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Hello Everyone!

We open this week's show with a discussion on STIs in New York City. Over the past three decades STIs have been on the rise while funding has remained stagnant. We look at factors as to why and ask the ultimate question: why is sexual health not considered to be recession proof?

Our main topic is on handling arguments at conventions. We discuss the common arguments, causes for arguments, and ways to avoid arguing with loved ones at conventions. We also approach the topic of former lovers, jilted exes, and friends who might have issues with you and how to handle confrontation (or even break ups) while at one of the most public of venues we as a fandom encounter.

We close out this week's show with a question on how to handle rejection. In a search for Mister Right, how can you handle being told no repeatedly or being matched with guys that just are not compatible? Should the expectations be adjusted, or is it perhaps too narrow a net is being cast? We discuss realism, optimism, and pessimism and how to appropriately set expectations.

For more information, including a list of topics, see our Show Notes for this episode.

Thanks and, as always, be well!

FA 059 Handling Arguments at Conventions - Why is NYC so riddled with STIs? What is the best way to yell at someone at a convention? How do you inspire optimism in dating when enthusiasm dies? All this, and more, on this week's Feral Attraction

I hope the Oscars don't ignore this one.
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Thanks to Changa Lion over at Furry.Today, we discovered the return of Teddy Ruxpin, the animatronic talking-bear story-telling sensation from the 1980’s. [See what we mean?] This latest version [distributed by Wicked Cool Toys] features a newly-designed Teddy with LCD animated eyes, plus Bluetooth connecting the bear to interactive read-along stories for laptops and other devices. Check out the newest advertisement on YouTube to see what all the fuss is about.

image c. 2017 Wicked Cool Toys

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Cracking remix Gromit!
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February 2017’s Book of the Month is Dogs of War, edited by Fred Patten.

Men have made war for gold, for land, and to put others in chains for millennia. No invention or philosophy has changed that, not gunpowder, not airplanes, not democracy, or even splitting the atom. Whatever the era, whatever the weapon, man has made war on his neighbors. The nature of conflict never changes, because human nature has not changed.

But how might that change if it were no longer just humanity going to war—if animal instincts, strengths and skill were to join the battlefield?

Dogs of War is an anthology exploring what warfare looks like when the combatants are no longer fully human. It contains twenty-three stories about how war changes when those who do the fighting have changed, and how much it stays just the same.

Dogs of War contains the following short stories:

• “Nosy and Wolf,” Ken MacGregor
• “After Their Kind,” Taylor Harbin
• “Succession,” Devin Hallsworth
• “Two If By Sea,” Field T. Mouse
• “The Queens’ Confederate Space Marines,” Elizabeth McCoy
• “The Loving Children,” Bill McCormick
• “Strike, But Hear Me,” Jefferson P. Swycaffer
• “End of Ages,” BanWynn Oakshadow
• “Shells On the Beach,” Tom Mullins
• “Cross of Valor Reception for the Raccoon, Tanner Williams, Declassified Transcript,” John Kulp
• “Last Man Standing,” Frances Pauli
• “Hunter’s Fall,” Angela Oliver
• “Old Regimes,” Gullwulf
• “The Shrine War,” Alan Loewen
• “The Monster in the Mist,” Madison Keller
• “Wolves in Winter,” Searska GreyRaven
• “The Third Variety,” Rob Baird
• “The Best and Worst of Worlds,” Mary E. Lowd
• “Tooth, Claw and Fang,” Stephen Coghlan
• “Sacrifice,” J.N. Wolfe
• “War of Attrition,” Lisa Timpf
• “Fathers to Sons,” MikasiWolf
• “Hoodies and Horses,” Michael D. Winkle

Dogs of War is available now in print from FurPlanet.

Thanks to Howl, of Thurston Howl Publications, for his guest post. I’m told it was approved by Kyell.  Enjoy.

Few authors have captivated the mainstream furry audience as famously as Kyell Gold. From his 2004 short story publication, “The Prisoner’s Release” to his upcoming novella, The Time He Desires (Dec 2016), Gold’s works have been award-winning pieces of fiction that have even attracted the attention of non-furry readers. Throughout the past twelve years, Gold has gone through a multitude of genres and such unique characters. Below, I hope to detail many of his milestones over the past almost-decade as well as provide a primer on Gold’s work.

Gold’s debut to fiction was his Renaissance-era novel series set in the fictional universe of Argaea. While it technically started with his “The Prisoner’s Release,” which was published in Heat #1, it later became a novel series, starting with Volle (2005). The series follows a red fox, titularly named Volle, as he undergoes a spy mission, pretending to be a lord of a small area participating in negotiations in the kingdom’s political mecca. The catch is that Volle is a hypersexual fox who struggles to keep his sex life separate from his political life, neither of which allow him to use his true identity. This series is a prime example of how Gold can meld genres. In this case, historical fiction meets homosexual furry erotic romance in a way that is both believable and evocative. The Argaea series has received stellar reviews and widespread reception. So far, the Argaea series includes the following titles: Volle, Pendant of Fortune (2006), The Prisoner’s Release and Other Stories (2007), Shadows of the Father (2010), and Weasel Presents (2011). While not all of these stories follow Volle, they are all set in the same universe. All except for Weasel Presents (which was published by Furplanet Productions) were published by Sofawolf Press, with Sara Palmer being the primary illustrator for most of these.

