ISSUE 257
Hello everyone! Welcome once more to Furry Weekly! Your one stop for anything and everything about the fandom! Thanks for joining us for issue 257. We’re gonna kick off with our usual announcements, so if you just wanna get to the content, go ahead and scroll past the next section!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
RECRUITING
As usual, we want to start by reminding you about some positions we have open. We need help to keep making this project the best it can be, so take a look at the positions below and see if anything catches your eye:
- Art Corner Host
- Available Artists Host
- Radical Raffles Host
- Furry of the Week Host
- Front End Website Developer
Just a note: the list above is the most accurate, not the art above it. If you’d like to help out or if you want more info, please contact Yeshua, or Carkas. If you want a description of the roles above, visit this document! If you have any suggestions for other roles or things we could bring into Furry Weekly, please reach out as well. We’d love to hear your ideas! We still need lots of help in general, so please do consider joining us or sharing with other friends in the fandom if you can! We’d really appreciate it!
DISCORD SERVER
We want to tell you about a Discord server we recently became active in. It's called The Furry Social! The Furry Social is a new upcoming Discord where artists, commissioners and furries of all kinds can hang out and express themselves! Discover new content and share your own!
This is not an official Furry Weekly server, but we do work with folks there! So if you're looking for a furry Discord server to interact in, whether you're looking to just hang out, show off your creations, or browse and find new people to follow, check out The Furry Social!
There are also a couple of Furry Weekly channels where we can chat about the magazine, and you could even submit some of your content there! Nevertheless, be sure to join the server if it interests you! You can join it by clicking the link below! Just make sure you have Discord open!
The Furry Social Discord
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That does it for announcements, so let’s check out what we have today! There’s a ton of good stuff you don’t wanna miss, from fursuit raffles in Radical Raffles, to a very cool feature of a fandom member who did art for a local shop in Furry of the Week, and so much more! Let us know what you think of today’s edition on our social media, as well as anything you might wanna see. We’re @FurryWeekly on both Twitter and Instagram!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
[✔] Furry of the Week
[❌] Animal of the Week
[✔] Art Corner
[❌] Writing Showcase
[❌] Art 101
[❌] Species Spotlight
[✔] Writing 101
[✔] Fursuit Fanatics
[✔] Photography 101
[❌] Fursuit Designing Tips
[✔] Radical Raffles
[✔] Available Artists
[✔] Character Interview
[✔] Convention Calendar
[✔] Furry Quote
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FURRY OF THE WEEK
Hello everyone! Welcome back to another edition of Furry of the Week! My name is Yeshua, and I’ll be presenting today’s feature.
I won’t waste any time so let’s take a look at who it is!
This time we’re highlighting Danny for his window artwork that’s now up at a public business!
Danny made the artwork in preparation for a music festival that’s happening at the end of March 2023. He applied to do this work in February and was accepted, ultimately being paired with a local business to work on the design for the windows.
Danny originally had totally different ideas than what was actually completed, but those were thrown out and instead, Danny and the business decided to design something that would represent the different people folks might see at the festival.
Danny had one week to plan and one week to do the paintings, so about two weeks of work went into the project. Danny had a lot of freedom with the designs, and fortunately the folks at the business were fond of anthro characters after seeing Danny’s work on Instagram. The people at the business even suggested some of the outfits, but Danny was able to add some of his own, so no doubt did the collaboration go very well! The business folks did ask if the characters could be more detailed because the drawings were originally even more chibi-looking, but for the sake of time the style ended up somewhere in the middle.
Perhaps the most challenging part was actually painting on the windows thanks to the weather; temperatures were around 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 Celsius) which is just below freezing point, and it was windy! It also took Danny one extra day than expected to finish, but he hustled and got it done! It was definitely a job well done too, and the art will especially shine once the music festival rolls around!
Congrats on being Furry of the Week, Danny! This is no doubt a really unique and fun way of presenting just a small bit of the furry fandom to the general public, and your artwork turned out superb!
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Thanks for stopping by! It’s always great getting the chance to showcase cool stuff folks do in the community, especially for the public to see! You can find each photo of the drawings to view up close on Danny’s tweet!
If you have any questions about this segment or perhaps a suggestion, let us know on our social media. We’re @FurryWeekly on Twitter and Instagram. Or let me or one of our usual hosts, Danielle or Fizzy know!
We’ll catch you next time, so until then, take care!
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ART CORNER
Hello, everyone! I’m Multifurse and welcome to Art Corner! I’ve got some great art to share with y’all this week, so let’s get started!
First up this week is a beautiful badge by xxmystic_.foxx!
First and foremost, I want to comment on how beautifully structured everything is! The muzzle shape is beautifully defined, the foreshortening is amazing, and there’s a clear distinction with where Milo’s jaw ends and the cheek fluff begins. I also really like how Mystic draws fur! It’s drawn in tufts, but each tuft is shaded and detailed with color so well that you can almost see individual details! The layout of the fur and hair looks natural, and that can be really difficult to pull off sometimes.
The shading is excellent as well; the blending is superb and creates smooth transitions from areas of light into areas of shadow, and this is best demonstrated on the muzzle and the jaw. I also love how shiny the badge is! The highlights add a lot of personality and shine, particularly in the fur and hair, but I also really like the few additional highlights that are sprinkled throughout the piece that just make it sparkle! Well done, Mystic, beautiful work!
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Next up this week is a beautiful ¾ body by fur.noodle!
I absolutely love the colors in this piece! The vibrant reddish-pink pairs really well with the more golden-colored fur of the character, and I love how well the yellow dress and silver jewelry stand out! The style is easy on the eyes with clear shapes and structures, and I really appreciate the smaller details with the fur. This piece’s strong point is all the highlights! There’s a little shading in important areas of the piece, such as the folds in the fabric, but otherwise, this is a very highlight-heavy piece, and I think it really works well. It’s very shiny and sparkly, and the variety of shapes the highlights take throughout really draws the eye. Beautiful work, Noodle!
