Okay, so it's been a while since I wrote one of these, so here we go.

Some of you may or may not have noticed I've changed my art methods a bit. Let me explain.

For years, I followed the same methods: rough sketch, ink, clipping mask, flat colour, then shading and highlight layers.

I first started to find the clipping masks a chore, then inking became daunting. Gradually, it started to feel like a mathematical exercise rather than art. I didn't feel like I was making art so much as following a program. Whenever I feel like that, I take it as a sign to change things up a bit.

I was looking through my sketchbook and showing it to folks at Further Confusion this year and had a lot of good feedback. It was kind of eye-opening. My sketchbook is a mess of tones, rough lines and incomplete stuff. It was not even near polished. But, it had one crucial element.

Energy.

I was mostly through that piece with the Cadillac in it when I thought I'd try a more raw kind of line-making. Make it look more like the sketches in my physical sketchbook. Make it messy.

Turns out, it's a lot more fun. Less layers. More experimenting. More using my brain to figure out light and shadow and shapes. No more picky little clipping masks. No more machine-like inking. It felt free, but most importantly, it was more enjoyable.

Look, I appreciating inking. I have even tried to change how I do that. I'm still experimenting with better inking methods, but in the meantime, I like the watercolour-like look of what I'm making lately.

Instead of discarding and hiding the sketch, I just keep at it like I do in my sketchbook, shaping it until it looks good, then I slap down colour on a layer underneath. Every step is a fun challenge and I'm enjoying this a lot more.

Spent some time this evening doing the typical thing that most do this time of year: reviewing the past twelve months.

I focused on my writing and found myself rather caught up in what I've written in 2015.

I really loved the story for 'Farm Team': http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16358798/

'Subway' was one of the more developed pieces of writing I did this summer. Still happy with the pace of this.

'Son of a Preacherman' is just...it gives me the chills even after all these months: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16510100/

'Minion' had the awesome art of  kraest but I really hold this story close to my heart http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16505033/

I had a LOT of fun making both the story and art for http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17997076/

So, I dunno. Overall, I'd say 2015 was a good year. I've been working on a lot of art skills just in the past few weeks and look forward
to an amazing 2016.

One thing did stand out, though.

Each of the above stories could easily be a graphic novel, should I devote the time to it.

Maybe not next year, but possibly in 2017 will I actively pursue this.

I really would like to bring the full visual narrative to life for any of these.

Let's see what the new year brings.

Oh hey!

Yeah - don't write much in the way of journals. Not that I don't have anything to say, but life goes pretty quickly and before you know it, months and years fly by. I'm sure my friends and family on my human Facebook account wonder what I'm up to, but if they do, they never really tell me.

Not that I don't have anything to say to them, it's just... the audience is a bit different from here and most of what goes on my head wouldn't really interest them anyway.

Oh, Sampson, you might say, how can you know that for sure?

Well, for starters, I know most of my friends and family on Facebook quite well. They have their lives, careers, kids, etc. A post about anthro art just is so out of their experience that it wouldn't really be of interest to them. I don't fear being 'weird' - heck, I've posted fur con photos there. I want to connect, but it's just not the venue to do that. I make things and it's just not the same as posting a pic of some offspring stuffing their face with cupcakes. It's just not general-audience kinda stuff.

And that's really what goes on in my head between the times I have to engage it: making stuff in the context of the fur community.

It's kinda why I'm here on FA and Twitter: to share and participate in this fun, weird, creative community.

So, I... thank you for all being strange and not being strangers ;3

I'm still a little disturbed.

Two nights ago, I was catching up on some CBC programs and happened to watch a
documentary on robots. Artificial intelligence is progressing to the point
where it's getting a little sticky as to how relationships with inanimate objects
are forming, whether we like it or not.

Sure, there's the slight emotional attachment some folks make with their phones,
computers and other objects. That's familiar territory. What's different now is
that artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more... familiar.

You may or may not have seen that cuddly, adorable seal robot that certain retire-
ment homes in Japan use for the elderly to snuggle and interact with. If you
haven't, go look for videos. It's freakin' cute. Or disturbing, depending on who
you are. Whatever your reaction, the Japanese love such items.

