Midwest FurFest Con Report

[vakkotaur]

Overall MFF went quite well, though not perfectly.

Thursday

The Wednesday before, I had my stuff mostly packed and ready with one critical exception but someone else would be bringing that. However, jmaynard didn't get home until fairly late so his packing wasn't near done until Thursday morning. We did get on the road in a reasonable time and got to the MFF hotel at a fairly sane time. Jay had to take of something on-line right away after we checked in, so he did that and I made a few trips to mostly unload the car. I didn't even bother trying to get a luggage cart; it was faster to just haul stuff in multiple trips. Jay was free for the last couple trips and deyna_otter was able to lend a hand as well. I was quite glad that much of it was ACME stuff and thus I would not have to pack it up again.

Jay and I had supper at Sweet Tomatoes, where I could eat mostly light stuff. I was being very careful about what I ate and drank so as to avoid any potential skin problems or such. I was avoiding a lot of things until after the Saturday night figure drawing panel. After registration opened we waited a while to avoid any great rush and the long lines that can happen with such and then went and registered. I didn't have any of the food available during that, though I was glad to have the water available.

I had had some difficulty finding Cow Tales candy for a while and had looked at getting other items, such as ring-pops and candy bracelets as a sort of "treasure" to go with the nautical theme. But I did have some Cow Tales. And then sistaur had found a good source of Cow Tales not long before MFF and I would up with more candy than I had expected. Orvan wound up doing three candy give away bits rather than just one or two. Thursday night it was the various candy jewelry, which seemed to go over well. To my surprise someone gave Orvan payment or a tip during that. It was 35 cents. I still have the coins used, but I did make sure that 35 cents went into the charity donation jar to even that out. I was also amused to see someone wearing a ring-pop on Saturday or Sunday, trying to preserve it (keeping it dry) throughout the convention.

Orvan even did at least one delivery on Thursday. An "Ops Survival Kit" went to operations. I hadn't labeled it as such and the fellow opening it seemed a bit bewildered by the contents until someone else said what it was.

Friday

I caught up with takaza about the possibility of an ACME delivery to unclekage at Story Hour and was told to hang around Opening Ceremonies and make arrangements with Kage. I almost missed him and I suspect there might have been a bit of a misunderstanding but things worked out. One potential item was struck from the delivery as it would have been a segue into a story that he was not including. The other item(s) were not discussed that I recall. The result was that delivery was arranged to happen at the start of Story Hour.

I had hoped to get all the deliveries done before Sunday so that I (or Orvan) could have Sunday as "just hang around" day. While waiting for Opening Ceremonies I spent some time talking with catwoman69y2k about Saturday night. I was still a bit concerned about it, mainly due to my ignorance. Talking with Kat helped ease my concerns.

Also, sometime I talked with film2edit for a just a moment and it was decided that Orvan would appear for the fursuit figure drawing panel on Sunday. I figured I could do either the human or the fursuit but only one on a given day. And I think I was a bit busy on Friday or else there were already enough folks for that. I'm not sure, but it seems to have all worked out.

Orvan had a few other deliveries to make before Story Hour. He managed to get to the Meet the Guests of Honor panel just before it got going and make deliveries to all three of them. And then a while later to Linnaeus who was also there, but that wasn't realized beforehand and so the four deliveries were not made at once. Ah well.

Orvan waited a bit behind the scenes just as Story Hour was about to start and a cue was arranged: He was to make his delivery after an announcement calling for tigers to appear at a TigerDirect opening the next day. uncle_kage made the announcement, Orvan appeared with the big parcel ("RUSH!!! - PERISHABLE SHIPMENT") and Kage signed for it. And then had someone else open the box while he backed to the far side of the stage. Once the box was open, he returned and found the contents: Two bottles of ACME wine. One was in a small screw-top plastic bottle (Summerset, purchased at the Des Moines Renaissance Faire and re-labeled) and the other was a re-labeled bottle from Hahn Creek Winery in South Dakota. He looked rather dubiously at the plastic bottle. Later I asked him what had been done with the wine and was told, "I drank it." but there was more confusion here as he hadn't opened the plastic bottle until Sunday evening. When asked what he thought of it he replied that it was "surprisingly drinkable."

