Further Confusion 2020


The Lighthouse themed badges I made for Jae and I.
January 2020 feels so far away now, and like a decidedly different era. I think we all remember the last vacation or big social event we experienced before the COVID-19 lockdown hit. Though we didn’t know it at the time, that was what Further Confusion 2020 was for us blissfully unaware congoers.

FC 2020 was held from January 16 - 20th.

On Thursday the 16th, I took the bus to SeaTac Airport for my noon flight. The journey from my Olympia apartment to the airport required 3 separate bus trips, which was always a fun experience with a giant suitcase filled with fursuit parts, plus a carry-on bag and backpack.

Coincidentally, my friends Jae and Flinch had booked the same flight, so we all met up at the airport after getting through security. Flinch kindly bought us airport McDonald's, and we dined on the floor near our very packed gate. Due to my dad's extremely generous gift of unused credit card airline miles, I was able to fly first class for just the second time in my life, so I got to board before my friends and later be taunted by them as they passed me on the way to their seats. Sorry, peasants...


My beautiful flask from Proggy.
Man, I wish I could afford to fly first class every time. The Alaska Airlines cheese and fruit tray accompanied by a complimentary Woodford Reserve & Coke was truly decadent, and I even decided to dish out the extra cash to indulge in the in-air WiFi. The plane ride was a vacation in itself. But soon it had to end as we landed in San Jose, got our bags, and were off in an Uber to the San Jose Convention Center.

We dropped our bags at the hotel and went to see Toni, who made us grilled sandwiches by wrapping them in foil and heating them with a hotel room iron. Our roommate Greg soon arrived, so we met up to head to Grocery Outlet and get our food for the weekend. When Proggy, whose name the hotel reservation was under, finally made it, we were at long last able to check into our room. We unloaded the grocery bags and I discovered the box of muffins I got was tragically missing, probably left behind in the Uber. RIP. But in better news, I was presented an amazing gift from Proggy: a wooden flask with a beautiful image of horses engraved on one side, and "GAZEHOUND" engraved on the back.

I immediately began to work on my fursuit head. I had been refurbishing Rio in time for the con, but with my work schedule, I just wasn't able to finish in time and had resigned myself to completing the suit in the hotel room. I left the room long enough to go check in at the art show and hang up the two acrylic paintings I'd brought, and then it was back to work on Rio for the rest of the night. Our final roommate for the weekend, Teru, made it to the hotel around midnight.


Charlie gets comfortable in the room.
On Friday morning I continued my fursuit work, staying in the hotel room for hours. Definitely not a situation I want to be in again, but I was determined to have a fursuit in wearable condition for at least part of the con! A highlight of the day was when Tabernak entered the room in fursuit to deliver the garbage bags Jae had requested he pick up for us. But otherwise, my day as a hotel room hermit was uneventful until I took a break to go on a liquor run with roommates.

I found my favorite malt liquor, King Cobra, and got some of that along with a bottle of vodka and a tiny Hennessey. Proggy and I went in on a bottle of Woodford Reserve as well. Greg and I got some food from the same Vietnamese restaurant that Knox had held his disco party at the year before. I went for a simple rice and chicken skewers meal, dining in the hotel room as I continued sewing. A bunch of Jae and Greg's friends joined us to hang out in the room, and their kind comments on my in-progress fursuit head encouraged me as I finished it up. My work was finally completed shortly before 8 PM, and I changed into suit in the bathroom before emerging to a round of applause from everyone in the room. We all left to wander the convention center.


Prepping for the Night Market.
A long night of intoxication, friends, cuddles, and heart-to-hearts ensued, with me remaining in suit for hours on end. I'll spare you the details. but suffice to say, everyone went to sleep late in the night and we were in for some serious hangovers the next day.

Luckily I'd brought multiple bottles of Pedialyte, and my Saturday morning started with guzzling some of that down. The hotel Starbucks was incredibly crowded, so Jae and I walked to one a short distance away. I was absolutely repulsed by my smoked butterscotch frappuccino, which tasted like a liquid smoke Slurpee. But the venti ice water satisfied as usual. We reunited with friends and sipped our beverages on the convention center's astroturf steps. At some point in the day I caved and bought the Charlie Barkin dakimakura from the Dealer’s Den that I'd been considering.

Eventually some of us parted ways to get food - Proggy and I went for that FC classic, burritos from Iguanas. Later it was time to get back with our group and head to....THE TACO BELL CANTINA! I'd always wanted to go to one, being a T-Bell superfan and all, but somehow I didn't even know there was one in San Jose. And it was only a short walk from the con center. What a miracle. The cantina was already packed with other furries, as anticipated. My Baja Blast freeze with tequila was perfect.


At the Night Market, posing with Booper in his awesome rubber dragon getup.
When everyone was finished, we walked back to the hotel in what seemed to be an even larger group than we'd arrived with. Then we returned to our room to get ready for an exciting new event: FC's 18+ Night Market! Flowers met up with us as we got ready in our Saturday night best. I suited up as Rio, with the addition of some Calvin Klein underwear. Around my neck I wore the customizable "DOG SHAMING" sign my con roomies had picked out for me from the pet section of Grocery Outlet. Jae wrote "I have cum aggression )-:<" on the sign, which caused Flowers to absolutely lose his shit. (Later that night, when a random congoer waiting for the elevator saw and asked me what it meant, I could only answer "I...don't know").

