Welcome to my journal of the Summer 2019.

I remember talking with some friends how cool was reading the journals from guys from internet who were describing their furry conventions experience, and imagining how cool would be to attend one of those furry conventions that only happened in USA, which I considered them so impossible to attend back then, and that's why I loved to read those journals.
Now I can attend conventions, and it has been a really cool (and addictive) experience. But now with Twitter and Instagram, journals are not a big thing anymore, it is very rare who writes one (and also who reads them), but here I am, keep writting them after every adventure, for the memory of the nostalgic feelings of when I was reading those amazing adventures wishing one day I could live them, and I'm glad there is people who are still reading them, those few comments (on internet, on my chats, or in person, from people who say they read them) motivate me to keep doing this.

This journal may be a little long, so here is the index:

-Orlando and Disney parks
-Megaplex 2019
-Chicago time
-IndyFurCon 2019

Orlando and Disney Parks.

As always, my flight from Mexico to USA was not a problem, stressing as always to need to cross US customs but not a big deal. The deal happened when I was waiting for my luggage on the carousel, when I finally picked mine, I had an officer behind me, who took me to another room to double check my bags. It was so scary because it is the first time that happened to me. There, they asked me how much cash I was carrying with, I said the true, I was not carrying with more than 500 dollars, and I could see only that was important for them because it was the only thing they asked me, then they scanned my bags, taking the carry on with them. "We are gonna open this suitcase, is there something you need to declare?". Noup, I was not carrying something not permited or illegal, so I had nothing to worry about. It was the bag where I packed my furhead, so it popped up that smiling panda, and the flyers that I leave at the con space, advertising Confuror, Nordic Fuzzcon, Furrnion, and Anthro Northwest. They told me they thought those flyers were packs of money, that I was carrying exaggeratedly too much money with me, hehe. Well I wish I had so much, but if I had, I wouldn't be so stupid to carry it in cash on my carry on. They ignored the flyers and then asked me for the head, What in this world is that big smiley panda? I had to explain them about me going to a furry convention, and then they made me explain what a furry convention was. I thought nowadays everyone in customs knew what a furry is, I remember a customs agent asked me what my fursona was, very seriously.

I hadn't slept too much, I can't never sleep during flights or buses, and it was an overnight trip. But as soon as I arrived to the Megaplex hotel (the new venue is big and beautiful!), checking in with my temporary roomies for those first 2 nights: Nyt and cajuntagious. We went to Disney Springs. I started my Disney shopping, I couldn't help.

We had arrived on Tuesday so we could be at Disney Parks on Wednesday and Thursday. Thanks to Star Raccoon we could get in for free (Thank you, raccoon!!). The day one we went to Animal Kingdom, and we had Park Hopper, I always thought it was strange that someone would want to be from a park to another in one single day, I always thought it's great to be in one park all the day, there are too many things to do and to see in each park to be wanting to visit more than one in just one day. But eh, we did it, we just watched The Lion King festival, took a picture with Dug & Russel, and we went to Magic Kingdom, where we met alphascout and rubycanine.
I'm that of odd persons who never know what to say to friends of friends, or people I just met. And I think I was so awkwardly silent during that day. Also the park was annoyingly crowded, every attraction we wanted to visit, were at least a 60 minutes wait, and we couldn't do much. And we got one of the worse spots to see the nightly show, we barely could see the castle and only could see the fireworks. I'm so glad that was not my first time at Disney.

The second day was better, we started on Disney Hollywood Studios, and Star was with us, but the park was also very crowded, the waiting lines for the rides were crazy (some of them were even more than 3 hours) and we also decided to use the park hopper to go to Epcot. It was like that particular day, everyone decided to go to other parks but Epcot, it was almost empty, we could go to many attractions, rides, and take pictures with characters with almost no waiting. The highlight of that day was going to the Mexican pavillion, just entering in the pyramid, and I saw a very familiar tall figure wandering around the ofrendas. Is him....Majira? My brain had to process for some seconds, even if we got eye contact: Yes, it was Majira! Very funny to find him inside a pyramid, on a Mexican pavillion, in Orlando, FL. When we had made some years ago a trip together to Mexico, to some pyramids. It was a nice coincidence. He was with a bunch of his friends, it was a big group of furries who decided to go together to Epcot that day. We rode all together the Three Caballeros ride.
We saw, probably for the last time in our lives, the nightly show IllumiNations. They are gonna close it in September.

