So, the conversation in the chapel library/psychology department went something like this:
Inmate C to other inmates (including me) who were watching shows on the different televisions.
Inmate C: "I'm trying to explain to medical on this cop-out about the pain in my neck, but I can't remember the right word...can you all help me?"
A brief discussion follows regarding exactly what she was trying to say.
Staff member whose office happens to be located in that room: "If you guys want to talk, go outside or back to your unit."
Inmates: Silence and looks passed around like....ummm...no one is really surprised that this particular staff member had nothing helpful to say...then shrugs and we each resume watching our various programs.
Inmate C: "Ummm..excuse me Ms. Staff Member...is there a dictionary in this library or could you please tell me how to spell the word...excruciating."
Staff member: "If you want to know how, go to the education department and they will teach you how to spell it."
Huh!?!
Yes, my friends that would be the love, patience and understanding that is oozing out of the psychology department here at Camp Marianna. You know...the people that hold the "Recovering from Trauma" workshop. The one with four book shelves of self-help books and videos.
Ok.....since my last post where I was discussing the amazing medical/health care here....no... don't get me wrong...for "prison" the dental team is really competent and some of the medical staff are too...actually the sad thing is ALL of them, including the "mental health team" would be great...if they just didn't have that....piss off ya botherin' me attitude!
You know the one that unfortunately too many people have.....that is more of a screw you and your cry for help.
I know...I know...
But Kelly...aren't you being a little melodramatic...well maybe I am and maybe I'm not...let's look at it this way.
As you've read from previous posts I'm here on a felony theft charge. I've often wondered(in the past...not recently because I believe there's some closure happening there) if John Alford and the various Board members at my former employer NOLA 180 aka Langston Hughes Academy had answered my requests/cries for help with the overwhelming situation that was thrust on me.....
would I be here in prison?
To be continued
FAITH 51212
3 miles daily
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
T-minus 1788-1780
We're working on the shift schedule for work. Librarian 1 is under the belief that because I am new, I, Kelly, Librarian 3 should work every night...every night...Sunday to Saturday....every night...huh?......Why?
Because 2 years ago when she, Librarian 1, arrived at the University of Marianna....she had to.
So let's follow this train of thought shall we? If person 1 has to do something...whether it was fair or not...whether it was right or not...then everyone else who follows should too...especially me...because remember "I changed the library!"...yeah...sure....I'll do it...no problem....really...really?....really?
And of course Librarian 2 agreed with Librarian 1 because...wait for it....wait for it...she's afraid of her.
Huh!?!
Both of you take a big sniffily-whiffily because I am not....I repeat...I am NOT.....doing something that someone says to do just because they feel like dishing out illogical, unfair and just plain ignorant "rules."
Hello? That's what got me here in the first place!
Wait...I'm diverting from my regularly scheduled program for a station break.......
I was re-reading some of my blogs and man!...Can you say typo's!?! From now on I promise to both spell check and re-read my posts...lol....I is edu-ma-cated...and yup....Iz got my Bachelor's degree...oh yeah!
Now....back to our program children.
As a result of Librarian 1 refusing to work any library nights...we...meaning all 3 of the librarian's only get one day off per week.
Anyway... on to more interesting things.
There is an older lady in my dorm...We'll call her Joe. Who wasn't feeling well for about a week. She began stopping by medical daily and asking the nurse practitioner and/or one of the other nurses if they could give her a check up and let her know what was wrong. Each time she went her requests were ignored...the nursing staff told her to stop complaining and to stop trying to get an idle.
IDLE- bed restriction, where you don't go to work, or anything else....total bed rest.
This continued for about 2 weeks until finally she noticed what looked like a boil on her ass (look people...there was no "nice" way to say it) it was a large red lump. The other women in the unit began to get more and more concerned for her and began putting in cop-outs...
Cop-out - A request to the administration department of your choice.
...asking medical why they would not help her. No response. Finally, Joe began sending her cop-outs directly to the Doctor and then to Administration and finally to the Warden. At least a month and a half had passed since her first symptoms began and she 1st asked for help.
