I don't understand why I didn't post this earlier. I only noticed just now that it was missing from my Weasyl gallery.

In February 2014 my career went to hell. I was ousted from my job, in a company where I had given my best efforts to for just under 10 years, and spent six months with no work, applying for more than 80 jobs, out of which most never even replied. The situation looked both hopeless and endless until a former work colleague who was previously made redundant and now working for another company got me in there. Those six months were among the most discouraging of my entire life, and I owe my sanity to considerable encouragement from my online friends around the world. The above picture that I commissioned from the phenomenally skilled artist thesaria thesaria is my way of saying “Thank you” to my valued friends who kept in frequent communication and stopped me from sinking into complete despair, and also of saying I wish this scene could become possible one day.

From the left to the right:
Makovette,background, Wolf [Canis lupus], while I’ve never been able to recall where on the internet we first connected it’s most certainly a great pleasure to have your enthusiastic responses to my posts. Particularly so as you were very active in following mine during those abysmal months, and always seeming to come up with one or two comments that convinced me that there was still a glimmer of hope. Seeing such zeal in response to my posts has helped fight off the depression that would otherwise take hold in me. It’s also been my pleasure to follow your fascinating interests in motoring, which is why I’ve arranged the fursonas of Joseph and yourself talking.

Old Wolf, foreground, Wolf [Canis lupus)], probably above everyone in the furry community this emotionally unstable and world-weary foxaroo has respected and sought your wisdom to deal with the trials of life through devotion to Christian principles, as I’m sure have a multitude of other needy souls. It was a great honour to have you as a guest in my home when you last visited Australia, and indeed it is a privilege to be one of those many who call you a friend. Your encouragement and support when I was out of work gave me the courage to persevere against the odds. It’s also enchanting to know someone else fond of the old Colossal Cave text adventure. I hope that one day it may be possible for me to visit you overseas, and partake of a meal with your family and listen to you enunciate grace with the eloquence you showed for the humble meal we shared at my home. No haggis please though; unless you can come up with a vegetarian version. :)

desertratphelios https://www.furaffinity.net/user/desertratphelios, https://desertratphelios.deviantart.com/ , background, Blonde Raccoon [Procyon lotor(?) – I couldn’t find the latin for the blonde variety of raccoon], I’ve always been in awe of your art skill. Furthermore my words can scarcely express my gratitude or when you learned that I’d lost my job and offered to set time aside and create two outstanding images of my character GG1. It’s also been a source of immense cheer to view the silent animations on your Deviantart page, that each show boundless imagination, an incredible sense of perspective, and a style that is truly unique to you. Not forgetting how fond we both are of the Doom series of games, the influence of which is evident in much of your art. You have considerable talent and I hope you’ll persevere with it, especially the series you’ve begun in the style of a motoring show.

carlfoxmarten https://www.furaffinity.net/user/carlfoxmarten, midground, Red Fox / Pinemarten crossbreed [Vulpes Vulpes X Martes Aamericana )], you are another friends with devout principles whom I am fortunate to know, and to have been granted an opportunity to cross the great Pacific Ocean to meet you on that one occasion whereupon you guided me to some of the landmarks in your majestic city. In you I have a kindred soul, as one who like myself has endured the harsh and unjust sting of a shrinking job market upon finishing tertiary education. Your 3D art skills are such that I’m confident were it not for this wretched, prolonged recession you would long ago have succeeded in settling into a role in your chosen profession. It provides me some comfort that you understand what we both have been through in this regard, and I’m thankful that in this blighted age we at least have the internet to keep in communication, and I’ll be praying that you find full-time employment befitting you.

Myself, aka Michael Sauerpüss the foxaroo, foreground, Red fox / Eastern Grey Kangaroo crossbreed [Vulpes Vulpes X Macropus Giganteus].

Arcaton, background, Jackass [Equus Africanus Asinus)], you’re another very principled friend and one with much experience and prudence to share, which often you convey with a goodly dose of splendid British wit. Though I sometimes have difficulty following your accent (for those reading this, Arcaton sometimes types certain words phonetically), and that we would gladly swap climates during November through February, I have long enjoyed your blog posts and replies to my own always to be well-thought out, sincere and heartening. You have often helped open my eyes to other ways of looking at things.

