Friday Baby

This Girl Has Come Along Way

 Is time totally flying on by or what??? 2nite is 1st Friday Art Walk & I am looking 4ward 2 it 4 some reason. Not sure what my game plans is yet but I know I will be on MainSt at some point. The Raw Canvas Art Gallery is something crazy & cool. Its tattoo shop as well as a gallery of sorts. Call me crazy but I am so impressed by tattoos these day. The detail is unreal & the portraits are life-like. These artist can pull off contrast w/yellows & greens that pop the art work off the canvas of skin. Way talented.

This Girl Is Amazingly Dynamic 

Brother Jake Hosting Above Ground

I rode down 2 KAFM 2 see Jake & Mariah & it was a small fan fair 4 sure. Ron, aka Old Dog, was there w/Lucy. She is a sweet dog & she was so thin when she came into Ron's world. She even gave me that look like she knew me. She sat on my foot & enjoyed the offerings that I gave. These are the days I truly appreciate at KAFM. Familiar faces that walk by 2 say hi & check in. Faces that you only see at the station. A common factor in play. Community Radio!!!

Another Day On The Bike 4 Aprils Pledge 

So that comment brings me 2 my fear. FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real. However, KAFM is in a bad spot in a big way. This little community radio has been on a downward spiral 4 the past 3 years. I place blame 100% on the Board Of Directors. Truth of the matter, a lack of leadership. Way 2 many Indians and not enough Chiefs. The saying should be, too many chiefs, not enough indians but that is not the case here.

I started volunteering at KAFM in 2001 & the station was a magical place. Folks from all walks of life were embraced & accepted. Thats right, accepted. Twice a year, sometimes more, KAFM had a volunteers meeting. Everyone would stand up & say their name, DJ name, & radio show time slot. At one point, KAFM had 335 volunteers. Thats both on air & off air volunteers. When KAFM had a meeting, not just X-Mas meetings, the room was packed. KAFM would offer a full hour pre-mix party because socializing was a big part of the night. Shaking hands, asking about families, & whats coming up soon. 2 weeks ago, KAFM had a volunteers meeting 4 the upcoming Fund Drive. KAFM offered free beer & free pizza & I counted 49 people & 4 kids. A FUND DRIVE meeting & the room was empty. KAFM even introduced 2 new employees & those jobs were never posted. Blown away but I wanted 2 look at the positive side & say," Well, maybe the station IS growing."

Why am I ranting about this??? Because I love the station & always have!! I love this hobby & I have met the most wonderful life long friends from this little community station. Lately, everyone I run into that is affiliated w/the station has had the most negative comments about the direction that KAFM has gone 2wards. 2014, some of my closest friends have given up on KAFM. Hugh & Kelly, owners of Toyota Safari, had their shop radio tuned into KAFM 24/7. Walk in & hear KAFM was a given. Their employees were subjected 2 Big Band Swing but a costumer would walk in & take a trip down memory lane & would share stories. Community Radio!!! Last week, I scored new biz cards, walked into Toyota Safari & the flippin' Moose Commercial Radio Station was on. This is the 3rd local grass roots business that has switched off KAFM. What the hell does that say???

A few rants ago I explained my displeasure of pre-recorded promos. SO, here is a classic. KAFM goes commercial sounding w/very poorly produced commercials & the Moose is now reading live advertisements. Community radio goes commercial & commercial radio goes community sounding. Back in Aug, I shared ( both in person & on my blog ) my anger w/the GM hiring a guy from Miami Florida. I was pissed because of the out of state aspect & not community based employment. Then, we volunteers are informed that this new person is both the Station Manager AND Program Director. Say What?!?! Even I know the PD position is full-time on the phone. How can this be??? Easy, the new person simply pre-records everything. Meaning, if I can't do my show, I don't call a sub, this person plays the computer instead. Do you see anything wrong w/this???? I could see the writing on the wall. The reason I bring this up, during our Fund Drive Meeting, not one, not two, BUT THREE TIME SLOTS ARE EMPTY FOR THE FUND DRIVE!!! During the month of April, as a listener, you wouldn't have any idea that the station is looking at raising $35,000.oo!!! KAFM has 1 lame PRE-PLEDGE promo, I mean lame quality wise. When I walk into the station 2 see my friends, nothing in the whole building says FUNd Drive is coming. Yes, FUNd Drive. The fund drive was FUN. Maybe I am off base here & the station is doing well. Maybe they are hosting art actions & grant writings so the fund drive is just on the back burner because KAFM doesn't need the headache of asking the community 4 funds. Only time will tell.

Please, I beg, please donate your hard earned money next week. Please pledge that you will support a community station. The only theme show that I know of, believe me, I have asked everyone by phone or person while they are hosting THEIR show, whats their game plan during the fund drive, as you might imagine, deer in head lights, the only show w/a theme is the Magic Carpet Ride on Thursday the 17th of April. The Blue Z will be bring in his classroom 2nd graders 2 read stories live on air. Out of all the shows per day on KAFM, thats the only show investing any time into THEIR show. Where is the ownership in the station, where is the enthusiasm, & where is the leadership???

Damn, now I am upset again. Thats It, Shadow Boy & I are headed 4 the Lunch Loops 4 a trail run.