The program had touched on traditional Japanese culture and how there is a long
history of relationships with inanimate things. A baby seal robot would be not
only appropriate, but comforting. This would be important in a nursing home where
human interaction is relatively scarce.

Then came the disturbing part.

The host was interviewing an academic who had a plush, cute dinosaur robot. The
host was invited to interact with it. It would nuzzle and coo at the host. Petting
the dino would be met with adorably heartwarming sounds and gestures. Immediately,
I wanted one!

Then, the academic asked the host to hit it.

I physically flinched. Why would she want the host to hit the dino? My logical
brain knew why: it's an object. Hitting 'it' was no different from punching the
wall, really. She wanted to expose how people can rapidly obtain an emotional bond
with an inorganic 'thing.'

But, it's so cute!

I think where I lost it is where it started to cry after being hit.

Why on earth did I care? It's made of metal, plush and plastic. It's not like it
was 'real' or anything. Yet, I was devastated when it reacted to being struck.

To the host's credit, he hesitated when asked to administer further punishment. I
don't think I would've been able to initially do anything other than cuddle and pet
it further.

But what does that say about me, or anyone that would ignore instructions to cause
it harm?

Empathy. I easily develop empathy when I can identify with emotional reactions,
especially if the person/creature/object exhibits behaviour I can relate to. A bit
of imagination helps, too.

What about our emotional attachments to fictional characters? Who hasn't cried or
cheered at a film? Spending hundreds of pages with literary characters can really
be described as a relationship with the reader.

So, my question to you is: do you have an emotional attachment to your fursona or
other characters that includes empathy? Would you be disturbed or upset if that
fursona or character was placed in similar danger or threatened?

FC2015 Meme Thingy stolen from  cooner

-Hotel?
Hilton San Jose. You know. The OTHER hotel connected to the convention center
with no lines for the elevator?

-Arrival/Departure
Should be arriving about 8:45pm-ish Thursday until around 10am Monday.

-Means of transportation
Delta Airlines from Vancouver.

-Sharing a room with:
 davecko  dracosyndrome  hornetv2

-Gender
Bearded.

-Relationship Status
It's complicated.

-How old are you?
Old enough.

-How tall are you?
Five foot nine.

-Are you an Artist?
Yup!

-Do you have an artist table?
Nope!

-Do you take commissions?
Yup! Just send me a note or distract me with beer.

-Are you a Fursuiter?
No, but lately I really wish I was. I blame  bcbreakaway

-Attending parties?
Heck yes.

-Do you drink?
Oh yes.

-Can I buy you a drink?
Sure!

-Do you smoke?
Nope!

-Are you attending any panels?
I plan on it. Depends on what's happening when.

-How do I identify my self to you?
Come up and say hi! Oh, and keep yer badge where I can see it.

-Rules of engagement (physical contact)?
It's okay to hug me.

-How can I find you?
On Twitter SampsonWoof

-Can I talk to you?
Of course!

-Can I give you lots of money?
For what? Like, seriously. Why is this question here?

-Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Sure!

-Can I hang out with you?
If you can keep up, sure!

-Can I take your picture?
Nope!

-How do I know if you're not looking to socialize (angry, busy or upset)?
Make eye contact. If I glare back at you, you'll know *grin*

-What's your goal for the con this year?
Have as much fun or more than last FC!

-Any questions?
I have a million questions, but maybe that's the whole point of
existence anyway!

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3329986/

Trace is one of the first artists I got to know on FA! He's taking commissions! Click the link above to find out more.

Rainfurrest 2014 SeaTac, WA.

Stolen from  nitroshep

Staying At: Hilton (Main Hotel)

Arrival/Departure: Arrive Thursday late and leave Sunday noonish.

Transportation: Driving down from Vancouver BC.

Rooming With: my non-fur HusBear.

Gender: Male-like.

Preference: No sugar, no cream. Just black coffee, please.

Commonly Seen Hanging With: a coffee in one paw and sketchbook in the other.

Relationship Status: Married. Eighteen years. Almost longer than my
parents were together(!).

How old are you?: 6.9 in dog years.