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The last piece this week is a gorgeous scene by sorenartz!
This piece is absolutely gorgeous! The first thing that really stands out to me is how cohesive the piece is overall. The character really stands out against the background, but with how the lighting is rendered, they fit right into it as well; they’re easy to pick out and see, but they don’t look out of place. The really bright colors on their shirt and hair are handled very nicely, and the shading really helps integrate them into the full scene and adds some depth and perspective. The reflected light and highlights also help with this, and they make it clear that it’s a bright, sunny day out! The background is also really well done; the clouds and trees help frame and balance the piece out, as does the wall on the left side. There’s excellent balance here, and there’s also ample negative space for the artwork to “breathe” and give our eyes a bit of a break. The pose is really nice, too, and it gives our character the perfect, sassy appearance. Fantastic job, Soren!
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That’s all for this week! Many thanks to our artists, Mystic, Noodle, and Soren for allowing me to feature their works this week! If you liked what you saw, check out their pages and drop a follow if you feel so inclined!
If you’d like a chance to be featured in Art Corner, make a post using the tags #FurryWeekly and #ArtCorner so I can find you, or message me directly on my Instagram or DeviantArt!
Thanks for joining us, and see you next time! Multifurse, out!
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WRITING 101
“This lighting sucks. How do you see in this place?”
“Look, I’m moving soon. It’s only for a few more weeks. The new place has nice overhead lights. Plus it’s dark under the desk.”
“Turn on your torch.”
“…Eh?”
The voice grumbles through the tinny speaker. “Your flashlight. Americans….”
Tad rolls his eyes at the comment but smiles. He holds his phone up a little higher and turns on the flashlight. A sleek black computer case with a tinted glass side panel sits below the desk. Miles of wires trail this way and that, yet all of them are tied up or bundled in some way to avoid tangling any cables.
“Wow…” says the voice on the other end. “How much did it cost you?”
“Enough for parts that will last me a lifetime.”
Tad reaches forward and flicks on the power switch. A warm multi-colored glow inside the case seeps into the dark room and the computer monitors blink to life.
“Hey, I just finished Writing 101 this week. Want to see?”
“Sure. I do miss it, actually….”
Tad holds up his phone so that the screen reads bright and clear through the video call.
~~~~~
Hello friends, and welcome to Furry Weekly’s Writing 101! I’m Bryce Griffin, here to get all you writers out there the inside scoop on literature tips and tricks. Let’s get started!
In Issue #129 for Writing 101, we discussed Lampshading to briefly touch on certain writing tropes. Now, over three years after this was published, we’ll revisit this topic and introduce several others. Tropes in film and literature crop up time and time again because they are popular ways to depict characters, situations, or ideals. They may be beneficial or detrimental tropes, but they nevertheless allow us to pin creative expressions to concrete definitions.
Immediately, you may be thinking, “Oh! This is my ticket out of that problematic scenario I wrote for my character a few chapters ago!” This is absolutely not the case. Lampshading is no excuse for poor writing, bad character decisions, or plots with more holes than rusted iron. Lampshading is a deliberate choice where the author knows exactly what they’re doing and the situation appropriately calls for it.
Think of it this way: a strange or fantastic occurrence far outside of what is normally expected draws everyone’s attention, including the characters of the story. It threatens the audience’s suspension of disbelief because there’s no ready or obvious explanation to cover for the occurrence. A writer’s goodwill may dictate that this event deserves “to have a lampshade hung on it”; that is, to specifically draw its attention so that the audience knows that the author isn’t trying to sneak something under their noses. This also works well with blatant tropes.
Lampshading is more typical in comedy because the audience already knows that weird occurrences are likely. Disney’s “The Emperor’s New Groove” is famous and well-loved for hanging lampshades on numerous plot points that would otherwise be very difficult to explain. Near the climax, Kuzco and Pacha very clearly beat the pursuing antagonists, Yzma and Kronk, to Kuzco’s palace, yet Yzma was able to steal the potion Kuzco needs to turn back into a human.
Yzma: “Looking for this?” (she holds up the potion.)
Kuzco: “No… It can’t be! How did you get back here before us?”
Yzma: (pauses, dumbfounded) “...How did we, Kronk?”
Kronk: “Well, you got me.” (Reveals a map that shows everyone’s tracks to the palace. He points to his and Yzma’s tracks leading down a chasm.) “By all accounts, it doesn’t make sense.”
The off-screen teleportation befuddles everyone, including the characters. It had to happen because their falling-into-a-chasm gag was used for laughs, thus invoking an obvious problem that Kuzco is quick to identify. The solution? Hang a big ol’ lampshade on it!
Remember: Lampshading is not a solution to bad writing or a bandage for blatant tropes. The situation demands careful planning and excellent timing for such a gag to function. Take note of other places you see this practiced and observe the surrounding context. The Lampshading often has important context that signals to the audience, “Don’t worry; it’s all part of the plan.” It’s the author’s knowing wink to the reader—everyone is in on it, and it’s okay to move past this weird event that just left the protagonist scratching their head.
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Want us to take a look at your work? Got a general question for Writing 101? Just shoot me a message on Discord! I’ll be happy to answer any writing questions you may have, or even critique your work.
Thanks for joining me in Furry Weekly’s Writing 101. I hope you enjoy the rest of the magazine!
~~~~~
”That looks nice. Thanks for sharing.”
“Sure thing,” says Tad. He backs up to leave his room, but he’s forced to stop.
“Wait! Did I see more than one monitor?”
“Probably.”
“Let me look again.”
Tad backs up to frame his entire desk in the composition.
“How do you have three computer monitors? Like—why the hell do you need THREE?”
The hawk pauses, beak hanging open. Truth be told, two would be just fine for his daily routine.
“I… um… I like my screen space.”
