As a student of the USPS for fifty five years

And molded by Ben Franklin, it’s creator

Quite aware that change as in all public sectors

Is inevitable thus a slight digression now is required

That might explain the dichotomy

Between the public and private sector in reference to mail delivery

The USPS was established to provide free mail delivery for it’s citizens

This was subsidized by the purchase of stamps

Some laughed at the expression ‘junk mail’

And with the restriction that the USPS could not charge above cost

Private delivery companies were able to make inroads

Which brings up the need for semi-annual mailings

Christmas cards once a requirement for relationships

Is now a a diminished communication method

The price of stamps seemingly undermining

The very thought of Christmas cards

And yet periodically businesses realize

Money must be spent to increase income

Or in this case to increase friendships and relationships

Thus now a conversation starter is

Would semi-annual mailings increase one’s personal corespondent life?

Say, Christmas and July 4th

The address list is already available

Surely additional news and a more current photo could be enclosed

For a second update

The deal breaker is the cost of a stamp

Airline tickets, the price of gas, car payments

Do not provide an economic method for encouraging relationships

Start a real revolution!

Semi-annual mailings to friends and relatives

FXC frankxcameron.Wordpress.com 12/20/2022 Copyright

Oftentimes a kid sister is just that

A kid and a sister

Possibly useful as a cohort in crime

Like having someone to blame if some candy goes missing

Frequently required my younger sibling to walk behind me

So that no friend would mistake her for a girlfriend

With seven siblings however there were useful moments

Such as when I was thirsty and her bottle was just too close

That scene was captured on a ‘Brownie’,

Did periodically have pangs of guilt

As my closest age wise sibling was in the middle of three boys

But childhood would fade as adolescence appeared

Didn’t take too long to notice that the sister I once distanced myself from

Was now in the company of multiple young beauties

It was the 60’s and we were in our teens

A truly awesome epoch

And then would you believe it

My sister Peg invited me to go with her and a few girlfriends

To see a play in downtown Chicago

So with eternal gratitude I met my best friend that night

Who happened go be Peg’s best friend

The much treasured Julie Becker

Thank you dear Peg as you, Bob, Julie and I

Are still enjoying your gift to us, you.

FXC frankxcameron.com 12/05/2022 Copyright

Seems like yesterday

Preparations for Thanksgiving

Would begin weeks earlier

Penciled notes scribbled

Reminding of actions needed

To ensure the perfect feast

Celery, golden raisins, onions, a frozen turkey

Ah yes a frozen turkey which by itself adds to the drama

As then experts would weigh in as to the proper time to begin thawing

Many years ago, too many to remember

My involvement in the Thanksgiving dinner was to buy the ingredients

Really didn’t quite understand nor grasp that women

We’re doing most of the work

But after thirty years the time seemed right to

Begin an apprenticeship as a sous chef

Promoted myself from the buyer of ingredients

But the new position was taxing on my ego

Quickly learned, I had no culinary skills whatsoever

Peeling onion, cutting, celery, drying bread we’re all a new skill set for me

Yes, but over time, gradually, my performance seemed to improve, if only to myself

After a number of years of apprenticeship, I was promoted

I was given the position of preparing the food the morning of the feast

This was a position with much more responsibility

It wasn’t until years later that I found out from a “whisper”

That my job performance was not always perfect

That occasionally I had not sliced the onions thin enough nor maybe dried out the bread enough

That news was, of course, quite disconcerting to my mental state

It seems as if the ego must be left at the kitchen door

As the taste of the meal takes precedence

Just glad I had a place at the table

FXC frankxcameron.com Copyright 11/26/2022

Sweets by definition are sweet

Desirable, decadent even

Yet over the last twenty years

Many have sought to reduce sugar in foods

Included in this onslaught are fat grams

But this microcosm of public discourse

Defines our political juggernaut

Just as for two hundred years

No one seemed to notice the great divide in American politics

Yet the disparities in political thought mirrors

The varying tastes in doughnuts

This very morning at Plehn’s bakery

An old codger within five years of me give or take

Was getting into his Chevy Equinox

As I was exiting my Toyota Highlander

Noticing his treasure firmly in his grasp

I had to mediation ‘well you’ve done your job’

To which he replied, ‘Grandchildren you know

Ah so true, I said

He added, ‘but they only want specific types,

One plain chocolate pull apart, one sprinkle and one plain’

Yes, mine are the same and you can’t get them to try something different

But they keep us going, I replied

’Well, he concluded, I hope so!’

