Well the con went over fair well. We had good attendance number broke the 900 mark n Suiter wise we had over 265 fursuiters enough so that we ran out of ear tags to pin to their ears.
I did manage to track a fur down who I’d dun a special candid badge for, from what I understand Wilkey is a happy fur with the badge. Got a couple more that I’m going to choose between for another gift badge, just need to make the choice as to which lucky fur it will be.
Thursday
Con wise Kantu n I arrived on the Thursday afternoon n got semi settled, had a bit of a snafu with some communication between people but it happens and things got sorted out to various degrees in their good time.
We didn’t do much Thursday, spent some time in con ops getting things ready for Friday. Which like a lot of things had its hitches that meant a little but of running around to figure out what was where.
Then off for dinner at Jack Asters which turned out to be a disappointment on many levels food wise. Gluten free n dairy free options was very limited of their gf menu two items where gf n df n one could be made df – face paws that should have been my first clue it wasn’t going to be a good idea. Needless to say the price was a deal breaker for what little I got on the plate n we’ll not be back there again.
Other wise for Thursday we didn’t do much else but enjoy time alone after dinner and in short talked with friends and got to relax for the first time in months, also had an early night by mutual idea (we both where tired that going to bed early wasn’t an issue – lol).
Friday
Woke up a tad late (around 9am – which is sleeping in for me since I’m use to getting up at 5am most weekdays) made breakfast (pure apple n cinnamon oatmeal) with a cup of coffee. We also got a few things together that we’d likely need for the day, save for the fact that a couple of the files I had given one member of comcon hand’t made its way to the person who needed it to be printed out (so had to run to the room and get my laptop to get the files to send to him so they could be printed).
Also ended up running to a store to get two items that where needed for the con, that had been gotten but not enough or in one case it was actually a forgotten item – they still owe me for getting the items (used my CC since I didn’t have that sort of Cash on me – didn’t bring much cash to the con, just over 100 bucks because I had little plans in buying anything while there save maybe two badges – which we did get commissioned.).
So that was a large part of the morning taken up with driving to the store and getting the needed items and then getting things set up that still needed to be set up. Once that was dun, we prity much had the day to ourselves save the odd running around to fetch and carry and what not that was needed. One thing is for sure we missed lunch so as soon as we got a chance we went out for dinner and this time we chose to go to Boston Pizza which turned out to be a great idea/option.
I’d looked at their menu online and seen that they did have Gluten Free options though if those options all where dairy free was another matter – turned out almost all option could be made dairy free that where already gluten free. Price wise it wasn’t to out there but it was a tad higher then I was hoping to pay for a meal (but since it was good food I’m not complaining to much).
After dinner we went back to the con and to our room – we really didn’t leave it after dinner save to get ice and make sure things where alright other wise. Spent a pleasant time in our room watching TV and cuddling (something we’ve not dun in a long while).
Saturday
Slept in enough that we actually missed the Wedding that was taking place, we’d planning on attending but sleep won the battle and we both slept in late enough that we couldn’t get down in time for it. After we got up had breakfast we headed for the dealers den, because N wonted to commission something from someone that hir’s been saving for the past year (since last FE actually). Talked to the person who it was that was making the harnesses and in short order got a few things worked out in its regards – that made N one happy pup. After that we headed over to the silent Auction and well saw almost a prefect replica of DeaDea my SL fursona so of course I was like nice but then looking at the starting bid price I was like immmm maybe not – but in the end I actually bought the head with tail and custom made hand paws outright instead of having it go up for auction.
After that we headed over to the photo booth to get a few shots taken – then back to the room for N to get into hir suit and to put on lunch, which we’d brought with us from home. It was a jar of HellsKitchen Vegan Soup, which turned out to be very delicious which was a pleasant surprise for the two of us. While the soup was warming up in our Rice Maker (yes be brought it with us just for this reason, that and to make rice if we really needed more food then we already had with us) we headed back down to the photo booth to get a few more shots taken of the two of us plus of N in hir suit. The shots turned out rather well we think, yes some things could be better but all in the images work of us alone and together.
