Confurence Reports, a RUMOR and an Opinion
Mike and Carole
Hi, everyone --
When preparing for CF, I packed light, as I didn't expect us to sell much.
Good thing, too.
When we called to confirm our flights the day before, I got a shock.
Formerly we could pack our plastic carrier full up to 70 pounds of comics.
They've reduced that to 50 pounds per package.
THAT is going to play hell when we prepare for Further Confusion and
Anthrocon. The plastics are half full at 40 pounds, which means, on those
cons, no suitcases, just plastics. It also means, if this is a trend with
the airlines, we'll be looking a lot harder at attending cons.
We had already decided this was to be out last Confurence, and of course
this didn't help. It's a big gripe of mine that the airlines are raising
prices and cutting amenities. Too many times, we're stuck on a plane and
they rarely serve meals on long flights. Plus, there's not time enough
between flights to get anything either. This is a big pain with my
hypoglycemia.
In this case, it added up to us eating at the hotel for the first and only
time. Terrible food, overpriced.
Carole was wiped out by the trip (both of us were) but I waited in the lobby
for Joe Staton. He'd never been to a furry con, and I promised I would be
there. I told him to look for a fellow in a Superman shirt, and he said
he's be wearing a Scooby Doo hat. We hadn't physically met since the mid
1980's so this was nice.
His wife Hilarie had already come to the area and they joined us in our room
later after Joe had a nap. She's really nice, and from the area. She would
be our guide for the important expedition the next morning. Steve Corbett
came in with a cooler and our list of requested groceries and met them.
Friday, we all went to a Denny's for breakfast, then off to 1579 Benedict
Canyon Road for a pilgrimage to George Reeves' house. I was so nervous as
we got closer, that my palms started sweating. (They never do that).
Finally we made it to the road, a two lane twisting one up and down the
hill.
We got there, and Hilarie found a small drive nearby to park in. Joe and I
posed in front of the house, pointing "Look! Up in the sky!" briefly. I
can't believe how SMALL the place was! This picture and one of Joe and Ed
will go on the back of BY GEORGE! the vanity press project we are doing
together.
I set up fairly late Friday morning, but was still done in time. All the
guests of honor had tables outside in the "artist's alley" and I learned
that we had THREE rather than the two we paid for. So we donated one of
ours to Joe.
Got a look at the con booklet, and Darrel announced this would be the last
CF. So we didn't have to worry about missing it next year, or paying for
tables.
Met with Fred Patten regarding the FURRY FANDOM one shot book, as well as
FOUR FOOTED FURRIES. I also got him to autograph his picture in GOLDEN AGE
OF COMIC FANDOM as the Golden Age Flash. Joe was happy to learn he actually
knew a lot of people in our fandom.
Friday was VERY quiet, several tables in the Dealer's Room empty. Charles
Gray and Ed Garcia showed up. Charles had especially been looking forward
to meeting Joe. As it turned out, they had Joe scheduled for a panel on
pencilling, inking etc. on Saturday and he had no idea of it and hence had
not brought inking material. Ed volunteered to bring him some, and Joe
asked him to participate in the panel.
Gary Akins gave me a present that thrilled me, primarily since I had never
heard of it!
THE HISTORY OF SUPERMAN, a record album distributed to radio stations for
SUPERMAN 2 detailing the history of the character. Can't wait to listen to
it.
Friday was slow, but we had hopes that Saturday would be better.
Then, breaking every rule of conventions, Saturday was slower than Friday.
Sarah Wheeler came up, grinning sheepishly and I made room for her at our
table.
Later on I had a chance to check out the Art show. Rather sparse, and Sarah
pointed out how few bids there were. I suggested that the art show could
have a furry mascot character, SIR LACKABID.
Then came the news that the MAN SHOW and the JIMMY KIMMEL show would be
filming.
This has been discussed a lot on aff, but here's a report on what happened.
Just what you'd expect. Lots of staged events for the camera.
I told Ed that they wouldn't film us as we were too dull. I was right, as
they came in and did one dealer, and then left quickly.