How tall are you?: Five foot nine. And a half.

Are you an Artist?: Maaaaaybe.

Do you have a sketchbook?: Yup! Carry it everywhere at a con :3

Are you a Fursuiter?: Not yet!

Would you wear one of my fursuits?: Um, I'm not sure. Depends.

Attending parties?: Planning on it! Let's do Mario Kart again!

Do you drink?: I do, indeed. Beer and wine are my preferences.

Can I buy you a drink?: Not if I buy you one first!

Do you smoke?: Nope.

Are you attending any panels?: Probably!

Stage or public performance?: Heavens no.

How do I identify my self to you?: How about you introduce yerself? That's always worked in the past ;3 Also, I have a HUUUUGE beard.

Rules of engagement (physical contact)?: I like to hug!

How can I find you?: Twitter sampsonwoof

Can I talk to you?: Only if you can carry a conversation ;3

Can I give you lots of money?: Where did the money come from? O.o

Can I give you stuff?: Um. Like what?

Can I hug or snuggle with you?: Um. Totally depends who you are :P

Can I come to dinner with you?: Depends on who's organizing it, Possibly, if there is space

Can I invite you to dinner?: Please do :)

Can I hang out with you?: Sure! Let's make this a fun con!

Can I take your picture?: Only if yer not publishing it. Well, on second thought, no pics, please :P

How do I know if you're not looking to socialize (angry, busy or upset?): If I'm deep in conversation, I'm probably not approachable.

Personality Type?: I have a type? Oh heavens... no labels, please.

What's your goal for the con this year?: To relax and have fun!

That's all.

I'm a happy wolf. The only other thing I need to add is that *this* is best time of my life right now. Until it gets better.

Thanks for reading!

I often perform this reality check at work, especially on days where
the sun shines and I'm watching the clock tick over to 1:17pm from the
dull banality of my cubicle.

No one ever signs up for this. Unless you're the type that really has
nothing to do but collect a paycheck and dreads going home. This is
when I remember that I really do like my job, even when it's hard to
stay focused on a nice day.

Which comes down to this: I'm doing my job because I like it. I make
compromises like missing out on the beach because I enjoy spending the
salary I earn. I could do a lot, lot worse in terms of my career.

But maybe I can do better.

And that's where I peer into the abyss briefly before turning my
attention back to my spreadsheets and workload.

We can always do better. This haunts me. This involves risk. This can
involve failure.

I've been there before. Switching jobs. Moving across the continent and
even to another country. Each risk was met with many failures and many
successes. Luckily, or more likely due to the critter that I am, I
ended up scoring much more in the 'win' column.

Is it time to do better? Maybe. Maybe not. I've tried to settle my
brain about what I've devoted 50 plus hours to each week. It mostly
works. Sometimes it's frustrating.

Why on earth am I bringing this up? Well, I ended up asking the same
question to myself today with regard to making art.

Why am I making art anyway?

Specifically, what am I gaining with posting and sharing art? Sure, I
enjoy making things. That's not really the issue. Who am I making this
for? Me, firstly. If art ceases to become enjoyable, I always knew that
I'd have to reassess how I'm doing things.

At various times over the last couple of years, I've had rather odd and
altruistic goals with art: spiritual, cultural (i.e. furry), social and
even humourous directions. There's so much that's in my head that needs
to get out it seems. I spend so much time making these strange little
visions come to life and it's been rewarding and frustrating.

Unfortunately it feels like I'm acting in a play being staged in an
empty theatre.

That's not to say I do not appreciate your comments and interaction: I
really, really do love this part. I just... don't know what to do with
the feeling of disengagement.

Ultimately, this is my responsibility. I need to engage more. Take more
social risks. Do better.

So, while it might not be time to make a career move, it is definitely
time for me to step forward and make a stronger effort to put myself
out there.

Sure, I'll fail and stumble, but that's just part of growing. One
wonderful suggestion came from  daitenshi

Whenever I fave something, I make a comment about why I faved it.

There's nothing better than knowing one's art affected someone, even if
it just made them smile.

And that's why I make art.

