Jonathan, a prisoner who serves time with me here at Taft Camp, introduced me to Tom, a new prisoner who self-surrendered last week. When Jonathan made the introduction, he told Tom, “You don’t want to complain to Michael about the length of your sentence.” I corrected Jonathan, telling Tom that despite the inordinate amount of [...]
Last Sunday I enjoyed a four-hour visit with my friend Dr. Sam Torres. It’s a privilege for me to have friendships with societal leaders like Dr. Torres, and it’s one that I value. During our visit, however, Dr. Torres cautioned my optimistic expectations for release. That sobered me, and although his admonitions come from a [...]
I’m filled with enthusiasm over the new manuscript I’m writing. The manuscript will keep me busy writing every day through June, and I really welcome these kinds of projects that have a direct relationship to the career I’ll build upon release. As of this morning, I’ve written through page 19. By the end of this [...]
Some of my fellow prisoners talk with me about their loneliness and ask how it is that I always have so much energy. I tell them it’s because I’m always working toward projects that contribute to my wife’s life and to the future that we’re building together. As long as I’m working to enrich my [...]
I spent this morning rehearsing my speech for the Toastmasters club. The early morning was an excellent time to practice alone in the quiet room where I like to work. I’ve refined it in my mind, but want the speech to flow, with emphasis on parts I want to highlight. I began at 1:33, staring [...]
I enjoyed an extremely productive day at Taft Camp that began at 1:33 this morning. When I hopped down from my steel rack, I felt energetic because I knew exactly what I needed to write. I wrote about 1,500 words on The Straight-A Guide to Success, my new manuscript. If I maintain this pace I [...]
Early this morning I started writing a new manuscript. I’ve titled it The Straight-A Guide to Success. This manuscript is specifically for at-risk adolescents, an audience that—unfortunately—surpasses 10 million. These young people need more information and guidance. The bad decisions I made during my transition from a reckless adolescent into adulthood led me to a [...]
My friend Tristan arranged for me to become an official blogger for The Huffington Post. This opportunity represents a real coup for me, and indirectly, for all prisoners. The Huffington Post has an audience that reaches into the millions, and many of its readers are politically active. I will write frequently with hopes of influencing [...]
Amanda Ripley published an informative article in the 19 April issue of Time Magazine describing a controversial experiment of offering children cash incentives for high performance in school. Many educators objected to the cash awards because they felt strongly that children should study for the love of learning, not for the promise of a cash [...]
I heard news that Cameron Douglas, son of Academy Award winning movie star Michael Douglas, was remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons today. Cameron Douglas was sentenced to serve five years as a consequence of his pleading guilty to trafficking in drugs. The Douglas family is struggling now, I know, but [...]
