would like to be interviewed. How could I refuse? I love featuring people in my blog, and I have not been disappointed. Fang and Zaphira are both incredible suits to see, and the stories behind them even more amazing!

I love experienced Fursuiters and people that have been in the fandom long enough to have a ton of adventures and a ton of stories. With those things also come a ton of helpful advice which we are never too short on 😀

But enough rambling, welcome back to Fursuit Friday Feature, and here’s to getting to know the personality and these amazing suits!!

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1.Name:  James Miller

2. Character Name(s): Fang/ Zaphira

3. Character Species:  Wolf/ Cat-Dragon

4. Fursuit Maker (can include links to shop if you want):  I made my suits myself along with one additional one.  All three were created in the past 2 years along with plans of making 2 more in the near future.  I will be constructing them for my wedding dated for November 10th, 2018.  

5. Total Cost (optional)—  Fang cost about $200.  He is my Jo Anne Fabrics baby.  I got their crap, 60% off discounted fur along with discounted foam and discounted hot glue sticks.  My mother had some craft supplies that I borrowed and used into the suit.  Zaphira was a bit more involving DreamVisonCreations materials such as their large feline resin head blank (c – hinge joints), all the head accessories, and paw shaping materials (claws and palm pads).  Also, I used better fur purchased from fabrics.com at $25 per yard.  Zaphira came out to be a whopping $1,000.  Both look about 250 man hours to make.  

6. How long did it take you to get your Fursuit?  As stated previously, 250 man hours per suit.  As far as months, Fang was about 3 months start to finish.  With Zaphira, I took more time on her and she came out about 15 months later.  

7. When did you decide that you wanted a Fursuit?  I actually knew back around 2011. I started a dragon head using needlepoint mesh after I was in Pittsburgh during Anthrocon. It ended when I went to college and was thrown out in 2015 (wish I didn’t).   I gave up due to life and lack of interest. Then, months after the dragon was in the garbage (1 month after I took my first job), I was in the city for work and witnessed another Anthrocon!  This time, I was able to purchase a day pass for Sunday, dress up in a spandex suit and Halloween wolf mask, passed a ball around with a few welcoming fursuiters, and fell in love. Side story, my fiancé at the time was with me, and that July, I found out she was cheating on me. The second sighting and her betrayal was the life spark for prototype Fang. 3 months later, Fang was fully born as a full suit.

8. Do you go out in public while wearing your suit? Tell us one of your favorite experiences!
Do I?!  I live in the wonderful city of Pittsburgh, home to Anthrocon. Once Fang was made, I was out between 2 – 4 weekends a month (including winter). I have ice skated, bar crawled, and toured. I have participated in events like a mascot meet, the Pittsburgh arts festival, animal convention, anime convention, numerous  bowling meets, baseball games, and even designed a yearly fursuit Pittsburgh stroll before Anthrocon. Not to mention being at different cons, Niagara Falls, and was offered a job as Fang here in Pittsburgh. My two favorite experiences would be Niagara Falls and Station Square. The falls because even out of the country, the people knew who we were. We were always being photographed, pulled aside to show others, and swarmed to such a point that I was uneasy as to how we could get away. There, Minion and I met up with good friends of ours, Togo and Saphira, that joined us in suiting, as well as Hoopycat that was a major help handling for us. Station Square was my stomping ground. There, I had fans that want every other weekend to meet me. They would always buy me a drink so they could watch me drink in suit. They were fun but not as impactful as the children. They would be by the water fountain and they would play ball with me. The people’s reactions watching from the restaurants were hilarious to watch as I pass the Melting Pot and the Grand Concourse. I loved suiting there until security told me to stop. No one was complaining but it was the fact that my head was covered. It is private property so I have respect them.

9. Have you been to any Cons in suit? If you have gone to multiple ones, which one is your favorite and why?
I have been to Anthrocon x3 (soon 4), WPAFW x2 (soon 3), AnthrOhio, Furpocalypse, and Fur-The-More. I loved AnthrOhio 2016. Alkali was there and made my entire experience. I had watched videos of him before but was never able to meet him in person. He was so approachable, funny, and relaxed the environment. He didn’t make himself the center, he was one of us. He was looking to us for the entertainment instead of being the focal point himself which he so easily could have. He was a guest like us and joked with us but brought so much to the table. He is now my idol.

10. How have people reacted to your Fursuit while you are out in Public?  On average, people enjoy interacting with me. I would say that 5% ignore me and 1% don’t like me wherever I am. I look to make high fives, waves and smiles everywhere I go. I do get an incalculable amount of pictures and the occasional hug from children. I had a kid that was scared of me at first, played fetch with me, followed me for well over an hour, and cried when we had to leave. I love my experiences suiting in public.

11. What was your main goal in getting a suit? Did you have any plans for it or did you just get one for fun?  Smiles. Smiles and to brighten everyone’s day. I could get into how bad day to day is for everyone and their mother, so I want to be a smile. If I can make someone smile, great. If I can make someone’s day, even better. People’s happiness is a way that I can be happy. I see the smiles and it is contagious to me and to everyone they meet.

12. How do you act differently in suit VS when you are dressed as you normally would?  In suit, I can express myself as I normally would like but often isn’t socially acceptable. It normally isn’t socially acceptable to kneel down and give a child a hug in the middle of the street. Nor is it to talk threw a modified dog toy squeaker. Not to over express an emotion or heightened energy level. I can’t normally boop noses or chase some tail (without my fiancé killing me). I can’t say hello to everyone I pass with a smile and wave like greeting friends at the door. And I surely can’t spread the laughter and excitement that we all need in our day to day life.