I've been drawing lots, which is no surprise. What's changing is that I see things in a clearer focus. What the hell does that have to do with drawing?

Everything.

I cycle to and from work. I see lots of bodies. Joggers. Pedestrians. Rowers. Swimmers. Sunbathers. This city has no shortage of 'momentary models'
for artists.

As I pedal past on my trusty old bike, I notice stuff. How biceps fit on the arm. Calves and how they move. Torsos and the myriad of ways they flex.

I've learned that how I see these shapes and parts influences a lot on how I draw them. For example, I see lots of calves. Shorts are quite common this
time of year. I have lots of 'momentary models' to choose from. It's easy to see the forms and how they work. Biceps, forearms and necks are also
quite visible as the warm weather takes hold.

Unfortunately, humans only expose so much. Thighs are still a bit of a struggle for me. Most men cover their thighs with those cargo shorts or pseudo-
basketball things. It's been like 30 years since men regularly exposed this part of their body. Too bad.

At any rate, if you are struggling to depict the human/anthro frame I would highly suggest just taking a closer look at stuff. Watch people walk or move
through the store. Study how your toes fit on your feet. Poke around and see how the muscles on your forearm go together.

That being said, I still have trouble with hands. I'm not alone, but holy crap, I see my own two hands every day. You'd think I'd be an expert by now. Maybe
familiarity just blinds me somehow.

Okay. Enough rambling. Go back to yer lives and let this old wolf return to his weird and slightly-introverted life hahahaha.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get spring outta the way as soon as possible
and get right to summer days at the beach.

Around here (and Seattle, too) it gets rather unsettled between now and July. We often
have a 'Juneuary' where June becomes a cruel disappointment. April and May will tease
us with lovely days here and there, but June crushes those hopes with a sledgehammer.

It will drizzle. It will be cloudy. I have no idea why. Growing up in the heartland
of the United States, June was always awesome. Here, it's rather hit-or-miss. Either
you have good day or it will rain buckets.

Okay, so this place ain't Honolulu. I get it. The weather here is utterly changeable.

It's me who has to adapt. But, more importantly, how do you adapt? If it gets ugly
outside, how do you cope? Inquiring canines want to know.

What kinds of pressure do you experience?

Is it crushing? Does is affect everything you do?

Is it persistent? A jab every now and then throughout the day?

Is it occasional? A trigger here and there?

Honestly, I struggle with what my soul requires and the expectation of others.

It creates pressure unlike anything I've experienced before.

How can I balance the practical needs of marriage and friendship with what my gut
tells me I need to do?

I want to run free. To do whatever I want to do. To create and make things and to do
actions I require for the good of my soul.

But what I need to do on a spiritual level contradicts what others need from me.

A good example is work. I get up at 6:05am every Monday through Friday to do many
things I generally like to obtain the resources to do things I really enjoy. Yes,
I might like what I do, but I have to put up with the endless personality quirks
and neuroses of the individuals I have to deal with each work day. Some days it is
tolerable. Some days I want to howl and run.

I find that the days I feel the worst is when I haven't been paying attention to the
side of me that needs to run naked through the woods. To experience the air, the
scents, the energy of the atmosphere around me. I want to just be... wolf.

It keeps me awake at night. It invades my commute on the train. I sometimes get very
much confused as to how I should be conducting my life.

Resentment builds when I shift the blame to others. Why should I subvert my instincts
because she needs that report? Why shouldn't I just continue what I'm doing when he
needs me to do something else?

It's easy to blame others. It's lazy. I should just focus my free time on nurturing
what I need as a wolf.

And that is my struggle.

Stolen from  urbanlemur

WHEN ARE YOU COMING/GOING?:
Thursday evening 27th Feb through Sunday evening the 2nd of March.

WHERE ARE YOU STAYING?
Main Convention Hotel, the Executive Inn in Burnaby BC.

WHO ARE YOU ROOMING WITH?
My HusBear!

HOW CAN I GET A HOLD OF YOU?
Twitter! sampsonwoof

HOW ARE YOU TRAVELLING?
I'll arrive via route 130 bus from Metrotown after work.

ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THE CON?
Oh yes! All my hometown friends will be here!

