Okay, so I know it's been days and days after the con, and I haven't posted, but let me tell you, I just had to let the experience... uh... sink in! Yeah, that's right, it needed to ripen in my brain, and then burst forth in a torrent of amazing words and images... Okay, so I was procrastinating again. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, this is Further Confusion.

FC '05 ramblings. Warning - the con was four days, so there's a lot.

I didn't actually end up going the first day of the con, when I had planned to attend opening ceremonies, and of course, you know, register. Procrastination will be the death of me, someday. I'd been planning on registering for months now, and saving ten bucks. Then five bucks. Then... ah hell, they need the money, right? Right. Turns out I needed the time to complete last minute things on my costume, anyhow. Yes, I went out in a "fursuit" on some of the days. It's kind of fun, if hot. I just wish I had the body type of my character, though the heavy fur did sort of muffle the inescapable fact of my chest. When I was a bit lighter I used to get mistaken for a guy all the time in it (when the fur shirt was part of a werewolf costume I'd made for Halloween) so maybe I just have to get back down to that at least. Unfortunately, I can't do a damn thing about being short. I hate being short. *grumbles* Anyhow! I was very pleased with it, considering it's my first costume for anything like this. I had the mask last year, but this year, after consulting Kishma's helpful costuming section, I also added hair to it, and made the tail as well. I got some gloves together, and belted on an overlarge pair of jeans, and voila, minotaur me. I have pictures, taken at the free photo shoot that's provided, but I have to find a way to shrink and rotate them before I can post them here. (And I for one, would just like say that the folks who run that, and do so, are damn generous with time, craft, and materials. I'll have to write a thank you note. Must remember to do so soon.) I'll get to it eventually.

I also got a few very helpful suggestions on how to do the lower half of the costume from (and the promise that I could pick their brains when it was time) Ed Kline, Kishma, and Tanamin, whom I spent much of the con pestering, and whose costuming skills are just... well... freaking amazing. Go here to see some examples, and of course, visit Kishma's site, linked above, and you'll see what I mean. (I was an unfortunately modern minotaur in those jeans, with my plantigrade legs and shoes. I aim to fix that, time and money willing in the future.) So you can just imagine how much it thrilled me when Ed Kline especially said that he really liked my costume. I hadn't even thought he'd seen me when I was wearing it, as I hadn't seen him at the table when the fursuit parade went by. But my vision inside the mask, while improved, still isn't the best, and I was admittedly distracted.

I got my grubby little hands on all three issues of Carpe Diem, and what's more, got to meet the writer of CD and assorted other webcomics, Graveyard Greg, (who is also, as it happens, a minotaur by the name of Brahma.) and the artist, Redkam. Greg seemed a very fun and outgoing guy, and all I saw of him during the con (which wasn't much, but that's why it was just an impression) seemed to support that. I know that while he was around, I was either laughing or smiling. Especially when he and Adam Fullerton did a duet to Love Shack the last day of the con. More about that later. He is also, as it turns out, a very wise man. I had gone to the table with the intentions of buying the Carpe Diem issues, but found out that they weren't going to be able to take debit cards until the next day. When Greg exclaimed over the lack of CD issues in my hand, I explained that little fact, and he cautioned me that he had a feeling, that the issues already sold had gone fast. They might not be there the next day. I pondered a minute, then said I'd go find an ATM. So I got me to a money machine, got the bucks, returned, and snatched up issues one, two, and three. And the Furnation issue with the Carpe Diem ministory. Later that evening, I passed the restaurant, and Greg hailed me, informing me that issue three had sold out that day. Issues two and one were sold out the day after. So I was extremely glad that I listened to him. :D It took me a couple days, since I tend to be shy in cases like this, but I also finally approached Redkam, to let her know how much I enjoyed her artwork for Carpe Diem, and particularly the coloring. It went better than I had thought, for as brief as it was, and I was relieved. I always, always feel awkward approaching artists or musicians and likewise that I admire, and telling them so. I guess I'm afraid of bothering them or seeming like an idiot. Or worse, a fanboy. Err, fangirl?

As much fun as the fursuit parade was, and as many great costumes as there were - must develop film and get pics posted, yes - I probably shouldn't have done so with my tendonitis still hanging, like a snarly little terrier, onto my ankle. Walking around at my own slow pace and being able to sit when I wanted was one thing - having to keep up to the pace of the others and try not to slow everyone behind me was another. My leg hurt the most that day. The good news was, that most of the rest of the time, since I did move at my own pace and sat often, all I had throughout the con was a limp. The crutch stayed in my car, unused, though the brace pretty much stayed glued to my leg. :)

So many panels I wanted to go to, and so many conflicted with each other! It was hard to pick, but I enjoyed myself a great deal. I actually talked a little more to people this year, which was interesting, but I didn't get in as much time at the Creator's Lounge as I have in the past. I can't say I'm sorry though, as that meant I was usually doing something more fun. I just don't have a lot of drawings to show for it. Though I do have one from Tanamin, that got a chuckle out of me, and even coaxed me into drawing a sort of follow-up to his, for him. Again, I'll post them once I can. It was my attempt to be funny, but really, I should just leave that to him. He's a lot better at it. *chuckles*

I also got a bunch of con loot. *laughs* I spent more than I should have, but it was so nice to be able to afford to do so this year, instead of rationing my twenty dollars for 'stuff other than needed food' like last year. I got loot for me and a few things for a friend. My stuff: 3 issues of Carpe Diem, one of Furnation, a stuffed longhorn bull with black batwings sewn on, (I'm not normally a plushy fan, but for some reason, I just liked these guys, they were extremely well done) a cute stuffed lion, a plush deer, plastic fangs from one of the fursuit building panels I attended (free!), an Ironclaw book, a sketch from Tanamin (who wouldn't let me pay him for it, the sneaky begger), the promise of a couple of prints from her awesome solstice series from Kishma (who also wouldn't let me pay for them, the determined zebra), three Heather Alexander cds, a great unicorn-themed T-shirt, and an inflatable Scooby-Doo bust from Tanamin for winning the 'spot the screw-up' contest in his comic a time or two. I'm still trying to figure out how I can give it back to him. *grins* For my friend, a plush moose, a resin statue of... I can't spell his name, but Sekhmet's son, and a Dark Natasha T-shirt with Anubis.

