by vivrant thang on my first blogoversary

While I was busy preparing another Old School Friday post on the 5th, I should have also been celebrating my 1st blogoversary. I knew I started this blog last September but I was thinking that this was my first post. How could I have forgotten that I started it all with Miss Jilly from Philly and “Golden.” I was pretty damn proud of that one. Many bloggers reflect back on how bad their early posts were. I will say mine were much shorter back then.

My posting was very sporadic at first. I don’t think I really unpacked my bags and settled in until November or December. From that first post, all I knew is that I was going to use music to talk about whatever was on my mind.

I never intended to start writing these long-winded concert reviews.

And I never knew that posting my never-ending list of favorite songs (which I am still struggling not to update because the page has become too unmanageable) would be such a hit.

Who knew that an off the cuff rant about the attack on Serena Williams’ ass-ets would be my second most visited post. Gee, I wonder why?

And in case you didn’t know, there are a LOT of “other women” out there and they need a soundtrack to their lives.

I was so excited the day I randomly came across a blog meme that was right up my alley. Did someone say Old School – on a Friday? The cherry on top was meeting some of the coolest folks in the black blogosphere.

I’ve written what I feel were some damn good posts which I’ve rounded up for you here and here, but I’m most proud of my participation in the week-long call to action, Black Blogging to End AIDS and the ways I integrated music into posts on a topic so serious to me. I don’t consider myself an e-activist by any means. So I was glad to be able to use this space to participate in a movement.

I know I sound like a broken record when I say that after a year, I still don’t know where this blog is going. I just know that as long as ya’ll are around and feeling what I’m doing here, I’ll keep cranking something out. From my very first commenter who still pops in and checks on me today, to one of my favorite readers from the UK, to the new folks that stumble in everyday, I am so grateful for each and every one of you. I read your comments on the way into work some mornings and they change my whole disposition for the day.

Even after a year, I’m still battling with how much more personal I’ll get here. The more I become linked in to all these social networks with people who actually know me in real life, the easier that decision becomes! Besides, I’ve put my mug on the front page now so there’s no more hiding out. The  jury is still deliberating but what I can promise is to keep finding new and interesting ways to talk about non mainstream music and how it affects my life. I don’t want this to become solely a music blog because I don’t want to be forced to talk about Solange’s rants or Ciara’s nekked booty (although I will say this spread should effectively kill any comparisons to Baby Girl because she never had to show her ass to remain relevant. She had talent.)

I need to keep the personal spin to it. I have to be able to holla and throw up both my hands. Unleash my lethal side eye every once in a blue moon (LONG overdue for one of those).

You can definitely expect more concert reviews, more music therapy and more spotlight on artists that you should know. I’ve been asked to start doing some album reviews as well. So expect those in the coming weeks as I get my hands on some of the most highly-anticipated albums of the year.

Remember, when this space is dark, remember you can always find twittering or obsessively changing my music and my all-artist top friends on Myspace.

I’m not the only one celebrating a blogoversary. Don of Minus The Bars, one of my first and most consistently supportive male commenters) is celebrating all week. Our blogs were born a week apart. They’re Virgos 🙂 Check him out and leave him a comment. Well-written, entertaining posts over there. Great example of how a few early supporters turned into a whole community.