Mephit Fur Meet 2008 Labor Day Weekend, Memphis, TN

Having attended furry cons for more than a decade now, I've learned some do's and don'ts about furry cons. I figured I'd share a little advice while it's late (early, whatever) and I have some spare time.

PROVISO: All opinions expressed in this poll are just that, opinions.

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Furry cons are meant to be a good time for all, but there are certain do's and don'ts that you can obey to make them that much more enjoyable for you and everyone around you. What follows is a small selection of those guidelines.

Written by Istanbul. All rights worth an imp's fart.

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DO finalize plans one month or so before the con.
- Nothing's worse than realizing at the last minute that you can't get time off for the con, or that you can't afford it, or that you can't go for some other reason. Now is a very good time to ask for that time off at your job, look at your financial situation, and get all your ducks in a row.

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DON'T go to the con thinking 'Oh, I'll just find crash space in a room
somewhere'.
- Yes, maybe you will. But maybe you won't. And if you don't, you're left hanging out in the hotel lobby at all hours with nowhere to stash your stuff, and the hotel staff tends not to appreciate that sort of thing. Plan
for a room situation as much as humanly (or whatever) possible!

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DO call the hotel one week or so before the con and make sure your
reservations are good.
- Trust me when I tell you this: getting to the con and discovering that
your room is gone is NO picnic. Be sure to confirm your reservations well
in advance; one week may not be enough, even, so do what you feel comfortable with. Remember that there's no such thing as too sure.

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DON'T go to the con broke, expecting others to pay your way.
- We're a community, but a leech is still a leech, and expecting others to buy you food and give you a place to sleep and a lift home without asking is a good way to set yourself up for disappointment, or even a tragedy.

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DO treat your hotel room with consideration.
- Remember, other people have to use it after you, and the hotel staff has to come in and clean up every day. Don't leave things lying around that you wouldn't want to find that others had left. Unmade bed - okay. Broken lamp - not okay.

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DON'T forget that everyone else is there to have fun too.
- Yes, you may be having the time of your life, running up and down the
halls and screaming bloody murder at the top of your lungs. But other people are likely to find it annoying, including the hotel staff, and that's *bad*. Keep it down to a dull roar, don't break things or mess them up too badly, and we'll be welcome back year after year.

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DO remember to shower every day!
- Furry cons are a sweaty experience. Lots of people often packed into a small space, plenty of body heat, and frequently warmer clothes than are warranted. (You Northern furs know what I'm talking about.) If you don't shower, you begin to stink, deodorant or no. If you stink, you are
unpleasant to be around, and make the MFM experience less pleasurable for yourself and others. Also, showering removes the germs from your body that cause and spread disease. If everyone took good care of their hygiene needs, there'd be a lot less post-con sickness.

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DON'T forget that you (probably) aren't rooming alone!
- Don't use all of the towels when you shower every day. If you must sneak in at all hours, try to be quiet about it. Remember, a difficult roommate can be a real problem, and prevent one from enjoying the meet.

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DO be considerate of the attending artists!
- Remember that the artists are people too, and just like you, they're
there to have a good time with like-minded people. They aren't your art
slaves, they aren't obligated to take commissions or do sketches, and
they're due the same respect and tolerance that you would demand.

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DON'T be a shut-in!
- MFM is all about socialization and meeting people. Sure, checking in at
the internet room every once in a while is normal, and even a good idea in the wee hours if you can't sleep. But I've seen people spend the entire con there, and I just have to wonder...why waste the money to do what you can do at home? Come out and meet us, we won't bite (okay, I won't bite)!

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DO remember to pack the following things:

1. At least 3 FULL changes of clothes, including top, bottom, underwear,
socks, the works.
- Trust me, experience has taught me that you're going to want to change your clothes every day. Furry cons are often crowded and hot despite their best efforts, and you're *going* to sweat. I personally bring 4 full changes, just in case...and I usually end up needing all 4.

