THE FRESNAN

The End Of One Long Fres-Nerdy Era

Hi Fresnans. Welcome to the last official post on The Fresnan.

We... alright, it's time to drop the "we" bullshit... I will no longer write new posts on The Fresnan. A little local blog journey (that never felt like it got out of "beta mode") has come to an end.

I feel douchey doing a closing post but I always hate it when things I like (blogs, TV and radio shows, whatever) just end without a goodbye or a series finale. So this is for that little group of readers that happen to have liked this blog through the years.

WHY IS IT ENDING?
There are several reasons I feel it's time to stop The Fresnan. The biggest reason is I've blogged myself into a corner, so to speak.

The main content for the blog has evolved, over time, into posts about the music scene. Mostly posts about what show is happening that particular night. This requires me to be writing on a near nightly basis (Friday and Saturday usually being an exception). That kind of blogging schedule is not sustainable for me. With work and family, the only time I have to write is late at night. I simply can't keep up with it any more.

Now maybe changing the format back to the way The Fresnan was in the begining (more posts about general Fresno culture and media) would free up some nights here and there. Problem solved, right? Not really. I seemed to have lost the ability, or energy, or drive, to write about that stuff. Just lost it.

Facebook and Twitter have robbed a lot of that spark blogging once had as well. And that's a factor. But really that's a cop-out excuse. Good blog content can still trump social media, I just can't come up with enough good content to be relevant anymore.

Which remides me, I've always wanted to write more things like profiles of Fresno bands and bands that were coming to town. More journalistic style local content of stories that don't ever reach the media. But lack of skill and time always prevented me from that.

STATS
To those that don't know, asking a blogger about their stats is kind of frowned upon. It's a un-written rule amongst bloggers to not push other bloggers into revealing how many readers they have (no matter how much you want to know or think you know). But since we're done, I'll tell you that there are currently 152 subscribers to The Fresnan and the blog averages 156 unique views a day.

I've never actually turned a profit doing this. There have been a couple years when links or banner ads have paid for the site, but I have never earned a dollar in my pocket.

The biggest post ever on the Fresnan was when I (in a tounge-in-cheek way) said that we should open up River Park to traffic. It was a attempt to make the argument for opening up the Fulton Mall to traffic look silly. It got about 750 hits in 12 hours. One of the few things that went locally viral on this blog.

BLOGGER RESPECT
Over the years many blogs have come and gone. I'm not proud to admit it but I always enjoy it when new blogs come out strong then fade out just as quickly.

I know what it's like, you get that early little bit of success and recognition, think you're hot shit, then realize it takes a lot of grinding, day after day, to keep a blog relevant. Then you give up. I guess that's what I'm doing now, I just grinded it out a lot longer than most.

Much respect should be given to local bloggers Mike Oz, Joshua Tehee and Heather McLane. Through the years they (and some others) have motivated me to be a better blogger (not so sure it's worked but they motivated me). They've been doing it for as long as me and GET what blogging is. It's not a article, it's not a column, it is its own thing. Glad to know they are still out there fighting the good fight.

Bryan Harley needs to be recognised too. He did The Fresnan logo for free and was also part of the Dumb Drum blog that was a motivator as well. Old timer bloggers like Ed Stewart also pushed me. Incredible people and commentors, Blake Jones and Dale Stewart, I really have to stop and say thanks to as well.

In the early years, the biggest motivator and influence for local blogging, for me and for most everybody else, was Jarah Euston and Fresno Famous. This was the beginning of blogging for Fresno and I can still remember her writing a "how to blog" post that I used to teach myself how to actually do this.

BANDGEEK
If there will be a gap left by The Fresnan not posting anymore it's the end of the Friday "Bandgeek" posts. This one I feel the most guilty about abandoning. It was personally rewarding but took two to four hours to write every Thursday night. It was tough. I remember some times too when I would lose the post (delete it accidentally or have it freeze up and go away) after writing for two or three hours straight then have to do it all over again.