The next milestone in Gold’s career has been his young adult furry novel Waterways (2008). Based on a previous short story he had written, the novel follows a young otter who has grown up in a conservative, religious household, only to find out in his teens that he is attracted to a male fox from a different school. Although this is a coming-out tale, it’s anything but unoriginal. Gold breaks the story down into three parts: coming out to oneself, coming out to family, and coming out to the general public. The otter Kory deals with tremendous intersectionalities throughout his journey: homelessness, poverty, religious differences, physical abuse, and, of course, relationship trouble. Quite different from that Argaea series, Waterways is set in an entirely modern context, and it deals with current social issues. In this book, Gold makes very strong political and social claims, setting him apart as a very polemical writer, and not just an entertaining one. This sets him apart from other LGBT fiction writers, as he demonstrates he is able to be completely serious with his fiction, using a gay couple to reflect on current issues through their connections with others who are suffering, rather than making the gay couple a symbol for all current issues. This novel was his debut to modern fiction in the fandom, and I know I have taught this book twice: once in a college composition class, and once as a guest lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University for an LGBT literature course—and yes, the book was required for purchase at the university bookstore.

However, Gold’s biggest claim to fame was his next novel series, set in the Forester Universe. The first book, Out of Position (2009), follows football athlete Devlin Miski and his unintentional romance with English major Lee Farrel. While Dev struggles to fight his homosexual feelings toward Lee, the fox Lee tries to advocate for equal rights, often at a risk to Dev’s career. Yet, the two complement each other and help each other to grow, both in their professions and in their personal lives. This series concluded early in 2016 with the book Over Time, the fifth installment. This time, Gold’s secondary genre is sports fiction. And many furries, myself included, despite our aversion to sports, have found ourselves enraptured by the species-based intricacies of Gold’s football. We stand in the crowd, cheering with Lee. We root for our own athletes. Still on sale sporadically, but I have seen athletic jerseys for sale based on Gold’s fictional teams. If Waterways showed Gold’s political side, this series shows his activist side. Personally, I have read most of the major award-winning mainstream LGBT fiction, and none of it has captured the political situation of LGBT people and potential solutions as thoughtfully and as evocatively as Gold has in this series.

His last major milestone has been his Dangerous Spirits series, which started with the 2012 book Green Fairy. This series is much more experimental, emulating the shifting voices and perspectives in postmodernist novel Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. This series starts with the 1901 Moulin Rouge, as well as modern times. The books progress into the late 1800s Russia and the early 20th century in New Orleans. This series is not as erotic or as adult as his earlier works, yet it still deals heavily with LGBT contemporary issues and ways to deal with them. Like his other works, it creates a very believable world that is a safe space for LGBT readers, letting them know they are not alone and that it’s important to keep fighting.

Over the past twelve years, Gold has written numerous other pieces as well, including In the Doghouse of Justice (2011) and The Silver Circle (2012). Gold also edited a 2009 anthology based on the Ten Commandments, aptly called X. Along with multiple short stories in Heat and Fang, he also had an essay published in the 2015 nonfiction study on furries, Furries Among Us. In this, he wrote about his views on furry erotica: where it has been, where it is, and how it will likely continue. His other nonfiction includes a comic, drawn by Keovi, in Erika Moen’s Oh Joy Sex Toy; and a piece on the furry fandom in Uncanny Magazine in 2016.

I have had the opportunity to work with Gold on numerous occasions: from an interview I conducted for my class lecture to editing his essay for Furries Among Us. And I have always been delighted with his attention to the craft of writing and his dedication to the furry fandom. He has been an influential figure in the furry writing community as a driving force for slice-of-life fiction and using furry fiction to make social commentary. Now that we are in the start of a second decade since his first major publication, I am confident that I speak for the furry community in general when I say that we look forward to the next ten years of Gold’s fiction. He has inspired both readers and writers.

Ever onward, fellow furs.

– Howl

Another recent black & white discovery is the first issue of The Thunder Frog, from the folks at (wait for it) Thunder Frog Studios. More specifically that would be writer Woody Arnold and illustrator Tayson Martindale. “Theo had his life all planned out. Everything made sense. He would grow up, get married, raise a family, inherit the family farm and grow old watching his grandchildren enjoy a good life. And then he found the most powerful weapon in history… A peaceful day in the country is shattered when a battle erupts in the back-fields of a farm. What happens next will change the world forever.” Of course you can read all about it at the Thunder Frog Comics web site.

image c. 2017 Thunder Frog Studios

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Dear Papabear,

I'm hoping you could shed some light on a personal issue I've been having for some time now. I've been involved with the fandom for nearly 12 years and the people and community have been a key part of my life through the most critical stages so far. This is how I came across your page actually, and I feel like If I can trust anyone's opinion it would be another fur's. 

My problem is that I feel very disconnected from others, especially furs, and this problem has been getting worse over the course of about 3 years. More specifically I feel as though I can't seem to connect with anyone and my previous relationships (both platonic and otherwise) have grown stagnant and faded. I've fallen away from those I used to associate with and there honestly hasn't been much effort on my part to prevent it. There is a constant turmoil inside me of a want for romantic/social satisfaction/acceptance and my lack of motivation to achieve it. I feel exhausted just trying to maintain a basic level of conversation with those I genuinely care about. It's important to note that this is in every aspect of my life and not limited to those associated with the fandom. Recently this has become even more of a burden as most of my social connection has been through the fandom. The need to be a part of something is still there even if I don't have the energy to deal with it. I've tried to become more active by attending con's and connecting more through social media. The issue however seems to be me as I can't form any new friendships or bonds. 

