Dear DeeVoted, 8-29-18

First let me say thanks for the interesting letter. You certainly touched on a number of different issues. I figure the easiest way to reply to it all is to just make comments on certain things as I read through it. Okay here we go.
The meticulous printing came from my father, and I am sometimes able to see it as a hustle here in prison.
Funny & insightful writing is something that I've loved to do since high school. If you don't mind me asking, (and please be honest) do a number of my writings portray me as being conceited?
Thanks for mentioning where you're from. It makes things more interesting.
As far as the 3 B's goes, I'm pretty sure you can come out from under your desk, considering some of the things I've written. What's so crazy is some people actually like it. (Ha Ha)
I'm sorry to hear about your apparent prison life. (I'll get ot that lateR) You are also very wise in interpreting that I'm like a free person who is living locked up. It has taken a bit of work in the thought realm, accepting this & that. However, I have learned to just look at all of this as an early retirement: 3 meals a day, place to sleep, clothes on my back, and medial need taken care of.
You seem to have something in common with another one of my full-time visitors; you both have an interest in prison reality shows. I don't know if yo can tune in on the show he has been watching. It's called "60 Days In." Look back around 2-1-18 and you'll see the details on it.
Okay, now we've reached the part I said I would get back to. (Believe it or not that does make sense.) Naturally, I can't sit here and say, "Oh yeah, I know what you're going through", because we're all different. However, seeing that your feeling like a person who is living where I am, I think I can at least throw out some ideas that might be helpful. First of all, I've done a lot of reading in this area, so this isn't all just some opinion of a prisoner. My first word of warning to you is RUT: a fixed, usually boring routine. It's a simple word, but if you allow yourself to get into one it can have some really negative effects. After over 16 years in prison, I realized I was falling into one. Basically, the only highlights in here were visits and receiving letters on my blog. So I got involved in a program that has various classes you take, that are redesigned to especially help prisoners who are wanting to make a change for when they get back out. Granted, one of it really applies to me. (If you remember I'm not typical prison material.) However, by getting involved in other things and keeping myself busy, I have truly been able to work myself out of the rut I was in. Doing things like redesigning my profile page, buying a book on sign language and teaching myself, coming up with some new ideas for some mazes & drawing them, and yes the thought has really been nagging at me to even write a book. So as you can see, I've pretty much been able to get things turned around. Of all the 15 classes I took, (I'm graduating this semester) there was one that has really helped me. The reason I'm bringing it up is due to our similarity regarding the fact of not having many "true friends", but also not having any enemies. The class had a textbook entitled: "How To Win Friends & Influence People." By Dale Carnegie. Granted, I'm not wanting a lot of friends in this place. However, I at least want to get along, and I certainly don't want any enemies. Then there is the art of influencing people, of which I am already starting to notice some abilities. I enjoyed that book so much, I got my own copy. And while reading it for the 2nd time, I've been highlighting certain points of interest. The book was written back in 1936 and has been updated twice. I... oh yes. I just got my hands on a new pen. See the difference? Anyway, as I was about to say. I highly recommend it, (the book not the pen.) because it has truly helped me in getting out of my rut. I've even noticed how much more... (I'll go ahead & use this word. Just don't tell anyone I said it.) Cheery I am on the telephone with my folks & grandmother. If my opinion is not quite good enough, then elt's look back a few months & you'll see a message eI received from a gentleman who said, "I like Dale Carnegie's book too -- important lessons to be learned there."