So as it would happen...
My work place has a rather unique problem, the employees! (OR the lack thereof)
We have lost half of our engineering staff, and I am one who is left. Why that matters is because the parent company has an ultimatum, do not lose more employees! To that end, my workplace seems to be bending to my will (for now).
Another problem they have is we lost a small contract that had me booked for travel. Because our product sucks.
So I never had to travel!
So in the end, I kept my DenFur2021 reservation, hotel reservation, and went!
It started out slow, and got a little better each day.
Opening ceremonies were okay, but this con was subdued compared to the last one.
No kids because covid shots were not in their age range. This stinks because I thought he kids in the last con were bringing some energy to it, and I missed that! This con required proof of vaccination, face coverings at all times, and body temperature checks at registration and randomly if needed. Wearing a yellow wrist band was mandatory to prove you were healthy. The band was really hard to get off, had to be cut off. I NEVER saw any furries NOT wearing a mask. Normies were mixed bag. And there was little con funk, nor extreme drunkenness etc. It was a clean con, like sanitized. Now don't get me wrong, I spied my neighbor (A husky) sneaking in to give his girl a surprise... so this place was not all that dead! ( turned up my TV and left it on).
I do not know the number who attended, but it seemed busy. The logistics were super crap. Downtown Denver is all one-way streets and I circled the dang parking garage 3 times to get in and was lost a bit. Parking was $110 for 3 days IF you did not get the convention rate of $12 for the whole weekend. Room rates were steep as well. Hotel food was , well, hotel food. Local food was better but you had to walk to get it. walking the city streets filled this veteran with dread and due to all the drug use, mentally unstable people, homelessness as well as crime. ( I sat in a restaurant watching a man walk by with a backpack with bolt-cutters poking out).
It was on the 16th street mall, and if you have lived in Denver, you know people get hit or killed by cars all the time here and it happened when I was there. Watched it happen actually, from my room window. A man was hit, I do not know who, or condition.
It was also a bit of an elevator con. I went up to go down, down to go up, and once wound up in an abandoned creepy A.F. basement level from which I took one step backwards into the elevator and hit "door close". There was MUCH waiting for elevators, etc. I walked the skybridge (on suggestion of staff) between each half of the hotel, needlessly I may add, since picking the correct floor got you to where you wanted to be anyway, without the 17 steps up and down again...
Dealers Den was 50% full for reasons of social distancing. Artist alley was slim pickings.
I attended 2 concerts, a "personal" acoustic concert (I was the only one there!), and several panels. Got the obligatory bag of con goodies, and such as well.
A few fursuit photos, only one of myself, on an inflatable... skunk? Please realize this is a scanned fuji-film instamatic image. (think poloroid in a dim room). Strangely I was drawn to the deer one but did not want to scare it.
Here is Thomasin. She was so polite.
Here is Dexter. I got to talk with him at the line for an event for 1 hour. (this convention was POORLY planned)
He is an awesome guy to talk with, and his fursona he is portraying has a story, like most, and resonated with my own...we have a bit in common. I was in human form when talking with him so IDK if he ever connected my suit to human me. Anyway, he came from another convention ( I think) and did not get time to brush his suit out all the way, so forgive him. Flying with a suit is hard...But I think he looks cool!
I believe this is Dracos, or the like. I did not do my usual zoom-in-on-the-badge thing. I thought he looked rather neat.
Unknown cute fursuiter, for whom I forgot to flip the badge over BEFORE taking picture
The convention was renaissance themed, and this fox had it down. His name is Wasteland Drifter. He was a good actor. I bet he does our local Ren-faire.
Jet The Delirious. What an unusual costume! His name and his acting were in sync. He wandered aimlessly and walked with a weird halting gait, and would sneak around obstructions. Creepy fun.
A fellow fuzzy sponsor, again, I need to get better at badge flipping before pictures.
A rather flashy doberman named Wachi, (I think)
Presenting the fabulous Limin! haha!
I snapped this as I was walking past. She was posing for others... I could not zoom in on badge for name, sorry.
These two were hilarious!
There is something purrfect with these two. Can't put my finger on it. Honestly.
The con was winding down for me, and I was thinking of going home. I remembered Furtopia, and all I have met, and I also remember this...
I remembered the ones who died. The ones who we lost to Covid, old age, accidents, suicide, etc.
I remembered the ones who saved me, and helped me. Human or not.
For a while I forgot about bills, house payments, work and the endless pile of junk I have to solve. I forgot about burdens of taking care of my dog and others. I forgot I even had a job and an old car which needs repair. Time changed pace, and I made a decision. I was going to the last rave, Saturday night, 9 pm till 2 am!
FarFar (from here!) got me pumped, and I went!
It started out slow, but built up fast. As it turned out, I can groove! I was better and more energetic than others! HAHA!
I am 39 years old. I have arthritis, and muscles that do not like to move. For some reason, the furry magic hit me, and I was YOUNG again! I wrung out my balaclava 3 times in as pure sweat poured into the convention carpet. Sorry headless lounge!
For those out there who think Furry is weird, I say it is special magic with powers that can heal!
I was filmed several times, and asked to dance with others while being filmed! I got the spot light and I kept going like a machine! I will either wind up being "known" or made fun of. I hope I never know and can live it and remember it as I want.
I closed that rave, late at 2am! But one of the weirdest and most interesting things was when at midnight, the DenPah Puppy Mosh Pit joined our rave! The juxtaposition of smooth black leathery suits near bright fuzzy ones, was something else. Maybe it was the energy, maybe it was the lack of sleep, or perhaps... I was happy?
Something was finally okay. And I was , okay. The dance continued, and I laughed when I spied the white underwear on the outside of the pup uniform glowing in the UV light which said, "In case of emergency, pull down". Ahh... people being people and having fun! And one thing that I will NEVER forget as long as I live is a woman full fursuiter in a wheel-chair who was raving to save her soul, and boy did she do it! What she can do, boggles my mind. Never in my life have I seen people that happy, and ALIVE!
I blew out my back, and my right knee is MIA. But this old dog has gas in the tank still. I out did others. I was happy. I let go. I went to sleep at 3am, and woke up at 7am. Drove home around 12 and got home at 1:30pm. My parents left 10 miinutes before I arrived so I would not contaminate them in case I carried germs. I said hi to my dog Wanda who walked away and never cared about me. I unpacked, cleaned, and put things away. Life as normal.
Here I am now, typing all this and about to hit send.
I never logged into work, I know what I will find tomorrow when I do. A big mystery bag full of total confusion and stress as well as all the worlds problems I can't solve but am asked to do so. Nothing changes there. No progress, I need to plan my exit.
After a night like that, I want to live more than ever. And I have a lot to think about. This job of mine stinks something bad, and it colors my whole outlook on life. Come to think of it, I hate my career choice I think, as it NEVER made me happy and has been nothing but a complete f-up. I need to get into shape, and get outdoors more. One day this dog will die, and be forgotten, just like many before him. But I want to say I lived, that it was not all a waste.
I have a lot to think about...
