Anthrocon '99: Looking back on my first con

[giza]

This past weekend was the birthday of my country, the United States of America. It was also significant for me since 5 years ago on July 4th weekend was when I attended Anthrocon '99, my first furry convention. It's been awhile, but I still have some pretty vivid memories about the event. Things like:

• It was the first trip I took outside of Allentown by myself. It's kinda sad, that I was 22 years old and had not yet gone on a trip by myself, but this con rectified that. What's even more amusing is that I originally decided not to go, because I thought that Valley Forge was on the other side of the state. It wasn't until tgeller knocked some sense into me that I realized Valley Forge was just an hour away and decided to attend.

• Staying up Friday night and Saturday night through Sunday morning. About 53 hours in total that I stayed up. I ended up watching the Internet room for Tigerwolf during the night, and was way too hyped up to sleep during the day.

• Attending the panel that justincheetah held on facepainting. That was my first foray into it, and I met some furs that way. I met awolf there, too.

• Discovering that some parties went on into Sunday night, and since Monday was the 4th and I didn't have to work, staying an extra day through Monday.

• Some of the first furry stories I read were those written by Watts Martin. Well, I got quite a surprise when I was standing in the elevator at some point, and saw that he was standing next to me. I think I said something along the lines of, "Holycrapyou'reWattsMartin!", and then jibbered like a fanboy. I'm pretty sure that the rest of the folks in the elevator wished me dead. :-)

• I spent most of Saturday walking around barepawed, after noticing another fur doing it. It was interesting how dirty my feet got from walking that day, and how big the blisters were on my big toes. After popping and bandaging the blisters, I wore my shoes the rest of the con. :-)

• I remember after the masquerade, Torrle was walking around with his really big jaws, and I volunteered to climb in and let him close them down on me. I'm sure that folks took pictures of that little stunt, but I never did get to see them.

Altogether, AC '99 was an amazing experience for me, and it convinced me to go to further furry conventions. I sure have had a lot more fun in my life thanks to furry cons and the people I've met through them, too.

Now I find myself doing some last minute preparation for AC 2004, helping to organize that same convention, and hoping that for people who attend this as their first con, that they have as much fun as I did 5 years ago. It sure is kinda funny how these things work out.

Comments

[furahi.livejournal.com]

Well, I just attended my first furry con, Califur.
I can't say I had that much fun (I mean, not as much as you had), but it did leave me wanting to go to other cons. I'm aiming for Further confusion (05 or 06 as money allows).
Cheers

Five Years

[tiggycat.livejournal.com]

Curious, 5 is my lucky number. This will be my first Furry Con. I look forward to it and hope that I, like you did 5 years ago have a very special experience and that positive furry friends and events will help my life change in a good direction at a time I am looking for positive changes.

Thanks for sharing and see you soon.

[brahma-minotaur.livejournal.com]

Third furry con, but AC '04 will be the first one I'll actually be selling stuff.

I hope I can see you and give out hugs. No shedding, though!

[rorydedog.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how time flies between conventions, I remember my first con also.
I have tons of packing and preparations left before AC, I had spent the last 4 days down near you, I was in Quakertown, shooting their fireworks display.
I look forward to seeing you soon.

First con.

[cjthomas.livejournal.com]

Feral '98, here, and ended up helping with Feral '99 through 2002 as a result (2003 I had a conference that I had to be at that conflicted).

Was quite a bit of a culture shock both going to the con and returning home. Had a wonderful time (wonderful enough that I got to find out about that whole "post-con depression" thing back at work, but definitely worth it).

[silver-huskey.livejournal.com]

Anthrocon will be my first con. I was going to try last year, but I got cold feet at the last minute. *Twitches.* ^^;

[torrle.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure that folks took pictures of that little stunt, but I never did get to see them."

Y'know, I never saw photos of that either. :/ *hugs* Thanks for volunteering, though.

[danruk.livejournal.com]

ConFURence 6 was my first 'major' furry con, as at that point in time there wasn't any such thing as a 'east coast major furry con'.

As you know I've always been involved with Staff even from the very first AC, and I still feel mountains of guilt not being able to attend so-last-minute for AC 2003.

But I anticipate seeing you and lotsa others and helping lots of first timers have a great time too.

Let's make this another great year.

Matt/Danruk

[zenmouse.livejournal.com]

Man, has it been five years? '99 was my first con too...I try not to think about how many times I embarrassed myself.
-
The funniest story is that I volunteered to help 'guard' the entrance to the art show. This was the year it took several hours standing in a room with no air conditioning. After a while, Kage came along to converse with Peter Cat to find out what was going on. I did not know who Kage was. Then he came up to me and asked me to drag him out by his tie because it wasn't fair to cut in line. I was thinking, "Oooookay, who the hell are you anyway." I grab him by the tie and roughly drag him out of the room shouting, "No cutting in line, you think you run this con?" Everyone got a much bigger laugh out of that than I expected, I didn't know why until a year later.

[tgeller.livejournal.com]

It was the first trip I took outside of Allentown by myself...

Man... I didn't realize you were that naive. *g*