Londonfur meet

[slycat]

So, I went to the Londonfur meet yesterday, and I had a great time. Was kinda overwhelmed by the sheer number of people there, a large percentage of whom I didn't know at all, which is scary. I remember times when I used to know everyone at the meets and everyone knew me. Some people were wearing badges so you knew who they were but I still didn't have a clue. I can only assume they're random people from the UK Fur forums. Admittedly, I didn't go out of my way to say hello to people, but did meet a few interesting people, one of whom I can actually remember being Albrecht.

Was nice to see a good turnout of fursuiters there too, the highlight for me being Wolfpaw's new lion cub suit, Vincent. Lycrawolf was also there with Devilwolf, Durandal with Marshall and Pippin with Kelsey. While they all disappeared to do a walkabout, some drama ensued.

Yes, I couldn't write about the meet and not mention the drama which I inadvertently kicked off. Basically for those wanting to know what happened, I was chatting at the bar with KayC when HelenBaby stumbled into us, looking rather worse for wear on her way to the bar. She apologised for stumbling into us, but I couldn't help but recall what I had been told before about Helen getting so wasted she was throwing up on the steps outside the pub. This reflects badly on the furs as a group and we don't really want to piss off the people who run the place. I basically said "Are you sure you should be having another drink?", and got a response of "I don't think it's any of your fucking business", etc. I said it would be if she got sick like before and ended up getting us thrown out. This opened the floodgates of abuse, saying I was a cunt and other things. By then I wished I just hadn't bothered and just wanted her to leave and go on her way encouraging her to go on and have her drink and enjoy the meet in an effort to get rid of her. Next thing I know she's crying in the arms of anyone who'll lend her an ear, presumably telling everyone what a bad person I was. I think after she knocked a glass off a table, her friends suggested she leave and that was the end of that. However it does seem as though she's since gone on a mission to vilify me in all of this when I only trying to show my concern as the Londonfurs have been kicked out of enough pubs in their history already.

It is worth pointing out that Rapido (who currently organises the meets to be in that pub) since got an email from the pub's management complaining about the level of drunkeness at the meets, so it does seem that I'm not the only one who noticed.

So yeah, apart from that bit of drama, I had a fun time at the meet.

Comments

[shep-shepherd.livejournal.com]

You weren't the villain, believe me...

[keihound.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I didn't go.. being around very drunk people I don't know isn't what I consider fun D:

[zapnut.livejournal.com]

Well, if you stuck to the sides of the room, it was ok. General drunken douchedness mostly happened in the centre tables.

[puddy-tat-uk.livejournal.com]

I really don't want to take sides in this, but I am not sure that 'naming and shaming' in public is entirely constructive...

=( '.' )=

[dogtoy.livejournal.com]

I see no reason to hide any names. People doing things in a public place should be responsible for their actions.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

(here via via, pardon me)

[shazomei.livejournal.com]

Not that there is really a hierarchy as such within the fandom; I think it is personally very rude for her to speak to you, the 6 or 7 (or is it more?) year veteran that you are, that way - when she has been part of the fandom (so far as I've noticed) barely even a year.

I mean, going by what you were saying, you were only making a suggestion. Maybe when she's been within the fandom as long as you have, runs a dedicated website for the fandom, and acknowledges the reputation and history of the group as a whole, she'll be able to debate in a rational argument with you regarding her behaviour in a civilised way.

I'm actually glad to hear that someone has finally taken the bull by the horns for telling someone that they're acting inappropriately. We had to put up with the behaviour of Animalal for far too long because no-one would tell him where to get off.

[shazomei.livejournal.com]

P.S. - I made this comment before reading elsewhere that he had actually turned up at the meet just gone.

I was ironically referring to his behaviour when he used to be floating about before.

[bungle-bear.livejournal.com]

It used to annoy me with the 'elitist' style of thinking when people compare based on how long they've been around or something... but to be honest there's more than enough justification at times like this as people who have been there longer know exactly how hard it is to keep a meet venue...


Perhaps it's a one-a-year thing? This year Helen's the new AnimalAl at the London meets? :p


I should really try and attend more, although (not to sound rude) there's not that much motivation to go... as statistically speaking I barely know a fraction of the furs there :/

[chaoaretasty.livejournal.com]

I wasn't there so I can't really comment on the incident in question, but comparing Helen to AnimalAl is actually quite abhorrent. AnimalAl was a perverted creep that pretty much everyone had good reason to want out. Helen might drink a bit much on occassion (I haven't been to many meets recently but most of the time I have been she hasn't been that bad) but what sort of scale are you using if you can even suggest they are close?

He;en's posted on the forums even and apologised and said she's going to try and get some help for the drinking. How about instead of people vilifying each other (the usual way of the furs that leads often to excessive drama) we try and just be a little calmer about the whole thing.

[nynthi.livejournal.com]

this is the post that reflects my thoughts perfectly

we all have problems including those who think they don't, and at least helen is activly seeking help which i'm going to assume given the age of this post that she's a much happier, and then better person for it

because, i like to give folk the benifit of the doubt

[nynthi.livejournal.com]

i'm not to good with my words sometimes

when i say 'including those who didn't' i don't mean that to be aimed at anybody yeah?

i got so many problems my tails dirty, in fact, i'd best run a bath before this confoundit doctors apointment...

