so... i went an m-f-f-ing
One convention a year... I'm lucky. Two conventions a year... I'm blessed. Three conventions... I have to step back and realize just where I am.
Ben offered the ride up (at a discount)... Robbie offered me a room (at a discount)... friends, even my family said "go". I gave my manager a month notice... a few days before - it was finally approved. A few last minute preparations (for the Nth time) and I went an MFF-ing.
Friday morning I got off work at 7... got home and finished packing. Got to Ben's by 11, showered, took two Tylenol PM and did NOT go to sleep... don't think anything helps when you're anxious. Like AC, I found myself "running on fumes". About two hours in, we made our yearly visit to The Cow Palace in Shelbyville, IN. Again - good food and hands down the *best milkshake around*. Cincinnati has Greater's, but Cow Palace's ice cream is that much more smoother... wish they were here.
We didn't even get into Chicago till about 10pm. We found the hotel and then took the next half hour looking for a parking spot. We finally entered the gargantuan hotel and the lobby, which I could best describe as something out of "Logan's Run", but a bit modernized. The huge atrium was walled in by the hotel's ten (or was it eleven?) floors with skywalks and an elevator system in the middle.
There was an escalator and staircase that led you down to the connected convention halls. To the side of the lobby was a bar and grille that looked like something out of the promenade in "Deep Space Nine" and around the conventions spaces and elevators were large touch screens you could use... you didn't even need a map. Touch the name of your event - the day's programs came up... touch again, it would show you your location and how to get there... it was like something out of Star Trek. A ton of furries in our own Enterprise... *its all good*. And of all the furries we would run into first, it would be Speed. ^_^
Since we pretty much missed everything by the time we got there - Ben and I went to our perspective rooms... a half hour later Ben stopped by and became our third roommate. Between the three of us, it was like old times again. One cool aspect of the room had to be the balcony which overlooked the main entrance... *sooooo sweet*, save the one time we opened the patio doors and had ourselves a mini hurricane inside.
I ran into Shy who informed me people were looking for me. A few minutes later, I ran into Vilkami (my friend from Hamilton) and Darius Maxim, who was experiencing room difficulties of his own. Shy wanted to show me his suite, so Dari & I went upstairs and hung out a little bit. Having an extra cot in the room - Shy made a gracious offer for Dari to stay.
Saturday started off with registration, running into old friends and taking lots of pictures... then it was time for the fursuit parade to begin! Don't think the route was planned too well - they had them starting downstairs - then upstairs to the main lobby, back downstairs and upstairs and out to a side entrance... not sure if it was because of the hotel layout or some ill planning, but it seems a LOT of footwork for somebody in character. I happily ran back into Rustitobuck sporting a Cavin (as Han) and Hobbes (as Chewie) shirt and Calamity Cougar sporting a suit and trumpet... for some odd reason I kept thinking "Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass". There I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a really long time, Single Speed Cheetah. Cute as always, I got a really sweet hug from the cheetah. I also got a nice hug from my new found friend Cajun and even got a hug from Master Splinter himself! *huzzah!*
Later I went with Vilkami down to the dealers' den. I really hadn't planned on visiting - but was glad I did so when I ran into one of my favorite artists, Balto. We talked a bit before I was hustled off to "Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind's" performance. A fantastic comedy troupe that went from PG-13 to NC-17 in 15 seconds flat (boobies were exposed....... *literally*).
That night Ben and I got several of our friends together including Speed, Vilkami and Darius and went to Portillo's. Unfortunately they were out of their yummy stuffed green pepper soup - but I got their original Chicago style hot dog, fries and a piece of their chocolate cake (its only once a year after all). After stuffing ourselves, we journeyed back to the hotel where we ran into Terrence & Phillip and plenty more photo ops. I went down to the dance and got a big huggle from my friend Vivi, then I ran into Scott and was suddenly hoarded on the dance floor by a young group of kids bumping and grinding in a circle - I guess in order to "entice" us into dancing - instead I got red ears and couldn't stop laughing... it was totally unexpected and awesome at the same time.
Sunday was even more mingling to be had. I got another warm huggle from Cajun as well as a great, big huggle from Bucktown! Then I ran into another big surprise... Colifox! Years ago we met in a "Circles" chat group and have been in touch with off and on ever since... err - more off now due to my enigmatic third shift ways... but it was great to see him and give him a hug. A couple more pictures and Ben, Speed, Vilkami, Darius and I were back off to Portillo's.
After we got back, I ran downstairs to see Balto again. I purchased a nice print of his furry take on "The Trouble With Tribbles" and we talked and talked... and talked till closing. He then proceeded to give me a drawing of himself, something he was going to throw away... I was unbelievably touched. We exchanged contacts and hugs. There was a definite connection, I think we made friends for life!
I then ran back upstairs to Bucktown's concert... a lot of fun, he's an entertainer at heart. Afterward, Vilkami took a pic and I suddenly remembered I promised the tiger I'd get one of his CD's. After the closing ceremonies, I helped B.T. pack up his equipment and went back to his room to get a CD.
There he gave me another great big tiger huggle and introduced me to one of his hotel roommates also from Cincinnati, Floppybelly - a musician herself. He then proceeded to open the CD's and sign them all over... far from flattering to say the least. Another great big hug he then asked me to dinner. Unfortunately I had to decline realizing I'd already made dinner plans with a few friends hungrily awaiting my return in the lobby. He was understanding... another hug goodbye, I left enamored.
Soon I went with Darius, Vilkami and his friend Greg to a necessary destination while in Chicago... Giordano's Pizza. This time, I promised myself I wouldn't eat anything else - just so I could at least have another piece, unlike last year when I had the salad and zucchini strips and was barely left able to finish one piece of their pizza. This time would be different... this time I had......... one piece. Not that I didn't like it - I just couldn't have another! Of course about an hour later at the hotel I'm thinking... I could really go for another piece right now! >.<
Most interesting is what happened LATE Sunday night. Around 2:30 in the morning my friend Paw called to meet me down in the lobby and talk, on the way down I met up again with Dari. I was actually getting tired when about 3am we found ourselves in the middle of an impromptu late show fursuit parade! Unexpected AND awesome... actually made me glad I was a night owl... for the time being.
Monday came and it was raining. We got up and started downstairs to load the car. I ran into Pandez and helped him with stuff to his truck... then I ran into Michel and "you were here?!?!" was exchanged and proudly told him about finding other sushi I like. I said goodbye to Shy... goodbye to Darius and it was time to go. Ben and I dropped Robbie back off at his place, but not before one more visit to Portillo's... I got a large chocolate cake shake to go. ^_^
We took Lakeshore Drive home. The first time ever in my nine visits to Chicago - I finally got to see *the city*... and it was awesome! Perhaps next year - I'll actually walk down Michigan Avenue... you never know.
Monday night Ben and I came back only to leave from his house and pick up his friend Cam who bussed in from Philadelphia. We took him to Camp Washington Chili to have real Cincinnati chili. I then came home and forced myself awake the rest of the night to adjust back for work the next. I started going through my digital pictures and kept passing out in front of the computer. I walked to the other side of the room to work on current projects and sat like a zombie without nothing to do... though I did keep "daydreaming" I was right back at the Hyatt... I wished I could wake up back in the hotel room. If anything, this time around MFF for me was about connections... deeper connections, deeper friendships... feeling a part of someone - whether with Bucktown, Balto or Shy... I've got some true treasures in my life... and I wouldn't trade it for anything.