As a result what happened:
1. The boil burst...not cute or healthy in a shared restroom and bedroom situation.
2. She had to be taken to the hospital, where she stayed for 3 weeks to treat her Staph infection.
WTF ... really?
OK...more than a few issues here but here is my main one:
Answering some one's call for help...especially when it is your job.
To be continued...
FAITH 51212
3 miles daily and counting.
Because 2 years ago when she, Librarian 1, arrived at the University of Marianna....she had to.
So let's follow this train of thought shall we? If person 1 has to do something...whether it was fair or not...whether it was right or not...then everyone else who follows should too...especially me...because remember "I changed the library!"...yeah...sure....I'll do it...no problem....really...really?....really?
And of course Librarian 2 agreed with Librarian 1 because...wait for it....wait for it...she's afraid of her.
Huh!?!
Both of you take a big sniffily-whiffily because I am not....I repeat...I am NOT.....doing something that someone says to do just because they feel like dishing out illogical, unfair and just plain ignorant "rules."
Hello? That's what got me here in the first place!
Wait...I'm diverting from my regularly scheduled program for a station break.......
I was re-reading some of my blogs and man!...Can you say typo's!?! From now on I promise to both spell check and re-read my posts...lol....I is edu-ma-cated...and yup....Iz got my Bachelor's degree...oh yeah!
Now....back to our program children.
As a result of Librarian 1 refusing to work any library nights...we...meaning all 3 of the librarian's only get one day off per week.
Anyway... on to more interesting things.
There is an older lady in my dorm...We'll call her Joe. Who wasn't feeling well for about a week. She began stopping by medical daily and asking the nurse practitioner and/or one of the other nurses if they could give her a check up and let her know what was wrong. Each time she went her requests were ignored...the nursing staff told her to stop complaining and to stop trying to get an idle.
IDLE- bed restriction, where you don't go to work, or anything else....total bed rest.
This continued for about 2 weeks until finally she noticed what looked like a boil on her ass (look people...there was no "nice" way to say it) it was a large red lump. The other women in the unit began to get more and more concerned for her and began putting in cop-outs...
Cop-out - A request to the administration department of your choice.
...asking medical why they would not help her. No response. Finally, Joe began sending her cop-outs directly to the Doctor and then to Administration and finally to the Warden. At least a month and a half had passed since her first symptoms began and she 1st asked for help.
As a result what happened:
1. The boil burst...not cute or healthy in a shared restroom and bedroom situation.
2. She had to be taken to the hospital, where she stayed for 3 weeks to treat her Staph infection.
WTF ... really?
OK...more than a few issues here but here is my main one:
Answering some one's call for help...especially when it is your job.
To be continued...
FAITH 51212
3 miles daily and counting.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
T Minus1793-1789
Alright, so we now know that I chose option #2...and you're asking me,"Kelly! What happened!?!"
Well-
1. It took a day ( 3x 3 1/2 hour shifts) and a shift to finish.
2. The "usual suspects" i.e. regular library visitors, eagerly volunteered to help during their off shifts.
3. We have 2 huge boxes of duplicates to be sent to either the men's FCI across the street or to the women's low security in Tallahassee.
4. Most people have responded positively because the can see and find all of the books.
5. A few people have acted...learning impaired....ummm...dull in the mind.....ummm... look it up in Merriam-Webster under stupid because:
A. For the 1st shift from 7:30-10:30 am, although they could use the law library, print labels and emails and return books but not check anything out.
B. Nobody asked their (the renegade inmates) permission to make a change to the library....and of course this band of renegade was led by one of the long timers (read: 12 years and counting)...who visits the library often (read: has never stepped foot in there...ever...12 years)...who is still in the GED class and has yet to graduate(read: started the class in 1998 and has still not graduated and is VERY proud of that fact because...quote," I don't need no GED...my GED is my husband's social security check and my kids welfare check.")...ah....uh....oh...ok....huh?....ok and by the way she was mostly upset because she couldn't reach the Federal Criminal Code and Rules 2009 edition legal books...uh-huh.