Now I know this is not really a critical issue, and through the course of time shouldn't continue but the mental aspect of being completely out of touch with everything and everyone has been taking a toll. I'm beginning to feel more and more out of place and what I can only guess is anxiety seems to be getting the better of me. So all that being said I guess I'm asking if you have any advice for me to fix myself. Are there any key behaviors that are commonly associated with driving people away that I may be engaging in without realizing it? I appreciate any and all advice you are willing to give. 

Ludovic Rannulfus
 
* * *
 
Dear Ludovic,
 
Thank you for your letter. I have some questions, if you don't mind, about your background first.
 

1. Do you suffer from any form of autism or other social anxiety problems?
2. Did something happen three years ago or so that might have had an influence on you in a negative way? Some personal turmoil?
3. You say in the same letter that you haven't been making much effort lately to keep contacts, and then later you say that you have been making more effort to attend cons and meets. Which is it? More or less?
4. Do you have a good relationship with family members? Coworkers?
5. Have you had any conflicts with your friends that have put you off in any way?

 
Thank you. I look forward to your reply.
 
Papabear
 
* * *
 
Dear Papa Bear, 
 
Thank you for responding,
 
I appreciate you taking the time to address my letter. In regards to your first question, I believe I might have some form of moderate social anxiety. I've always been a very reserved and shy person. When I was younger, I would often get nervous around people I didn't know. A lot of progress was made through my teenage years though and up until I started having my current issues it wasn't much of a problem. 
 
As far as personal turmoil, I did experience a non-life-threatening gunshot wound injury roughly around the time frame this started that left me with limited use of my left hand and arm for approximately 8 months. (This was the result of negligence and happened in a controlled environment.) I've since regained about 90% use. The biggest issue I can pull from that experience was it caused me to start having anxiety attacks. Over time, though, this has gotten significantly better and has become pretty rare. 
 
I apologize for not giving more clarity about my lack of effort. The easiest way for me to say it is I just stopped trying to connect with people who were close to me and gave up those friendships. Over a about a 3 year span, I've gradually stopped communicating with people. I've started to lose a sense of connection with people in my life. Things like going out with friends has become more of a chore than something to look forward too. I want to have a social life and enjoy the company of others but now I just feel exhausted trying to start a conversation. It's incredibly confusing to me because I want to have people to cherish in my life but at the same time I feel like I don't have the energy to deal with them. I can't really say why, either. It's not a conscious decision so much as it is a sudden realization.

Life started feeling like a haze somewhere around the time I started going back to work. This was the time that everything seemed to change. Once I got back into the swing of working and dealing with everyday life, I would often forget to talk to people and wouldn't realize it until several weeks had passed. It was odd because it's like I would just forget they existed. I started to really notice that I had distanced myself after It became apparent that many individuals were no longer trying to contact me and I hadn't seen or heard from them in months. I did try to reach out to them but the conversations are typically very dull now and don't get very personal. I don't believe they have much interest in renewing our friendship. (I basically cut them out of my life, so I don't blame them). I've tried to start over by attending cons and utilizing social media more frequently in an effort to motivate myself. So far, this method has failed and I'm at a standstill. 
 
I don't have much of a relationship with my family to be honest. I don't know most of my extended family and I rarely talk to my parents or sister. This is not due to a falling out, we've just never been very close. As for coworkers, I enjoy the people I work with and there have not been any major issues. Any disagreements have always been solved just by talking through it.
 
There haven't been any conflicts that would have put a strain on my friendships that I know of. Before I fell away from everyone, things were actually going very smoothly.
 
Ludovic

* * *
 
Hi, Ludovic,
 
Hmm, well, sounds like the gunshot injury occurred at a firing range? Not sure why you still seem to be holding back information on this and are being coy about it. I’m not here to judge you; you can just tell me what happened straight up. This is important because, apparently, your troubles began around the time of the gun accident (perhaps exacerbated by the new job, but since you get along with your coworkers, I’d guess work is not the problem).

My guess at this point, and given the information that I have, is that something happened at that gun range, something that shook your trust in other people (unless this was self-inflicted, but it doesn’t sound like it). I am squinting my eyes between the lines and guessing that someone you trusted very well accidentally shot you, and even though you are recovering from the injury this has caused you great physical and emotional pain.

I don’t feel you are being honest with yourself that this event is all in the past and you’re over it. I really don’t think you are, and because you are suppressing something, it has to get out somehow; with you, the way it is getting out is by affecting your ability to socialize—trust—others. You become disinterested in really trying because whatever happened to you is blocking your ability to relate to others.

If I am right about this, the way to handle it is to face whatever happened at the gun range and deal with it. This means talking openly and honestly to the person who hurt you. You probably don’t feel you can do this because you feel the person didn’t mean to shoot you—and I would believe that to be true, as well. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be upset about what happened; it doesn’t mean you can’t be upset at the person who did this. You can say, “I forgive you,” but you still need to have the catharsis of releasing all the pent-up anger and hurt inside you.

Again, if I am right, it would be a good idea to find a qualified counselor to help guide you through this process.