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FURSUIT FANATICS
Hihi..! Welcome to Furry Weekly and this week’s installment of Fursuit Fanatics. I’m tahlmorra, your host today as we discover new and interesting fursuits and their people. Now, I’m sure most of you have heard many old sayings and aphorisms like “Early to bed, early to rise..,” “Find a penny, pick it up..,” and “If the groundhog sees his shadow..” and understand that most of them are pretty much inaccurate. That being the case, I’m happy to tell you that what happens in Vegas does NOT always stay in Vegas and introduce you to Fleur, the Black Tiger!
Fleur is a toony, digitigrade, white-striped, black tiger with clear blue eyes and a bright purple nose. She and her suiter, Shaela, are both from Las Vegas, Nevada and share a preference for the same she/her pronoun. Fleur is Shaela’s second fursuit, but the first version of this particular fursona. She was made by Salty Bunny, on Instagram and had her unboxing day just this past November 2022. Her special features include an attached tail, follow-me eyes and special outdoor feet designed for exploring and dancing.
Fleur has many interesting future plans ahead of her such as entering convention dance competitions, traveling to unique locations to further express her character through photos and as a mascot for Shaela’s business, (Black Tiger Kandi)[@blacktigerkandi], on Instagram and outside of the furry fandom.
Fleur has yet to discover many places to public suit since she’s so new and hasn’t had the opportunity to get out a whole lot yet. She has found that the cold and snow particularly have been her favorite public environment. She specifically enjoys the weather conditions, mitigating the normal heat of wearing a fullsuit. In the brief time she has been able to get out and about, she’s also discovered that her favorite activities include dancing and doing pushups! That last activity being a definite crowd pleaser.
Fleur, herself, has yet to attend any meets or conventions, being so new. Shaela, however, has been to a couple of meets and seven conventions: Arizona FurCon 2015 & 2016, Califur 2015 & 2016, Painted Desert FurCon 2019, Biggest Little FurCon 2019 and FurFest 2019. She’s hoping to be able to bring Fleur to events soon and make appearances with her in more fandom spaces.
Among their favorite things, they count music (mainly EDM), weightlifting, family, God, connecting with others, dancing and drawing, not necessarily in that order. Significant dislikes are much broader in nature, but are covered under the wings of divisiveness and deceit.
Shaela says she became a furry because it peaked all her natural interests. As a child growing up, she played every flash web browser game she could find that centered around animal character customization. As she grew older, she discovered the idea of furries, “I came across the concept of creating your very own animal character without any limitations? AND you can embody that character in costume form? Obvious choice to get involved for me!”
Having found this new community, she found a new obsession in fursuits. “I loved the experience of interacting with fursuiters who were really good at expressing their character to those around them and couldn’t wait until I could do the same thing with my fursona,” she says. Fleur was chosen to become a fursuit because she was Shaela’s main fursona, created when she first entered the fandom nine years ago. She says there have been some small tweaks to the design, but she’s basically the same suit since her first ref sheet from eight years ago. “Fleur is the expression of everything I enjoy and am into. She’s an avenue that I can channel everything into, so she’s basically a giant crossover of every other interest I have. The reason that’s huge, unique, and so exciting is because since fursonas are an expression of the self and not already made media, you can use it for anything and in any way.”
When it comes to what she considers important goals to strive for, she starts off simple: to wear Fleur to a rave music festival! But her goals aren’t just for herself, she also hopes to make a strong impact on whomever connects with her, primarily for their betterment. She expresses it better: “The goal is to do everything in love - small things and big things. I hope the important milestones in my life are marked by people realizing truth and stepping into truth because of who I am, what I say, or what I do. Realizing that they have the power to change, be better, and do better on significant life-altering levels. Ultimate goal which may or may not happen is turning an immense and substantial positive tide in the fandom and in my other communities so that these spaces are as healthy as can be for everyone in them. People matter more than the culture of a group, and sometimes the culture needs to shift for it to be beneficial for the people part of it. I don’t know how to accomplish all that, but I follow God in the fandom because He knows how to make a subculture optimal and make us flourish. I just do my own thing in my corner of the furry fandom and if people vibe they follow along or join in!”
Shaela says Fleur’s design doesn’t have any special meaning on its own. She did, however, say it was only years after creating Fleur’s ‘black with white accents’ design, that she realized it matched most of her color choices in clothing selection. The brighter colors, purple and blue, were chosen because they’re her favorites. Also, she enjoys that she looks like an Oreo. The white-on-black motif was chosen because she had seen another tiger fursuiter who was white with black stripes and already had the name Shaela had originally selected for her fursona (Harmony). Her solution? Invert the colors and choose a new name!
With regards to fursuit care, Shaela says she cares for Fleur each and every time she wears her. “It’s the only way to prolong its life, keep it fresh to wear, and it would be a dishonor to the creator of it to not maintain their handiwork well.” She points out that she wouldn’t want to see her hours of effort on something she handmade end up trashed or not cared for by the person who bought it. When attending to the white fur portions, specifically, she uses Folex to keep it whiter than not.
Regarding fursuits within the furry community, she says it is obvious they play a huge role with much of the fandom revolving around them. “They are the most attention-catching thing I can think of, which is why we focus on them as much as we do and why they’re so popular. It’s the most [real life] expression of our fursonas that we have, and it’s pretty special to be able to bring something from your mind to life as 3D and interactive as fursuits.”
Stepping outside the framework of the interview, Shaela wished to include a brief account of her personal introduction to the community: “I’d like to add part of my story in the beginnings of me interacting with the fandom in person. I had severe social anxiety disorder for a long while, and going to my first convention in 2015, for the first time ever in an interactive social setting it felt like a weight was lifted and I could exist without the requirement to perform as if I wasn’t struggling with a social mental health condition. I was anxious and still invited in without being told to keep a certain pace. I was dealing with symptoms of social anxiety disorder and everybody I interacted with extended kindness despite my anxious imperfect presence. It did a lot for me to have that experience at my first convention. It made me understand that I CAN face my anxiety head-on (no fursuit pun intended!) in social settings - even if at an incremental and slow rate. This is the experience I hope others continue to have today at furcons. That we are kind, understanding, and compassionate to all who enter our spaces, because we never know what individuals are going through, and we never know our impact on them.”
