WOW... just wow. I'm sitting here in my work place success program reading this... with only 15 minutes left before I have to leave and pick up my son from school. I have to come back to this, but I wanted to leave a note incase I procrastinate and don't return. This is such a good read, truly! It is intelligent and thoughtful and well written. You have a way with words! I really admire that. And to be able to articulate that with the environment you are in... I can't write a page in my diary with out it being quiet in the room, never mind the noise of prison! Good for you man! I only made it half way through your post, but I am eager to return and finish. Thus far, I believe we have a similar take on why we are who we are and the way we are and are we responsible for that? It is fascinating. I think you are right. There are so many factors that create who we are and how we react and how we see ourselves. It is an endless series of what ifs! I appreciate the time and thought you put into this paper! Nicely done!
I lived by the squares in my calendar while I was incarcerated! In jail your calendar is almost like those charts they used to put up in school to show which child did well and got a sticker on their book report and then those who did not. It made me feel good to see every time my mother came to visit my 19 year old self but then at the same time I would see other inmates calendars posted to their wall with only one day highlighted.... the haves and the have-nots. Every thing in life is only worth as much as the value you assign to it. You can choose to focus on the empty squares or you can choose to look at all the hours that are filled in on those special days where the clock seems to play tricks on us... Lightening fast when we're doing something pleasing to pass the time and then molasses like slow when you are sitting there waiting for something to happen. It's great to see such a full weekend schedule for a positive thing like a visit with a novelist. That is exciting for sure. I hope you enjoyed your time and got the chance to learn something new!
Thanks for writing! I finished the transcription for your post. I really enjoyed reading your post. It is so descriptive that I could see the scene you were describing. You have a definite talent. I hope 2019 brings you happiness and peace! In my world 2019 is a definite for being better than 2018.. last year was one of my worst due to a near divorce between my husband and I. But after 6 months of marriage counseling, I think 2019 could be my best year yet! Here's to hoping that 2019 brings us both some sort of relief from the misery we've endures through out the years!!!
Dreams were one of my few escapes in jail. I would always wake up and open my eyes and look down to see if I was still in jail and when I saw the orange jumpsuit the depression would set in. I feel your pain man!
Don't ever think you offended me to the point that I wouldn't speak to you. The week of 12/18 is a tough one for me which I told you about on 12/17. Then you have the week of Christmas which is crazy just trying to finalize everything and get it ready for Santa to come. We've been actively sending emails since the New Year so you know everything is good. If you ever offend me, I will call you out on it. I won't just stop talking to you. I'll email you in a few.
I'm so sorry that you lost your mother. I can't imagine how you feel and I don't know what to say.
But I will do what I can to give you contact information to some possible publishers for your writing.
In the meantime, there's this that you may use to find a new focus in life. I'll copy and paste everything about it here for you. If you need additional information, I can help send it to you.
ANNUAL PRISON WRITING CONTEST
PEN America sponsors an annual writing contest for prisoners. Anyone incarcerated in a federal, state, or county prison in the year before the September 1 deadline is eligible to enter. Prizes of $250, $150, and $100 are awarded for first, second, and third place, respectively, in each of the following categories: poetry, fiction, drama, nonfiction and memoir.
CONTEST GUIDELINES: PEN’s Prison Writing Contest accepts contest submission between January 1 and September 1 of each year. Winners will be announced the following Spring. Manuscripts should be typewritten and double-spaced whenever possible, or legibly handwritten on 8.5-by-11-inch paper. All submissions should be accompanied by a brief cover letter with the author’s name, identification number, and complete mailing address.
Authors may not submit more than one entry in each category, except in poetry, which has a 20-page limit.
Only unpublished manuscripts will be considered, with the exception of pieces that have appeared in publications for the prison population only. Any subject matter will be considered.
Please be sure to send copies of your work, not the originals. PEN is unable to return manuscripts. Always include a return address. Selected winning entries will be published on PEN’s web site.
PLEASE SEND ENTRIES TO: PEN Writing Awards for Prisoners PEN American Center 588 Broadway, Suite 303 New York, NY 10012
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Thanks for writing this, I hope my transcription is OK. I really enjoyed this beautiful prose/poem.
Don't ever think you offended me to the point that I wouldn't speak to you. The week of 12/18 is a tough one for me which I told you about on 12/17. Then you have the week of Christmas which is crazy just trying to finalize everything and get it ready for Santa to come. We've been actively sending emails since the New Year so you know everything is good. If you ever offend me, I will call you out on it. I won't just stop talking to you. I'll email you in a few.
-C
But I will do what I can to give you contact information to some possible publishers for your writing.
In the meantime, there's this that you may use to find a new focus in life. I'll copy and paste everything about it here for you. If you need additional information, I can help send it to you.
ANNUAL PRISON WRITING CONTEST
PEN America sponsors an annual writing contest for prisoners. Anyone incarcerated in a federal, state, or county prison in the year before the September 1 deadline is eligible to enter. Prizes of $250, $150, and $100 are awarded for first, second, and third place, respectively, in each of the following categories: poetry, fiction, drama, nonfiction and memoir.
CONTEST GUIDELINES:
PEN’s Prison Writing Contest accepts contest submission between January 1 and September 1 of each year. Winners will be announced the following Spring. Manuscripts should be typewritten and double-spaced whenever possible, or legibly handwritten on 8.5-by-11-inch paper. All submissions should be accompanied by a brief cover letter with the author’s name, identification number, and complete mailing address.
Authors may not submit more than one entry in each category, except in poetry, which has a 20-page limit.
Only unpublished manuscripts will be considered, with the exception of pieces that have appeared in publications for the prison population only. Any subject matter will be considered.
Please be sure to send copies of your work, not the originals. PEN is unable to return manuscripts. Always include a return address. Selected winning entries will be published on PEN’s web site.
PLEASE SEND ENTRIES TO:
PEN Writing Awards for Prisoners
PEN American Center
588 Broadway, Suite 303
New York, NY 10012