The Never-Ending Battle

Posted 10:30 AM by Gerald So

In line to vote early Saturday, I felt nervous. As much as I fear Trump winning again, things don't feel as urgent as in 2020, in the thick of Trump's botched COVID recovery. The seeming lesser urgency, though, should be more incentive to vote.

In 2021, in the aftermath of Trump's insurrection, I thought he'd be easily disqualified by law and never make the 2024 ballot. Uh-huh. More incentive to vote.

Whatever the pulse of the nation, the tolerant must always fight intolerance; the just must always fight injustice. In so doing, we ensure the nation reflects these values.

Stacey Williams, Jeffrey Epstein, and Donald Trump

Posted 5:30 AM by Gerald So

Former SPORTS ILLUSTRATED swimsuit model Stacey Williams has accused Donald Trump of groping her in 1993, while Jeffrey Epstein, whom she was dating, watched.

Williams is my favorite model of the era. I remember a sound bite of her from SPORTS ILLUSTRATED's 1993 Swimsuit Video:

I try so hard to keep this just as a job, and it's what I do, and it's not what I am. I guess I'm someone that actively pursues change and growth. I think I'm a lot more at peace with myself. I'm a lot less affected by what's going on around me, really working towards finding that peace, that peace within. I've been alone, meaning without a relationship, a boyfriend or anything, for almost two years now. Not just without a boyfriend, but I spend a lot of time. As I said, I do yoga, I meditate, and I write a lot, and I think you grow a lot from spending time alone. You learn a lot about yourself.

I'm sorry Trump and Epstein victimized her. I'm glad she's speaking out now.

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FOX's MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN

Posted 11:30 AM by Gerald So

This new show piqued my interest because it stars Kristin Kreuk and because it's adapted from a book series (by the late L.R. Wright). Rossif Sutherland plays former big city cop Karl Alberg, who moves to the seaside town of Gibsons hoping to de-stress. He becomes the police chief, but unlike Jesse Stone and others, he's not haunted or plagued by hindering hangups.

Refreshing, too, Kreuk doesn't play a deputy to Alberg with whom he begins a forbidden romance; she plays a librarian only connected to the culprits because everyone lives in Gibsons.

Like COLUMBO, MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN reveals culprits early and spends the rest of its time fleshing them out as people. This is a slower-paced, character-driven show that almost seems out of place on broadcast TV today. I'm glad it's on, though, and I hope it stays.

The first episode guest-starred James Cromwell, and the fourth episode guest-starred Erica Durance.


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It's My Party

Posted 12:30 AM by Gerald So

Not a political post. Today is my birthday and a traditionally significant one at that. I always have such expectations for my birthday, they're almost never met. I'd like to think being a little selfish on the day is fine, but I also wish the day would pass into the rest that are in no way about me.

I'm grateful to be here, to have not noticed how long I've been here. Instead of lamenting anything I may have lost to time, I consider everything I'm able to do today that I wasn't yesterday, last week, last year, five years ago...





Update: On his way to visit his daughter in Connecticut, my friend John Ricotta surprise-dropped by, representing my best friends from Hofstra, and delivered a gift card, wildly exceeding expectations:

Photo by Kelly Ricotta