Hi, kids.
How’ve you been?
Good.
And your cousin? The one with the thing?
Good good. Glad that healed up for her.
It’s been a bit; 13 days, actually, since I packed my bags and set off to see the Wizard.
Guess what: I’m still in the waiting room at the Wizard’s office. Apparently, there are a lot of people in front of me with questions of their own. It’s like being in line at the counter at Whole Foods having picked number 123590foreverfromnow44.
You probably wouldn’t believe some of the people I’ve seen here waiting on their own answers. I’d tell you who, but just because I’m talking about where I am with this thing-called-life doesn’t mean everyone else wants their coordinates revealed.
While waiting, I’ve been doing some self-diagnosis because I imagine the Wizard, unlike doctors, likes when we come into its office with ideas of our own.
My idea? I’ve outgrown this space.
My first blog was like a disaster onesie. My second was like one of those brightly-colored (probably horizontal-striped) matching short sets from Kmart for boys aged 3-6. This blog is like a bunched-elastic cuffed, tapered-leg pair of stonewashed Bugle Boy jeans: once awesome but now ill-fitting.
I’m just not Franco Beans anymore. Pretending that I am stifles me. I have an actual name certified since birth and real goals that this façade doesn’t serve. I had always wanted to use this space to change directions, but I’ve been realizing lately that it has been enabling my immobility. It has been my escape from stationary rather than its solution; my “but at least I have an outlet” excuse when I look around and wonder what I’ve actually changed in these last several months.
I need to continue pushing towards promises I made to myself not much more than a year ago. That means new. Among the new: new approach; new URL; new blog. Either I’ve solved the puzzle already here or the pieces don’t fit anymore. Whichever it is, it’s time for some new.
I know how incredibly self-consumed this post is and I’m sorry about that. And even though I call you “kids,” I want you to know that my separation from this blog is not your fault. It’s not. This blogationship is ending but you won’t have to decide whether you love the blog or me more or worry about whether we’re going to fight over custody of you. We can still be one big happy family.
Oh! That reminds me. The blogroll starring you and featuring your friends has moved from the front page to the Worlds of Pure Imagination tab up at the top. Go ahead. Look. I’ll wait here.
…
Are you on there? I hope so. If not, I apologize on behalf of my witless brain and ask that you please humiliate me openly for missing you.
Other than that, I guess this post is good to go. I’ll be around a few more times before what I hope is a brand new start at the top of 2010. And my Twitter account and I are back on good terms. So in the meantime, I’ll definitely be less incognegro than I have been.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, the line in front of me is moving again. It seems Tiger Woods is getting an expedited chance to learn why he can’t bring himself to just tell us why his car was wrapped around a tree outside his house at 2:45 a few mornings ago.
I’ll follow you wherever you go, regardless of what you call yourself and what you write.
That sounds stalkerish. Sorry. What I MEAN is that you do what you gotta do, and I’ll be your fan no matter what.
After all, you are the one who introduced me to blog footnotes… Genius, man! Genius!!
You are awesome. And I will of course love to see you around every step of the way.
When you figure out where you’re going, make sure you let all of us know. I’m sure the Wizard will mention that.
Guaranteed. The dream is to just replace this URL with a redirect so it won’t even be a mystery.
“When it’s time to change you’ve got to rearrange…”
What? Oh, like you never quoted Brady Bunch lyrics. Right.
I do have to rearrange. That’s exactly what it is.
I’m looking forward to more posts here and future ones on a brand, spankin’ new blog.
And this might be a silly question-But just what does Francobeans stand for? What is the meaning behind the name?
Not at all silly. The name is what’s silly; and nerdy.
So I was playing NCAA Football, a video game on my Playstation 3. And, as a kid from New Jersey, my chosen team was Rutgers University. I created a player with all of what I imagined my attributes would be: blazing speed, phenomenal strength, and so on. I needed a name though, so I tried to think of a name that sounded like someone from New Jersey. When I was growing up, a lot of the kids had three syllable nicknames; things like Mikey P, or Joey T. “Franco Beans” fit that three-syllable cadence and sounded absurd. So in short, I had a nerdgasm coupled with a brainfart and out came “Franco Beans” as a virtual id. Man. So lame.
please give the wizard a kiss for me… and dont you wander tooo far from the yellow brick road without leaving me a few bread crumbs to find you …
xoxo
Not just bread crumbs; precise coordinates. That’s a promise.