WHAT ARE YOUR CON PLANS?
Panels! Kibbitzing! General overall random fun!

DO YOU DO FREE ART?
Sometimes.

ARE YOU CLIQUEY?
Nope. I like to open myself up to getting to know new folks!

ARE YOU POPULAR?
Who gives a shit? What is this? High school?

HOW CAN I GET YOUR ATTENTION?
Say hi! For the love of all things good, don't stare at me from across the room and wish I would somehow read yer thoughts :P

CAN I TALK TO YOU?
Oh fer Pete's sake. What a dumb question. Of course! Unless you can't talk or something.

CAN I HUG YOU?
Hugs are good. Please don't be sticky. Or wear sandpaper shirts.

CAN I SNUGGLE YOU?
Let's just leave that for later.

CAN I KISS YOU?
There are only a few creatures that I will allow kisses from. My deaf kitty, for one.

WHAT IF I HIT ON YOU?
Huh?

CAN I HAVE SOME OF YOUR FOOD?
Um. Why?

CAN I GET YOU FOOD?
Food gifts are always nice. Only if we can eat together and catch up on good times!

CAN I ASK YOU TO DANCE?
Dance, dance like you have an ass in yer pants.

CAN I BUY YOU DRINKS?
Only if I can buy you one, too.

CAN I TAKE YOUR PICTURE?
Warn me first, please.

DO YOU ATTEND PARTIES?
Hell yeah!

For starters, this is the largest con I've ever gone to. I remember spending last year
doing art and glancing at the simulcast wishing I was there.

So I booked a plane ticket and registered as a sponsor.

And waited.

2013 zizzed by and then it was Christmas and then New Year's.

Cool. Only a couple weeks to go.

I had purposely filled up the first couple of months with activities as the prior 40
years had only meant boredom for that time of year.

Wow. Such amaze.

I stayed at the Hilton, which I really appreciate. No lines for the elevator. Great
staff. Sure, it's a slight walk inside from the activities, but worth it when you need
to shower or sleep.

The weather was awesome this year. Warm, sunny during the day, but chilly at night (so
what - not really going anywhere after dark). There are lots of places nearby to get
food and Safeway was only a few blocks away.

I loved the events and panels. I was lucky enough to be at Hypnotic Beast's panel and
loved it. Uncle Kage was uplifting and encouraging. The dances were fun and I danced
my tail off. Literally. Luckily I travel with safety pins.

I wish that there were more staff handling registration. The long lines really put a
lot of attendees off. Rainfurrest in Seattle meant a few minutes of procedure. I hope
FC and RF staffers can meet soon about this.

Wishes for future cons, however possible or impossible: food trucks for quick snacks,
panels that weren't scheduled after 8pm, a quieter, separate room for artists, more
volunteers for registration/pre-registration pickup and a hospitality bar at the dance
where drinks could be bought.

All in all, I loved it. I can't wait to return!

Stolen from  Matrices

To contact me outside of FA:
* Twitter: SampsonWoof

1. What are you attending?
Further Confusion 2014!

2. Staying at:
Hilton San Jose

3. Arrival and Departure:
Late evening Thursday the 17th and leaving later in the afternoon Monday the 20th.

4. Mode of transportation:
Alaska Airlines from Vancouver via Seattle and then taxi to the hotel.

5. Rooming with:
No one! D:

6. Con Plans:
* Meet all of you internet critters that I haven't yet chatted with in RL.
* Catch up with all of my RL friends.
* Meet artists!
* Dance like I have an ass in my pants.

7: How can I find you?
Tweet me or look for the wolf with the big beard. Yes, you can pet it.

8. Do you do free art?
I sometimes will surprise friends with creative endeavours ;3

9. Do you have prints/CDs?
Nope - not this con. Maybe in the future!

10. Will you be fursuiting? if so: What suit(s)?
I wish I was D:

11. Will you be going to parties?
Yes!

12. Will you be performing?
If I get enough beers in me, I can perform acts of wild derpitude.

13. Smoke?
Nope.

14. Drink?
Beer, please.

15. Gender:
Guy-thing.

16. Can I hug you?
Yes! Of course you can!

17. Can I talk to you?
Please, by all means, TALK to me! I can actually hold an intelligent conversation at times.

18. Will you be at any panels?
If I will, it will be impromptu. I find that it's hard to go to panels at cons as I'm in the thick of interactional mayhem.

