As one part of an ongoing revamp of the site (scheduled to be complete by the end of March), I am adding BuddyPress to Quinn’s Big City. This is a huge step forward towards my goal for the positioning of the site in 2011 and beyond.

For those who wonder what all the excitement is about, BuddyPress essentially layers a social network on top of the Quinn’s Big City blog. No longer is this site strictly about me blasting out recaps or the weekly and monthly LOVIEEs, and the occasional “miscellaneous” (or “verbiage”) post like this one.

This, combined with just a few of you actively supporting my effort, should spell a much happier future for the site. When I look back at some of the things that have happened over the last year and change, I don’t know how I’ve held this site together for this long. In the beginning it was simply “I don’t want this to be the first week/month I missed.” Even after my first hiatus, I still decided I wanted to keep it going for as many consecutive weeks and months as I could stand. I was honestly hoping to at least make it through to the first anniversary of the wide launch (2010 October 5) without another hiatus. (More on this later.)

Yes, it may surprise some of you, but I felt it was important to keep inertia going. Some of the weekly and monthly LOVIEEs were posted covering time periods when I knew I likely wouldn’t be able to go to anything, and thus mentioned events that I knew I would almost certainly be missing. The readership level hasn’t always justified that level of dedication. I never gave up then; I’m not giving up now. I’m glad to see there are people who have stuck around despite some of the mistakes I’ve made. If I could only keep one of my websites, this would be the one; you’re looking at my pride and joy right here. If you like what you see here, by all means, pass the word along to your friends.

I had hoped for more community involvement in the way of other authors writing recaps and possibly giving me feedback for other events to include in the LOVIEEs as well. I’m still open to the idea; having 3+ recaps of events every week versus the occasional event I feel up to recapping (and often, posting well after the event has taken place) would help a lot, I think. If you are interested, do let me know. I really do think the recaps will be what sets this site apart from the rest, but I can’t go to everything myself.

Anyway, back to where I was, about having to put the blog on hiatus during 2010 October, around the first anniversary… I am still hoping to have a belated first anniversary gathering, likely during February; I still believe there is plenty to celebrate. I’m calling it a “gathering” and not a “party” because it will most likely be in a restaurant (or possibly a bar & grill such as the Mezzanine Lounge) and everyone will be on their own for drinks and food. That said, I will try to find something relatively inexpensive and in close proximity to a free admission/no cover event taking place afterwards that those so inclined can go.

Most discussion about this gathering will probably take place on the site’s new forums (powered by BuddyPress), so now’s the time to sign up. I have created the base forums but have not added topics to them just yet. Hopefully I’ll have those ready by the time most of you read this.

This is an exciting time for the site. I truly believe the best is yet to come.