6. The other two librarian's (we'll call them person 1 and person 2) responses then became:
A. Person 1 was upset because people liked when I did it (changed it around) but didn't like it 7 months ago when she did it...and now has an attitude with me (because I've been here all of 2 months and should have known through osmosis that this happened to her)
B. Person 2 was upset because Person 1 was upset....and that's her friend....yeah...ok...adults?...anyone?....anywhere?
And what was my response to all of this?
1. Mrs. Waldron (i.e.Boss lady)...Is this ok? Do you like it?...you do! Cool!
2. Everyone else: Suck it.
FAITH 51212
3miles daily weight 150 pounds
Well-
1. It took a day ( 3x 3 1/2 hour shifts) and a shift to finish.
2. The "usual suspects" i.e. regular library visitors, eagerly volunteered to help during their off shifts.
3. We have 2 huge boxes of duplicates to be sent to either the men's FCI across the street or to the women's low security in Tallahassee.
4. Most people have responded positively because the can see and find all of the books.
5. A few people have acted...learning impaired....ummm...dull in the mind.....ummm... look it up in Merriam-Webster under stupid because:
A. For the 1st shift from 7:30-10:30 am, although they could use the law library, print labels and emails and return books but not check anything out.
B. Nobody asked their (the renegade inmates) permission to make a change to the library....and of course this band of renegade was led by one of the long timers (read: 12 years and counting)...who visits the library often (read: has never stepped foot in there...ever...12 years)...who is still in the GED class and has yet to graduate(read: started the class in 1998 and has still not graduated and is VERY proud of that fact because...quote," I don't need no GED...my GED is my husband's social security check and my kids welfare check.")...ah....uh....oh...ok....huh?....ok and by the way she was mostly upset because she couldn't reach the Federal Criminal Code and Rules 2009 edition legal books...uh-huh.
6. The other two librarian's (we'll call them person 1 and person 2) responses then became:
A. Person 1 was upset because people liked when I did it (changed it around) but didn't like it 7 months ago when she did it...and now has an attitude with me (because I've been here all of 2 months and should have known through osmosis that this happened to her)
B. Person 2 was upset because Person 1 was upset....and that's her friend....yeah...ok...adults?...anyone?....anywhere?
And what was my response to all of this?
1. Mrs. Waldron (i.e.Boss lady)...Is this ok? Do you like it?...you do! Cool!
2. Everyone else: Suck it.
FAITH 51212
3miles daily weight 150 pounds
Friday, October 8, 2010
T-minus 1816 - 1815 Days
Continuation of letter on 1821 -1818 Days...
5.Not acknowledging that I wrote grants for and received over (i.e. did all the work so that money could be received.....i.e. corrected John Alford's mistakes) over $5,000,000 (that'd be million) including: MFP, PCSP, NCLB and IMH et.al.
6. Having to apologize to the Department of Education for John Alford's and the Board's Finance Committee's ignorant and insulting emails that were sent to the Head of Education Finance and the staff that demanded funds for programs that John and the Board messed up.
7. Having to explain to John and his "Mental Health" Department led, of course, by his non-special education certified, assistant principal girlfriend, Mary Chastain, that it is the responsibility of the school to report the number of special education students to the Department of Education (DOE), so that the school could receive funding for mental health programs. Two words...dumb ass.
8. Having to drive to Baton Rouge, again, and apologize for Langston Hughes Academy's CEO's continued incompetence: Since neither the Principal (John Alford) nor the Assistant Principal/Head of the Mental Health department...John's girlfriend Mary, turned in the special education student count (for the entire year and they were working on a second year of non-compliance)...as a result according to the DOE, not only did LHA have no special education students, LHA was not eligible to receive ANY of the stimulus funding. Therefore, I (not John or any Board member) had to explain why LHA had an inept and unqualified Principal and Assistant Principal, to the DOE's Head of Education Finance.
9. Having to convince said DOE department head's to work with the DOE's legal department to change LHA's status of having no special education student's to having special education students (of which there were many) and allow LHA to have funding for not only the special education students but also for the mental health department. And yet again, having to apologize for yet another of John's insulting emails that demanded that they (the DOE)"just give us the money."