That was no surprise to me. I had purchased more than just the one plastic bottle at DMRF and Jay & I had had the other with supper one night. It might be a joke, but I wasn't going to have a wine I wouldn't drink delivered. Summerset does sell wine in proper glass bottles, the plastic was just a special event convenience that I could take advantage of. Really, doesn't the very idea of an Iowa wine in a screw-top plastic bottle just scream for an ACME label?

Orvan didn't hang around after the delivery and neither did Jay, who took a few pictures of it. We both missed Story Hour but I think we also got a fair amount of entertainment from the short time we were there. Later on there might have been another delivery or two, I forget. There was another candy run. And I think I even had some time to at least wander through Artist's Alley once or twice on Friday.

We went out for sushi with blaireau_bougon and berin and enjoyed good company. And probably ate too much. Even with me still being somewhat careful about what I ate, I wasn't being quite so careful about the sheer quantity.

Saturday

Orvan made it through all but three of his deliveries and there was (yet another) candy run. I don't recall much detail anymore. I did manage to get a photocopy made of the signature sheet that had Kage's and the GoH signatures on it. I kept the copy and the original was donated (by ACME) to the charity auction. When I needed to sit down a bit I did so at the charity auction and hoped to see what happened. I figured it would be near the end as it was a last-minute entry. It went earlier than I had imagined and so I didn't see it go. I don't know who wound up with it, but when I asked about it, I was told that it brought $10 for Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation.

I had my cell-phone set to silent and thus didn't realize I had gotten a call from rcfoot. I called back and this time I got his voicemail, I think, but a while later we were talking and he had arranged for those of us posing on Saturday night to meet each other. Or he tried to arrange it. As it was, not everyone was able to show, but the two of us who hadn't met each other before finally did. As I posted earlier the panel went very well. It went on beyond the expected time, but it wasn't a problem. There was a room party I had been curious about and had figured on making, but I later found out I probably had a better time posing longer.

After that, my self-imposed dietary restrictions were ended and I went to a couple gatherings. One was a "Fine Potables Tasting" which was was mostly fine, though someone managed to mix a drink that smelled and tasted like a carbonated Circus Peanut. I refuse to consider that to be "fine." I can deal with the occasional Circus Peanut. A carbonated alcoholic liquid version, however, might well contravene arms treaties. The other gathering was for Penguicon, with the dangerously good Penguicon fudge. It amused to me hear "We still have Bruce Schneier's keys." and that it might become something of a Penguicon running gag. Again I am amazed how a delivery that didn't work out as planned went off better than I could have planned.

Sunday

The last few deliveries all had to be arranged with co-conspirators. dphoenixd let me know that fayfox would be around but not for long. Fay, one of the rocking foxes, got some Absorbine pads and a small jar of ACME "Back Medicine" - the sorts of things he might need after having been under saddle a while.

brodycatsmouth arranged for kiwihunter8 to be around in the hallway at a given time. And catwoman69y2k did similar with stego_s_aurus. Kiwi got a beanie kiwi which she took to immediately, using it as a prop while in suit. I had this parcel with me during the fursuit figure drawing so it was used as prop before being delivered. And Stego... well, his reaction was worth waiting for.

Some time before MFF, I had contacted Kat and asked what might work for an ACME delivery for Stego. This was not an easy thing and eventually she suggested some sliders from White Castle as Stego likes them but can't get them, save for the frozen things, where he lives. This would be a problem for delivery. First, the delivery would have to be really well scheduled so things wouldn't get cold - or worse. And then there was the matter of Orvan delivering a beef product. This simply was not going to happen.

And then I went looking for potential ACME items at Dollar Tree and saw marshmallow cheeseburgers. And marshmallow french fries. *DING* I asked Kat about this and got an encouraging answer. That's when I posted about getting a Crave Case box and then about making a disturbing purchase. I found out later that Stego would be unable to have the real White Castle product for some reason and I was concerned about this being seen as rubbing it in. I was assured that this would not be the case.