This wasn’t self-absorbed… I mean, this is YOUR blog. And when it no longer fits, well, it’s nicer to give people an explanation rather than just disappear.
Cough, cough, I don’t know ANYONE who’s ever done that, cough, cough.
Like Hannah, I will continue to stalk – errr – follow any further blogging adventures you choose to embark upon.
Definitely more to come. I have to justify the absurd things I do in real life by making them bloggertainment.
I always thought Glinda the Good Witch was a bit too syrupy sweet. So stay away from her. And I can’t wait to see which direction you take.
That’s a good point. I don’t think Glinda ever struggled a day in her life.
I hope the Wizard works out for you. I know the feeling. I’m not quite there yet, but I feel I’ll be making a visit soon-ish.
Also, glad to know where Franco Beans came from.
Hopefully I will learn something I can share.
You already get a pass for the absence for linking to one of my favorite songs of ALL time.
You do what you gotta do….I bet we’ll all follow you anywhere. I know I will.
“Wherever You Will Go.” Reminds me of that song by The Calling.
This makes me feel better, because I didn’t realize I didn’t know your first name until you started using your first name and then I didn’t know how to refer to you anymore (like when I stole your “things you’d hate about me” idea). Really, this is all about me. Beat that self-absorption!
Haha. I like that kind of self-absorption.
All I have to say is once you have that new blog up, just send out the url and I’m betting most of us will be clicking on it (I know I will). Just know you are one awesome writer and I hope you never quit sharing your words with us.
Thank you. I already miss doing it everyday; a lot. Just trying not to rush back before I have a plan.
When I saw your blog bolded in my reader I was like, OH shit!! He posted!
I look forward to seeing what you have in store for 2010!
Thanks for the excitement, man. Means a lot.
E-missed you. But I take solace in the Real Thing.
And I 28th the “following” motion. As in, we’ll do it, wherever you may go.
I am so — we are so — grateful for Real Thing you.
Miss you. Don’t worry, wherever you go, I’ll be there. Personally, I feel the last month my blog has been kinda shallow and lacking substance. I need to refocus again too
Refocus. That’s exactly what it is. Good luck.
You let me know where you go, and I’m there! And don’t be shy about it – email, twitter, and blog away your move!
I will shout it from the mountaintops!
Pretty much what everyone else has said – just take us with you when you go. In the meantime, good luck with the rearranging and redirecting.
Thank you. You will get a front row seat.
Personal blogging is a challenging thing, and I’ve found myself changing the way I’ve written in past years.
Because when you don’t have a niche, when the topic is you, there’s only so much you can say no matter how interesting your life maybe.
I hope you find clarity in where you want to go.
Without a fallback, it does get hard. There are few easy outs. Clarity is definitely what I’m looking for.
On the technical side: I can help! I helped someone you know (pretty well, in fact) and though we ran into issues, I was there to help solve the problems.
I think I know exactly who you mean. And I love help. I’ll email you as soon as I’ve got some ideas.
I just packed in your last six posts. good stuff, so glad I checked in and caught up.
Thank you; really. Hopefully the best is yet to come.
Your voice is missed, but like everyone else who has commented, I understand if this place doesn’t fit any longer. Also like others have mentioned, I look forward to hanging at the new joint.
The blog natives are restless. I have no inspiration but at the same time, little inspiration to find inspiration. Stuck.
<3
Man…people who take time away from their blogs to sort stuff out are so annoying!
Wait…
Looking forward to what’s in store
.
Hi Brad.
Bye Brad.
I will stalk your new local, wherever that may be.
xoxo
Wow. I get a little busy and when I get back to blog reading, I find THIS!
But I totally get it. In fact, I’ve done it myself. Hope to see you again soon…
I will follow you, wherever you go…. you are missed
Definitely let us know where you end up!
Don’t disappear. I can just find you. Cody will always tell me where you are.
I hope you leave a link to follow to your new spot. I enjoy reading your posts even though I don’t always agree with what you say. Maybe that IS why I enjoy reading your posts!
I will be your Toto and follow you to see the wizard.
COME BACK! I miss you!
its 2010. Where is the new blog?
Bright and early on Monday. Been working on the format this week, migrating the content, etc. Almost. there.
*picks up stick*
*poke*
*blink*
*poke* *poke*