BC Furries

I've been an active member of the furry/otherkin community for about 9 years now.  For me, that's a long time (I'm only 23), and I often reminisce on the good and bad times I've had just in this crazy little subculture.  I've seen a lot of people come and go, seen newcomers start making names for themselves and veterans renounce their furry status for reasons entirely their own. I've stuck with it, and I feel like I am sticking with it for a long time. Something about this place keeps me here, and I love it. Most of my best friends are either full-blown furries or at least sympathetic to them. All of my RL friends know who I am and where I stand on the matter, and a lot of them have taken a genuine interest in it.  Long story short: I am a furry (and an otherkin, but that in itself requires some explanation), and I am damn right proud to call myself one!

So I ask you guys: what is it about the furry community, or being furry, that keeps you here?  Why do you choose to be a part of one of the most taboo groups on the face of the earth?

My answer?  I'd say it's got a lot to do with the fact that I've got a somewhat spiritual connection to my character, Neox, and I get to meet a lot of people with similar feelings on the subject (this stems off the whole otherkin aspect of it, I think).  Yeah, Neox is a fictional depiction of myself, but I can't help but feel like he's essentially a more "true" representation of my soul, that if physical form had anything to do with reflecting one's personality, he would be the exact match.  That, in itself, is typically considered disorderly, extraordinary, to individuals with zero imagination and no spirituality whatsoever.  Being able to talk to other people with open minds and similar feelings on the subject as I have really gives me different perspectives to view it from, and it's great to know that I'm not the only crazy bastard out there with somewhat outlandish spirit beliefs. =P

I'd also have to say that the artwork and the escapism side of it is a great reason why I stick around.  I love to pretend, to let my mind slip into fantasy for a few moments and just let go of the real world for a bit. I try not to make a habit out of it, but damn is it ever fun to illustrate my character (or my purely fictional characters) in scenarios that I would otherwise never find myself in.  It's just like videogames, novels or movies, except that YOU get to decide on the content.

I want to hear what other people think of their involvement in the furry community.  Do you do it for the roleplay?  Otherkin beliefs?  Do you simply enjoy being in a group of people who don't give a shit about "normal" social activities?

I stay here out of a sense of boredom honestly. If it weren't for the meets I wouldn't have anything to look forward to every month.

My personal answer.

Furries/ Otherkin/ Therians are one of the most unique subcultures out there, dare I say the most unique as our interests and who we are usually go deeper than sheer fanboyism.

For me a big part really is the friends and the art, the art got me interested and the good friends kept me active. Though I have had sketchy activity years back I am making more of an effort to once more be more than just a lurker in the fandom. I have met some great people, and I have met some bad, I have had great mates.. and I have had so-so lol but you gotta take the good with the bad. You will never find a sub culture that can have such life-styler types. But also have very spiritual ones and also very energetic types. I love the connection some people have to their fursonas spiritual or not. It really can show you who they are or who they want to be. Some people even going as far to try and emulate the better qualities of their species in a sorta unique way to be something more than the average human being. I can really respect that someone would make an effort to become a person with integrity and respect, yet also have that flare of life in them, its really something I see less and less of in your average person in this era.

Regarding myself, I take a lot of pride in my identity as a dragon. (maybe ever too much so) Over the years I went from just the shy real quiet guy with little personality to something of an eccentric, this identity of mine has grown with me ever since 2001. To think of myself as another species or even completley separated from the fandom is nigh impossible to do, I just can't see me being anything close to resembling an individual with actual personality. The dragon that is me is just so deeply ingrained into my identity and its helped me to become the person you see before you today. Every year is just a further bonding between my average human identity and my dragon one. Just simply in the sense that who I am is no fly by night type. I am too far in to back out or vanish.

Nothing at the moment. There really isn't much of a community here.

If I had to narrow it down to one thing that keeps in in the furry community, I would say that it is absolutely the people.

People as a species disgust me, people as individuals never fail to intrigue and fascinate me. I enjoy the severely eclectic mix of people the fandom attracts, and find it really hard to become bored with interacting with other furries. I'm not particularly outgoing, but I'm surely no wallflower either, and my favorite part of any meet I go to is meeting and talking to new people.