19. Can I touch you?
Define 'touch.' Let's just play this one by ear.

20. Can I buy you drinks?
Please don't feel obliged to, but if the mood strikes, I do love coffee by day and beer by night.

21. How old are you?
Forty on the outside, twenty five on the inside.

22. Can I snuggle with you?
Can we move the to next question, please?

23. If you're pissed off, should I approach you?
I never get pissed off, so this is moot :D

24. Are you nice?
I'd like to think so. If you don't think I am being nice, please call 1-800-BAD-WOLF to report a grumpy canine.

25. Cliquey?
No. I think high school should always and forever remain in the past, folks.

26. How tall?
Five foot nine. And a half. In shoes. With normal heels.

*sigh*

Okay, I'm kinda short. :/

27. Can I Take pictures of you?
Nothing with my face in it. Please. We don't want to break the internet with my mug D:

28. Will you get anything commissioned?
Not sure! Let's see what transpires.

29. How can I get your attention?
For the love of all things good, do not stare at me from across the room expecting me to find your penetrating gaze. Just say hi!

30. Can I ask you to dance at the raves?
Yes yes yes! *spins around, knocks over hotel plant with my tail*

Awright! Hope you all have a fantastic holiday season. I can already tell things are slowing down a bit as folks nestle
in with warm, cozy food and unabated cheer.

May you find peace, happiness and inner joy at this time.

With love,

Sampson

Sometimes I think I try to bite off more than I can chew.

Thank goodness I have friends that reel me back in.

I'm happy with what I am doing and am renewing myself constantly with art, laughter and of course, beer.

It's the good people in my life that remind me of how important that is.

I couldn't be a luckier wolf.

Thank you.

The perils of being a social creature are quite large and quite often
scary.

There. I said it.

It's been on my mind for many months and only now have I been able to
articulate it for myself.

Look, I'm not some kind of expert and I don't profess to be any smart
guru about human interaction (heck, I'm really quite a novice). I just
know that I've met and become friends with more people in the past year
than I have met in my entire life up until that point. This has thrown
me into a very steep learning curve.

First off, it does not depress me, but I do get profoundly confused by
the behaviour of friends and acquaintences. I think the big problem is
that I try to throw logic at it and nothing sticks. The pasta just
slides down the wall like so much undercooked spaghetti.

Instead of staring at a lump of semi-cooked noodles on the ground, I
try to see things from their perspective. This is where imagination
and empathy join forces. Unfortunately, this is a powerful tool that
has a strong kickback. Wielding this tool without proper knowlege can
result in being hurt.

I am an empatheic creature. I have always been able to plant myself in
others' shoes when bad (or good) things happen to them. When I try to
personalize the pain, I oftentimes end up feeling the pain myself.

Pain is radioactive, as I've discovered.

I seem to be reaching the conclusion that co-opting hurt and pain is
simply spreading it like a terrible virus. It infects and stuns and
harms as it spreads. Putting a stop to the pain would be ideal, but
rarely possible.

So, what should I being doing instead?

Listen. Offer sympathies. Ask what I can do to help. Take responsibility
where appropriate. Apologize if necessary.

Move on.

Harsh? Possibly. Difficult? You bet.

Look, I'd love to fix pain. I wish I could just take all the pain in the
world that my friends and family face and just toss it far into the sea,
never to harm anyone again. I don't think I can do that. In fact, I know
I can't do that. I think the false reasoning that I could somehow stop
pain has been doing more hurt than good.

I'm taking steps to protect myself, emotionally. Pain wants in. It wants
to burrow itself in the crevasses of my mind, ready to ruin every good
mood. It wants to strike out and infect me with anxiety and doubt. Pain
is a truly evil and powerful creature, as almost anyone knows.

The difference now is that I have learned how dangerous a beast it is.

I am a stronger wolf than that.

