End of the Year Wrap-Up

Let me start by saying that the past few months have been some of the most exciting times I've had working on this blog. This thing has meandered through numerous directions and diversions, but I feel like its current state is something that I feel proud of, and appeals directly to the kind of people I'm trying to reach. That's not to say it's perfect; I know there are some who come here expecting to read music commentary and reviews, only to to be presented with a huge slate of semi-weekly comic reviews. To be honest, I've often pondered starting another blog (or two) to accommodate my other interests in a more direct way. But I've come to the conclusion that Tapes on the Floor is my catch-all; it is the amalgamation of every mismatched thing I enjoy. I was even perceptive enough in the early stages to throw that "... AND MORE" into the tag-line of my banner, ensuring that I could use this blog as a forum for just about anything I could think of. So Tapes on the Floor isn't really the music blog I initially envisioned it to be, but there are so many great music blogs out there that I don't feel any need to compete with them.

2009 is going to be more of the same around these parts; I'm going to continue with the weekly Long Box posts, as I've been enjoying writing those more than anything else in recent memory. I'm also going to keep going with my Current Infatuations series that I started earlier this year. I've actually got the topics for the next few posts in that series planned out, it's just a matter of sitting down and writing them. I want to bring back music reviews to Tapes on the Floor in a big way; I realized while writing my Favorites of 2008 list that I hadn't done much critical writing on this year's music. Being that writing about music was the main reason I started this blog in the the first place, my first order of business for the new year is bringing the music back to Tapes on the Floor. I'm not sure what form this is going to take yet, but rest assured, it's coming back.

Finally, I'd like to take a paragraph to sincerely thank anyone and everyone who has taken the time to read this little blog of mine over the past year. I write most of this stuff for myself, it's a hobby of mine, and something I have enjoyed doing for the past few years. What really makes it worth the time and effort I put into it is knowing that there are people reading it. Blogs are inherently just a place for opinions, and the fact that my opinions can stand shoulder to shoulder with the opinions of others I respect is a great honor. It was truly flattering to have my Favorite Albums of 2008 linked on Largehearted Boy's end of the year list of lists, without me even asking to have it put there. To some it may seem kind of inconsequential, but to me being recognized by one of my blogger peers in that fashion made me feel like I've finally made it. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been a part of Tapes on the Floor in 2008. Please have a safe and joyous New Year, and don't forget to check back here in 2009.