10. For taking the toilet out of the windowless staff bathroom in the 1st and 2nd grade building leaving the pipes sticking out and the sink in the wall, taking black floor mats out of the kindergarten room, taking said black mats and duct taping them to the walls of the bathroom and using that room to put children in who misbehave.
11. For lying to Judge Carl J. Barbier by stating that because I stole $673,000, I ALONE "dealt a serious blow to the charter school movement." Yes, that is directed to you John Alford and Michael Allweiss. FYI: A half truth is STILL a whole lie.
12. For you (LHA) to have the audacity of less than one week after you stand in a court of law and commit perjury (that'd be lying your asses off) calling my attorney and asking him to convince me to help you...ARE YOU SHITTING ME!?!
13. Finally for me even having to write this letter to a. get the real truth out and b. truly forgive your undeserving asses...simply because God forgave me.
There...it's out....that's not everything but that's enough for me to get off my chest and truly get LHA and everyone associated with that place out of my head. AMEN.
3 miles (daily) - and more aerobics classes than you can shake a stick at.
5.Not acknowledging that I wrote grants for and received over (i.e. did all the work so that money could be received.....i.e. corrected John Alford's mistakes) over $5,000,000 (that'd be million) including: MFP, PCSP, NCLB and IMH et.al.
6. Having to apologize to the Department of Education for John Alford's and the Board's Finance Committee's ignorant and insulting emails that were sent to the Head of Education Finance and the staff that demanded funds for programs that John and the Board messed up.
7. Having to explain to John and his "Mental Health" Department led, of course, by his non-special education certified, assistant principal girlfriend, Mary Chastain, that it is the responsibility of the school to report the number of special education students to the Department of Education (DOE), so that the school could receive funding for mental health programs. Two words...dumb ass.
8. Having to drive to Baton Rouge, again, and apologize for Langston Hughes Academy's CEO's continued incompetence: Since neither the Principal (John Alford) nor the Assistant Principal/Head of the Mental Health department...John's girlfriend Mary, turned in the special education student count (for the entire year and they were working on a second year of non-compliance)...as a result according to the DOE, not only did LHA have no special education students, LHA was not eligible to receive ANY of the stimulus funding. Therefore, I (not John or any Board member) had to explain why LHA had an inept and unqualified Principal and Assistant Principal, to the DOE's Head of Education Finance.
9. Having to convince said DOE department head's to work with the DOE's legal department to change LHA's status of having no special education student's to having special education students (of which there were many) and allow LHA to have funding for not only the special education students but also for the mental health department. And yet again, having to apologize for yet another of John's insulting emails that demanded that they (the DOE)"just give us the money."
10. For taking the toilet out of the windowless staff bathroom in the 1st and 2nd grade building leaving the pipes sticking out and the sink in the wall, taking black floor mats out of the kindergarten room, taking said black mats and duct taping them to the walls of the bathroom and using that room to put children in who misbehave.
11. For lying to Judge Carl J. Barbier by stating that because I stole $673,000, I ALONE "dealt a serious blow to the charter school movement." Yes, that is directed to you John Alford and Michael Allweiss. FYI: A half truth is STILL a whole lie.
12. For you (LHA) to have the audacity of less than one week after you stand in a court of law and commit perjury (that'd be lying your asses off) calling my attorney and asking him to convince me to help you...ARE YOU SHITTING ME!?!
13. Finally for me even having to write this letter to a. get the real truth out and b. truly forgive your undeserving asses...simply because God forgave me.
There...it's out....that's not everything but that's enough for me to get off my chest and truly get LHA and everyone associated with that place out of my head. AMEN.
3 miles (daily) - and more aerobics classes than you can shake a stick at.
T-minus 1814-1812
So I did a "Predict Your Own Outcome" list the other day...I may post it here....but I'll probably save it for myself.
Anyway...on to the writing!
These past couple of days have been crazy! I really don't have another word for it. I know there will be days where I am sad/mad/throwing a pity party but these few days were not it....lol.