Saturday night came and went. Sunday I expected to be dull as dishwater.
But business picked up.
One special thing that happened was that a lady came in with an autograph
book for her 11 year old daughter. Ed, Joe and I drew in it, and we got
Groat to do so as well. While he was sketching, the lady said it was too
bad that this was the last Confurence, as she had a name for it.
FURMAGEDDON. And Jim's eyes lit up....
A good time was had by all except the bankbook.
Now then, a rumor came went across the convention with the news of the
filming. REMEMBER, THIS IS A RUMOR.
RUMOR:
The hotel was unhappy since the room block was not filled up by the
attendance, and since they would make a fat fee from the place being used as
a film location, they pressured Darrel to allow the filming.
IF THIS RUMOR IS TRUE, I can understand what happened. We all leave the
hotel after the con, but Darrel is left holding the bill bag. I would do
the same, although I did hate this particular media being there.
Like it was pointed out in another post, NOBODY takes THE MAN SHOW seriously
anyway.
Mike
Dale Farmer
Mike and Carole wrote:
> Hi, everyone --
>
> When preparing for CF, I packed light, as I didn't expect us to sell much.
> Good thing, too.
>
> When we called to confirm our flights the day before, I got a shock.
>
> Formerly we could pack our plastic carrier full up to 70 pounds of comics.
> They've reduced that to 50 pounds per package.
>
> THAT is going to play hell when we prepare for Further Confusion and
> Anthrocon. The plastics are half full at 40 pounds, which means, on those
> cons, no suitcases, just plastics. It also means, if this is a trend with
> the airlines, we'll be looking a lot harder at attending cons.
For shipping things that are heavy and fairly unbreakable. ( Books and
comic books are ideal for this. ) Look into UPS hundredweight service.
You break your load up into bunches of smaller packages, and then they
are shipped as separate packages but billed as one heavy package by
the pound. Book dealers do this all the time. You just need someone
near your destination who is willing to receive the stuff for you and
hold it until the con. Hotels do provide this service, but they can sock
you with a per package service fee that adds up fast.
Fourth class book rate via the postal service is also an option.
--Dale
RHJunior
> Like it was pointed out in another post, NOBODY takes THE MAN SHOW
seriously
> anyway.
All the more reason to NOT want to appear on it.
My poor mother would have a HEART ATTACK if she saw me on TMS, even in the
background.
--
RHJunior
"What was that sound?"
"A paradigm shifting without a clutch."
-Dilbert
http://home.ntelos.net/~blue27a
http://nipandtuck.keenspace.com
http://UTLT.keenspace.com
http://NPC.keenspace.com
Todd Knarr
> RUMOR:
> The hotel was unhappy since the room block was not filled up by the
> attendance, and since they would make a fat fee from the place being used as
> a film location, they pressured Darrel to allow the filming.
Having worked back-office and front desk at hotels before, it
wouldn't suprise me at all if this were the case. In fact, it
wouldn't suprise me if it were something closer to blackmail
than mere pressuring. Since failing to fill the room block is
a big financial hit for the hotel and a black mark on their
monthly report, even more so lately with travel and occupancy
down across the board, they might very well have seen the filming
as a way to keep their butts out of a sling with corporate HQ
at the expense of a group that wasn't profitable (for the hotel)
and wasn't coming back next year.
--
Innovation is hard to schedule.
-- anon.
Atara
news:zcHra.33$L5...@fe01.atl2.webusenet.com:
> My poor mother would have a HEART ATTACK if she saw me on TMS, even in
> the background.
Your mother watches The Man Show?
--
Atara
"Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus."
http://www.FurNation.com/Atara/
***What doesn't fit in my email addy? NADA.***
Samantha Ann Patterson
(NOTE: This post is completely ficticious. It was just too much of a
good straight line to let pass. :)
In article <Xns936D4C9CB84C4...@209.172.108.171>,
Darrel L. Exline
> filming. REMEMBER, THIS IS A RUMOR.
>
> RUMOR:
>
> The hotel was unhappy since the room block was not filled up by the
> attendance, and since they would make a fat fee from the place being used as
> a film location, they pressured Darrel to allow the filming.
