Friday, March 15, 2013

Hello World!
(2p.m.) It's wery odd. For the last 2-hours there is complete silence. Out in the day-room, or common area, there is only one guy sitting silently watching television at a low volume. It's so unusual that after the first hour I began to wonder what was wrong? Was I missing out on something? Did they announce some special, extra, mid-day meal of Big-Macs, or something? What else could possibly clear out the whole house? Only on a day, warm, spring day when we are fortunate enough to get a "yard" scheduled at the same time does the house clear out. But even then its only for one-hour.

Holy crap!!

(3p.m.) Just returned from I.A (Internal Affairs)! that is the one place you do not want to be called over...for any reason. So, the house is unusually quiet... a guy just got taken to seg (segregation, or the hole) earlier... and then your told, "hey Linley, get dressed. You need to go to building eleven." Yikes!

But it was only a magazine. Whew... On the plus side I had a nice, slow walk in very warm and sunny weather (49F) day.

(2) Wednesday, April 24, 2013

It's been too long since I returned to this letter. Even though it's a "blog" there is no instant, daily access or response possible. My letters are mailed via snail-mail and I've noticed that it takes weeks before they get posted. That probably means the staff here are screening my letters looking for inside information. it's also hard to write because I don't want to focus on negative events. Think of the stress you have felt during the worst week... Like when a clsoe family member dies... or your in a car accident... or you lose a job... or your house burned down... or the floor waters or forest fire is a mile from your house... or some idiots planted an I.E.D at the finish line of a marathon and your locked in your house wondering "what's next"...

Those examples, memories, of stress are a part of my life unfortunately. We struggle to overcome and maybe in a week or a month we can begin to relax and let down our guard and try to resume a normal life once again.

Prison life is a never-ending stress week. As in war, or living in a destroyed neighbourhood you learn to adapt and survive.

I can see how men go mad if they spend 10, 20 or 30 years in prison. Who survives? Who gets stronger in a good and healthy way? Who can overcome and not end up back in prison 4, 5, 6 or even 7 bits? those who have "HOPE".

Some find...

May 25, 2013 (Saturday)

Watching a lot of Nascar these past 8 weeks. Is there anyone out there willing to set up a phone account for me to call-in blogs weekly? The new phone system has cut costs by 40% so it's about $4.00 for a 30-minute call. If I could call-in a brief weekly blog post it could help with the mail problems. Write me if you want to help. Thanks.

Last Saturday our GrahamVets (Veterans) met for memorial day. We shared a meal, had some readings, did a sound-off of the Illinoios KIA and MIA since WWII and had a great encouraging guest speaker. A Nam-Vet named Dave Heidle.

All-in-all thigns are holding steady. It breaks my heart not to be able to go and help the tornado victims in Oklahoma though. Only 6-hours away and can't do anything to help out.

All clear
(signed)