Mark, a friend here at Taft Camp, had a victory today. He and I have release dates that are close, and both Carole and I have been friendly with Mark’s supportive family when we shared visiting days. As I prepare for a transfer to a BOP facility where I will meet with the parole board, [...]
Early in my prison term I found strength through readings in philosophy. Two messages that stuck with me and guided my adjustment suggested that I always understand my strengths and weaknesses. I’m considering both as I design a prisoner re-entry program that I want to develop during the final months of my imprisonment. Prisoner re-entry [...]
Living in the Taft federal prison camp, I’m around many intelligent people who once led accomplished careers. Today I spent some time with Ron, a man who built a thriving accounting practice in West Los Angeles. People in the broader community, I think, have misperceptions of the societies that exist inside prison boundaries. They differ [...]
I’ve never suffered from a pinched nerve or other type of injury related to fitness exercises. By exercising continuously for 20-plus years, I’ve done all within my power to stay in good health. I committed to that strategy of regular exercise early in my term and it has helped me through the years. In late [...]
I had a disagreement with another prisoner in Taft Camp today concerning the subject of ethics. He told me that no one in the real world could live up to the standards of a completely ethical life. I disagreed, telling him that I’ve written extensively about doing so. He said that I didn’t always follow [...]
Workers were busy here today running electrical conduit and pulling wires to feed a new email system that all camp prisoners here will be able to access. I’ve never sent an email before and I’ve been waiting with great anticipation to use this technology for the first time. When the system goes live—sometime toward the end [...]
Jamen, a friend who is confined with me at Taft Camp, asked a favor of me this morning after I finished my exercise. “Would you be willing to write a little something about how you and your wife are able to keep your marriage so strong while serving a prison term?” I’ve known Jamen since he [...]
A person at Taft Camp asked me what kind of car I dreamed about driving when my sentence ended. The question seemed peculiar to me. I’m 46 years old and I’ve been in prison for half of my life. I don’t dream about cars. I dream about living with my wife, about being around people [...]
As I was waiting in my assigned cubicle this morning for an early census to clear, I listened to a song on the radio by Faith Hill. She was singing a popular song that I don’t know the title of, but it may be “Looks Like We Made It” because that was a line I [...]
In 2008 I expressed considerable enthusiasm in the campaign of Barack Obama. I had read both of his books and hundreds of news articles that described his leadership. My optimism surged with his election. Some of the Republicans who were incarcerated alongside me did not share my enthusiasm. Richard was one of them, and today [...]