>
That is indeed a false rumor. The hotel was not unhappy until I
exploited a loophole in the contract at the closeout meeting Monday
afternoon (Thank you Bobby Armbruster and Ben Yalow for the advice a few
months ago) and I did not receive any concessions for the media groups
being there.
I was able to drop about $17,000 in meeting space expenses by purchasing
$7,818 worth of additional rooms, saving a net of over 9,000 on the
final bill.
I still lost about $4,000 just in at-con expenses, after accounting for
at-con income. I will post a complete accounting as soon as I have the
numbers in order and the books closed on the Hotel, the artshow, the
deadbeat bidders, the checkes have cleared, and the merchant account is
cleared (Amex can take 45 days to clear) but I estimate about $4K in the
hole, not counting the monthly expenses this past year in storage,
merchant account maintenance, publications, and infurnation subscription
fees for members.
--Darrel.
Terry Whittier
news:3EB02DE9...@spamcop.net...
> That is indeed a false rumor. I did not receive any concessions for the
media groups
> being there.
Well, that ugly rumor is put to bed.
> I still lost about $4,000 just in at-con expenses...
I'd very much like to see the accounting, if possible. I'm sure it will be
enlightening. And even entertaining. Too much goes on behind the scenes that
is underappreciated.
Idea -- perhaps someone can get a fund going to help bail out some of the
burden on Darrell -- a "Thanks For All of the Great ConFurences" Fund.
All past attendees of CF chip in $20? And maybe get your name in the honor
rolls of upcoming issue of InFurNation? Maybe even a chance at a drawing for
something neet.
Someone who wants to hold a raffle for such, contact me and I'll chip in
some really nice original Furry art from my collection.
Terry Whittier
And whose pocket did that come out of? Hmmm? That's a big chunk of change. I
hope that wasn't a personal expenditure, Darrell. I hope you are putting
this in the accounting report.
RHJunior
Kimmel there...
Why the hell did you invite them?
M. Mitchell Marmel
"Terry Whittier" <tpuffie...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Idea -- perhaps someone can get a fund going to help bail out some of the
> burden on Darrell -- a "Thanks For All of the Great ConFurences" Fund.
I'm in. Let me know when such a fund gets organized, and I'll kick in a
sawbuck.
-MMM-
Darrel L. Exline
> Idea -- perhaps someone can get a fund going to help bail out some of the
> burden on Darrell -- a "Thanks For All of the Great ConFurences" Fund.
I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm really not looking for handouts.
I wrote a really bad contract for CF12, and found a way to cut my 1-year
losses in 2001 by extending the contract for 2002 and 2003 at a smaller
net loss. I have a 2nd mortgage on my house that I will be paying off
over the next 10 years, reminding me never to do this again, but I have
a good job, and I will survive.
If you want to help, look for the new CF Store online soon. I have a
lot of old stuff to sell off, and it will go cheap.
> All past attendees of CF chip in $20? And maybe get your name in the honor
> rolls of upcoming issue of InFurNation? Maybe even a chance at a drawing for
> something neet.
Actually, that brings up another issue. InFurNation is still the
property of Rod O'Riley, and without CF Memberships paying for
subscriptions, he's going to need direct support to continue publishing
it.
Subscriptions for 3 issues per year is only $5. Look at your last issue
for the mailing address to InFurNation, or go to furrystuff.com for more
info.
It'd be a shame to see that newsletter dissappear.
--Darrel.
Darrel L. Exline
I got to throw Cousin Sal out the door 4 times until it looked good
enough for the cameras.
..and we haven't seen the Man Show yet. If the Daily Show's report on
Gaylaxicon 12 can be used as a template, it might turn out to be a
pretty funny piece, and increase future furry convention attendance like
it did for them.
--Darrel.
Brian W. Antoine
Seconded. Put an announcement here with an obvious subject line.
RHJunior
> ..and we haven't seen the Man Show yet. If the Daily Show's report on
> Gaylaxicon 12 can be used as a template, it might turn out to be a
> pretty funny piece, and increase future furry convention attendance like
> it did for them.
