"Home isn't where you're from, it's where you find light when all grows dark." -Pierce Brown, 'Golden Son'
Tues. 03/02/21
Dear Readers,
Happy Texas Independence Day and Happy 9th Anniversary of my blog! Thank you first to the staff of Between the Bars and also to all my readers for making this possible!
Please link my blog to your other sites and hopefully I'll have even more readers for my big 10th Anniversary!
I just finished scarfing down one of the strawberry Pop-tarts that they used to give out. Nick got a bag of them from someone who didn't ant them.
I'm currently listening to "Can't Stay Away From You" by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine as it ends on C3PO, and "Funk on You" (Robi' Manhead Rave Mix) by DJ T. comes on.
I'm writing this right after my last post, which was also written just after the one before that (and isn't even mailed yet).
I do have some exciting news: they finally came in & started giving out vaccines in this unit yesterday! Yah! Perhaps there's a light at the end of this long, dark tunnel.
They only got group of "Priority One" inmates from both tiers, and then started giving out more to a few guys in the bottom tier who were out at that time (it was afternoon).
Not everyone who was lined up got a vaccine & several went back to their cells (or wherever) when they ran out. It's hard to estimate from just looking out the cell window, but I'd say they gave out 20-30 vaccines. (Later: more like 15-20)
That's really not a lot. Word is that they said they'd be back next week. I sure hope so. I was not in this first group and would like to get one as soon as possible. It's the only way we'll go back to normal.
I don't think I mentioned this, but they put out memos on the computer last week that they would be re-opening up Education, the Chapel, and Psychology. Thank the Goddess! I'll finally be able to get back to doing some work in the Library. I haven't been there since last September!
We will be back on the same basic schedule as we were last year- we're scheduled to go for 1 1/2 hours per week, but I'm sure we'll be cut short as before. I didn't get to go last week 'cause they had just put out the memos and I'm sure they weren't organized.
I'm scheduled to go tomorrow morning at 7:30 A (ugh), and as I'll get to later, I'm sure that won't happen as planned.
The reason I say that is because so far this week, they've been late for everything [underlined for emphasis]! (Shocker)
We, (the top tier), are scheduled to be out in the morning this week and the bottom tier in the afternoon. This means that the bottom tier is let out first in the morning to get breakfast & then we're out after they get locked in.
So far the bottom tier hasn't been even called to breakfast until about 7:30 A, and by the time we're finally let out and called, it's closer to 8:30 A,
This worked out real well on Mon. when our unit was scheduled to go to Commissary. I had to go and get missing items from two different guys who put money on my account in previous weeks and their items were "out" or forgotten by the workers. All I got for myself were a notebook (like the one I'm writing in) and a bag of popcorn.
Well. my tier was scheduled to go at 7:30 A on Mon. and the bottom tier was scheduled for 8:30 A. Yeah, right. We didn't even get started till somewhere closer to 9A. They took my tier in their groups, (mine was the last group), and my group didn't go till after the 10 A census cleared- much closer to 10:30 A. Ridiculous.
These idiots in charge have no clue [no clue underlined for emphasis] how to run or organize anything! If they had any brains, they would have called my unit to chow first and then done the rest of the meal rotation. Instead, they are sticking to the same meal rotation for all meals (which I don't recall and didn't memorize). As a result, everything keeps getting screwed up- this is why we were screwed out of our regular rec time on Friday.
Being Tues., the bottom tier just came back from rec again with no problems, of course. We'll see what happens on Fri. when it's our turn.
Also, they're screwing with the water again and restricting toilet flushes today. Awesome. The memo this time said it was to clean out the sewer system, so it might be a valid and legitimate reason, but it's still a pain.
Wed. 3/10/21 4:35 P
Hey y'all! It's been over a week & I have a bit of catching up to do. I'm sitting in bed, as usual, just often "count" listening to "When I Grow Up" by The Pussycat Dolls on C3PO.
Well, I did go to the Library last week (and this week), and yes, they were late as expected. Last week they came sometime around 8:30 A, but they did extend our time to 9:30 A so at least I got an hour of work in.
This week we went yesterday at 12:30 P and were able to stay till 2 p. I'm so glad we can go again, but once per week is not enough time and I feel really pressured by all these guys, who want something done for them and they just don't get that I can't fit everything in in one hour.
We had some excitement last Thurs. when one of the COs found a "shank" in one of the cells. These guys are such idiots acting like the need a shank at a place like this! So stupid.
And what made it worse is that we had some stupid bitch CO working that night and instead of securing the cell & the inmates, she let some of them wander around later that night, so they hid one of their shanks over in the computer area. I was told it was found the next morning and that Captain punished all of us by disconnecting the computers for the weekend.
Just wonderful.
On Friday afternoon we had rec night after lunch, and I managed to go this time. This was the first time I had been outside for more that 5 minutes since March of 2020! Crazy! It was a chilly day, but it was sunny and it was so great being outside for once!
This week, however, I got screwed (and not in the good way!). Our rec for my tier is scheduled for Fridays and the bottom tier is Tuesdays. For some "brilliant" reason they switched our day to Tues. this week which was the same time that I was scheduled to go to the Library. So, it was one or the other, and the Library is where I go to make money.
It was warm and sunny yesterday and was really beautiful out. And naturally the idiots who work here had to screw up my rec day 'cause they're stupid and can't organize anything.
And even better... they decided that your Chapel time would be at the same time as your Library time. So, you can chose one, but not both.
The Chaplain put out a memo stating that they had the Holiday sign-up sheets available and to participate you have to go to the Chapel and fill in your name on the form.
I emailed and asked how we were supposed to sign up if we needed to go tot he Library at that same time. The response was basically "too bad." Typical.
Last Fri. evening I had an incident which resulted in having our "shit sign" taken by that same stupid bitch CO.
Our cell doors have a long, skinny window in them, and guys usually put cardboard in the window for a little privacy when we use the bathroom. Otherwise, anyone can see you. It's not pretty.
Just after she unlocked our door for our evening free time, I kicked out Nick and put up the sign so I could "go."
The CO came by again and banged on the door to take it down and I yelled that I was using the bathroom. I was told that she made a round of the tier, then came back, opened the door several inches and reached in and took our sign as I was still on the toiler. Stupid bitch.
Can't a person maintain a little dignity when using the bathroom?
I will say that I should have moved it until she went downstairs, but I still had to "go" and was not about to do it while guys could look in. Screw her.
It was [underlined for emphasis] a really nice window blocker with a handle on one side and magnets taped to the other so we could hang it on the door. Nick made another one (not fancy) out of plain cardboard that night.
For the record, they still haven't come back to vaccinate anyone else. I sure hope they get this done soon.
Until next time, I wish you...
Love and Blessings