Hendikins, https://www.weasyl.com/~hendikins, background, Red Wolf / Gray Fox crossbreed [Canis rufus x Urocyon Cinereoargenteus], your quiet voice of reason, common sense and clear thinking has on numerous occasions helped me solve practical problems where my own erratic mind has failed. It would disappoint me if your work colleagues do not appreciate your talents this as I do. It’s reassuring to know that my city has a wolfox hard at work within it. Also, even without being an actual gunzel your knowledge of trains has always fascinated me. So too does your expertise of the art of photography. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to take a photography road trip with you, especially after the one I needed to postpone to the snowfields.

Ocean's Edge, background, Lioness [Panthera leo],you would certainly be the most compassionate of all my online friends, a soul who prizes the wellbeing of others equally with yourself. I sensed this immediately upon receiving your hug when you, your hubby and I were able to meet that one time, visiting the majestic lookout at Katoomba, and how the memory of that wonderful day has remained with me after all these years. Following my good fortune at being granted employment I have never ceased to pray that the Lord will extend the same kindness to you, which you most certainly deserve. Though my visiting your region of the world has become a forlorn home, it’s a wish that I hope can come true.

wererstritchy https://www.furaffinity.net/user/wererstritchy, foreground, Goat [Capra aegagrus hircus] you’re the very alert good Samaritan who seeing this old beast downtrodden has again and again spoken reassurance to keep me out of the pit of despair, and you’re well acquainted with how easily I slip into those pits. Your positive messages are probably the reason that I’ve remained in contact with the furry community of my city, and I suspect that you have been a binding force among the furries local to yourself. It’s inspiring to know that someone younger than me by an entire generation can nonetheless be a source of sage council to this doubting greymuzzle. You have proven to possess a compassionate spirit, and very wise old head on young shoulders. I look forward to meeting you in a few months from now at FurDu.

lionkingcmsl https://www.furaffinity.net/user/lionkingcmsl, background, Lion [Panthera leo], your boisterous leonine manner even while facing your own difficulties finding work has always diverted me from my worldly woes, along with your exquisite 3D renderings, and expansive knowledge of North American locomotives and railroad infrastructure. Your willingness to elaborate on the finer details of diesel locos, particularly in relation to their counterparts here in New South Wales, kept me from losing interest in keeping up my blog during the time of my despair this year. I know that when I make a blog post on any railway topic that at least one person can be counted on to expand my horizons.

dhlawrence1985 https://www.weasyl.com/~dhlawrence1985, foreground, Domestic Cat [Felis catus)], one of my earliest friends in the furry community, yet also one of the most geographically distant, I am indebted to you for many things. For starters you assisted to improve my internet skills early on, and helped me ingratiate myself with the furry community itself, providing an unbiased view on the community’s many aspects, from which I also learned that we share similar views and interests. Along with Batty and LionKing you are one of my furred friends who are also rail enthusiasts, and the rail news updates and railway photography that you have periodically forwarded to me has been of immeasurable value in cheering me up. Not the least of my gratitude is for chauffeuring me around your city, without which my one chance to visit would have ended seeing far less of its splendour. I want to thank you for getting in touch with me when you learned I had lost my job.

battyden https://www.furaffinity.net/user/battyden, foreground, Spectacled Flying Fox [Pteropus conspicillatus], I will ever be indebted to you for the road trips and photo shoots that we’ve enjoyed, and even just for being my host when I’ve visited you out west. As well for getting me off on the right paw for my early steps in 3D images. For the brief time that you were living at the city limits of Sydney it was joyous to visit you, particularly when your sense of humour greatly boosted my morale during the months of my unemployment, along with shared interests in railways and steampunk. I do hope to continue with occasional trips to the dusty interior. Needlenardlenoo! I will continue to pray that the 3D engineering design business you have established will flourish.

Thesaria https://www.weasyl.com/~thesaria, I can vividly recall meeting you for the first time at the final Midfur convention in 2012 and instantly being enthralled by your steampunk drawings, very soon after wanting to commission a piece from you. You turned that wish into reality with the Steampunk 3801 drawing, that delighted not only to Batty, but also became the Ozfurs Pic of the Month for April 2013. The next image I commissioned from you; Super Collie* and GG1 quickly became my most popular image on furaffinity. I’m very fortunate to know such a brilliant artist, and I’ve now realised that I greatly regret not asking you to include your own fursona in the scene.

Old Wolf, Carlfoxmarten, DHLawrence and Ocean’s Edge, I hope to be able to meet up with you again at some future point. Lionking, Arcaton, Makovette and Joe Raccoon, it’s my earnest wish that there may be a possibility of getting to meet each one of you too.

*Acknowledgements to mayfurr mayfurr , the owner of Super Collie, and someone else who I hope to one day meet up with.