Let me know,
Papabear
​
* * *

Dear Papa Bear,

I've thought a lot about what you've said, and a lot of it does ring true. I'm trying to look at my actions and thoughts now through a different perspective. It's true I didn't want to give details about the incident for a number of reasons, but I can't ask for advise if i'm not willing to tell you the problem. The injury did occur from a friend, it was a complete accident and I know this so I don't like mentioning it. It is difficult for me to go into detail because the whole situation at the time left me feeling vulnerable in a sense. This was a routine trip to a shooting complex and my friend who I'll just call "Fred" was a regular shooter there with me. The golden rule of safe shooting is knowing where your weapon is pointed at all times, well Fred just so happened to forget that rule when his weapon had a malfunction and failed to fire. The slide was locked on a live round and he couldn't unload it, so he turned around keeping the weapon pointed straight out from him which left the barrel aligned with me. He was trying to ask me to hand him a tool to fix the problem, but before he could finish the weapon discharged and sent a bullet through the top of my left hand up into my wrist. 

Ever since then when I've talked to Fred we just kind of brush of the whole situation, we never really talked about it. I really just try to avoid thinking about it because there isn't anything I can do to fix it. I don't know if whats going on now is related to that, but I do see your point and I probably should address it with him. It was a scary situation and I've never felt that helpless before so I really don't like bringing it up. 

* * *

Hi, Ludovic,

I understand your reticence, and we both recognize "Fred" didn't mean to hurt you and this was an accident. Even so, you have not emotionally resolved the hurt from this incident, and I truly believe that by pushing those emotions inside you it is now affecting your ability to trust other friends. This might not seem logical, but it is psychologically valid. As you know, I'm not a trained counselor, so I don't know the best way to go about helping you resolve your feelings so you may truly forgive Fred and regain your trust to form friendships and maintain the ones you have, but I think we've really found the problem here and if you talk to a counselor about it who is trained to help you in such matters, I think it will go a long way to helping you.

Hugs,
​Papabear

Teddy Ruxpin is back and with a new technology makeover will we see a new series? The new iteration is by Wicked Cool Toys. [1] Here is their official commercial (Non-Embedable): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1tEaFt7omU [2] [1] http://wickedcooltoys.com/ [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1tEaFt7omU
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Thanks to Howl, of Thurston Howl Publications, for his review.

Fred Patten asked me to review this book, and I was genuinely excited for the volume. It is incredibly rare to receive a strong nonfiction book relating to the furry fandom, and this is no exception.

In a nutshell, the book is an encyclopedia of all the furry fandom conventions, their details, their histories, and the people that have made the conventions happen. For a researcher, this is invaluable in measuring statistical data on convention attendance, themes, charity donations, etc. For the random furry, this could be a great primer (or travel guide) on which cons to attend (or avoid). The style of the book is mostly informative with some humor thrown in as well. I am quite glad to have this book on my shelf, and the “furword” by Dr. Gerbasi is delightful authentication for the book as well.

My greatest qualms with the book are more along the lines of production. For such a small reference book (marketed toward furries, no less), the cost is absurdly high at $40.00 US dollars. I understand there are a few color pages in the middle of the book, but those illustrations hardly make the book worth that cost. The cover itself looks shoddy as well, as if it were designed as a MS word page with public domain furry art. In fact, the way the text blurs on the front, I had thought Dr. Gerbasi was the author of the book, as that font stood out from the title more than the author font did.

I know these complaints are trivial. After all, they are hardly complaints against Patten. But as a whole, I must review the book as a finished product, not just the text itself.

However, my review on Amazon gave the book four stars out of five, and I truly recommend this to anyone who wants to research furry cons or is interested in a good primer on the subject.

The publisher has requested the following information be included with this review:

Publisher: McFarland – www.mcfarlandpub.com – 800-253-2187

– Howl

Interesting discovery from the Long Beach Comic Expo: Doc Yeti Fuk’son — Yeti Detective. Yes that’s the title! It’s a black & white on-line comic that’s now available as a traditional comic too. “Doc Yeti Fuk’son, yeti detective, has the goddamn world at his feet. He’s taking down punks, cleaning up the streets, and making killer puns. The only thing hotter than his career is his wife. Or… it was. Two years later, Doc lives alone, punlessly powering through MacGyver, tapioca, and brown liquor. But his sister JD Yeti Fuk’son is on the case! She brings him a murder both gruesome and topical to drag Doc back into action. Something for him to take… personally.” Doc Yeti is written by Allison Solano and illustrated by Sean Morgan. The official web site will tell you all about it.

image c. 2017 by Sean Morgan

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The season tradition is back! Roo and Tugs are joined by gamer Ryu (a rabbit) from the Bay Area to discuss your emails and overall impacts on video games in the fandom, backed by choice cuts from the video game musical orchestra. We also have more Fifty Sheds of Grey, Space News, Olde Timey Ads, THE GAME, and more!





NOW LISTEN!

Show Notes
Last Segment
Yes, there are some last segment audio issues. We apologize.

Special Thanks

Ryu, our guest
Dronon
Miski
Mfalme

Music

Opening Theme: Husky In Denial – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2015. ©2015 Fur What It’s Worth and Husky in Denial. Based on Fredrik Miller– Cloud Fields (Radio Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Some music was provided by Kevin MacLeod at Incompetech.com. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. We used the following pieces:

Spy Glass


Space News Music: Fredrik Miller – Orbit. USA: Bandcamp, 2013. Used with permission. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Closing Theme: Husky In Denial – Cloud Fields (Headnodic Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2015. ©2015 Fur What It’s Worth and Husky in Denial. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)

Choice Cuts from the Video Game Orchestra

Check out www.ocremix.org for more music and mixes - like these ones below!

