new to AC :3

Greetings, Bloodfox (or Dylan, if you prefur)!

Before I'd offer advice on a rather big topic, I'd like to point you here:

http://www.furstralia.org/

That is an Australian/New Zealand, "Oz" Fur Forum Board, much like this one; The site was meant to offer more services, but since almost all Furry Enterprises are Fan-run Activities, they rely on volunteers with time, and generous donors with occasional contributions to help pay for keeping the lights on. The Forum board is active, however, and has bulletins about Furry Activity across Australia.

Australian Furries have made a rich contribution to our fandom, with Writers, Cartoonists, and Graphic Artists; also a scholar or two (there is a gentleman working on getting his Doctorate in Literature with a thesis on "furry", by the way). Such notable names as Paul Kidd and Bernard Doove come immediately to mind. There is an anthro web-comic, http://www.docrat.com.au/, written and drawn by a talent who uses the nom de plume of "Jenner", for professional reasons; He is by profession an MD, but proudly Aussie. Most older, long-time furry fans will recognise both his style and his humor, and remember his real name.

Our conventions are Fan Conventions, that is run by fans, for fans. All the people on staff are unpaid volunteers. Unlike corporate-run conventions, this isn't a trade show, nor is there any larger, far-flung organisation relying on delegates convening to establish rules and a roadmap for operating in the next year; it is simply a gathering of artists, writers, publishers, and fabricators of things, all of whom are fans themselves, to show and sell their wares; it is an opportunity for fans from all over and from every imaginable class and livelihood, to get together; to confer, converse, and otherwise hob-nob with fellow fans; to attend fan-hosted panels on subjects ranging from how to draw, how to write, how to market your art or writing, how to make costumes, how to perform in costume; and it is an opportunity to entertain each other, and have fun. Each evening has some sort of entertainment and a dance afterwards; a Masquerade/Talent show, a night of stand-up "comedy", a night of comic story-telling; we have an artshow with an auction, and a small market place to by comics, fan 'zines, paperback novels, animal-themed stuff, fantasy-themed stuff. Almost all Furry Cons have thes features, though the smaller ones tend to be less commerce-driven and are regarded as "Relax-a-Cons", where the primary work is to relax and socialise, and meet new people and share experiences.

That is the gist of the thing; I'm sure others will post shortly, to clarify or illuminate any point which I probably missed, or muddied up.

oh thanks so much for your help your awesome =)

*Charline shouts!* Eat the noob! >:3

Thanks for all your help guys o.o i feel more comfortable now :3