Archive for the ‘hard times’ Category

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my vote

October 27, 2025

Everybody wants to know, how will I vote?

Democrats write me, Republicans too,

they send surveys I am afraid to answer.

Is this survey for real, or are they trolling?

Every mailing I get, it asks for money.

I grew up being told, my vote is my business.

I vote as a citizen, make my choices in private,

vote on issues that mean the most to me.

It’s none of your business how I plan to vote.

If elections were honest and votes were legit,

you’ll know after I vote, who I voted for.

And no, I have no money for your campaign,

because, have you bought groceries lately?

have you tried to buy steak? LOL LOL.

Lucky to buy hamburger. Hot dogs, maybe.

Maybe a can of soup with too much salt.

Have you looked at what a house costs to rent??

No, I can’t send $$ to your campaign,

you’ll have to figure that out for yourself.

Save your money and don’t ask for mine.

Call me on the phone, ask me, how was my day?

What are the issues you’re dealing with?

How can I brighten your day today?

I will vote while I still can, and hope that it counts.

But my vote is my business,

I hope for change.

cfblack, 10-27-25

Posted in hard times, the times we live in, various personal musings | Leave a Comment »

Cheese and crackers

October 26, 2025

My Dutch grandma served cheese and crackers,

chocolate candy with vanilla creme,

green and white mints, melted in your mouth,

windmill cookies, and 7-up.

She lived through the Great depression,

sat at her foot pedal sewing machine,

revised used clothes from someone else

to fit her own children,

went to church on Sunday,

and always had a smile.

Told us of times Grandpa couldn’t find work

and “had to go work for the WPA”,

They built sidewalks and did other jobs

after the first world war,

She loved hosting friends and family,

the adults talked for what seemed like hours,

until she winked and said with a smile,

“Let’s have a little lunch.”

Children then ran into the kitchen,

were treated like Kings and Queens,

climbed up on chairs awaiting them,

felt the love in their family,

watched her pour the magic bubbly,

ate cheese and crackers, and candy.

This is where we heard stories,

learned some family history,

but what I most remember

is my Grandma’s cheery laughter,

always happily hosting,

sharing what they had.

cfblack, 10-26-25

Posted in childhood, Family, hard times, love | Leave a Comment »

Life before the Internet

May 27, 2025

Before the internet

we used telephones,

not in our hands, but on kitchen wall.

We had to take turns, we had to be home,

and all we could do was talk.

I can even remember a “party line”

we shared with other households,

Before making a call, we picked up the phone

to see if our neighbor was on the line.

If they were, we had to wait

until they finished theirs.

It’s hard to even imagine today

the life we had back then.

More contemplation, more time alone,

no random AI listening,

None of that. NONE of that.

More personal time, more privacy,

Unless we were talking on a phone at home,

we were talking face-to-face.

No texting, no zooming, no Instagram or “X”,

no FaceBook, or Snapchat, no TicTok

or Messenger,

no teenagers worried what their friends thought

of their latest video.

No 24/7 bullying,

when we went home, it stopped.

— Last night I mentioned something,

never googled it, or searched.

Today it appeared on FaceBook

while scrolling messages.

Men now have AI girlfriends — they never disagree,

Women have AI boyfriends — “they always listen to me.”

We need face-to-face conversation, holding each other’s hand,

Sharing difficult topics and trying to understand,

I have no patience for texting, and I like my time alone,

So please excuse my slow response and not answering my phone.

cfblack 5-27-25

Posted in childhood, family history, Technology / FaceBook, the times we live in | Leave a Comment »

LAST DAY

April 28, 2025

Last day.
Printing final exams to be taken in person
at desks made in the 1970s,
Phones and laptops put away,
they suffer withdrawal until test is done.
Some never did assignments,
their grades dropped out of sight,
now ask, “What can I do?”
I ask the same question, what can I do
to spark your interest
to learn,
to read,
to write your own thoughts, in your own voice,
which is SO NEEDED today,
but remains hidden behind AI, ChatGPT,
and copying your friend’s paper.
cfblack, 4-28-25

Posted in Sociology, teaching, the times we live in | Leave a Comment »

I’m afraid

September 24, 2024

I’m afraid we’ll go further backward

before we go forward,

I’m afraid we are destroying the earth,

I’m afraid that people are filling with hatred,

the war will escalate beyond control,

I’m afraid of persecution, and people believing

a liar’s lies, a racist rant,

The lies blame everyone but himself,

convince people our friends are enemies,

breathe tension into an already polluted air,

because WEALTH is drowning out compassion,

and people believe anything said to them

without thinking for themselves.

I’m afraid of corruption, and altering the vote,

afraid of coral reefs being destroyed,

afraid for the loss of clean water and air,

National Parks, and wildlife refuge.

but a candle shines more brightly

when LIT in darkness,

Love beats more strongly

when surrounded by hate,

No matter if liars try to breed hatred,

the reality is that we are ONE,

We are ONE people, We have ONE homeland,

We all say prayers to ONE God above,

“This is FAITH, to walk where there is no path,

to breathe where there is no air,”**

I will care for animals that cross my path,

I will reach out to humans who are hurting,

I will do my best to keep a candle lit,

even while hurricane winds are blowing.

cfblack 9-24-24

Posted in peace, stories in the news, the times we live in | Leave a Comment »

3 days of grandkids

March 18, 2014

3 days of grandkids make me aware of the preciousness of a child’s heart, the freshness of youth, and how much energy it takes to keep up with them. Sad when they leave.
my sweets mar142014

Posted in grandchildren, hard times | Leave a Comment »

pompous

March 4, 2014

I think I’ll write a children’s book on being “pompous”. The Pompous King of Polandia” or some such thing.

My husband and I have lived long enough and led lives filled with enough activity, to know many pompous souls. People who have a need to spout their glory, to think themselves better than, and to feel good about it. There is so much that goes on in the world, it’s amazing any of us survive even for a time. They put other people down and in so doing, somehow imagine themselves two floors above, when they in fact are going to lie beneath the earth in so much time, just as everyone else. And the truth is, we can take absolutely nothing with us from this world. We leave it all behind. All that goes with us is those good deeds we have managed, and the good love we have shared with our families and loved ones. And that is all. NOTHING else matters, nothing else lasts. In 2-3 generations, even the memory of us is gone. Only the effort we put into this world, in the form of others now living, survives.

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Thomas Edison quote

February 17, 2014

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas A. Edison

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The hardest thing

February 17, 2014

The hardest thing is when you know you’ve done a good job, you have validation you’ve done a good job, you have touched lives and held to a standard of excellence, and it doesn’t matter. People can judge you just because they want to. They don’t have to explain it, & you are left in the dark, end of story. Nobody understands this unless they’ve been through it. Otherwise, they still hold to the mistaken impression that the world operates on fairness.

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23rd Psalm

December 3, 2012

The Lord is my sheperd, I shall not want,

He makes me to lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside the still waters,

He restores my soul.

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of death

I fear no evil.

For Thou art with me,

Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me!

Thou preparest a table before ME in the presence of my enemies,

Thou anointest MY head with oil,

My cup overflows!

SURELY, GOODNESS and MERCY shall FOLLOW ME

ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,

and I SHALL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

FOREVER!

 

(truly, what more could one ask for? We are blessed.)

 

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