Not frequently asked questions.
Disclamer:
THIS IS ALL FACT AND IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ME YOU ARE A BIG JERKFACED JERKY JERK.
This is my crappy attempt at humor sprinkled with opinion and experience.
Ahem.
So, you're a new face in the furry fandom but you lack any artistic talent. You don't have buckets of money to throw around on cool swag. And you're somewhat normal so you don't fall into any of the fandom's fetishes.
You're screwed :D
But fear not my little chickadee, because Uncle Jim is here to help you.
Q: How do I connect with other furries in the fandom if I don't share the same intrests?
A: Easy, you talk at them using your keyboard. Grammar and spelling are semi-importent here so if you lack these, you might want a spell checking device. One of these devices can be found on the internet, through one of it's series of tubes.
Ok, now that I'm through being an ass there are several ways that one could go about mating furs. Find a webcomic and troll join up with it's message board. Join the dramallama that is livejournal.com (http://livejournal.com) and search for a community. There are also sites like pounced.org (http://pounced.org) to consider.
Q: Wow... thats great and all, but thats not what I asked. If I'm not an artist or a freak, how do I connect with other furries?
A: Oh.... well, there is always the option of being yourself. This generally works well unless you're retardedly bashfull, annoying, or stupid. Not everyone will like you, but I guaranty that you will eventually make a friend or two.
Also, while there is no help for you if you're annoying (I have no friends :cry ) or stupid ( :C ), I have advice for bashful people.
Bashful people: The worst thing that can happen if you're trying to make friends on the internet is them tricking you so they can find out where you live, murder you and your whole family, sexually molest your dog, and eat all the food in the fridge rejection. Seriously, not everyone is going to like you. But as long as you're not an asshole and you have a lick of common sense you will do fine. Life is not a popularity contest.
Q: OMG this artist is SOOO good. I'm down to my last twenty.... BUT I MUST GET THEM TO DRAW FOR ME.
A: NO! BAD FANCREATURE! Remember you're strapped for cash as it is. If you absolutely must commission the artist make sure you can afford the extra expense. A good rule of thumb is to have at least two hundred dollars in the bank to fall back on. It might just be twenty, but there have been multiple times that I had to eat nothing but ramen for two weeks because I spent to much on swag. Don't be me.
Q: Allright! I just found out that there is a local furry group not to far from me. I think that I should go meeOHMYGODPANICPANICPANIC!!!!!!! I think I'll hide in a corner and never leave o.o
A: Fail get. Here is what you do. Get in contact with the group somehow and ask about them, see if they have any meetings or would like to do a group activity such as bowling, pool, etc (If you're still strapped for cash, make sure to suggest something fun yet sort of cheap). If you don't have a car, then find a friend who is willing to drive you. If you don't have friends then.... wow. You might take a risk and ask the group for a ride.
Q: So, tell me about these fur cons.
A: They are a wretched hive of scum and villainy. In all seriousness though furcons are the best thing to go to if you are a social creature. You just have to know a few things to look out for.
Q: Can I have a list of links to see if there is one near me?
A: To quote the great Emeril BAM! (http://www.furnpike.com/furnpike/Furry/Conventions_and_Gatherings/) Note: This list is not complete, but damned if I am going to spend an hour compiling my own.
Q: How do I shot web?
A: Pools Closed.
More to be added to the furcon question. Itchy. Tasty.
Hm...so people who are not annoying should not be themeselves? So does that mean we should lie and say "yes, you're right" to everything?
If it weren't for "annoying" people, nothing would ever change for the better. Those "annoying" civil rights leaders, those "annoying" watchdog group, the "annoying" media...
Be careful. As soon as you agree to getting rid of all the "annoying" people, you may be labeled "annoying" yourself.
Pfft, I have no room to talk about being irritating/annoying/mentally disturbing.
