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Greetings fellow Furries. I will be participating once again in the Extra Life Charity Event and I'm looking for your help to raise as much money as possible. For those who don't know, Extra Life is a 24 hour video game marathon to raise money for the childrens foundation of your choice. As for what I am looking for your help with, this year I will be doing a live stream for the entire night where those who donate will dictate the games that I play. Anyone who donates can pick a game and depending on the amount donated(I'm thinking $30 = 30 minutes of the game of your choice) I will play the game for the set time no matter what the game is. Mind you this will be within reason since I may not be able to get a hold of certain games but if you donate before hand it will give me more time to find the games. So if you wish to see someone get tormented potentially by playing horrible games, scary games or just ones you think are fun then come on out on october 25th and join in on the fun.

Thank you for reading this and if this isn't for you that's fine but I do have one request. Just spread the word. It doesn't take much effort to tell your family and friends about this cause. Below is a link to my extra life page for those who are interested.

http://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=100009

submitted by anubis418
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Dear Papabear,

Before I start I want to thank you for doing this. At the moment I don’t have anybody I can talk to but I really need to get this off my chest and hope it somehow helps. Also, I tried to send you this letter a few days ago but your note saying you are out of letters made me think my Internet somehow failed.

A few weeks ago I was in 12th grade; in a few weeks I’m going to be in 13th grade – at the moment I try to enjoy summer holidays. The 12th and 13th grade are what we call “Oberstufe” which is, I think, an equivalent to high school [in the U.S.].

In my physics class are, next to me, 15 other students. I get along well with most of them; some of them I consider as close friends. As you probably can imagine, only two girls chose physics as advanced class. One of these girls – let’s just call her Aria – is, as I would have described her about two months ago, quite cute. However, two months are a long time.

Seven weeks or so ago, the 12th grade had been on a “study trip” which was to be our last trip together as students. It was in Croatia when we were visiting Baska (a city) where we had about two hours free time. This next part might seem a little weird but I guess…. I’m just a little weird.

When we met at the bus again, I had some Croatian rissole [a pastry often filled with minced meat and fried] with me. Aria and a friend of her were standing right next to me and, even though I knew both of them are vegetarians, I somehow failed to realize that. However, I pissed off Aria’s friend because of the rissole’s smell. I didn’t really get Aria’s reaction because I was just backing off at that moment. In the end I just threw my food into the next dustbin and felt extremely shitty. For some reason I was extremely sorry for what had happened.

To be honest, my first thought was about what Aria might think of me right now. I didn’t really care about what her friend thought, although she was the one who told me to go away. I wasn’t proud of this and once I found Aria alone two days later, I felt like a whining dog when apologizing for disturbing the good atmosphere a few days ago. Little did it surprise me (because I knew she is a very forgiving person) when she said it doesn’t matter to her, but it still was a huge relief for me.

This need to say I’m sorry, the fact that since then I didn’t eat any meat – not because I don’t want to but because I simply can’t – and my mind being fixed on nothing but her gave me a clear sign that I feel more for her than just the cute girl in my physics class. During that trip I saw her laughing, relaxing, thinking and having fun. This feeling grew stronger every day and soon she was the most beautiful, friendly, tolerant, patient, elegant, precious, adorable and simply the most perfect girl – or should I say young lady? – I have ever seen and it feels like I deeply fell in love with her.

And that’s where the problems begin for me. I know that it doesn’t hurt talking to somebody, and for some time I was even confident to just start that casual conversation and then ask her whether she got some time left for me during the holidays. I know that even if she had refused it, she wouldn’t have told everybody about it or just ignored me. In the end I didn’t ask her– sometimes I was just too afraid, and sometimes I wanted to ask her but her friends were around.