I've pretty much always wanted to be a cat, ever since I can remember, I just never had a name or deffinition for that feeling. Whatever happens with the community, regardless of whether I stay or fade away, I will always be furry. Proud? Damn right!

I kind of agree with Ruby. I'll always be a furry. Whether I'm active in the fandom or not, it's part of who I am. Actually, I kind of agree with everyone (except Ren. Boredom? really?)

But what keeps me in *this* community particularly, is Gizmo's potlucks, :p I'm going to miss those when we move to Alberta next year.

For me it's pretty much the fursuits.    I've been fascinated by animal and monster costumes since I was in elementary school, long before I knew what furry was.   Seeing all the wonderful suits that were coming out of the fandom is what drew me in.

For me one of the main reasons is for one I'm accepted in this group and two everybody I meet are just super amazing people and really easy to get along with and they make my life all the more better. Having great friends like I do right now be around me is one of the best feelings ever. Nowadays I don't really have much to do but when I get the some-what odd message or phone call to hang out I'm most of the time headed out the door and ready to just hang out and be myself. :D

Good good!  This is good!  So we've got the fur-meets, fur-suiting, and certainly the people and friends you make here... more people with otherkin/therian beliefs (yeah Drake, I knew you'd pipe up--you're maybe the single person here with beliefs as parallel to mine =P), and... boredom?  Seriously?  I think if someone was really that bored, they'd opt to join a poker group or play videogames all day, not choose to be a member of one of the most socially rejected communities on our planet. XD

Some people seem to think I was talking specifically about your LOCAL community.  Well... that can certainly be included in your reasons, but that wasn't what I was aiming for.  I only discovered we even HAVE an active furry presence in the lower-mainland last year, so to use that in my reasons for staying furry isn't exactly relevant. =P

: EmoFox  December 12, 2011, 01:22:57 -07:00
I kind of agree with Ruby. I'll always be a furry. Whether I'm active in the fandom or not, it's part of who I am. Actually, I kind of agree with everyone (except Ren. Boredom? really?)

But what keeps me in *this* community particularly, is Gizmo's potlucks, :p I'm going to miss those when we move to Alberta next year.

ROADTRIP to Emo's and Jester's place in Alberta for their first POTLUCK!!!! Woo-Hoo!!

: Roffo  December 12, 2011, 12:12:29 -07:00
Nothing at the moment. There really isn't much of a community here.

I would be really curious as to what YOU would like to see in a furry community that isn't already there? If there is NO community here in your eyes, what would you like to see?

: Gizmo  December 12, 2011, 10:52:25 -07:00
ROADTRIP to Emo's and Jester's place in Alberta for their first POTLUCK!!!! Woo-Hoo!!

WOO! ..wait, what?
:p

This is the only part of the furry community I'm really part of anyway, is the local one. I browse around and am a bit of a lurker on furaffinity etc, but I don't really participate much. I've never been to a con, dont have a fursuit, don't do a lot of art. I just lurk. :p

It's definitely meeting people who share interests in furries for sure and making some friends in the process, and by stating this, it incorporates quite a wide spectrum in itself. Initially I was a bit of a socially awkward penguin, but meeting all you outgoing furs made me happy to be kept within the community.

Before coming to Vancouver, I lived in a place where I felt it's isolating, only managing to meet up with furries online, I just felt like meeting furries in person at conventions or meetups.

In a sense the community manages to give me the umph to keep on moving on as a furry. Before I found out I was a furry, I was always interested in dogs, but I could never get around to owning one because I don't have the time and space for them. Joining the community to find quite a number of canine furs sorta sparked the canine furriness in me.

For me, the reason why I'm here is because i honestly hate being solely part of 'normal society'. Its so... boring? (its why i dont make a habbit of drawing humans. I just find them boring. -shrugs- Not that people are mind you. Just the aspect of drawing humans.)
I love interacting with people, furries and non furries alike but the fandom (and some other fandoms) just seem a lot more interesting, open, and just. Exciting?
I love the art and the people. I love how i feel like i can really be me here. Sure, theres been tons of ups and downs but honestly thats life and you learn to live with it. I know i'll be in this fandom for many many years, if not the rest of my life. I love the culture and community here and I've learned a lot about where i stand with myself, relationships and even just with life in general. Its also given me a great freelancing job opportunity that i absolutely love :3 I love fantasy creatures so this really gives me an outlet to release stress, have fun, and interact with people from all over the world.

