Pondering Huntsville in May

[vakkotaur]

Since AnthroCon, I've been wondering about other furmeets. AC seemed too big for me to be comfortable and I spent more time looking for folks than with folks. I pondered Midwest FurFest which was within driving distance and at a comfortable (to me anyway) time of year. This did not quite work out as I worried about finances some and the size of the event some more.

The Rocket City FurMeet has a couple downsides: One, it's way down in Huntsville, Alabama. Two, it's in the start of northern faire season - but manages not to coincide with any faire in which I am interested. Also, this late means it's likely too hot and too humid for me to be all that comfortable anyplace lacking really good climate control.

But, RCFM also has a big upsides: It just started last year and the attendance was just over 100. Even if attendance doubles, it seems like it'd be reasonably sized rather than oversized like AC was. And the pricing is quite reasonable. I could afford to pay for a supersponsorship for RCFM. The hotel rates aren't bad either. Also, if I (we) got there a bit early, it'd be nice to see the rockets and such. No sense in going all that way and not seeing what the place is famous for.

It's still a bit early to decide for sure. I'd like to have holiday travel expenses all paid before committing to RCFM.

Anything more I should know about RCFM, one way or the other?

Comments

[jugularjaguar.livejournal.com]

Well at RCFM all the rooms are suites so you get an extra room with it. Also the room comes with an extra TV, a microwave and a fridge. It is not a really large hotel so everything is pretty close.

Jugular Jaguar will be there of course.

They have a very large Con suite also and will be expanding the con activities this coming year. The con is pretty well promoted and a large staff to cover all the bases.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Has any elevator madness happened yet, like at AC? Or is that pretty much a non-issue?

[kinkyturtle.livejournal.com]

Non-issue. The hotel's only three stories tall.

[ginafae.livejournal.com]

What's a Fur Meet? I have never heard of one!

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

A meeting of furry fans and artists and such. Here's an introduction to furry fans or furs: What are furries? (http://www.conmicro.cx/~kturtle/cartoons/kt's_furry_faq1.gif) and What goes on at a furry convention? (http://www.conmicro.cx/~kturtle/cartoons/kt's_furry_faq2.gif)

And here are a bunch of cartoon diaries (http://www.conmicro.cx/~kturtle/diaries/index.html), some of which are about furmeets. They probably explain things with words and pictures better than I can explain in only words.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, also there's this (http://www.conmicro.cx/~kturtle/cartoons/kt's_furry_faq3.gif) in answer to a couple common questions...

[ginafae.livejournal.com]

Gotcha. So.... Are you a horse persona?

There are some very detailed costumes there. I'd imagine they'd be very difficult to make!

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

kinkyturtle draws folks in-character, even if they never wear a fursuit or costume. I've only been to AnthroCon. The Rocket City FurMeet would be my second furmeet. As for my persona, it's pretty much the icon I use: a Warner-Centaur. This entry (http://www.livejournal.com/users/vakkotaur/56940.html) explains the background of the name.

I don't know what goes into the making the fursuits, but some are very impressive. It is possible to buy them or parts thereof, but the prices are as you might expect. They ain't cheap. Assembling my faire outfit was easy by comparison, I expect. I could buy things over time and slowly build up. It's also easier to justify - there are more faire weekends in the IA-MN-SD area alone than FurMeet weekends in the U.S. Folks like jugularjaguar do manage to do more than just the furmeets, so maybe he could justify it more easily than I could.

I doubt I'd get into fursuiting - I understand it gets hot in those and I like it cool. Also, there would be a matter of what character to use. Warners have that WB trademark/copyright look, and a centaur outfit would be complex and unweildy. I suppose I'd consider something equine or possibly bovine, maybe based on Orvan Ox (http://www.conmicro.cx/~vakko/orvan/) though I wouldn't look as good. I'm not big into foxes, wolves or felines and such which seem to be the more common components of furry fandom.

Right now, really, I'm just seeing if such a meeting is something I'd like. I tried AC, but didn't care for it. Maybe it's not for me, or maybe AC was just too big (1000+ attendance) for my comfort.