A few weeks ago, I asked some of the out-of-town speakers at PodCamp Pittsburgh 3 what they thought of the Steel City. Every one of them said they found the place varied, cultured, pretty, and just all-around nice. And every one of them was surprised about it.

The reaction is a common one. First-time visitors to Pittsburgh seem always to come expecting sooty factory-style buildings, corrosion, and unemployed steel workers wandering the streets like zombies. They find instead an intriguing skyline, a robust economy, and a lively arts and culture scene.

In Pittsburgh and throughout western Pennsylvania we spend a lot of time fretting that we're still thought to be worn out, our best days behind us--and we spend a lot of time wondering how to change perceptions. The no-fail method seems to be bringing people here to see for themselves, but until we find a way to get everyone to come in for a big old slumber party, we need an alternative.

Here it is: We're having a Neighborhood Walk. Everyone is invited. And everyone's hosting too, if they want to.

The idea came up at PodCamp, in fact. I think it was Janko of I Will Shout Youngstown who suggested it, at a session that functioned as the second Rust Belt Bloggers meeting. We are looking for ways to use social media to help "promote the urban frontier"--most specifically, the post-industrial cities in the rust belt of the U.S. and Canada.

This isn't just about Pittsburgh. The same concerns apply to other rust belt cities: Johnstown, Youngstown, Erie, Cleveland, Buffalo. We want everyone to get involved.

The Neighborhood Walk will happen Nov. 11. On that day, everyone is encouraged to take a walk around their neighborhood and to photograph or video or draw or sculpt or somehow to document it, and then to share the media they create online.

The idea is to show others where you live--the good and the bad of it, and maybe your hopes and plans for its future.

Anyone can join in--including you, Gentle Reader. It's easy to start a blog for the occasion, or to post to Facebook or whatever site you use to stay in touch. Or you can send an email to the Rust Belt Bloggers site and we'll post it for you.

What will happen? Will this event have any effect?

I predict that there will be a small turnout the first time, and that each time we repeat there will be more and more awareness. Maybe like other events it will grow slowly and then suddenly blossom exponentially.

Maybe it will flop--if we don't follow through or if we all get distracted by other issues and concerns.

Or maybe it will gradually but steadily build until it becomes a part of the national/international consciousness. That's an exciting prospect indeed.