"Because I know a priceless truth: when someone has done everything in their power to mangle your wings beyond recognition, to slice them to shreds so that they can never be used, there is only one way to win. Fly."
-Karen Marie Moning, 'High Voltage'

Fri. 03/26/21
8:50 p
Dear Readers,
Howdy! Happy Birthday Rita! I hope you had a wonderful day!
I'm currently in bed, per usual, as "What Is Love" [extended club-remix] by En Vogue ends and "I Want Your Sex" (Remastered Version (Parts 1 and 2)) by George Michael comes on C3PO, Charlie the Giraffe is on top of the lockers and Ferdinand the Frog is sitting on top of the books on the bookcase. Nick is in bed above me, thankfully.
I recently read "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway. I think it's the first of his I've read. It's a bit dry and predictable, but I'm sure in its time is was quite "something." I much prefer my current read, "Living Dead In Dallas" by Charlaine Harris, which I am rereading. I loved that series and hated when it ended. I got it free from a books for inmates prg.
Things are basically unchanged in our routine for the lockdown/quarantine, with a few changes coming. One of those changes is that next week (? or so), we're supposed to be able to go to Rec twice a week, on Mon. and Wed., instead of just once, Wednesday will probably conflict with my chance to go to the Law Library - which is still once a week - so I'll likely get screwed that day (when we go in the morning), but at least there'll be Monday that week.
This past week I got screwed out of Rec again when they changed our Rec day from the scheduled Fri. to Tues.
That is our one change to go to either the library -or- to the Chapel, but not both. For the record, this, in itself, is total bullshit. We shouldn't have to choose between working at the Library (and some guys are required to go there to take GED classes) or going to the Chapel to practice our religion. I'll admit that I'm "casual" about religious services, bu some people are not and I'll like to go just to get out of the unit.
I hate to make everything a freakin' "Call to Action" 'cause I sometimes feel like I'm overdoing it, but...making us choose between our one chance to do two -or three- activities a week after all this time is wrong and unfair. Feel free to make an issue of this with those in power.
They came by yesterday to give the second doses of the vaccine only to those who received the first dose earlier this month (the 1st?). They didn't do anyone new, so I was left out again. It's possible that they don't have more vaccines, but they need to get this crap done.
One older guy "fell out" after he got his 2nd shot. Then, as one of the PAs or whoever she was waving a clipboard over him, she hit him in the head when he sat up. Our medical staff is so great...(that was sarcasm).
I've been told that two units are back on full lockdown 'cause they had more positive cases there -E-North and E-South. E-North is the RDAP (Drug Class) unit and it seems like they are always the first unit to have positive cases. Hopefully it won't spread any further. (Perhaps they should vaccine more of us??).
Mon. 3/29/21 2:04p
Hey there...in bed as usual on a lovely, sunny Spring day listening to "Chains of Love" [Foghorn Mix], by Erasure on C3PO. Nick is sitting at the desk next to me writing "poetry" (i.e., rap lyrics <burp>).
I went outside this morning for only the second time in almost a year. It was chilly, but sunny. I mainly just hung out with Mona and Jasmine (a couple of trannies) as Mona visited three different spots on the Rec yard where she leaves notes for people in other units. It's the only way we can communicate with friends (or paramours) in other units. (This is our new Rec schedule, FYI).
I'm sure glad I didn't start out this lockdown with a "beau" in another unit - whom I couldn't see or communicate with in over a year. That would suck!
Oh, I forgot to mention previously that I finally got my new glasses from Medical on March 8. These are so much better than my old one. The old glasses had large, kinda oval-shaped lenses (like Harry Potter), and I had to take them off to read (as I'm near-sighted).
The new glasses have smaller, rectangular lenses (which I can look under), plus...(drumroll, please), they're transition lenses! I'm not blinded by the sun now!
I was told that they stopped allowing us to get transition lenses after I was seen, so I was lucky. I believe I mentioned my eye doctor appt. several months ago. I figured it would be March before I got them and I was right.
I mentioned several months ago that my best friend, Pam, and I are now back in contact after almost no communication for several years, mainly due to a misunderstanding after her husband died.
It is so nice having her back in my life- I've missed her so much. She also offered to let me stay with her after I get out. If that works out- which has to be approved by the government no matter what we want - it will be a huge burden off my life. As I've mentioned, if I were forced to return to Florida, I would end up homeless and on the streets with nothing. (Pam lives in Texas).
Texas is also very strict and the laws (and lawmakers) there terrify me, but it's still better than Florida. Plus, it is home. (I'm a native Texan so please don't "dis" my home. I'm aware of its faults).
Remember my last cellie, JP? The one who "fell out"? I was told that he has since been transferred to Hayleton (? I think), where he can't walk the compound because he is an SO (sex offender).
For the BOP to transfer SOs to compounds where they know that SOs can't walk and are forced to "check in" or get beat up (or worse) is criminal and should be investigated.
Now, I realize that the general public (and perhaps some of you) are horrified or vitriolic about law enforcement's latest boogeyman, the sex offender.
Before I go any further, please let me make something clean: to physically harm a child is probably the second worst crime in my book, after murder. Please keep that in mind as I proceed.
However...guys who have only viewed illegal porn on the internet are being lumped in with child molesters, and this is wrong. And many so-called child porn cases are ludicrous.
Remember way back when when it was popular to take pics of naked babies on bearskin rugs? Try doing that today and then email that same pic to grandma on the internet and see what happens if law enforcement finds out.
Drug dealers today are getting all kinds of breaks and reductions in sentences nowadays. But I ask you to think about this really, really hard: who would you rather have living in your neighborhood? A drug dealer or some guy who has only look at pictures of illegal porn on the internet? (And no, that's not a "gateway" crime).
Now, after you've spewed out the "PC" answer, go back and rethink that, and do some research on actual rates of recidivism. (See NARSOL.ORG)
With that said, JP made a mistake in the past and will possibly have to register and be harassed for the rest of his life. He should be allowed to do his prison time somewhere that he is safe and doesn't have to worry about being "shanked" or be forced to spend the next 8-9 months in the "Hole" writing to be transferred somewhere that he can safely do his time.
The BOP should be investigated for sending inmates to prisons where they aren't safe. These people know what they're doing and they do this crap on purpose. They should be held accountable.
Lastly, I'm enclosing one of the pages I typed up for #GONELONGENOUGH. Once I can get another copy card, I intend to send out copies to as many prisoner-related organizations as I can. Hopefully it will catch on.
If any of you are #GONELONGENOUGH out there, please let me know. I'd be thrilled to hear about it.
Until next time, I wish you...
Love and Blessings
*signature*
#GONELONGENOUGH

#GONELONGENOUGH

Please support--and promote--#GONELONGENOUGH on all your social media
#GONELONGENOUGH stands for a number of criminal justice and prison reform issues, including:
1. Lowering all federal (and state, if applicable) sentences to 65% of time served;
2. Abolishing mandatory minimums;
3. fair sentencing based on actual harm caused to the community;
4. criminal justice and prison reform, in general
We've made the First Step. Without a Second Step, there is no real progress being made in criminal justice reform.
Let's move forward together in criminal justice and prison reform. Make #GONELONGENOUGH that Second Step.