Stego seemed rather surprised/amused/astonished at getting an ACME delivery. I don't know if he had encountered Orvan before or not. MFF is a big convention and it's possible, now, to miss folks and events completely. Then he removed the cover paper with his name on it and got to the Crave Case and the reaction only increased. And then he opened it and saw the contents: the mallowburgers. Just when it seemed it couldn't get any better (or worse?) Orvan pointed into the not yet empty bag. Mallowfries. There are pictures, but it will be a while before they are up on the web.

I had expected that the marshmallow items would be a gag and that they might get passed around, dumped in the con suite, or even just dumped. No. Stego evidently found space in his luggage and took them all home. With intent to eat. I had one mallowburger left over and a couple days ago jmaynard and I split it. We each took a bite or two and decided we had had enough. But some people do like them. The gal running one checkout when I bought them said, "Ooh, those are really good." They still remind me of H.R. Pufnstuf.

Orvan attended closing ceremonies, at least for a while. He left during the video about the new location with the "Heavenly Collection" that included heavenly everything, even heavenly grout. Even with fursuit vision and being at the back of the room, the reaction of immense shocked pleasure from the charity representative was obvious. Between various donations and the charity auction they raised over $5,000. And then MFF nearly tripled that by adding $10,000. The result was that Flint Creek was suddenly, to their astonishment, in the black. Damn furries, huh?

Sunday night, after all the candy was gone and all the deliveries were done and the official activities over, Orvan had a little time to himself and like last year a group photo with gilmorelion.. evolved. It grew and grew and I'm not sure how big it got. I think that last year security did come around and make sure the hallway was passable and asked for things to be sped along, but it was all pretty amicable or if not, at least not outright nasty. This year it was different. There was no asking but only demanding, and nothing was at all amicable. I hadn't had a problem with con security until then. The only time I had seen anyone even approaching this level of... attitude.. was at the Saturday figure drawing where cameras were verboten and even that was handled more matter of factly than as some Dorsai Irregular wannabe power-tripping. Now, however, MFF security has earned a prominent listing on the fecal roster. It's not so much what was done as how and the attitude of it. Even after the photo group thing was over there was a pall of excess attitude breaking up any gathering for some time. Orvan did wander around a bit, but after that and in that atmosphere it just wasn't worth the bother. I gave up and went to a room party. I wonder how many folks overzealous and rude security drove away from common space and into room parties. That the security person later referred to the group sitting still for photos as a "mob" only confirms to me a serious lack of judgment that is a problem in anyone handling security.

That brings up a couple other things. There was supposedly more alcohol around than there had been at earlier MFFs. While part of that is certainly from the simple increase in attendance I suspect that a big factor here was that the bar area was closed. It sounds paradoxical, but the area was closed, the serving was evidently not. Thus drinks were served and they didn't stay in the bar or restaurant area but were around throughout the public spaces. This can send the wrong message, that the convention is a place to drink. Hopefully the new location will not have this issue.

I did see more alcohol than I had at previous years of MFF, but that I can attribute to attending a room party or two that I had not in years previous. These controlled things well, at least as far as I saw. I didn't see anyone taking a drink out of the room and I didn't see anyone who was sloshed. Those hosting the room parties didn't want to screw things up for themselves or anyone else and acted accordingly. There might have been exceptions but I did not encounter them. I wonder if the attitude of security Sunday night was a contributing factor. Actually, I suspect it was a significant factor. I can easily see some folks looking at things and going, "Screw this, I'm gonna get a drink." I hope it wasn't a matter of the security folks imbibing, but just now it wouldn't surprise any.

Another item is a case of dueling expectations. The "Dead Dog" is seen by some as a place to have a rather quiet gathering for talking, meeting, and artwork. For them, it's a quiet decompression from the hubbub of activity of the previous few days. That seems to have been what was the case at MFF last year and maybe earlier. The "Dead Dog" is seen by others as another party, with (loud) music and dancing. These two things are incompatible. This year the second group set up and evidently drove the first group out of the area they had expected to have. Again, hopefully the new location will solve this problem. It would be ideal if there was a party (music, dance) space for those so inclined and a quieter space, well away from the party, for those wanting to talk and draw.