If you want sources to find out what's happening in music on the weekends, make sure to check:

• Mike Oz's posts and Post No Bills.
• Joshua Tehee's reviews and posts
• Audie's Olympic Facebook page.
• Fulton 55's website.
• Kuppajoe's Facebook.
• CYC's Facebook.
• Love The Captive.
• Art Silva.
• Laura Splotch.
• Pink Teeth.
• Religious Appeal.

There's more but that will get you started. By the way: SUPPORT FRESNO'S MUSIC SCENE! There is a lot of talent around here, especially for a small city, get out there and see it.

OTHER PROJECTS
Sorry but I will not be off the indie media radar totally. I still love doing the long runing podcast I'm a part of: Dorktown. I will be recording shows like always and posting Dorktown and podcasting related material on the blog.

This is easier for me to do because it can be done when time allows rather than having to make time for it on a nightly basis. Plus, I get to podcast with two of my best friends in the world (Producer Becky and "Bells") so it's easy to motivate myself to do it.

I also plan to still use my spot on Fresno Famous (I use the handle "Wiffle") to post stuff when inspired to and have re-booted Flowing With Famous podcast with Josh Tehee. Additionally I will keep the Fresnan Twitter account active (ironically) by RT-ing and linking to relevant Fresno stuff.

I will keep The Fresnan going in 'archive mode' for a while too and try to keep the links updated.

So please support that stuff and Dorktown Podcast if you're a supporter of The Fresnan. Support for Dorktown especially would mean a lot! I hope that not posting on this blog will force more creative content on Dorktown. Time will tell.

FRESNAN OUT
So thank you so much for reading this. Fresno is a good city that has potential to be amazing and that's what I love about it. Support things like Creative Fresno and anything and everything creative in Fresno.

Thank you thank you, thank you.

-Mikey "The Fresnan"

Fresno: Make Your Famous Choices!

It's the only awards Fresno's internets should care about (well, there's these too), it's the Famous Choice Awards.

Voting has begun on things like bike lanes, events, sports teams and venues - all things a Fresnan should love. Here's what a filled out ballot might look like if you fucking rule:

 

Heads up: It seems you have to sign-in on Fresno Famous for the ballot to come up .... so sign-in and vote.

Relaunched: Fresno Famous

The Fresno bloghistoric site, Fresno Famous, got a remodel on Tuesday. We approve. It's a nice mix of its original conception as a online magazine, and its most recent version as a community blogsite. Folks on its main rival, The Beehive, even seem to like to the change.

For those new to Fresno's blog history, Fresno Famous was Fresno's first cool website. It was started by Jarah Euston who was frustrated by not being able to find out about the good stuff going on in Fresno's creative scene. So she made a site about just that. It soon became Fresno's beacon for hipness, community involvement, blog wars, started Fresno's first podcast and even spawned a Modesto Famous.

Eventually Jarah sold the site to the Fresno Bee. Ironically about the time that the Fresno Beehive sorta took the reins as Fresno's go to website. The Beehive's rise along with Facebook's world domination, more Fresno-y blogsites thinning the waters, and Fresno Famous was in danger of becoming irrelevant.

Luckly Famous Whitewater never gave up his post as resident blogger, keeping Famous' heart beating. That commitment may be finally paying off as the new version of Famous could get the site back in the blogosphere's higher conscience again.

Yeah, she never really left, but we're glad to have the old gal back.

*Disclosure: We're a featured blogger on Fresno Famous and think Joshua "Famous Whitewater" Tehee is one cool dude.

 

Retro Fresnets: The 'Blog' That Started It All

Before there was a real Fresno blogoshpere, there was... an internet mag?

Yes, before Fresno Famous looked like this and before it was opened up for everyone to contribute and before Fresno's Internet community was spread out to all other sorts of blogs, there was the site pictured above. Ahhh, we miss ya, Marilyn.

Does anybody want to dispute that Fresno Famous was the beginning of Fresno's blogoshpere?

Time For The Fresno Nerds To Have Their Say!

Woo hoo! They have returned! It's time again for the Famous Choice Awards. The Choicies are of course the best of the Fresno award lists because they are voted on by us blog readers, aka Fresno's Nerd Nation.

