EF14 - My Review
Sep. 2nd, 2008 11:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lupestripeSo did EF14 live up to the high standard that was set with last year's excellent con? Well, yes and no in all honesty.
There is no doubting that I have had a truly amazing time in Suhl over the last six days but I also feel that something was missing. This is hard to put a paw on. Perhaps it has more to do with EF13 being my first ever con and the huge "wow" factor that that brought with it. Perhaps EF13 had a stronger theme which ran through the events more clearly and coherently. Or perhaps my opinion of the Fandom itself is different to what it was a year ago.
Still, there is no doubting that EF14 was a huge personal success. Not only did I meet up with old friends who I had made last year but I also met up with a menagerie of new furs too. I came to realise that this is the one true strength of the Fandom - that it is possible to meet like-minded people from across the globe and to form friendships that transcend across cultures and national boundries. This, above anything, is what the Fandom means to me.
From the off, I also admit that I intended to have a different EF experience this year. Last year, I very much focused on the suiting side of things and I had great fun. However, what I found was that this didn't allow me to meet as many new furs as I would have liked and so I decided to focus on socialising in the bar this year instead.
Indeed, I brought my suit this year but just didn't get round to wearing it (despite a few people wanting me to). The reasons for this are various but the main ones include the fact that my focus in the Fandom has shifted somewhat, that I was simply having too good a time around the bar area and a strange lack of confidence when suiting around other furs - I get greater kicks doing it in public for some reason.
On a related vein, I missed quite a few interesting SIGs last year because I was suiting and this year I wanted to make up for that. I particularly wanted to focus on the writing SIGs in the hope that they would help me improve my own work and this is why I had to sacrifice the suiting.
So dive in and explore further dear reader as in a cocktail of sleep deprevation and illness (too much rich food has caused me severe problems), I write my Horrorfurence experience.
Tuesday
Spending a week with my boyfriend and master is always going to be exciting, irrespective of the setting. So imagine my excitement on the morning of our flight as I was greeted to another cloudy English day. I had gotten to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fen_ra . He was to be the first fur we were to meet on our freaky fuzzy odyssey and he provided welcome company for the next four hours.
On the flight itself, we got a free cheese and lettuce bagel - with an impressive bagel hole too I must add. Wolfie and I started as we meant to go on by ordering a beer whilstfen_ra decided to scare us all by raising his eyebrows suggestively to the chorus to "Get Down On It" once we had landed. (Air Berlin played the same song once we landed in Manchester too - suggesting that perhaps this was one kinky airline).
fen_ra had to fly to Nurnburg and as we are gentlemen, we decided to kill some time with him in an airport bar. Here we met a loud, insane bloke with glasses who revelled in the fact that I had a large box containing a bright pink fursuit. This guy was working behind the bar and his mood was only tempered by the bearded, blond businessman who looked at me like he had just found a nasal hair in his crispy Waldorf Salad. Still, we made an impression and that was all that mattered.
I tried the cuisine at Nordsee at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof once we had said goodbye to the Fen (I had always wanted to try Nordsee stuff but I had been a vegetarian for three years and only started eating fish again in June). It wasn't particularly spectacular and as we boarded the ICE for our mammoth five hour train journey (that would get us into Suhl at 1am), we thought of the relaxed atmosphere that the RIngberg would provide. Well, as relaxed as it could be considering that the furmeet promised a horror show. And that's not just the furs who refuse to wash...
The German trains went smoothly enough apart from the four minute change at Erfuht that left us very little time to get our connection on the Sud-Thuringen Bahn (why do they leave so little gap between connections). We went to the wrong platform in what was a building site of a station so cue impatient swearing from me. We got to our train a minute late, only to find that it was going to be there another ten as it was held up for another late train. Anyways, on the ICE I ended up being laughed at by four coaches of Germans as I ran out of paws carrying goods from the buffet car back to our seats. This meant that I had to carry a pack of Pringles in my mouth, whilst I was wearing my collar, like a good little puppy. I did feel a little embarrassed...
It was on the Sud-Thuringen Bahn that we got pounced by the Kenno Crew on their way from Frankfurt. They were shocked to find Wolfie and I calmly sitting there (I had relaxed by this point) whilst they had bombed across the station in the hope they wouldn't miss the last connection either. Much drinking and merriment ensued - fuelled by the happy news thatblueotter and kryomouse are together (and the fuel that is a lot of Tesco Value vodka and rum).
We met a couple of French furs - Mad Otter was one of them - whose first convention it was. They were a little apprehensive but once they were mobbed by ten crazy Brits - one of whom in fursuit distracting the driver - I think they felt right at home. I just pity all the other poor people in the carraige who must have been wishing that the train would get to their destinations far quicker than it actually did.
By the time we got to the Ringberg, everyone was relaxed and looking forward to the con. If it was to be anything like EF13, we knew we were in for a treat although we were slightly disappointed to find that there was no massive welcoming sign to greet us in the lobby this year. This had been a focal point of last year's con and in a way, it kept the casino theme alive in our minds. This time, there was nothing there to guide us and this meant the theme was less obvious to us.
Still, a couple of drinks in and no one was really bothered. It was great catching up with the crew and meeting new furs too - like Lone Wolf for the first time. I also caught up withjari , the fur with whom I stayed in Helsinki in July. I admit I got him pissed by buying him drinks but meh, what can you do?
It was also great drinking proper German pils instead of the muck that passes for lager in the UK. Sadly, this wasn't to last as the pils varied in taste throughout the week, suggesting perhaps that the taps hadn't been cleaned properly. I certainly know that I only had two pils on Thursday and it gave me a bad stomach ache, not to mention that they tasted a little off too. But these, perhaps, are mere niggles.
Wednesday
With nothing particuarly scheduled until the Thursday - Wednesday was a great excuse to have a *ahem* few beers and meet a good few furs. Unfortunately, a few beers turned into rather a lot and a ten hour drinking session ensued.
It all started around 3pm after Wolfie and I had a well-deserved lie-in followed by attempts to dye our hair. I had purchased some bright pink hair dye the previous Sunday at the York meet whilst we had spent most of Tuesday afternoon in Hamburg looking for some red hair dye for Wolfie. We had succeeded and two and a half hours of vigorous scalp massaging ensued. The results were pleasing - Wolfie's hair was positively radiant in red whilst I was pretty in pink, finally achieving the one colour I had wanted for twelve long years (curse Kurt Cobain and the In Utero liner notes).
We registered and were bemused to receive a can of Blood Sample Energy Drink. I can't think of a better or more appropriate Sponsor gift than that, it was truly inspired and I am going to keep mine - unopened - as a souvenir of an amazing week.
Afterwards, we went down to the bar where we bumped into Wolven,kennofox and a few of the others we had socialised with the night before. I have never been particularly good at the "just having one drink" philosophy and one became two became three as the afternoon wore on.
It was around this point that we met a Norweigen fur - Jimos - who happened to be sitting on his own on the table opposite from us and looking rather lonely. I asked him whether he wanted to join our table and he was soon wowing us with his excellent artwork and Scandinavian tails.kajidog , his mate and his two dogs also popped up to say hello around this juncture too and it was cool seeing the Aberdeen Australian for the first time in three months.
The BBQ seemed to open considerably earlier than it did last year as by 4:30pm, there was a healthy queue forming. Being stoically un-British and eschewing queues, a group of us decided to go down there and tuck in.
