Tag Archives: Photos

Tumblr post: Why do I keep working for Midwest FurFest, even after 16 years? Last night’s Closing…

Why do I keep working for Midwest FurFest, even after 16 years? Last night’s Closing Ceremonies reminded me why.

MFF’s charity this year was Save-A-Vet (http://ift.tt/XW2mgm), a group that helps rescue military and law enforcement working dogs when their service to country and community is done, and provides housing and relief for disabled veterans who help take care of the dogs. It’s a wonderful cause, and the people running it are incredibly nice.

Fund raising went on all throughout the convention. At Closing Ceremonies, the readout of the money raised rolled in. $800 from one event, $500 from another. $400 just from passing the hat at a comedy improv event. The Charity Auction, highlighted by a hockey stick signed by the 2015 Stanley Cup champions Chicago Blackhawks which went for $5,500, brought in a total of $8,600. Add to that several thousand dollars in donations from the jar on their table (including a check for $1,000!), and the total came to $19,400. The charity thought that was wonderful – their annual operating budget is $21,000.

Then came the famous “One More Thing”…a giant corgi brought out a large novelty check from the convention for $40,000. The Save-A-Vet guys were overwhelmed, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Once everything settled down, it was announced that the final take was just shy of $60,000.

And here’s the part that reminds me why I love this community.

A voice from the back of the audience (of 1,000+) called out “How shy are you?” And it was noted that they were at $59,400. And that’s when someone came up from the audience and tossed a twenty dollar bill on the stage. Then someone else came up. And another until soon there was a steady stream of people walking up, dropping off cash, and returning to their seats. This went on for a couple of minutes as the charity and even the convention leadership looked on in astonishment. And in the end, that little extra help turned out to be an additional $2,600. And again, there were tears of gratitude all around.

Furry fandom is a composed of people from all walks of life who like to get together at conventions, hang out with friends, wear funny fake animal suits, and make art of animal people. Yeah, they’re weird.

But you know what? I’m proud to call myself part of that bunch of weirdos!

on tumblr: http://ift.tt/1TWkepa

Tumblr post: “Some of you, particularly those who think they have recently lost a dog to “death”, don’t really…”

“Some of you, particularly those who think they have recently lost a dog to “death”, don’t really understand this. I’ve had no desire to explain, but won’t be around forever and must.
Dogs never die. They don’t know how to. They get tired, and very old, and their bones hurt. Of course they don’t die. If they did they would not want to always go for a walk, even long after their old bones say:” No, no, not a good idea. Let’s not go for a walk.” Nope, dogs always want to go for a walk. They might get one step before their aging tendons collapse them into a heap on the floor, but that’s what dogs are. They walk.
It’s not that they dislike your company. On the contrary, a walk with you is all there is. Their boss, and the cacaphonic symphony of odor that the world is. Cat poop, another dog’s mark, a rotting chicken bone ( exultation), and you. That’s what makes their world perfect, and in a perfect world death has no place.
However, dogs get very very sleepy. That’s the thing, you see. They don’t teach you that at the fancy university where they explain about quarks, gluons, and Keynesian economics. They know so much they forget that dogs never die. It’s a shame, really. Dogs have so much to offer and people just talk a lot.
When you think your dog has died, it has just fallen asleep in your heart. And by the way, it is wagging it’s tail madly, you see, and that’s why your chest hurts so much and you cry all the time. Who would not cry with a happy dog wagging its tail in their chest. Ouch! Wap wap wap wap wap, that hurts. But they only wag when they wake up. That’s when they say: “Thanks Boss! Thanks for a warm place to sleep and always next to your heart, the best place.”
When they first fall asleep, they wake up all the time, and that’s why, of course, you cry all the time. Wap, wap, wap. After a while they sleep more. (remember, a dog while is not a human while. You take your dog for walk, it’s a day full of adventure in an hour. Then you come home and it’s a week, well one of your days, but a week, really, before the dog gets another walk. No WONDER they love walks.)
Anyway, like I was saying, they fall asleep in your heart, and when they wake up, they wag their tail. After a few dog years, they sleep for longer naps, and you would too. They were a GOOD DOG all their life, and you both know it. It gets tiring being a good dog all the time, particularly when you get old and your bones hurt and you fall on your face and don’t want to go outside to pee when it is raining but do anyway, because you are a good dog. So understand, after they have been sleeping in your heart, they will sleep longer and longer.
But don’t get fooled. They are not “dead.” There’s no such thing, really. They are sleeping in your heart, and they will wake up, usually when you’re not expecting it. It’s just who they are.
I feel sorry for people who don’t have dogs sleeping in their heart. You’ve missed so much.”

– Dogs Never Die. http://ift.tt/1FAdXNl
(via undeceased)
on tumblr: http://ift.tt/1N04iMV