There is no shortage of stories to be told in the River City, and I was reminded of this as we worked on this issue.
The world of comic books is one that is foreign to me, though numerous members of our staff are avid comic collectors and passionate about the topic. Working with Don Harrison on his feature “Comics the Richmond Way” (Page 71), I learned so much about Richmond’s many ties to comic books, from VCU’s renowned comics archive to the region’s wealth of comics retailers and conventions and the many notable artists who call Richmond home. Though I am still unlikely to attend ComicCon, I have gained a greater appreciation for the medium.
I also learned a lot from Eileen Mellon’s story on sustainability and food on Page 80. She and I had been talking about exploring this topic for many months, and I was unsure where the story would go — there were so many directions to explore, from farming practices to controlling food waste. She managed to pack all of it into a feature that shines a light on multiple local sustainability initiatives. I found her account of a visit to Greenswell Growers to be fascinating, and I am looking forward to drinking a cup of yaupon tea.
This year’s holiday feature (Page 88) focuses on experiential gifts. Perhaps it’s because I recently moved and am still unpacking boxes, but when I think about holiday gift-giving this year, the last thing I want to do is purchase a bunch of stuff. Instead, we offer 43 ideas for RVA-centric experiences — from knife making and glass blowing to rock climbing and hang gliding. I was excited to discover all the different possibilities, many of which I learned about for the first time.
A love of the new has kept this career interesting for nearly 30 years, and in the quest for novel experiences I am leaving Richmond magazine for a new professional adventure. It’s a bittersweet departure, as I leave behind a stellar group of colleagues and a publication I am proud to have been a part of in some capacity for nearly a decade. I plan to stay engaged as a reader, perhaps an occasional writer, and most definitely as a sharer of story ideas with the staff.
