GREEN BE THY HILLS_010

 

  

Places in New York or the surrounding area where I have lived, worked, biked, hiked, or fallen in love, plus neighboring states and my good pal, Canada. So - New York State, Buffalo, Corning, Ithaca, Utica, Morrisville, Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Lake George, Ticonderoga, Rochester, Binghampton, Ithaca, Cornell, Wells College, Toronto, Montreal, Northhampton MA, Boston, Portland Maine, New Hampshire, Dover, Lake Hopatcong, Manhattan, Rochester, more, much more... 

"A New York Strip Steak And A Pint Of Beer. What Could Be Better?"

Not everyone likes New York. It gets trashed by a lot of people, especially those who have never really been there or believe the emotionally charged images they see on the evening news. Taxes are high. Housing is too expensive. And yet, New York is a wonderful place. Having been all over the country - living and working, there is a lot of beauty out there. For me, I have lived in cities, suburbs, and country settings from western to central to eastern New York most of my life. I worked for a time in Manhattan and went to art school in north Jersey, often taking the train in to NYC to go gallery hopping, watch movies, or meet friends at comic shows. My grandparents and parents were from a tiny town of 2K in the Adirondack mountains on Lake George. New York is brimming with cities, farms, mountains, lakes and rivers, forests, and every kind of people you can possibly imagine. All countries make their home here, all faiths, all languages, all income classes. The food is fantastic. The people are friendly and generous. To me it is home in a way that few other places (I see you New Mexico...) could ever be.

On 9/11 - I was loading fifty pounds of paper into a Xerox "mini-doc" proof printer at Integrated Book Technology in Troy, NY when someone from one of the main presses came in with a small radio and we all huddled around listening as one, then two, planes struck the Trade Center towers. I have been away for nine years and lived the last three out in Los Angeles, a chunk of which involved my father dying here, back east, and then Covid, being stuck indoors. New York has always been my home, in my head and heart (I see you again New Mexico...) and I am very happy to be back on the same coast as family and friends and to at least have the possibility of seeing people again. I am very lucky in that regard. For all the struggles I have had, I always knew there were people out there who loved me, who were rooting for me, who would help if I asked. Being here gives me renewed hope. Meeting old friends and new gives me new hope. I do not know what the future brings but getting a chance to watch snow fall, rain cascade, and trees pop open with green leaves gives me tremendous hope.

Thank you.

RICK

Billion Hero Studios

The Power of Storytelling

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