13. What is your favorite thing about wearing a Fursuit?
My favorite thing about wearing a fursuit is the ability to be myself and to have fun. I am able to have childish fun because I feel secure behind the mask. This definition of childish fun includes romping around, having massive amounts of energy, and being goofy to random passerbys. Of course, I need to include, all the smiling faces and pictures doesn’t hurt or bring me down any. What gets me the most, I guess, living in the city of Pittsburgh, is the level of acceptance both from fellow fursuiters and from muggles. Everywhere I go there is some level of acceptance towards us, just within the city of Pittsburgh, there is more of a craving. Store owners, event managers, even bartenders not only invite us in, but ask if there are others nearby. I guess my favorite thing about wearing a fursuit is wearing a fursuit and being whoever I want to be.

14. What is your least favorite thing about wearing a Fursuit?
My least favorite thing about wearing a fursuit would be the heat. I try many different ways to keep air ventilation for my suits the highest possible. No matter how many different ways I include, it is me wearing fur material from head to toe. I naturally run a bit warmer than the normal person so staying in suit is difficult especially considering the amount of energy I like to give off while in suit. I try to keep cool with vent holes, fans, and recently an ice vest. My advise is hydration is key and monitor yourself.

15. What advice would you give first-time Fursuiters and those considering getting a Fursuit?
I would say, make sure you clean your suit, make sure you are done growing, and make sure it is what you want. Clean your suits. I use rubbing alcohol spray mixed with some wintergreen alcohol spray. Highest percentage to really clean the suit. I spray it down with a spray bottle and brush it all out after every time I wear a suit. Also, I leave it out to air dry and to not get mold. I keep dryer sheets in the suits as well to keep them dry and smelling nice.

16. What would you say is your biggest peeve when it comes to your Fursuit?
See above

17. Do you think you will ever get another suit in the future? Would it be an upgrade to your current suit or a different character?
Currently working on 2 new ones. Upgrading my Fang suit.

18. Do you make any videos while in suit (YouTube): No

19. (Final Question): Any extra words of wisdom you would like to add for anyone reading this? [it can literally be about anything]: Have fun, watch who you choose to be friends with, it’s a social support group and do what makes you happy.

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Thanks to James for the amazing interview!!!

It is true that suits often liberate us from certain constraints. I know that in Rune I feel much more confident, and all I aim to do when wearing him is to bring happiness to others. The smiles and hugs that you get in suit is its own kind of reward that can not be easily explained…and suiting is a journey all in itself.

Whether you make your own or you buy one, there is a process we all go through in getting used to the suit, in judging what things are okay, what is not. It is true, there are things we must be wary about as well. Suiting is fun, but not everyone understands…and it all comes down to respect. There is still a code of conduct we must follow when out in public, and its important to remember that even when we are in a costume playing at fantasy, we are still in reality.

But it’s always wonderful to hear about the journey…the progress that people make in their creations and even in suiting in general. In this case, the first suit, to all the care and extra work put into a second. I can only wish this person so much more amazing things in the future and I look forward to seeing the upgraded Fang and other future suits to see just how much more progress has been made!! 😀

So thanks to James again and thanks to Togo for directing him this way! So awesome to have you both in my blog!!!

Thank you everyone for your continued support! Remember, I am always accepting new people to interview. It doesn’t even have to be for Fursuit Friday! Artists, crafters, if it’s Furry-related, we can get you featured! Just leave a link to your FA, facebook, or Twitter down below and I will get to you ASAP!

But until then, I will see you all in the next one 😉

Lets talk about TFF (still relevant?)

I originally started this blog back in April (if you can believe it). I had the whole first part typed out since I had been taking my sweet time in getting anything done. It read:

Hello everyone! I am finally back from TFF (Texas Furry Fiesta in Dallas)- I actually made it back yesterday but my sleeping schedule and just coming back to reality, well, it has me a little down in the dumps so, it has been taking me a good minute to make any sort of progress when writing and/or making videos.

I was determined to get the blog post done while the con was still relevant and fresh in my mind. But every time I went to write the blog down, it got halted. Maybe it was because it seemed so “overwhelming” to me at the time, or, maybe it was still the post-con depression that was keeping me away…
Either way, here I am again at my desk, trying to put the convention into words while it may still seem interesting and might still be relevant, somewhere.

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Texas Furry Fiesta…it was my first furry convention ever, and I must say that it was nothing short of amazing. I HAD A BLAST! There was so much there that was new to me. I went and suited in Rune with my buddy Captain, got to meet some really awesome fursuiters, and got to check out some really nifty events and panels while I was there as well.
I saw some people I had featured in the blog before, got tons of hugs, and I even bought a few things here and there to commemorate the trip…so all-in-all it was an amazing first experience. My furry con cherry has now been officially popped…but goodness did the whole event seem to go by too fast!!!

I know I was there, but everything great and magical all seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. I never wanted it to end because I was having such a good time! I believe this is where “post-con depression” comes from…

But anyways, because the con was so massive and because there were so many different parts to it that it would take much to long to explain…I managed to break down everything I liked about the con and such into some questions that I think people might be wondering about the trip, about my time there, and etc. So, lets go ahead and get that all underway:

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• Was the convention as magical as it looks on YouTube?