I just wanted to use both those words together :D

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Traveled to Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and
the Cotswolds in ten days. I had an absolute blast and am going through all my pictures
(hundreds!).

Of course, the one souvenir I manage to take home is jetlag. It's been four days and I'm still
feeling the effects. Eight hour difference has a knockout effect on the body.

The other souvenir I always take home is inspiration. I saw and experienced a lot of new places,
spaces and atmospheres. Most of them beautiful. Some were spooky. Some were breathtaking.
The UK is full of amazing places when you take a moment to think about it.

Now that my brain is full of travel, there's a ton of ideas that have all formulated and bubbled
to the surface. I concentrated on scene composition as I took pictures, specifically as to how
they would work as a background. Take woods, for example: there are lots of trees in the UK,
but unlike western Canada where I live, they seem manicured and regulated to highly-controlled
spaces on the landscape. I paid attention to these and were delighted when I noticed some woods
that were a bit more wild and unkempt. Deliberately-placed trees
just seem odd to me.

Now to find the time to get all these ideas out! Always the challenge and hence the logjam. Once
my head stops being fuzzy, I'll be able to get more art done. *flops*

Think for a moment as to why you are the creature you are.

Your thoughts, physical form, emotions, desires all mix together to form you. Synapses
fire. Cells divide. Your behaviours form a pattern. You laugh, cry, make jokes and lose
yourself in the elegance of a piece of music.

Each of these things are a part of who you are. It's only a minimum of deduction that
these actions, thoughts and physiology are a sum total of what makes you... well, you.

But where did it come from?

You learned to laugh at certain things because of what you know about how others interact
or react. You learned that touching hot things makes you experience pain. These concepts
are rather simple.

Desire, attraction, taste in creative works and opinions are a tad more complex. Exposure
to different situations can be a big part in forming these aspects of who you are.

But what if there are deeper, more complex concepts about you?

What if you just simply didn't feel...normal?

I could go on about what is 'normal.' It's only relative, really. Basically, the things we
take for 'normal' in San Francisco or Vancouver just don't always play well in Peoria, as
they say.

Some of us just never seem to find that we belong to the grand concept of 'society.' We
don't think like everyone else. We act 'strange' and go about the day feeling like we are
salmon swimming upstream, fighting every bit of the way against the current. We just don't
feel 'normal.'

But why are we like that? What is the reason? The high-level thinking that is so tied to
the concept of 'human' just never seems to resolve itself. Sure, it's easy to act our way
through the day. Put on a smile and play the role as we stumble through the interactions
that demand cohesion. To do otherwise would involve distress.

So we look for reasons. A completely human response. We try to piece it together and deduce
the causes.

The problem that eventually results is that there is no logic to this. We are made up of
ancient DNA that has been imprinted upon for millenia. Biology operates on its own logic.

Some of this DNA may not be human after all.

Humans share quite a bit of genetic code with most mammals on this planet. It's probable
we may have had some sort of genetic sharing in the past.

One of the more interesting discoveries as of late has been the fact that our DNA is
capable of retaining and storing vast amounts of data.

For me, at least, it opens up the possibility that our own DNA may indeed hold ancient
aspects of our common ancestry with creatures that populate this planet.

In the end, I strongly feel that there is more commonality than difference among the
creatures that crawl, swim and slither across this globe. Recognizing that has long helped
me find peace with what I am.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNBV.....ature=youtu.be

Enjoy!

Arrival and Departure:
Thursday late night - Sunday mid-day

Stolen from  BurgerWerewolf

Staying at:
Hilton Seattle Airport (the main con hotel)

How are you traveling?
Via 2006 Hyundai Tucson with 'Yiff' sticker on rear panel.

Who are you rooming with?
My Husbear.

Where will you be? How best to find me?
sampsonwoof on Twitter will be the best way to get ahold of me

Who will you be with?
I plan on being as mobile as possible - just DM me on Twitter to steer me in the right direction.

Which suit(s) will you be bringing?
Still building my fursuit, so no suit fer me :P

Do you do free art?
Only if I want to. Please respect the fact that I do whatever the hell I want.

What is your gender?
Gender is a limiting concept.

