Some readers may wonder whether a man in prison can still lead a meaningful life. Keeping a busy schedule helps me. I’m always working to complete the next project, and I measure my progress every day. Measuring progress is one of the reasons I write this daily prison journal. The discipline of writing forces me to evaluate how well I’m using my time.
This morning I began writing at 2:06, and I am pleased to note that by the time I put away my writing things, I advance my manuscript to page 293. By my estimates, I wrote 2,000 words today, perhaps a bit more. I consider that a productive day.
I also exercised. The temperatures have dropped here in Taft for some reason. Since it’s not as hot, I didn’t go outside until 7:00. I ran 10 miles, bringing my consecutive total to 2,115 miles over the past 239 days.
I’m reading a book of short stories by Thomas Mann. He writes long, eloquent sentences, and describes characters, scenes, and events better than anyone I’ve read. I suppose some would consider him one of the world’s most literate writers, and he impressed me as being both smart and worldly.
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