Another summer, another Anthrocon. And I almost bailed on it this year. Mostly cause of money. With no job and wanting to earmark my small income from Unemployment and Temp jobs to important expenses like rent and food, could I really justify the cost? For the last few years I have been trying to keep track of my convention spending and looking over the numbers I decided to risk it. My major expenditure being the Dealer's Den, I'd just minimize spending there. The other factor that almost derailed things was a pain in my side. See, the weekend before Anthrocon I managed to trip and fall hard on a gravel parking lot. I got a scraped knee and some scrapes on my palm from trying to stop my fall, minor, minor minor. But I also fell on my left side and that hurt. A lot. And it didn't stop hurting that night. It felt like Mike Tyson went to town on me. It hurt to sit, to stand, to lie down. I managed to get myself to bed and lie on my right side, getting some rest that night. Fortunately, the pain abated over the next few days. I figure I just bruised something inside. Eventually the pain was barely noticeable.

Despite these potential roadblocks, I had more reasons to not skip. I promised a few people I'd come and offer some assistance with things. Now, I'm not so egotistical to think that my presence was critical, I just like being helpful and feel I contributed. It was also a good way to improve my photography skills. And hell, like Applejack, I have a compulsion to honor my word no matter what.

Wednesday evening I take a leisurely drive to Massachusetts, not in any rush and enjoying the scenery. Haha. I lie. I cursed every slowpoke in the left lane and ignored the scenery. I'm from that state, driving in a rush is in my blood. I stayed at my parents overnight and was up and ready when AchievingMoses arrived. Shepherd was hella prompt. He introduced me to his friend BluedergDSCH, an amiable dragon with the tousled hair of a musician. We made a small detour for the obligatory stop at DD. Hindus pray to Ganesha before the start of a journey, New Englanders stop at Dunkin Donuts. Moses asked why I wasn't wearing my kimono shirt. I retorted that it was a bowling shirt, dammit, and was in my backpack. I was waiting until my hair dried to put it on (I never use a hair dryer). Kimono shirt, indeed. Just because it's long and has a Chinese dragon motif. The never of some...dammit. He's got a point, and the name kinda suits it. Fine. Thanks to Moses, it's now a kimono shirt.

We journey to New York City to pick up another dragon, , at JFK. There was a small delay waiting for his flight. I know this will be hard for some to believe, as I'm part coyote, but I did behave myself in the airport and didn't make any jokes or pranks that would get me kicked out. I know when to be a good boy. Also, the pain in my side was acting up so I was feeling more snarling wolf. We get the dragon's stuffed stowed and I ask Moses and Shost if he looks like Bruce Vilanch, but neither of them knew who he was. We headed west to Pittsburgh, whiling away the time with light conversation in person and on Telegram and some app games. Games that drain the hell out of an ipad. Next year I should bring a book.

We make it to Pittsburgh with no complication, attributable to Moses' familiarity with the city. We unload our stuff at the Westin and into 's room. I manage to forget my snack cooler on the stone wall out front. A precursor of things to come. Fortunately, it was still there when I went back down, also an indication of my luck. It's too late at this point to register so we head down to the lobby to mingle. I take some photos of fursuiters, say hi to people I know and strangers I've just met. I got to meet some people from a Telegram group I was in, playing Cards Against Humanity in the temporary Zoo. It took some effort to find them because the directions they gave were poor. This was a recurring and aggravating problem, trying to meet up with people and getting vague as shit directions. Don't tell me you're wearing a black shirt and sitting on a ledge by the Riverwalk when it's dark and there's dozens of people there. Not helpful.