Voodoo, Roots, and Grog
Game: The Secret of Monkey Island (LucasArts, 1990, DOS)
ReMixer(s): Alex Jones, Diggi Dis
Composer(s): Andy Newell, Barney Jones, Michael Land, Patric Mundy
Song(s): "LeChuck's Theme", "Opening Theme", "Sagat (Thailand)"

Another Seascape
Game: Ecco: The Tides of Time (Sega, 1994, GEN)
ReMixer(s): halc
Composer(s): András Magyari, Andy Armer, Attila Dobos, David Javelosa
Song(s): "Heart of the Giant", "Two Tides"

Dancing in the Jungle
Game: Super Metroid (Nintendo, 1994, SNES)
ReMixer(s): Cyril the Wolf
Composer(s): Kenji Yamamoto (I), Minako Hamano
Song(s): "Brinstar - Plant Overgrowth Area"

Chun-Li (Nemesis Mix)
Game: Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (Capcom, 1998, ARC)
ReMixer(s): Eric Jadi
Composer(s): Masato Kouda, Yuko Takehara
Song(s): "Theme of Chun-Li"

Electro Killer 6000
Game: Castlevania (Konami, 1986, NES)
ReMixer(s): zircon
Composer(s): Kinuyo Yamashita, Satoe Terashima
Song(s): "Vampire Killer (Breaking Into the Castle BGM)"

Golden Flowers
Game: Undertale (tobyfox, 2015, WIN)
ReMixer(s): Level 99, OceansAndrew, OverClocked University
Composer(s): Toby Fox
Song(s): "His Theme", "SAVE the World"

Clear Reflections
Game: Mirror's Edge (EA Games, 2008, PS3)
ReMixer(s): Sir_NutS
Composer(s): Arnthor Birgisson, Rami Yacoub, Solar Fields
Song(s): "Still Alive"

Lucky Coin
Game: Pokémon Silver Version (Nintendo, 1999, GBC)
ReMixer(s): Schtiffles
Composer(s): Go Ichinose, Junichi Masuda
Song(s): "Goldenrod Game Corner"

Peach's Castle Super Mario 64 Remix by Noteblock in 2014 from YouTube.

Revenge of the Enemy from GaMetal.

Patreon Love

The following people have decided this month’s Fur What It’s Worth is worth actual cash! THANK YOU!

Premium Supporters - None :c
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Deluxe Supporter

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S6 Episode 11 – Video Games in the Fandom Wiiiiiiiiiii - The season tradition is back! Roo and Tugs are joined by gamer Ryu (a rabbit) from the Bay Area to discuss your emails and overall impacts on video games in the fandom, backed by choice cuts from th

Adoom hides away this episode, come listen to the cast talk about Stuart McLean and Pewdie Pie Episode -9 - Pewdie Shark

Vox is back for this episode, so come join the full crew in their antics! Episode -10 - Judge Shark!

Join the cast tonight in some great fun! Epoisode -11 - Dress like a Shark!

We were drunk when we did this episode. Yup. We hope you come join us at Fur Squared for our LIVE show! It will have special guests, and it will be a doozy! 154 - We Are DRUNK - We were drunk when we did this episode. Yup. We …

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Furrnion 2017 is the first furry fandom convention in Spain. Conceived as such since 2015, it was officially announced in February last year (link⇒), opening its registration in May. From then until its opening, a total of 155 furry fans signed up for the convention; with another 60 to 70 visitors attending the ‘doors open’ day (both children and adults), to greet and meet the fans and their artists. It was held from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th of January, in the municipality of Fuenlabrada (30 minutes by train from the center of Madrid), at the hotel MC Las Provincias. The official languages of the convention were both Spanish and English. It was an event of special significance for the Spanish fandom, as it establishes it as a non-fleeting enthusiastic community, with the capacity to organize, and with the desire, above all else, to have fun together.

The event featured a dealer’s den, an art exhibit and art auction, tabletop / card games, talent show, furryoke (karaoke), disco nights, furrylympics (a competition of activities while in fursuit), educational panels, and the traditional fursuit parade (around the building). 54 of 155 attendees were from abroad (35%), another 101 were Spanish (65%). The average age of the attendees (and the median) was around 25.

If there’s a trait that’s certain about the fandom, is that it’s a diverse group; and nothing shows it better than attending an event of this type, where you meet old acquaintances, and also many other previously unknown people, with all their different personalities and talents. Most of the activity took place on the ground floor where people gathered; artists from the dealer’s den, and almost always some fursuiter. Quite rightly, the schedule included a few hours of rest after lunch (the advertised ‘siesta’), which would be especially beneficial to those who went to bed late at night. On the ‘doors open’ day there were children who came deliberately from far away with their parents to immerse themselves in the atmosphere. The high presence of foreigners incited Spanish furries to practice their English, and more than one will exercise it in advance for the next convention; though barking / meowing works as a last resort. There was also a snack exchange, where every person brought typical foods from their land; and on Saturday a big table with paella and sangria.