Initially, I felt that €12 was a little steep for the BBQ considering I was vegetarian so I decided to screw that and eat the sausage instead. I don't know what principle guided me on this one but I guess it was a combination of being a little tipsy and the feeling that "well, I'm on holiday so it doesn't really matter". Anyways, how often do I get to try German sausage after all? I'm no slut but it is rather tasty. And curse holidays for my lapse into eating meat again - back in June in Lisbon I ate fish for the first time in two and a half years as well. Grrr. Still, whoever heard of a veggie wuff I guess?
In hindsight (and sobriety admittedly), €12 for an all you can eat BBQ over four hours with free beer is very good value indeed. I like to think I got my money's worth. Either way, this con was all about meeting furs to me and bumping into MystiFur made that worthwhile. He was soon telling me a myriad of interesting facts about the Dutch fur scene, which was very enlightening indeed.
I don't know much about what happened after this point suffice to say I know I was drinking in the bar for a fair bit. I can tell this from the scant recollections I do have, coupled with the fact that my wallet was €160 lighter the next morning. I drank a lot of Spooky Specials (I prefer the Spoogy Special name from last year myself) and I couldn't face them again after this drinking session. They were gorgeous though and highly addictive.
I also know I was buying people rounds of drink, includingunclekage , whose wine fund I topped up. Kage is excellent company and we spent about an hour and a half chatting about Anthrocon and the fur scene in the US. At one point, he started singing the French national anthem and in my state of drunkeness I had to sing God Save The Queen over him in the middle of the bar. I also chatted to the (fashion crime victim when it comes to trousers) Jibba, who was a good laugh too, despite a worrying taste in trousers. I had moved on to red wine at this stage after I had had enough of cocktails and the white wine was dissolving my stomach from the inside.
At some juncture,exiledwolf took me out to the bonfire, where I promptly tripped over a hosepipe. To be fair, it was dark and hard to see when sober so I am hardly going to blame myself for that one. Apparently, I was close to falling into the fire and kept confusing exiledwolf with calihusky over and over. Sorry about that guys. I also spoke to frost_t_wolf and jackiedog in, I believe, three languages. I am not too sure but knowing drunken me, slipping between English, German and Spanish I imagine is something I did quite frequently.
Some point throughout the night I became "infected and contaminous" but whether this was because I negated reading the Yiffy Guide To Safer Sex or not I wasn't too sure (I joke on that part). I was zombified, which was quite ironic as I was so catatonic on booze that I almost literally was. I don't know what being zombified meant, I was too drunk to figure it out, but the pink strap matched my pink hair and my friend tungro was zombified too - so I was in good company. I'm not too sure he knew what it was about either.
Thursday
Thursday was always going to be the weakest day regarding SIGs for me, so we ended up in Suhl buying some food. We didn't want to be constrained with the Ringberg's food serving times (and indeed price) whilst we also knew that we couldn't live on donuts and chips for six days in a row. Also the pre-packaged sandwiches were awful - with some very weird combinations going on (bacon and egg I get but cheese and egg with smingey red things or ham with soggy gherkins?) So a trip to the town was required and a lot of bread and cheese was purchased (including one cheese that truly stunk the fridge out).
We also had a little nosey around Suhl, which is a pleasant enough little town in the Thuringen Wald. I managed to find an excellent book on wolves (called Wolfe) that not only had many stunning colour pictures but also text in German which will help my futile attempts to improve my knowledge of the language. I also bought the kids' magazine Einfach Tierisch (a common purchase for me, whenever I am in Germany) so I could again improve my German (and look at all the pretty animal pictures).
I had woken up with a killer hangover sometime in the early afternoon so I had missed the Dealers' Den opening. When I eventually got down there, I was surprised to see just how rapidly expanded it now was compared to last year. The familiar stalls were all there (the liquor shop, the Fetish Zone, Sofawolf Press etc) along with a lot of new ones (including fursuit construction and a vast array of new artists). The excellent Blotch, Ultraviolet and TaniDaReal were also in attendence and I was flattered to find out that Tani remembered me from last year (when my hair wasn't quite as silly). In fact everyone was really friendly and up for a chat :)
Having commissioned a few pics at ConFuzzled back in June (and wanting colour pics rather than inks), I decided to forgoe commissions this time around. I bought a few new pieces from TaniDaReal - my favourite furry artist - including her new Tonguetastic portfolio and the excellent mood badges that were on sale. I also got my €1 conbadge, like last time.
However, this time I decided to focus on furry fiction as I aspire to be a furry writer myself. In the end, this meant that I spent over €100 on books from Sofawolf Press, which I aim to read in the coming few weeks.
The only SIG that I went to on Thursday was The Fox Panel, which was an interesting foray into the world of foxyfluffs. I learned a lot of new facts about the creatures - particularly regarding living patterns and their interaction with humans - and this has spurred me to look deeper into the subject. There was a lively, interactive discussion in this SIG, which is something I prefer over the standard lecturing from a Power Point presentation. Also some of the research techniques employed to study these creatures were extremely interesting on a logistical point of view.
At some point during the day, I caught up withexiledwolf who confirmed to me that I hadn't been that much of a drunken arse the night before. This was about the time that (I think NightFox's) car was being drawn upon by a menagerie of furries. Some of the pictures were positively humorous (the squished fox on the front of the bonnet for example) whilst others were satirical. The fuel cap was transformed into an SPH and even the licence plate was (illegally) tampered with. I don't think the pen was permanent (I hope for his sake it's not) but the creativity of furries reached new levels here - particularly as it was all free hand with no templates whatsover.
Shortly after,kennofox and kiffylee hired the little novelty Flymo to pick nightwind005 up from Suhl station. Sadly, the engine in the novelty three-wheeler had as much power in it as that of the average blender and they report that going down the hill towards Suhl in that thing was a scary experience. They quickly reneged on the idea and picked up the Mackem fur using conventional means.
The evening show consisted of Stage Fever, the furry talent contest. It was somewhat abridged compared to normal runs but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The sketches that were performed were all first rate and showed a lot of diligence and patience. Equally, the final sketch with the bunnies at the end (The Spot The Ten Furry Talent Show Sketches) was a work of genius and thoroughly hilarious.
Indeed, the only thing that spoiled the show for me, was the two people in front of me who kept holding their cameras high in the air to take pictures. This meant that I had to look constantly through their arms or shimmy my head from side to side, which got irritating. I wonder if it would be possible to have a separate cameras section for future years to prevent this?
The Fursuit Dance followed but as I had paid for tickets to the late-night The Internet Is For Porn event, I decided that there wasn't really enough time to suit and joined my friends at the bar. At midnight, we joined the queue for the (fantastically named) Kitty Twister for an evening of smut.
In all honesty, I was disappointed with this event. I understand that there were last minute changes regarding its presentation but there was something missing throughout. It didn't start well as I only got a total of one out of ten for the porn questions (although I was close to getting another two - hey, I paw off to porn, I don't have the required attention to study it lols). This didn't bother me too much though. What did was the giant pillar that was positioned directly in line between me and the stage. This meant that I couldn't see what was going on. This was true for the last twenty people who arrived at the bar as the seats behind this pillar were effectively useless.
It was around the point of furs blowing balloons up and answering questions on genunine spam email titles that we decided to go back to the main bar. However, this wasn't before we met a huge gaggle of German furs and got chatting to them. This was a massive boost regarding this event and we swapped details and much banter throughout the rest of the con.