“The furry community is a melting pot of people. [All] sorts of humans. There is always somebody you can fight and disagree with. Therefore - It’s up to you to put yourself in groups of people that are good for you, good for the whole of the community, and who don’t cause contention. Grow what’s good with those you find to hang out with here. The furry experience is up to you, so make it a positive one.”
And with that uplifting and inspiring message, we come to the end of another week’s installment of Fursuit Fanatics. I hope you all enjoyed meeting Fleur and Shaela as much as I did. If you think you’d like to learn more about them, or follow them online, you can find them at @MechanicalCat on Twitter, @FleurTheTiger on Instagram and @FleurThe Artist on TikTok.
Remember, if you think you would like to be featured in Fursuit Fanatics or know someone who should, reach out to us at #FurryWeekly and #FursuitFanatics (on most platforms) and who knows? Maybe you could be our next special guest! Be sure to stop by next week when we head back to Europe where our next featured fursuit is really on a roll! I’m tahlmorra and I’m happy to have been your host for today. Stay safe, stay well, and stay furry!
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PHOTOGRAPHY 101
Hello, friends and photografurs! Welcome to this week's Photography 101! I'm your host, Jaden (Discord @ Jaden711#0663). Are standard cameras starting to bore you? Don't you wish taking a single photo could take up to seven minutes? Well then this segment is for you!
Pinhole cameras are incredibly impractical for everyday use, but they are a super fun project to try out, so we’ll be going through how to make and use one in this issue! To make a pinhole camera, we’ll need:
- An empty beer can (cans of similar sizes like Monster, large Red Bull, Arizona Tea, etc. will work just as well)
- Black construction paper
- Duct tape
- Needle/pin
- Pencil (optional)
- Rubber band (optional)
- 5x7 inch photo paper
Now onto the tricky part of constructing the camera.
- Using a can opener, remove the top of the can.
- Cut out a strip of black construction paper and cut notches along the strip, then fold the notches down.
- Cut out a circle of black construction paper that is equal to the base of the can. Then tape the strip we made as close to the bottom of the can as possible, place the circle under the notches and tape it together to make it sturdy, then remove it, being careful to keep it all in one piece since this will be our new cap.
- Using the needle or pin, make one hole halfway up the can.
- Cut a small strip of duct tape and fold a part of it in on itself, being sure to leave some adhesive left, so you can place it above the hole, as this will act as our shutter.
- In a completely black room (preferably in a red room if you have access to one. There cannot be any light in this step!) take off your cap and place your photo paper, so the shiny side is facing the inside of the curl and place it, so the pinhole is where the gap in the curl is.
- Put the cap back on and make sure the shutter tape is secure. 8 (OPTIONAL) Use the elastic band to secure the pencil to the can facing sideways to keep the camera steady if you plan on shooting horizontally and have nothing to prop it up against.
And just like that, you have a working camera! To use it, you’ll need to prop it towards your subject and remove the tape for five seconds if the skies are clear and bright and twelve seconds if it's cloudy. Shooting indoors is a bit tricky, however, as it can take five minutes to several hours. Getting the time right indoors will take lots of practice, but if you do it enough, it will eventually come as second nature. Another cool thing about this camera is since it has absolutely no electrical components, you can take photos completely underwater!
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That concludes this week's segment! If you have any questions or would like constructive criticism on your photos, don't be afraid to shoot me (Discord @ Jaden711#0663) a message! I'm also now available on Mastodon, which you can find in my Linktree!
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RADICAL RAFFLES
Hello, everyone! My name’s Danielle, and I’m here to bring you the most interesting raffles. We have more than ten, including some big prizes, so you’ll want to stick around! Let’s take a look at them.
First, we have a fursuit giveaway by user indomidodorex!
How to Enter:
-Follow indomidodorex on any of their art accounts for a base entry. If you follow all five, you’ll get a bonus entry! This will give you a max of six base entries.
-Be sure to like, retweet, and comment on the post so more people can see and enter!
-Please read the giveaway’s full details here.
Prize:
-The grand winner will receive a custom fit fursuit head. This prize will be upgraded as certain goals are reached. Be sure to keep a lookout for those!
-Bonus prizes will be added when bonus goals are reached, and they come at different levels: small, medium, large, and deluxe. Win your chance at these bonus prizes!
Deadline:
-This giveaway will end at the beginning of the new year, which is January 1st, 2024. There’s plenty of time left to enter!
-Winners will be drawn within the first week of January 2024.
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Celebrate with a road to 2k followers raffle by user runtgf!
How to Enter:
-Follow and re-share the post to your story.
-Like and comment on the post to receive a number for your entry.
-OPTIONAL: Tag a friend for an extra entry.
Prize:
-Two winners will receive a full render of their character with their choice of pose/bust or full/etc. Two extra winners will be added if there are 100 entries and six winners for 200 entries.
Deadline:
-This raffle will end once the 2k follower goal has been reached. As of March 8, there are currently 1,863 followers. There’s still some time left to enter!
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Next up, we have an icon raffle by Cryptillian!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Comment your favorite animal(s).
Prize:
-Icon
Deadline:
-This raffle will end on April 3rd at 8 am Eastern Standard Time (EST). There’s still lots of time left to enter!
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Win your chance at an artistic liberty fursuit raffle by user OmnidadCreation!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet.
-Comment an idea of what you want the fursuit head to be (e.g species, colors, themes) if you don’t want it to be a blind box surprise.
Prize:
-Artistic liberty fursuit head
-Winner must pay $25 (United States) or $50 (international) for shipping.
Deadline:
-This raffle will end when OmnidadCreation hits 5k followers. As of March 8, Omnidad currently has 4,221 followers. There’s still lots of time left to enter!
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Celebrate with a 4k followers raffle by Vyrøsk!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Comment on the post; posting a reference sheet is optional.
