I got to play a piano keyboard yesterday. my fingers still work, its the
mind that's forgeting.
April 1, 2009 - Break's Over
Here's a quick update for y'all (I've been hanging around an Alabamian lately and he doesn't speak Californian):
I'm still here. Nothings changed. Still in school and trying to get out. Still no word on getting a piano keyboard.
I've been taking lessons on Music Theory from a guy in here who's from Pasadena. Arsonist. He's teaching me so much more than the Music Theory for Dummies book can teach me. But there's so much in the book that he doesn't know so I guess it's even. It's frustrating me to no end not getting any response from anyone regarding allowing a piano keyboard in the prison. If they would just reply "No" to all of the musical instrument request forms I submit then I could move on to a guitar or something.
I've put 4 requests in to Capt. Clendaniel (actually 3 of them went to the previous captain) with no response.
Just for fun I'll put a request for a guitar just to see how long it takes to get approved. Ugh. Patience.
I talked to Lisa on the phone this morning and she ordered me to blog about my peanut butter burritos.
We get 4 slices of bread in our lunch every day along with some kind of mystery meat. I don't like mystery meat so I eat peanut butter on the bread and trade the mystery meat for cookies or whatever else I can get. So, at night, when I want a snack, I'll put some peanut butter on flower tortillas and roll them up into a burrito. And that's my prison snack of a peanut butter burrito.
I'll try to keep my blog up-to-date from now on. Sorry for the break. If you see pictures appear here, I'll try to get an explanation of it soon after the picture. Most likely it'll be of our building and all the little dorms in it.
I'll write more soon.
D.
I'm still here. Nothings changed. Still in school and trying to get out. Still no word on getting a piano keyboard.
I've been taking lessons on Music Theory from a guy in here who's from Pasadena. Arsonist. He's teaching me so much more than the Music Theory for Dummies book can teach me. But there's so much in the book that he doesn't know so I guess it's even. It's frustrating me to no end not getting any response from anyone regarding allowing a piano keyboard in the prison. If they would just reply "No" to all of the musical instrument request forms I submit then I could move on to a guitar or something.
I've put 4 requests in to Capt. Clendaniel (actually 3 of them went to the previous captain) with no response.
Just for fun I'll put a request for a guitar just to see how long it takes to get approved. Ugh. Patience.
I talked to Lisa on the phone this morning and she ordered me to blog about my peanut butter burritos.
We get 4 slices of bread in our lunch every day along with some kind of mystery meat. I don't like mystery meat so I eat peanut butter on the bread and trade the mystery meat for cookies or whatever else I can get. So, at night, when I want a snack, I'll put some peanut butter on flower tortillas and roll them up into a burrito. And that's my prison snack of a peanut butter burrito.
I'll try to keep my blog up-to-date from now on. Sorry for the break. If you see pictures appear here, I'll try to get an explanation of it soon after the picture. Most likely it'll be of our building and all the little dorms in it.
I'll write more soon.
D.
Hi. It's me again. Your friendly Guest Blogger...
I know that D entrusted me with his secret pass code to his Blog so that I could transcribe his posts for him and update his family and friends on his life on the inside, and I know that I've said before that I will never change his posts but that I will type them just as he writes them (ahem, with minor spelling corrections) (his spelling is atrocious), and I know that I said I would never intrude on his Blog and post entries without first being invited, but... and I mean B.U.T. he has not written a Blog entry in a month! With that said, Yes, I am going to abuse my power and post tonight.
D still hand writes letters to me using golf pencils and balancing his yellow pad on his lap while sitting atop his bunk, and I still type letters to him from my laptop, using spellcheck, backspace, delete, lots of funky fonts, a swirl of rainbow colors and fun italicize-ing-tricks, and we even get creative (and cutesy) with how we address our envelopes to each other, but alas, we have found a better way to connect. A faster way to connect. A more 3-dimensional way to connect.
The Telephone.
teléfono.
téléphone.
телефо́н.
Amazing... We've been able to talk to each other 6 times in two weeks. He has a great voice. Being able to talk to him has added dimensions to our relationship. Yes. Six conversations. Dimensions.
He doesn't sound sad or hurt or stressed or flagrant or pained or sad or distressed or intense.
He does sound deep and remarkable and strong and steadfast and measureless and profound and optomistic and tender and beholden and gracious and resolute.
He thinks a lot. He listens to music a lot. He cries. He smiles. He reminisces. He dreams. He plans. He deciphers. He decides. He changes his mind. He writes. He reads. He prays. He conjures. He moves. He counts. He questions. He devours.
He survives.
If he can do it, so can I.
D still hand writes letters to me using golf pencils and balancing his yellow pad on his lap while sitting atop his bunk, and I still type letters to him from my laptop, using spellcheck, backspace, delete, lots of funky fonts, a swirl of rainbow colors and fun italicize-ing-tricks, and we even get creative (and cutesy) with how we address our envelopes to each other, but alas, we have found a better way to connect. A faster way to connect. A more 3-dimensional way to connect.
The Telephone.
teléfono.
téléphone.
телефо́н.