Clearly there was a lot of excitement for the Night Market, because the line was very long, but the wait didn't end up being too bad. The room was dark and crowded, with vendors lining the walls, two cash bars, and Knox onstage DJ'ing to an enthusiastic crowd on the dance floor. There were people in fursuits, pup hoods, and rubber gear alike. Two screens on either side of the stage projected fursuit footage and retro furry porn.

I picked up Knox's mixtape on cassette and Atty's newly released zine. We made our way through the crowd, socializing and dancing, until everybody's attention was immediately drawn to a live shibari session onstage (in which a cat fursuiter was tied up). It seemed like practically everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing to watch and record. The Night Market was certainly the most outward display of furry sexuality I have seen at a con, and enthusiasm for the event was high. It seemed like a great way to acknowledge and celebrate the 18+ side of the fandom while keeping it out of view of minors and those who prefer to avoid NSFW material and fetish gear.


Horse party!
Eventually, the good vibes weren't enough to keep me there much longer - I was sufficiently hot and sweaty from fursuiting in such a crowded ballroom and decided to head back to our room to get ready to hit the party floor. That night, the Adventureruum was hosting its big "HORSES"-themed party. I dressed my fursuit in a cowboy hat (modified to fit his ears), a vintage Kentucky Derby shirt, and a racehorse bolo tie. I brought along a plush horse, as well as the horse flask Proggy had gifted to me, filled with Woodford Reserve (the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby). I was ready to horse party.

Naturally, Old Town Road started playing as soon as I entered. I hung out with friends on the balcony for awhile, enjoying the DJ set. Though the night ended with me being pulled away from the party to help watch over a too-drunk friend, there was still happiness in the air as we fell asleep to bossa nova after an extended period of giggling at Greg playing fart sound effects off their phone.


Still horse partying.
On Sunday morning, Flowers kindly paid for me to join him in eating a delivery McDonald's breakfast after browsing the Dealer’s Den. I also got to stop by the inflatables panel with Flinch and Tabernak and watch the fursuiters. We hung out with some friends there for awhile and I said goodbye to Teru, who sadly was leaving the con early.

I wanted to fursuit for awhile, and Flowers joined me in the room while I suited up. He let me borrow one of his leather harnesses, and I put it on along with my cowboy hat. It was a great look for Rio. With Flowers in his pup hood and dark sunglasses, we looked an incredibly stylish duo wandering the con space hand-in-paw. He took some pictures of me in suit and we hung around outside for awhile before eventually meeting up with my friend Ty. I enjoyed a hot dog from one of the vendors by the con center before Flowers and Ty accompanied me to the art show for checkout.

I was a bit shocked to learn both of my pieces had sold, since they hadn't received any bids at BLFC '19. The volunteer checking me out commented that I should consider setting higher starting prices next time - I'd set mine low because I didn't expect any bids and was mostly just doing this for fun! Welp, next time maybe I'll take it more seriously. I received my small check and headed out feeling satisfied.


A gorgeous deer.
We wound up with Jelli, Proggy, Mint, and Soma, hanging out on the astroturf. A cute pastel dog fursuiter approached with a basket of apples and offered some to our crew. After awhile, Proggy, Ty and I went to our hotel room to get ready for Witchset (that night's Adventureruum party) with Jae, Greg, and their LA friends. I sipped King Cobra in bed while watching malt liquor videos on the hotel TV. When we headed for the party, I went in suit. It was very crowded and I got very drunk.

The ceremonial moon ritual at the end of the party was mostly a blur due to my intoxicated state. The night wound down with some cuddles in the hotel room, but even after everyone else was ready to sleep, I refused to let the partying end! I got back in suit and struck out on my own to wander the con space aimlessly. I soon found some friends and acquaintances, mingling for a bit until I left to meet up with Jelli. But sadly, the exhaustion was hitting full force and I was barely able to stay awake to hang out! I had no choice but to excuse myself for the night, as much as I wanted to keep truckin'.


Saying hi to Reid.
Monday morning...always the worst part of the con. Jae had to leave early for their flight, so it was up to Proggy, Greg, and I to clean the hotel room. We took a painfully long time to do so. Greg kindly brought me gatorade and Starbucks. We met Flinch in the lobby to take a Lyft to the airport together, saying goodbye to the few friends we were able to see before our departure.

At the airport, we enjoyed some fast food before waiting to board our flights. Flinch and I were coincidentally on the same flight this time too. I had the privilege of being in first class again, with the complimentary cheese tray plus a tequila & Sprite to help heal the post-con depression. And then, after landing, grabbing my bag, and saying bye to Flinch, it was time for the long bus journey back to Olympia.

It’s a damn shame that my first con of 2020 also had to be my last con of 2020. The party was just getting started!

After I got home, I ended up redoing the refurb job on Rio that I'd finished in the hotel room. I honestly thought it had turned out pretty shitty and rushed. I fixed the head up into a better-looking state, but sadly, re-refurbished Rio would have to wait to make his convention debut. COVID lockdown forced a 3-year drought until my next furry con. Good for the wallet, but not for the soul!


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