—The answer to this is a bit of a yes-and-no situation. YouTube videos of the convention are amazing. They really make you feel emotional with all the powerful music and all the fun people are having. Trust me when I say that those aspects of the con exist! But, only if you put yourself into them. How would it be best to explain? The convention is what you make it. So, if you spend all your time wandering around and avoiding people, then no, the convention will not really seem that magical. But, if you ask for pics, interact with suiters, go into panels that are fun and funny, and you really make an effort to get out and do something awesome, then the convention will be fantastic! And even without the music…if you make it great, the convention will be just as magical as it was on YouTube. So, did I find the convention to be magical? For the most part, yes. It was pretty awesome!

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Rune, Tato, and PBJ

• Did people recognize you?

—It was actually pretty surprising to me, but, there were actually people at the convention that recognized Rune! Now, granted, most people recognized him because of my YouTube Channel…but there were a few people like Spade and Tato that recognized Rune because I had interviewed them for Female Fursuiter Month! So, it was actually pretty cool when I would hear my character’s name and then someone was waving at me! There was also a fan of Rune that said they saw me, but, they were too shy to approach me. Which, it kind of made me giggle. If at any point you see me at a convention, do not be scared to say hello to me! I am just as shy as you but I promise that I will not bite! If you ask for a hug or a picture, I promise you that you are seriously making my day!

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Captain and Rune – official TFF pic

• How was fursuiting?

—Fursuiting was a mixture of the best thing ever and also the most challenging thing I have never done. I realized that it’s one thing to get into costume/suit for a Youtube video, but then it’s an entirely different thing to suit up at a convention and then get stopped every 5 minutes while you wander about blindly. Do not get me wrong, I loved every moment that I was in suit. I loved it when people would ask for my picture or would want a high-five. I loved all the hugs that I got and loved hearing people tell their friends how cute my costume was. I was stopped (along with Captain) by the same people over the course of 3-days because they loved our suits so much, and I got to also be Rune during an improv panel which was great fun as well! Even the fursuit parade was amazing! But, it wasn’t without its challenges. I have NEVER felt more drained in my life then after a whole day suiting! I understand now when fursuiters online stress on the cooling periods and in taking time to hydrate. Headless lounges are a god-send as I spent most the day sweating. It was so great just to cool down and drink some water away from the rest of the convention! But heat was not the only issue…
People would step on my tail, it was hard to get through certain areas with my feet on – I sneezed out my squeaker at one point, and Rune would get super ruffled. Luckily I did not need any emergency repairs or anything like that…but, while Fursuiting is amazing fun, it also takes a lot of practice, and lot of patience, and a lot of care in self and suit alike.

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Rune and Drummer

• Favorite con moments?

—It’s so hard just to narrow done the convention to just a few moments. Even when I tried, I ended up with 5 things that were just…so amazing. Unforgettable moments really. But there are several more than just these! So, first amazing moment was getting to meet Adam King (the owner of Xytras and Drummer) – not only do I adore Drummer’s suit and wanted a pic, I see Adam as a icon for the Furry Fandom. His philosophy, his wisdom, just everything he gives back to the community makes him someone to look up to! Though I have not even been to his meets in San Antonio, he has taken so many furries under his wing and provided a place for them to meet up and have fun, and now he is hosting his own convention this year in which I want to attend! So that’s just part of the reason why getting to meet him and take pics with both his suits counts as one of my fave moments at the convention!

Rune and Blueberry

Another favorite moment was getting to meet Blueberry the Dutch Angel Dragon! She was so tiny and cute!!! I have never seen such a young Fursuiter, and she was so much fun and just seemed so sweet! She later found my YouTube Channel which was awesome!

TFF Fursuiters get ready for the Parade!

The Fursuit Parade was another one of my favorite moments. I have never been in a parade before, and this one really makes you feel like a celebrity! There were so many amazing fursuits, and, the minute you leave the lobby to start the parade there are people clapping and cheering! It’s not as lively as portrayed on YouTube though. After awhile the parade gets pretty quiet and all the fursuiters start to get tired thus the line moves a lot slower. Still, I got to give a lot of high-fives and squeak at a lot of people. It was great!

The Fursuit Games!

The Fursuit games was another interesting memory. I just remember asking Captain: “Will it be hard?” since fursuits tend to get very hot. She said: “No, it won’t be anything crazy! They keep it simple because they know people get tired!” so I believed her and we decided to give the games a go. NO…just…NO! The fursuit games were insane!!! I was linking legs with Circuit while trying to do a crab-walk in a forward line…and then I ended up doing my crab-walk with one hand because Circuit has a 6ft tail that I kept sitting on! And that was just the first game!!!!
But, even though it was crazy, the other games were a lot of fun. Rune got tapped my the “scorpion” in one of the games, and I got to do a very dramatic dying scene which made people giggle. So it was actually really fun and I am glad I was a part of that.

Little girl says hi to Rune and Captain

The last ‘best’ memory from the con is a section I like to call: “Hi Pokemon”.
So, Captain and I were leaving the headless lounge when suddenly we heard someone say: “You wanna go say hi to them?”
Next thing I know, this little Asian girl is coming up to us. She could not have been older than 2-3 years old and she says: “Hi Pokemon!” she just kept saying high and giving us high-fives! She was so cute it melted my heart! She was just too adorable! Captain and I may not be Pokemon…but for that little girl, we would be Pokemon forever!!!

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I got a pic with Saiya the Sergal!

• Post-con depression:

—After the convention, there is the rumor of people getting “post-con depression”, where the sadness of leaving the con just has you in a slump. I kinda thought it was all just people being silly, and of course they would miss their friends making them sad and such…but having been to TFF and then left, I am here to say that post-con-depression is real!!!