The Famous awards are also why you won't see an all encompassing award list by this blog or any other Fresno blog really - there's already the Famous Choice Awards so why bother.

This year they've made it a little more difficult for one person to vote several times, so that's cool. And like every year, they mixed in some new categories (think they're new anyway) like 'best bartender' and 'best local do-gooder' (which would most likely be the same person in our book).

So get over to Famous and vote correct like and make those other ones look silly.

Flowing With Famous: The Tokyo Garden Episode

Tokyo Garden. It's where local hipsters can meet with local metal heads, have a good Japanese beer together and be totally cool. It's also where Flowing With Famous has been needing to podcast from for five years now. Well, it's finally happened.

The latest episode of Fresno's original podcast was recorded in a tiny booth at Tokyo Garden with hosts Famous Whitewater and Town Goob. Guests include the Fresno rock/metal band Trumpet Solo (Reid May, Pierce May and Nick Napoletano) and S.F. band Miss Cloud (no Myspace found).

Besides getting to know the bands, there is a lot of Downtown Fresno talk throughout, some live recordings of Miss Cloud and Trumpet Solo playing, and Mikey gets a woody from Reid engineering Flowing (Reid May is the original engineer for Flowing With Famous).

Download: FlowingWithTokyo.mp3

Or use the player:

RELATED: This Saturday night at Tokyo Garden:

Wanderings: Fresno Farm Concerts, Yard Crops, Monkey Tweets and Smartasses

This place is boring today. Let's see what else is on the Fresno Internets:

NEIL YOUNG, FRESNO WANTS YOU!
Today is the day that kicks off Fresno's campaign to get Farm Aid (with folks like Neil Young) to play Fresno. Valley peeps will be partying it up in the 600 club at the Chuck and gettin' the info out about the whole Farm Aid to Fresno movement. Mike Dozier was on Straight Talk with Bill Mac on Tuesday, talking all about it. You can listen to that interview by clicking here.

YARDWORK SUCKS!
Old Famous Whitewater did a nice article with Arhop about his new website, gardenfresno.com, and farming your own yard. Screw your grass, you can plant stuff you can eat in that spot. Hey, whatever it takes to get us out of mowing the lawn sounds pretty damn good. 

TAKE YOUR MONKEY ASS TWEETS TO THE ZOO
The Beehive is joining forces with the Fresno Zoo and doing a Fresno Tweetup at Chaffee. Only tweeters and friends of tweeters will be allowed in to this Zoo after party. All the animals will be out so you'll get a chance to be rude to them, along with your friends, as you spend your time tweeting on your phone and ignoring the animals.

FRESNO SMARTNESS IS CONTAGIOUS
If you've ever thought Myspace is filled with stupid heads and Facebook is dumb, but still wanted a place to be all social network-y, well the Fresno internets have provided you with: Smartagious.com. We learned all about it through this post and from co-founder Travis Sheridan telling us about it at the last Pecha Kucha. In fact, here is that exact time:

Fresno Famous Needs Help... with its awards

As we near the end of the year, it becomes time for the inevitable 'best of' lists. Around Fresno, we have three of significance:

• Fresno's Best Magazine Ad Payer Awards.
• The Fresno Bee Choice Awards.
• Famous Choice Awards.

Actually, the last one there, Fresno Famous' awards (the coolest one), doesn't come out for another couple months or so. But, right now, Famous Whitewater is asking for your help. Help in making the Famous Choice Awards better... or at least more suited to your interests.

So check out last year's categories, then go on over and add a comment with your suggestion on what else you'd like to see covered.

Our suggestions:

• Best Local Beard.
• Best Town Drunk.
• Most Popular DUI Checkpoint Spot.
• Best Blog With Fresnan In The Title.

Flowing With Famous: Fresno Muralists Episode

Fresno's Town Goob once again joins podcast forces with Fresno Famous' resident blogger to bring this month's edition of Flowing With Famous.

