I didn't want to jynx anything about my FurDU trip this year, so I didn't hype it up on my fur accounts. Since it happened and there were no disasters, I guess it's safe to do a write-up about it. To sum up my 2021 FurDU experience, in a word, it would be anxiety. Anxiety dominated this year's FurDU despite my best efforts to keep it under control. While I don't suffer from any anxiety-related mental health issues, I got the demo for anxiety simulated for most of the convention.

I feel one of the main sources for this anxiety was the whole covid-19 situation. We have been blessed in Australia with the light effects of the pandemic and are fortunate to hold such an event. Still, it was a pervasive worry that we would be bringing home some covid con-crud. It looks like we have been fortunate, being it is about two weeks out and no health alerts from the attendees. Another source of anxiety for me was the worry about some of my friends and their interpersonal drama that was going down. Normally I'm out of touch about such things, but this year I was worried about my friends and what was going down.

Yet another anxiety-inducing thing was potential blowback from who I choose to have in my friend circles. I'm usually of the mind of not giving a rat's behind about that sort of thing, but this year I was feeling very insecure. The last piece of anxiety relates to my family life and the health of my father. I won't go into it here, and it's not super bad, just a reminder of the things that can go wrong as people age. So most of the convention, I wasn't "present" as I was all in my mind and worries not living in the moment. In the end, I did end up having a good time. It just took me a while to get in the head game.

To get to FurDU this year, I went on a road trip this year with Warbrin and Tyro. It was a great choice and saved me from having to travel by air and allowing me to take both Silver Sheep and Braxton up with me. We left Sydney at stupid o'clock and were out on the highway for a straight cruise up to Queensland. It was a great way to travel, and I'm so glad I chose to get up there this way. One of the complexities of my accommodation arrangements was staying at Chateau Beachside instead of the convention hotel.

I made it work with some help from my friends. I'm especially grateful for Warbrin, Tyro, Tucker, and Gauge to use their rooms as a fursuit base when I wanted to fursuit. I couldn't have done it without their help. Warbrin and Tryo helped me out on the fursuit walk too. Silver Sheep's debut for FurDU and I had no idea his thermal levels and what to expect. Silver Sheep is a much warmer fursuit than Braxton, and I was sweltering and ended up having to take off my head (Silver's) until the volunteers organised the group photo. Warbrin made sure I got back to the convention hotel before anything serious happened to me. I am grateful to have friends like Tyro and Warbrin to look after me while suiting. I've only had a few years under my belt with fursuiting, and while I'm not a total newbie to it, I still have things to learn.

I have to shout out, Zaroski for inviting me to his small room party and making me feel welcome during the convention. I was feeling a bit off one night, and he made sure that I was included. I even got a chance to get my meme photo with Luvtail on the last day of the convention that was fun too. Normie and Lord Darius gifted me a bottle of Mudgee honey mead too. (Good thing it wasn't on Friday; otherwise, I might have brought back the empty bottle!) It helped that I had a good roommate at FurDU. He was very respectful and put up with my cocktail making and getting wasted on Friday night. It was good to see him beginning to be welcomed back into the scene again.

I overspent in the dealer's den, but Muttasuar, Toxi, EDS and Gaia were all too tempting. I had also promised Peri that I'd get our commission organised in the dealer's den. It's on the way. I picked up a new lavender fursuit spray, too, for my sheep. I'm proud that I didn't pick up a new fursuit head like three of my friends. I would have been in real trouble then. Ha. My regret with the dealer's den was not tracking down Emufur and just saying hello. I had commissioned some art from her before the convention instead of at it. I was sad we couldn't fursuit in the dealer's den, especially when Muttasuar wanted to see more Braxton. Ugh, but covid rules are a thing.

I was so glad I came to the dead dog dance and cut loose for a bit. The magic FurDU feeling had finally come back by then. I didn't even have my camera out; I only got a few photos, just a handful. I think my main thing was I let anxiety stop me from just chilling. It's no one's fault but my own. Next year they are moving to a new venue, and I'll be angling to get a room at the convention hotel and doing the drive up with Warbrin and Tyro again, fingers crossed.

Tips for next year: Fursuit more, worry less, get a room at the con hotel, get some more fursuit hugs from Matt!