What is a furry?

I feel I need to address this.

Either you found this through Google or FurAffinity, or I've directed you to this page because of your interest/hate in/of furries. This should clear a LOT of things up.

I recently decided to join the furry fandom, and it's really changed my life in such a great way. I'm a lot happier with who I am spiritually than I was before. I've always admired anthropomorphism since I was a child, with the common role play and Disney movies. I'd always wondered what it would be like to be one of those human-like animals. It seems as if there are no disadvantages... you have all of the benefits of humanity within an animalistic form.

But, this doesn't explain much to somebody who hasn't identified, or even heard of, the fandom. So I pose a question...

What is a furry?

Here is my base definition: A furry is a person who takes an interest in anthropomorphic arts, literature and lifestyles. They associate themselves with the furry "fandom", which is a large group of people who classify themselves as furries. They hold conventions, dress in their own costumes known as fursuits, and have a great time discussing and playing around with something they've always loved through a fursona, or an animal alter ego.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Think of Trekkies, or anime fans. They both have VERY similar roots when it comes to conventional fandom. In fact, the furry fandom itself is an offshoot of a Sci-Fi convention.

Furries can also be what are referred to as "lifestylers". These people take the fandom further (no pun intended) than most, making their "fursonas" and animalistic instincts part of their everyday lives. This is NOT to be confused with Therianthropy. Therians believe that they have a spiritual animal inside of them, whether it be tangible or not. I personally consider myself to be at the very borderline of just an average furry and a lifestyler. Though I mostly entered the fandom for the artistic and friend values, I do still accept that I am very linked to the fursona I've created. He is a Siberian Husky named Jeremiah.

So, why does the fandom get such a bad reputation?

Sex. Yiff. It's killing the fandom, but only because of the outside perspective. There is nothing wrong with yiff at all. It's the natural sexual interactions between anthropomorphic creatures. Those outside of the fandom perceive it as bestiality and associate yiff with sex while in fursuits, but this is entirely NOT what yiff is. Shows such as Tyra, CSI and 1000 Ways to Die have glorified yiff and fursuits/furries in general as sex fiends who get their kicks from fornicating inside of fursuits.

Why this is utterly ridiculous:
-Only about 12% of the world's furry population actually owns a fursuit
-Of that, a VERY small percentage actually perform those taboo'd sex acts.
-Those suits can cost over $2,000 to make. Why would you have sex in one?
-The temperatures in a suit can reach upwards of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sex? No.

Would I like a fursuit? Hell yes. I'd kill to be able to show off my inner fursona in a much more physical way. But as of now, money is tight and I just can't afford that. Maybe in the future, if I can save up the cash, I'll have my own Jeremiah suit one day...

But I digress. So, let's recap:

Furries are just fans of the anthropomorphic genre of art and literature.
Some enjoy living the animalistic lifestyle.
There is nothing WRONG with being a furry.
A negligible amount of furries participate in sexual acts while in suit.
It's awesome.

;) So, that was my slight rant/clear up session on what is furry and what is not.
-Jordan
http://furaffinity.net/user/vloggah 

I wish...

...that I had a normal family.

My immediate family may be slightly (haha) dysfunctional, but we still love each other. I really want to say the same about my other relatives... but there has been way too much drama :(

I want to communicate with them. I want them to know that I still want them to be a part of my life, but living so far away from them and having the problems that we do just makes it nearly impossible. If only they knew that what they do to one person affects those around them. Though, there are still a few of them we keep in touch with, and I love them to death.

I guess I just needed to vent. No updates for a while, eh? I will try to change that :)

This one goes out to you, kind customers in fast food.

You are a blessing, even if you don't exactly know it. ;)

When you come into our establishments (Be it McDonalds, Arbys, Wendys, Burger King, etc.), we really do appreciate kindness and understanding. Especially when it's later in the day, and most of us have worked 8+ hours. Those of you who don't get angry when we make a mistake and simply ask nicely for a fixed order, those of you who engage in polite conversation, and those of you who smile and are just great people to be around... you keep us sane. I'm not kidding with the last statement, either. Fast food may seem easy from an outsider's point of view, but one day in this career will show you otherwise.