I had not even left the son but a few hours prior, and I was on a bus back to Austin when I just started feeling terrible! I think it’s because (as mentioned before), the son just goes by way too fast! Everything happens in the blink of an eye…all those panels, the dance competition, the shopping, and all the photos. All of it feels like it happened in a matter of hours rather than days. That, and, you start thinking of the things you missed, the people you may not have seen, and you start thinking of the things you learned and what could have happened differently (at least I did this).

I also think that suiting for so long and being so tired, malnourished, and dehydrated plays a part in this as well but, I was suffering from this down-feeling for a good week-and-a-half before I started feeling better.

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Captain (left), Telephone (middle), and Rune (right) – and a random Elk!

• Advice for newbie con-goers:

—Listen to people that have been to conventions before! They know what they are doing (most of the time)! But from my personal experience, here are some basic tips for the newbie con-goers out there:

1. Map out the venue ahead of time and try and figure out where everything is.
2. Plan out some panels! Conventions are fun by themselves but you will have large pockets of boredom if you don’t find something to fill your time!
3. Do not stay by yourself or avoid people! Conventions are a social event! You won’t have any fun if you just wander around and keep to yourself! So meet people, start a conversation, try and make some friends!
4. Do yourself a favor and go watch the dance competition! It’s amazing!
5. If you’re going in a fursuit, make sure you have a RELIABLE handler!
6. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated whether you are in a suit or not!
7. If you can get a room in the hotel hosting the convention…do it. It may be more expensive but, it will be worth it!
8. Do not just sit around in the lobby (if you can help it)- you will be missing so much if you do! It’s not worth it!
9. Take lots of pictures! Majira Strawberry once said that he wished he took more photos because he could not remember most of what he did at the convention (since it went by so fast)! He was right! Without pictures, I would be lost as to half of the things I saw and did at the convention! So take pictures and make memories!
10. Do not flood the popular fursuiters! Ask their permission to get a pic, if they are busy then come back later. Do not bother fursuiters in the headless lounge! That is our place to relax!

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Captain (far left), LolliHolli (left), Match (middle), Midnight (right), and Rune (far right)

• Would I change anything about my experience?

—While I loved TFF to death, there are a few things that I wish I could have changed about my first experience. Firstly, I would have planned out some more panels. I had no idea how much down-time there was going to be between panels and people just not really suiting and etc…so I wish I had seen more things and gotten involved in more events.

Another thing I would have changed would have been to have more reliable handlers. It might sound mean, but, while the handlers Captain and I had were good at times, we needed handlers to be there for us at ALL times, but we spent a lot of time wandering alone…and that can be dangerous. Plus, it would have been easier to get pictures. We missed a lot of good photo ops because there was no one there to take a picture for us, so there’s that. But, had there have been an emergency of some kind, without a handler, we could have been in some really serious shit (pardon my language).

I def would have liked to stay at the hotel hosting the convention. We were going for cheap rather than convenient…but with how often I was hopping out of Rune and then back in Rune and not wanting to carry him around, well, it was too many visits to the car to put him away. That and, changing in the headless lounge or a bathroom somewhere is not as comfy as if we had our own rooms. Or, if we just wanted to nap but did not want to sleep on a table…that would have been nice too since convention rules state that you’re not really allowed to sleep on hotel property unless you are in your own room.

Lastly, I wish I had really made more friends. I found that even in my fursuit I was still really shy. I was reserved and even in some pics I look ‘uncomfortable’ even though I wasn’t…I was just shy. But, even though my buddy Captain is the best con pal you can have, when we split up, I was bored and very lonely. I watched a bunch of convention videos after the con ended, and I realized that the #1 reason why those con videos are so magical s because it’s full of groups of friends goofing off together. You would see these groups everywhere having fun…and they had the best pics, the best memories, the best videos…all because they had a group to experience the convention with. Call me envious, but, I would like to have even more people to hang out with next year.

Oh…and I’m bringing my own car this time…
No more of that bus nonsense and relying on other people…

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Captain and Rune with Cade Cardigan Corgy!

• Conclusion:

—Overall I could not have had a better time at TFF. It was bumpy, sure…and there are things I would have liked to change but, altogether I see it as a learning experience / something I can really draw from and use to prepare myself for next year. It took me awhile to write this blog because it was my first con, and with that come a lot of emotions. But, I did it.

Next year I won’t put off the blogs for so long, and I will write them sooner to keep them more relevant…but you can trust me when I say that Furry Conventions are an amazing place to be. They can be a bit pricey, they are not always what you might expect…but this can be for the better. I know I spent a lot more money than I thought, got some amazing souvenirs and got to see some amazing suits, even more amazing talent, all while helping a good cause…but yes, if you have a Furry Convention that you have been debating on going to…go…just go…I do not think you will regret it!

So hey, thanks so much for tuning in and reading this blog! I am very humbled by your continued support! Do not forget to watch my TFF videos down below, and as always, I will see you all in the next one 😉

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• Videos:

Welcoming my Sister to the Furry Fandom!

*”Welcoming my Sister” – Art by thelostcause86 (FA)
Mia-the-winged-wolf belongs to me / Strawberry belongs to my Sister*

Siblings…
It’s one of those bonds that are really hard to explain. The relationships can be so varied. I know siblings that used to love each other as kids, and now, they can barely stand one another. Then, there are cases like my Sister and I where…we hated each other when we were little. But despite even that, I always had her back…and as adults, we are closer to best-friends.

But, no matter your current sibling-relationship, there is always that time in your life when your siblings looks up to you…and/or they want the things you want and want to be involved in the things you’re involved in. Imagine my shock then when 10+ years later and my Sister is asking for a Fursona!!!!