2. Deodorant.
- Please, PLEASE pack and use deodorant. Nothing's worse than some big sweaty dude rollin' up beside you and making you wheeze and asphyxiate because he smells like he hasn't showered, ever. CAVEAT: Deodorant is not, I repeat, NOT a substitute for showering!

3. Toiletries.
- This includes a brush/comb, razor (if you shave), toothbrush/toothpaste, and other personal necessities. Being at a con is no excuse to neglect ourself or your hygiene. Make the con that much more beautiful. :)

4. Medication.
- If you take some sort of medication on a regular basis, bring it with you! MFM doesn't stop time while it goes on, and if you take
Ritalin/Prozac/Zoloft/whatever, you need to keep it with you, lest you
experience problems related to whatever you were taking medication for.

5. Things to entertain you on your trip!
- Unless you're lucky enough to actually live in Tennessee, you've probably got a voyage ahead of you, even if it's via plane. I know that I'm going to be carpooling from Dallas, and it's an eight-hour drive. I intend to pack music, a GameBoy DS, my Lappy, a snack, a drink, and assorted other goodies to see me through. Regardless of where you're coming from, it's probably for the best if you do likewise.

6. Any incidentals.
- For example, I know that some of the MFM-goers play Magic, so I'm going to pack my decks. (If one of you is reading this, bring your stuff!) I also plan to be buying prints, so I'll be bringing my notebook in which to put them. Bring anything you think you might want or need; once you're away from home, it's probably too late to go back and get them!

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DON'T pack the following things:

1. Guns/knives.
- Nothing will get us thrown out of the hotel and/or possibly arrested than having some kind of weapon on us. I know, I know, you've got that Bowie knife your dad gave you when you were four, and you never let it go. Well, give it a try. I've seen people kicked out for that sort of thing.
1a. Toy guns/knives.
- If it looks like it could be the real thing, it may very well be dealt
with as such. Don't risk it!

2. Drugs.
- You like to get high at home? Fine, whatever. Enjoy. Just don't bring it
to MFM, or you could mess things up for everyone, not just yourself. Imagine the convention being cancelled, and several hundred furs shooting you the evil eye. Not MY idea of a good time, I can tell you that.

3. Pillows.
- Nothing will take up room like pillows. I know they're light, and I know your pillows are easier to sleep on...but you're better off using the space for other things, believe me. If you absolutely must bring one pillow, that's fine, but leave enough room for your other stuff!

4. Anything that can easily spill or be crushed.
- If you pack it, and it can spill or be crushed, it will be. It's
positively uncanny. I've seen peoples' entire stocks of art supplies ruined in this way. If you have something delicate, keep it with you at all times! That way, you'll know it's being taken care of.

5. Anything very expensive/irreplacable.
- I know you like your roommate. I know you think you can trust him. But your roommate may be completely trustworthy...UNTIL there's a $500 set of earrings on the nightstand table that could easily vanish, then he caves faster than a badly-made souffle'. The hotel DOES NOT have safe-deposit boxes, so keep this in mind when deciding what to bring!

6. Enough to fill your suitcase!
- Remember that, generally speaking, you'll leave the con with less money and more stuff than you had when you got there. Take that into account! Learn from my first experience; packing your suitcase full can necessitate bending or even breaking some things in order to squeeze in the stuff you got while you were there. (After my first con, I had to come home and buy a whole new set of toiletries. Weak!)

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DO be respectful of the con staff!
- Remember, these are people who work all year to put on the best con they possibly can. And, if this year is anything like the last, they do an
AMAZING job. Getting furs to work together is like herding cats. Big,
psychotic cats. Be tolerant with anything that may come up, and trust me, that's the only thing that's reliable at a furry con: something unexpected will happen *every single time*, without fail!

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DON'T give the hotel a hard time!
- You're a fur. You're wacky. Now, multiply that by several HUNDRED, and realize that the hotel is housing the lot of you all at the same time. Just
like the con staff, they're doing their best to make sure the time you have is a pleasant one; don't make them regret ever booking us.

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DO print out this list!
- It makes for a great checklist!

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DON'T be too shy to add something to it!
- The more, the merrier!