There have been some HUGE downs, but the positive things and what i take out of my experiences definitely beats those downs. Regardless of if my family and some friends understand it or not. They still like me for me and the fandom has given me some really interesting perspectives. I hate the drama with a passion, but that too you learn to deal with and realistically avoid with logic :3 (not all of course)

Aaaaanywas i'm rambling. I love the fandom. Nuff said. XD

C: the fandom, the people and the costumes all interest me

I do have some otherkin beliefs but that's also cultural and a bit hard to explain xD

: Temrin  December 12, 2011, 06:09:52 -07:00
For me, the reason why I'm here is because i honestly hate being solely part of 'normal society'. Its so... boring? (its why i dont make a habbit of drawing humans. I just find them boring. -shrugs- Not that people are mind you. Just the aspect of drawing humans.)
I love interacting with people, furries and non furries alike but the fandom (and some other fandoms) just seem a lot more interesting, open, and just. Exciting?
I love the art and the people. I love how i feel like i can really be me here. Sure, theres been tons of ups and downs but honestly thats life and you learn to live with it. I know i'll be in this fandom for many many years, if not the rest of my life. I love the culture and community here and I've learned a lot about where i stand with myself, relationships and even just with life in general. Its also given me a great freelancing job opportunity that i absolutely love :3 I love fantasy creatures so this really gives me an outlet to release stress, have fun, and interact with people from all over the world.

There have been some HUGE downs, but the positive things and what i take out of my experiences definitely beats those downs. Regardless of if my family and some friends understand it or not. They still like me for me and the fandom has given me some really interesting perspectives. I hate the drama with a passion, but that too you learn to deal with and realistically avoid with logic :3 (not all of course)

Aaaaanywas i'm rambling. I love the fandom. Nuff said. XD

Hmmm... I don't disagree with you about furry fandom being hugely fun and that it's great to be a part of such an eccentric group, but as for "normal" society being boring, I guess it's what you make of it really.  I have absolutely no issue in integrating with normal social activity and having a blast with it.  Maybe it's the excitement I get out of secretly being a furry among "normal" people?  Like a furry in disguise? *chuckles*

I also agree on your comment on "taking the good with the bad."  Over my time here, I've learned to simply take what I want from the majority of the fandom and leave the garbage in the garbage.  I've made some amazing friends who I will have for the rest of my life.  I learned to shut-out the annoyances and the people who aim to mar relationships by keeping all my ducks in order and being assertive. =)

As a side note: I find it funny that furries often complain of furry drama.

It's drama.  Not "furry" drama.  You find it everywhere, every day, regardless of where you work, who you hang out with and what you do in your free time.  I think we all get lured into the belief that, since this is our own coveted little community of people who understand other people for their "abnormal" practices and beliefs, that we are protected in our own little anti-drama shell there should be no drama at all.

Fact: we are a community of people.  Where there are people (especially youth, and people with otherwise underdeveloped social skills, which are predominantly found here), there will be drama.  I've certainly seen plenty of it, and I know I'm going to see a lot more of it, therefore it becomes an irrelevant detail to me.

I dont 'have a problem' with it per-se. I involve myself with it just fine. I just find people are very close minded and stuffy a lot of the time. Though thats not to say that i don't know some really awesome people outside of the fandom. I'm not exclusively furry or anything. I just find that i spend a lot of my time integrated into the fandom because i find more enjoyment out of it. Hehe furry in disguise :P I'm pretty open about it. My view is, if people arent willing to get to know the -real me- they arent worth my time. I don't feel that its really worth the awkwardness of having to explain about it later. I openly draw fantasy and anthropomorphism in public and have done class projects with anthro subjects because i thought it would be cool. I see a lot of video game designers/3D modelers in my school using them as well~ :3 So its pretty open in the school.