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So, this all happened after the Dallas Convention I had attended (Texas Furry Fiesta 2017), and all my photos of it had been posted on facebook. I get a call from my younger Sister who is feeling a bit down (because her hubby just went to Basic Training for the Army)…and she starts talking to me about the fursuits.

She said they all looked cute, and it looked like so much fun. She said that I should have a full-suit because wearing skinny jeans with monster feet just looked silly. Then she says: “I want one.”

I was quiet for a moment. The statement took me by surprise: “Um…what?”
“I want a fursuit! I think it would be fun!”
“What would you even be?”
“I would be a pink kitty! Or maybe a white one, I dunno.”

I could hear the voice of Captain screaming in my ear at the mention of a white Fursuit, and I remember telling her that white was not a very good idea if she wasn’t prepared for the upkeep of it. Still, my Sister wanting a fursuit? Where did this come from?
I mean, I have heard of “Furry Conversion” in a sense…where people introduce family into the fandom, make them a sona, and then slowly try and get them into it all but, with my Sister and I being nearly black-and-white when it comes to personality…well, one could maybe see and understand where I might be a little confused.

So then what else could we do but try and determine her Fursona? She already said she wanted a kitty…so that was a start. My main sona was a wolf but, she didn’t really care for that…again, a black-and-white situation.

So, long-story-short I am talking to my buddy flamesvoices as all of this is unwinding and she starts sending me fox sonas and feline sonas she had stashed away in her magical folders. Then at long last she sends a pink kitty my way, and sure enough, my Sister falls in love with it.

Lets just be clear…I think pink is gross haha.

*Art by Brit Mapes*

So, on that day my Sister became known as “Strawberry the Kitten”. She wasn’t going to keep that name at first but, then she decided that changing it would be too much of a hassle. Still, she loved the character and I wanted to give my Sister an authentic Furry experience.

So what did I do?
Well, I posted in some free art groups I was part of on facebook and tried to get her some art to try and start her collection (since I knew she would not have money for art for some time). And sure enough, the fandom pulled through…I mean, it REALLY pulled through! My sister got more art in the first 24 hours of having the character than I got my first 4 YEARS of being in the fandom!

*(Top left) Art by flamesvoices / (Top right) Art by theacriliccat – colored by Emma Parks/
(Bottom left) Art by Casey Renner / (Middle) Art by Emma Louise Jarvis / (Bottom right) Art by Emma Louise Jarvis w her character and Strawberry*

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My Sister was thrilled each time she got a gift. She was so surprised with how nice people were, how awesome they had been in accepting her. I told her that it was one of the things I loved most about the fandom.

So many people were merely excited that a family member had decided to try this thing out for themselves. I think a bit of it was people being relieved that she had such an open-view of the whole ‘furry’ thing when there are people whose families do not always take it so well.

But, I have always been lucky in that my Sister is open-minded, and she really does her research on things before passing judgement. Like everyone else, she has heard the misconceptions about furries, and she has heard what people ‘claim’ a Furry is. But, unlike most other people…rather than just believe the first thing she heard, she decided to come to me (someone in the fandom) and ask me about it. Now, outside of my wife, she is my biggest supporter, and, she even watches my YouTube videos from time-to-time.

So, if ever you see Strawberry out-and-about on Forums and the like, feel free to give her a nice warm welcome! Also, if you wanna say some words to her here, I will be glad to pass on the message!

But, this was more a personal blog just letting everyone know that I am still alive, all-the-while giving a big, warm, Furry-welcome to my Sister!!!

See you all in the next blog 😉

Protogens are the new craze!!!

^^ Art by Malice-Risu on FA / Comparison chart for Primagen VS Protogen / Primagen are a CLOSED species – Protogen are an OPEN species with common and uncommon variants being free-to-make ^^

Have you ever heard of the Primagen Species?

While you could always check out the official document on them HERE …I will go ahead and sum it up for you: Primagens were made by extraterrestrial beings in another universe. They are artificial beings (with biological bits and pieces) that are tasked with a multitude of things across the universe. They have a very raptor-like appearance and are mostly machine – however, aspects of them still seem to be organic/biological. They have visors as faces that display their emotions…and they are EXPENSIVE!

They are a closed-species, created and run by Malice-risu on FA – and the only way to obtain a Primagen is to bid on the auctions they occasionally hold on their FA page. And let me tell you, those auctions are no joke!

While the creators are nice enough to allow payments plans, I have seen a single Primagen go for well over $1200! Granted, the more you pay, the more awards are unlocked with the purchase of one’s Primagen…but still. It can get really crazy. I myself never even knew Primagens existed until my buddy Captain told me about the Primagen suit she adored and then lead me over to the creator’s page on FA. Seems like everyone wants to get their hands on one, but, with prices reaching what they do…it seems that Primagen are only for the extremely dedicated or the extremely rich.

But, don’t blame the creators. They put the ladder up with a very affordable ‘minimum bid’ and it turns into a “pay what you want” situation. And who is going to turn down $1200? I wouldn’t…

But, I am getting off track. So…Primagens. So many people want one but can never get one. So, what would you say to getting the next best thing?

…

Well on April 8th, Cedar Andrews (also part of the account Malice-risu on FA) opened up a sub-species to the widely sought-after Primagens and called them: “PROTOGENS“!

So…why are they so special? Well, it’s because they are an OPEN species and therefore they are FREE to make! Well…the common and uncommon variants anyways. But, this seems to be good enough if not better for a majority of the fandom who are always teetering on the edge of ‘broke’…therefore the Protogens have exploded over the last few days, completely clogging my feed.