[footpad.livejournal.com]

Yep—I guess that this situation was just a matter of ordinary nous and life experience, but it's true that the "long term" furries have seen a lot of issues and debates and disagreements that are relatively furry-specific, so they've often got a fairly clear idea what to do about them. Not any kind of God-given seniority, just the fact that some issues are perennial. :)

[godzuki.livejournal.com]

So how long you have been in the fandom is related to how much sway you have and if you need respect? I have to disagree, its a patently rediculous statement. Everyone is entitled to respect and just being around for longer doesnt make you any more or less entitled to that.

Having said that, everyone has a right to be annoyed by other peoples actions, and to demand to be treated right.

[shazomei.livejournal.com]

I fail to see the point in dragging up an issue which is two months past. Nor do I see to the point in bringing up an issue I didn't even refer to, ie: Respect.

In any case though, paying respect is relative and not a black and white affair. You may think that everyone is entitled to respect, in which case, they have your respect; but not (necessarily) mine. I refuse to be told who I should and shouldn't give my respect to, and nothing you can say will change that.
If you had read my post properly, you'll have ascertained that I pay a greater respect for SlyCat, not because he's been in the fandom longer (although admittedly that experience does help), but because he maintains a website dedicated to the fandom and in this instance was conveying a worry about the reputation of the fandom as a whole to which HelenBaby basically just flipped him off.

Just because I respect SlyCat more for his actions, doesn't mean I respect HelenBaby any less. She earnt that disrespect herself when she replied "I don't think it's any of your fucking business." Which, to be blunt, I don't think is very respectable behaviour.

[bungle-bear.livejournal.com]

What an annoying pisshead :/ Still, I doubt she'd have much chance vilify'in you, doubt she can string much of a sentence together at the time :p

I do hate it when people get carried away with alcohol, the very people I live with get drunk and obnoxious to total strangers for the 'fun of it' (well... just one of them.)




Oh and as for Vincent, murr ^^ He's great ^^

[rogerirrelevant.livejournal.com]

Not really. It is actually legislation that pubs are not allowed to serve people who are 'visibly intoxicated'.

In practise, this means that they can get you drunk, but if you're too drunk they are supposed to refuse to serve you or THEY can get in trouble. In practise, this may not happen, but it is in their best interest to keep in the clean, and is a great excuse to get rid of unwelcome piss heads.

With respect to HelenBaby, both through first-hand evidence and anecdotal, she seems little more than a spoilt and attention-seeking little fuckwit. But it's a refreshing change for the fuckwit to be female.

[scruff.livejournal.com]

'little'? o.O

[ruadh.livejournal.com]

Hey look, the pub complained! (http://www.ukfur.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4821&st=0)

[moshiicake.livejournal.com]

Hoho you! Vincent is beautiful. Your boyfriend has awesome fursuits, they are the schnuggles!

[bungle-bear.livejournal.com]

^^ Aint they just? ^^;


Vincent is awesome, but Ive got a soft spot for Wolfpaw, both in an out of suit :-D I think it's the purple ^^

[zapnut.livejournal.com]

But damn, she was DRUNK. :/ We were trying to figure out what set her off, thanks for clearing that one up.

[ruadh.livejournal.com]

*Ahem*

[paperkup.livejournal.com]

It's true, 75% of furs cry themselves to sleep at night because of what SlyCat said to them.

[rallicat.livejournal.com]

Out of all the meets currently held in the UK, the LondonFur meets still have the most potential for each one to be pretty damn good, having as it does a reliable regular venue, and a broader ranger of people compared to the NorthernFurs.

Drunkeness however, is a big problem, and having seen the same thing happen at a NorthernFur meet, it's not pleasant, it's not funny, and it's not fair on everyone else - especially if it looses you a venue.

Meets are not piss-ups, they're social occasions, and if anyone can't get through it without the aid of copious amounts of alcohol, then they need to ask themselves whether or not furmeets are the right place for them to be.

You are most certainly in the right for taking issue with her, as a single hard-drinker's behaviour alone has the power to 'make or break' not just your chances of staying on the management's good side - but people's chances of having a good time.

[rallicat.livejournal.com]

It might also be a good idea for Rapido to ask the pub to tell (remind) their staff not to serve anyone who is drunk - the pub has responsibilities here too; serving someone who has allready clearly had too much is illegal.

[tarirat.livejournal.com]

I've only gotten *really* falling off my tail drunk once, a few years ago, which taught me several lessons I don't want to repeat. I still drink occasionally now, but I limit it to getting controllably buzzed now, never to the point where I'd become a problem for everyone else. Too bad your friendly reminder to her was taken as badly as it was. Being furry doesn't mean forgetting social civility. :o)

[nynthi.livejournal.com]

i got pissed as a fart once, and once only, ant a furmeet years and years back

i don't even remember what happened, but wouldn't want to do it again

ooh no. having said that i was up poo river at the time

my point? i don't know