Oh exactyl! You just learn to let it go and not include it in the kind of life you want :3 Makes things a lot easier. I deal with the problems and move on with the rest of my life :3

Ahaha, theres drama everywhere. People on both sides need to learn to either a) remove the sticks from their butts, or b) Deal with it and let it go. XD

Yup! Drama will forever exist unfortunately. You just have to learn to adapt and go with the flow of things. Taking things so seriously all the time really ruins your life :/ Drama-lama-ing just takes too much effort. XD Better to enjoy what you have then worry about the things you don't or people who cause grief when there doesnt need to be :3

: Naetholix  December 12, 2011, 05:12:21 -07:00
Good good!  This is good!  So we've got the fur-meets, fur-suiting, and certainly the people and friends you make here... more people with otherkin/therian beliefs (yeah Drake, I knew you'd pipe up--you're maybe the single person here with beliefs as parallel to mine =P), and... boredom?  Seriously?  I think if someone was really that bored, they'd opt to join a poker group or play videogames all day, not choose to be a member of one of the most socially rejected communities on our planet. XD

Some people seem to think I was talking specifically about your LOCAL community.  Well... that can certainly be included in your reasons, but that wasn't what I was aiming for.  I only discovered we even HAVE an active furry presence in the lower-mainland last year, so to use that in my reasons for staying furry isn't exactly relevant. =P

Aye! Of course man ^.=.^ You know I cannot stay away from such a juicy topic, I live for in-depth discussions and controversial topics! As for spiritual beliefs, well im sure there gotta be a few others around here. Probably just not very vocal about it, I wasn't for a long time but these days I simply don't really care who thinks or says what, wont stop me from being who I am :)

: Gizmo  December 12, 2011, 10:54:41 -07:00
I would be really curious as to what YOU would like to see in a furry community that isn't already there? If there is NO community here in your eyes, what would you like to see?

I'm not particularly active in the community because theres not many furries where I live. I love fursuits yet don't know of anyone in my area who does fursuiting. If I lived in a place where there were more furries then I would be more active within the furry community.

I believe you took my answer completely backwards. Quite frankly when I think of community I think of one that isn't online but rather local, as in, the furries I know locally and in real life. There isn't any community here because there aren't many furries that live in my city.

I happened across the furry subculture on the internet 12 years ago. Woah, 12 years went by quickly! Anyway, I was 14 and I happened across some furry art and I think it was around that moment something just clicked and I was like 'Oh. Yeah, this is where I fit'.

Like many of us, I identified with animals from a young age. I also found that I was drawn to the creative aspects of the subculture, the art and stories and making things like tails. I also like the interaction with others that share similar interests, although for me growing up in a small rural community this was done entirely on the internet.

What keeps me here? It just feels like a part of my identity. It's just another part of what makes me, well, 'me'.

I am in it for allot of things really. It is a great way to meet new people explore myself learn new things about people. But also ever since I can remember I have been drawn to animals no matter what. I have been bitten by dogs my sister has been stomped by horses but this hasnt fased me in loving them and respecting them. I have grown up around them crazy different things I feel I have a connection sure that sounds stupid but we are still part of nature we are animals at the core. I also use my fursona to drive me, Icey is better than me in every way he is what I strive to I suppose that is not totally healthy but I just have never been happy with myself and I can sculpt Icey anyway I want. I am not spiritual in the sense that Icey is me or I was a bear in my former life things like that, I do know allot of people like that and thats cool I totally get it. I like also like to disappear into a story written in my mind where I am Icey, I have actually written allot more than anyone knows just never saved it or printed it. You will know I am in my own world on those few times I am quiet haha. I love getting together with people and doing things bowling, skating what have you. If anything I say makes no sense thats cool I am not sure what I am thinking it just sorta flows out the way it wants to.
Thanks for taking the time to read

Ahhh yes I had forgotten I do love the art and stories even if most of them are smut but whatever. As for me being a furrie in disguise I suppose I am but I do tell the people who I think are worth telling the people I am close to or want to be so I make sure they are cool with it first, however never told my family they are still dealing with me being gay I dont think telling them I am a furrie would help me. I really like that in the furrie community they are willing to help like a safety net that you can go to when you cant go to family theres always a shoulder to cry on and someone to ask for a pep talk or to get advice.