Now, here is the part where I address those of you who aren't as respectful: Why? What did we ever do to you to deserve to be treated like trash? Do you assume because we work in fast food that we're trailer trash? Are we not as good as you? It's obnoxious. A few examples of this are:

  • When you're ordering and I ask you to repeat your order, sighing deeply and rolling your eyes doesn't make the order go by any smoother. The coffee machine was loud and I couldn't hear you.
  • Please, don't get mad if you're too quiet (be it drive-thru or front counter), and I ask you to speak up. I don't have supersonic hearing.
  • If we mess up your order, don't treat it like a personal attack against you. If you kindly ask for a replacement from one of our runners or cashiers, we would LOVE to help you out. Yelling and getting pissy gets you nowhere.
  • I understand how frustrating waiting in line can be, but don't take it out on me once you get to the front. We're trying.
  • Please remove your trays and drinks from the table once you are finished with them. This isn't Applebee's, do you think those trash cans are there for decoration?
  • This is a special one for the lady who told me to "shoo" when I was cleaning at Arby's: I'm sorry if I'm inconveniencing you by doing my job. I'm getting paid to clean the tables and mop the floors, not to listen to you whine about how I may be "listening into your conversations".
  • Don't give me a ridiculous fucking order and expect me to get it right, ESPECIALLY if I'm new. I won't get it right most of the time, and a simple "Can this be fixed?" will solve everything, usually in less than a minute. Besides, why the hell do you order a McDouble meal with a McChicken instead of a McDouble when you can get a McChicken meal for the SAME GODDAMNED PRICE? I don't even.
  • Please, dear God. Have your change out before hand and know if you have the money to pay for your order. I spent over THREE MINUTES waiting for money during the lunch rush with a Hutterite who couldn't find the right amount of change, after already spending a minute or two searching for his McD's gift card. We have this thing called "times" that we try to keep to a minimum. You aren't helping.
  • DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT tell your kids to order their food and then get mad at me for ringing up something they wanted that they couldn't have. Don't be lazy and find out what they want before hand.
  • Yes, milkshakes are more expensive than soft drinks. Don't flip your lid when you find out on your receipt.
  • If I turn around to ask a manager about your order, don't assume that I'm attacking you. I'm obviously confused and don't want to make a mistake with your food. It's for your own good.
  • If you make a mess in the lobby, Jesus Christ, TELL US. If it sits for a few hours and becomes a sticky conglomerate mess, it's a pain in the ass to clean, and customers have to wait to sit.
  • BUSES: Call ahead if you plan on coming in. It will give us ample time to prepare for your arrival (Getting people in their stations, prepping food/utensils, etc.) Just showing up and expecting us to be ready is a big no-no. Thanks ;)
  • If it isn't on the menu, we don't have it. Stop asking.
  • We don't have $1 Menu fries. Stop asking.
  • We don't have cherry milkshakes. Stop asking.
  • NO, your child can't have a different toy. We space them out on purpose, to make them last longer. This isn't Toys-R-Us.
  • If you mix up your restaurants (Big Mac at Burger King), we don't mind. It's when you get angry after we inform you that we don't sell that particular item that we get slightly irritated.
  • All drinks cost the same. Stop asking.
  • Extra sauces cost extra. Don't ask why, in a perfect world, I'd give them out for free, but I can't.
  • If you supposedly missed something on your order, you better have a receipt to back it up. Don't get mad at me when I ask for one and you don't have it. Most of the time, if it's small, I'll overlook that. But don't expect to get a large #1 without proof.
  • You can't have a discount. Employees/family only.
  • Don't talk shit about me or any of my fellow crew members. We're a family, even if we don't all get along. I'm not afraid to backlash, trust me :) I'll do it respectfully at first, but if you continue, I'd risk my job to tell you off. Just sayin'.
  • Swearing at me doesn't get your food out faster.
  • Don't order fries with no salt. It totally defeats the purpose, even if you are allergic. It's a big pain in the ass for us.
  • Get off your phone while you're ordering. If you start talking about an order with somebody over the phone, I may accidentally start punching it in on the register.
  • Speaking of, stay on your side of the counter. The till is for me to see, besides, if you think I'm messing up, how are you supposed to tell? Have you been trained on this register before? I think not, so just stay on your side and don't lean over to check the order.
  • OH MY GOD I JUST REMEMBERED. If you ordered your food, FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING GOD, move your lazy fucking ass away from the counter. Other people would like to order. Oh my God I can't even express how fucking pissed I fucking OH MY GOD I'M GETTING ANGRY JUST THINKING ABOUT IT AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alrighty. That's all I can think of for now... back to the good guys.

A few examples of the OPPOSITE people that made my day:

  • The deaf man who kindly wrote down what he needed, despite being very elderly with deteriorating handwriting. Your meal was on me :)
  • The woman with her kids that helped me order their food and didn't get mad when it took me forever to get it right.
  • The lady who ordered a kids meal to give to a homeless woman down the street.
  • The bus driver who called in early so we could prepare ourselves.
  • The old couple at Arby's who talked to me about MY life. It made me feel appreciated, I'll always remember you. <3
  • The woman who gave me a hug when she could tell I was having a bad day.
  • Those of you who order really complex meals and walk me through them slowly with a laugh. It really helps the tension :)
  • Anyone who just smiles and enjoys their service.
It's a shame the con list outweighed the pro list, but I think the little things are what keep me sane. I love you guys more than words can express... I wouldn't still be in this job if it wasn't for you guys.