Coming back to the hotel, we swam in the pool, which was a not extreme but very fun water slide. I can't count how many times we repeated it (Too many!), and also it has a waterfall.

Megaplex 2019

Before Megaplex started officially, I moved of room with my official roomies: zipfox, zilchfox and Alpha. (I planned to room with them from the beginning, and then the extra early Disney days were planned after, that's why I roomed with Nyt and Cajun the frist two days).
The convention started and I was immediately working on the artist alley. It was a very good one, I can see that people from Florida are crazy for the pins and the pin trades, more than anyone else, and I guess it is for the culture from the Disney Pin Trade. I had carried with me the double of pins I usually carry with me, thinking I was going to be at TWO conventions. But wow, only at Megaplex, I sold almost all the pins. I only took to IndyFurCon 4 pins (which were sold almost immediately there, so most of the iFC attendees who checked my table, never got to see those pins).

Never got to see the clowns from the Clown Con, but people were saying that it really happened, and it turned in an inside joke. Suddenly everything was related to clawns.

Oh! I met orlandofox (ironic meeting Orlando...in Orlando badum tss), she's a very sweet person. I also took some pictures of her in fursuit.

I attended the dessert social, which was a shame it couldn't be in the pool area, but we had tons of sweets. Too much sugar to this panda tummy, and even more because there I got to see, say hi and hug to BrainFreeze, a really cool fursuiter I admire.

I got to be in some panels, one of them was the Art Jam Session, hosted by goldendruid, where I made Zilch to draw in traditional for me, and got to make more art trades among the artist who were in that room. It was a very small room for a large number of attendees, I saw there were even people drawing outside, who couldn't get a spot in the tables of the room. Now you know, Megaplex, next year, that panel must be in a bigger room, it was very popular. Another panel was the Raccoon Meet & Greet. But Paco, what were you doing on a raccoon panel if you are a panda, not a raccoon? Well, I've been always hand by hand with my fellow panda brothers, no matter if they are trash or not. Also they gave shiny things for free, and they raffled a shiny cheese grater and a raccoon portrait (destined to charity).

We made the Escape Room, my Clubhouse team competed with the Majira's team. We were 5 in my team (with Cajun, Nyt, Kimba, Krev and me), and the Majira's team were around 7 or 8 (with Pepper Coyote, Fox Amoore, Kiwi Fox...). Of course they won, they solved the escape room one minute less than us, but we were very proud and happy to have solved it anyway. I could see my team was very excited for have solved it, especially because it was their first escape room ever, mine was my second, hehe. Thanks to JD puppy, danteewolf, and all their team, they do very awesome Escape Rooms.

Also thanks to tonyringtail for inviting me a dinner, it was a very yummy BBQ place!

Once again, the nightly fursuit parade was great and fun, and it was very funny that we had no idea were exactly we had to walk to, and we kept walking and walking even if there were nobody else around who were seeing the parade, until BrainFreeze, who was organizing that parade, had to run and stop everyone to make us turn around.

Megaplex is a very fun convention, I'm so glad they invited me last year as Guest of Honor, I didn't doubt to go back again, and probably will be there next year. It is a great con, they put a lot of love to their event. Congratulations to everyone who makes Megaplex possible.

Chicago Time

My plan to go to IndyFurCon was in doubt because there was an entire week between Megaplex and iFC, but huscoon offered to host me for a week and a half at his place. Well, why am I lying? I blame Huscoon that I attended IndyFurCon. I was not even thinking on attending but he offered me hosting and told me about all the cool plans that were going to happen between Megaplex and iFC, I was so tempted that I accepted.

So I took a flight from Orlando to Chicago. At the Orlando's airport I saw Pepper Coyote. Even if I know he knows me, I was too shy to say hi, also he was talking with someone else. When I was decided to go with him and say hi, I saw him running with his carry on bag.

