Have you ever had one of those days where people on F-List that you want to talk to, you say hi, only to either be flat-out ignored, receive a reply with a snappy and most likely rude response and tell you to screw off, or when they suddenly disconnect on you, leaving you high and dry?

Last night pretty much reminded me of that. And it's been happening more and more to me lately.

I'm surprised the soapbox beneath me hasn't collapsed yet - I've been on it more times than I can remember. While I was trimming the Bookmarks and Friend lists (and F-List really needs to have an option to review your bookmarks), I've reminded myself about how fickle folks on that site have gotten nowadays. I don't even know where to begin on how much it grinds my gears, knowing that all three of those events happened to me many, many times, and most of the time, they're Options 1, then 3. Option 2 being a rare occasion. Has the saying, "No thank you, I'm not interested" become so taboo that people just forget all about common courtesy, and talk shit at you when you're curious for an update on an inquiry you give them? It must be. I've been thinking about throwing my hands up and say "Fuck it" to F-List altogether and just stop roleplaying, because 7.5 times out of 10, my posts get unanswered. Sure, there have been times where they do get answered and a roleplay starts, and just as things are getting steamy, they disconnect. It's gotten to the tipping point where I'm asking myself why I even bother roleplaying with folks if they pull this stunt. I guess it's one more reason why I'm crabby and bitter most of the time. It kills my mood, ruins my desire to RP in the future, and it makes me hate people just a little more. On top of that, it's just plain rude.

I know F-List has a nasty habit of kicking people off chat on a frequent basis, and in some cases, the site just crashes, or at least on my particular end. I can understand that to some extent, but when some people don't return after a disconnect, I tend to question their motives and wonder if they are genuinely interested in me, or just looking to use the auto-disconnection as an excuse to not hurt my feelings - usually, at least to me, it's the latter, and it's the opposite effect of what they may think.

The worst part I've seen is where people add you as a friend one day, and the next when you go and say hi to them, they don't even answer at all. I'm willing to accept them saying "Sorry, I'm busy at the moment, can you come by later?", but I guess even that's also as taboo as "I'm not interested, sorry" - there are a few friends that I'm willing to let it slide, as they have busy lives, as does everyone else. But are those other people who say they're your friend really are? Apparently not, if they're being this way.

That goes without saying though, that I, too, am guilty of this as well, but I at least have the common courtesy of updating my status to inform other folks about what I'm planning to do, or doing, at a certain time. What bothers me though, is when I set up a status saying that I'm not in the mood to talk, they do so anyway, wanting to know why. I can understand they're worried about me and all, but if I'm not in the mood to talk, and my status states that, it means simply just so, and I just want to be left at peace for a bit. There have been times where I did snap at some people, and a recent time I did just that - last week, in fact. I apologised for my actions some days later, of course, but I still believe the friendship I share with that person is still tarnished because of my poor behaviour and how I acted towards them, and I'm still assuming they're thinking of me differently as a result.

March has been a shitty month for me this year, and it spread onto early April, too - I've lost four friends, three of which were caused by bullshit I didn't want, and one to a fatal car accident that claimed the lives of two furs, so right now my life has spiralled down to rock bottom. I feel bad for severing ties with those three, but in my defence, they were making me uncomfortable, and not making my current situation any better than it is right now. I've lost trust with a person last year, when a post was made onto Facebook, telling me I should go join the rioters when the Vancouver Canucks lost in a 4-0 shutout against the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last year, and I haven't forgiven them since. We're sort of back on speaking terms, but we're not friends, and they know I'm still pretty pissed off with their post (which has long since been deleted), and given what they said, I doubt we will be again.

I sure miss the 90's...

Current Mood: annoyed

If you're as aware as I am, you may have noticed that Capcom has been really pissing off their fans daily ever since Keiji Inafune left the company. The sudden cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3 and Megaman Universe took the biggest hits, and the decision to not localise Gyakuten Kenji 2 and Battle Network: Operation Shooting Star has also infuriated gamers to the point that their fans are turning away in droves. I know I'm one of those fans. Some even went further back as far as 2006 to blame the closure of Clover Studios, after Okami came out.

