The month of August always brings some significance for me–it’s the month (in 1987) that my imprisonment commenced. In just 10 days I’ll begin serving my 24th consecutive year of confinement.
Carole and I have four months to make a decision about where we intend to begin our life upon release. The planning for this decision brings numerous considerations. We don’t have roots in any city. We’ve been living as nomads, moving from place to place as administrators transferred me. I expect one more transfer but that doesn’t really count. Once I arrive at my next prison stop, I will begin efforts to meet with the parole board and discussions about halfway house will take on an importance. Once year from right now I will become eligible for furloughs and release will become an imminent reality. Carole and I must be ready, and being ready requires us to make a decision about the city where we’ll begin our life together.
That decision for us differs from most couples our age. Others have deep roots at this stage of their lives. They have friends, career considerations, children, other responsibilities to consider. Yet as an RN, Carole can find work anywhere. I expect that my career will have an Internet base and involve extensive travel on short trips for speaking. All that really matters for me is that I’m close to a convenient airport and that I have outstanding technology access. Where will that be?
For many years I believed that Carole and I should begin our life in either New York City or Los Angeles. I felt certain that my career would grow best in a big market. But the more I read about the Internet’s power, the more convinced I become that I’ll function well from any city. Because of the reality, I’ve thought a great deal about returning to Seattle, where I have strong support and where I could complete my period of supervised release with the least amount of interference.
But recently I’ve begun to question that logic. Outside forces will not dictate my behavior and I don’t have any fear about complying with the terms of supervised release anywhere. I don’t drink or use drugs, I’m faithful to my wife, I intend to live with financial stability as a priority, and I will live transparently.
Supervised release should not be the major factor in determining where Carole and I begin our life. I want that transition to be as easy as possible, with as little stress as possible—yet I must not diminish the reality that I’m returning to society as a man in his late 40s after a prolonged imprisonment. Where will be the best city to make my landing with Carole? That is a question I spent many hours contemplating today.
Ran 10 miles / 5,320 miles in 597 days
300 pushups / 83,200 pushups in 2010
Sunday, 1 August 2010
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