I can't resist the combination of mayonnaise and tomato ketchup so later on I decided to forget my vegetarianism once again and grab some hot dogs. However, what I didn't encounter on, was me inadvertently knocking all this on to my lap as I pushed the table away from myself as I went to the toilet. My trousers were covered in a delicious creamy fluid (oh the innuendo!!).
The only other thing of note at this time was the ongoing argument betweenredmoor and spargue over whether the former looked like Postman Pat in his naval uniform. I said nay, he looked naval but spargue was convinced he was a postman. I don't think anyone agreed with him.
Friday
Had I overcome a few doubts earlier, I would have made it to a few of the earlier SIGs on the Friday. Sometimes, I live in awe of people and in a fear that because I know nothing about a certain subject, I think it debars me from attending certain events. Before Saturday, I knew little of Sofawolf but once speaking to Watts Martin over the weekend, I now wish that I had attended that SIG and the one he ran about Fanzines.
Still, life is not about living in regrets and I did manage to go to the Between Wolf And Dog SIG. This was an interesting exploration of the Czech's attempts to mate a wolf with a German Shepherd to create the ultimate police patrol dog - fixed on the traits of strength of a wolf and the loyalty of a dog. This was to be used on the border between Communism and Capitalism in order to stop people leaving the (then Soviet) Czechoslovakia. It was an interesting examination of the power of selective breeding and the military tactics employed by the Communists in the late Fifties and Sixties. The experiment itself was a failure because these dogs were practically untrainable but in this project, a new species was created which now makes good pets. The jump between untrainable savage beasts to house pets is one that I wish was explored further though and I intend to ask Altair some more questions regarding this. The logic and means were fascinating though and fed in well with my love of history.
The Origin of the Fandom SIG followed afterwards - with Kage, Watts Martin and Steve Gelliachi (who was fashionably late, lols) leading the way. This SIG had been scheduled for last year but was unfortunately cancelled at the last minute so it was great to be able to go to it this year. As history (and particularly social history) is a particular interest of mine, this SIG was probably my favourite of the lot. It consisted of a brief detailing of the early days of the Fandom followed by a general Q&A with plenty of banter. I feel that my furriness is that much richer now knowing how it all started - after all, we don't know who we are until we know where we have come from. The tales (or should that be tails) from previous cons and just how far the Fandom has progressed and developed since its nascent years was something that really lit a flame inside my mind.
The Art Auction followed soon afterwards and there were many gorgeous pieces up for sale. A lot of them went for prices above which I would be willing to pay but then that's the beauty of art - it's so subjective that each individual can put their own value on a particular piece. Not having a Bidder Number certainly helpedfen_ra (what with his reputation for extravagent purchases) and also prevented me from doing what I did at Confuzzled in June, when I brazenly bid for a lot of things lols (not that I regret what I got at all). Still, most of the art went for prices outside of my price range and I noticed to the same few bidders time and again. I hope they are happy with their pieces as they are excellent works.
Uncle Kage vs 2, The Ranting Gryphon was the comedy entertainment of the evening and as usual, they didn't disappoint.unclekage 's Storytime Hour is always a highlight of the con, largely because he is such a natural on stage. It is hard not to like Kage as his warmth and enthusiasm is contagious and he has so many adventures that it is hard not to be enthralled. Also, having seen him at three cons now, it is good to notice a progression to his stories - it's almost like we are growing up with him as he is so candid and honest in his approach. Big thanks have to go to EosFoxx too who kindly arranged for us to get seats near the front after we inadvertently sat in reserved seating. Care like that makes the EF staff the best Con staff in the world (although I did give her a *hug* lols).
Between the two sets we all got free beer courtesy of Andre, the chief barman. So impressed was he with EF13 and the Fandom in general, that he has now become a fur himself and wanted to show his appreciation. The Ringberg staff to a man were excellent and fantastic hosts (it needs to be said) and this gesture further cemented the excellent relationship that the EF staff and the hotel staff have forged. In the free beer, we also got a little Andre card with a picture of his fursona on.
I also enjoyed the set of Jibba and 2, although I admit that their style of comedy is not something I would ordinarily go and see. There were a few jokes that went beyond me - largely because I am not a big exponent of computer games or 4chan - but there were enough laughs to be had for me to enjoy the performance. I also enjoyed the audience participation that was encouraged by 2, particularly as the night wore on and we were becoming more raucous.
The finale, or the prelude to the Erotic Fursuit Dancing Contest, was probably the top of the pile regarding the evening's entertainment. After all, anything that ends with Kage semi-naked (after saying he would only take his shirt off if €1000 was donated to the National Fox Welfare Society (which really should be the National Society for Fox Welfare or NSFW)) and wearing a donkey head is worth the price of admission alone. Perhaps I am weird - hey I am a fur :P
Either way, we didn't manage to get tickets to the EFDC but by all accounts it was rather good. As usual, I just finished the day propping up the bar and largely talking to the Finnish furs, who are all mad.jari was so drunk he was singing about making a pizza pie out of babyfurs whilst winterfuhr looked on bemused, drinking also (I like his beard). It was great meeting winterfuhr for the first time - we had planned to meet up in Helsinki back in July but sadly it never took place. It was also cool meeting the other Finnfurs too, they're all a great laugh. Such meetings make cons, and EF in particular, the great events that they are :D
Saturday
The theme of the con only started to become apparent on the Saturday with the Lucid Dreaming SIG. Being part of the Transcendental Meditation movement, I was particularly looking forward to this SIG as I have an ongoing interest in psychology and spirituality. Added to this was the realisation that LD can be used to lycanthrope and shapeshift too and this added fuel to what was already an intensely burning fire. Finding out more about LD makes me feel more inclined to do it, particularly as there seems to be signs in my own consciousness that I should be able to do it reasonably easily (I can remember most of my dreams and have influnced a few consciously in the past). Threading all these factors together, this SIG really opened my eyes to the firther possibilities of the mind and hopefully, it will allow me to explore my neuroses and overcome my inexplicable depressions and mood swings. Even if it doesn't, it's something I would definitely like to try on spiritual grounds if nothing else.
I sacrificed the Fursuit Parade for the Watts Martin writing seminar and I made the right decision. Fursuit Parades are tremendous fun but I have been involved in two now and I wanted to try and further my writing prowess, as mentioned earlier. This SIG was therefore too good to miss. It concerned character development and how to write strong characters. It was run by Watts Martin and Tim Suseman and I learned a hell of a lot of tips and techniques from them. The debate was healthy and lively and I can't wait to employ a few of these ideas into my own writing in the near future.
Later on, in the Dealers' Den, I received a further boost when I spoke to both authors at length during their signing session. They gave me a lot more tips on how to become a furry writer and their interest in my ideas has really spurred me to continue writing. Both authors were honest in their advice and they have given me the confidence I needed to keep plugging away. I cannot speak highly enough about them and I think them wholeheartedly for their time.
Saturday afternoon was fast becoming the highlight of the con and the Pawpet Performance of Dreamcatchers enhanced this. Wanting a front-row seat, we queued for an hour and a half and, when we were let in, the excitement in the air was palpable. A slight confrontation between my boyfriend and a fur in front of us who demanded that Wolfie could not sit where he wanted because it was "reserved" did little to dampen the spirits.