Before 2011 happened, though, I'd like to share with you my personal Top Ten list of Greatest Capcom Titles, and remember when Capcom was actually GOOD at what they did before infuriating the fans. I would say that I own no Capcom games for my Xbox, but that's a lie. Keep in mind you won't see Devil May Cry, because I haven't played any of the games, aside 4. But I will say DMC4 is pretty fun.

#10: Dead Rising (Xbox 360)
Dead Rising is a bit of a sleeper hit for me. I will admit though, the game was quite a lot of fun, because you're trapped in a mall somewhere in Colorado for three days, and it's completely filled with zombies. So what will you do? You FRANK WEST them up, that's what! However, there's a reason it's low on the list: If you're like me, you have a SDTV which the resolution is 480p, tops, so the text is really hard to read. Not to mention that the items are very, VERY flimsy, where just 7 hits, your item breaks. Oh, and what about certain weapons after you use up the corresponding ammo like the golf club? Nope, that breaks too! Also, you MUST progress forward into the story or it's curtains for you. And of course, OTIS FUCKING WASHINGTON.

#9: Mega Man X: Command Mission (Nintendo Gamecube/PlayStation 2)
This game is seriously a lot of fun. While yes, it is the only Mega Man (X) game to ever become a full-on RPG, the cel-shade graphics look pretty in this one. Of course, I was devastated with how X looked, but the cyber-scarf pretty much makes up for it. It was also quite entertaining to see some of the old Mechaniloids from earlier X titles to be given a 3D upgrade as well. The battle system is quite simple and laid out right there for you, you're introduced to Massimo, Marino, Cinnamon, and Spider, while also having Zero and Axl as the main cast of the game. If you have the Gamecube version, you can connect a Game Boy Advance and use it as a radar, to search for hidden tokens. And if you secure a brand new, unopened copy, you're also treated to a Mega Man X card, for use in the short-lived MegaMan.EXE TCG in your deck. A pretty nice bonus, I think. Meanwhile, on the PS2 version, if you also own a copy of Mega Man X8, you get a little bonus from when you're in Optic Sunflower's stage; you get to fight CUT MAN! Yes, the same Cutman from Megaman 1.

#8: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 3: Trials & Tribulations (Nintendo DS)
At first, I was a bit skeptical about how the series would unfold, due to my hatred for most lawyers, until a friend suggested I give the game a try. I was hooked when I began playing Justice For All, finished it, nabbed the first copy, played it all. Actually, I own all five localised games now, and it's a shame that Capcom had to end the series completely by disappointing their entire fanbase by saying they will not localise Gyakuten Kenji 2. I guess that means the last case in Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations will never be solved. So why did I pick Ace Attorney 3? Five new cases, you're introduced to Prosecutor Godot (17 Cups, Mr. Trite), and as a minor spoiler alert, you get the first taste of playing as Edgeworth! It's one of the most fun games in the series, for sure.

#7: Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (Nintendo Wii)
I'm definitely a big fan when it comes to rail shooters, and games like Time Crisis 4, House of the Dead Overkill, and of course, RE: Umbrella Chronicles are definitely no exceptions to this. While yes, this is a rail-shooter version of Resident Evil Zero to 3, I could really care less, because as I said, I love rail shooters, and no one will change my mind about that. Throw in some zombies for me to shoot at on screen, and we're golden. Of course, there is one Resident Evil game I like way better, so keep reading the list!
...Actually, I'd love to see Left 4 Dead as a rail shooter, come to think of it.

