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At the risk of 'jumping in', I'd like to welcome you back even though Ive only been a member for six months now. Greetings from South East England.

Yes, Pittsburgh is a wonderful place to visit. But to live? If you're Black, especially a Black single woman? Nah. lol

I visited NYC for the first time in 1989. So not at the height of the epidemic, but it was still going strong. I didn't see anything as graphic as what you did saw, but I watched people go in and out of a crack building one day, and I noticed one woman who came back so many times, I lost count. And while I couldn't see exactly what she was doing inside the building with the dealers, I could guess. This was on my second visit to NYC, in Harlem, which I had previously romanticized because of James Baldwin's books. I was terrified of NYC as child because of police/crime dramas on TV, and even the sitcoms joked about getting mugged. My mom went to NYC when I was 5 and I cried the whole time she was away. I was a sensitive child lol. Even when I went in '89 and '90, I was scared to ride the subway. I was still scared when my then-fiance lived there in the early 90s and I'd come in every other weekend from Connecticut to visit him in Brooklyn. And I still drove everywhere once I was living in Brooklyn with him for the first 4 months of our marriage. I got a busted tire from a pothole, and I felt like that symbolized my time there lol. But looking back, I didn't take advantage of the time there at all. We lived on Eastern Parkway, right across the street from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and I don't think I went once. I didn't enjoy Brooklyn until around 2005/2006 after my first divorce. I had friends in Brooklyn and Philly, and we'd meet up usually in Brooklyn (and once in Philly; no one ever wanted to come to Pittsburgh lol) for a weekend. We'd go dancing until 4 am at APT in the Meat Packing District, then go to breakfast, and then crash as the sun was coming up. Then go to Chez Oscar (in Ft. Greene, I think) for brunch. Those were good times! NYC to WV? That's a lot!

LOL! I know it seems weird right? But yep! I lived in Brooklyn at the height of the crack epidemic and I sadly, but daily, stepped over pools of blood and brain matter to get the subway station. I don't think I've ever been more uncomfortable than those days. It wasn't until after I got married that I actually packed up and left NYC . And only then because my exhubby- got his plumbing contractor's license and had a close relationship with the chairman of the marsh cigar factory in Wheeling.

@Mel Hopkins We eventually got paid, but only after #EBONYStillOwes! We agreed to a schedule where they would pay us in groups over 4 quarters. I was in the last group; we were paid based on oldest invoices first. After the Q2 folks got paid...*crickets*. We had to threaten to take them back to court, and we started the new hashtag. Eventually, everyone was paid. Sadly, one of the writers died before receiving his payment. But the writers' union made sure his family got his check. The wildest part? The venture capitalists who now own EBONY tried to shame us for insisting that they pay what they owed! Are you in any of the Binders women writers' groups on Facebook? There are some editors in the groups, and the writers share editor contacts as well as info on calls for submissions/pitches and who pays what. I'm in several of the groups, but I'm most active in the Black women's group. Few places are paying well these days, but it's good to know who not to waste your time with. Message me if you'd like more info about it. Do you really need a reason other than discomfort to move? lol Seriously, I feel that way about the cold here, especially having come from Florida. I'd rather be hot than cold any day. Speaking of New Jersey, I'm going to be on a panel at the Montclair Literary Festival in the spring. This is my first time. Have you been to that festival?

OMG! I read about #EBONYOWES ! Did you get paid? I wrote under Johnson Publishing and then again for EMO . I adore my editor. She wouldn't let me write until she knew the money was available. Under EMO I got paid shortly after submission. It felt good to see my articles and know they had already paid me. My rate was decent too. We haven't worked together since 2018 . Her last issue was December 2018 and she mentioned we can't work for them unless the money is already there. I do appreciate it but dang! I have so many story ideas but not enough editor-relationships. I had a chance at a commission with BE but when I told her how much EBONY paid for my cover and features- I think they ghost me. lol. I told them I'd work with their budget. I think they really didn't want to pay my rate. I can't see writing for pennies when they makes tens of thousands $$$ on ads. Welp You're welcome! I used to do well with securing orders for book adoptions at the conferences, conventions and seminars. Penguin gave us a generous budget to travel the country to pimp their books too. Thank you! I must get out of this heat. My body isn't used to it and I'm miserable in the summer. I'll probably end up back east in NJ. My oldest lives in NYC -works in NJ... and my twins live and work in Chicago, and Cincinnati respectively. I just got to have a reason other than discomfort to move lol

@Mel HopkinsThank you! Re: EBONY, I was among the freelancers who had to sue them to get paid. I wrote four pieces for them and had a great experience with the editors. So many good people suffered because of the terrible new owners. Good luck with your (eventual) relocation!