I knew it would be very difficult to top last year's exceptional show, which at the time I admitted was the best thing that I had ever seen performed. Dreamcatchers took the baton and succeeded, albeit in a different way. The element of spirituality was there, along with a lot of quotes that could have come straight from eighteenth century Scottish philosopher David Hume. This docked with my interest straight away as psychology, spirituality and philosophy are all strong interests of mine. Suffice to say that the script was once again excellent (to the point that I am envious of Cheetah for writing something so damn good) and the characterisation was amazing. I admit I cried a few times and had several lumps in my throat as the storyline progressed, which is always the sign of a good show. The appaluse from the audience at the end was thoroughly deserved and I don't envy the team who now have to try and top it again next year...
On a related theme, on Monday we were asked whether we could salvage some of the backdrops from the show, created by TaniDiReal. Otherwise, they would be burned. Wolfie and I are still working on an attempt to courier five pieces of scenery from Germany to the UK. We are hopeful that we can bring them over here as it would be a tremendous shame to lose such diligent and time-consuming work. They are also a piece of EF history and it would be, quite frankly, an honour to have them. Hopefully we can sort something in the next few days.
Feeling tired, I admit that we missed the BBF Dance although I hear that everyone had a great time and a lot of exciting japes happened. Wolfie and I headed back upstairs for a few minutes, largely on the swell of emotion caused by the Pawpet Show. Up there, we fell asleep in each other's arms and didn't wake up until about 2am, at which time we decided to just call it a night.
Sunday
So tired were we that we woke up a mere ten minutes before the Group Photograph. This made a great change from the usual being woken up by impatient cleaners who couldn't understand the Do Not Disturb sign, despite it being in their own language. One time, they almost caught me pawing. I wouldn't mind if they knocked first but they didn't - they just barged in and demanded access. The Monday was the worst - ignoring the sign and barging in at 9:40am, a full hour and twenty before we had to check out. Anyway, I digress...
A quick wash and change of clothes later and we had assembled in the courtyard amongst the other 782 attendees to get our picture taken. Dodging parasols (otherwise we wouldn't be in shot), we were moved back three times before we found a space in an area of openness so at least this year we will be seen (we were stuck behind somebody last year). After this, there was no closing ceremony (which is a shame in a way as it would be a good way to round things off) and so everyone dispersed - either to the bar or to start the long journey home.
It was also around this time that I noticed that the Fandom had once again made it into Friday's Freies Wort newspaper. The front page photo was stunning and the description complementary - indeed all of Suhl seems to love it when the furries are in town :)
Off the top of my head, I hatched an idea to go down to the Suhl Tierpark. I didn't want to sit in the bar all day and get drunk, particularly around a load of octigenarians who were giving us funny looks. So I bounced the idea off a few people and said we will meet outside the Hotel at 2pm and make plans from there. In the end, we had about twenty furs on our little expedition and it was a fantastic day spent with good company.
Admittedly, the sunny weather helped and as we all yomped out of the hotel carpark and on to the main road, I started singing furry animal songs that no one wanted to follow up. I spent most of my time talking to girly Pinky, who is one of the most insane, and brilliant people I have ever met. Sharing a mutual love and respect for the colour pink of course, always helps although at one point I did insult her by saying she had an American accent :(
It was great when we cut into the forest on our way to the Tierpark. The weather in England this year has been so crappy that it has been hard to get out into the countryside and the spiritual experience of walking through the forest with a group of furries was one that warmed the soul. As did seeing the vast array of plushies at the ticket booth to the Tierpark. I just wanted to buy them all and in the end I did buy a small husky. The worrying thing was that I spied the large husky sat next to him and I felt his sadness at the departure of his friend. Thankfully, rationalilty took over and I left the big husky to play with his other plushie friends (why they were selling huskies there though, when there were none in the park, is beyond me).
A quick stop at the bar to grab a beer (I love the European policy of being allowed to drink beer outside) and we went off to see the animals. It was great looking at all the different species but I couldn't help but feel a strong sense of sadness. This was particularly intense at the fox enclosure where there were two foxes in cages that were no bigger than 1.5m square. One of the foxes licked my paw lovingly, which melted the heart, but I couldn't help but feel that to enclose the animals in such a small space was cruel. (I particularly feel this with the birds as often they have no room to fly at all.) What the week had taught me was that there are many different elements to life and I felt that although I was seeing a fox in its physical form, I wasn't seeing a fox in its mental or spiritual guise. He was merely a shell of his own species, devalued to such a degree that it made me wonder what the point of his existence was. Granted, he may have been saved as a child etc and that now he wouldn't survive in the wild, but is that still a reason to treat animals in this way?
The rest of the animals looked as bored as we were excited to see them. There were a lot of deer in the Tierpark and we comfortably spent four hours in its surroundings. Storm, my Dutch furiend, fared less well however, but that was because he decided to suit around the park. I was going to do it myself but it was too hot plus the 45 minute walk to get there would have killed me. I also got to speak to bothtungro and his mate washu_chan_uk more in depth too and it was great to meet some more furries who I can relate to more easily.
We had bought some animal feed from the ticket booth and we went to feed the animals in the petting zoo. I can strongly recommend not to eat this food yourself - the compacted grass leaves a somewhat gritty taste on the pallet - Masterchef it ain't. Still, it was great seeing the deer eating out of your own paw although the goat who shat on my leg left a lot to be desired. We also managed to paw food on one poor fur as he was crouching down so he got swarmed with deer and goats. This was merely enhanced byfatkraken 's comment that she was "covered in goat".
The Crazy Horse Pension und Gasthaus was rather busy when our group got there. Seeingunclekage confirmed the worst - that all the furs had pre-booked and that there was no space left for us. So weary and hungry, the now 13 deciplies trapised down the hill and into town looking for food. In the end, we stopped at the first restaurant we found and in all honesty, we hit a gold mine.
The beech(?) sap juice that was on offer there was gorgeous - sweet beyond anything I have ever tasted. I also finally decided to renounce my vegetarianism and go for the first steak I have had in three and a half years. It was excellent (as was the grilled camembert and raspberry quark coulis before it), bloody and red as I used to like it, and three very pleasurable hours soon passed. Indeed, we even got into a massive debate about globalisation and current economic conditions, which I found rather stimulating.
The people in the restaurant liked us so much that they urged us to all sign their guestbook. Some drew pictures, some wrote their appreciation whilst others still got little gifts from the management of the establishment. We all got free pens too, which was a nice touch.
Back to the hotel and to The Dead Dog Party as the time had now reached 10pm. Watching fursuit bowling was a remarkably fun experience, whilst saying goodbye to new and old friends alike was a very sad one. I spent the last night speaking to a German fur who desperately wanted to improve his English. I said I would keep in touch via IMs and hopefully I'll be able to help. I also chatted a lot with Greskil Vulfhart, who was swooning over Vincent's new suit and telling me about his own dance moves during the BBF party.
It was about 1am when my glass failed. The bottom was hot from the dishwasher and the intense decrease in temperature caused by the pouring of ice cold Coca Cola in there made the bottom of the glass just drop away from the rest of the vessel. This meant Coke and ice went everywhere, right in the middle of the bar, and I was left feeling like a bit of a tit.
It was shortly after this that we went to bed and wrapped up another excellent EF experience. I guess a con is what you make it and this year, I decided to make it something different from last. In the end, both had merits and both had their drawbacks but one thing is for sure, I will be back again next year.
Massive thanks and congratulations go out to Cheetah, his staff and also the staff of the Ringberg who all came together to produce a fantastic con. Thanks guys :D
There is no doubting that I have had a truly amazing time in Suhl over the last six days but I also feel that something was missing. This is hard to put a paw on. Perhaps it has more to do with EF13 being my first ever con and the huge "wow" factor that that brought with it. Perhaps EF13 had a stronger theme which ran through the events more clearly and coherently. Or perhaps my opinion of the Fandom itself is different to what it was a year ago.