#6: Mega Man Starforce 2: Zerker X Saurian/Ninja (Nintendo DS)
When I first heard about Mega Man Starforce coming to the Nintendo DS and telling us the battle system would be different than on Battle Network, I wanted to give this game a try. And wow, I'm impressed. The music in 2 is way better, definitely, and I can say that Geo has become more outgoing ever since Omega-Xis entered his life, after initially developing a tough-as-nails friendship bond between him and Geo while having apparent knowledge of Kelvin Stelar's fate on the galactic spaceship called "Peace". It's too bad the series didn't take a strong hold to warrant a fourth game in the series. I think with the way things are going right now, it's probably best to leave it be for now.

#5: MegaMan Battle Network 3: Blue/White Version (Game Boy Advance)
When Capcom first brought Mega Man Battle Network over to North America, I grew curious as to how different Mega Man would look. Somehow, I became hooked to the series almost right away, liking how different and slim Mega Man looks, versus the armour I see in Classic, X, and Legends. Not entirely sure what others have a beef with this Mega Man, to be honest, but I can say this series has lasted long enough to spawn 6 in the pipeline (7 if you count BattleChip Challenge, but that's a failed game) and started having versions as of BN3. I had more fun playing 3 than I did playing the rest. 6 was decent enough, though!

#4: Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3/PC)
When I first heard Resident Evil is coming back, and to be on the Xbox 360, I jumped on it to see the trailers on GT, and surely enough, it looked amazing. Unfortunately, I've also noticed a lot of controversy over the game, with folks and activists calling out against Capcom for possible "racism", as a white guy (Chris Redfield) is in Africa, shooting ZOMBIES. Black ones, no less! Yes, we know Capcom (and sometimes Japan) can be xenophobic, but to call them out like that only proves how much of a whipped pussy you really are. Call me racist, but I see nothing wrong with shooting zombies that are apparently wanting to kill me and transfer either the T-Virus, Progenitor Virus, or Las Plagas into me. Why should the colour on the skin matter? I don't give a damn, I love this game, and if you don't like it, then don't play it. Simple as that.

#3: Mega Man 2 (NES/PS2/Xbox/GCN)
Easily handed down as the best Mega Man game in the series, I can see why. Mega Man 2 is loads of fun. 8 brand new Robot Masters attempting to take over the world for Dr. Wily, and only the Blue Bomber can stop him! You use pre-Rush items (then called Item-1-2-3) to get through difficult travel points, then when you come face-to-face with Dr. Wily, it's time to put him into his place. The music is awesome, the graphics, though simple, look great, and the difficulty level is just right. This is a good example of how good the Mega Man games were before 5 and 10 came out.

#2: Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X (PSP)
Here it is, the only PSP title to make it on a Top 10, Maverick Hunter X! This is an amazing remake of the original Mega Man X that first came on the Super Nintendo, and anyone who owns a PSP has to have this game. So why does it rock? The remastered music, levels, characters, Sigma's levels are completely revamped, and of course, you can also re-visit the intro stage if you want! And, you also get to unlock Vile and play as him, too. You can also defeat him in the intro stage, versus in X, you just take hits until your health is low. I also recommend picking up Mega Man: Powered Up on the PSP, too. :D

#1: The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Game Boy Advance/Nintendo 3DS)
I'm sure you're wondering why a Zelda game is on this list. The reason is simple: It was actually developed by Capcom, and the same applies for The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Ages, so technically, it's a Capcom game as well! As everyone knows the same plotline, Zelda is under attack by an evil force and Link has to save her. Except this time, she's been turned into stone, and the main villain is Vaati instead of Ganondorf! It's fairly easy to get lost in Hyrule much of the time, and collecting items is pretty scarce in most places. But you also get to use Kinstones, which unlock certain parts around Hyrule (or summon an enemy) when fused correctly. Whether you're a 3DS Ambassador or you own a copy on the GBA, it's still a fun Zelda game to this day, but my heart will always count on Ocarina of Time, as it is the most beloved Zelda adventure of all time.