Prize:
-Artistic freedom sketch-painted/semi-detailed portrait
Deadline:
-This raffle will end on March 20th. This gives you about a week left to enter!
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Celebrate with a 3k follower raffle by Heartlilly!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet.
-Share your reference sheet in the comments.
-Tag a friend for an extra entry.
Prize:
-A5 gouache painting
Deadline:
-This raffle will end on March 31st, which gives you about three weeks left. There’s still lots of time left to enter!
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Step into a 600 follower celebration raffle by user PeachTabby!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet (no quote retweets).
-OPTIONAL: Post a reference of your character.
Prize:
-Custom double-sided physical badge with QR code
Deadline:
-This raffle will end on Monday, March 13th. There’s very little time left to enter!
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Celebrate with a road to 1,400 raffle by Shadow-Lightning Wolf!
How to Enter:
-Like and retweet.
-Comment a safe for work (SFW) reference sheet.
Prize:
-Fully-rendered full body portrait
Deadline:
-This raffle will end when Shadow-Lightning Wolf reaches 1,400 followers. As of March 8, there are currently 1,349 followers. There’s only a little bit of time left to enter!
~~~~~
Up next, we have a collar YCH giveaway by user artistic_dot!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Comment your favorite color.
-Earn double chances by participating in the Telegram channel!
Prize:
-Collar your character here (YCH)
Deadline:
-This giveaway will end on March 21st. There’s a little bit of time left to enter! Feel free to check out his explorer pack giveaway here that ends on March 27th as well.
~~~~~
Next up, we have a half body raffle by Nevan!
How to Enter:
-Retweet
-Comment your reference.
Prize:
-Full color half body
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Monday, March 13th. There’s very little time left to enter!
~~~~~
Celebrate with a 5th year anniversary raffle by Missy the Mouse!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet (no quote retweets).
-Comment your reference sheet.
Prize:
-Custom fursuit head
Deadline:
-This raffle will end on May 4th at 12 CET (Amsterdam time). There’s still a lot of time left to enter! Feel free to congratulate her on the milestone as well.
~~~~~
Celebrate with a 4k raffle by user EmilyCreative!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet.
Prize:
-T-shirt in any size (small-3XL) and in any color/type (five to choose from)
-Shipping is free and will be shipped out mid April!
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Tuesday, March 14th. There’s little time left to enter! Feel free to check out Emily’s plushie kickstarter raffle that ends on March 31st as well.
~~~~~
Last but not least, we have a shaded full body raffle by Chevy!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet.
-Comment your reference.
Prize:
-Shaded full body
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Wednesday, March 15th. There’s little time left to enter!
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Those are all the raffles I have for you this week. There's always more out there, and we'll make sure to find them and bring them to you every week!
Make sure you use the tags #RadicalRaffles and #FurryWeekly so we can find your raffle more easily.
Thank you for taking a look at this week’s raffles. Stay tuned because more radical raffles are coming your way!
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AVAILABLE ARTISTS
Hello, everyone! My name’s Danielle, and I’m here to bring you the latest and greatest artists to commission.
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We start with Bea, a digital furry artist who specializes in headshots, half bodies, full bodies, and custom designs. There’s something to enjoy with any of these commission options. If you’re looking to get a new character, be sure to check out Bea’s unsold adoptables as well!
You can find Bea’s prices and terms of service on their Carrd as well as their social media and unsold adopts on their Linktree. Feel free to message them if you are interested in a commission or if you have any questions.
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Last but not least, we have OnedayT, a Russian freelance furry artist who specializes in cute feral and anthro furry art. They offer headshots, half bodies, and full bodies. Their backgrounds are really amazing as well!
You can find OnedayT’s prices on their DeviantArt. If you have any questions or are interested in a commission, feel free to message them.
That is all for this edition of Available Artists.
We’re always on the lookout for amazing artists to put on the spotlight. Don’t forget to use the hashtags #AvailableArtists and #FurryWeekly so we can find you. Feel free to message me directly on any of my social media if you have any artists with open commissions you’d like us to feature.
Thank you for reading and checking out these amazing artists!
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CHARACTER INTERVIEW
Hi you all! Thank you for stopping by to the Character Interview segment. I’m Yeshua, and today I’m excited to bring you a chat I had with a couple of members of the community who are pretty well established and bringing some pretty cool stuff to the table.
So let’s not waste any time and just get into it!
YESHUA: Today I'm joined by Pinku and Pixel -- they make up a small team of creators who make some pretty cool stuff in the fandom! Thank you both for taking the time to chat a bit! Let's get right into it. Can you all tell me about what exactly you all specialize in here in the community?
PINKU AND PIXEL: Hi there! It's great to have you reach out to us. We specialize in bringing a high quality fursuit parts, such as a tails and paws to the community at an affordable price. We also have small items such as fursuit sprays with allergies in mind and wearable art, pins and keychains. We are constantly branching out into new and exciting new ventures such as full partials in our own unique style and new items with our passionate artwork on display.
YESHUA: Sounds like you all have a lot to offer and are indeed looking to offer even more! I'm very curious about what you mention, so let's try to get through some of those items. Let's start with the fursuit parts. I definitely noticed a lot of paws and tails on your social media, so is it safe to say these are your biggest projects?
PINKU AND PIXEL: Our roots are most certainly in fursuit parts. About 9 years ago, Pinku was working both as a manager at a game store in the morning and closing as a sever at a Chili's by night. These jobs are by no means fulfilling so she started to learn to draw at night after work.
Long story short the hobby became in demand and slowly she started to quit her day jobs.
As time passed sewing became another hobby. And it really took hold. Fast forward to today and we make over 900 tails and 400 sets of hand paws/ feet paws each year. That's some serious fluff! 2d art is the hobby now.
We are always taken back by the community and the demand for our paws and tails.
As for Pixel, he worked long hours in the VFX industry, Apple IT, and for a short time with GM assembling trucks.
Recently we have been very lucky to have him become full time creating the much loved paws.
While not being the most creative mind he has an incredible eye for detailing and quality checks.