Helping on this episode are local artists Teresa Flores, Josh Wigger and Dominique Ovalle. They are a few of the artists that were part of all that Tower/Thrift Shop Mural hullaballoo from a few weeks back. As you might have guessed that is our main topic, but listen up for some more Fresno art talk and the usual FWF nerdy banter.

Listen in by clicking here now.

Or use the player:

*As you'll find out in the podcast, Thursday night is Muralathon!:

Bloggiest Moment OTW: B95 B Firing Folks

Fresno radio sucks. Well, that's what everyone likes to say around here... maybe they're right. But have you ever listened to the radio on the Central Coast? Ohhhh boy, that's some nasty hippy shit, let me tell ya.

Apparently, this week, Fresno radio sucks even more as B95 fired some people we had never heard of until Mike Oz posted about said firings. Oz' post also taught us that some other dude is looking to replace KMJ's Ray Appleton - keep dreamin' (we will).

On a related note: Bloggy moment props to Famous Whitewater for calling horseshit on Chris Daniel, this week.

re:FUSE Fest: Flowing With Famous - Punk Podcasting

In our continuing effort to geek-out before next weekend's re:FUSE Fest, we've got some podcasting awesomeness with Famous Whitewater, Dale Stewart and Joselyn (Capital Punishment and The Dustups) and Blake Jones of Blake Jones Trike Shop.

If you hang around until the end, you'll hear all kinds of good re:FUSE Fest info, but before that we talk about punk rock, Fresno's music scene and venues from the '80s, some politics and more.

Try clicking here to listen.

Or play:

Bloggiest Moment: Surfing Fresno's Whitewater

It's about damn time we got some Fresno Famous action up in this segment. It's been a strong week for Fresno Famous' resident blogger, Famous Whitewater. All kinds of posting, from his "lists", to book signings, to a breakdown of some big Fresno web-y things that happened this summer. No gimmicks from Famous Whitewater (like posting videos that somebody else did), just writing straight blog post copy, and we like that.

SIDE NOTE: Fresno Famous is still there, people, just waiting for you to post something. It's still Fresno's comminity site and the only one that will allow you to post your crap so other Fresnans can see your said crap.

[Disclosure: We already thought Famous Whitewater was cool and junk before this week's postings.]

The Fresnan Presents: Flowing With Famous - 'Ask Paula' Edition

Mr. Fresno Famous, Famous Whitewater, and Fresno's Town Goob are back with another episode of Fresno's first podcast: Flowing With Famous. This episode, we are lucky enough to hang out with Fresno Bee writer Paula Lloyd. We talk about Paula's awesome Monday column, Ask Me, Fresno history, newspaper reporting and many more podcast-y things.

Download it: flowingwithfamous123.mp3

Or play it:

Flowing With Famous: Fresno Film Festival Edition

Must be podcast week here or something because, fresh off the heals of a new Dorktown, we have a new Flowing With Famous. This episode, Famous Whitewater and Town Goob bring in Fresno Filmworks board members, Teresa Flores and Bryan Harley plus Floyd from AntiLabs, to talk about this weekend's Fifth Annual Fresno Film Festival happening at the Tower Theater.

Plus, some jibber jaber about Fresno Filmworks, the film festival's ad campaign, Fresno theaters, drinking at the movies and what not and so forth. Have a listen by downloading this: FlowingWithFamous121.mp3
Or crank up the volume and use the player:

[photo cred:Randy “Lazarus” McAtee]

Flowing With Famous: Fortified With Downtowny Goodness

It's finally time for another Flowing With Famous podcast and Famous Whitewater, joined by this nerd, go back to the Downtown well. It's such a deep well, why the hell not?

You'll be listening to:

• Podcasting in the middle of an open restaurant (thank you, Hero's).
• Downtown and Kern Street do not need Forest City.
• Calling out KMJ's Chris Daniel.
• The new old Roller Derby Girls.
• Famous Choice Awards getting silly.
• More mid-size venues in Fresno.
• Post Rogue Festival talky talk.
• It'll Grow Back is touring Fresno.

You can listen in by downloading this: fwf120.mp3 or using the player below:

You can find some more recent Fresno podcasts by checking here.