Hands down, I’m an antisocial being with no experience in social life. When I told her that I’m sorry, she said that I’m more of a social person than what I look like. I seem like a worm-eaten, semi-good looking creep, having long hair, always clad in black and band merchandise. Leper, outcast, weirdo, misfit. Just unclean. Whenever a teacher is too authoritarian and/or thinks his methods are the best, I tend to argue with him, which again leads to me just saying what I think which rarely is something nice. I guess that’s why I seem like a bastard to strangers.

But I really am not. I can be a kind, loving and peaceful person. I actually care about people that are close to me. And I want to show Aria that I care about her more than about anybody else.

You may wonder why I am afraid. That’s easily explained. To keep it short, for some of my childhood I got harassed by other kids because I was “the stranger” (my family moved to where we live now when I was 8). This pretty much crippled me inside because I was quite young and had never experienced anything like that. From 9th grade onward, things got better. I found friends who stick with me until today. But even though fear and hate vanished, they are still there, somewhere deep inside of me. And this fear makes me lose any courage.

Papabear, I don’t expect you or anybody else to have the one solution for me (but if you do have it, let me know). In about three weeks I will go to school again and then I will see her again. I don’t know whether I will find any courage, but I hope I will. Whenever I see her, it feels like my heart is going to explode, when she’s just asking me for something I love to help her but also feel so goddamn weak and fear acting like an idiot. All I want to do is take her hand and together walk this land.

Not to put the blame on someone else – it clearly is my fault –, my friends make things not better sometimes. Since I told some of them what I feel (hell, I was drunk) they often say things that feel like needles piercing my skin. But, again, they wouldn’t do that if I had the courage to actually do something. And until I have that courage I will probably continue writing a thousand love letters she will never read.

Thank you for being so patient and reading my long letter. I know that this is all messed up, but at least I could tell somebody what is going on inside of me. Maybe you have an advice for me, what I could do to find some courage. Or you could just kick my butt, that might help as well. I don’t really know what to expect right now. I just feel better, now that I told somebody what I feel.

Love, Stefan (Germany, age 18)

(Also, I’m sorry for the song references that might read a little weird)

* * *

Dear Stefan,

I apologize if somehow I missed your letter. I’ll try to make up for that now.

I was half tempted to edit out the rissole episode because I was thinking it’s not very relevant, but I do have a policy of not cutting letters and only editing them (slightly, and not always completely because I don’t wish to alter the writer’s style) for grammar. So, let me just say this about that: you have a perfect right to eat a food item with meat in it in a public place, and if some vegetarian gets her panties in a bunch because of the smell, then she can move her butt elsewhere and stop being a twit about it. This would be different if, say, you were in her home and brought a pot roast, knowing she was a vegetarian; that would be rude. But, in this case, you did nothing wrong, and Aria, who is also a vegetarian, said she was fine with it. So, it’s not your fault. The other young lady was being a sanctimonious snoot about it and needs to get a grip.

But let’s move on to the important point here: Aria and your love for her. Actually, I take my above comment back: the rissole anecdote IS relevant in that it illustrates that Aria is pretty cool. She’s a vegetarian, but unlike her companion, she’s not someone who insists on making other people feel bad about their personal choices. Big point for her side. She also sounds like she’s intelligent and pretty. No wonder you’re smitten.

And, you already know what the problem here is. Your severe lack of self-confidence—exacerbated, if not caused by your being harassed as a child is holding you back. It’s interesting to me that in one breath you call yourself a “worm-eaten ... creep” who is a “weirdo, misfit,” but in the next breath you describe yourself as “a kind, loving and peaceful person.” 

There are two voices in your head. That first, negative voice comes from the kids who were judging you badly because of the way you dress etc.; the second voice is your own, which recognizes that you are actually a good, loving person. Clearly what needs to be done here is to silence the nasty voices and allow the real you to come out.

So, how do you do that?