I don't know if I mentioned this before but while I am here, I'm expected to have a job. Especially since the judge ordered that my restitution start "while you are incarcerated (make sure you read it in a deep booming male voice for the true effect)." Everyone here, except those with a medical excuses, works. There are several types of jobs available. Of course, the pay is REALLY low....I mean we make migrant workers look like millionaires...; but you have to make money in order to pay for things...and these are not Marshall's or Kmart prices.
I had decided that instead of working inside at a desk or in a warehouse for UNICOR, I wanted to be outside...in landscaping. Yes....yes...I know it crazy hot in the South but when I'm working outside, I lose track of everything and I am so relaxed. Anyways....there is a saying...there is your plan and then there is God's plan. One of the other ladies here REALLY wanted me to work at a desk with her in UNICORE, mostly because it pays the highest out of all of the jobs; I was resistant but agreed to at least take the typing test to get on the 4 month waiting list.
Meanwhile, I sent in a request form, through one of my roommies, to the supervisor of landscaping requesting to be put on that detail. Now mind you, all this time I am STILL an A & O (don't ask me what the acronym means) but basically it's the holding pattern you're in when you first come in. You attend different orientations, take out garbage, rake leaves and get NO pay.....oh....and there is A LOT of down time (read: I have read 6 books by this time). For me downtime = reading & writing. Therefore, the first people I met were the little old ladies who work in the library and the man who comes on the book bus from the public library.
As I am planning on working in landscaping and then possibly ADP, yes I passed the test, God decides something different, unexpected and way better. Remember in the earlier paragraph when I mentioned about reading and the library? Well, one afternoon the head little old library lady pulls me aside and offers me a job...as long as the Education Director, Mrs. Waldron, approves it.
Well ...how about that?
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the lord,"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
FAITH 51212
3 miles (daily) - max intensity class (arms and abs) - boot camp class
weight:
8/3/2010 - 166.6
8/14/2010 - 163.6 - gotta love the it...I might write a new book called "The Prison Diet: Lose weight, Get Fit, Get Free!"
Anyway...on to the writing!
These past couple of days have been crazy! I really don't have another word for it. I know there will be days where I am sad/mad/throwing a pity party but these few days were not it....lol.
I don't know if I mentioned this before but while I am here, I'm expected to have a job. Especially since the judge ordered that my restitution start "while you are incarcerated (make sure you read it in a deep booming male voice for the true effect)." Everyone here, except those with a medical excuses, works. There are several types of jobs available. Of course, the pay is REALLY low....I mean we make migrant workers look like millionaires...; but you have to make money in order to pay for things...and these are not Marshall's or Kmart prices.
I had decided that instead of working inside at a desk or in a warehouse for UNICOR, I wanted to be outside...in landscaping. Yes....yes...I know it crazy hot in the South but when I'm working outside, I lose track of everything and I am so relaxed. Anyways....there is a saying...there is your plan and then there is God's plan. One of the other ladies here REALLY wanted me to work at a desk with her in UNICORE, mostly because it pays the highest out of all of the jobs; I was resistant but agreed to at least take the typing test to get on the 4 month waiting list.
Meanwhile, I sent in a request form, through one of my roommies, to the supervisor of landscaping requesting to be put on that detail. Now mind you, all this time I am STILL an A & O (don't ask me what the acronym means) but basically it's the holding pattern you're in when you first come in. You attend different orientations, take out garbage, rake leaves and get NO pay.....oh....and there is A LOT of down time (read: I have read 6 books by this time). For me downtime = reading & writing. Therefore, the first people I met were the little old ladies who work in the library and the man who comes on the book bus from the public library.
As I am planning on working in landscaping and then possibly ADP, yes I passed the test, God decides something different, unexpected and way better. Remember in the earlier paragraph when I mentioned about reading and the library? Well, one afternoon the head little old library lady pulls me aside and offers me a job...as long as the Education Director, Mrs. Waldron, approves it.
Well ...how about that?