Then in Chicago, I could say how much he fed me with cookies, home made pizza, hot dogs, chicago style pizza, and other american things, I think those two weeks I ate all that I'm saving in my diet when I'm in Mexico. But I can't blame him, it is not that I complained a lot about it, everything was so yummy.

One of the first plans were attending the Midwest FurBowling, I never announced I was going to be there, so it was a surprise for many people, the most frequent asked question was "Paco, What are you doing here!?"
Many people took me pictures there, but as always happens, I've never gotten to see any single picture of those. Except that one with StarBurst Saber. I'm glad I could see that picture because I was so happy to meet him in person.
I suck at bowling, I'm a terrible player (as same at every game ever), but I enjoy a lot playing in fursuit, because no matter how bad I am, I look cute and it is very funny to be acting silly while I try to throw the pines.
I was playing with ArcturusChusky, Shi Panda, Sin and Huscoon. It was a very fun first round, but at second round I was too tired, I was just waiting to the time we ended the 10 rounds.

Next day we went to play Softball. I had never even played Baseball in my life, I only had played it on WiiSports and at least I knew how were the basic rules. But during the game I was catching more and more what was all about. Problem is that almost starting the game, I received a hit directly in my mouth. All guys were blaming Arcturus Chusky because it was him who hit the ball, but definitely it was the stupid panda who didn't know how to catch a ball. At first I was scared, it seems that it was a long time ago I hadn't received a hit, because I was scared thinking I had lost a teeth, but nop, I only got a bruise. So dramatic bear.
The rest of the day was fun, my team was in third place (of three teams playing, I'm not surprised), and as reward we got Chicago style pizza for dinner, and many sore muscles the next morning.

There was no better way to complete an American experience than going to a baseball game the next day, it was a local game but anyway the first time that I see a baseball game. It was very fun, and also very funny every killing time, that they tried to entretain us making random people of the audience palying silly games, with mexican charrerias shows, and seeing the mascot dancing (as a good furry, I didn't complain about seeing the mascot). From there, my host Huscoon had to make a trip to Kentucky so I went to Arc's house, in Champagne, IL. Where I met again his boyfriend roweland, and his dogs Sasha and Mozzart. Such a cute boys. It was a very relaxing time after a fun weekend full with plans.

Wednesday before the other convention started, bcbreakaway arrived from Edmonton, and with dizfoley and his amazing super free passes, we went to Six Flags Great America.
I love roller coasters, and I always wanted to go to a amusement park in USA that had extreme roller coasters, it was always a bad luck that when I was in a town with an amusement park kind of Six Flags, and I had time to go, they were closed. And the only Six Flags I had gotten the chance to go was the one that is in Mexico City.
Also I'm so glad to go with the correct people: those who also love extreme coasters, who doesn't doubt to be riding all the extreme rides on the park, or even repeating. And the park was not crazily crowded, it had many people but waiting lines were not very crazy (only for the "Maxx Force", that I insist it has a pornish name, and we didn't get to ride it ;).
Great rides, my favorites were Goliath (my absolute favorite), Batman the Ride (better than the one that is in Mexico City), and the Ragign Bull (so soft and it feels awesome). I didn't like the Viper coaster, it is a bonebreaker, and I'm so proud to say that in Mexico there is a better Giant Drop ride.

That day we went to the casino for the buffet, it was also free thanks to Diz's parents (Thanks!! Free stuff is always appreciated). I never gamble, so instead I was playing Cornhole with Huscoon.

Next day is when we drove from Chicago to Indianapolis for IndyFurCon.

IndyFurCon 2019

Relaxing con to the order. Rooming with Bcbreakaway, Huscoon, and nbowa. Finally I got to meet atimist in person!
It was very surprising for me that I didn't fill my commissions at the dealers den in 10 minutes as at any other convention, indeed... I didn't fill my commission slots the first day. It was the paradise for those who wanted a commission by me, they didn't have to arrive so early or trying to fight against other attendees who also want a slot from me. I only took two slots the first day, and I had all the rest of that day to make them, so I took my time and I detailed them as much as I could.