Take notice whenever those voices start saying bad things about you. As soon as you notice them, stop yourself.... And counter what you just said with something positive. For example, say the voice says “you’re ugly.” Stop right there. You know you’re not. You said so in your letter. So, argue with yourself right there: “No, I’m not ugly. Maybe I’m not perfect looking, but I am certainly not ugly. In fact, I’m kinda handsome in my own way” or something to that effect. “You’re unclean!” Stop. “Aw, c’mon, I took a shower this morning and I’m wearing freshly laundered clothes. My hair’s a little long, so what? Jesus had long hair, too.” Well, you get the idea.

As for being “weird”? That’s not a negative thing! That’s a great thing! Sheeple are normal. Dull people are normal. Unoriginal, lazy people are normal. Be weird! Be unique! Stand out from the crowd! Remember, it is the wealthy elite in this country who hate “weirdoes” like you because they can think for themselves. And it’s okay not to agree with your teacher, but kind of pointless to argue with him or her in class. The law says you have to go to class, but you don’t have to agree with your teacher, and you are encouraged by yours truly to read independently of the school curriculum and think for yourself.

So, now here’s my question: if you can give a teacher back talk in a classroom, thus challenging the teacher’s authority, why can’t you take that same bravery and go up to Aria and tell her you like her? I’ll answer that for you: because you respect and admire Aria more than the teacher and, therefore, fear her rejection more than the teacher’s, or, as you put it, “fear acting like an idiot.”

Once you get those negative voices out of your head, take that authority-defying courage you’ve got in your belly and talk to Aria. Embrace your weirdness and be you. Walk up to her and say, “Aria, I just wanted you to know that I think you’re cool. Thanks for not freaking about the rissole thing. I’m trying to eat less meat, actually. Can you recommend a good vegetarian place?” And if she does, say, “Could I take you there for dinner?”

What’s the absolute worst that could happen? She could say “no, thanks,” in which case you’re no worse off than you are now. Actually, maybe a bit better off because your friends will have to admit you’re not too shy to ask a girl out. And, if she does say no, say, “Well, okay, let me know if you change your mind, because I haven’t changed mine.” 

And, of course, maybe she’ll say yes. In which case, you’re golden.

Stefan, you already know the answer to your question. You just have to get out of your own way.

Good luck!

Papabear

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We've all encountered unpleasant things, but what kind of stuff has burned you the most? Examples?

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Hello, r/furry, I'm an artist seeking some experience with drawing furry's. So go ahead and post requests, pictures are preferred but I'll do my best if you can give me a description.

I am axeheads at deviantart if you want to see some of my art!

submitted by buttershovel
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submitted by DaIncredibleK
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The furry community is often perceived to be at risk of a HIV outbreak because we are closely sexually interconnected, far more so than a normal social group. Fear is a natural response. All people are naturally risk averse. We prefer to pretend that scary things like HIV don’t exist. We prefer to be ignorant. We can no longer afford this luxury.

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If so post what you have! Also taking inspiration from r/guns and if I get enough interest, a friendly shooting competition!

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submitted by RaptorTheJesus2
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Love this guy's artwork and as an Aussie sports fan, its pretty cool that this illustrator chose to draw Rugby League and Aussie Rules Football!

http://imgur.com/a/vNIvX (Rugby League) http://imgur.com/a/u7xpQ (Aussie Rules Football)

submitted by cbbulldogs
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I'm Jake I'm a baby fur in Salisbury... anyone wanna play? I need some friends... no-one accepts me as a baby fur here...

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Author: crossaffliction The latest Muppet movie begins at the end. Not like in media res, I mean like the first thing you see in this movie are the giant words “THE END.” We’re back at the end of the last Muppet movie, and it slowly dawns on the Muppets that the cameras are still rolling. […]

Writing Furry Speculative Fiction

by Mary E. Lowd

 

My favorite books as a kid were all about talking animals. As I got older, it got harder to find those sorts of books. Sure, there’s the occasional piece of science-fiction with animal-like aliens or off-beat literary novel from the point of view of an animal, but, mostly, talking animals are seen as kid-stuff in our culture. So, when I set out to write a serious, hard science-fiction novel featuring talking otters as the main characters… Well, I was breaking new ground as far as I knew, and I had to make up the rules as I went along.

