I'm so tired tonight after finishing my 4th 12 hour shift for the week but I can't commit to sleep until I leave you a comment here.
When I first came to BTB what I was hoping to find was some sunshine in the darkness. I wanted to find everyday people who smiled and laughed and cried just as I do. I knew the uplifting moments would be mixed with pain and heartache, defeat and misery but it was traces of the positive side of human existence that I'd mostly hoped to find here.
Reading this post tonight has lifted my heart and soul! Your words paint the same picture in my mind as does a flower seed finding a place to bloom in the crack of a pavement. Love is many, many things, I even perhaps agree with your mental illness analogy :) Thank you for showing me love can blossom and etch out an existence absolutely anywhere!
You are such a giving & loving man and after all you've endured, and continue to, I hope you take the power of such positive emotions and use them to build your inner strength. Thank you so much for sharing, you warm my heart my friend!
To answer your questions specifically, where I live had continuous torrential rain for 2 days & 2 nights. It came off a weather system that was an ex tropical cyclone. We didn't suffer much damage here in north eastern Australia but as the water flowed down stream and the weather system with it, it got out of control in some areas and there are now plans to relocate some suburbs to higher ground (where many homes were washed away completely), in case of future flooding.
My brother lives in one of the heavily flooded areas but built his house on a hill (he was the smart little piggy :) he is also an electrician, so his business benifits from these events... I guess thats one of the benifits of natural disasters... The work they generate. Not to mention timely reminders to us all that what we hold dear can all be taken from us in an instant, I think we come out of these events realising how lucky we really are and what truly matters. My mother is also at the Gold Coast (surfers paradise) and you may have seen some footage of ocean foam there. There was a car completely emerged in the foam & drove out, to the surprise of those nearby :)
In short... My family and friends all fared well this time. For some though it is the 2nd or 3rd event they've suffered in as many years and its the lasting psychological effects on the survivors (specifically the children) that interest & concern me.
Thank you for your concern. You're a good friend! :)
Hi Anthony, thank you for your concern :) we have been doing it tough of late, but we seem to be well practiced in surviving and cleaning up after natural disasters. I believe what you're referring to were the extensive bush fires throughout New South Wales and Tasmania and a week later flooding throughout Queensland and into New South Wales... If It's not burnt out, its been washed away! ;)
The damage has been extensive but with well funded government departments, experienced and well resourced emergency services and our armed forces infrastructure has been replaced quickly. These things occurred on/around Australia Day (our national day) and some towns have just celebrated "Australia Day 2" as they were unable to celebrate on 26 January :) Social media also now plays a major part in saving lives as information is shared instantly via Facebook and text alert messages sent by government departments to those in effected areas.
Reading your note, I felt such aching pain and sorrow, and longed for you and all prisoners to be treated with respect and kindness. The violence you face from yourself and others, and the violence you may show to yourself and others, all speak to such anguish and terror that anyone in your situation must experience. I am so sorry you are going through this.
When you're released, there are community health centers with mental health services that could see you, even for free. There are Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance meetings to meet with others who are struggling with mental illness until you get services with professionals set up.
I care, and I can't imagine anyone who reads this wouldn't. Even if your situation may not allow for these, these are my wishes for you: may you be safe; may you be happy; may you be healthy; may you live with ease.
I did a quick google search for pro bono lawyers in WA and found something about the Northwest Justice Project and its project CLEAR as a central intake for people needing legal help. Here's how to get in contact with them:
>Call CLEAR Outside King County: Call 1-888-201-1014 weekdays from 9:10 a.m. until 12:25 p.m. CLEAR works with a language line to provide interpreters as needed at no cost to callers. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, please call 1-888-201-1014 using your preferred TTY or Video relay service.
King County: Call 211 for information and referral to an appropriate legal services provider Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm. You may also call (206) 461-3200, or the toll-free number, which may be useful when calling from a pay phone, 1-877-211-WASH (9274).
Here are some other resources I found on Washington Law Help for Prisoner's Rights legal issues:
Prisoners' rights in Grays Harbor County
ACLU of Washington 901 Fifth Avenue Suite 630 Seattle, WA 98164 206-624-2180 http://www.aclu-wa.org
Northwest Justice Project 401 Second Avenue South Suite 407 Seattle, WA 98104 1-888-201-1014 http://www.nwjustice.org
Disability Rights Washington 315 Fifth Avenue South Suite 850 Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 324-1521 http://www.disabilityrightswa.org
Legal Voice confidential Seattle, WA 98101 206-621-7691 http://www.legalvoice.org/ This group does not provide legal representation in court.