That first day, in the evening, was the Cutthroat Artist. Competing with Ernor, QuackQuackHonk and Tav Pendragon, we had a really fun game, with new sabotages (which I received two sabotages: making a puzzle, and right answering 5 questions on a trivia about Hawaii, before continue my drawing). It is the 4th time I participate on that game, and it is the 3rd time that I won the first place, yay!!
Even if I wouldn't have won, it was excesively fun, we had to draw a cat in a hawaiian theme, a dog with dragon wings surfing, and an axolotl/bug hybrid.
This was the result:
https://twitter.com/panda_paco/status/1165080559632171009?s=20

I got to see my friend dipper (or MaxGoof) on that Saturday. When he said goodbye to me in the end of the day, I felt so bad I couldn't be with him more time, when he told me that he drove from Ohio to Indiana only to see me. I'm happy that I'm gonna see him again in some few weeks at ConFuror.

The fursuit parade was nice, but the group photo was a torture, it was outdoors, with the sun over us, and they took ages to take the picture, all the fursuiters were cooking inside our suits.

I remember feeling kind of lonely during Saturday, I realized I'm always solitary at cons, that I'm never attached with a group of friends, and that I'm not considered that creepy guy who is always lonely and asking pictures and hugs to the fursuiters because I'm moderately popular in the fandom, and fursuiters who see my badge and recognize me, are happy to give me hugs, and people is happy to talk with me even if I'm a little awkward (I can not help it, I'm so shy, quiet, and oddly deaf). But that feeling disappeared thanks to two guys in the dances: Rubato (or Riff Dane) and Captain Furry, probably they didn't notice how supportive they were that night just for dancing with me. I appreciate how helpful is this fandom, I'm very sure my life would be so different if I were not on this community, this is where I belong, where strange and awkward guys like me can have a place in this world.

Last day of IndyFurCon (Sunday) was very fun. Starting with the Fursuit Parades, that even if most of players were little kids, the games by themselves were very fun. The audience was so off, it was like the show was only for the fursuiters who were playing, not at all for the audience. If you go to see fursuit games, see the games, and try to cheer the fursuiters, to laugh at the silly things they are doing, or even taking pictures or recording video of what you have in front of you, not only attend there to have a place where to check your phone. Well, as a fursuiter who was playing, it was so much fun, my team finally won some few times, I super lost at the musical chairs/hot potatoe game, I failed again on the Simon says game (even when this time I tried my best). I don't mind losing! I care that the games are fun.

Just after it, we were part of the army of Huscoons, being totally mischevious suiters around the con, invading panels and causing chaos. Oh wow, I think it has been one of my best fursuit experiences. I know many people were taking thousand of pictures of that, I've gotten to see a very few bunch. Thanks 2chaotic for joining us, you're also a great performer.

After it, we went to have dinner, and since the closing ceremonies happened meanwhile, I discovered it is one of those conventions that die after the closing. The halls are empty, you see very few remaining fursuiters. So I spent a little more time with jacfox (thanks for the fantastic drawing, I love it), acrufox, 2chaotic and Brass (that owl who I could finally meet). After it I went to the pool, I could swim there for 20 minutes but suddenly it was invaded by giant pool toys, I like pool toys, but I'm too shy to talk with the owners of those pool toys, and they seemed very in their own business, they were not even talking between them. So I decided to left the pool, spent time on the bar, art trading with Bizy Mouse, and then I went to the karaoke, where I sang "The Shape of My Heart" by Backstreet Boys, and helped with the coreography of Baby Shark. That's how iFC was officially ending for me.

Our plan for next day in Indianapolis was going to the zoo, but it was raining all day, so we went to a mall instead. From there back to Chicago, where I took my flight back to Mexico the next morning, but before we had lunch in Taco Bell, because I wanted to go to Taco Bell, haha. For the irony that it is supposed to be Mexican Food, but it is food we can't get in Mexico.

I'm sorry if it was, once again, a very long journal, I hope you, one of the few readers who read it complete, have enjoyed reading it, if you were one of those few readers, please comment what's your favorite american food. If you want to see my pictures of the trip, check this link:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yq8p2ik5yk6cp3e/AACFax53k_6EQqP4CnDp1JJVa?dl=0

Thank you very much for reading me. I'm sorry if I didn't mention you, I would take forever to mention every cool guy I met during my trips. And if I didn't see you, hope to see you next time!!

panda hugs