 
The opening and closing ceremonies were hosted by Ritsukaxan the panther (Spanish) and Saberhagen the gryphon (English)

 
There were several visitors on ‘doors open’ day, at the fursuit parade

 
Everyone commented on the good quality of the art available at the dealer’s den

 
Coming across fursuiters and artists drawing was a regular occurrence

 
The karaoke and the disco nights were memorable moments for those who like partying

 
Having fun was inevitable!

 
Fursuits, fursuits, and more fursuits!

 
The charity for the event was the Madrid Felina Association (link⇒), with a stand at the dealer’s den. It raised a total of 780 € (link⇒), which went to the eye surgery of a severely abused kitten, and to shelter two kitten brothers. In honor of the event administrators, these two kittens were given the names of Salmy and Tronchy at the closing ceremony. The disclosure of the news was a very emotional moment!

 
 
The board of directors of the Furrnion consists of Tronchy the gray fox, S (Sierra) the cheetah, and Salmy also the cheetah. A majority of cheetahs at management give name to the last disco night, which instead of being called the Dead Dog Party (as usual), is called the Dead Cheetah Party. With us today in this article is Salmy Cheetah, the de facto chairman of the convention.

 

Salmy is a furry born in ’73, from the province of Lugo, who’s been settled in Madrid for years. Self-employed computer services provider (competent in other skills too), he’s been known for his hosting and management, for some time now (before the rise of smartphones), of the phpBB forum Furry Madrid, and more recently as an administrator of Inkbunny. His fursona is a perennial 16-years-old anthro cheetah with green eyes.

 
GM: Hello Salmy! Tell us, how, when, did you find out about the fandom?

 
S: I met the fandom itself mid-1997. I went online on the Internet for the first time in September 1996. I was a staunch fan of The Lion King, and through that fandom I got to the furry fandom. But it still took me a while to go deep into it, to get involved; I thought there weren’t others in Spain and I didn’t take it as a fandom itself. So I was into it, but not really a part of it.

Back then my thing was role-playing, and Salmy was my first bipedal animal anthropomorphic character. Up until that point I only played characters from The Lion King universe, so I had been feral up until then. It wasn’t till 2006 that I considered that anthro cheetah my ‘fursona’. I’m not quite sure there was such a thing as ‘fursonas’ before that.

 
GM: You used the nickname ‘KDJ The Net Surfer’, was this one of several others? Does it have any significance?

 
S: It did back then, yes. In my adolescence and first years of adulthood, I did many things, one of which was learning to be a DJ with the best, at Lugo, and I also loved rap. I even composed songs, and my ‘artistic nickname’ was KDJ, which comes from Kant DJ. I liked Kant, though I don’t exactly remember why!

When I entered the Internet, the most logical nickname was my older one, to which I added ‘The Net Surfer’, because that was the role of KDJ at that time. The silliness of youth I suppose. I’ve never really given much thought about what nicknames to use on the Internet, it’s always been whatever came to my mind first.

 
GM: How did the name ‘Salmy’ come about?

 
S: ‘Salmy’ was the first thing I came up with when I had to choose a name; my boss’ surname at the time was Salmerón, and he was walking around at the office. It’s not an epic tale by any means, but it’s the truth.

 
GM: Damn Salmy, you have to come up with better stories Nobody will blame you if in a fandom filled with role-play you add some ornaments. “I happened to be fighting at the War for the Retrieval of Gibraltar when…”

 
S: But then it wouldn’t be true. I never say that which is not  

 
GM: Do you still use MUCKs? (text-based online role-playing games)

 
S: Nah, maybe once a year or two years I get nostalgic and go back to Tapestries or The Lion King MUCK, which were my first ones, but that time is long gone. I no longer do role-play.

 
GM: Some say you’re the Spanish furry that’s been active for the longest time. How did you start going to furmeets, to meet with people.

 
S: I think there’s still a few of us from the generation of 2006, and there are some who’ve been relating with other Spanish furries for even longer. Those were the ones I met back in the day, in the spring / summer of 2006, when I went into Andalfur, which was the first Spanish furry forum I found, and went into its MSN group.

The first furmeet was in September 2006, if I remember correctly, on Wolfyote’s birthday. Later named Kennet Brent, he was originally Naraki when I met him at The Lion King MUCK and in person in ’98.

 
GM: Nowadays called ‘Mankeulv’.

 
S: Really I started looking for furries after trying to get into more conventional groups / fandoms without success, such as anime otakus and the like. It was hard to find my place in the cycle of life!

 
GM: Before using FurAffinity (2005), where did you look up the art, on VCL?

 
S: Yes, wherever we could… I mostly checked TLKIAA (http://fanart.lionking.org/), the pages of FurNation, at alt.fan.furry (Usenet), on cubcentral…

 
GM: How many fursonas have you had, is Salmy Cheetah the only one? What relationship do you have with your fursona?

 
S: Fursona as such, only Salmy, yes. The relationship I have with him is very close. It represents, on one hand, the strange fascination I feel for cheetahs, and on the other, the time of my life that I remember most fondly, adolescence. That period when you’re old enough to do anything, and life is full of possibilities, and everything excites you and at the same time you enjoy everything like a child. As I said earlier, in my youth and as a young adult I did many different things, I was very active and restless. Later in life you adjust to a more narrow path and focus and specialize on something, becoming more ‘closed’ in every way. I’ve never wanted to be fully this way, so thanks to my fursona I think I can still keep some of that wonderment.