Still, there is no doubting that EF14 was a huge personal success. Not only did I meet up with old friends who I had made last year but I also met up with a menagerie of new furs too. I came to realise that this is the one true strength of the Fandom - that it is possible to meet like-minded people from across the globe and to form friendships that transcend across cultures and national boundries. This, above anything, is what the Fandom means to me.
From the off, I also admit that I intended to have a different EF experience this year. Last year, I very much focused on the suiting side of things and I had great fun. However, what I found was that this didn't allow me to meet as many new furs as I would have liked and so I decided to focus on socialising in the bar this year instead.
Indeed, I brought my suit this year but just didn't get round to wearing it (despite a few people wanting me to). The reasons for this are various but the main ones include the fact that my focus in the Fandom has shifted somewhat, that I was simply having too good a time around the bar area and a strange lack of confidence when suiting around other furs - I get greater kicks doing it in public for some reason.
On a related vein, I missed quite a few interesting SIGs last year because I was suiting and this year I wanted to make up for that. I particularly wanted to focus on the writing SIGs in the hope that they would help me improve my own work and this is why I had to sacrifice the suiting.
So dive in and explore further dear reader as in a cocktail of sleep deprevation and illness (too much rich food has caused me severe problems), I write my Horrorfurence experience.
Tuesday
Spending a week with my boyfriend and master is always going to be exciting, irrespective of the setting. So imagine my excitement on the morning of our flight as I was greeted to another cloudy English day. I had gotten to
fen_ra . He was to be the first fur we were to meet on our freaky fuzzy odyssey and he provided welcome company for the next four hours.On the flight itself, we got a free cheese and lettuce bagel - with an impressive bagel hole too I must add. Wolfie and I started as we meant to go on by ordering a beer whilst
fen_ra decided to scare us all by raising his eyebrows suggestively to the chorus to "Get Down On It" once we had landed. (Air Berlin played the same song once we landed in Manchester too - suggesting that perhaps this was one kinky airline).fen_ra had to fly to Nurnburg and as we are gentlemen, we decided to kill some time with him in an airport bar. Here we met a loud, insane bloke with glasses who revelled in the fact that I had a large box containing a bright pink fursuit. This guy was working behind the bar and his mood was only tempered by the bearded, blond businessman who looked at me like he had just found a nasal hair in his crispy Waldorf Salad. Still, we made an impression and that was all that mattered.I tried the cuisine at Nordsee at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof once we had said goodbye to the Fen (I had always wanted to try Nordsee stuff but I had been a vegetarian for three years and only started eating fish again in June). It wasn't particularly spectacular and as we boarded the ICE for our mammoth five hour train journey (that would get us into Suhl at 1am), we thought of the relaxed atmosphere that the RIngberg would provide. Well, as relaxed as it could be considering that the furmeet promised a horror show. And that's not just the furs who refuse to wash...
The German trains went smoothly enough apart from the four minute change at Erfuht that left us very little time to get our connection on the Sud-Thuringen Bahn (why do they leave so little gap between connections). We went to the wrong platform in what was a building site of a station so cue impatient swearing from me. We got to our train a minute late, only to find that it was going to be there another ten as it was held up for another late train. Anyways, on the ICE I ended up being laughed at by four coaches of Germans as I ran out of paws carrying goods from the buffet car back to our seats. This meant that I had to carry a pack of Pringles in my mouth, whilst I was wearing my collar, like a good little puppy. I did feel a little embarrassed...
It was on the Sud-Thuringen Bahn that we got pounced by the Kenno Crew on their way from Frankfurt. They were shocked to find Wolfie and I calmly sitting there (I had relaxed by this point) whilst they had bombed across the station in the hope they wouldn't miss the last connection either. Much drinking and merriment ensued - fuelled by the happy news that
blueotter and kryomouse are together (and the fuel that is a lot of Tesco Value vodka and rum).We met a couple of French furs - Mad Otter was one of them - whose first convention it was. They were a little apprehensive but once they were mobbed by ten crazy Brits - one of whom in fursuit distracting the driver - I think they felt right at home. I just pity all the other poor people in the carraige who must have been wishing that the train would get to their destinations far quicker than it actually did.
By the time we got to the Ringberg, everyone was relaxed and looking forward to the con. If it was to be anything like EF13, we knew we were in for a treat although we were slightly disappointed to find that there was no massive welcoming sign to greet us in the lobby this year. This had been a focal point of last year's con and in a way, it kept the casino theme alive in our minds. This time, there was nothing there to guide us and this meant the theme was less obvious to us.
Still, a couple of drinks in and no one was really bothered. It was great catching up with the crew and meeting new furs too - like Lone Wolf for the first time. I also caught up with
jari , the fur with whom I stayed in Helsinki in July. I admit I got him pissed by buying him drinks but meh, what can you do?It was also great drinking proper German pils instead of the muck that passes for lager in the UK. Sadly, this wasn't to last as the pils varied in taste throughout the week, suggesting perhaps that the taps hadn't been cleaned properly. I certainly know that I only had two pils on Thursday and it gave me a bad stomach ache, not to mention that they tasted a little off too. But these, perhaps, are mere niggles.
Wednesday
With nothing particuarly scheduled until the Thursday - Wednesday was a great excuse to have a *ahem* few beers and meet a good few furs. Unfortunately, a few beers turned into rather a lot and a ten hour drinking session ensued.
It all started around 3pm after Wolfie and I had a well-deserved lie-in followed by attempts to dye our hair. I had purchased some bright pink hair dye the previous Sunday at the York meet whilst we had spent most of Tuesday afternoon in Hamburg looking for some red hair dye for Wolfie. We had succeeded and two and a half hours of vigorous scalp massaging ensued. The results were pleasing - Wolfie's hair was positively radiant in red whilst I was pretty in pink, finally achieving the one colour I had wanted for twelve long years (curse Kurt Cobain and the In Utero liner notes).
We registered and were bemused to receive a can of Blood Sample Energy Drink. I can't think of a better or more appropriate Sponsor gift than that, it was truly inspired and I am going to keep mine - unopened - as a souvenir of an amazing week.
Afterwards, we went down to the bar where we bumped into Wolven,
kennofox and a few of the others we had socialised with the night before. I have never been particularly good at the "just having one drink" philosophy and one became two became three as the afternoon wore on. It was around this point that we met a Norweigen fur - Jimos - who happened to be sitting on his own on the table opposite from us and looking rather lonely. I asked him whether he wanted to join our table and he was soon wowing us with his excellent artwork and Scandinavian tails.
kajidog , his mate and his two dogs also popped up to say hello around this juncture too and it was cool seeing the Aberdeen Australian for the first time in three months.The BBQ seemed to open considerably earlier than it did last year as by 4:30pm, there was a healthy queue forming. Being stoically un-British and eschewing queues, a group of us decided to go down there and tuck in.
Initially, I felt that €12 was a little steep for the BBQ considering I was vegetarian so I decided to screw that and eat the sausage instead. I don't know what principle guided me on this one but I guess it was a combination of being a little tipsy and the feeling that "well, I'm on holiday so it doesn't really matter". Anyways, how often do I get to try German sausage after all? I'm no slut but it is rather tasty. And curse holidays for my lapse into eating meat again - back in June in Lisbon I ate fish for the first time in two and a half years as well. Grrr. Still, whoever heard of a veggie wuff I guess?