Since then, I’ve learned that there’s actually a name for the genre of fiction I was craving, and there’s a whole community of readers, writers, and publishers who’ve put a lot of thought into how that genre works. I was ecstatic when I discovered the furry genre. Finally, I wasn’t alone, writing about otters with spaceships.

There are a couple of different kinds of furry fiction. Perhaps the most mainstream is ‘the secret life of animals.’ These stories are usually set in our normal world — talking animals co-exist with humans who are simply unaware of the dramatic tales unfolding around them. (E.g. Watership Down by Richard Adams and Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.) Animals in these stories are often only slightly anthropomorphic. They can think and talk like humans, but they’re otherwise normal animals.

The other extreme of furry fiction features animals who are so thoroughly anthropomorphized that the differences between different species have become largely aesthetic, possibly metaphorical. Foxes date bunnies; elk work in office buildings with mice. Instead of co-existing with humans in the normal world, these anthropomorphic animals replace humans. In this kind of fiction, the different animal species are merely different flavors, adding texture and color to characters in a simple short-hand.  (E.g. Maus by Art Spiegelman and Save the Day by D.J. Fahl.)

When writing speculative furry fiction, it’s possible to fall into these extremes. You could tell the story of the first colonists on Mars from the point of view of their pet cat. Or, the first colonists on Mars could be cats with no explanation given for their furriness. However, I love the stories that fall in-between, and, I like it best when those stories have an answer to the obvious question: why can the animals talk?

This question has been explored so much by the furry writing community that some people feel it doesn’t matter anymore, much like the question of faster than light travel in mainstream science-fiction. How does the FTL drive work? Who cares? It just does. However, the type of FTL drive in a sci-fi universe determines the sorts of stories that can be told there. Similarly, the type of anthropomorphic animals determines a great deal about a sci-fi universe’s history and culture. So, it’s worth knowing the tropes.

The oldest trope is parallel evolution. See, those golden-furred, feline bipeds who live in family groups with one male figurehead where the females do all the work… Those aren’t lions. They’re aliens. From a different planet. They just happened to evolve to be really similar to lions. (E.g. The Pride of Chanur by C.J. Cherryh.) This is a great trope. It’s easy to use and widely accepted.

Another answer to the question, ‘why can the animals talk?’, is that they were genetically uplifted by humans. (E.g. Startide Rising by David Brin.) This is my personal favorite. Of course, it raises its own question of ‘why?’ Were we designing soldiers, slaves, or simply companions? Are they treated as equals? If so, did they have to fight for their rights? How long did that take? Different answers to these questions lead to wildly different universes. If we were designing soldiers, then the talking animals are probably larger, predatory species. (E.g. Forests of the Night by S. Andrew Swann.) If we were designing obedient slaves, they  might be dogs or a docile species like bunnies. (E.g. Ship’s Boy by Phil Geusz.)

A final possibility is that the animals actually are humans who have drastically modified themselves. (E.g. The Book of Lapism by Phil Geusz.) In this case, the species of animals will be chosen by individual characters for personal reasons. Individuals who choose to modify themselves so extremely are likely to be rich, eccentric, socially outcast, or part of a fringe subculture.

And, of course, all of these answers can be adapted easily to fantasy universes by replacing science with magic and scientists with wizards.

As you can see, explanations have been developed that will fit anthropomorphic animal characters into almost any piece of speculative fiction. And, from fantasy to space opera to near future hard sci-fi, most speculative fiction can benefit from the color and texture added by a few talking animals. Besides, they’re just fun to read.

So, now that you’ve learned the basic tropes, go forth and add anthropomorphic animal characters to your speculative fiction!

 

This post first appeared on Jester Harley’s Manuscript Page.

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