Is it too late... (it's a bit long, sorry)

[bigjonesb]

 I love being on here, as some of you have been a great help. I think I am beginning to understand what furry is. I think I was expecting a finer definition, or some small, tiny form of expectations. I'm not sure exactly why. If I properly understand things, if some people were to just ignore the bad PR, and got the proper info, they would find out they are part of it too.

I think I'm beginning understand why there's a hatred towards media, this is just my theory though, it sounds like the furry community is open to everyone willing and wanting to a part of it, but the media makes it sound like there are requirements to join.

[Drake Wingfire]

"Murr" is worse >.=.<

Aww cmon man, Murr is way better than the arbitrary tagging of the word "fur" onto any word to make it suddenly furry (that shit makes me shit glass) :P Now excuse me while I continue to type the rest of this post on my Furputer, maybe later I will grab a furpachino from furbucks, if I can afford to get there because of the furking gas prices, but anyways back to my post on this furum lol...


Bigjonesb: Hmmm reading over at many of your later posts here I get the impression you are focusing too hard on trying to fit some sorta definition of what a furry is. Furry isn't something that one studies or practices like a religion or something, its really just something you feel, think of it as just another thing you can partake in and enjoy at your leisure. I still stand by my previous posts regarding just exploring more. Some furs just start out as lurkers then get to feeling "ya know.. this is kinda interesting.." Anyone can go from nothing to uber-fur in no time at all, its just how invested you personally feel in things like having a furry alter-ego, art, friends, fursuits and just plain having fun.

[Tef]

Aww cmon man, Murr is way better than the arbitrary tagging of the word "fur" onto any word to make it suddenly furry (that shit makes me shit glass) :P Now excuse me while I continue to type the rest of this post on my Furputer, maybe later I will grab a furpachino from furbucks, if I can afford to get there because of the furking gas prices, but anyways back to my post on this furum lol...

Excuse me while I crack up with laughter. xD

[bigjonesb]

 I guess the people pleaser in me desperately wants to find a definition or a set of rules as to annoy as few as possible, and my logical mind is scrambling to find one, causing me to look for something that doesn't truly exist

 I was just re-reading your post Koda (#Warning# this gets long). Actually you would be correct in some way, although you had the guts to get started sooner. I always had a thing for dogs, wolves and pretty much anything canine-like, I can even remember the first dream I had that could even be considered furry, I just can't remember the year, I'd say I was 10 maybe, possibly younger. I used to think there might be something wrong with me because I had these recurring thoughts, these foreign, alien thoughts, What were these thought, me having dogs ears and a tail, looking like a dog in some way.
 
 I didn't really have a computer strong enough for internet until one of my grandfathers passed away, and left me the money to get one. Although I can't remember exactly the year, it was after having internet I came across an furry image after image searching to find whatever it was I was looking for.  It was the first time I understood what my foreign, alien thoughts were, I wasn't messed up or screwy in the head, I was thinking furry.

 When I was having trouble with my computer a few years back, The computer guy said to try Firefox, as the computer was having all-out duel between IE and Netscape, I was thinking, Firefox, ...fox, a fox remind me of wolves and dogs, hell yeah, I'll go for it. still loving the fox now, I know more people are migrating to Chrome, but I can't break it off with my fox, anyways back on track.
 
 I was on MySpace back in it heydays, one day decided I'm go look at some furry discussions on MySpace, And came across the friend go on and on about, sorry if I annoy you guys with that part, anyways, He seemed like he could handle himself well if asked some question about furries. and he was willing to add me so I could ask said questions. that was the real last step which leads up to now...(the story continues to be written)

[bigjonesb]

Aww cmon man, Murr is way better than the arbitrary tagging of the word "fur" onto any word to make it suddenly furry (that shit makes me shit glass) :P Now excuse me while I continue to type the rest of this post on my Furputer, maybe later I will grab a furpachino from furbucks, if I can afford to get there because of the furking gas prices, but anyways back to my post on this furum lol...

Excuse me while I crack up with laughter. xD

I had a laugh at that too, even I as much as a newb as I am, i wouldn't go that far.  especially laughed at furpachino, it's sounds like someone either passed gas or belched in to your coffee, Eeew!

[bigjonesb]

  This was the link that got me to push myself harder on the whole me being furry matter:

http://www.empowernetwork.com/Caroline/blog/nurse-reveals-the-top-5-regrets-people-make-on-their-deathbed/

 Reading this and knowing I was going to be 30 by the end of the year and, (although I don't work, it's still a good one to read) I find myself echoing the same things about myself, Especially 1 and 5. I'm not gonna lie, I tear up a little reading this, knowing as every second slips by, I'm losing valuable ground to discover my true self. I don't want my life to be filled with a bunch of "woulda, coulda, shoulda" regrets.

 At the very worst on the worst to best scale, I would like it to say "I at least tried", instead of "still wondering what could've been". but from what I've seen so far, it might not be necessary to go that far.

----UPDATE----

 I just read the old email from that friend of mine, It was in 2008, he too stated the same thing,

Here's a excerpt from that email:

There is truly no exact science that says what defines a furry.
Its up to each person to decide for themselves what makes you a furry.
Honestly, i don't think that its such a big deal.
I believe that anyone who has an interest in the fandom, art, etc. is a fur.
That's just my opinion on the matter though.

 He stated the same thing you guys did, but I had completely forgotten it, no wonder you guys were telling me to relax. I guess I was so caught up in the fear of talking to new people, my fear got the best of me, well if you excuse me, I have to go beat myself over the head lightly with a roll of toilet paper which is right next to me, because we ran out of kleenex

[Silvermink]

Just be yourself and don't worry about what you might think "all furries" do or whatever to try and be more like what you think the standard might be... 'cause there is none. :)

Yes, this.

[bigjonesb]

  I was so worried that I might step on the wrong side of "Right & Wrong of being furry" I scared myself away a bit, I didn't want to say I'm furry, do something "wrong", and set back the furry culture. I didn't want to do that. But the "just be yourself" part, I can do real good

  As great as it is to have my one friend, I only get to talk to him every couple of weeks, and doesn't really allow for a lot of conversation, and I don't want to just bombard him with questions every time we talk either. I don't want to give the impression he's only good for answering my questions, so I really don't talk often about it with him.

  Which is why I came here, It's more relevant as it's more local. Things in Louisiana can be different from here in BC. And, also there are more people on here, so not only do I get more answers, but a quicker response to any questions. But I don't want to you guys to think you are only good for answers to my questions either.

  I do plan on commenting on other posts besides my own, it's the fact that I had a BAD start on here, It's was turning into everything I feared, and nothing I was hoping for. Feeling like I was plugging holes in a old decrepit boat, I felt I had to damage control, but in some instances when i was plugging one hole, I unintentionally made another hole I had to fix, I felt I had just made a Titanic out of myself, and was sinking. But you people seem to understand what I getting at, so needless to say I'm beginning to feel afloat again.

  I shut up now

[Tef]

I guess you could try attending an event or furmeet or something. I'm sure there are certain folks that would like to lend an ear to your thoughts.