In hindsight (and sobriety admittedly), €12 for an all you can eat BBQ over four hours with free beer is very good value indeed. I like to think I got my money's worth. Either way, this con was all about meeting furs to me and bumping into MystiFur made that worthwhile. He was soon telling me a myriad of interesting facts about the Dutch fur scene, which was very enlightening indeed.
I don't know much about what happened after this point suffice to say I know I was drinking in the bar for a fair bit. I can tell this from the scant recollections I do have, coupled with the fact that my wallet was €160 lighter the next morning. I drank a lot of Spooky Specials (I prefer the Spoogy Special name from last year myself) and I couldn't face them again after this drinking session. They were gorgeous though and highly addictive.
I also know I was buying people rounds of drink, including
unclekage , whose wine fund I topped up. Kage is excellent company and we spent about an hour and a half chatting about Anthrocon and the fur scene in the US. At one point, he started singing the French national anthem and in my state of drunkeness I had to sing God Save The Queen over him in the middle of the bar. I also chatted to the (fashion crime victim when it comes to trousers) Jibba, who was a good laugh too, despite a worrying taste in trousers. I had moved on to red wine at this stage after I had had enough of cocktails and the white wine was dissolving my stomach from the inside.At some juncture,
exiledwolf took me out to the bonfire, where I promptly tripped over a hosepipe. To be fair, it was dark and hard to see when sober so I am hardly going to blame myself for that one. Apparently, I was close to falling into the fire and kept confusing exiledwolf with calihusky over and over. Sorry about that guys. I also spoke to frost_t_wolf and jackiedog in, I believe, three languages. I am not too sure but knowing drunken me, slipping between English, German and Spanish I imagine is something I did quite frequently.Some point throughout the night I became "infected and contaminous" but whether this was because I negated reading the Yiffy Guide To Safer Sex or not I wasn't too sure (I joke on that part). I was zombified, which was quite ironic as I was so catatonic on booze that I almost literally was. I don't know what being zombified meant, I was too drunk to figure it out, but the pink strap matched my pink hair and my friend tungro was zombified too - so I was in good company. I'm not too sure he knew what it was about either.
Thursday
Thursday was always going to be the weakest day regarding SIGs for me, so we ended up in Suhl buying some food. We didn't want to be constrained with the Ringberg's food serving times (and indeed price) whilst we also knew that we couldn't live on donuts and chips for six days in a row. Also the pre-packaged sandwiches were awful - with some very weird combinations going on (bacon and egg I get but cheese and egg with smingey red things or ham with soggy gherkins?) So a trip to the town was required and a lot of bread and cheese was purchased (including one cheese that truly stunk the fridge out).
We also had a little nosey around Suhl, which is a pleasant enough little town in the Thuringen Wald. I managed to find an excellent book on wolves (called Wolfe) that not only had many stunning colour pictures but also text in German which will help my futile attempts to improve my knowledge of the language. I also bought the kids' magazine Einfach Tierisch (a common purchase for me, whenever I am in Germany) so I could again improve my German (and look at all the pretty animal pictures).
I had woken up with a killer hangover sometime in the early afternoon so I had missed the Dealers' Den opening. When I eventually got down there, I was surprised to see just how rapidly expanded it now was compared to last year. The familiar stalls were all there (the liquor shop, the Fetish Zone, Sofawolf Press etc) along with a lot of new ones (including fursuit construction and a vast array of new artists). The excellent Blotch, Ultraviolet and TaniDaReal were also in attendence and I was flattered to find out that Tani remembered me from last year (when my hair wasn't quite as silly). In fact everyone was really friendly and up for a chat :)
Having commissioned a few pics at ConFuzzled back in June (and wanting colour pics rather than inks), I decided to forgoe commissions this time around. I bought a few new pieces from TaniDaReal - my favourite furry artist - including her new Tonguetastic portfolio and the excellent mood badges that were on sale. I also got my €1 conbadge, like last time.
However, this time I decided to focus on furry fiction as I aspire to be a furry writer myself. In the end, this meant that I spent over €100 on books from Sofawolf Press, which I aim to read in the coming few weeks.
The only SIG that I went to on Thursday was The Fox Panel, which was an interesting foray into the world of foxyfluffs. I learned a lot of new facts about the creatures - particularly regarding living patterns and their interaction with humans - and this has spurred me to look deeper into the subject. There was a lively, interactive discussion in this SIG, which is something I prefer over the standard lecturing from a Power Point presentation. Also some of the research techniques employed to study these creatures were extremely interesting on a logistical point of view.
At some point during the day, I caught up with
exiledwolf who confirmed to me that I hadn't been that much of a drunken arse the night before. This was about the time that (I think NightFox's) car was being drawn upon by a menagerie of furries. Some of the pictures were positively humorous (the squished fox on the front of the bonnet for example) whilst others were satirical. The fuel cap was transformed into an SPH and even the licence plate was (illegally) tampered with. I don't think the pen was permanent (I hope for his sake it's not) but the creativity of furries reached new levels here - particularly as it was all free hand with no templates whatsover.Shortly after,
kennofox and kiffylee hired the little novelty Flymo to pick nightwind005 up from Suhl station. Sadly, the engine in the novelty three-wheeler had as much power in it as that of the average blender and they report that going down the hill towards Suhl in that thing was a scary experience. They quickly reneged on the idea and picked up the Mackem fur using conventional means.The evening show consisted of Stage Fever, the furry talent contest. It was somewhat abridged compared to normal runs but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The sketches that were performed were all first rate and showed a lot of diligence and patience. Equally, the final sketch with the bunnies at the end (The Spot The Ten Furry Talent Show Sketches) was a work of genius and thoroughly hilarious.
Indeed, the only thing that spoiled the show for me, was the two people in front of me who kept holding their cameras high in the air to take pictures. This meant that I had to look constantly through their arms or shimmy my head from side to side, which got irritating. I wonder if it would be possible to have a separate cameras section for future years to prevent this?
The Fursuit Dance followed but as I had paid for tickets to the late-night The Internet Is For Porn event, I decided that there wasn't really enough time to suit and joined my friends at the bar. At midnight, we joined the queue for the (fantastically named) Kitty Twister for an evening of smut.
In all honesty, I was disappointed with this event. I understand that there were last minute changes regarding its presentation but there was something missing throughout. It didn't start well as I only got a total of one out of ten for the porn questions (although I was close to getting another two - hey, I paw off to porn, I don't have the required attention to study it lols). This didn't bother me too much though. What did was the giant pillar that was positioned directly in line between me and the stage. This meant that I couldn't see what was going on. This was true for the last twenty people who arrived at the bar as the seats behind this pillar were effectively useless.
It was around the point of furs blowing balloons up and answering questions on genunine spam email titles that we decided to go back to the main bar. However, this wasn't before we met a huge gaggle of German furs and got chatting to them. This was a massive boost regarding this event and we swapped details and much banter throughout the rest of the con.
I can't resist the combination of mayonnaise and tomato ketchup so later on I decided to forget my vegetarianism once again and grab some hot dogs. However, what I didn't encounter on, was me inadvertently knocking all this on to my lap as I pushed the table away from myself as I went to the toilet. My trousers were covered in a delicious creamy fluid (oh the innuendo!!).
