© by Gerald So | 7:00 AM
If all stays on track, Long Island will be eligible for Phase 1 of reopening someday next week. The illness and death toll prevents me from "enjoying" lockdown, but one bright spot is it's compelled me to set up video conferencing, which has actually let me attend more events than I could get to in person before.
Last night my old boss, Thrilling Detective's Kevin Burton Smith, hosted a virtual Noir at the Bar on Zoom. I was most motivated to attend for the chance to see Thrilling's original fiction editor, Victoria Esposito, who mentored me into the job in mid-2001, before she left to focus on HandHeldCrime, the first crime fiction magazine for portable devices.
Victoria and I had IMed and emailed, but had never spoken live before last night. As part of the event, she read my December 2019 Mystery Tribune story "Fred", which debuts PI Lisa Regina. She, Kevin, and I also divvied up the readers' bios to co-host.
UPDATE (May 30): Kevin has posted a two-hour cut of the recorded event:
Here's the video cued up to Victoria's reading of Fred:
Thanks again to everyone who attended.
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Saturday, May 02, 2020
Down
© by Gerald So | 1:00 PM
New York's COVID-19 numbers are down, including a 16-day decline here in Nassau County.
As good as that news is, my family also lost a longtime friend last Friday from COVID-19. Diabetic, she went to the hospital in mid-March with a persistent cough and sore throat. At that time, she was not tested for the virus and sent home. The next day, her symptoms worsened. She went back to the hospital, and at some point in a month-long stay, she tested positive for COVID-19. Going into a coma, she passed.
This is in addition to just before Easter losing one of our parish deacons who lived in a condominium where many of the residents took ill. Being socially distanced, we don't know the exact details of his death, but COVID-19 is feared.
All this brings home that New York may be fairly close to reopening, but every precaution practical is still worth taking. May you and yours be well.
New York's COVID-19 numbers are down, including a 16-day decline here in Nassau County.
As good as that news is, my family also lost a longtime friend last Friday from COVID-19. Diabetic, she went to the hospital in mid-March with a persistent cough and sore throat. At that time, she was not tested for the virus and sent home. The next day, her symptoms worsened. She went back to the hospital, and at some point in a month-long stay, she tested positive for COVID-19. Going into a coma, she passed.
This is in addition to just before Easter losing one of our parish deacons who lived in a condominium where many of the residents took ill. Being socially distanced, we don't know the exact details of his death, but COVID-19 is feared.
All this brings home that New York may be fairly close to reopening, but every precaution practical is still worth taking. May you and yours be well.
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Risen
© by Gerald So | 5:00 AM
If this were the usual Easter, my extended family would be getting together, indulging in whatever treats they'd given up for Lent. The memories and ongoing bond I have with my family are getting me through this time we can't be together.
Moving from Lent to Easter, I find it easier to be upbeat about the days ahead. I hope New York is through the worst of COVID-19 and each day closer to ending the lockdown. My hope could be months off, of course, but why think that far ahead? No matter the situation, each day we choose to to live, to do, not to wait and wither, is a good day.
If this were the usual Easter, my extended family would be getting together, indulging in whatever treats they'd given up for Lent. The memories and ongoing bond I have with my family are getting me through this time we can't be together.
Moving from Lent to Easter, I find it easier to be upbeat about the days ahead. I hope New York is through the worst of COVID-19 and each day closer to ending the lockdown. My hope could be months off, of course, but why think that far ahead? No matter the situation, each day we choose to to live, to do, not to wait and wither, is a good day.
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