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the lord,"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
FAITH 51212
3 miles (daily) - max intensity class (arms and abs) - boot camp class
weight:
8/3/2010 - 166.6
8/14/2010 - 163.6 - gotta love the it...I might write a new book called "The Prison Diet: Lose weight, Get Fit, Get Free!"
T-minus 1806
What else have I seen since I've been here...Do you want the good, the bad and the ugly? Well...ok.
The Good:
Sabrina and Black went home yesterday and per custom they were clapped out, fudge and blankets were made and the soul train line dance ensued and yes, to both of your questions 1. I boogied my way down the line 2. Right behind me...seriously offbeat....were the two guards...laughing all the way down to the sound of us "inmates" cheering them on.
The Bad:
As an A&O it is our "job" to take out the garbage. It's around the front of the building and a little off to the side....I like doing it because we get to leave campus grounds. Anyway back to the story....it's the weekend and that means visitation time. Visitor's park out front and come into the administration building. There is no fence and technically, nothing to stop a visitor from walking around the building onto campus or for that matter to keep us from hiking down to the local McDonald's, for a burger and fries....and I don't mean by foot. We have designated drivers and people who work in landscaping and in the garage, all of whom have access and permission to use the BOP cars and trucks.
It is ALL about the Honor System (Yup,,,,,college and high school)
Back to the story, we A&O's were minding our own business, taking out the garbage, when at the side of the building the cart hit a bump and dumped some of the bags out. As we were picking it up and putting it back, one of the girls spots a brown bag in the bushes, grabs it and tosses it onto the pile...believing it's just more trash. One of the staffers happened to be walking by at that time, came over to help us and also spots the bag. He pulls it off the garbage pile and looks inside....what does he find...3 packs of Marlboro's. (Aside...this is a non-smoking facility....cigarettes are considered contraband....contraband in illegal) The staffer takes the bag inside and we don't see him again for the rest of the day.
A few hours later, the on duty guard calls all the A&O's to security and asks us if we knew anything about it...of course we say no...since we;d all been here for three weeks or less. The next morning four guards are in the administration building, which of course is odd and a red flag. The walk over to one of the dorms, disappear for 45 minutes and come out with a girl in handcuffs. She was balling crying and her blond hair was everywhere. They all hop into a white van and pull off. a few minutes later admin staffers come out of the dorms with two big boxes. I find out later that:
1. She was shipped to Tallahassee SHU unit...it's the Women's Maximum facility.
2. All of her good time credit was revoked.
3. She cannot go on anymore furloughs.
4. 6 months time was added to her sentence....she was scheduled to go home next summer.
5. Her Dad dropped off the smokes and now is facing federal charges (Providing contraband to an inmate is illegal and punishable by up to 5 years in prison)
The Ugly:
Yesterday they had a "shakedown" - that's where everyone exits the dorms and more guards than usual come through checking rooms. Although they are usually directed "shakedowns" where they only go to one or two dorms and visit specific rooms. Well, I knew something was wrong after I saw 5 girls being carted off to guess where TALLAHASSEE SHU!
Turns out the were using a cell phone (provided by one of their families)...so come on say it with me CONTRABAND! What do you think happened? In addition to the permanent stay in the SHU...Again...suppling federal inmates with what is considered CONTRABAND i.e. cell phones and cigarettes you get:
1. For cell phones an additional year added to you sentence.
2. Permanent removal from Camp status and on to Max status.
3. possible loss of both your Good Time Credit and Halfway House time
4. For the supplier - federal charges.
All for a phone call (which we can do anyway) and a smoke (which can kill you anyway).....my thoughts? I don't think so.
3 miles daily
FAITH 51212
The Good:
Sabrina and Black went home yesterday and per custom they were clapped out, fudge and blankets were made and the soul train line dance ensued and yes, to both of your questions 1. I boogied my way down the line 2. Right behind me...seriously offbeat....were the two guards...laughing all the way down to the sound of us "inmates" cheering them on.