The only other thing of note at this time was the ongoing argument between
redmoor and spargue over whether the former looked like Postman Pat in his naval uniform. I said nay, he looked naval but spargue was convinced he was a postman. I don't think anyone agreed with him.Friday
Had I overcome a few doubts earlier, I would have made it to a few of the earlier SIGs on the Friday. Sometimes, I live in awe of people and in a fear that because I know nothing about a certain subject, I think it debars me from attending certain events. Before Saturday, I knew little of Sofawolf but once speaking to Watts Martin over the weekend, I now wish that I had attended that SIG and the one he ran about Fanzines.
Still, life is not about living in regrets and I did manage to go to the Between Wolf And Dog SIG. This was an interesting exploration of the Czech's attempts to mate a wolf with a German Shepherd to create the ultimate police patrol dog - fixed on the traits of strength of a wolf and the loyalty of a dog. This was to be used on the border between Communism and Capitalism in order to stop people leaving the (then Soviet) Czechoslovakia. It was an interesting examination of the power of selective breeding and the military tactics employed by the Communists in the late Fifties and Sixties. The experiment itself was a failure because these dogs were practically untrainable but in this project, a new species was created which now makes good pets. The jump between untrainable savage beasts to house pets is one that I wish was explored further though and I intend to ask Altair some more questions regarding this. The logic and means were fascinating though and fed in well with my love of history.
The Origin of the Fandom SIG followed afterwards - with Kage, Watts Martin and Steve Gelliachi (who was fashionably late, lols) leading the way. This SIG had been scheduled for last year but was unfortunately cancelled at the last minute so it was great to be able to go to it this year. As history (and particularly social history) is a particular interest of mine, this SIG was probably my favourite of the lot. It consisted of a brief detailing of the early days of the Fandom followed by a general Q&A with plenty of banter. I feel that my furriness is that much richer now knowing how it all started - after all, we don't know who we are until we know where we have come from. The tales (or should that be tails) from previous cons and just how far the Fandom has progressed and developed since its nascent years was something that really lit a flame inside my mind.
The Art Auction followed soon afterwards and there were many gorgeous pieces up for sale. A lot of them went for prices above which I would be willing to pay but then that's the beauty of art - it's so subjective that each individual can put their own value on a particular piece. Not having a Bidder Number certainly helped
fen_ra (what with his reputation for extravagent purchases) and also prevented me from doing what I did at Confuzzled in June, when I brazenly bid for a lot of things lols (not that I regret what I got at all). Still, most of the art went for prices outside of my price range and I noticed to the same few bidders time and again. I hope they are happy with their pieces as they are excellent works.Uncle Kage vs 2, The Ranting Gryphon was the comedy entertainment of the evening and as usual, they didn't disappoint.
unclekage 's Storytime Hour is always a highlight of the con, largely because he is such a natural on stage. It is hard not to like Kage as his warmth and enthusiasm is contagious and he has so many adventures that it is hard not to be enthralled. Also, having seen him at three cons now, it is good to notice a progression to his stories - it's almost like we are growing up with him as he is so candid and honest in his approach. Big thanks have to go to EosFoxx too who kindly arranged for us to get seats near the front after we inadvertently sat in reserved seating. Care like that makes the EF staff the best Con staff in the world (although I did give her a *hug* lols).Between the two sets we all got free beer courtesy of Andre, the chief barman. So impressed was he with EF13 and the Fandom in general, that he has now become a fur himself and wanted to show his appreciation. The Ringberg staff to a man were excellent and fantastic hosts (it needs to be said) and this gesture further cemented the excellent relationship that the EF staff and the hotel staff have forged. In the free beer, we also got a little Andre card with a picture of his fursona on.
I also enjoyed the set of Jibba and 2, although I admit that their style of comedy is not something I would ordinarily go and see. There were a few jokes that went beyond me - largely because I am not a big exponent of computer games or 4chan - but there were enough laughs to be had for me to enjoy the performance. I also enjoyed the audience participation that was encouraged by 2, particularly as the night wore on and we were becoming more raucous.
The finale, or the prelude to the Erotic Fursuit Dancing Contest, was probably the top of the pile regarding the evening's entertainment. After all, anything that ends with Kage semi-naked (after saying he would only take his shirt off if €1000 was donated to the National Fox Welfare Society (which really should be the National Society for Fox Welfare or NSFW)) and wearing a donkey head is worth the price of admission alone. Perhaps I am weird - hey I am a fur :P
Either way, we didn't manage to get tickets to the EFDC but by all accounts it was rather good. As usual, I just finished the day propping up the bar and largely talking to the Finnish furs, who are all mad.
jari was so drunk he was singing about making a pizza pie out of babyfurs whilst winterfuhr looked on bemused, drinking also (I like his beard). It was great meeting winterfuhr for the first time - we had planned to meet up in Helsinki back in July but sadly it never took place. It was also cool meeting the other Finnfurs too, they're all a great laugh. Such meetings make cons, and EF in particular, the great events that they are :DSaturday
The theme of the con only started to become apparent on the Saturday with the Lucid Dreaming SIG. Being part of the Transcendental Meditation movement, I was particularly looking forward to this SIG as I have an ongoing interest in psychology and spirituality. Added to this was the realisation that LD can be used to lycanthrope and shapeshift too and this added fuel to what was already an intensely burning fire. Finding out more about LD makes me feel more inclined to do it, particularly as there seems to be signs in my own consciousness that I should be able to do it reasonably easily (I can remember most of my dreams and have influnced a few consciously in the past). Threading all these factors together, this SIG really opened my eyes to the firther possibilities of the mind and hopefully, it will allow me to explore my neuroses and overcome my inexplicable depressions and mood swings. Even if it doesn't, it's something I would definitely like to try on spiritual grounds if nothing else.
I sacrificed the Fursuit Parade for the Watts Martin writing seminar and I made the right decision. Fursuit Parades are tremendous fun but I have been involved in two now and I wanted to try and further my writing prowess, as mentioned earlier. This SIG was therefore too good to miss. It concerned character development and how to write strong characters. It was run by Watts Martin and Tim Suseman and I learned a hell of a lot of tips and techniques from them. The debate was healthy and lively and I can't wait to employ a few of these ideas into my own writing in the near future.
Later on, in the Dealers' Den, I received a further boost when I spoke to both authors at length during their signing session. They gave me a lot more tips on how to become a furry writer and their interest in my ideas has really spurred me to continue writing. Both authors were honest in their advice and they have given me the confidence I needed to keep plugging away. I cannot speak highly enough about them and I think them wholeheartedly for their time.
Saturday afternoon was fast becoming the highlight of the con and the Pawpet Performance of Dreamcatchers enhanced this. Wanting a front-row seat, we queued for an hour and a half and, when we were let in, the excitement in the air was palpable. A slight confrontation between my boyfriend and a fur in front of us who demanded that Wolfie could not sit where he wanted because it was "reserved" did little to dampen the spirits.
I knew it would be very difficult to top last year's exceptional show, which at the time I admitted was the best thing that I had ever seen performed. Dreamcatchers took the baton and succeeded, albeit in a different way. The element of spirituality was there, along with a lot of quotes that could have come straight from eighteenth century Scottish philosopher David Hume. This docked with my interest straight away as psychology, spirituality and philosophy are all strong interests of mine. Suffice to say that the script was once again excellent (to the point that I am envious of Cheetah for writing something so damn good) and the characterisation was amazing. I admit I cried a few times and had several lumps in my throat as the storyline progressed, which is always the sign of a good show. The appaluse from the audience at the end was thoroughly deserved and I don't envy the team who now have to try and top it again next year...