How old are you?
40

How tall are you?
Five foot nine inches. PocketWolf territory.

Can I talk to you?
Of course!

Can I hug and/or snuggle you?
Yes, unless you smell like Febreeze. Febreeze means you are covering something up.

Are you nice?
Yes. Unfortunately.

Are you cliquey?
No. This is silly high school stuff.

If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Hug me. I can be rather oblivious.

Are you fursuiting?
I wish. Fursuit is still very much undone.

Can I ask ya to dance with me during the dances?
Hell yeah!

Can I buy you drinks?
Sure. That would be quite nice.

Do you attend parties?
Definitely. I can bring things that are party-oriented.

Can I take your picture?
Sure. And then I eat you. Sounds fair, doesn't it?

What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
Meet with folks that I've only been chatting with online :3

I can't believe it's only next month for my first RainFurrest experience in Seattle! So much to look forward to! So many furs to finally meet!

I've had lots of valuable prep from my friends here in Vancouver about what to expect. Trust me, I just get more excited with each passing day :3

But...

I also booked my flights for FurtherConfusion for January and am registered/hotel, etc. I became keenly aware that with the exception of VancouFur 2013 (which was amazing fun) I have little experience in the ways of a big fur con.

This is where I have....ideas....about what to expect and what will go on, but things kinda fuzz out (no pun intended) about how it will be for me there.

So...

This is where I need yer help. What was it like for yer first big con? Have you been to FC? Did you enjoy it? Any survival tips? Things to look out for?

Curious wolf is curious :3

Erf? When did I cross the 10,000 pageview mark? I didn't expect this, honestly.

When I started out a year ago, drawing and posting art for the first time, I just wanted to fill
the time between working on my fursuit (yes, still incomplete) and bedtime. Wanting to try
my paw at sketching again was a big part of it, but didn't really set out to do much more than
see what I could do, art-wise.

The more I sketched, the more I wanted to do more art. I bought a tablet and drew more. I
wrote little stories to go with the pieces I did. I met amazingly talented artists and became
close friends with them. They challenged me and tutored me and yes, criticized me.

Turns out, that's the most important element of all: interaction.

So, thank you for watching, commenting and expecting more out of me. It's been a lot of
fun this past year!

Stolen from  burgerwerewolf

How old were you when you:

Lost your virginity?
17. With a priest.

Lost someone close to you?
This has happened many more times than I can count.

Consumed alcohol?
18, and many blissful years afterwards.

Received a kiss?
18 (assuming from a significant other and not family).

Went to the hospital?
27 (bronchitus).

Had a broken heart?
I was 19 and it has happened countless times since then in a variety of degrees.

Lost a pet?
I've lost several pets, but the worst losses were Beulah, Snapple and Monty - cats I shared most of the last 15 years with.

Went to a concert?
I've gone to many. First was Van Halen, best was Paul McCartney last fall.

Met someone famous?
Boy George gave me a dismissive look once at Pike Place Market in Seattle once. A mirror ball fell on his head soon afterwards. Karma's a bitch.

Got in a car wreck?
18 - T-boned by a drunk driver who had already had her license revoked. She sped away and left the scene.

Dyed your hair?
Tried highlights once at about 20. I had a mullet at the time. Ugh.

Flew on an airplane?
I'm up in the air constantly. First flight was MSP to DEN when I was 12. Last one was coming back from Spain in April.

Went to another state?
First time was too early to remember, but I've been to 32 U.S. states and 5 Canadian provinces.

Got a tattoo?
First one was when I was 32 (bear paw). Last one was last year (wolf on my chest).

Had a piercing?
Not been pierced. Metal makes my skin do stupid things. Like turn weird colours.

Smoked pot?
Nope.

Smoked a cigarette?
I smoked for 17 years and quit last year. I can't believe how much better life is without being tied to those things.

Went to Disney Land or World?
Disneyland for the first time when I was 37.

Broke a bone?
Still haven't broken anything (knock on wood).

Had A Long term relationship?
23

Passed out from drinking?
Never passes out from drinking.

Were dumped?
I've never been dumped, relationship-wise.

Go ahead and steal this and then you share *wagwagwags*