Several years ago I read WHAT GOT YOU HERE WON’T GET YOU THERE, a book by a leadership coach.  As I recall, the author wrote the book for executives who aspired to transition from positions of leadership within certain segments of an organization, like sales, or engineering, or finance, or whatever, to leadership of the [...]

It’s now Wednesday, December 14, 2011 I’ve been somewhat remiss with my blog writing since the month of December began.  There is a reason.  I’m overwhelmed with writing responsibilities now.  Release will come for me within the next ten months, and I think it likely that it will come sometime between July and August of [...]

I enjoyed my two visits with Carole over the weekend.  We discussed the ways that our life would change once I’m released from prison.  We’re only four weeks away from the new year.  Although we don’t know exactly when my release date will come, we do expect that I’ll be released in 2012.  That proximity [...]

Last night, about six in the evening, as I was talking with Carole over the phone, I watched my case manager walk into the housing unit.  She walked rapidly, with a clear purpose.  She walked past me at the phone bank and over toward the area where people gather to watch television.  She went directly [...]

Readers who’ve followed my work for any length of time know that I frequently use countdowns to measure the passage of time. One thing I’ve always counted are my fitness goals–for example, last summer I set a goal to run 50 marathons before I left Taft. A while ago I set a goal to run [...]

With the news I received yesterday about a probation officer visiting my intended release residence, I thought a great deal about what I would be doing during these remaining months that I expect to serve in prison. I think that I have one more year to serve. Both Carole and I must use that time [...]

Earlier this week I received my personal property from the Taft federal prison camp. I transferred from Taft to Atwater nearly a full month ago. I’m sure that my property arrived awhile ago, but the guards just delivered it to me this past Thursday. I was happy to receive it. I didn’t have much in [...]

I’m working with my wife, Carole, to expand options that we may pursue upon my release. As a long-term prisoner, I must anticipate that many in society will be less than inclined to welcome me home upon release. In America we like to say that we’re a country of forgiveness and second chances, but it [...]

Today I taught my first Straight-A Guide class to a group of prisoners in the Taft Federal Prison Camp. Administrators told me that I could not refer to the program by name, so I announced the class as Conquering Imprisonment and Preparing for Reentry. The cumbersome name wasn’t the best, but it did ignite an [...]