Further thoughts post-AC

[vakkotaur]

While I did enjoy AC, it wasn't as good as I had expected. I suppose that comes from a few things. One is that my expectations were based largely on the cartoon diaries, and those tend to show the highlights rather than the whole - or at least it's easy to overlook the less than wonderful bits when you are not experiencing them. I might revise that some when the AC03 diary is (more) complete. Also, KT has attended several furcons now and knows (and is known) by a good many people. AC was my first.

In a way, it was kinda like when I first went to MNRF. It was big, it was interesting, but I didn't really know anyone. It took my going to the little Iowa faires to actually really meet people (other than Bronxelf, anyway) and start to feel more like I belonged. Not that I was vending or performing or anything, just that I wasn't simply a customer/consumer utterly interchangeable with any other. AC didn't really do anything wrong as far as I can tell. The attitude was generally very relaxed and friendly and open. But somehow I just didn't belong. I attended as a complete outsider. This is to be expected, yes, but it still leaves me feeling like it was an illusion or something.

I suspect that had I started with AC in 2000 as KT and others did, it'd have been different. Mainly as the group got together at AC and were a ready-made group of folks. Rather than being just one or two, it was many and the dynamics had to work different.

Also, there is the matter of not being a talent of some kind. Not necessarily an official part of things, mind you, but there were folks who made incredible fursuits, folks who were good (and some utterly fantastic) artists, writers, those in fursuits even if they had been made by others, and so on. It makes one realize how much talent one doesn't have. Should I carry a sketchbook? Only if it was just for others. Anyone who asked me to draw would be in for a terrible disappointment. Stick Figure Theater is about all I can manage, if even that. Hrm, there's an idea, I suppose. Can you imagine a workshop "Remedial Sketching" and it being off limits (if only by suggestion) for good artists (I know that's a fluid definition - few artists seem to consider themselves good - and usually the wrong ones do) or something like that? Not even how to draw furries or cartoons, just the utter basics. I suppose there's a book somewhere I should look into... (And it sure isn't 'How to Draw Anime' or 'How to Draw Manga' - at least not for me.)

KT, being an artist, is an insider by now. Even if all he did was the cartoon diary (and I am sure that at times it seems like it is, to him) he is a Known Figure. This was brought home when I acted as translator for a moment between him and a fursuitter before Kage's Story Hour. Some fursuitter spotted KT and tried to communicate (without speaking) and didn't quite get the point across to KT. ("I think... he.. wants you.. to draw him.. in the cartoon diary.." *acknowledgment*) I am not a Known Figure, nor do I ever expect I will be. And that may be just as well. Less pestering, less drama, and all that.

And then I got back and realized not only did I spend much time looking for folks, I completely forgot to look for some. I knew the_gneech and xydexx would be there, for instance, but somehow it didn't register enough for me to remember while there.

I am pondering going to Midwest Fur Fest this coming November. It's smaller, though I don't know how small. It's within driving distance. It's in a nice cool time of year, and after Road Constriction Season. The downside is that it's in Chicago (Okkay, Schaumburg, which for me is effectively Chicago). Yes, wendyzski, jmthane, I know. But I normally do what I can to go around Chicago rather than into it. Went through it a couple times and had enough of that. Well, at least I ought to be able to find a proper hot dog there.

Anyone know what the MFF attendance was? Or perhaps more importantly, what it is projected to be? And is there anything I ought to know about attending MFF? What to bring along, or suchlike?

Comments

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Actually I don't think much of what Chicago did to pizza.

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

OK, so enlighten me. What did Chicago do to pizza? It's far better than pizza in New Mexico, which pretty much constitutes my entire pizza experience.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

"Chicago style" pizza is a deep-dish thing which I do not care for. It seems likes it's not so much pizza as unmixed lasagna. And with that much stuff overstuffing, the crust ends up needing to be thicker. Again, I don't care for thick crust. If I wanted bread, I'd buy bread.

On the other hand, the Chicago style vienna dog is almost perfect. The addition of the tomato was the only misfire and that is easily rectified. I consider the Chicago-dog to be perhaps the one thing Chicago got right.

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

Chicago *does* make thin-crust as well...

But I agree with you on the hot dog (mostly - I put ketchup on, but am not fond of raw tomato).