Hey Nate, I hope that all is well for you. I understand all too well when you say that not all who are highly intelligent will win at the game of life. That is the truth, at least for me anyway because I was told for years that even though I was very intelligent that I was almost too smart for my own good. In a way I guess that was correct, I recently was going through stuff from back in the day & found ACT results, & ASVAB results from 2001. I was 17 then, I am now 29 and I couldnt believe how much I had overlooked that now made sense to me about these test results. I am not sure if by my last 2 yrs of school were spent just not caring since grades werent a problem for me, or if by then after so many years of feeling I was wasting my time with being made to sit and "learn" things I already knew (along with insulting "schedule filler" classes like "Go Bowling" or "Using A Camera Properly!" -ahhh come on, at least call it photography for dumbasses, for Judas sake! LOL - among other types of school day filler that I had long outgrown mentally as I was a researching bookworm aka nerd in disguise way more at home than at school). I recall way back (had to be very early in school) when around 1st/2nd grade (!!) we had this dumb blue book called The Handbook For Reading. Hmmm. Okay. Had a stupid apple and a ruler on the front, it haunts me until this very day! (laugh) Well it was nothing but pages full of different 4-5 letter words to "sound out" and then hopefully read.....I went into school knowing how to read so I felt stupid when the teacher asked me to please at least pretend to "sound out the words in the book" so that the other students didnt feel bad. So therefore, what can I say about that year? I learned two (much needed in life) talents- how to pretend to stutter-n-spit when jabbering incoherently with Handbook For Reading PLUS how to totally fake NOT knowing how to read. Not easy! But Im so proud after all of these yrs, whew! I got lucky, dammit! (LOL)
Part Two- (smile, sorry it is so long!) I admire also that you are (after years in a situation where many do not become mentally stronger, but they break in many ways, sadly) always able to use your mind to defend yourself when wrongdoings occur to your fellow man around you or to you directly, by being very well acquainted with the law itself and putting so much into speaking out on behalf of issues you feel should be brought to the attention of readers while presenting your ideas for change in a way that makes one tend to always immediately want to seriously look into these topics. I could go on and on here. Thank you for just being you and know that you are appreciated by readers. On a personal note, thank you for your blog on the situation w/your friend Sean & doing your best to stand up for/with him. I cant imagine what hes going through, and it speaks volumes of your ways that you wanted to share his story of injustice in a past entry I recall. I always look forward to seeing your blogs, as you are able to put a smile on my face in some (so many) entries and then yet have me seriously deep in thought after reading others regarding law and treatment of those who are down. I was also happy as shit -!- (haha, no joke....if shit was able to be "happy" that is! -smile-) when going through your entire blog to actually see someone discuss or even just KNOW OF (haha seriously) the Bell curve debate regarding the Mensa level results when doing ones IQ testing. By the way, I was glad to hear you got to get yours done and got the results. That was great to hear and of course you proved to be more than great! I am going to send this now, and it should be mailed to you via BTB dot com BY Monday October 22nd, and its now Oct 20th. I hope I did not go on and on too much here but I wanted you to know that your words spoke out more than youd imagine so-Keep writing! I promise my next comment will not be so long & disjointed (I sound like someone who missed their medication...for weeks) But please always know if anyone is a great example of someone who represents ANYONE locked up who arent just lives to throw away and forget about over the years, then it is you and it truly speaks to people no matter how they think they feel about the topic at 1st! I assure you, you are able to reach some hard headed people and I saw proof of that when I watched those who used to never consider changing their views feel guilty for never once being open minded & for not realizing despite what one may do during their lifetime, they are still a human being just as they are & I am. I hope that you get this so it lets you know you make a difference. Ill write more soon!-CC
Hi Nate, I wanted to let you know that I am always impressed with and enjoy your blogs. Yours was one that I read until I had went very far back in your part of this huge blog-land. (smile) Why did I venture back in blog-land and read even your oldest entries written and posted here? Simply because over time I have grown to admire you for many things that show through in your writing, which DOES reach readers in ways that Ill later explain....No matter what the blog topic is focusing on. I find it a great thing that regardless of your situation, you have managed to always show such an inner strength and way of writing to your readers here that clearly and brightly shows that you are (and a perfect example for others of someone who is definitely) WAY MORE than your current status of just being locked away and stigmatized by society: you are not only an individual with rights but just as human as those on the outside. GOOD NEWS- Always know that your blog has a way of truly showing this, which I found unique/rare when it comes to how others express themselves or thoughts/feelings about their situations etc, and especially a much needed example of the kind of point of view many would not expect anyone to have in your situation, like when it comes to how some out here view prisoners, and I want you to know you have been a HUGE part of several changes of heart recently regarding those who are doing their time....See, I shared your blog with 3 people who over the past 1-2 months have began to honestly dig deep and even change their once hardcore/no mercy points of view and also expand their minds regarding injustice plus inhumane treatment as well. These were THREE once VERY impossible people that after just months, are willing to make huge attempts to be more compassionate as a person themselves/as well as consider many who sadly waste away w/no attempts ever made to rehabilitate (too much of a money maker if they keep you in/coming back to prison here!)nor keep their minds up to par with books or material to learn from/bodies healthy w/the proper health/vitamin amounts missed out on due to hours without any sunlight -(I know firsthand how bone density problems can haunt a person for life and are at times aggravated/actually caused by a severe Vitamin D deficiency no matter what ones age or past health.... which Ive actually experienced and KNOW that it is absolute painful hell once the damage is done and required 50,000 IU per week of Vit D-12 for 3 months or more before I had even started to finally without pain and rusty feeling, regain PART of the density that had been damaged/lost plus build my own strength back enough to get back to how I had been before this all occured....) Your style of writing is one where personality shines through in your entries and lets it be known that you ARENT anyone with a life worth throwing away NOR a mind worth wasting, locked up or not.
What a pleasure it was to read your blog. Thank you so much for sharing!
I write to a friend in prison and this was a beautiful reminder for just how important staying in touch regularly can be. Your blog also serves as a beautiful example of how love can conquer over negativity. I'm so glad you're in contact with your daughter again - Keep that love in your heart!
Robo, I wish I had read this earlier, Your words have touched me more then you know. They brought tears to my eyes, good tears :)You my son, are so easy to love that I deserve no accolades. But from you, I will take them and hold them in my heart forever You are such a blessing to me Honey, always know that, I Love You Most :), Mom
Somewhere along the line I stopped worrying about you. This posting reminds me why. You have grown so much as a person, man and of course "Son'. My Son, how happy and proud those words make me. How happy and proud you make me. Continue on your path honey, it is Gods given one of that I can assure you. I Love You Most, Mom
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open minded & for not realizing despite what one may do during their lifetime, they are still a human being just as they are & I am. I hope that you get this so it lets you know you make a difference. Ill write more soon!-CC
I write to a friend in prison and this was a beautiful reminder for just how important staying in touch regularly can be. Your blog also serves as a beautiful example of how love can conquer over negativity. I'm so glad you're in contact with your daughter again - Keep that love in your heart!
Thank you again & take care,
Nicki