But probably most memorable for me was the people. I've already mentioned a few instances, but here's the rest. I hung out a great deal with Kishma, Tananmin, Ed, and Ben again this year, and like all others, it was great. Even just standing around in the background by these people, I get to hear and see people I've only heard of. One of the guests of honor, Alan Dean Foster, evidently was a friend of Ed's from some time ago, and he stopped and chatted with him for an hour or so about this and that, the new Spellsinger story he'd written, said that Ed's version of Mudge is the best one he's ever seen... Hell, I got excited, and I wasn't even a part of the conversation in any way shape or form! But that was so damn cool, and I can just imagine what a kick it must be to have your work liked by someone who inspired you to begin with. Half the fun thing for me is just listening to these people - though I think I got a little excitable, especially with Kishma and Tanamin, and talked a bit too much. *wrinkles nose*

The one fly in the ointment so to speak was the fact that all of us couldn't eat together in the restaurant because they'd brought Buffy - a Chihuahua/Jack Russel mix who is absolutely adorable and sweet - and the new manager wouldn't allow her in the area, even in her carrier. I know the reasons - heck, have to enforce the same thing myself at work - so can't really blame the guy. It was just a little disappointing, since they'd been allowed to do so in previous years. So they had to eat in shifts, and so I had dinner with one group here, breakfast with another there, and so on. This also meant, however, that at least once, I got to speak with Ed Kline a lot more than I ever had before, and, my god, the stories this man has to tell. If I have half as many, half as interesting, by the time I'm twice his age, I'll call it a good life lived. Of course, Tanamin and Kishma seem to have just as many, which figures, since they're all together. Ben has a few of his own, and a scrapbook full of some of the neatest fursuits you'll ever see, as well as tales about some costumes that I -wish- he'd had pictures of.

I was bummed when they all had to go relatively early the last day, but they had a long drive, and were worn out. I gave and got hugs goodbye, and even got tickled by Tanamin's beard - which, having the comparison of my brother, father, and grandfather, I have to say, was much softer and nicer. And my brother can just eat that knowledge, because it's the truth. Pttth. Maybe the men in my family just have coarse beards. But, after they took off, I wandered around, intending to spend the remaining hours of the con in the Creator's Lounge, drawing. Since it was only an hour drive home, I figured I'd hang around as long as possible. Not like I had anything else to do. But I found that even though the Lounge was posted as being open until late that night, it had already been taken apart. Disappointed, I wandered around a little, until I passed the Gaming den, which was the hotel's Club Max, and wandered inside. And there, I did find... Karaoke Revolution. I gave it a whirl, had fun watching others - some of whom were quite good singers, actually - and got asked to draw in a sketchbook. During that time, who should come in, but Graveyard Greg, Adam Fullerton, and his wife, Gaby. (Who is also Redkam, Carpe Diem's artist, in case I left that out before.) Greg did a solo version of Love Shack, Adam did a song or three, and then, -then- ladies and gentlemen, they did a duet of Love Shack. And you know what? They rocked. I have never really liked the song myself, not done by the B52s anyway. The man's part is great, but something about the woman's part just annoyed the heck out of me. But I liked this performance. Of course, it was a performance. They both not only sang decently but Greg was out there dancing around, and so was Adam to an extent. They definitely gave everyone a show. :D Must get pictures developed, yes. A brief conversation with Adam yielded a CD he and his brother had made, called 3 Years on the Couch, and to my surprise he actually gave me one. I have to say, some of the songs are really, really good, and I also have to remember to send him an email saying as much, and maybe a bit of money. Good music should be paid, after all. Coming from a family of musicians, I am a firm believer in that. Of course, being from a family of musicians, I won't be able to give him -much- money... but that's beside the point. ;) I was also pointed at by Greg, given a stern look, and told "Kaz! I don't have fan art from you for Carpe Diem!" To which I replied something like *squeak* -deer in the headlights look-. "Send it to my email!" "Yessir." *chuckles* So I'm working on a pic of one of my favorite characters. I'm also pondering on trying to get revenge the only way I can, by deluging Greg with fanart, because, you see, he was evil. He asked me what I wanted to see more of in Gaming Guardians. Being the newb I am to the fandom, I fell headfirst into the trap. I'm a minotaur. There are minotaurs in his comic. "What do you think?" "Angus and Brahma?" *nodnods* "Angus and Brahma." *evil in his voice* "I'm going to make you regret you said that." "..." *mental cursing*. And even the phrase he uttered after that, though not so very illuminating in itself, was all he really had to say. And then I was -really- cursing me and my big mouth. *laughs ruefully*

Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, the mic on the game died, and the club was closed, so everyone wandered off in separate directions. Since there was nothing to do, and no one to hang out with for the rest of the day, I got in my car and drove home. I had a great time. *sighs happily* And if you actually read all this, I'm impressed.