After that we headed back to our room to have lunch and rest before the Group Photo was to be taken – when it came time for the Group Photo and Parade instead of wearing CC like I’d planned I wore DeaDea instead. Turned out to be a good idea, since the vision in way better and well it fits in with N’s fursona of Kantu. Aka we’re finally two Huskies when out and about in our suits instead of being two different species/breeds.
After the suiting N and I changed and headed out for dinner, instead of going to the Keg like we’d planned we headed back over to Boston Pizza because of fridays meal we felt it was a good option for the two of us. This time instead of their nasty pizza I ordered a salad which was alright, I’d wonted pasta but they where using a corn based pasta so I stayed away from it (corn and me don’t mix since my body tends to think corn is gluten) had the wings that I’d had the night before and they where delis – was still left hungry after dinner but was expecting it since salad doesn’t take up much and it had been a LONG day by that point in time.
After dinner we headed back to the hotel went to the room where I got my laptop and we headed back to con ops so I could go about getting the group photo’s transferred to my laptop so I could start working on them to be ready for the morning printing. Took me a little longer then was expecting to get the files because when I got the ops they where still downloading from the camera to the main comp – three hours later I managed to get them onto my laptop and we where back in our room.
Unfortuatnly it wasn’t as simple as I though, the version of RAW that the images where dun in meant I had to actually download the updated files for Photoshop so it could read the Canon RAW files, which took another hour plus – but time I started work it was pushing 11pm and when I finally walked away from the computer it was almost 5 in the morning, not a happy camper in going to bed that late but had to get it dun and ready.
Sunday
Woke up to the 9am alarm (we’d had to set it because of having to check out of the hotel by 11am) started making breakfast and while that was progressing I sent off the file so it could be printed as soon as dealers den opened (which didn’t end up happening – ended up having to bring my laptop down so I could do a direct transfer to the print shops printers of the file).
After breakfast got a couple messages that I was needed and I was like still need to check out/pack the car – so did what needed doing before heading to con ops and taking care of what was needed then off to see the first print of the group photo and approving it. Was pleased well enough with the first run of the image, was a little softer then I was hoping but not 100% unexpected do to the nature of the shot itself (can only clear things up so much at times).
After I approved the image to be finally printed and sold I talked with those in the photo booth to make sure everything was going alright there, some issues but nothing hat wasn’t cleared up in short order. After that we walked around dealers den and looked at a few things that had caught our attention that where now on sale from various dealers.
We never did get back into our suits after Saturday as we’d packed them away – It would have been nice to get into them again for sunday but we didn’t and of the panels that I was planning on attending once again like in years past I never got to attend a single panel other then the two that I was actually involved in myself.
Sunday other wise was a slow day, some running around was dun yes but all in all not much extra was dun. Ended up going to the hotel restaurant (Olio: A Mediterranean Grille) for lunch (we’d looked at it earlier but the person at that time was 0 help in the matter so we’d not bothered) we actually managed to talk to the person in charge of the place, who’s wife is celiac n has a dairy allergy so he was most helpful in helping me choose an item from their menu that would be safe. Ended up with their pizza which cost a tad more then I was looking for, but it was good all in all. Though why they chose to put bacon on it is beyond me – two salty items really do NOT go together, less they where doing the whole “Furrys eat bacon” junk since apparently the breakfast ppl ate them our of house and home in the bacon department (shakes head, so NOT my deal). At any rate olives and bacon to me are not a great combo on a pizza – but whole olives on pizza do work to various degrees (has to be the right type of olive for sure).
After lunch was had we headed off to walk around and wait for closing ceremonies to begin, at which point I grab us a seat and we waited for the “show to begin” it was fun watching people around me their reaction to what was going on, since I already knew what the 2015 event was going to be. It was as much of a hit as has been expected and I am sure there will be more fur’s interested in the 2015 con then there was this year if nothing else because it involved video games which appeals to a large number of people of various ages.
Conclusion
Attendance = 910+, Fursuiters = 265+, new suit record set and we’re not in the top 10 if not top 5 fur cons in north america in regards to attendance numbers and suiters as far as I am understanding it. I’m looking forwards to next year on various levels, not a big video game fan (though I do like some games as anyone who reads this knows).
Well take care and hope everyone has a great March Break!
Nyx