So…a species like this has to have rules right? Well, Cedar Andrews was sure to post those up along with a nice little anatomy chart detailing how the Protogens work:

Protogen Guidelines

☆ Protogens are an open species, you may make your own so long as it follows the species design guidelines.
☆ Some design limitations for protogens include:
– Generally no Dinosaur anatomy, as it reflects too close to Primagens.
– Their bodies are designed to be bipedal (Walks on 2 legs) so are unable to take a full feral form, but modded limb attachments can make a more feral appearance.
– STRICTLY biological ears only, Mechanical ears are one of the Prime design features of Primagen

Protogen means “prototype” so that in canon the Protogens were the first-version models of what would later become the Primagens. Pretty cool, right?

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• But…what are the differences to Primagens?

A lot of people seem to be asking the same question over and over and making the same observation…and that is: “How are these different from Primagens?” because, without reading and going on sight alone, there really doesn’t seem to be too much that is different, right?  Wrong. Protogens have several differences that set them apart…it’s only that most of it is what the Protogens have on inside and what they CANT do as a species. But, there are other differences as well.

1. Primagens have more dinosaur-anatomy and traits. Protogens are not allowed to have ANY dinosaur traits or anatomy, thus why they have to have paws.
2. Primagens are mostly artificial thus look more robotic. Protogens are still very-much biological. And no matter what, Protogens must have biological ears while Primagens have the robotic ears.
3. Primagens have longer faces (because of the whole raptor-thing) and Protogens have rounded and shorter faces.
4. Primagens can not eat or digest food nor open their mouths – Protogens can and must do this because they have working organs inside of them.
5. Primagens can be hybrids and can also take on feral forms – Protogens can only be bipedal with no feral forms or hybrid fusions allowed.
6. Protogens are not allowed to have wings unless they are of the rare variant (auction only)

So those are just a few of the differences between the species. People have still complained that this is not enough to really separate the two species, but what is done is done…and Malice-Risu says they are proud of their creation and of their species- as they should be!

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• Are there Protogen Adopts?

Yes, already people have been posting Protogen adopts all over the furry groups on facebook and in the official facebook group for the species. But, you are only allowed to put up 2 adopts for sale within a 7-day period. People may only make common and uncommon variants for adopt. Rare variants can only be obtained through auction via the creators.

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• Common, Uncommon, and Rare Protogen:

These can be found on the Protogen anatomy chart. Common Protogens are open and free to make. They have one set of ears and no horns. Uncommon Protogen are also open and free to make. The uncommon types have 2-sets of ears and can have basic horns. The RARE Protogen are closed and only available via adopt. Malice-Risu said these rare adopts will be at a set price unlike their Primagen auctions (but later they made them into auctions just like Primagen) – rare creatures have more than 2 sets of ears and they have horns, and they can even have wings! Other special traits such as extra visors have also been seen in the rare variants.

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• Where to find Protogen:

While you can find them by checking out Malice-Risu on Furaffinity – the best place to research the Protogen and see what other people are creating is by checking out the Official Primagen & Protogen Group on Facebook!

Also these little dudes have been popping up on instagram / FA / and Furry Amino.

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• MY PROTOGEN: PORTAL!

^^Art by: flamesvoices (FA) // Portal the Primogen belongs to me aka RuneAngelDragon on FA ^^

So, I did it…I jumped on the bandwagon and my buddy made me a Protogen because like a lot of other people, I don’t have hundreds and thousands of dollars to get myself a custom Primagen. And you know what? I feel like this species better suits me. I like the more biological look and feel of it while still keeping the cool display-face. I don’t mind a shorter snout…and I prefer not having the dinosaur traits and anatomy.

So yes…just in case you were wondering what the recent explosion of creatures has been on FA and in facebook groups…no, they are not robot-sergals…and don’t let anyone try and convince you otherwise / they are probably the new Protogen 😀

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Thank you all so much for your continued support on this blog! Thank you for taking the time to read up on Protogens, they are a nifty little species indeed! Special thanks to Malice-Risu for opening up these guys to us…

More to come in the future! And so, as always, I will see you all in the next blog! 😉

Female Fursuiter Month (part 8)

So, the month of March is ending and with it comes the end of “Female Fursuiter Month”. This saddens me a bit because I have had so much fun talking to all the different ladies who came forth to share their pics and their small little writings for this blog. I feel like this has spurred me to be more active in this blog that I have in such a long time, and it’s been such an amazing month and journey for this  blog…so, here’s one final entry until we say goodbye (at least until next March)

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#femalefursuitermonth

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CAMO VOLUNTEER

“This is the old version of my suit (he’s being updated rn and getting legs and feet!) but his name is Volunteer the Firefighting Dutch Angel Dragon. And well I love playing as Volunteer and my other sonas and just being part of a fuzzy family. It also gives me a lot of confidence and joy to talk to people (especially talking about my volunteer firefighting profession)”

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TRINITY TROTTIER

“This is me and my character, scaramouche! I live my life as a leading and social, extroverted person, I have seen so many young furries and most of them were female, these girls inspired me to be who I am today, with my best pal moochie! He’s mad at me because I didn’t talk about him, he’s an egotistical bird with the attitude of a horse!”

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KIARA ESPADA

“This suit’s name is Sanchez.
Since I started suiting, I’ve enjoyed cons a lot more and have started to chip away at my shell. I’m an introvert and find it difficult to attend cons, social gatherings, etc. I’ve started to make a few more friends, or at least acquaintances, since I started suiting. I’m a lot happier when I get a chance to suit and make others smile.”

