Category Archives: Personal

Getting older away from home

No matter where I live, New Jersey, especially the part nearest NYC, will always be my home. I lived there from birth until age 52.  My conception of the world starts with NJ.  The culture I am most familiar with in that … Continue reading

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Why I am not a conservative pt 2

I know I am conflating conservatism with the Republican party, but ever since the old Democratic Southern segregationists died off and were replaced by Republicans, the Democrats have had very few conservatives.  In the same way the Republican liberals of … Continue reading

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Why I am not a conservative pt. 1

I count myself among the Liberals today, even if that term is ill-defined and used more as an insult than anything else.   Some people have brought back the old term ‘progressive’,  which is not much different in today’s political universe.  I … Continue reading

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Cheap Chinese Junk

My wife decided to get another dog earlier this January.  We adopted Molly, a mix breed Lab/Boxer.  When our previous dog, Sierra, died, Shawnne threw away some of her accessories, so we needed to purchase new ones.   As part of  the … Continue reading

Posted in China, Personal | 1 Comment

Remembrances: photos and family memories.

Yesterday I saw a photo on facebook of one of my relatives, John McKenna (aka Jack) that was posted by his son Steve in remembrance of Father’s Day. Jack was the son of my uncle Frank, my father’s older brother. … Continue reading

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Trying to Get Healthy

My wife and I have been looking over our diet and lifestyle and have realized we have been going in the wrong direction.  We both drink a bit too much beer.  Besides being expensive, it has put weight on both … Continue reading

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Death and Dying Among My Contemporaries

Can one love someone he has never met?  Can one mourn someone he has never met?  The answers to both questions are yes.  Some years ago my twin brother and I were making some tapes of our singing and decided … Continue reading

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Duffy’s Cut

I don’t usually get emotional about a television program but tonight I saw something that I felt very close to.  PBS broadcast a program about the fate of 57 Irish immigrant railroad workers who died in 1832.  In 1832 a … Continue reading

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Jennie-O’s Turkey Police

Shawnne and I went food shopping today.  It was a nice day and tomorrow promised another in an endless series of winter storms, so we decided to combine a birding run along with the shopping.  Normally we take the back roads … Continue reading

Posted in Personal, wierd stuff | 2 Comments

Watching and enjoying old movies

In the last few weeks, my wife and I have been watching old movies on a more or less regular basis. I used to watch old movies all the time before I got married in particular when I was working … Continue reading

Posted in Old Movies, Personal | 1 Comment