I just realized that for the last two weeks I have been absent-mindedly

dating my blog entries in May instead of June. The blog has been up-to-date, but

it has appeared to be month old. I suppose that the people who visited during

that period will think this blog is dead and won’t come back to read this message.

Maybe it’s time for me to use some automated software …

On a less embarrassing

note, we are thinking of creating an "arts blog" for Prince George’s

County. We would recruit several residents, each with a deep interest in a different

aspect of the county’s arts scene. We would give them training and ask them to

post at least weekly with news, reviews, and commentary. This would be an interesting

experiment in blogging within a geographical community, particularly one that’s

not particularly high-tech. It would also be a small contribution to the County’s

efforts to develop as an arts center. I think these efforts are promising. The

communities closest to Washington are affordable, near a major university, and

culturally diverse—perfect for artists. We have to be careful not to gentrify

the area in a way that displaces the current residents. But if arts development

is handled right, it could bring new resources into the community while preserving

its diversity.