Training Day 2 - Just About to Get Interesting?

Written on March 8, 2011...

   Today was a training day for the C.O.'s, so I slept and read all day. On training days we are kept locked in our cells all day due to either lack of workers, or because the security of the facility is in question due to the free movement of the Corrections Officers. I had gotten behind in my logs and am trying to get caught up now. Things are about to get interesting in the next few days. You'll see...

Until tomorrow...

~J. Doe

Don't Turn Your Back

Written on March 6, 2011

   Today when we went to church, I didn't really know what to expect. I'd never seen this group speak before today. The woman who spoke had a message I think anyone can relate to. The moral of her story was that when we are at our lowest point of our lives, some of us may want to turn our backs on the Lord. But it's at these times we should turn to Him. Also, there was another woman who sang a few songs. She had a great voice and that made her singing that much more enjoyable.

   Other than church, my day was filled with reading my book and napping occasionally. Later in the evening the swamper told me I was scheduled for a court-related phone call at 1:15PM tomorrow. I guess I'll know more then.

Until tomorrow...

~J. Doe

Prison Cell Cooking: Tacos!

Written on March 5, 2011....

   Today I signed up for a phone call at 6:00PM so I can tell my family of the outcome of my staffing yesterday. I slept all morning after breakfast until lunch. Then after lunch my cellmate went to a visit to meet his step-mother. He hadn't met her ever before, apparently. So his Dad and her came today. Unfortunately he missed Rec due to this again. I had to give him shit about it later and told him he'll have to work out twice as hard Monday. LOL!

   The rest of my day was spent reading for the most part. I got a letter and greeting card from my Mom saying this was the first week she hadn't received a letter or call from me and she was worried. After sealing her envelope, she must have gotten my letter, because she wrote, “Just got your letter today” on the back of her envelope. I couldn't wait to call home at that point. I don't like my Mom worrying about me. So at 6:00PM I called home and talked to her for a while about my staffing. She seemed neutral about the whole thing. She is mysterious in that way. You can hardly ever tell how she feels about something and she usually keeps what she thinks to herself, unless you ask. So since I didn't ask, I don't know. We talked about my brother and his job, and my Dad and his ongoing medical problems. The conversation was happily ended by me talking to my favorite nephew, Logan. “Logi Bear” was telling me how he was playing his game on the computer with his Nana. I told him I missed him and loved him, and hoped I could see him soon. He replied likewise and nearly made me cry. I miss him so much!! I ended the call as usual by telling my Mom I loved her and would write or call when I knew more about what was going on.

   For the rest of the night I kept thinking about my nephew and the phone call. Later I made prison-made tacos. I used Raman Noodles, jalapeño chips, cheddar cheese, and Cheetos. I mixed them together and added water to cook them. Once I let it sit and it got thick, I split it in thirds. One for the swamper, one for my cellmate, and one for me. We each wrapped ours in flour tortillas, crumpled Doritos over the top, and added hot sauce. It was delicious! I got compliments from both of them, along with others from the unit who could only smell them. After eating, I cleaned up and read my book until after midnight when we shut off the light.

Until tomorrow...

~J. Doe

An Old Campground Friend,

Written on February 28, 2011,

   I apologize for the days when I get behind in writing these blogs. I usually only let it happen when there hasn't been anything to write about. I recently heard about an old friend of mine from camping days many years ago, asking for my address, and I keep wishing I would hear from her. I know my brother is behind in publishing these entries, so it may be awhile before she gets this message – so to speak. I'm not going to put her name out there because I'm not sure she would want me to, but if you read this, you will know who you are.

   Anyhow, today was just another day at Dodge. No appointments, no staffing. Just Rec, meals and canteen ordering. I don't want my blogs to become to repetitive and have people lose interest. No mail again, but I didn't really expect any, I guess. I've been spending a lot of time reading lately.

Until tomorrow...

~J. Doe

The Whole Winter Already?

Written on February 18, 2011,

   Today was a SLOW day. It was a beautiful day outside from the looks of the view from my cell window. The sun was out, not a cloud in the sky, and the snow was melting at an alarming rate. Have I been locked up for the whole winter already??

  I didn't have any Rec today so the majority of my day was spent reading, sleeping and wanting to pull my hair out because I was so bored. Usually I can handle the boredom, but today being the last of the work week here meant I definitely wasn't getting staffed this week. At times the anticipation of getting staffed soon is worse than where they'll staff me.I just wish they would get it over with! I need to get to a radio or TV or even a guitar. Something to listen to. The silence is the hardest. Someone even started kicking their cell door a little bit ago. I assume it was just to cause a commotion because no one admitted to it when the Sgt. went to check it out. I'm just going to read my book for awhile and hope it gets better in here soon. For the most part I'm happy I don't have voices in my head. But the ones that do are sometimes lucky I guess; they always have someone to talk to! LOL!!

   The Sgt. put the loose buttons that inmates have pulled off their green pants on the ledges of the peoples door that she thought had been kicking it. Her way of setting a trap to catch the kicker, I suppose. Too bad it didn't work because they saw the button and wouldn't touch the door. If nothing else, at least it kept it quiet in here. For the rest of the night my cellmate and I read or talked a little before shutting the light off and going to sleep.

Until tomorrow...

~J. Doe

Many Slurs... Much of Racism.

Written on Friday, January 28. 2011,

   I woke up exhausted today. I tossed and turned all night because my cellmate didn't turn off the lights until about 3:00 AM. Now he wants to talk at 6:30 AM. What the fuck?! I just want some sleep!!...

   I got some sleep before the swamper came around doing linen exchange (sheets and pillow case.) I made my bed nice and neat and went to lunch. After lunch my cellmate got yelled at by our C.O. for messing around in the hall, talking to other inmates and trying to pass something. After checking his file and seeing he has had prior incident summaries, she decided to write him up. Too bad he only got his Rec period taken for five days, now I get to deal with him working out in here instead. Not to mention, he'll sleep during the day more, keep me up more and plain out piss me off more. Oh yeah, there isn't even five Recs before he's leaving so he got off easy. Now he's reading aloud while I'm writing. I wonder if I hit him in the mouth, just once, if I could get away with it? I might find out soon enough.

   Now it's cell clean up time and of course my cellmate got yelled at for trying to talk to the guy across the hall. Then, when the C.O. shut and locked the door, he sat at the trap door talking shit about her. I doubt he'll ever learn. I'm going to try to read my book until dinner. I don't think there is any mail today because it's a staff furlough day.

   I guess I was wrong. Mail was just delivered, but I of course didn't get any. I forgot to write yesterday that I got a letter from my Mom and Dad. Without them I don't know where I would be. Probably dead. But still, no mail from any of my friends.

   Tonight my cellmate was being disrespectful to the swamper, calling him “cracker” and “child molester.” Finally the swamper snapped and told my cellmate he was “an ignorant fucking nigger.” Well, needless to say, this set my cellmate off. He was yelling out the door about “Fuck this boot camp! I'm gonna beat that nigga's ass in the mornin'!” Apparently the swamper's daughter was raped when she was thirteen, so he didn't take well to the child molester comment too well. It took about an hour before the two of them decided to drop the whole thing. The C.O. Let me come out and play cribbage with the swamper for an hour and a half. Then we locked down for the night. I made some noodles and kool-aid. Now I'm going to lay down, read my book and hopefully get some sleep. Until tomorrow....

~J. Doe