Canadian Appreciation
I'd never been to Canada before last year. I even grew up in New England, which isn't all that far away, but the opportunity just never arose.
I mean, I never had anything against Canada. Oh, sure, we Americans like to poke fun at Canada for being just different enough from the States that it's a little weird, but that's all in good fun. And okay, when Camp Feral asked me to be their GOH in 2011, I was a little apprehensive, but mostly just because I was going to be in the woods with a bunch of furries, not because it was in Canada.
Though okay, so there was some Canadian culture shock when I got there.
But really, I came away from that trip last year being really fond of Canada, and I knew as soon as I came back home that going back to Feral again this year was going to be a priority. Because Feral is awesome (and if you've never been, you should go), and because hey, I'd taken a liking to Canada. All of the things we people further south like to think of as weird (poutine, colorful money, the accent) were all things I discovered I really like, and so it was kind of a no-brainer.
Even so, just because I really liked Canada didn't necessarily mean Canada liked me.
Except I guess it kind of does.
I'm happy to announce that I've been asked to be Guest of Honor at Condition: Wasteland in London, Ontario in 2013! Maybe this is kind of like how David Hasselhoff is weirdly popular in Germany or something, except instead of Germany it's Canada and instead of David Hasselhoff it's me. Either way, I'm very flattered and very excited and happy to have another opportunity/excuse to visit Canada and see all of my (really awesome) Canadian friends.
So, yes, I hope to see a lot of you nifty Canadian furs (and you border-hopping Americans) next summer here in Ontario, where we can talk about writing and animals and eat poutine and drink Caesars and all that other fun Canadian stuff I've discovered I really like to do.
(The 'milk in bags' thing is just weird, though. Sorry, Canadians.)
I mean, I never had anything against Canada. Oh, sure, we Americans like to poke fun at Canada for being just different enough from the States that it's a little weird, but that's all in good fun. And okay, when Camp Feral asked me to be their GOH in 2011, I was a little apprehensive, but mostly just because I was going to be in the woods with a bunch of furries, not because it was in Canada.
Though okay, so there was some Canadian culture shock when I got there.
But really, I came away from that trip last year being really fond of Canada, and I knew as soon as I came back home that going back to Feral again this year was going to be a priority. Because Feral is awesome (and if you've never been, you should go), and because hey, I'd taken a liking to Canada. All of the things we people further south like to think of as weird (poutine, colorful money, the accent) were all things I discovered I really like, and so it was kind of a no-brainer.
Even so, just because I really liked Canada didn't necessarily mean Canada liked me.
Except I guess it kind of does.
I'm happy to announce that I've been asked to be Guest of Honor at Condition: Wasteland in London, Ontario in 2013! Maybe this is kind of like how David Hasselhoff is weirdly popular in Germany or something, except instead of Germany it's Canada and instead of David Hasselhoff it's me. Either way, I'm very flattered and very excited and happy to have another opportunity/excuse to visit Canada and see all of my (really awesome) Canadian friends.
So, yes, I hope to see a lot of you nifty Canadian furs (and you border-hopping Americans) next summer here in Ontario, where we can talk about writing and animals and eat poutine and drink Caesars and all that other fun Canadian stuff I've discovered I really like to do.
(The 'milk in bags' thing is just weird, though. Sorry, Canadians.)