editor'snote

This isn't officially my last issue of recess; that's technically next week, but in practice, I'll probably be hunkered down frantically finishing my thesis, abandoning all the real work to Andrew Hibbard and his crack team of novices. Also, there will be Duke, Horizontal-and let's face it, everyone would much rather read about sex than my musings.

In a previous iteration, I was editor of The Chronicle-a stressful, intense, thankless job. They put me out to pasture in recess, and it's been a wonderful journey. As I write, my music editor is sipping Manischewitz and puzzling over how to log onto our blog; my literature editor and I are flaring into sporadic, loud and preposterous arguments about language (and his inability to use it clearly); and a music writer is here well after he finished his work, doing homework and DJing (The Pretenders get my seal of approval; My Morning Jacket, not so much).

It's a blast; I wish you, dear reader, could share it. Instead, I'm just going to use it as the jumping off point for my sign-off as recess editor. At the beginning of the year, I promised that we would continue to cover the most important student arts happenings and improve their consistency; improve our coverage of issues outside the suffocating walls of the University; and introduce witty and incisive columnists. I also promised to cut down on the number of 1,000-word tracts on obscure jazz musicians-a goal that, with tremendous displays of self-control, we have achieved. I-we-hope you have enjoyed reading it, and that you have learned about and enjoyed things you wouldn't otherwise have seen or heard.

With apologies for sounding like a broken record, the Triangle, and Durham in particular, has one of the richest arts scenes this side of New York-or at least the Mason-Dixon line. Friday night I saw Viking Storm at the Coffeehouse (you need to hear Hammer No More the Fingers' Looking for Bruce, trust me). Tuesday night, I went to see Bela Fleck and some of Africa's best musicians in Page Auditorium. Saturday, I'll to see David Sedaris at DPAC-to say nothing of the Dead in Greensboro Sunday.

I beg of you, don't miss the wealth of options here; when you get that consulting job, you won't have any time to make up for lost opportunities.