On the drama subject, like my father says "water off the ducks back buddy" Drama will be with you no matter where you go heck there is drama in the animal kingdom lol it dosnt go away.
I try to help but most of the time if you ask me I will tell you what I think and leave it at that, that is only if you ask me what I think.

: Icey Dominus  December 13, 2011, 12:25:44 -07:00
I am in it for allot of things really. It is a great way to meet new people explore myself learn new things about people. But also ever since I can remember I have been drawn to animals no matter what. I have been bitten by dogs my sister has been stomped by horses but this hasnt fased me in loving them and respecting them. I have grown up around them crazy different things I feel I have a connection sure that sounds stupid but we are still part of nature we are animals at the core. I also use my fursona to drive me, Icey is better than me in every way he is what I strive to I suppose that is not totally healthy but I just have never been happy with myself and I can sculpt Icey anyway I want. I am not spiritual in the sense that Icey is me or I was a bear in my former life things like that, I do know allot of people like that and thats cool I totally get it. I like also like to disappear into a story written in my mind where I am Icey, I have actually written allot more than anyone knows just never saved it or printed it. You will know I am in my own world on those few times I am quiet haha. I love getting together with people and doing things bowling, skating what have you. If anything I say makes no sense thats cool I am not sure what I am thinking it just sorta flows out the way it wants to.
Thanks for taking the time to read

You say that you are not spiritual in the sense that Icey is you.  (We can leave the whole past-life thing out of it because I don't really abide by that crap anyway.)  Yet you describe so many ways that you try to emulate him and strive to be like him... I'd call that a sense of spiritual connection with your character, much in the same way I am with mine.

-------------------------

So we have many people saying they're here for the people, and that is so entirely true.  All our lives, we search for like-minded individuals to befriend and feel accepted with and this place is hugely where that happens.  I've never been part of a more accepting group of people anywhere, and that in itself is something quite special.  You don't find such a copious amount of open-mindedness anywhere else.

And a lot of people are indicating an animal connection that started in their youth.  I think everyone, regardless whether or not you're a furry, has once had a connection with an animal that they liked to pretend when they were young.  Many people grow out of it in exchange for the mundane, socially-conditioned lifestyle that society wants us to have; some of us few retain our precious imaginations and, in a way (as I like to think), transcend into something greater than the everyday, boring person.  I mean, when you think about it, we all evolved from previously being savage creatures millions of years ago.  We already are animals, but we like to think we're more sophisticated and self-important.  I think being able to tap into the animal within each of us and learn its secrets makes us better as people, when used correctly.  It gives you a different perspective of the world, and if there's anything I've learned to being successful in this life, it is to keep an open mind and look at things from every angle.  (This is extending slightly into otherkinism, so I'll cap it there.  Maybe I'll make a new thread for the discussion of what being an otherkin means.)

I'm really enjoying this discussion!  Keep 'em comin' folks!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otherkin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otherkin)


Otherkin are a community of people who identify themselves as non-human in all but outward form, contending that they are, in spirit if not in body, non-human animals or creatures traditionally associated with mythology or folklore. Belief in otherkin is related to the changeling concept

. . . . i thought that would be funny

A minor part that kept me in the community is the few times that my two of my professors talked about furries as examples in Media Studies (on SecondLife) and Creative Writing (on Journalism) respectively. Despite the fact that I tried to keep myself in a low profile (I am both relieved and anxious that the professors didn't ask for a hands up poll regarding "How many of you guys in the class are furries?"), the informal threads of reference keeps me going in my community.

And this was before I found out about BC Furries!

As a writer, I have to say the fandom offers me a lot of inspiration. Whether it be from pictures, fur meets and/or conventions. Fur meets and conventions offer the most inspiration. Seeing those in suit hanging out and talking to those out of suit is pretty damn close to how I see things in my head.

If thats what the world looks like in your mind now imagine if you where on ACID!!

I've met more kickass people that I now call my friends in the last 3 months here in the local community than I have for 10 years up to now.  It's so easy to meet awesome and interesting people in this community! <3

+1 reason for remaining a furry for me.  10 years and counting!