Oh my God, this is the longest post I've ever written. I'm proud of it :) It's a venting session and a letter to those who deserve the biggest praise. Remember: The customer is only right when they are willing to cooperate.

-Jordan

I quit.

Mmhmm. I quit Arby's... well, not exactly :P I gave them my two-weeks notice, and I'm out on the 25th. I have orientation on Tuesday, and I start working on Saturday. They got me in so quick! The odd thing was, one of the main reasons I was leaving was because the stressful environment got a little out of hand sometimes, yet tonight was really easy. We had fun and got things done, and for the first time, I was out on time. They took my leaving well, so no burning bridges. I can't wait to start at McDonalds! Most of my friends are employees there, like Jon, Kailee, Luke, Nathan, John, Austin... the list goes on and on. It's crazy how well we all get along... I could see this being a great job.

I have school tomorrow, and I can't let it get to me. I'll be done in a little over a year, just gotta keep telling myself that. Good days are coming. Be right back, I need to get a drink.

Haha, what was originally only supposed to be a drink of water turned onto a deep chat session with myself (via camera). I'm uploading the video to YouTube now... expect it tomorrow :) It's really letting everything out.

I'll leave another post for you guys tomorrow! :D Goodnightttttyyy!
-Jordan

Small blog post for tonight.

Because I'm tired. Should have done this earlier :P

ARBYS:
-6 to 10 hours a week
-$7.25 an hour
-Outdated technology
-Stressful environment

MCDONALDS:
-At least 18-20 hours a week
-$7.75 an hour
-Latest technology
-Friendly environment

Well, now I know why I switched :P Here's the dealeo: I'm leaving Arby's. I pretty much didn't blog at all during my time there, which says a lot. It really took my mind away from what mattered, and I don't want that. Sure, I'm grateful for having the job and it's been a great life lesson, but it's time to move on. I had an interview yesterday, but my phone has been seriously glitchy and I didn't get the call/voicemail they left. So they called me in today, and I got the job :) All of my friends work there, as well as my sister, so that is really nice. They all say it's much better than Arby's and that I'll enjoy it. Good to know! :D

I know, I should have stuck it out a little longer... but I won't let an opportunity pass like this. That's it for tonight. :) Night all!
-Jordan

Work was... fun? :P

Not really... didn't have fun at all.

One of my coworkers really needed to leave early, so I had to cover an extra hour... I'm too nice of a guy. I've covered a lot of shifts since I started, and when I turn one down, they play me out to be the bad guy. Oh well. I'm hoping to get paid tomorrow, so that's pretty exciting! :)

I hooked up my guitar and amp again... and it sounds really awesome. I'm inspired to start writing more stuff again. The only problem is between school and work, I don't have much time to do things. But, I do have weekends... and tomorrow is Friday! :D Which means that I get to chill all weekend (But only after work tomorrow, of course). Arby's isn't an awful job, though I wish I got paid a little more for what I do. I can't complain, seeing as it is my first real job and I'm getting used to things. Maybe if I stay with them for a while, I'll get a raise. That would be cool.

I'd really love to type more, but I'm tired. It's 11:20 PM and I got off of work about an hour ago. Made myself a burger to eat and now I'm ready to crash. So, it's goodnight for now, and I'll see you all tomorrow!

:D
-Jordan

It's time for an update.

:)

New website: http://jordansmith.jimdo.com/

For music, pics, etc... but I'll still be using the blog! Love this thing... and I haven't updated in over a month. I r sorreh? :(

I went to Missoula today. Second time I've been there, and it's still a beautiful place. Went to Hooters after we went to a few motocross places... hahaha. They have delicious wings, I'll give them that. The skin is crispy and flavorful and the meat is perfectly tender. I love them!! And our waitress, Saskia, was really nice. I spilled my Coke all over the table and she was really joking about it. Good day :)

I got a $20 disco light set. It's hilarious because my dog doesn't like it at all, and he grows at my room now. I'll have to post a video of it soon. I also got a new Fox back bag and an Abercrombie hoodie (And I thought I'd never wear anything from A&F... :P Go figure).

Good day. More information to come soon! This spring break was great... my mom came over Sunday and we all had fun :) I'll talk more tomorrow when I get out of school.
-Jordan