Category Archives: Personal history

Hanukkah Kitsch and Christmas Shopping

Posted on Tuesday 20 December 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

I spent most of this afternoon Christmas shopping. I can make that align with this article about Hanukkah kitsch. New York Times, 18 Dec 2022: Potato Latke Cocktail, Anyone?

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One More Book Story

Posted on Monday 19 December 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

The Washington Post did a list about two weeks ago about this: Washington Post, Alyssa Rosenberg, 6 Dec / updated 19 Dec 2022: Opinion | To build a delightful library for kids, start with these 99 books Then today posted … Continue reading →

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Two Tales About Books

Posted on Sunday 18 December 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

There is a wide range of attitudes about books. Many people read no books at all. Some read books but only by borrowing from libraries; some people buy and read books but treat them as disposable objects (these are the … Continue reading →

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Daily Details and Existential Threats

Posted on Sunday 4 December 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Perhaps I should start with daily details? Chilly today but sunny, in between storms. Despite yesterday’s post, I decided to walk around the house for 30 or 40 minutes last night (while the TV showed Jeopardy or whatever) in order … Continue reading →

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Rainy Saturday; Current Affairs

Posted on Saturday 3 December 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s early December, a Saturday, and it’s been raining all day here in the Bay Area, another cold rain like the storm two days ago. We need the rain; we’re still behind average rainfall for the season. Still, the rain … Continue reading →

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Remembering Greg Bear

Posted on Monday 21 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

This isn’t the best photo of Greg Bear, but it’s the one I took, back at the 1984 Worldcon, in LA, the very first Worldcon I attended. I can’t tell what book he was holding, or waving — it’s his … Continue reading →

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Yesterday’s Streetworks

Posted on Friday 11 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Posted yesterday on Facebook. To the extent that there’s a difference, apparently I should have said streetworks, not roadworks. You can look it up.

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Layoff Anniversary

Posted on Monday 7 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Today is the 10th anniversary of my lay-off from the one professional job I’ve ever had, working for the aerospace firm Rocketdyne. November 7, 2012, after 30 years. Details of that life and the aftermath of the layoff on my … Continue reading →

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That Berkeley Bridge

Posted on Tuesday 1 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

OK, so maybe I’ll keep posting something every day, just cut back on all the politically oriented links. Maybe just a photo. Maybe a quotation, a passage like the one from Bertrand Russell the other day. And nice photos. More … Continue reading →

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Easing Away from Daily Posts

Posted on Sunday 30 October 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

I’ve managed to post something on this blog almost every day (I think I missed two, perhaps three days) since September 14, 2021, so for about thirteen and a half months. I think for reasons I’ll step back from that … Continue reading →

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