I find this person strangely attractive. Why?
Submitted by Megan on Tue, 11/07/2006 - 22:00.
What's a girl to do? I went out to Trader Joe's del norte and the friendly clerk asked me what my shirt said. I was wearing the most couture of laundry day fashion: flip flops, loose jeans and my FF shirt.
"Well," I replied, "Fresno Famous. It's a website devoted to the cool things to do in Fresno. Y'know, like shows and cultural stuff."
And I got the same response I've heard practically every time I wear it: "There's nothing to do in Fresno." She was nice though, and promised to check it out (Hi).
Then, not five minutes later at the Save Mart next door (TJs didn't have the Ranch Dressing powder I needed, natch) I got the same thing from the clerk and bagger in the express lane. Same question, same reply, same response (except the bagger thought it was a joke and wanted to know what was on the back).
Miss Manners compels me to offer a friendly and informative explaination as the correct response. Like at the complaint department at the IRS: Just smile and tell them something pleasant. But all I want to do is say that it's people like them that make this city seem lame with all their negativity.
Would it be wrong to just say it's only for cool people and they wouldn't understand?
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FF tees and how to deal.
Id just say.. its a cool Fresno Website, give them the web addy and thats it.
Id get the same questions when I wore my " I F%#* on the first date" tee.
Pick and chose
I try and ignore the negative and accentuate the positive. I meet all sorts of people while out and about. I post about the people I meet that make me love Fresno.
Dear Megan
-perhaps this is best handled not by Miss Manners but by Randy the Ethecist.
It is a sad speedbump to Fresno in that you will probably hear people say 'there is nothing cool about Fresno.'
After all, I had people actually ask where I was from?
When I told them NY, -and that I had moved here? They apologized. (Yes, sincerely, they did.)
Ahuh...
Saying its for 'only cool people to understand' is furthering (regrettably, another problem in the valley: snobbery, clicquery (which if it's not a word, dibs on the rights,) and casting 'those in the know,' -as better than 'those in the dark.')
Education of others as to Fresno Famous is tough.
But truth and enlightenment never hold hands with witholding from those we are holding with...
(hah...)
I personally sent away for the mobile 'Why Fresno Famous is important to your life.' kit, (which required implants and setting up both battery and housecurrent systems,)
-But it was well worth it.
I'd stick with conveying that the site will have what they are looking for,(culture, fashion, food, music, art, political views, the odd bit of creative writing, Dixie Chicks tickets, --and maybe even the opportunity to be called a hypothetical duckhead :)
(or was it a piece of suette... I forget.)
Don't loose heart, Megan.
If I was standing somewhere, and was asked about Fresno Famous?
And saw you standing by?
I'd not even feign knowledge...
Nope. I'd simply excuse myself, fetch you, and then ask them to ask you the questions...
You'd run rings around me, and bring in converts in droves...
(And coming from someone who can, (both,) talk the ears off a brass monkey (and) a hound dog off a meat truck? (sorry vegans,,, just an illustration...)
That is one serious piece of encouragement...
Spread thy coolness throughout the land, grasshopper.
Enlighten the villagers and common folk, always remembering that we were all,
at one time,
dorks and dweebs.
(And maybe it might be time to change the logo to something a little, um, less goofy???)
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