YESHUA: That sounds like quite the rise! It's impressive to hear how those hobbies from Pinku eventually led to a career, essentially! I'm also very impressed by those numbers, that's indeed some serious fluff! And it's great that Pixel has been able to join in the crafting; I bet having two people working together helps a lot! I noticed you all recently completed a shark tail, which are definitely not common! Do you all typically make tails of less common species like that, or is this a somewhat newer project?
PINKU AND PIXEL: Very much so! This has been a dream come true for both of us and we absolutely love working together.
Many of Pinku's passion projects are for more uncommon species. She has had deep love for sealife so this shark project has been a long time coming. The most exciting projects seem to be for less common creatures. In the past we have done lizards, snakes, and some unique dragons. We hope to do many more fish in the future so keep an eye out for those!
YESHUA: That's great to hear! It's genuinely great seeing folks be able to do something they enjoy together, especially as a living!
Oh wow, happy to hear Pinku was finally able to get a chance to work on a marine tail like this; it looks great too! I definitely believe you all when you say less common creatures make for more exciting projects.
I also noticed something interesting from you all recently: custom print lining the inside of feet paws. Tell me more about that, if that's okay?
PINKU AND PIXEL: Ah thank you for the vote of confidence. Jumping into the unknown can be scary.
The custom lining is a recent addition to our paws. This took a lot of small samples and fabric testing to bring to the table. There has been a rise of imported paws within the fandom so we felt it was important to make it very clear that every paw is made by us right here in our studio. We have great pride in our work in that it's long lasting and made to be unique.
The fandom is very supportive of its makers and we believe that it's important to continue to be the creative drive that brings the magic of a fursona to life instead of an assembly line.
YESHUA: I think that's a great way to distinguish your paws! And if I may say, I think the sampling and fabric testing paid off! And I agree the fandom is very supportive of its makers; I'm sure your clients will appreciate the detail! I personally haven't seen something like that so far, though I get the feeling maybe I'm just not looking hard enough. Hahah. Are there any other projects or features you two have been working on recently that you'd like to share? Or any sneak peeks perhaps?
PINKU AND PIXEL: Thank you! We always want to ensure anything new is up to snuff.
The influx of imported fursuit parts is a rather new hurtle for specialized makers within the fandom. We are here to stick up for our fellow makers, however, and try to educate first-time buyers with the difference.
We are aggressively working towards full partials this year! It's an extremely exciting time, as this has been Pinku's goal for some time. We are currently printing our first headbase that has been custom formed to match her 2D art style. It is a mix between the classic American toony style and the very popular Japanese kemono style. We also have a number of collaborative projects with our close friends, Glitzy Fox Studios. They are a joy to work with, and we couldn't be happier to make some of our signature paws for them.
YESHUA: I'm sure folks will appreciate your commitment to educating first-time buyers and sticking up for fellow makers when it comes to imported parts!
And full partials definitely sounds like a huge, but thrilling step! And a mix of toony and kemono style? I'd be lying if I said that didn't pique my interest. Also very cool you all collaborate with Glitzy Fox Studios! Sounds like you all are definitely well involved in the fursuit-making scene and indeed, taking that step toward partials is sure to be great for you all!
Switching gears a little bit -- you all mentioned you offer small items as well, like pins and keychains. Tell me a little about that, if you would?
PINKU AND PIXEL: Drawing was Pinku's beginning into the furry fandom and it has not stopped to this day. All of the merchandise we carry has been drawn up in spare time or on sick days. Pins have been a focus for the last 3 years. The joy in these has been taking subjects of interest and just going. Recently we have had a huge burst of "stressed" sharks that has been received very well. These have been nothing short of a blast to work on. Many species of shark we have showcased are endangered, this has been an incredible opening for education at live events. And we can't forget our isopod pins. The fandom has come out in full force to learn about isopods and or add to the addicting collection of bug merch.
Keychains are a newer adventure and have been focused more on fanart. Pokemon in fact! Pinku tends to just draw ones she likes. This has lent to lots of fun conversations at cons.
YESHUA: Wow, it definitely sounds like you guys have found some great success in these smaller items as well! It's very cool the marine pins have opened up educational opportunities as well; here at Furry Weekly we have our own Animal of the Week segment, so we appreciate some nice education on endangered species!
The keychains sound like another great item. Nice to see a different approach for those that also seems to be doing well!
Is there anything else about your business, or just the work that you all do that you'd like to share at all?
PINKU AND PIXEL: We wouldn't be upset to see a shark make your list!
We want to encourage anyone out there who is having doubts about making things work. It's totally ok if you don't take off like a rocket to the moon as a small business, we sure didn't. This work while being fulfilling, is so much hard work. Keep that part time job for as long as you need to. No shame in it at all.
And in general treat people how you want to be treated. Hold a door, give compliments, and better yourself. Together we can make such a wonderful community. Lift eachother up!
Thank you so much for having us.
YESHUA: I can't quite remember if we've already had some, but if we haven't, I'm sure we will at some point!
That is all some great advice and a great way to bring this interview to a close! Nowadays I'm seeing more and more folks in the fandom take up ambitious projects like a business, and I think what you all say is definitely worth keeping in mind. Same goes for lifting each other up!
Thank you Pinku and Pixel both for taking some time to chat with me about what you all do here in the fandom!
It was a pleasure!
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That’s all for this interview! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed doing it! You can find Pinku and Pixel’s work on Twitter by following Pinku’s Crafty Cottage!
If you have any suggestions for who you’d like for us to interview next, let us know on our media or just contact me, Yeshua!
Thanks for joining us for Character Interview! Until next time, take care!
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CONVENTION CALENDAR
Hello again, readers! I’m Shetani, your Convention Calendar segment host for this issue. March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, so the saying goes, but no matter what kind of critter you are, you’ll find plenty of fun opportunities to gather with other furries this month. Let’s hear about March’s furry conventions and events happening online, around the world, and in your neck of the woods!
