[mfm] MFM Important Things to Remember!

[Christopher "Tyger" Roth]

Istanbul posted this a couple years ago and I still think it's awesome!

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 on 
them 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
yourself 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/irreplaceable.
- 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 soufflé'. 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!