 
GM: Talking now about Furrnion, I suppose you had expected for long we’d have a convention in our country. How did the idea of Furrnion come about, as it is now?

 
S: Since late 2007, when we did our first ‘mega furmeet’ in Madrid, I wanted to do something bigger and more important, but I never knew how I wanted it to be, nor could I have an overall view of it in my head until I started going to other conventions (ConFuzzled [CFZ], Midwest FurFest [MFF], NordicFuzzCon [NFC] and Anthrocon). It was having visited those, and having the support of young active people like Tronchy, and older and experienced people like Sierra (who managed Ibercamp 2), which made me decide to undertake the project at this moment in time.

I did make a previous attempt a couple of years ago, which I started in Furry Madrid, but that only stayed as an idea. It was much more ‘democratic’, and as it often happens with these things, democracy wasn’t invented for it There had to be a leader, or a couple of leaders, with a clear wholesome view to be able to do something that works.

 
GM: You’re the chairman of the convention. It doesn’t say it anywhere, but everyone says you are. I guess you’ll eventually accept it?

 
S: We really don’t have officially divided roles within con-ops or management… basically all three of us are equal in regards to responsibilities and assignments, and each one’s opinion weights the same when taking decisions. We are precisely 3 to that end, and all decisions are taken in agreement or by majority of 2 against 1.

[Enterprise-wise it is common for management members to be an odd number, or if they’re an even number or only 2, more decisive power is given to one of the two, to avoid opposing directions]

So no, I’m not the ‘boss’. If Tronchy and Sierra say the opposite of what I say, I have to put up with it Although it can be said that I’ve been the one who led the way and chose the style of the convention, the original idea was mine; but it wouldn’t be fair to say that Furrnion is my doing. It has lots from many different people.

 
GM: (quoting Sierra’s intro from the con book):
Mayhem is looming:
attendees are coming!
And if chaos runs amuck
remember: for Salmy’s fault we all got f*ed

 
S: That’s Sierra being Sierra

 
GM: How did you choose the hotel or venue?

 
S: We looked at 20 hotels or more, and Las Provincias was the last one we saw, recommended by Loeches / Alpha Thunder, who is a dealer at CifiMad (link⇒), which is also held there.

The final decision was, like everything else, based on quality / price ratio, and our estimates for room bookings. Attendance doubled our initial estimates, but we were still within range.

 
GM: The Furrnion logo is a chimera. How, when, why? Did you create it before, or after Doña Ana and Bertín (official mascots)?

S: Furrnion comes from ‘furry reunion’, and we didn’t want the logo to be the typical wolf or fox or the typical paw. We wanted the logo to represent a reunion of different types of furries (mammals, dragons, avian), so that’s the origin of the chimera. I don’t know if we designed it before, or after, our mascots, because they were different sub-projects. They’ve coexisted. One thing was the logo, and another was the mascots.

 
GM: How were the convention activities proposed? The ones that appear in the con book.

 
S: There’s an activities department within staff. Most of them were conceived there. Others were proposed by attendees.

 
GM: What was your favourite con activity, in which you took part?

 
S: My favourite activity in all cons is the dealer’s den, seeing and meeting the artists and buying art I also love the furryoke, because I like to sing. Even if I’m ill, with a sore throat and a sinister voice, I’m going to sing

GM: An important difference between Furrnion and other similar conventions (58 attendees in Italy, 37 attendees in France), something which has undoubtedly boosted attendance over the 100 people mark in this first iteration, is the promotional work you’ve done abroad, in foreign conventions. Do you intend to continue with the same dynamic?

 
S: Since there were no previous references for a new con, and what we had in mind was to make something big & good from the get-go, we had to promote it a lot. Publicity is the way in which, by definition, something is made ‘public’. This year we aren’t going to need as much promotion as last year, because our best advertising will be made by the attendees of the first con, so it’ll be a mere reinforcement, and we’ll probably rely on numbers and facts, not just promises.

The best feedback we’ve received, and it has been practically the same coming from all attendees we asked, is that the con was ‘much better than expected’. That was the goal. There was much disbelief and skepticism about the Furrnion, reasonably so, because everything we’d done in Spain so far didn’t reach this level, nor did it so in any other country from Latin Europe. We are notorious for being lousy, sub-par, and that’s really what we usually do, ‘whatever, anything goes’. I don’t know if it’s in my nature, or if it was my upbringing, but I’ve always thought that if you want to do something, you have to do your best, strive to surpass yourself and others. It’s senseless to make an effort to do always the same, or something that people will forget in two days.

 
GM: Give me the names of the non-believers, so that I may write them on my Death Note.

 
S: Hahahaha There were more skeptics than trusting people, Mickey. This is Spain, people here are most likely to think ‘I’m sure it’ll be trashy’ than ‘It’s gonna be awesome’.

 
GM: What about getting a fursuit. Is it clear to you now? A group of people has now formed, they say they want a fursuit of their own.

 
S: It’s a normal thing, meeting fursuiters and interacting with them at conventions generates that feeling of ‘I want that too’. It’s a very fun experience. You don’t realize how much you want one until you’re with them, or surrounded by them. It’s the typical ‘you can’t miss what you’re not aware of’. I’ve been considering getting a fursuit since my first convention. It used to feel creepy. Now I want to have one, but I haven’t yet decided what style I’d prefer or who I’d like to commission.

