diff options
Diffstat (limited to '_drafts')
| -rw-r--r-- | _drafts/convention-report-east-12-2024.md | 221 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 221 deletions
diff --git a/_drafts/convention-report-east-12-2024.md b/_drafts/convention-report-east-12-2024.md deleted file mode 100644 index a2ce047..0000000 --- a/_drafts/convention-report-east-12-2024.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,221 +0,0 @@ ---- -layout: post -title: 'Convention Report: EAST 12 (2024)' -date: 2024-09-01 18:47 +0200 -description: 'My convention report of the furry convention "EAST 12" in 2024' ---- - -It's time for another convention report. -I've been going to the EAST convention since EAST 7 (except EAST 10, which was -canceled due to COVID. Apparently that number was altogether skipped as a -consequence). This years topic was "The 90's and beyond". Being born in 1989, -the theme appealed to me (kinda). - -**Monday, Aug 12 (Day -1): Rerouting / Traveling via…** - -The previous years I've been going by car, i.e. my own. This year, I planned to -go by train, but alas: Deutsche Bahn did some construction work on this track, -so I had to change plans. Furr Shadowwolf was kind and offered me to go with -him, so I went to him the day before Early Arrival - via train. Which was delayed -by about 30 minutes. DB really makes it hard to love them. Anyway, I -enjoyed his hospitality, and had some nice dinner. - -**Tuesday, Aug 13 (Day 0): Early Arrival** - -Somewhat later than planned, but still before midday, the journey started. No -major events, but it was quite warm, the car (which also was on the motor car -show) didn't have an AC - really like back in the 90s :3. This brought back some -memories from my childhood. (Insert some old man ranting "Children these days -don't know how good they have it" here ;) ). With no major events, the -destination Suhl was reached somewhat after noon (I think). - -What's different, this year I didn't reside in the main hotel (Ringberg) but in -the overflow (City Hotel), completely voluntarily. It was clear to me the -moment I heard EAST 12 was gonna be in August. Ringberg doesn't have (regular) -AC'ed rooms, and since sleep is very important to me, I decided for the -"cooler" option. Thankfully, the organization was able to secure a shuttle -service between city hotel and Ringberg, which made things a lot easier. After -having lunch, roaming in the lobby for a bit and registering, I went down (with -the regular bus), and first got myself a nice iced chocolate. - -<img - src="https://pics.uvokchee.de/_data/i/upload/2024/09/04/20240904171911-8af93ef5-me.jpg" - alt="A cup of iced chocolate, nicely decorated with whipped cream and a kind - of cookie." -/> - -Then I continued to check-in the hotel, unpack and have a well-deserved nap. I -don't have any further notes for that day, I think I went back up again for a -few hours. - -I was member of the conops team again, but I scheduled my shifts in the evening -this year. It kinda happened "automatically" since there were little other shifts -left the when I had time to take a look in the planning tool. I didn't miss -anything, so it was alright with me. - -**Wednesday, Aug 14 (Day 1)** - -"Why not do my own panel", was a vague idea I already had a few weeks prior to -the convention. I was kinda hesitant, and also caught in my "everyday routine -and job". On-site panel registrations are possible, so I went and registered -a "tinkering furs meetup" the day before. I was kinda surprised that still quite -some furs showed up, even on such "short notice". The idea was that other -furries could present their projects. I scheduled around 90 minutes, which was -barely enough time. I guess that's not enough for next year if I properly register -this event. Anyways. - -We basically had - -- a working dial-operated telephone (connected to an old Siemens or Nokia mobile - phone, the impulses were converted to inputs to the phone's keypads). You - could make calls and also receive calls with it. -- A very interesting cooling device for making "liquid air", basically. To - roughly quote the maker, "because it's possible". The talk about this device - actually covered quite some time of the event. I mean, it's not every day you - see something like this. -- LED balls/cubes. Built using these popular WSxxxx LEDs, to either display - certain patterns, or even react to noises in the surroundings. There were - various variants. If I remember correctly the "structures" themselves were - 3D-printed. - -<a href="https://pics.uvokchee.de/picture.php?/159/category/10"> -<img - src="https://pics.uvokchee.de/_data/i/upload/2024/09/04/20240904171912-c7e539c5-me.jpg" - alt="An apparature including some lamellae surrounded by a metal cage." -/> -</a> - -Earlier, I was also in the games room, where a fellow furry brought a remodeled -slot machine. Yay. Very cool. Also, I met -[Karpour](https://conreports.karpour.net/) and Henrieke there. - -<a href="https://pics.uvokchee.de/picture.php?/161/category/10"> -<img - src="https://pics.uvokchee.de/_data/i/upload/2024/09/04/20240904171913-a78a20ea-me.jpg" - alt='A slot machine (as used in gambling) redesigned with furry pictures, - named "furrymint"' -/> -</a> - -Then there was of course the opening. I remembered wearing ear plugs this year, -and thus could enjoy the show very much, with a very nice light show. -In the evening, we had another nice light show in the sky, made by nature. Played a -round of Uno with some furs, and then I went back to my hotel with the Shuttle. - -<a href="https://pics.uvokchee.de/picture.php?