Usually I bug the shit out of people sooner rather then later. :3
"Also, while there is no help for you if you're annoying (I have no friends :cry )" That line was supposed to let people know that I am full fecal matter and to not take that line seriously. I guess I failed though.
I see how one could read it that way and thats sort of one stubling block that comes with the internet. No one can actually hear your lulz.
Yep, there's no emotion unless you type it in. *grins*
As for annoying....I can bug people into never speaking to me again in about ten seconds flat. Less if you read that last sentence slowly. *chuckles*
Oh, and on-topic? I needed a laugh, Jim. Thanks!
As someone who has had the "annoying" tag placed on her, this is no laughing matter.
I've had people say things were a joke, I initially don't see it as a joke, then when I later refer to what they say as a joke, then they say they meant it.
Then when I say a joke that's in proportion with what's to said to me, it's "crossing the line."
That's why I don't joke around.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/Zinacat/serious_cat.jpg)
:C
(http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/2420/error109pd.png)
This thread needs more cowbell...
Still. It was amusing Jim. Do you intend to expand on it or is this just a one-shot?
I plan on expanding it eventually (i.e. this weekend). But I'm about to head off for school to give an introductory speech and after that start catching up on the million plus piles of homework I'm behind on.
CURSE YOU .HACK
Quote from: Amber Williams on February 15, 2007, 04:17:10 PM
This thread needs more cowbell...
(http://www.60bugs.com/img/designs/cowbell.JPG)
BONGNGNGNG!
Jim, was there deliberately a spelling mistake just after mentioning the spell checker? :-)
Quote from: Destina Faroda on February 15, 2007, 04:10:23 PM
(http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/2420/error109pd.png)
O BURN. D:
I guess I've been given the ol' whats what.
Guess its back to the Trail o Tears for you Zina. >:3
STOP MAKING FUN OF MY PEOPLE'S PLIGHT.
The wounds are deep. :C
Would some vodka and a few shiny beads make up for it? :3
Shiney beads?!!
I'll trade you New York for them.
QuotePosted by: Zina
Shiney beads?!!
I'll trade you New York for them.
Nah, hold out for South Dakota. You'll end up here anyways.
Quote from: TheGreyRonin on February 15, 2007, 05:40:35 PM
QuotePosted by: Zina
Shiney beads?!!
I'll trade you New York for them.
Nah, hold out for South Dakota. You'll end up here anyways.
Owned.
BY THE WHITE MAN. D:
Quote from: Zina on February 15, 2007, 06:42:09 PM
Owned.
BY THE WHITE MAN. D:
.. With the red rose.
Yes.
lol
im retardedly bashfull,
QuotePosted by: Zina
Owned.
BY THE WHITE MAN.
*ahem* I'm more like a mixed blend, a sort of German/Scottish/Irish cocktail with a twist of Cherokee and a hint of African and Russian.
*grins* But yes, I pwned j00. LOL
No, South Dakota is owned by the white man. All of America is.
Except casinos. Those're © injins.
Feh. Not the ones in 'Vegas.
That's what they want you to think.
Ah. Would it have anything to do with that shifty-looking guy I saw behind the 1-way mirror at the MGM Grand?
I'm sorry Bill, that probably was a one way mirror :<
*Gets punched by homework*
Quote from: Jim Halisstrad on February 15, 2007, 08:50:06 PM
I'm sorry Bill, that probably was a one way mirror :<
*Gets punched by homework*
It never happened. :B
There's one way to survive in the fandom if you're not a good artist... become a writer! Writers are people who can't draw... :B
I'm a writer... :<
I can't do either! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/xHaZxMaTx/Smilies/eusa_dance.gif)
So if I'm relatively normal and not a freak or artist, I talk at people with my keyboard, like this. -flails at keyboard- Seriously though, it IS a little awkward (for me) to just IM/e-mail some random person I don't really know all that well.
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on February 15, 2007, 04:55:20 PM
Jim, was there deliberately a spelling mistake just after mentioning the spell checker? :-)
.... >.>
<.<
yes.
