Plushes

[lupestripe]

Just out of interest, how many plushes do you own and what animals do you have?

I have always been interested in plushes, ever since I was a kid, but unfortunately my parents banned me from buying any more as they feared I would drown amidst a sea of plushes. They even confiscated some of them too and stuck them in the attic.

But now I am an adult, I am free to buy what the hell I want and this includes furry friends!!

I have a giant lion called Leo that an ex bought for me, a giant easter bunny, Bukkake the Bear from a charity shop (£4 for a 3ft bear, bargain!!) and a vast array of wolves, foxes and dogs. Of course, being a husky myself I have a natural fondness towards canids as they are just so darn cute!! Sadly I have yet to find any with pink stripes. Shame, they're missing a market there :P

Also, does anyone else get plush sympathy? That is, an overwhelming rush of emotion when you see a particular plush? Sometimes I go into a shop, spy a plush and just have to buy it because of the cute face or how it looks. I have also been known to buy two of the same plush because I liked the look of both of them and feel that if I put one back on the shelf, he will feel sad because I rejected him. I know it's silly but does anyone else experience this? Or am I just a nutjob?

Anyways, I currently have about 20 plushes. How many do you have and what's your animal(s) of choice?

Comments

[schnee.livejournal.com]

I don't know how many I've got... might be 100 or so. I'm particularly interested in wolves, foxes and skunks, of course. :)

And yeah, I sometimes got that, but it's a pretty rare thing nowadays, although I suppose that's also because many stores just don't seem to sell good, high-quality plushies anymore. There seems to be a trend towards cheaper, more generic, less well-made ones...

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Skunks are an interesting one for an aspiring canid. I see the massive appeal of wolves and foxes of course, they're my main choice really. I agree that good quality plushes are either over-priced or ridiculously expensive but sales are good things. I got a giant Easter Bunny for about €8 simply because it's the week after Easter. Now all we need to do is derive a festival that celebrates wolves and foxes then we'd get loads of plushes! Yeys!!

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*s* That'd be nice, yes.

Hmm, as for skunks... I'm not sure why, but I just have a very weak spot for those. :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Lols, we all have weak spots for certain animals. I like rabbits as well as canids hehe.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Yeah, rabbits are nice, too...

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

My first fursona was a rabbit. Then it moved on to squirrels, then to wolves. Odd history lols.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Quite so. :) I can't imagine you as a rabbit really - but even less so as a squirrel.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Really, why do you say that hun?

[schnee.livejournal.com]

I don't know - it just doesn't seem to fit. :) Of course, I'm probably biased because I only know you as a wolf, but... *snugs*

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I am vegetarian so I guess I am more rabbit and squirrel than I am wolf in many ways. Apart from that, I don't know what other traits I share with rabbits and squirrels - my wolf thing is partly down to the loyalty of lupines. As you say, if you've never experienced me as anything else then it may come as a shock. It's the same with most furs I know - I am shocked when they change fursonas but after a few months it becomes more natural again. I guess we all draw certain emotions out of different creatures and many can represent certain facets of our personalities.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*noddles* I wouldn't call it a "shock" myself as far as you are concerned - although it might be one if you changed your fursona *now*, as opposed to mentioning past changes I didn't yet know about. ^^

Mmmm, and I think it's perfectly possible to be a vegetarian wolf. After all, why not? Wolves even do eat things like berries etc. in the wild, too. :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

That's what I keep telling myself about the vegetarianism. It's not a moral choice particularly, it's because of a medical condition so perhaps I am less wolf like than I first appear :(

I could change my fursona but as furry is partly spiritual for me and I do have a strong empathy for wolves, I don't see the point. I flirted with other species before accepting lupine superiority lols. I'm happy being a wuff :)

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*noddles and noses* That's good. :) And really, don't worry about the whole vegetarian thing - no matter whether it's a personal choice or a necessity, you're still you, and you're still a wolf. ^^

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

When I first joined the fandom I had this massive fear about being a vegetarian wolf. Would furs accept me or just dismiss me as a fantasist? Thankfully, I just said I was a special wuff and it seemed to work lols.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*noddles* Furries are generally a pretty open and tolerant bunch... and I think vegetarianism is *even* more accepted simply because we all feel some connection to animals and thus could understand ethical reasons for being a vegetarian more easily. :)

*gives your nose a lick*

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I hadn't thought that but as empathy is the most important emotion there is in my opinion, I can certainly relate to that view. When I became vegetarian I was very depressed and thought that no animal was worth sacrificing to keep me alive but that was then and this is now. Nowadays I am vegetarian for medical reasons (as mentioned and I've always had this), partly for ethical reasons (damn empathy) and also because that's the only food I can cook lols. I don't know how accepted vegetarianism in the Fandom, I would guess probably no more or less accepted than anywhere else but as you say, the open and tolerant aspect of the Fandom probably means most people aren't too bothered about it.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

I think furries - not all furries, but most furries, or at least a higher percentage than is true for the general population - will accept it. :) I mean... it's not even like there really *is* anything to accept; it doesn't affect anyone else, so I'd imagine that most furries will not quarrel about it.

Ah well. :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

You'd be surprised though, a fair few furs are quite judgmental on things, particularly sexual fetishes and these have nothing to do with them either. Still, vegetarianism is fine, as you say.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*noddles* Well, furries aren't perfect... and they certainly have become even less so in recent years (although there were always some vocal idiots who ragged on anybody expressing their sexuality). But I didn't say that *all* furries are open and tolerant *all* the time, anyway. :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Tis true, I have always been quite surprised about how some furs are so closed minded. They're furry for God's sake, surely by definition you must be open minded. Still, I guess the Fandom is merely a microcosm of society and you are likely to get all views represented whenever such a large group of people come together, irrespective of the common interest.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*noddles* True, yeah... but yeah, I still can't really understand it, either. If you're a member of a subgroup that's at the receiving end of intolerance from others for no good reason, surely you should not in turn be intolerant of others for no good reason in turn? I have no idea how some people manage to do just that without having their heads explode from the hypocrisy. :P

Fortunately, they seem to be relatively few and far between still.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

The worrying thing is that they appear to be increasing in numbers. I guess it's the age old adage of trying to account for your own insecurities by claiming you are better than somebody else because at least you are not into x y z. It's a mentality I understand but not one I condone or share.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Maybe that's it, yes...

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I try and analyse psychology too much. I really should stop...