I am not moving very far at least not for a while, a couple of years....maybe longer but I can't see growing old in the new hideous New York and I am happy to no longer live in NYU-ville.
I just sold my home, a studio of 20 years...and here is a quick look back at my last year here in the East Village as it continued to be destroyed and made over, like a hideous reality show make over into NYU-ville, into the new hideous new york and everything that was deeply disturbing like the illegal air sale by the USPS, let us say it feels like the USPS is above the law, the USPS it seems feels because they are federal and therefore they do not have to notify the State of New York they are selling air rights over a historic site like any other American Citizen or organization accept maybe NYU, like the USPS chronically blocking a fire hydrant and saying go head let the NYPD ticket and tow the illegally parked van, like NYU getting to work 7 days a week and late nights to tear down St Ann's that should have been landmark protected and everything I had concerns with re: the city, NYU and the air sale by the USPS to NYU all came home to me and the building that was my home for the last 20 years just rented the store fronts to a bank so the building looks like the store front of a mega dorm.
I will always remember the parishioners crying and praying out on the street and I watched and listened to them from my windows where I saw mega dorm after mega dorm supersize and arise including The New School mega dorm.
Photos, random but meaningful...
Balloon picture New Years Eve, my last in the old New York I loved...
One of my NYC marathon pictures with a hand made kimono cover Akko gave me for a martial arts staff leaning against it. Akko was another East Village dynamo that died too young pre-9-11. She had many homes but one was on East 2nd Street. NYC Marathon pictures, '91 and '92 although I can't run anymore unless I get a double amputation the photos with the medals are my treasured memories and my last massive run I did post 9-11 and a special night heaven on earth...memory.
Sept. 11, memories, my pieces in the NY Historical Society are down in the WTC Museum collection. I am just grateful they took what I gave them and there is one piece I treasure, Pat's Benc
h. I remember during the big black out how neighbors sat on the bench outside Ladder 3 as if the firemen that died 9-11 that the bench is dedicated to were still looking after them from Heaven. I remember buying a flashlight and escorting so many of my neighbors of my ex-home of 20 years as of today up the flights of the stairs, and for some I even carried their bags and I had the flashlight so they could see where to put the key to open their door.
I kept unconsciously repeating the first name of a fireman that did spiritual cpr on my heart after 9-11, over and over...his nickname is the name of my best friend and my lawyer, a significant powerful biblical name and I found myself repeating his name over and over...
h. I remember during the big black out how neighbors sat on the bench outside Ladder 3 as if the firemen that died 9-11 that the bench is dedicated to were still looking after them from Heaven. I remember buying a flashlight and escorting so many of my neighbors of my ex-home of 20 years as of today up the flights of the stairs, and for some I even carried their bags and I had the flashlight so they could see where to put the key to open their door.
I kept unconsciously repeating the first name of a fireman that did spiritual cpr on my heart after 9-11, over and over...his nickname is the name of my best friend and my lawyer, a significant powerful biblical name and I found myself repeating his name over and over...John and I met because of 9-11 and reconnected because of St. Brigids.
Clayton and Lucien reminded me why I love the neighborhood and besides an amazingly lunch, Lucien made me want to stay nearby which I did.
I love this photo because I am in the reflection with my camera.
Karen came in to my life at just the right time when I had to de-clutter my life and she is a kind warm support that makes me think of the Village when it was truly a village.
Whole Earth Kitchen and Bakery continues to fight eviction. They continue to fight eviction yet hold unto their smiles and their humanity.
He represents city wide the struggle the battles, the community crushing tsunami of development and the evictions.
Artists are different and it is not because we try to be...I am glad I am gone, I wish I had left sooner, deeply traumatized and working towards healing.
Every person in my life says look forward and there is so much to look forward to.
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