I guess the grammar error was also, ah, just as intentional, then? :-)
You know, you should fire your proof reader. :-)
This post is to be read in a 'matter-of-fact' voice:
Here's my difficultly Jim. I can honestly admit that I don't draw, don't write, have no money, and don't act normal. In fact, I fit somewhat into the freak catagory. Logic seems to dictate that based on this I should make some friends easily. Yet I don't. Is it possible my flaw is being a complete newbie at everything? I honestly try to follow the advice given after only the first time I ask "how u mine 4 fish?". Really. But then three weeks later I'm still stuck :confused (mocking me for pure stupidness right now is to be expected) In the words of my brother, "dude, you just don't get it and seem to be incabable of getting it despite honest efforts....hmmm....sucks to be you!"
Help. Honest and brutal truth is expected. If un-helpable, ignoring me would be best answer. :)
When people ask me for solid advice my soul dies a little on the inside.
But here is my thoughts on the matter.
Making friends takes time, Patience, and common ground. Honestly the only time I'll probably make a friend here on these boards is when I make it to a fur con. Till then I most likely will be that guy who posts weird, discomforting things.
So, I guess you could call that the Acquaintance stage.
Let me let you in on a little secret.
I don't really make friends easily either. And thats not really a bad thing.
Heck, if you see someone who you think you can hold a conversation with. IM or Email them. Just say hey (WARNING PARAPHRASE) , I'm so and so from the boards/journal/whereeversite and see that you are interested in [insert intrest] I also share this interest. Let us discuss it.
And if it stays awkward and you wind up never talking about anything don't give up. Eventually you will move past that awkward meeting stage and on too internet buddy.
Rl is a whole other can of worms. Most of the friends I know there are from Highschool, clubs, or parties.
This might be more helpful if I wasn't so deliriously tired X.x
*edit*
Jim, the word is not acquittance
Love, Jim.
... for a minute there, I read "RJ is a whole other can of worms" and I couldn't agree more, even though I couldn't figure out why you were mentioning it there... :-)
I think it was funny, and I agree with most of it.
About the 'annoying' thing, I'm sure everyone has annoyed others in the past. The only people I find hopelessly annoying are the ones who post for the sole purpose of, excuse the redundancy, annoying others. And even those people have friends sometimes, when they find others with the same 'interests' and decide to go bashing message boards together. (I once saw a thread on another board where a few members were plotting to post as much SPAM as possible on a certain forum).
Trust me, no one ever wants to co-operate with my goals.
Posting spam is a stupid way of getting back at other people. Spam is easily deleted, and there's no lasting impact. I'd like people to do something that would actually hurt the person in a way that they won't be able to ignore, or alternatively, do something to elevate ourselves in respect to the others. Unfrotunately, due to strength of numbers and occasionaly the fact that everyone follows the one person with power, even if you are successful, they won't just ignore it but actively squash it. In short, you can't win...unless you get a lot of friends.
I've stopped searching. Nine years is too long.
Have you thought that maybe if you weren't so definite about the way you voice your thoughts and didn't address everyone as if you were certain they're wrong and there's nothing to do about it, they may be more willing to support you?
Dumb masses are made of many people, but not everyone is a part of them.
I believe in my convictions and I don't mince words. Do I believe I'm right? Of course. Nearly all people believe they're right. As a consequence of believing that they're right, anyone with an opposing worldview is thought of as being wrong.
Right now you believe you're right. You're not saying, "Well, maybe she has a point. I'll join her way of thinking." No, you disagree with me vehemently. Believe it or not, it's not the individual disagreement that I have a problem with. It's the power behind it that bothers me.
What I don't understand is if you're allowed to disagree with me and be certain that I'm wrong, then that's okay, but if I disagree with you and I'm certain that you're wrong, then I'm the bad person whom everyone hates. All I'm saying is that if we disagree, we disagree and then don't peg a label on me or reduce my influnce with people. But when you band together and disagree with people and tell them they're wrong, you marginalize them and engage in power politics.