The Bad:
As an A&O it is our "job" to take out the garbage. It's around the front of the building and a little off to the side....I like doing it because we get to leave campus grounds. Anyway back to the story....it's the weekend and that means visitation time. Visitor's park out front and come into the administration building. There is no fence and technically, nothing to stop a visitor from walking around the building onto campus or for that matter to keep us from hiking down to the local McDonald's, for a burger and fries....and I don't mean by foot. We have designated drivers and people who work in landscaping and in the garage, all of whom have access and permission to use the BOP cars and trucks.
It is ALL about the Honor System (Yup,,,,,college and high school)
Back to the story, we A&O's were minding our own business, taking out the garbage, when at the side of the building the cart hit a bump and dumped some of the bags out. As we were picking it up and putting it back, one of the girls spots a brown bag in the bushes, grabs it and tosses it onto the pile...believing it's just more trash. One of the staffers happened to be walking by at that time, came over to help us and also spots the bag. He pulls it off the garbage pile and looks inside....what does he find...3 packs of Marlboro's. (Aside...this is a non-smoking facility....cigarettes are considered contraband....contraband in illegal) The staffer takes the bag inside and we don't see him again for the rest of the day.
A few hours later, the on duty guard calls all the A&O's to security and asks us if we knew anything about it...of course we say no...since we;d all been here for three weeks or less. The next morning four guards are in the administration building, which of course is odd and a red flag. The walk over to one of the dorms, disappear for 45 minutes and come out with a girl in handcuffs. She was balling crying and her blond hair was everywhere. They all hop into a white van and pull off. a few minutes later admin staffers come out of the dorms with two big boxes. I find out later that:
1. She was shipped to Tallahassee SHU unit...it's the Women's Maximum facility.
2. All of her good time credit was revoked.
3. She cannot go on anymore furloughs.
4. 6 months time was added to her sentence....she was scheduled to go home next summer.
5. Her Dad dropped off the smokes and now is facing federal charges (Providing contraband to an inmate is illegal and punishable by up to 5 years in prison)
The Ugly:
Yesterday they had a "shakedown" - that's where everyone exits the dorms and more guards than usual come through checking rooms. Although they are usually directed "shakedowns" where they only go to one or two dorms and visit specific rooms. Well, I knew something was wrong after I saw 5 girls being carted off to guess where TALLAHASSEE SHU!
Turns out the were using a cell phone (provided by one of their families)...so come on say it with me CONTRABAND! What do you think happened? In addition to the permanent stay in the SHU...Again...suppling federal inmates with what is considered CONTRABAND i.e. cell phones and cigarettes you get:
1. For cell phones an additional year added to you sentence.
2. Permanent removal from Camp status and on to Max status.
3. possible loss of both your Good Time Credit and Halfway House time
4. For the supplier - federal charges.
All for a phone call (which we can do anyway) and a smoke (which can kill you anyway).....my thoughts? I don't think so.
3 miles daily
FAITH 51212
T-Minus 1810-1807
I had a chest x-ray done a few days ago (standard medical clearance procedure) and in order to do it, I had to go down the street to the men's facility (I'll tell you about that place later....wow...ummmmm....wow).
For those who don't know, I am in a Minimum Security Federal Prison. What does this mean?
1. There are no fences.
2. There is no controlled movement (that's what you see on T.V. when the inmates are walking in a line with guards watching them).
3. At any one time, the most I have seen have been 2 guards for 250+ inmates. (Except for the softball game against that Law firm.... even then they wore civilian clothes not uniforms...i.e. they were off duty and there just for the free sno-cones)
4. It looks like a small college campus from the outside.
5. The dorms look just like half-walled dorm rooms except clean (beds made up, a tv room with 3 tv's and a laundry/microwave room for each floor.
6. There's a cafeteria building...food reminds me of high school. People complain but I don't mind the minimum pork menu...still don't like cottage cheese or the Peanut butter and grape juice tasting pb&j.
7. A reading library (different building)...with a whole lot of fiction, access to a online law library, typewriter, magazines and newspapers.