First off, HOLY CRAP SOMETHING POSTED HERE LOL. Normally I'd journal my thoughts onto FA only and that I mainly lurk around LJ (mostly in the Artists Beware Community or FurCon Community as well), but seeing this video on YouTube has made me decide to cross-post this video onto many sites I normally hang out at. Even though I have a feeling that the chances of SOPA failing are high, we need to ensure that the chances of SOPA failing is 100%. Not 99.9%, not even 95%, we need a full 100. Don't stop there to think about posting it. No second thoughts, third thoughts. JUST DO IT. (Nike)

As a Canadian, I strongly oppose the law, because if bad shit like this comes into effect in the US, Canada will also feel the bite coming from them in a few weeks, if not a few DAYS. This law will affect not just all of North America, but it will affect the entire WORLD. Many of your favourite websites will shut down because of this law, video game companies will feel the absolute sting, Netflix (lulz) will go out of business... hell, even your favourite restaurant as well! You wouldn't even be able to watch something like MythBusters without some third-rate lawyer trying to slip his hand into your back pocket when you're not looking. Stop SOPA now and share this video everywhere you possibly can!

Tags: stop sopa
Current Location: Canada, Coquitlam
Current Mood: determined
Current Music: None

( You are about to view content that may only be appropriate for adults. )

Tags: valentine's day
Current Mood: annoyed
Current Music: Anamanaguchi - Flora/Fauna

As many of you may or may not be aware of, Canada, much like the United States, has its own Governor of each province, or rather, better known as Premier. Each Premier is assigned to perform what's best for the province.

However, one province is suffering quite heavily right now. British Columbia. My home province.

As you know, our current Premier is BC Liberal leader Gordon Campbell, or better known as SCAMbell, who is, right now, serving a third term, from 2009-2013, meaning he has been in office since 2001. When I heard he had gotten re-elected for a third term to fuck BC in its entirety, I was powerfully shocked, and not in any way too happy. I was so pissed off that I wanted to strangle a bunny until its FUCKING EYES POP OUT FROM ITS GOD DAMN SKULL. I'm sure a vast number of you Americans have heard me (and perhaps a few others) ranting about this guy in various areas, whether it's a visit to a furmeet in Washington, or at a fur convention, like FC2010, for example.

In BC, we currently have two taxes, the GST and the PST. PST refers to as Provincial Sales Tax, which is 7%, and the GST, Government Sales Tax, is 5%. This new tax, HST, or Harmonic Sales Tax, will merge those two as one and charge us a blistering 12% tax on literally everything we buy that is not exempt from PST. Many people refer the HST to as the Harper Sales Tax, or as the Vancouver Sun once put it, Horse Shit Tax. It was originally suggested by Prime Minister (our version of the president of the US) Stephen Harper, of which the HST will be in effect in the province of Ontario as well, on July 1, 2010. BC is set to have it in effect at the same time, on the same fucking date. A few provinces, like Alberta, does not use the PST, only GST. Just like a few states, like Oregon, does not use the State Sales Tax (SST, perhaps?), just GST.

Let me bring up a point that British Columbia does not have a very good reputation right now, as we're the laughing stock of the entire country itself. We're even being laughed at by fucking Quebec! And when a pretentious douchebaggery province like the french-speaking Quebec (No offense to any furs from there, by the way) is laughing at us, you know something is seriously fucked up in today's world.

Here's why. First, BC has the highest child poverty rate, and it has been six years running, next to Manitoba and Saskatchewan. As much as I despise kids, it's still a bit frightening to know about these statistics. Second, it is also the lowest minimum-wage paying province, which is $8.00 per hour, and Nunavut is ranked as the highest minimum-wage paying, well, Territory, at $10.00 per hour. And third, we're also the highest cost-of-living province, especially if you live in Vancouver. The 2010 Winter Games certainly didn't help any, that's for sure. Not to mention our gas is over $1.10CDN per litre, which equals more than $4.00 per US gallon (3.78L). And they wonder why the US complains that BC's gas is too expensive... if anyone remembers that gas prices fluctuated so much in 2008, with prices striking more than $1.50CDN per litre, which is $5.67 per US gallon in the summertime. To which I say... Jesus titty-motherfucking Christ!