For me, what kept me was I felt a sense of belonging where other social settings felt alien. Even better, after meeting a few supportive friends, I can see staying in it for the long run would help myself become better as well.

It started out when I was young as an immature attempt to find a mate, but now it's evolved into how I can better myself.

To be perfectly honest, I don't even know why I still stick with being a furry. At first, it was solely because I loved the art and the stories (still do), and from there it grew into a more spiritual connection with my character, Nyan. But, a lot has happened in the past few months since I moved to Vancouver, and to be frank, it's not me anymore. For four years now I've associated with this fandom, and my character, but now I'm in a bit of a shamble. I recently changed my fursona to a different species because I had evolved and was no longer Nyan (though I still go by that name, the persona behind it has changed a lot), I thought that would make things more...acceptable(?) to me, but I'm still where I was before the change, unsure of why I stick around, and not being able to go back to any non-furry circles because, well, it's really all I know now.

I guess if there's one thing to stay in the fandom for, it's for the small number of friends I have made that I care deeply about, but it may not be enough...despite all the time I've spent as part of the fandom, I still feel alien and out of place, especially since I've become more interested in meeting local furries, and the rollercoaster ride of events that have happened because of it. Sorry to not really answer your question Neox, but I don't really have an answer for it anyways, but this did seem like a somewhat appropriate thread to post this in.

Aw, what do you think is stopping you from making new friends or more of them?

I can understand how you feel on some level. :/
Sometimes it feels like every time I put myself out there to try and meet new people I do more harm than good for myself. Or attract the wrong kinds of friends.  :-X

I try not to give up or get discouraged. Personally I think it's beneficial to know a lot of people. You don't end up being close to all of them, but statistically the more people you meet the more potential you have for friendships.

You got to try and get out there and mingle as much as you can. It isn't always easy, work and the rest of life often gets in the way. I try to make time for at least one fur-event from here every month myself.

What keeps me in is how amazing other furs are! I have met so many amazing people attending furmeets, and more through others I talk to.

Never a dull moment either. It's too much fun being furry. :3

: Kai  January 23, 2012, 07:07:42 -07:00
Never a dull moment either. It's too much fun being furry. :3

^ This.

(http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab17/Candoia/Random/sam_weirdos.jpg)


But I'm not weird.  I'm totally normal. I just stick around for the show.

I have fun seeing old friends every year at RF
I love drawing silly pictures of cartoon animals and posting to FA

That's about it.

I'm a fuckin' weirdo.  Sue me.  Haters can go right ahead and hate; I'm having a shitload of fun being who I am. =P

: Naetholix  January 26, 2012, 05:32:08 -07:00
I'm a fuckin' weirdo.  Sue me.  Haters can go right ahead and hate; I'm having a shitload of fun being who I am. =P

Respect! :-3

: Naetholix  January 26, 2012, 05:32:08 -07:00
I'm a fuckin' weirdo.  Sue me.  Haters can go right ahead and hate; I'm having a shitload of fun being who I am. =P

What?
That's....something.
read this line over a few more times and keep in mind I'm posting on a furry board with a goat icon.  And the goat is wearing a kilt.

"But I'm not weird.  I'm totally normal"

Am I a hater?  NO. I, SIR, AM A SILLY SILLY FURRY, just as sure as Sam up there was a weirdo-muppet.

To be honest I haven't even met any haters in years, but then again I haven't bothered to actually put out an effort. I already got my hands full dealing with morons in real life (if you know me then you know what groups I talk of a LOT lol) to even bother with the fail trolls of dem interneds.

I have three sides that always seem to fight for which one is the dominant reason.

First is that i have had a weird past and upbringing. me and my roommate Charmy not only get along very well due to compatibility, but we have had similar events such moving around to different homes and cites a lot. While the downside is that its hard to make friends when you are so mobile, and the friends you make often are few and not that diverse in personality before you are uprooted and must start all over. You need to be with people to learn social skills and so needless to say we both had very secluded first few years of collage. So the answer there for myself at least, is that i wanted to start meeting people. and when you have at least one thing in common as a conversation starter, you have some common ground and its a bit easier to make friends and gain social skills and experiences. Sure my growth may be stunted but i stay out of loyalty because i owe a lot of happy times to the community. Although learning and taking chances is always difficult, it has been well worth the good friends i now have and many others who are very pleasant company and fun to talk with whenever i chance encounter them at events. I think this community is the family and social experience that people from our similar back grounds are drawn to because we crave companionship and acceptance.