On a related theme, on Monday we were asked whether we could salvage some of the backdrops from the show, created by TaniDiReal. Otherwise, they would be burned. Wolfie and I are still working on an attempt to courier five pieces of scenery from Germany to the UK. We are hopeful that we can bring them over here as it would be a tremendous shame to lose such diligent and time-consuming work. They are also a piece of EF history and it would be, quite frankly, an honour to have them. Hopefully we can sort something in the next few days.
Feeling tired, I admit that we missed the BBF Dance although I hear that everyone had a great time and a lot of exciting japes happened. Wolfie and I headed back upstairs for a few minutes, largely on the swell of emotion caused by the Pawpet Show. Up there, we fell asleep in each other's arms and didn't wake up until about 2am, at which time we decided to just call it a night.
Sunday
So tired were we that we woke up a mere ten minutes before the Group Photograph. This made a great change from the usual being woken up by impatient cleaners who couldn't understand the Do Not Disturb sign, despite it being in their own language. One time, they almost caught me pawing. I wouldn't mind if they knocked first but they didn't - they just barged in and demanded access. The Monday was the worst - ignoring the sign and barging in at 9:40am, a full hour and twenty before we had to check out. Anyway, I digress...
A quick wash and change of clothes later and we had assembled in the courtyard amongst the other 782 attendees to get our picture taken. Dodging parasols (otherwise we wouldn't be in shot), we were moved back three times before we found a space in an area of openness so at least this year we will be seen (we were stuck behind somebody last year). After this, there was no closing ceremony (which is a shame in a way as it would be a good way to round things off) and so everyone dispersed - either to the bar or to start the long journey home.
It was also around this time that I noticed that the Fandom had once again made it into Friday's Freies Wort newspaper. The front page photo was stunning and the description complementary - indeed all of Suhl seems to love it when the furries are in town :)
Off the top of my head, I hatched an idea to go down to the Suhl Tierpark. I didn't want to sit in the bar all day and get drunk, particularly around a load of octigenarians who were giving us funny looks. So I bounced the idea off a few people and said we will meet outside the Hotel at 2pm and make plans from there. In the end, we had about twenty furs on our little expedition and it was a fantastic day spent with good company.
Admittedly, the sunny weather helped and as we all yomped out of the hotel carpark and on to the main road, I started singing furry animal songs that no one wanted to follow up. I spent most of my time talking to girly Pinky, who is one of the most insane, and brilliant people I have ever met. Sharing a mutual love and respect for the colour pink of course, always helps although at one point I did insult her by saying she had an American accent :(
It was great when we cut into the forest on our way to the Tierpark. The weather in England this year has been so crappy that it has been hard to get out into the countryside and the spiritual experience of walking through the forest with a group of furries was one that warmed the soul. As did seeing the vast array of plushies at the ticket booth to the Tierpark. I just wanted to buy them all and in the end I did buy a small husky. The worrying thing was that I spied the large husky sat next to him and I felt his sadness at the departure of his friend. Thankfully, rationalilty took over and I left the big husky to play with his other plushie friends (why they were selling huskies there though, when there were none in the park, is beyond me).
A quick stop at the bar to grab a beer (I love the European policy of being allowed to drink beer outside) and we went off to see the animals. It was great looking at all the different species but I couldn't help but feel a strong sense of sadness. This was particularly intense at the fox enclosure where there were two foxes in cages that were no bigger than 1.5m square. One of the foxes licked my paw lovingly, which melted the heart, but I couldn't help but feel that to enclose the animals in such a small space was cruel. (I particularly feel this with the birds as often they have no room to fly at all.) What the week had taught me was that there are many different elements to life and I felt that although I was seeing a fox in its physical form, I wasn't seeing a fox in its mental or spiritual guise. He was merely a shell of his own species, devalued to such a degree that it made me wonder what the point of his existence was. Granted, he may have been saved as a child etc and that now he wouldn't survive in the wild, but is that still a reason to treat animals in this way?
The rest of the animals looked as bored as we were excited to see them. There were a lot of deer in the Tierpark and we comfortably spent four hours in its surroundings. Storm, my Dutch furiend, fared less well however, but that was because he decided to suit around the park. I was going to do it myself but it was too hot plus the 45 minute walk to get there would have killed me. I also got to speak to both
tungro and his mate washu_chan_uk more in depth too and it was great to meet some more furries who I can relate to more easily.We had bought some animal feed from the ticket booth and we went to feed the animals in the petting zoo. I can strongly recommend not to eat this food yourself - the compacted grass leaves a somewhat gritty taste on the pallet - Masterchef it ain't. Still, it was great seeing the deer eating out of your own paw although the goat who shat on my leg left a lot to be desired. We also managed to paw food on one poor fur as he was crouching down so he got swarmed with deer and goats. This was merely enhanced by
fatkraken 's comment that she was "covered in goat".The Crazy Horse Pension und Gasthaus was rather busy when our group got there. Seeing
unclekage confirmed the worst - that all the furs had pre-booked and that there was no space left for us. So weary and hungry, the now 13 deciplies trapised down the hill and into town looking for food. In the end, we stopped at the first restaurant we found and in all honesty, we hit a gold mine.The beech(?) sap juice that was on offer there was gorgeous - sweet beyond anything I have ever tasted. I also finally decided to renounce my vegetarianism and go for the first steak I have had in three and a half years. It was excellent (as was the grilled camembert and raspberry quark coulis before it), bloody and red as I used to like it, and three very pleasurable hours soon passed. Indeed, we even got into a massive debate about globalisation and current economic conditions, which I found rather stimulating.
The people in the restaurant liked us so much that they urged us to all sign their guestbook. Some drew pictures, some wrote their appreciation whilst others still got little gifts from the management of the establishment. We all got free pens too, which was a nice touch.
Back to the hotel and to The Dead Dog Party as the time had now reached 10pm. Watching fursuit bowling was a remarkably fun experience, whilst saying goodbye to new and old friends alike was a very sad one. I spent the last night speaking to a German fur who desperately wanted to improve his English. I said I would keep in touch via IMs and hopefully I'll be able to help. I also chatted a lot with Greskil Vulfhart, who was swooning over Vincent's new suit and telling me about his own dance moves during the BBF party.
It was about 1am when my glass failed. The bottom was hot from the dishwasher and the intense decrease in temperature caused by the pouring of ice cold Coca Cola in there made the bottom of the glass just drop away from the rest of the vessel. This meant Coke and ice went everywhere, right in the middle of the bar, and I was left feeling like a bit of a tit.
It was shortly after this that we went to bed and wrapped up another excellent EF experience. I guess a con is what you make it and this year, I decided to make it something different from last. In the end, both had merits and both had their drawbacks but one thing is for sure, I will be back again next year.
Massive thanks and congratulations go out to Cheetah, his staff and also the staff of the Ringberg who all came together to produce a fantastic con. Thanks guys :D
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Date: 2008-09-03 12:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-03 10:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-03 03:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-03 10:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 01:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 05:30 pm (UTC)Still, €275 is a great amount of money for the charity and that is all that matters. Plus everyone had a great time. I was genuinely tempted to put my credit card on the stage but thought better of it. Thankfully, I was generally sober.
It was great speaking to you on Wednesday night and I must try and make it to Anthrocon some time in the near future. I haven't made it over to a US con yet but as I am rapidly acquiring friends in the States, it is something that is definitely going to be on my agenda.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 05:31 pm (UTC)