Campbell has done so much to the province that he is, quite literally, siphoning its provincial economy dry. The final nail on his coffin is enacting the HST, and we all know that he's proclaiming himself King of BC while laughing at us poor people who are still trying to make ends meet. So he has, once again, fucked us all over, including the very supporters who voted for him. He's also not doing jack shit to solve the problems BC is suffering, such as the homelessness problem, and is just tacking more problems on top of those problems than needed. There are far more taxes and charges than necessary in BC, and the very last thing we need is a merged tax that would empty our pockets faster than paying a hooker for a pitty fuck in a dark alley somewhere in Vancouver.

Last weekend, when I was paying a visit to my grandparents in Sechelt (you take a ferry boat from North Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay to Langdale and then take a 30-minute drive past Gibsons to get there), my grandfather, who happens to be a Liberal (actually, my entire family tree is), and has pointed out about some fliers put up around town, which read "Recall SCAMbell", and it smacked my mentality a bit, knowing there are people in Sechelt who are especially pissed off at the way Campbell's running the show. I wanted to grab a flier from a post so I could make copies and hand them out, but because I was on a tight schedule, I was unable to obtain one. Believe me, it also made me chuckle a little bit as well, and quickly approved of it. If someone in Sechelt reads this journal, please, send me a "Recall SCAMbell" flier my way to Coquitlam, I would be very grateful if you did, and I could make as many copies as possible, handing them out to random passers-by, while I'm at work.

Speaking of work, I should mention I work part-time at a fast food place known as Church's Chicken, and I'm being paid $8.50 per hour, which is barely over minimum wage. Granted, it's not the wage I want, but I gotta live with it. Sure, the pay is lousy, but you can't beat the traveling opportunities, that's for sure. And fast food places are very flexible when it comes to travel these days, and I love it. That's why I'm sticking around in the fast food world. Plus I get discounts for their overpriced food, and that I also enjoy too.

So this is Mikau Seafox of LiveJournal.com and FurAffinity.net, saying that Jesus, BC really needs a lot of help at this very point, and there isn't much we can do about it except vote Campbell out of the office once 2013 comes around. But I don't think that there will be many citizens left, as they'll be leaving BC slowly for Alberta, Alaska, and Washington. And when that happens, Campbell will be the ultimate loser.

Tags: british columbia, gordon campbell, gst, hst, politics, pst, scambell, taxes
Current Mood: aggravated

If you recall a previous Top Ten video made by ScrewAttack on GameTrailers in 2008, Stuttering Craig made a video for the best of the best First-Person Shooter games of all time. Of course, there are more FPS games today now, and many of us are very appreciative about it. I'm a registered G1 myself, but I've decided to make my own personal list of the best FPS games in the world of gaming. There may be times where I can cover other Top Ten lists as well in addition to my rants. So let's get started, shall we?

#10: Duke Nukem 3D - PC, Xbox Live Arcade, Nintendo 64
You may be asking yourself, "Why is this game low on the list?" Well, it's clear that nothing starts off a Top Ten list like one of the coolest characters in gaming history. Duke Nukem 3D is hard as hell, and seeing the port for the N64 just made the game even more fun and zany, named Duke Nukem 64. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Duke Nukem... but let me ask you this... did we ever see Duke Nukem Forever on gaming shelves? No. The game had been in development for over 12 years, and had ranked high on Craig's list for Top Ten Biggest Busts in Gaming. Duke Nukem became low on the list for that very reason.