Perhaps some of the security silliness was from hotel pressure. I got varying vibes from hotel personnel. Sometimes it was welcoming and "We're glad you're here." and sometimes it was "We got your money, now bug off." Although the new management had an absolute insistence on not having any signage save for the precious few stands (which made finding some third floor event rooms a pain) there was something that might amuse chakawolf: They didn't hide the lounge area furniture in a storage room like was done the last couple years. As it is, I won't miss the Hyatt. The more I learn(ed) of how this place treats people, under previous or current management, the less I like it. I won't be recommending Hyatt to anybody, and certainly not the Hyatt-Regency Woodfield in Schaumburg. They have also earned a listing on the fecal roster. The odd flub can be expected. But when things become a pattern? "Once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, three times is a trend." Good riddance.

Oh yeah, it was good to hear that the RCFM folks, who have a "Deep Six" theme for 2008, will be trying to minimize the pirate stuff. I might yet have to get the "So many pirates, so little rope" shirt.

Monday

Jay and I had breakfast at Richard Walker's which was mostly good, but their coffee was sadly lacking. We've joked that a place in Fairmont has the world's weakest coffee, but it now has a competitor: Richard Walker's. It wasn't quite "Water that had been shown a picture of a coffee bean" but it was close. We packed up, checked out, did some Christmas shopping, and had lunch at White Castle at my insistence. I had used them for a gag and I hadn't eaten there before so it seemed that it was something I ought to do. It was better than I'd feared, but I see no reason to go out of my way to do it again. Given a choice between McDonald's and White Castle, I might choose White Castle. I had feared it might be as nasty as Waffle House, but that was not the case.

We made our way to altivo's residence and met his housemate and their animals. It was a good afternoon and evening visiting, with a very good supper. From there we drove up to Oshkosh to visit the EAA museum the next day before visiting my folks for Thanksgiving.

ADDENDUM: Wow. It looks like MFF security doesn't need just a couple minor tweaks, but a major overhaul. Perhaps even a ground-up cold re-boot. With several folks reporting several incidents of excess, it indicates a significant (non-trivial) problem. Once again, "Once is fluke, twice is a coincidence, three times is a trend." This trend needs to be reversed.

Comments

[catwoman69y2k.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Security's how on enforcing policy needs some work, IMHO. IN previous years it was not optimal either but I think this year was the worst that I had seen.

Glad to have seen you at con. The Penguicon room party was fun. I just was a bit tired after the previous party that I had attended that night.

Kat

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

The friction between the Dorsai Irregulars and the "regular" con security people was also a problem at Windycon the week before. Someone on their end decided that they didn't like one of the heads of "Adult Supervision" and as such were doing their level best to either do an end-run around this person or outright refusing to work with the rest of the staff. I know it was a problem at Windy and it looks like the same was true at MFF.

I know these guys have been useful in the past but wow - certainly don't play well with others!

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

There were no Dorsai Irregulars at MFF that I knew about, just the (supposedly) regular con security. And I suspect that the person the DI tried to bypass at Windycon was the same person I am talking about here. While I am no fan of the DI, I can readily understand not wanting to deal with this person if the sample I saw is at all representative of their attitude and behavior.

I did overhear some talk about the possibility of bringing the DI in for MFF. I wonder if that was also a contributing factor: "We'll show how forceful we are." If that was the case, it didn't do the regulars' reputation one damn bit of good. The resulting situation makes the idea of replacing (not augmenting - that's a guaranteed lose-lose mess as was shown at Windycon) the regulars more worthy of consideration rather than less.

I used the phrase "as some Dorsai Irregular wannabe power-tripping" as that's how this person came across.

[nefaria.livejournal.com]

I saw Orvan twice at the con in costume, but I think you were too busy to notice me. I might have also seen you out of costume but I didn't recognize you because you lost so much weight. :)

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Orvan was rather busy, generally. (And it's not that easy for me to see...) As for being recognized out of suit, I suspect a hair cut was also a contributing factor.

[kinkyturtle.livejournal.com]

Yeah, your head was head-shaped!