If I say, "Yeah, you're right" to everything, not only do I lose my individuality, I lose what little power I have left. I have power over myself not to give in. If surrender is death then I'm going to go out fighting.
Who's with me?
Quote from: Destina Faroda on February 16, 2007, 03:37:05 PM
If I say, "Yeah, you're right" to everything, not only do I lose my individuality, I lose what little power I have left. I have power over myself not to give in. If surrender is death then I'm going to go out fighting.
Who's with me?
Who are you fighting? The internet? The evil politics of the forum? Are you being opressed in real life and feel that this forum on the internet is a good place to vent frustrations?
I think you're confused what it is you want from people. Do you want them to agree with you or disagree with you? You just said that you believe you are right, and therefore everyone else that oposses your view is wrong. In that sense, you want everyone to agree with you. However, they then lose their individuality, as you say. So....what then do you want from people? And what do you think people should want from you?
And...who said anything about everyone hating you?
Honestly....I think a lot of the problems you believe to be real are by and large in your head. No offense. =|
Quote from: Destina Faroda on February 16, 2007, 03:37:05 PM
What I don't understand is if you're allowed to disagree with me and be certain that I'm wrong, then that's okay, but if I disagree with you and I'm certain that you're wrong, then I'm the bad person whom everyone hates. All I'm saying is that if we disagree, we disagree and then don't peg a label on me or reduce my influnce with people. But when you band together and disagree with people and tell them they're wrong, you marginalize them and engage in power politics.
If I say, "Yeah, you're right" to everything, not only do I lose my individuality, I lose what little power I have left. I have power over myself not to give in. If surrender is death then I'm going to go out fighting.
I think you're overstating the case.
Nobody is asking you to say "yeah, you're right" all the time. Nor is anyone asking you to agree. All Gabi was suggesting was that you were slightly less enthusiastic about decrying other people's opinions.
Rather than "You're wrong.", she's suggesting the approach of "You know, I disagree with this, and here's why" sort of thing.
You may find fewer arguments showing up, that way. That was all...
Quote from: Zina on February 15, 2007, 06:42:09 PM
Owned.
BY THE WHITE MAN. D:
eh, it could be worse, your freedom fighters could have been turned into satanic blood-sucking sex freaks by popculture, while the people are labeled as dirt poor, dirt farming slaves.
Owned.
BY THE IRISH MAN!... And repressed freudian desires.
Incase you haven't guessed, I'm of slavic origin.
As history itself shows, people have always had a tendancy to label those few who are able to expertly wield the grand power of logic (especially when that logic is being chaneled into arguments which support opinions different from their own) as "annoying" at first. At the moment (for now) I think that llearch, Zina, Destina Faroda, and Gabi are the most annoying people on the face of the earth. :)
Quote from: Zina on February 16, 2007, 04:43:24 PM
So....what then do you want from people? And what do you think people should want from you?
I believe I want from other people Logical and well explained reasons for why they disagree with me. They can agree or disagree with me if they want but I hope they are doing so for a good reason. I also believe that other people want good reasons from me as well, and they want me to have a willingness to both listen to and yeild to their arguments
IF (if and only if) it is a better argument.
I just love debates like this because if you watch closely, at some point it will appear that everyone actually agrees subconsiously but still believe there is dispute only because of a small misunderstanding. Just something as simply as that. The only
real problem occurs when one party is -if you will- 'out-logic-ed' and then refuses to yeild. i.e. the sore loser.
please think about what I have said for
I believe I am correct (here we go again)
I've been thinking of a way to word that better all the way home. I'm not sure I've come up with the best way yet, but here it goes.
Destina, please, do not take every post that doesn't exactly match your own views as a personal attack, because it's not. People will often not agree with you on something and still have nothing personal against you.