#9: Portal - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
An absolute masterpiece of an FPS, Portal gave gamers a mix of both FPS and Puzzle, and it was clear to me that this had to be on the list. It was first released with The Orange Box that contains Half-Life 2, Episodes 1 and 2, Team Fortress 2, and of course, Portal itself. While we still can't escape the grasping concept of "the cake is a lie", what we do know is that Portal itself is still a beautiful, sublime game, from start to end. Short, yes, but still fun.

#8: Metroid Prime - Gamecube, Wii
I'll admit, when I first heard about Metroid Prime in an issue of Nintendo Power, I did not expect this to be a First Person Shooter. And when I picked up my controller and started playing it, I was instantly hooked and continued on. It was a lot of fun being able to shoot enemies in lock-on while looking through Samus' visor, and when Prime 2 came out, I was simply addicted. There are four Metroid Prime games in the series, but I give my nod to the first, since it gave us the opportunity to play it through, especially when visiting Tallon IV. Now, if only we can play all Metroid games like this...

#7: Borderlands - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
If you're like me, you know for a fact that you love to do two things: Wasting ammo for no particular reason, and grinding your levels until you know you're strong enough to take on tougher quests. Borderlands became a very hot contender for this one, and I absolutely love this game. The way it plays just draws you in somehow, and looking at the graphics is exactly like what a comic book would be if it was given life. It's very outstanding in itself, even though it has two specific Halo references in it: Throwing grenades with your left hand, and your energy shield once you purchase one. Other than that, Borderlands gets a thumbs up from me.

#6: Quake - Nintendo 64, PC
A popular game when it first came out in 1997, Quake gave us the ability to kick some ass online in PvP servers, and was also later ported onto the N64. I can't think of any other game that spawned their own convention that's still going strong today, can you? Why is this game still popular? Because it's as customizable as it can get. So much so, in fact, that gamers are still making new modded levels and player skins. Truly a trendsetter for FPS games everywhere, many people say this is John Carmack and John Romero's best game.

#5: Perfect Dark - Nintendo 64
Now here's a game that I really like. Perfect Dark gave us lots of guns, yes, but the gadgets alone is what really made this game so great, not to mention how fun and unique it is. It's one of the only FPS games in which you can take multiplayer and give it some chest hair, by playing against CPU bots in free-for-all or team battle. But let's face it, there's one gun that many of us can easily agree upon that we love about Perfect Dark... the Laptop Gun. One of the most powerful machine guns in gaming history, it has two great uses: You can use it as your own weapon, or you can set it up on any surface and ambush some unlucky opponents who happen to come by its way.

#4: Left 4 Dead 2 - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Everyone loves shooting hordes and hordes of zombies, that there is a very well-known fact. What could make shooting zombies even more fun? By playing Team Versus, of course. Four Human Survivors versus four Human Special Infected Zombies. Left 4 Dead gave gamers a very powerful edge when it comes to Zombie Survival Shooters, and creating a bit of a challenge, such as to see how long you can last before they turn you into zombie brain salad. Left 4 Dead 2 took the concepts of the first and made it even better. There are new Special Infected enemies that are ready to take you down and out. Not to mention new items and new weapons, and of course, the Baseball Bat if you, like me, preordered the game.

#3: Half-Life 2 - Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Let's face it, a day without Gordon Freeman is like a day in Disneyland with all the rides closed down at the same time, and the only thing that's open is a restaurant near Tomorrowland. Half-Life became quite popular for its time and received a very high number of great reviews, and when Half-Life 2 came out, gamers were blown away completely. While the graphics may look a tad generic with stock images and blurry lines when you look at items up very close, we all love Half-Life 2 for one golden reason: The Gravity Gun. I've known people who will not use any other weapon once they got their hands on this baby (except where a rocket launcher is needed to strike down that chopper). It's a very fun weapon to use, especially since you can turn a vast number of small items into fast-flying projectiles of doom, at the speed of sound.

