Ozzy Osbourne 1948 - 2025

AI of Ozzy Osbourne with Notsky and ThinkPawsome

 As we get on in years, we lose more people in our lives, both personally and in the public eye. 2025 so far is another one of those years where we go through stars like water, but it's as inevitable as my taxes. Ozzy Osbourne passed on 22 July with his wife and manager Sharon by his side. He had suffered from Parkinsons disease, and had a history of addiction. His funeral procession through his native Birmingham brought out crowds sizeable to state funerals. Just a couple weeks before, he had what would be his final performance, including the last reunion of Black Sabbath and an all-star lineup. Osbournes influence is widespread, and we're still reeling from the loss. I can take solace that I got to see him in 2018 in my area. Couldn't stay the whole time, but at least I had the chance, as there are so many others in my lifetime that I never would see. I first heard of him when I was young, but got into him a bit late, like I have most others. I have seen The Osbournes, but not the other reality shows since I don't really care for those anymore. Now it's just too soon. We'll always have the music and the memories to keep his spirit alive like everyone else that has left us before. I know Halloween and his birthday later in the year won't be the same anymore. Shops may mark up and/or run out of his albums. New copies and streams put him back in the charts, which is usual when this happens. I just know his legacy will always be there. Long live Ozzy Osbourne.

FloofAid

 

AI group drawing. Website is just as fake, so don't go to it yet.

    I have launched FloofAid, a unique charity to help those in the furry community afford fursuits and furry conventions. This may not be quite what I usually put here, but I haven't had anything in a period and I have the worst luck with these. This is described more on our sister blog, along with sister project Furacuse, which would be a con based right here in Syracuse, so people in the region wouldn't have to go as far for it, being between Albanys Eufuria, Buffalos Fluffalo, as well as far between Ottawas Canfur, Philadelphias Furrydelphia, and the Tri-States Furpocalypse. It would seem counterintuitive to have one thing that gets you to cons around North America (we'll throw in the boys' turf too, despite recent events) tied to one in my area. FloofAid would also help furs connect to each other. It was going to be called FurAid, but the name was already used by a rescue centre, which cons usually raise money for. Furacuse would be split between the local SPCA and FloofAid. If you don't care for GoFundMe, you can send me money directly through PayPal, CashApp, Venmo, or even Zelle (by request). This is not a scam. Just say that it's for FloofAid so I can put it aside. I would put that money specifically aside for either the three or four state regions event if I can't do both, since I'll be lucky to get to one ever, or even get another suit since the ones I have now may not be appropriate or accepted by the diehards, despite basing a lie around my main one, and the other was a cheapie I can't even bring to the charity shop. Once more money comes in, I can pay it forward, reach out to others, and file the paperwork.

    Having a benefit show would not be feasible. This is too much of a niche market to even get small time artists on board. Maybe my prom deal would work, since people would go for the event more than for the cause in some of these cases. Even established non-profits are struggling right now. The one mainstream current artist that came even close to knowing floof is Lil Nas X with a knockoff Rivolo suit (mine is of Kevon, even though I add to him to make him my own). The Beatles with Magical Mystery Tour in the "I Am the Walrus" segment of the film and the album sleeve may be considered a precedent, yet the fandoms roots may go back as far as Victorian and Edwardian times if not further.