You are facing so much hardship, and many people who do feel like suicide is the only way to stop the pain. It will get better. It is so hard, but hold on.
Can the Behind the Bars folks mail you other people's posts? There are some other bloggers who blog about mental health and prison that it might be good to connect with.
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When I first came to BTB what I was hoping to find was some sunshine in the darkness. I wanted to find everyday people who smiled and laughed and cried just as I do. I knew the uplifting moments would be mixed with pain and heartache, defeat and misery but it was traces of the positive side of human existence that I'd mostly hoped to find here.
Reading this post tonight has lifted my heart and soul! Your words paint the same picture in my mind as does a flower seed finding a place to bloom in the crack of a pavement. Love is many, many things, I even perhaps agree with your mental illness analogy :) Thank you for showing me love can blossom and etch out an existence absolutely anywhere!
You are such a giving & loving man and after all you've endured, and continue to, I hope you take the power of such positive emotions and use them to build your inner strength. Thank you so much for sharing, you warm my heart my friend!
My brother lives in one of the heavily flooded areas but built his house on a hill (he was the smart little piggy :) he is also an electrician, so his business benifits from these events... I guess thats one of the benifits of natural disasters... The work they generate. Not to mention timely reminders to us all that what we hold dear can all be taken from us in an instant, I think we come out of these events realising how lucky we really are and what truly matters. My mother is also at the Gold Coast (surfers paradise) and you may have seen some footage of ocean foam there. There was a car completely emerged in the foam & drove out, to the surprise of those nearby :)
In short... My family and friends all fared well this time. For some though it is the 2nd or 3rd event they've suffered in as many years and its the lasting psychological effects on the survivors (specifically the children) that interest & concern me.
Thank you for your concern. You're a good friend! :)
The damage has been extensive but with well funded government departments, experienced and well resourced emergency services and our armed forces infrastructure has been replaced quickly. These things occurred on/around Australia Day (our national day) and some towns have just celebrated "Australia Day 2" as they were unable to celebrate on 26 January :) Social media also now plays a major part in saving lives as information is shared instantly via Facebook and text alert messages sent by government departments to those in effected areas.
Reading your note, I felt such aching pain and sorrow, and longed for you and all prisoners to be treated with respect and kindness. The violence you face from yourself and others, and the violence you may show to yourself and others, all speak to such anguish and terror that anyone in your situation must experience. I am so sorry you are going through this.
When you're released, there are community health centers with mental health services that could see you, even for free. There are Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance meetings to meet with others who are struggling with mental illness until you get services with professionals set up.
I care, and I can't imagine anyone who reads this wouldn't. Even if your situation may not allow for these, these are my wishes for you: may you be safe; may you be happy; may you be healthy; may you live with ease.
I did a quick google search for pro bono lawyers in WA and found something about the Northwest Justice Project and its project CLEAR as a central intake for people needing legal help. Here's how to get in contact with them:
>Call CLEAR
Outside King County: Call 1-888-201-1014 weekdays from 9:10 a.m. until 12:25 p.m. CLEAR works with a language line to provide interpreters as needed at no cost to callers. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, please call 1-888-201-1014 using your preferred TTY or Video relay service.
King County: Call 211 for information and referral to an appropriate legal services provider Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm. You may also call (206) 461-3200, or the toll-free number, which may be useful when calling from a pay phone, 1-877-211-WASH (9274).
Here are some other resources I found on Washington Law Help for Prisoner's Rights legal issues:
Prisoners' rights in Grays Harbor County
ACLU of Washington
901 Fifth Avenue Suite 630 Seattle, WA 98164
206-624-2180
http://www.aclu-wa.org
Northwest Justice Project
401 Second Avenue South Suite 407 Seattle, WA 98104
1-888-201-1014
http://www.nwjustice.org
Disability Rights Washington
315 Fifth Avenue South Suite 850 Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 324-1521
http://www.disabilityrightswa.org
Legal Voice
confidential Seattle, WA 98101
206-621-7691
http://www.legalvoice.org/
This group does not provide legal representation in court.
You are facing so much hardship, and many people who do feel like suicide is the only way to stop the pain. It will get better. It is so hard, but hold on.
Can the Behind the Bars folks mail you other people's posts? There are some other bloggers who blog about mental health and prison that it might be good to connect with.