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MANA KLEMP

“My name is Mana, I’m a 24 year old cosplayer and new fursuiter. (Like super new, just started on Feb 26). My suit is Tweek, the cockatiel themed dutch angel dragon I adopted from Immortal Fursuits, he’s the reason I became a furry XD I fell in love and my one friend was already getting a suit made. Fursuiting has made be decide to strive to learn the art and do more than just cosplay, plus I have gained friends through it.”

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HONORABLE MENTIONS:

^^^Funneh Sky (suit/left) – Tess (Center suit/Right)^^^

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The honorable mentions were people that never sent in a written part but wished to be featured anyways. But, this brings us to the last entry and the end of Female Fursuiter Month! Thanks so much to the amazing ladies that participated! Thanks to those who answered my post on “Fursuits=<3″,”Furries With Real Fursuits”, and “The Official Dutch Angel Dragon Community” – you are all awesome! Also to those who found me through Amino and participated…a huge thanks goes out to you as well!!! 😀

Now that this is over, more blogs are coming in the future! I have a bunch of TFF blogs planned (if I can stop being lazy and just do it) as well as other things coming up! Also I plan on sharing more videos from my YouTube Channel on here and do more fursuit blogs as well! So, be looking out for those!

Anyways, thank you all for reading and for your continued support! And, as always, I will see you all in the next blog 😉

TLC “My Strange Addiction” -It’s a lie!

So, here is something that I have not done in awhile…but, it’s talking about Furries in the media. For those that might not have come to my blog often, I have made a few posts in the past where I would watch something on the news…and really point out how the media lied and really made a bad impression on the world about what this fandom is and what it is truly about.

After one or two times of doing this, I kind of made it my mission that whenever I would see furries in the actual media, I would then write something of a review or critique on that video and show how the media represented the fandom…point out the “flaws” and kinda show why certain areas were incorrect and how furries can later combat questions if people use these media videos as reference to their curiosities.

Anyways, I remembered once seeing a section on “My Strange Addictions” (I actually really like the show) about Furries/Fursuits. Having been taking a break from the fandom and still rather uneducated about it at the time, I really thought nothing of it. In fact, the passage I saw on it had a girl and her boyfriend wearing fursuit heads and chasing each other through the park. Well, I decided to look it up.
I did not find the part about the girl and her boyfriend. But, what I did find was a video clip about the beginning / on the furry called “Kira” and how TLC labelled her fursuiting as a ‘fetish’.

Here is the video:

Now, watching that…it was just a small clip. But, did you notice anything strange? I mean, first I think we must address the most important thing…and that is that “Furry is not a fetish”
Now I can already hear the trolls and people uneducated within the fandom saying: “But, it IS a fetish! Furry porn and murrsuits…blah, blah, blah.”
Yes. Yes, I am quite aware these things exist. But so does Steven Universe porn (ugh) and MLP porn as well. But are those fetishes? No. They are fandoms. They are things people enjoy as a hobby and past-time. But, there is always that 10-15% that turn it into something sexual. That’s just how people work. So even when they roll their eyes and say that “not all furries” is a bad way to start an argument…well, how else should we start it? Tell you to check the fucking numbers and statistics? Maybe talk to an actual furry and fucking educate yourself?
Because seriously…this fandom is only the liking of anthropomorphic animals and the sharing of art. All the sex, fetishes, and other things are sub-sets of the fandom that do not apply to the majority.

So, already TLC has made it easy for people to look down on this fandom as something that is “wrong” that is “twisted and deranged” because they labelled it as a ‘fetish’. This was only to get views of course…but what they fail to care about is that they are putting a dark cloud on a lot of people that are actually pretty normal and do not even delve into the darker side of the fandom. And it opens the floodgates to trolls, to bullies, and to hate…which is not what anyone in this fandom wants.

But, did you notice anything else? Weird behavior? Doing stuff that even regular fursuiters don’t really do?

As a fursuiter myself…I can tell you that there are some things I would never think to do in my fursuit. Like, why is she waving at traffic? The first time I saw the action I thought it was odd. Are furries performers? Yes! Do they like to entertain people? Of course! But we don’t do it by standing around waving at people or trying to distract them! Why act for people that can not stop and enjoy you? Why throw yourself out there when it can not be appreciated? It might seem odd to say and might not make sense to a lot of people…but fursuits are meant to draw people in. To get people to stop, to laugh, smile, take pictures…be silly. They are not meant to be a distraction to those that are busy, they are not meant to just stand around and act like they are trying to get you to eat at a new fast food joint or get your taxes done by a specific company. They are NOT mascots…

So, already this was odd…

And then reading a book?! Are you kidding me???
Even though the holes in her eyes were open…fursuiter vision is very limited. And I can not imagine reading a book in one. It doesn’t make sense! I don’t even think I could turn pages with my paws on…it just looked so…weird, out-of-place.

And I was not the only one that noticed either. Plenty of furries actually commented saying that certain things looked forced or did not make any sense for a fursuiter. They could tell that some behaviors did not really match up with what furries actually did half the time.

Even Aberguine the Furry-YouTuber was able to point out some things they noticed just from this small clip:

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But we notice these things because we are actually furries…we know these things because we are an ACTUAL part of the fandom, so, weird behaviors are very easy to spot. But, what about the general public?

Well, as you can imagine, it was a lot of people saying that this ‘fetish’ was disgusting and needed to die…and then there were the typical jokes about drinking bleach as well. Then there were those talking about how being a Furry was the same as bestiality and zoophilia (one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to this fandom) and people talking about that one furry friend they had that was a freak because they just happened to be a murrsuiter…so that’s the only side of the fandom they had ever known.

