"The secret of a good old age is simply an honorable past with solitude." Gabriel Garcia Mariquez

Dear readers, Mon, 2/15/21

Happy President's Day & Happy belated Valentine's day! I'm currently listening to "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" by Abba - which I downloaded in honor of "T" from England. No matter what happens, T, we'll always have "Muriel's Wedding."
I'm way behind on writing. Have I mentioned we have a TV view now?
I believe I mentioned previously that when we were last let off a full lockdown, that we (my tier) started out with a couple days being let out of our cells in the morning instead of in the afternoon as I expected.
That following week we were let out in the afternoon all week - plus later in the evening.
Then, the week after that we were let out on Sun. in the morning, as expected, but "supposedly" the Lt. called up & told the CO to switch my tier to the afternoon on Mon. (Fah!) But... our regular five-day CO came back on Tues. (sorry, on Mon. we were switched to afternoon), and switched us back to mornings.
However... I'm guessing the Lt. called him again on Wed. & my tier was moved back again to being out in the afternoon for the rest of that week! Yak again! Afternoons are so much better.
The following week things changed again. This is the week that my tier would be let out in the morning. The Asshole warden put out a memo (again) which cuts our time out of our cells. The latest memo said that the "morning" tier would be locked down at 9:45A, & then we'd have "census". The "afternoon" tier would be locked down at 2:45p (instead of 3:30p).
First, this doesn't make sense 'cause the "morning" tier has to be let out to walk to "chow" first to pick up our meals. It never turned out that the "morning" tier was actually locked down at 9:45A. They just had the 10A census & the morning tier could go back out.
The afternoon tier did get locked down early. There was a rumor that some inmates complained 'cause the "afternoon" tier gets 1-2 more hours out than the "morning" tier. Yes, dumbass, but it switches every week...
My tier is back to afternoons this week. We weren't locked down till 3:30p yesterday - which may have just been the CO's doing.
There is talk that there will be more loosening of the lockdown this week & rumors that both tiers will be out together 7 that we might even go to Ree with other units! WTF!!? Who knows. I sure hope they open the library up soon.
I'd like to direct your attention to an exhibit I'm enclosing with this posting. It's an incident report ("shot") for a guy in my unit named Wes. I'm enclosing this as an example of how insane the staff here are.
Wes got a "305" "shot" - possessing unauthorized item - for having: (1) Sally Field's memoir, "In Pieces;" (2) three Conde Nast "Traveler" magazines; and two "Inmate Shopper" magazines - all of which were delivered to him through inmate mail!
Are you fucking kidding me?!
Wes said he ordered Sally Field's memoir 'cause he likes her movies, plus the book company sent him a promo saying that if he liked the Burt Reynolds biography which he ordered, he should also read Sally Field's book (since they were both personally and professionally linked). Duh.
Someone else said they didn't remember a picture of a child's butt in that book, but even if there is it certainly isn't even remotely pornographic. Give me a fucking break.
Then there's the three "Traveler" magazines with probably vacation ads with kids on a beach! Huh?
The "Inmate Shopper" magazines both have disclaimers that state that they are "BOP friendly" and don't contain nudity. Those pics were also ads for places that sell pictures. They're not even nude!
And all this was delivered to him through inmate mail.
What. The. Fuck.
This shit is just asinine. I cannot believe they let staff get away with writing shots for ridiculous stuff like this. If you agree, please email Director Carvajal at BOP.GOV.

Mon. 2/22/21 4:45p

Hey again! It's been a crappy week & I have been in a total funk. It's been hard to get motivated to do anything (like writing). This life is really getting me down.
I'd like to first continue where I left off. For sanctions, Wes received 90 days loss of phone, email, and visiting, for possessing those items which were sent in the mail to him. He was able to keep his Commissary, but only because he had previously lost it for another bogus "shot" that he was sanctioned twice for after he filed an appeal!
They may threaten to put him on a "CMP," a Correctional Management Plan, which is where they are highly restrictive about what you can receive and will write "shots" and search your cell looking for magazines & such.
Another guy in this unit - who is currently on a "CMP," received a Code 305 shot (remember, that's for possession of an unauthorized item) for a newsletter which was rejected by the mailroom (i.e., he didn't even receive it), and which Physiology had previously coerced him to write & cancel by threatening him with a CMP. (& probably other things).
I did get this same newsletter in the mail. Psychology had previously threatened me with a CMP (& many other guys). If I didn't write & cancel. Instead, I refused & wrote them up. There is nothing at all wrong with this newsletter! If I had access to a copier, I'd make a copy & send it, but I want to keep my copy in case I do have to file a complaint again.
Now for this past week. As I mentioned, we were out in the afternoon on Sun. & Mon. On Tues., they let the whole unit out in the morning (both tiers)! What?! Both tiers hadn't been out together since last summer!
That didn't last long.
They also added one hour of Rec for each tier to go out separately. Tuesday was the day the bottom tier was let out to Rec, just after lunch. But... they locked us (the top tier) in our cells when they went out & we stayed separate since then.
So, the tiers were kept separate the rest of the week AND they switched the top tier back to the morning shift for the rest of the week. Great.
To make things even worse, there was a water problem in the local water supply (Hopewell, VA) & we weren't allowed to take showers from Sun. until Thurs. There was a rumor that our tier was the only one locked down on Tues. 'cause guys were taking showers when they weren't supposed to. Plus, we got box meals all week. Gag. I'm also including a memo - full of misspelled words - about the water problem & how we couldn't even flush our toilets.
But wait, it gets even better. We previously had unlimited flushes on our toilet. However, these assholes went around & reset every toilet so that if you flush twice within 5 minutes, it'll lock you out for an hour.
What the fuck is the purpose of this?!
I have seen guys flood a range in the SHU (Hole/Segregation) by blocking up their toilet & flushing constantly, but NEVER in general population. There's no reason to in gen. pop.!
Imagine how bad a cell smells after you are forced to sit over your filth for 5 minutes because you can't flush - or you'll have to suffer for an hour. That may not seem like long, but try timing it the next time you use the bathroom.
While I was writing this, someone brought me a rejection notice from the mali room 'cause they said you could no longer receive mass mailings of religious materials!
This shit is insane! That is another first amendment violation by this place! These people are out of control & it's all 'cause they think they can do whatever they want to us & get away with it.
I have decided that I am going to start including "Call(s) to Action" at the end of some postings. I ask you all to please take action on these matters.
Until next time, I wish you...
Love & Blessings,
Kelly

PERSONAL NOTE: Avery, if you read this, I got your first letter today, but the return address was missing! I don't know where to write you! Please write again. Thanks!