At some point last week Mancubist had its one millionth recorded view. I’m impressed, particularly as this is only views of individual posts and not things like the homepage or search results. I’m getting roughly 500 visits a day now, with each visitor looking at 5-6 pages.

Subscriber numbers have grown too: over 500 RSS readers, 250 email subscribers and just over 100 followers on Twitter. And I thought the latter was just a flash in the pan.

You’ll have noticed that my posting has been less frequent in the last couple of months though. This is mostly because I’ve been away, working hard and running new things like RainyCityStories.com. I’m also in the process of launching a Manchester music blog – so if you like Mancubist and you’re not averse to a mix of folk, Americana and experimental music, check it out.

BLOG LAB
On Saturday 8 November, 1pm-3pm
At Manchester Digital Development Agency, 117-119 Portland Street, Manchester M1 6ED

Stuck on posting images in Blogger? Need someone to walk you through switching platforms? Want to pimp your blog up with all the latest cool widgets, or just get some feedback on your new site? Two experienced bloggers will be on hand to help solve your practical blogging problems in these open ’surgery’ sessions. Some computers available, or bring your own and use our wireless. Drop in whenever you like during the session, but please let us know you’re coming.

BLOGGING FOR BEGINNERS
On Saturday 22 November, 10am-12pm
At Gorton Library, Garratt Way, Gorton, Manchester M18 8HE

On Saturday 29 November 10am-12pm
At Crumpsall Library, Abraham Moss Centre, Crescent Road, Crumpsall, Manchester M8 5UF

So you think you’d like to create a blog, but you’re not really sure where to start? In this workshop we’ll take you through the basics, and by the end of it you’ll have your own blog.

All three sessions are free – but space is limited and the previous workshops have been packed out, so get in there early if you’re coming. To book, call the Manchester Literature Festival office on 0161 236 5555 or email admin at manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk.

Past Crimes – Historical crime writers Lee Jackson, Andrew Martin and Anne Perry talk about their work in the ’suitably gothic’ surroundings of the John Ryland’s Library. Today, Friday, 7pm. Free

Between the Panels – An illustrated discuss with a panel of three graphic novelists. Whitworth Art Gallery, Sunday 19 October, 3pm. £4/£3

School of Manchester – A demonstration of the city’s strength in literature education, as three graduates – including Joe Stretch – talk about their debut novels. The Deaf Institute, Sunday 19 October, 7.30pm. £5/£3

Portico Prize Preview – Featuring shortlisted authors from the biennial Portico Prize for a book set mainly in northern England. Manchester Central Library (pity it’s not at the Portico library…), Wednesday 22 October, 1pm. Free

Manchester Blog Awards – The third annual blog awards, for which Mancubist is nominated, this year feature a new award, CityLife Blog of the Year. Matt & Phred’s Jazz Club, Wednesday 22 October, 7pm. Tickets £3/£2

Comma Film Premiere – Five new films adapted from short stories published in the North West, plus the film-makers and writers explaining the adaptation process. Cornerhouse, Thursday 23 October, 6.30pm. £4/£3

It looks like you’re writing a letter – Ross Sutherland and Tim Clare give a lecture on the relationship between language and mathematics, bizarrely. Followed by Tony Walsh’s Zeroes and Ones, which ‘compresses 14 billion years of science and philosophy into one byte-sized poem’. Museum of Science and Industry, Sunday 26 October, 2pm. £5/£3

And those are just select highlights! Pick up one of the ridiculously bright brochures – or visit the festival website – for the full programme. Well done to Cathy and Jon for putting such a substantial festival together, and for using more than just the usual venues.

The night itself was fun: I arrived to catch the very end of fellow winner Days of Moustaches‘ reading, which by all accounts went down very well, and The Free Man in Preston impressed me with his last-minute performance.

After receiving the award, one of the judges, Richard Fair of the BBC Manchester Blog, cornered me for a quickfire interview, which was a strange experience – normally I’m on the other side of the microphone. Luckily my quotes are just being used on the blog (I hope…).

All in all a great evening – and very well attended too. Here’s a list of this year’s other winners:

Best Personal Blog: Single Mother on the Verge

Best New Blog: Rent Girl

Best Political Blog: Politaholic

Best Writing on a Blog: Day of Moustaches

BBC 6 Music reports that Manchester City Council is considering a proposal to rename Whitworth Street West (home to Green Room, Rainbow Snooker Club and the Brickhouse nightclub) in honour of the late Tony Wilson. Two-thirds of residents will have to approve the name change to either Tony Wilson Way or Anthony H Wilson Way – I personally prefer the latter.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, is of course the date of the Manchester Blog Awards 2007 – for which Mancubist is nominated in the arts and culture category. Remember, the venue has now changed from MohoLive (which now opens in late November) to Matt & Phreds, also on Tib Street. The city’s music bloggers will be DJing (or MP3ing…) and blogger-cum-published-writer Caroline Smailes will be doing a reading. It’s free and starts at 7pm.

Also happening tomorrow is a low-key media event called MELD. It aims to generate ideas by ‘melding the skills of Northern Journalists and Interactive Designers’. The long-term goal is to pitch ideas by 20 of the region’s hacks and geeks to ‘major industry players’. The project’s Manchester launch event takes place in Selfridge’s Moet Bar from 6pm. If you think you fit the bill email info@just-b.com.

And finally, another lovely (lapsed) blogger called Kate tipped me off about a free event happening on Friday. A Wall is a Screen is ‘part guided tour, part film night’ and invites the public to view nine short films projected on buildings across seven secret city centre locations. It’s part of Manchester Urban Screens (11-14 October, check out their other events) and begins at 9pm outside Kro Piccadilly.

See you at some or all of the above…

Since last May I’ve made 290 posts (roughly one a day) and have received 339 comments in return. The statistics page is actually my most viewed, followed by the Sabi Rock guy, ice skating in Piccadilly and UK North buses.

Other stats include over 130 subscribers – 40 of whom follow Mancubist via email, including various people from the local business, media, music and arts worlds.

Off-site, Mancubist is ranked 7th top site in BlogTopSites’ Local category and Technorati says I’ve got the 74,767th ranked blog, linked from 55 others. On Alexa my site is ranked 153,180th.

Thanks to everyone who visits and here’s to the next ton!

This one is called Ask about Manchester. I want readers – ie. you – to submit questions about the city. I’ll try to find an answer and if I do I’ll reply and publish it.

Of course, if your questions are too ridiculous I won’t even both. But if there’s something you’ve noticed about the city lately, or something historical that’s been puzzling you, please ask away.

Next up: I’ll tell you where you left your keys!

1. You’ll notice a new form on the right. Pop your email address into it (or below) and future updates will be delivered to your inbox. This is ideal for people who haven’t got their heads around RSS just yet.
2. Similarly, when you leave a comment you now have the option to receive other replies via email – so you don’t have to remember to check back at a later date.

Subscribe to Mancubist by email:

Let me know what you think of these additions. I’m also keen to find out who the 30-odd people subscribed to the Mancubist RSS feed are. If you’re reading this, don’t be shy, say hello.

Similarly, until the move, Mancubist attracted some bizarre search terms considering the relatively inoffensive content that graces these pages. Here are some of the most notable:

three legged animal names
hurt animals
why it is good thing that manchester is culture diverse
clubbing boob flash photos
youtube freaky boob
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what the beeb is?
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google, you rock, man