FXC frankxcameron.com Copyright 10/22/2022

Not long ago read an article by a would be arborist

Postulating that an oak tree shed

An average of five thousand acorns a year

True enough but a very limited study

During this past two year pandemic revealed

At least two oak trees in close proximity

Neglected to drop acorns during the pandemic

So much so that where once the lawn needed to be cut while wearing combat boots due to the acorns

During the pandemic said lawn was able to be cut while wearing socks

Any proof for this non-scientific study

Said lawn does not need to be cut now

As acorns have returned to their rightful

They have returned without

Without benefit of the internet, pundits orr public opinion
Once again Mother Nature wrote the story

frankxcameron.com Copyright 10/2/2022

Cool breeze lightly blowing

Summer’s heat seemingly dissipating

Is another year being whisked away

Trying to remember this year before it is gone

Ireland, Hattiesburg, Chicago

Yet always downsizing

Not exactly sure how our house became

The repository of designated ‘hand me down items’

And it is a repository that seems to replenish itself

Progress is being made though

Currently there are now boxes labeled for dispersal

Some to Goodwill

Some to grand nephews and grand nieces

But then a box is found in such a way

As to indicate my possible inclusion in eternity

A box of three sets of Lincoln Logs

Labeled for the unborn children of our grandchildren

With the box going to the first grandchild who has a great grandchild

Needless to say none of our grandchildren are married yet

But I’m beginning to get a sense

Of how the script for the future might

Have already had it’s first reading

And somewhere in the hazy mist is

I don’t know yet

frankxcameron.com 9/24/2022 Copyright FXC

Dark clouds

Ominous cold winds

Middle of February

Mixed signals from TV and news

How would one know

What to wear or carry on an outing

Critical that one not be caught

Without milk, bread or TP

No sure way other than go to Kroger

Quite sure their CEO

Was promoted from

Weather forecasting

As shovels, gloves, salt, etc

Prominently displayed

At the hint of inclement weather

Word rushes forth then

That Kroger was packed

Enough said

The weather gods must have whispered

Of the incoming snow/sleet/rain

Long lines testament

Of the need to secure all necessary items

Truly surprised there is not a

Kroger channel on cable

Stay warm!

FXC frankxcameron.com 2/14/2021 Copyright

Introspection clearly a Houdini trick

Meant to be social

The evening or the early morning

Relaxes our shoulders

As we slump into reflection

On the finished day or the day to finish

But so fulfilling

To reminisce or meditate

On what has been or what will be

Usually of the opinion

Reality can be modified

By effort

Scuffling, shoving eventually tires the soul

Till the fatigue itself

Begins a healing

Reconciling

Being alone

Such a sweet, sweet personal moment!

FXC 2/7/2021 frankxcameron.com Copyright

It often seems that life goes full circle

And yet unbeknownst to us

That circle had been closing for a very long time

A lifetime even as we now look back

This particular round shape currently under consideration is

FOOD

Quite right as there are as many divergent issues about food as there are about politics and religion

Thinking to yourself or reminiscing with a good friend

Actually you could be discussing food with anyone

As food is an acceptable topic around the table

And yet there needs to be an order to the discussion

Just a suggestion

Early memories of food

Family traditions about food

Likes and dislikes

Current alterations to the culinary experience

So why does this matter?

Well some people are tired talking about the weather

Politics and the pandemic are steeped in anxiety

Food is potentially more appealing

Food will always evoke visceral memories

My father ate Limburger cheese and drank buttermilk

That should cause your stomach to curdle just thinking about it

All of us have those type memories or very pleasant reflections

Seems like every family has their own history at the dining table

From saying prayers, please and thank you

To discussing the days events

And for such a gathering there were always rules

Eat everything on your plate, if your late for dinner you don’t eat

But only after children have left the nest

Do discussions start about what was served at the table

Tuna fish casserole, hot dogs with sauerkraut , skillet liver,

Ad infinitum are the examples along with the varied reactions to those memories

Nonetheless we have all moved on

Some dishes were modified, some never copied

And not all have had their personal chef through life

And so it is that though political, health, religious topics permeate

At the end of the day for better or worse

Just one question

What’s for dinner?

Frank X Cameron 10/29/2020 frankxcameron.com Copyright

Did not recollect

Ok I forgot

The annual rite of Christmas

The captivating story of Santa Claus

The reindeer, the midnight ride

Little children understanding

The need to be good

To be rewarded with presents

So often now Facebook, Amazon, Google, etc

Already know what we want

But who exactly knows if we’ve been good

Don’t look in the mirror

Worst liar in the world looking back at you

Just one candidate to decide

Whose been naughty and nice

Yes it is Santa Claus I was told

By an introspective four year old

As she gazed through a Christmas tree display

Santa knows if you’ve been bad PaPa

Didn’t want to tell her

There was a long line of people

Who know if I had been bad

Let’s leave them outside of this conversation

FXC frankxcameron.com 10/12/2020