 
GM: You probably wouldn’t be able to wear it for long being the boss, but you don’t have any kind of responsibility at other cons.

 
S: Exactly In any case, the amount of work in future events has to be more balanced than in our first year.

 
GM: Do you mean, delegating? Surely the titanic effort of the board members has inspired the rest of the staff to improve in any way possible. There was also staff who would do their tasks without having to be told twice.

 
S: Yes, delegating. Our job as managers must also be as hosts, not so much being ‘in the heat of the battle’ doing particular tasks (selling, filling up registrations), but rather we should be solving problems or making sure everything’s going as planned.

The problem we had this year was that hardly anyone knew what they would have to do or why. That’s not going to happen next year. Everyone will know what has to be done and what’s expected of them. We’ve all learned many things this first year. It has been a real field test. The goal of Furrnion 2 is to make it as it is, but better. Or rather, do it right.

 
GM: Anyone who’s seen it from a non-staff point of view will say it has been good.

 
S: Next year people will be more demanding, rightly so.

 
GM: A piece of information, that spread previously, was that the net profits of the convention would entirely go to the charity. From a business standpoint, having no funds for the next con is very risky. Are you going to keep any funds? Is it important for you to make a good impression on the charity?

 
S: As it is for any not-for-profit association, the first thing is always to achieve self-sufficiency, of course. What we’ve donated to Madrid Felina has been what was planned from the art show / auction, plus what they’ve been able to collect from what they sold and from donations. We still have to do some accounting post-con, and see if after recovering our investment and keeping a financial buffer for expenses for both this year and next year (consultancy, taxes, storehouse…) we can donate some more, but it’s probably going to be difficult.

For me it was just as important to be in good terms with the charity as it was for anything else to go as planned, I didn’t give more importance to one thing or to another. In any case, we were very clear with them from the start: it’s our first convention, not many people are going to come, don’t expect to collect much. That’s why we agreed they’d be present in our first two editions, not just in one. Still, it seems they too have exceeded their expectations! We’re also very happy with that

 
GM: I don’t have any more questions so far. Would you like to add a final comment?

 
S: I’d just like to mention that I’m really very proud of what we’ve managed to do. We had a great response from everyone: staff, attendees, artists, the hotel, the charity. The common denominator has been good vibes everywhere. Everyone wants a Furrnion 2. I still don’t know anyone who wouldn’t like to repeat if their circumstances allow it. It’s the best reward you can have as a manager of something that’s not for monetary gain. I can only say that for our second edition we’ll do our best once more to make it better, more organized, more balanced, so that everyone can enjoy the experience just as much if not more. And I’m sure we’ll achieve it, because everyone’s very motivated, and things that we had against us this year won’t be there anymore. All the work we had to do because it was the first one won’t need to be done again, so we’ll be able to focus on the convention itself 100%. Furrnion 2 will be our consolidation.

 
GM: Furrnion will hit strong in Spring 2018, with a medieval theme (knights in armor, damsels, and dragons). You can check its progress in some months at Furrnion.org, or follow their Twitter @Furrnion . See you next year!

 

The entry Furrnion 2017:</br> The Spanish Furry Convention;</br> Interview with Salmy Cheetah appears first in FurryFandom.Es.

Quite a packed show this week. Fox Amoore and Pepper Coyote joined us for an extended interview, followed by a roundup, news and even a few emails!

Download MP3

Watch Video Interview:

Fox Amoore & Pepper Coyote! Two wonderful collaborative music artists who joined us to talk about their latest upcoming album “Come Find Me” produced at Abbey Road Studios.

Fox Amoore:

• Twitter: @FoxAmoore
• FA: foxamoore
• Website: www.foxamoore.com

Pepper Coyote:

• Twitter: @peppercoyote
• FA: peppercoyote
• Website: lookleft.us

B-Roll Videos:

• EZwolf – Fox Amoore’s The Dreamcatcher
• EZwolf – Come Find Me – Fox Amoore at Abbey Road Studios – A documentary by EZwolf
• EZwolf – Come Find Me – Music video by EZwolf
• Anthrocon – AC2016 Fox Amoore & Pepper Coyote – #HASHTAG

Link Roundup:

• Biologists confirm foxes sneakiest little fuckers in the animal kingdom
• Relationship Advice From The Animal Kingdom
• Even Furries Are Fighting Fascists
• Bojack Horseman Voice Actors
• Furry Network Blog – Site Update February 2017
• Oh Joy Sex Toy – Murrsuits by Matuska
• Oh Joy Sex Toy – Getting Tested (STI Testing)
• 3D Model of Paradox’s Head by Jeyeff Fox

News:

• Zelda The Ferret Receives A Pacemaker
• Beer Company Gives Its Staff A Week’s Paid ‘Pawternity’ Leave
• Florida Man Arrested For Tossing Gator Into Wendy’s
• Man Creates His Own Tinder-Like Dating App Where He’s the Only Guy Available
• 2 Women Try To Sneak 13 Pounds Of Horse Genitals Into U.S.
• Ann Summers recall sex toys over fear they could become damaged with “prolonged use”

Emails:

• Silver Hoof – “Thank You So Much”
• Icarus Wolf – “howdy im a big fan and kind of a short story”

FC-258 Shower Ranger - Quite a packed show this week. Fox Amoore and Pepper Coyote joined us for an extended interview, followed by a roundup, news and even a few emails!