What I was trying to say was that you shouldn't take everything to the extreme. Sometimes I feel that you have the answer to someone else's post ready in your mind before that post is even written. Those things happen a lot when people are angry, but there's no reason to be angry all the time. Things tend to work out better when people take the time to think carefully about what the other person is trying to say (not just what you think he or she would say), and about how to express themselves without hurting the other.
You're true to yourself, and I value that, but there's a difference between that and having unshakable views about everything. Of course you don't have to agree with everyone all the time. You don't even have to agree with anyone at any time, but this isn't about agreeing or disagreeing. It's about disqualifying others just because they don't think like you. That and, while it's true that we all think we're right, that doesn't mean that everyone else is wrong and the fact that there are different opinions on most issues generally makes it a good idea to review all of them carefully. Maybe we can all learn something.
Your posts always leave me thinking. That's another thing I like. But they always come with a tint of anger that makes me feel bad. You can't seem to get any peace and I wish I could help you, but I don't know how. So far whenever I tried to say something to you, you took it the wrong way. And I can't shake the feeling you may even take this post as an attack. Sometimes what you expect to hear is so deeply engraved in your mind that you hear it even when that's not what is meant.
Basically, all I'm asking you to do is to understand that everyone you talk to is a person, just like you. That he or she may be right or wrong, or anything in between, and that so can you; and that whatever the truth is it doesn't make either of you any better or worse. Do voice your opinions, but not with such extreme unshakability. Leave room for other thoughts, and for other people.
...And after all this I think llearch still said it better than I did and with much fewer words, but I needed to go into detail, to get it off my chase and just in case it may help, which I hope it does.
Now for Density D., sorry for being annoying. Just exactly what did I do to annoy you?
Quote from: Density D. on February 16, 2007, 06:28:15 PM
At the moment (for now) I think that llearch, Zina, Destina Faroda, and Gabi are the most annoying people on the face of the earth. :)
Woot! I'm winning! :-)
(incidentally, I suspect this particular topic is getting worn out, and we should probably pack it in - certainly I'm running out of useful things to say. However, if you have useful things to say, in a calm, non-threatening manner, I'm willing to let it continue. It's been good so far, let's not ruin it. *grin* Besides, everyone is being cordial, so no reason to silence anyone yet...)
Quote from: Gabi on February 16, 2007, 06:29:18 PMNow for Density D., sorry for being annoying. Just exactly what did I do to annoy you?
WHOOSH! Straight Over Your Head!
Re-read the first part and notice that ,technically, I just said you were a grand master of logic and understanding. :3
Wait! Please, don't pack in anything just yet. This discussion is the coolest thing ever right now because it seems the topic of discussion has slowly switched over to the methods and practices used in argument and debate. In other words
we are discussing the art of discussion! If that's not higher level thinking, I don't know what is.
*getting frenzied* Pretty soon we'll begin to analyze what causes us to use said methods, which will cause all who are involved to engage in deep soul-searching, followed by realization (of what I don't know yet), acceptance of new discovery,
then even
more debate on how this new truth fits into the World and the Grand Scheme, and all of this will build and build until...
NIRVANA and TOTAL INNER PEEEEEEEEAAAAAACE‼ *foams at mouth*
Quote from: Density D. on February 16, 2007, 07:48:27 PM
NIRVANA and TOTAL INNER PEEEEEEEEAAAAAACE‼ *foams at mouth*
I prefer Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. :<
Quote from: Valynth on February 16, 2007, 04:51:38 PM
Incase you haven't guessed, I'm of slavic origin.
D: A dirt farming vampire in our midst! :giggle
I'm French! And Italian! And German! And Dutch! And a little Irish... and a little teensy bit Jewish... and prolly half a dozen other things thrown in for good measure.
Mutt-man. :mowtongue
Oh, yes, I share your thoughts about metadiscussion, Density D. :) And thanks for the compliment.