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March’s furry fun starts off immediately with Gdakon, from Wednesday March 1 - Sunday March 5. The Novotel Gdańsk Marina Hotel in Gdańsk, Poland is host to this celebrated furry convention. If you ain’t afraid of no ghost, you’ll get a real treat from this year’s theme: Paranormal Spooktivity! The Gdakon schedule is already public, so furries can immediately begin planning their five days of fun. This year, Gdakon introduces a fursuit photoshoot and a snack exchange. Both of these events require signup in advance, so navigate to the Gdakon website if you’re interested in participating! While at Gdakon, keep an eye out for representatives from their charity Help4herps, a reptile shelter in Gdansk, and donate to assist them in continuing their great work. Gdakon requires a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook
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VancouFur returns to the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada from Thursday March 2 - Sunday March 5 for their annual convention. Beyond Furmageddon is the 2023 theme, so expect to see post-apocalyptic costumes from attendees and decorations from the con. Vancoufur offers a lot of unique programming beyond the typical furry convention staples, like their Cutie Pageant, ice cream social, escape room, and convention-wide scavenger hunt! This year’s Guest of Honor is Rahne, a dancer, DJ, writer and Twitch streamer. The Community Spotlight is Temrin, a freelance illustrator, streamer, and chairperson of CozyCon. Qmunity, a BC-based non-profit that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives, will have a presence too as 2023 charity of choice. While VancouFur doesn’t require proof of COVID vaccination this year, you will need to wear a mask at all times in convention spaces and adjoining hallways - including under fursuit heads.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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The Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, USA will welcome back Fur the ‘More attendees from Friday March 10 - Sunday March 12. Anachronistic antics await you with their 2023 theme of Time Travelers Reunion. This year, the con supports the Frederick Center of Maryland, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, connecting, and educating the LGBTQ+ community and its allies in Central Maryland. Panels and meetups on a variety of topics, from fursuit making to writing and everything in between, are scheduled, so don’t forget to look at the Fur the ‘More website and find out what’s in store. While there, don’t miss performances by Musical Guest Tonya Song, a singer-songwriter, composer, and Native activist. Fur the ‘More requires face masks and proof of initial two COVID-19 vaccines. As a special bonus, proof of COVID boosters and the influenza vaccine will earn you a discount at their con store!
Website | Twitter | Mastodon | Facebook
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Come on down to Gateway FurMeet between Friday March 10 - Sunday March 12! The Sheraton Westport Chalet Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, USA is host to the festivities once again, and their theme this year is Breaking Free. Among the scheduled GFM events are a cursed sketchbook swap, furry karaoke, and stuffed animal exchange. A charity burlesque show will also be held to raise money for Got Your Six Support Dogs, which helps veterans and first responders heal from PTSD and trauma by providing service dogs. Meet-and-greets are scheduled with the charity as well as the Guest of Honor, illustrator FeretStudios. Attendees must provide COVID-19 vaccination proof or a negative PCR test.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon
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Meanwhile, a hemisphere away, the Furry Tea Party is scheduled for Saturday March 11 - Sunday March 12. Located at The Pier2 Art Center in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, furries from all around will gather to have fun and celebrate their first physical event since 2020. Detectives’ Feast is the theme for this iteration, complete with a very impressive and engaging promo video on the convention’s website to get attendees excited. Activities will include a fursuiter cafe (similar to maid cafes), photo contest, group picture and parade, and a seminar hosted by the Taiwan Guide Dog Association. You can of course take part in Furry Tea Party without a fursuit, but be sure to not forget your face mask, as those are required!
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It’s Attack of the Jackafluffies at Texas Furry Fiesta 2023! What exactly is a Jackafluffy? If you show up at the Sheraton Dallas in Dallas, Texas, USA between Thursday March 16 - Sunday March 19, you very well may find out! The fourth largest furry convention worldwide promises a wild and fun-filled event for all. This year, TFF’s charity of choice is The Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE), which provides a safe, permanent, and loving home to big cats and other animals in need. At TFF 2023, you’ll have the opportunity to meet many worthy Guests of Honor: sex educators and activists Pup Amp and Mr. Kristofer, comic artist and author Rick Griffin, illustrator Padunk, and fursuit maker Aurora Bloom. Pre-registration is still open at the time of writing, so head over to their website if you haven’t bought tickets yet. TFF will enforce masking within convention space.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook
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Come one, come all to Furnal Equinox from Friday March 17 - Sunday March 19! Dust off your chainmaille and sharpen your swords, as 2023 is themed “Tales from the Tavern.” The aptly named Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto, Ontario, Canada will play host to the medieval mischief that comes with the theme this year. FE’s charity of choice is the volunteer-run wildlife rescue Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge. The two Guests of Honor, Sanguine Games and Cheetahpaws, will have tables in the FE Dealer’s Den, in addition to many other furry artists and vendors of all kinds. Though the schedule is still being finalized, attendees can expect panels, fursuit photo ops, dances, gaming, and even more merriment. You’ll need your COVID-19 vaccination proof as well as a face mask to wear while in con space, so don’t forget those at home!