>
> --Darrel.
One TEEEEEEEENY little flaw in that reasoning, Darrel---
Furry Conventions are a FANDOM convention-- not a LIFESTYLE convention. Mark
Merlino's promotion of Confurence as a "lifestyle convention" to the gay
community is what got it into hot water in the first place. Doing that over
again will just turn every convention on the map into flypaper for freaks.
Matt Harpold
"RHJunior" <blu...@ntelos.net> wrote in message
news:FZdsa.11232$xf....@fe01.atl2.webusenet.com...
They already are! Honestly, Norwescon has Further Confusion and Anthroncon
combined beaten hands down for freak-factor, so I really don't understand
what the problem is. And it's a decades old classic sci-fi genre
convention. And I say, let 'em come. I think we need more good natured
freaks, and fewer timid observers. More publicity = more attendance = more
of a market for art, including your stuff and mine. If you want a furry con
to somehow be like some super sedate professional trade show, it's never
ever ever going to happen. There's too many interesting people that attend,
and I say God bless 'em. If nobody's breaking the law, it's fine. Furry
fandom needs a touch less stodgy old comic collector, and a touch more
Burning Man.
-Matt/Turbine
PeterCat
> [...] Honestly, Norwescon has Further Confusion and Anthroncon
> understand what the problem is. And it's a decades old classic
> sci-fi genre convention.
I once heard a hotel staffer for Anthrocon's hotel say, "You guys aren't
nearly as scary as the sci-fi people."
> [...] There's too many interesting people that attend, and I say God
> bless 'em. If nobody's breaking the law, it's fine. Furry fandom
> needs a touch less stodgy old comic collector, and a touch more
> Burning Man.
Whatever happened to Silfur, anyway? He was fun.
--
The Furry InfoPage! http://www.tigerden.com/infopage/furry/
pete...@Furry.fan.org (PeterCat) Rhal on FurryMUCK (come cuddle!)
--
If this helped you, please take the time to rate the value of this post:
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Jim Doolittle
PeterCat <pete...@furry.fan.org> wrote:
> "Matt Harpold" <mhar...@attbi.com> wrote:
> > [...] Honestly, Norwescon has Further Confusion and Anthroncon
> > combined beaten hands down for freak-factor, so I really don't
> > understand what the problem is. And it's a decades old classic
> > sci-fi genre convention.
>
> I once heard a hotel staffer for Anthrocon's hotel say, "You guys aren't
> nearly as scary as the sci-fi people."
Last year, I attended Covergence, an SF convention in Minneapolis the
week before I attended Anthrocon. Similar sized conventions. The
freak-factor at Convergence was an order of magnitude greater than
Anthrocon.
-Jim
M. Mitchell Marmel
> I once heard a hotel staffer for Anthrocon's hotel say, "You guys aren't
> nearly as scary as the sci-fi people."
That would be Philcon, long known for having private bondage room
parties and Diety knows what else...
> Whatever happened to Silfur, anyway? He was fun.
I see 'im at AC, if nowhere else.
-MMM-
Brian Henderson
<dool...@speakeasy.org> wrote:
>Last year, I attended Covergence, an SF convention in Minneapolis the
>week before I attended Anthrocon. Similar sized conventions. The
>freak-factor at Convergence was an order of magnitude greater than
>Anthrocon.
Yeah, and any hotel who has hosted some of the Shriners conventions
will tell you that those are the scariest of all.
Guess those little cars freak some people out. ;)
Dale Farmer
Brian Henderson wrote:
They rarely bring the little cars to their conventions. What they do
bring
are their checkbooks. While they do drink rather to excess, and tend to
trash the hotel, they pay for their damages promptly, and they pay full
price for cheap watered down hotel bar booze. I was a hotel employee
during a shiners convention, and most of the efforts I expended were
to keep them from killing themselves due to their advanced state of
inebriation. ( On one instance, convincing them that the view from the
roof was not as good as the view from the penthouse where they were
having a party. )
--Dale