#2: Doom & Doom II - PC, Super Nintendo, Game Boy Advance
This is exactly what classic FPS gaming is all about. Utilizing the controls of old, the first two Doom games defined classic First Person Shooting, and still remains so even today. This was also one of the first FPS games that allowed multiplayer from PC to PC, though it was on a modem line. But, I digress. 16 years had passed since Doom first came out, and I still love every last second of it.

#1: 007: Goldeneye - Nintendo 64
So, how can you top Doom and Doom II easily? Simple. With this game. Goldeneye is what many gamers consider to be the best FPS game of all time, and I dare not argue with them on that. I love this game so much. It's very well done, has an outstanding storyline, and of course, there are many cheats and modes to kick other player's asses around with. Absolutely sublime from start to finish, this game is very nearly perfectly well-balanced... with the exception of that little short bastard, Oddjob. Playing as him became strictly forbidden in many tournaments, and I can easily see why. He's pretty short, and even more shorter when squatting. Nowadays, there's a mod available for Steam that's been given a huge upgrade, known as Goldeneye Source. Even though it's PvP only, the mod itself is absolutely outstanding. Even the music, too!

( You are about to view content that may not be appropriate for minors. )

Current Location: Canada,

Okay, yes, I know it's a late entry to be posting this about FC, but sue me, because I haven't used LJ very much, except to keep track of friends. :P Anyway, yes, it was a blastin' great con, there were a lot of things to do, the staff was nice, and I got to meet with a bunch of friends and hung out with a lot of other people, although one person did say that meeting me was the worst day of his life, and yet I'm confused about that. My guess was probably because I was drunk. Who knows. Either way, Toby, if you're reading this, if you think meeting me was the worst day of your life, that's your choice. Don't hang out with me if you still want to see me as an arrogant dick because I don't want to accept the fact that I hang out with people who think this way. And if you're going to Anthrocon, you might want to stay home because I'm going. So there.

Anyway, with that out of the way, let's go with the journal, shall we? Oh, and a warning, this will be a big journal.

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ROADTRIP - Jan. 16: I arrived at Trapa's around 3PM as I want to be early and to make sure I get one of the best spots. I was one of the first people to pay for the road trip, which was $150CDN (although I could pay more, personally). Around then, Furgeta and Ravenwood were already there, as well as perhaps another fur, but I can't remember who it was. Anyway, later on some of us stepped out to get a few things, and by the time we returned, I found that Orka arrived, and Trapa was wrapping him tightly with tape, and then later on started putting labels marked "TRAPA" (www.trapa.ca) all over him. I took a photo of that, and it seemed funny at the time. It wasn't until midnight that I fell asleep while listening to 2 Sense.

ROAD TRIP 1 - Jan. 17: The next morning, I woke up at 7:30AM, and later learned that some people went out to pick up the four vans to which they rented, but we ran into some delays, which was the first of the many delays we had on our way to FC. That delay was because there were tire problems, and had to gt another tire, or so it seems. However, when they arrived, we started moving our stuff down to the parking lot and as soon as everything was packed and ready to go, we hopped in the vans and began our journey, which began at 11AM. We picked up a few things from the gas station not too far away, and then we really drove off on the road. From there, we arrived at the border, and shortly after we left, I decided to give Teddy Pawpad a call and said that we were on our way and will be arriving around 12 noon the next day. Our first checkpoint after we crossed the border was Wal-Mart, to exchange vans and seating arrangements (I was with Ravenwood, Trapa and Loial) and to grab a few things. Later, I sat in the silver van with Kaji, Kae Cyphet and Qmick Husky (Kae's from Seattle, for those who don't know), and thus we continued on the journey. We went to a family country restaurant around 8PM, somewhere between Washington and Oregon to fill up on food and drinks, and then continued on. At that point, despite previous checkpoints I should have taken, this is where I first started taking photos, and I took a couple where Davecko was being the silly fox he is. We arrived in Oregon around 9-10PM, and at that point, I fell asleep, until we started stopping at other checkpoints. I stayed up long enough to stock up on a snack and a drink, took a photo, and resumed sleep. It wasn't until 4:30AM that we arrived in California, and we were about 4000 feet up high in elevation, very most likely above sea level. Again, I took more photos of the checkpoints we stopped at. Though I do distinctly remember some of the guys telling us we won't arrive until 9PM because of icy road conditions. I said otherwise and that we shouldn't worry too much, even though the temperature was below freezing, and that we will arrive around 11AM-12PM. Somehow, I took it like a prediction.