/160/category/10"> -<img - src="https://pics.uvokchee.de/upload/2024/09/04/20240904171913-1493b692.jpg" - alt="Landscape with sky during the late evening, a cloud illuminated by - lightning can be seen." -/> -</a> - -**Thursday, Aug 15 (Day 2)** - -<img - src="https://pics.uvokchee.de/upload/2024/09/04/20240904171914-8c857db5.jpg" - alt="Outside / Barbequeue area, showing 4 banners featuring a skateboarding - lynx, a hyena and a husky playing with two GameBoys, a husky looking - contemplative out of a window, and a dragon flying in the sky." -/> - -I shared a ride with Nox to the Ringberg, who also took me back in the evening, -and then my quest to hug fursuiters and shoot selfies with them began (a -"tradition" that I started at GLC, where it was part of a scavenger hunt). I -also went to the games room again, only to find there was an actual Windows 95 -(?) PC with Moorhuhn running on it. Awesome. I remember I played the "Winter -Edition" as a child. I also briefly went to a balloon panel where I helped -inflating balloons, and finally learned how to properly tie them by hand. Took -some time, and I'm not sure if my fingers will remember the movements for very -long. Luckily, these days there are small machines that help you inflate -balloons, otherwise I would've been out of breath pretty quickly. - -<img - src="https://pics.uvokchee.de/upload/2024/09/04/20240904171913-f8a08967.jpg" - alt="Four inflatable creatures looking out of windows of the hotel." -/> - -Dinner was spent with some other furs, one of them went to my tinkering panel, -talking about their jobs and the technical challenges they solve, which was -pretty darn interesting. - -Reflecting that day, it briefly occurred to me whether I should start tinkering -with GameBoys (as if I didn't already have enough half-started projects…), and -that I need to calm down more (working my conops shift), not to get too… -overzealous? - -**Friday, Aug 16 (Day 3)** - -I had a **very** bad night, probably both because I ate french fries late and I -forgot to take my meds. I didn't need much of a breakfast, still forced something -down. Sadly, I missed the Kaiserschmarrn that way. (But they had it again on -Monday!). Even if I didn't eat much, I had a nice talk with Elenir and Shippo. - -<img - src="https://pics.uvokchee.de/_data/i/upload/2024/09/04/20240904171914-b3b2101a-me.jpg" - alt='A poster showing a boyband, the "Barkstreet Boys" featuring staff - members.' -/> - -Back at the Ringberg, I played a round of "Exploding Kittens", I think we were -seven or eight furs playing together? That took quite some time, but was funny. -There was also a behind-the-scenes tour by the stage team (which was kinda -mind-blowing, when you think of the money, time and energy that goes into it). I -have some photos I took for myself, but as I'm not sure what I can show. -This was also the day of the dance competition which took -place in the evening. The winner was ToxicFox with a very impressive and -energetic dance. - -**Saturday, Aug 17 (Day 4)** - -Breakfast I spent with entirely different folks again (I'm getting better at -this… socializing… thing. I hope. ;) ). Back in the Ringberg, the queue for the -Dealers Den was finally short enough (actually non-existing) for me to get in. -The other days I just took a look at the queue and immediately noped. I kinda fell -in love with a brown cheetah partial fursuit by Sasa creations, which led to an -episode of me "losing" my backpack somewhat later, luckily I just left it -somewhere where it still was when I looked. - -<img - src="https://pics.uvokchee.de/_data/i/upload/2024/09/04/20240904171912-dbeea8e0-me.jpg" - alt='Yet another fictional boyband poster, this time announcing "The power of - (paw icon)"' -/> - - -I think I didn't have lunch that day, and have a complete black hole in my memory -what I did during noon/early afternoon. Then, there was already the fursuit -parade with lots of locals (non-furries) showing up. And… well, then there was -already the closing. - -**Sunday, Aug 18 (Day 5)** - -That was a weird day, it kinda had a sad mood to it, the weather at the -Ringberg didn't really help (it was foggy and rainy), a lot less people -wandering around in the lobby, made me a little "moody" actually. I regretted -not bringing a jacket at this point - I didn't need one the other days. I went -down to the cellars the closing party for a bit where I spent some time talking -to JackHusky I know from back-in-the-days when I was still living in Saxony. -Got to shoot a selfie with "Bruce" (omg, suit crush incoming) as well. I said -goodbye to the people I still met around and know, and was surprised at how -many I should've said goodbye to but didn't see anymore. - -**Monday, Aug 19 (Day 6): Goodbye** - -Since I packed the evening before, it was a calm day. - -I enjoyed another excellent breakfast at the City Hotel, in the company of Nox, -said goodbye, checked out and then waited in the lobby in the company of Elenir. -We chatted for a bit until Delta arrived, whom I had asked for a ride. The -journey home went by quite fast. And then I was suddenly at home in my usual -environment. - -The effects of the con still lasted for the rest of the week (I worked again -from Wednesday), but already the week after ("previous week" from now, when I -start writing these lines) it was "back to the normal daily routine". Meh. It's -quite a shift from having dozens of other kind people around me all the time -to going back to my rural live. - -It kinda occurred to me that I should probably switch jobs at some point in the -future. Though what to, I haven't got the slightest idea. It feels, I dunno, -kinda draining/unfulfilling(?). But that's for me to sort out… sometime. |