Secondly, is that i am a creative person and also a very energetic and social fellow. Or at least when i try to be these things i can be. If left without much of a challenge i find the mind goes into sleep mode. So i try to write and make art and contribute to the community for creativity. I can be a bit laid back and chill in my spare time so i muster up a lot of energy and try to be social and fun in public. So simply put, i stay in the community because its a fun place to grow and there are so many like minded people wanting to give back and who apreciate what i try to give. I think in some unique ways i have helped define myself and find my true passion for writing, and an audience for it now. Some day i aspire to have several novels published, and a good deal with either be for furries, or have enough furry content hinted at to be enjoyable by furries and others.

Lastly is what many people say, furry is what i am. Interpret what you will but i have been thinking about animals due to very nature filled home town, and been inspired  by werewolves and creatures in art probably in thanks to a diet of animation and videogame concept art since childhood. some of the first comic books i ever read were Ducktails and mickey mouse. Not to mention what most furrs say about Disney animation and everything else then after.  These are more to do with why i am a fur than why i am in the community. i guess you can be a fur and not really part of the community. i would be more if not for a busy life, though i spend my free time writing furry fiction so i guess that counts.

So i guess really that would be, a fun place to meet friends and like minded people who aren't to judgmental because many of its members are gay and familiar to judgment from the rest of the world. so its kind of a safe haven.  secondly that it gives me a place to express my creativity and have it appreciated for what it is without having to change it for the rest of the world first. And finally, i will always be an animal obsessed dude with or without a community so it might as will be with a community. Even though sometimes the drama gets a bit too much to handle, most i take is a step back, i never walk away. Usually when you come back you find far to many benefits of staying a part rather than leaving for good as 99% of the people are rather pleasant to be around, which is higher than most groups of people elsewhere in life. Sometimes my optimist attitude of being unnaturally good and wanting to see good in others can be weird to others, but that's just who i am. Generally if you are good to people they will learn to trust your sincerity and be good themselves, even though we all aren't made equal so some folks let their "personality" get in the way of their "kindness".

Furs seem to just be better at getting along than most other strangers you run into. Hell i just tried to open up and talk to my sister, whom is a bit estranged to me due to her own control issues. And my olive branch was completely pushed away with comments like "we just cant -hang out- the way you and your other sister do. Its sad that in life people will just find reasons why they cant talk to you or treat you fairly. I guess she always sees a younger brother even though its been 20 years since we lived in the same house. Where as furs all come from different walks of life and manage to get along just fine despite a little drama now and then which is natural. Never has a fur said upon meeting me "i am sorry, we cant socialize because i think we are too different". In some ways furs are like family i guess. you need 1-2 really close friends you can talk to and mutually lean on, 5-10 you see frequently and can just hang without any pretense or baggage. and the rest of the community are usually smiling people who are pleasant company in any situation as long as you are good to them in return.

: Naetholix  January 26, 2012, 05:32:08 -07:00
I'm a fuckin' weirdo.  Sue me.  Haters can go right ahead and hate; I'm having a shitload of fun being who I am. =P

i think the only real rule in life is "Big good, be yourself, and do both as long as no one gets hurt in the process"  lol. Often easier said than done since you cant please everyone, especially if they are unfair to you and you feel the need to stand up for yourself. But i love differences and so by all means, if you are weird, then it just means you celebrate your uniqueness and all power to you. Many local folks remember me or think of me in the moments when i have let my emotions speak rather than my brain. sometimes i find that if i step back, vent privately, and then step  forward clear of reaction; that the haters no longer matter. Most haters only do crap to people who are weird or different, to get a reaction, so if you don't give one then you can be as weird as you like and enjoy it. Also if you approach situations without emotion and a clear head, more people tend to like you, ^_^ so less hatters lol. Its human nature to fear what we don't understand, so it just takes more for them to get past difference and get to know the real you.