Pokin' Around

[the_gneech]

Cats are known to have a recurring problem with curiosity, and lions are no exception; thus it was that I decided to start poking around the Friends pages of people who have me on their Friends list.

In no particular order, I started with Xydexx. (Hi, Xydexx!) I was a little surprised to find him on my friends list, just because he and I have spent quite a lot of time in the same room talking to other people, but have had very little direct contact. Always struck me as a nice guy, tho.

Anyway, I was interested to see people I knew, and/or people whose names I knew but whom I'd never met. And that got me to thinking more about the whole furry thing, and about reputations, and so forth. Xydexx, just to give an example, is widely known for being "the silly squeakypony." I remember the first time he was pointed out to me in a room ... "That's Xydexx; he lives in your area." "Xydexx, the silly squeakypony? Really? Neat." The same is true for many others in the furry community ... Uncle Kage, Herbie and Yappy, Tyger Cowboy, and so on. It's this vast collection of names and personae, handles read off of Yerf or Furnation or message groups, blocks of text sending you messages out of the aether, all seemingly disconnected from reality ... until you actually meet someone.

In response to my "proud to be a furry" page, somebody sent me a note saying that it was nice to hear one of the "big names of furry" speak out on the issue.

I'm a big name in furry? When did that happen? HOW did that happen? My artwork, while fair, is hardly the best, nor even in the top 10%; I'm not a fursuiter; I'm not active in the community, particularly; I'm just a guy who draws a comic strip -- and one that's on hiatus half the time at that. "Bill Holbrook" is a big name in furry! I'm just some guy.

I don't know what to make of it all, nor even if I should make anything of it anyway. But what can I say? I watch the world, I think about what I see, and then I make a record of what I think. It's what I am, and who I am. What purpose it serves, I don't know -- but it must serve one somehow.

-The Gneech

Comments

[katayamma.livejournal.com]

I don't know about you, but Rumblepurrlion is a rater big name for me to mumble.

*ducks*

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Hey, at least I've only got the two. ;P -TG

Two?

[lowen-kind.livejournal.com]

As in nicknames?

I think not. ;=3

Let's see:
Johnny (but I think someone/fur would get a paw swipe if they ever called you that)
Leonard (at one time)
the Gneech
RumblePurr Lion
and I'm sure Mrs. Gneech has some that she calls you. :=3

As for me, you are one of my "Friends!" and I consider that a "sacred" nickname. :=3

Re: Two?

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

For some reason, my three nieces always used to call me Johnny; nobody else ever does. (Which is just as well as far as I'm concerned.) Actually, I've never really cared for the name John anyhow; I envy my brother's name: DeOrman Linwood Robey, the third!

Do you ever listen?

[lowen-kind.livejournal.com]

I keep telling and telling and telling you that you are "bigger" than you think or want to believe. And I ain't talking about you're weight either. :=3

I've had the same thing happen to me when I had posted one time that I was leaving alf. I had lurkers and some of the "regulars" e-mail me pleading with me not to leave as I was on of the stabilizing forces in alf.

What can I say. If you act level headed, and I'm not talking about our friend on the SJ board, and don't flame people, other furs will look up to you. :=3

Just don't let it go to your big maned head. Meaning you have a big mane, not a big head. I don't think they make adjustable fedoras. :=3

Re: Do you ever listen?

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, there's a reason I stopped wearing it so much. ;)

[ramalion.livejournal.com]

Let's see...here are the three things that make you a big name in the fandom. :)

1. You have a very cute comic strip.
2. You're a lion...and we all know we have a lot of 'pride' *snickers*
3. You're on my friends list at LiveJournal

I think that says it all. ;)

BTW...I will be putting up one of the 'Proud to be furry' things on my webpage this weekend. :)

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

What arrogance! What insolence!

You GO, brother lion! Woohoo! ;)

Yours was one of the first

[tygermoonfoxx.livejournal.com]

Big name? I'd say so! Your comic was one of the first furry ones I'd ever seen (the very first was, of course, Kevin & Kell). Don't sell yourself short. The artwork is supurb.

I'm no one, BTW...just a rather quiet furry whose artwork sucks and whose stories are mediocre. But I write them and draw them for me.

Re: Yours was one of the first

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well thanks! But I'd hardly say you were no-one! Just look at all the people who rallied around you last week! :)

Heeeee!

[xydexx.livejournal.com]

Xydexx, just to give an example, is widely known for being "the silly squeakypony." I remember the first time he was pointed out to me in a room ... "That's Xydexx; he lives in your area." "Xydexx, the silly squeakypony? Really? Neat."

I kinda worry that folks think I'm a big flamer or something 'cuz I post to AFF. (Yeah, I know, some days I wonder why I bother posting there too...) Other folks say I'm "controversial" or that I somehow give the fandom a bad reputation. *shrug*

On the other hand, the folks who have the worst things to say about me are folks who hardly know me or have never met me. Go figure.

Re: Heeeee!

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, priorities are all out of whack, is all I can figure. Frankly, as far as reputation and controversy are concerned, I'd much rather be associated with friendly, pleasant people who have a propensity for squeaking at home ;) than to be associated with "wholesome, family-oriented" people who make snide comments about others' personal habits and ostracize (or threaten to ostracize) people who don't follow their arbitrary social codes.

But hey, that's just me. ;)

-The Gneech

[(Anonymous)]

Well, Gneech, if it's any consolation, I just found out that *I* am held in rather high regard by furs with whom I've never even spoken. *Me*, a guy who just hangs out and chats on IRC. I'm no artist, and I've yet to post anything I've written anywhere, but I'm still well thought of. *shrug* I'm still flattered.

Stilghar T'Kenn, Mage to the Crown