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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Blue Ridge Furfare is going virtual again for 2023! Dive into the world wide web and experience the con theme of “Mainfurrame Meltdown.” From Friday March 17 - Sunday March 19, programming will be held online via Discord, VRChat, and various streaming platforms. Attendees of BRFF’s previous online iteration in 2021 can expect a similar experience, featuring panels, performances, a dealer’s den, digital dance party with live DJs, online fursuit parade, and much more. Donations will be raised over the weekend for Asheville Cat Weirdos, BRFF’s charity of choice for 2023. Registration is completely free, and what’s not to love about a con you can attend from the comfort of your own living room? Check out BRFF’s website for all the details on how to participate.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram
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From Thursday March 23 - Sunday March 26, the annual Furrnion will take place in Alicante, Spain. Furrnion moves to a brand new location for their fourth event, the AC Hotel by Marriott Alicante. Hop on board the nostalgia train with the theme “Welcome to the ‘80s” - quite a popular one for furry conventions in the past year! Their charity is Adoptamics, an organization which rescues, fosters, and adopts abandoned and abused dogs and cats. Furrnion attendees can start getting pumped for totally rad events like Furrylimpics, dance battles, video dating, concerts, and fan favorite ‘80s movies playing every night of the convention! You must be 18 years old to attend Furrnion.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram
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Come to Motor City Furry Con 2023 and you’ll be in a world of “Fur Imagination” - Willy Wonka style! This year’s event is scheduled for Friday March 24 - Sunday March 26 at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. If chocolate and candy aren’t to your tastes, fear not, as there’s plenty for furries to see and do at MCFC. This con boasts a video game room and prize arcade, bingo after dark, and even a raffle where you could win a PS5! Be sure to say hello to the Guests of Honor: Gameover, artist and fursuit maker, and Iggy, game show host and comedian. You’ll also have an opportunity to help out the worthy charity The Pipsqueakery, a small animal rescue and sanctuary, via donations and events over the course of the weekend. Attendees must be at least 18 years old and present proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook
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Furries who prefer a taste of the great outdoors in their furry events should look no further than Woods Flock, who's next event is being held Friday March 24 - Sunday March 26 of this year. This family-friendly camp event returns to Fall Creek Falls State Park in Spencer, Tennessee, USA for their second year. Quite aptly, the theme this time around is “To the Hundred Acre Wood,” recalling the fun-filled adventures of everyone’s favorite silly old bear, Winnie-the-Pooh. Prospective attendees can begin their own adventure by going over the schedule just posted to Woods Flock’s social media, wherein a blend of traditional camping activities and furry convention staples have been planned. Madshy, the Guest of Honor this year, will host a plushie picnic as well as a supersponsor brunch. Though details about the charity were not publicly available at press time, a special presentation and charity auction are also on the docket. Whether browsing the Maker’s Market, doing arts and crafts, fursuiting with friends, or making s’mores by the fire, a memorable weekend is guaranteed at Woods Flock!
Website | Twitter || Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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Thaitails is making a splash at a new location, the Arnoma Grand Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand, the weekend of Saturday March 25 - Sunday March 26. Themed Siam Sawasdee and featuring the artist Arashi Takemoto as Guest of Honor, 2023’s event will be the first in-person Thaitails since 2019. Panels, a Dealer’s Den, live DJs, and a stage show are planned. Keep an eye on Thaitails’s official channels for registration and policy info as it becomes available.
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Keep Tahoe Furry is a brand-new outdoor furry event at the Granlibakken in Tahoe City, California, USA. Though the pandemic has thrown a few wrenches into the works, they’re finally ready to host their first event from Friday March 31 - Tuesday April 3 of this year. KTF bills itself as an alternative furcon without panels, dances, or scheduling, instead offering attendees an opportunity to create their own fun with friends and enjoy Lake Tahoe. Even so, there’s a fursuit sledding and group photo event planned for the last day of the con, and attendees are welcome to host their own small events. KTF is free to attend as long as you’re over 18 years of age, are vaccinated against COVID-19, and follow the venue’s mask guidelines. Website | Twitter | Telegram
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This month’s calendar graphic is by Sunni/The_Real_Wolf_Artist, and features Shetani and our editor Zenith.
Here in the northern hemisphere, March means it’s time for the vernal equinox, heralding the coming of spring. We often associate springtime with beginnings, fresh starts, and turning over a new leaf. This is a great time to make new friends and get connected with your local furry community by helping out at a physical or online furry event.
This month, I’ll be attending Furnal Equinox in person for the first time, which is unbelievably exciting! If our paths cross at the convention, please come say hi and let me know you’re a Furry Weekly reader! Remember to keep up-to-date on vaxx boosters and wear your face mask when meeting up with any furs in person.
Got questions or suggestions for Convention Calendar? Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter and the Fediverse, or hit me up at any of the other platforms linked on my website. If there’s an upcoming con you want to ensure we cover here on Furry Weekly, don’t hesitate to let me know. Have fun and stay safe out there!
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FURRY QUOTE
Welcome back friends, happy weekend! Lilli here with this week’s Furry Quote! I hope everyone’s had a great week! I hope you’re ready for this week’s quote, I think it’s a good one.
This week, we’re talking about:
Making a Difference
Do you want to make a difference in someone’s life? If you do, I can tell you one thing for certain: you have, whether you’ve realized it or not. The question is, have you made a difference for the better, or a difference for the worse? Both can happen, but the impact all boils down to how we behave towards others and how we treat them. Do you treat everyone you come across with kindness and lift them up, or do you put others down?
Every little thing that we do in our day-to-day lives can make a difference in someone else’s. I’ve been told multiple times over by people I consider to be my closest friends that I have no idea how much of an impact I’ve made on their lives, and I can say the same about them. My friends have been there for me through thick and thin, hard times and easy times, ups and downs, and I have done my best to do the same for them. Are you striving to be that kind of friend for someone? I sure hope so! Never underestimate the value and impact of a simple act of kindness, be it to one of your friends or to a stranger on the street. You’ll make a difference for someone, and you never know how much of a difference you can make!
This week, I’d like to challenge you to look at everything you do from an outside perspective. Are you lifting others up, or are you putting them down? Are you encouraging them or harming them? Are you being a positive influence or a negative one? Look out for ways to actively make a difference in someone’s life!
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That’s all for this week! Thank you for joining me to talk about making a difference! If you have a topic you’d like me to cover or a quote you’d like them to share, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram or DeviantArt.
See you next time.
Remember, to submit your content to us, make a post with the tag #FurryWeekly and the tag of the segment you would like to be featured in (e.g. #FWArtCorner, #FWWritingShowcase). These tags work regardless of what platform you're on, whether it’s Instagram, Twitter, Amino, or DeviantArt. These are the platforms we currently look at for user-submitted content!
Once again, thank you for reading and submitting content! We will see you next time!