DAY 1 - Jan 18: We arrived in California at 4:30AM. Gathered up some food at another gas stop and continued on. While on the road on the way to San Jose, around 9AM, we stopped at another restaurant to get some food in our tummies before moving on to San Jose. When we left, Qmick and I spotted what would mark as our first view of a palm tree, which was in the middle of nowhere. We took a photo of it. And thus we traveled on. At 10AM, we finally made it to San Jose, and at that point, I was so stoked and couldn't wait to get out of the van. It was around 11-11:30AM that we finally made it to the Doubletree Hotel. My prediction was right, and I felt pleased about it too. After we got our designated hotel rooms, we grabbed our stuff and moved it all in the rooms we were assigned to and relaxed. Registration wasn't open yet, though, so I decided to take the time to explore around the hotel and the entire convention area to see which rooms took place and where, as well as grabbing some food because I grew hungry. But while I was exploring around, I met Colt, a friend of mine, who started groping my butt, making me squeak, and normally foxes don't squeak, but she managed to do it somehow. By the time 5PM rolled around, people were lining up for registration and I grabbed a spot at that time too. It was pretty long, and it took a whole lot of us 2 and a half hours (for some it's longer) and we finally managed to get our conbadges in our stiff, dead paws. My legs were pretty tired after all that standing, so I said to myself "Finally, I got registered, my legs are tired. Fuck it, I'm going to the bar!" My ex-boyfriend Luke Snowcat was there at the con, as well as few of his friends, but by the time I came to the bar, he and Chris (Darkwolf) were already drunk. Soon after, I was drunk as well. I had three Long Island Ice Teas, a Sex On The Beach, a Heineken, and a couple of other drinks. I wandered aimlessly around the con, staggering like that shopkeeper in Fable while escorting the drunk boys to my room, as they needed a place to stay. From the bar, though, I've met a fur, a fennec fox, named Jaspian, whom had given me and Luke an open invitation to a room party on the second floor, titled the Frozen Oasis. And I marked a promise that I would be there.

DAY 2 - Jan. 19: The real fun begins. Many of us lined up for the Dealer's Den and when it opened around 11, we got in there pretty fast. I wandered about, looking at all the tables that were there, commissioning conbadges at the drop of a hat. Although there were plenty of artists, I've also noticed that some of the tables were empty, one reason being that because there are artists on the way that haven't arrived yet. So I thought to myself "They're late, that's okay, I'll try again later." And so they arrived, and everything ran smoothly. It's great to see that most of these artists recognize me from Conifur, which is obvious, because I was wearing the conbadges from 2005. I just felt worlds better because of it. Later in the day, I felt that time had moved forward really fast in less than an hour, and it was 6PM before I knew what hit me. So I had supper, then later returned to my room for a while to take a break, as The Frozen Oasis didn't start until 9:30. When it did, I was right there in front and went in for a few drinks. Around then, I was pretty half-drunk when I staggered into the Blackhole, a Klingon party room, and there I had some pretty strong drinks, called a Combat Cocktail. I had three of these drinks, and was very hammered after the third. I stumbled back to my room, and had to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately I didn't make it to the toilet in time and barfed all over the bathroom floor, cursing the Porcelain God for being so far away when I needed him the most. And this was from my roommate's POV (Point of View). I didn't remember much else, except I flopped right on my bed, passing out.

(More to come and will be updated later on, so stay tuned! Comments disabled until the full post.)