8. Several classrooms for: daytime: GED and ESL classes; nighttime: Art and crochet classes.
9. A sports tv room - to have to request which game you want to watch so everyone has a chance to see their team.
10. A large multi-media/multi-purpose room used for classes, church services and weekend movies (I ake the am yoga class here 3x per week) - (So far I've seen, Eagle Eye, Fast and Furious, Invictus, 2012 and Alice in Wonderland)
11. A Chapel/Psychology Library/media room: It has 6 tv's each with a vcr/dvd combo attached (there are movies, church sermons, self-help tapes here for watching...it's first come first serve) It also holds the self-help library and all religious books: Bibles, Torah's, Koran's, etc. The Camp Psychologist has an office in this room...she is.....ummmm...different.
12. The administration room with the visitation room attached.
13. Medical offices
14. Dental offices
15. Commissary
16. Hair Salon - still hate having to sit under the hair dryer.
17. Exercise area that consists of:
Track, Racquet ball court, softball field, weight area, elliptical & bike machines (when they are working), beach volleyball area, a place to stretch
18. A Recreation office - where you can take out exercise tapes, rent pool table and racquet ball stuff and radios. You can also order arts and craft supplies from here.
19. There is what looks like a tree garden (haven't walked over there yet)
20. The ADP Offices
21. The UNICORE warehouse
22. And finally the veggie garden with a greenhouse (but you have to be in the horticulture program to go over there)
That's about it.
What I haven't seen since I've been here.
A. Handcuffs
B. Guns
C. Physical Fights
Ok...I'm tired...I'll finish the rest of my story tomorrow.
UPDATE: Mrs. Waldron asked me to teach some classes.
3 miles daily - Max intensity/Yoga class
FAITH 51212
For those who don't know, I am in a Minimum Security Federal Prison. What does this mean?
1. There are no fences.
2. There is no controlled movement (that's what you see on T.V. when the inmates are walking in a line with guards watching them).
3. At any one time, the most I have seen have been 2 guards for 250+ inmates. (Except for the softball game against that Law firm.... even then they wore civilian clothes not uniforms...i.e. they were off duty and there just for the free sno-cones)
4. It looks like a small college campus from the outside.
5. The dorms look just like half-walled dorm rooms except clean (beds made up, a tv room with 3 tv's and a laundry/microwave room for each floor.
6. There's a cafeteria building...food reminds me of high school. People complain but I don't mind the minimum pork menu...still don't like cottage cheese or the Peanut butter and grape juice tasting pb&j.
7. A reading library (different building)...with a whole lot of fiction, access to a online law library, typewriter, magazines and newspapers.
8. Several classrooms for: daytime: GED and ESL classes; nighttime: Art and crochet classes.
9. A sports tv room - to have to request which game you want to watch so everyone has a chance to see their team.
10. A large multi-media/multi-purpose room used for classes, church services and weekend movies (I ake the am yoga class here 3x per week) - (So far I've seen, Eagle Eye, Fast and Furious, Invictus, 2012 and Alice in Wonderland)
11. A Chapel/Psychology Library/media room: It has 6 tv's each with a vcr/dvd combo attached (there are movies, church sermons, self-help tapes here for watching...it's first come first serve) It also holds the self-help library and all religious books: Bibles, Torah's, Koran's, etc. The Camp Psychologist has an office in this room...she is.....ummmm...different.
12. The administration room with the visitation room attached.
13. Medical offices
14. Dental offices
15. Commissary
16. Hair Salon - still hate having to sit under the hair dryer.
17. Exercise area that consists of:
Track, Racquet ball court, softball field, weight area, elliptical & bike machines (when they are working), beach volleyball area, a place to stretch
18. A Recreation office - where you can take out exercise tapes, rent pool table and racquet ball stuff and radios. You can also order arts and craft supplies from here.
19. There is what looks like a tree garden (haven't walked over there yet)
20. The ADP Offices
21. The UNICORE warehouse
22. And finally the veggie garden with a greenhouse (but you have to be in the horticulture program to go over there)
That's about it.
What I haven't seen since I've been here.
A. Handcuffs
B. Guns
C. Physical Fights
Ok...I'm tired...I'll finish the rest of my story tomorrow.
UPDATE: Mrs. Waldron asked me to teach some classes.
3 miles daily - Max intensity/Yoga class
FAITH 51212
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