The only relief was that most of the comments were pretty laid back, and even non-furries mostly expressed that this was tame in comparison to the other addictions they had seen on the show. But, it does not change the fact that it shed negative light on our fandom…and the worst part?

THE WHOLE THING WAS A FAKE!!!!

The Furry? She was real…she was an actual furry and a fursuiter. But, when casted to do the show, she had no idea it was about addictions and fetishes. She only knew it had to do with strange hobbies…and she thought that by joining in on this show that she could spread a positive look and vibe on the furry fandom. It was noble, for sure…

…and everything was going good at first: until she signed TLC’s contract.

That’s when she became their puppet, their actor…and she said that everything she was trying to do went up in smokes because she had to do what they wanted her to and they controlled every part of the show from the minute she put pen to paper.

She posted about the experience on her Furaffinity Account 3-years ago…and asked people to stop trying to spotlight the fandom to try and make a positive impression…because the media was not going to help you, rather, they were going to twisted everything for shock value so that they could get the ratings and earn the money.

You can read her statement HERE / and below (for those that do not have an FA):

That Dr. Phil thing going around? Avoid it. All media is just whack, but shows like this are out for nothing but drama and exploitation and going off of those “bad” vibes. They want shock and awe, and they’ll turn you into their puppet. Don’t think you can be a hero or come out clean, because you won’t. I promise you, you won’t.

Take a look at the “titles” of talk shows. Do you hate your family members? Are you a binge drinker? Did your boyfriend sleep with your mom? Were you abused? Do you not know who the father of your kid is? Are you 13 and pregnant? They want shock value! They want people to go “Holy shit, this person is insane! I gotta see this!”. They don’t want a seemingly normal kid to come on there and talk about some quirky hobby they have for 30 minutes. They want over-the-top shit that will keep people watching and talking about you for as long as possible.

I hate bringing up the past, especially this part of it, but believe me on this. I was on TLC’s My Strange Addiction back in 2009. I went on for the sole purpose of bringing a positive image onto the fandom. The show seemed so innocent, saying they were just interested in talking about my hobby, the making of fursuits and the fun, cute things. Once I was under contract, they told me it was about harmful addictions, but I couldn’t do anything. I was contracted. I became an actor. Well, more of a puppet, I should say. They told me what to say, what to do, made me do things I openly resisted against (running around in a muddy forest in white fur, jumping over sticks and rocks and risking my safety? Waving at cars in the middle of a busy intersection? Running around in a busy strip mall disturbing people’s daily outings for laughs that were never had? Going to a state park where there were huge crowds of people and walking flight upon flight of stairs in suit just for footage of peoples reactions?), but they had me on a ball and chain and I was toted around like a prop. Nothing good can come of it. They tell you “Oh, it’ll be fun and cute! We’re not gonna talk about anything bad or weird, don’t worry.” But once they have you, they’ll take it and run, and they will lie and lie until you start to believe it and go with it. You’ll come in thinking it’ll be all fine and dandy and “I’ll show them! I’ll be the turning point, I’ll make furries look awesome!” but they are powerful, and you’ll have no say in what happens once the tapes go into editing. They’ll make a fool out of you, just like anyone who gets excited about these things and tries out for shits and giggles, or even for the most innocent, positive intentions. They turned my life story into a mockery, and into an excuse for my “problem” that I never had.

Just don’t do it, for the sake of yourself and the community and everything. I fucked up for all of us once when i was young and naive and it sucked. Badly. I don’t want to see anyone else going through it.

Being told to lie…to make a fool of yourself. Made to do things harmful to your health, your safety in general, and doing things harmful to your suit? She was under contract…and could do nothing else…and worse, they made her family lie as well.

Sure, she got compensation in the form of money…but even she said it was a mistake because she knew it was going to reflect negatively on the fandom that she obviously adored.

Every time I hear or see of someone ‘talking to the news’ about furries…hoping to set a positive image for the fandom, it always goes wrong. One person who commented on Laura’s blog post said that National Geographic (or someone like that) came to a fur meet to talk about the fandom, but promptly left when they realized that furries in real life are actually pretty boring…and they are actually pretty normal.

I have only seen ONE positive outlook on Furries in the media just ONE (you can find it HERE) // this was the first and only time that furries were shown for what they really are…and they even showcased a very famous fursuit maker. The person doing the interviews even got into a suit! And she had a blast!!! But this show? It’s just like all the rest…

News teams often find the weirdest person in a group of furries and they use this person to market the whole fandom to the world. Even the chlorine attack at a convention was laughed at because they chose to talk to the guy that was constantly “in character” and he basically made us all look like we were crazy and living in some lala-land. And when that isn’t happening…they choose a furry that also identifies as Therian or Otherkin…and they express how they don’t feel “completely human”…another misrepresentation and misconception of the fandom since we don’t all think we are animals.

It’s sad…and sure the episode is old…but, it’s a problem still happening today. Recently the Alamo City Furry Invasion was contacted by a news-team doing a show on weird hobbies and the leader of the convention accepted the invitation. I’m still waiting to see how all that goes since, according to the leader of the convention, the news promised not to make furries look bad.

So you might just be seeing a blog on that in the future to see if they got their facts straight.

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Anyways, sorry for the negativity…it just always gets me so fired up to see these things in the media. Either way, I thank you all so much for watching!
More “Female Fursuiter Month” posts are coming! So be on the lookout for those!

As always, thank you all for your continued support and as always, I will see you all in the next blog! 😉