Amazing... We've been able to talk to each other 6 times in two weeks. He has a great voice. Being able to talk to him has added dimensions to our relationship. Yes. Six conversations. Dimensions.
He doesn't sound sad or hurt or stressed or flagrant or pained or sad or distressed or intense.
He does sound deep and remarkable and strong and steadfast and measureless and profound and optomistic and tender and beholden and gracious and resolute.
He thinks a lot. He listens to music a lot. He cries. He smiles. He reminisces. He dreams. He plans. He deciphers. He decides. He changes his mind. He writes. He reads. He prays. He conjures. He moves. He counts. He questions. He devours.
He survives.
If he can do it, so can I.
January 27, 2009 - Good News, Bad News
The bad news is that I don't have a CD player yet because I filled out the inmate trust account withdrawal form incorrectly so my order made it to the vendor but there was no money with the order so it was sent back to me asking for money. I also tried to get a Newsweek magazine subscription and a USA Today newspaper subscription which aren't coming.
The good news is that I have money in my account still and I know how to fill out the form correctly now.
D.
The good news is that I have money in my account still and I know how to fill out the form correctly now.
D.
January 26, 2009 - Squat and Cough
My 3-day weekend is over.
There are about 8 different groups or classes that go ouside of our yard through the work exchange room. Adult Basic Education, Prison Industries Authority, Metal Fabrication, Kitchen Workers, English as a second language, Office Services, Janitorial, and a couple more. We go through in order, the same order all the time, but different classes go first everyday.
Today my Office Services class was supposed to go first, so we were all lined up outside the door waiting to go through the metal detector, our beanie caps and jackets were off because we have to slide those along a table outside of the metal detector as we walk through it.
Waiting, freezing, waiting. Finally the officer sticks his head out the door and tells us that we have a substitute and to step aside.
Heck, the damage was done, our core temperature was dropping, we were all cold but put our jackets back on for the next hour waiting for our teacher to show up.
She finally comes and we go to school.
About an hour later, Janitorial comes over to strip and wax our floor again since they did a terrible job last week. A few guys started complaining about the fumes (rightly so) and we all got to go back home. Actually, we put it to a vote first. "All those who want to go home, cough!" And since squatting and coughing is what we do when we go back through work exchange, that type of vote was appropriate for the situation.
D.
There are about 8 different groups or classes that go ouside of our yard through the work exchange room. Adult Basic Education, Prison Industries Authority, Metal Fabrication, Kitchen Workers, English as a second language, Office Services, Janitorial, and a couple more. We go through in order, the same order all the time, but different classes go first everyday.
Today my Office Services class was supposed to go first, so we were all lined up outside the door waiting to go through the metal detector, our beanie caps and jackets were off because we have to slide those along a table outside of the metal detector as we walk through it.
Waiting, freezing, waiting. Finally the officer sticks his head out the door and tells us that we have a substitute and to step aside.
Heck, the damage was done, our core temperature was dropping, we were all cold but put our jackets back on for the next hour waiting for our teacher to show up.
She finally comes and we go to school.
About an hour later, Janitorial comes over to strip and wax our floor again since they did a terrible job last week. A few guys started complaining about the fumes (rightly so) and we all got to go back home. Actually, we put it to a vote first. "All those who want to go home, cough!" And since squatting and coughing is what we do when we go back through work exchange, that type of vote was appropriate for the situation.
D.
January 25, 2009 - Stupid Marketing
"But wait, there's more."
The infomercial must think I'm running to the phone to order the product and they're telling me to wait. Oh please!
"New space-age technology." Ummm, wasn't the space-age like more than 40 years ago? Yes, we're still in the space age, but come on, does that phrase really inspire you?
"Four to six weeks for delivery." Ummm, on eBay I can get that for half the price and have it in my hands in four to six days! (or hours, depending on where I live)
"Cash advance." So what you mean to say is that you'll help me borrow from my future income so eventually when the future comes around and I need the money from my paycheck to pay for things like food and shelter, instead, I need to quickly put that money into my account to cover the check I wrote you a couple weeks earlier? Oh thank you so much for your 'help'! (and I'M the one in prison??)
"Cash for gold." But can't I drive down the street and get like 4 times more for my gold than what you're offering? By the way, what are you offering?
"But if you call within the next 20 minutes..."Ummm, don't you have this ad running all over the country at different times during the day all day long? Boy you must have quite a staff with a gob of stopwatches timing every single advertisement in the country. That's impressive!
"This deal won't last forever." Neither will this planet. What are you trying to say?
"Limited supply." Figure this one out from my last comment.
"Call us for your education." And pay thousands of dollars. Or go down to your local adult school and get it for free.
"Call now!" But you just told me to "wait, there's more." Ugh. I'm so confused.
D.
The infomercial must think I'm running to the phone to order the product and they're telling me to wait. Oh please!
"New space-age technology." Ummm, wasn't the space-age like more than 40 years ago? Yes, we're still in the space age, but come on, does that phrase really inspire you?
"Four to six weeks for delivery." Ummm, on eBay I can get that for half the price and have it in my hands in four to six days! (or hours, depending on where I live)
"Cash advance." So what you mean to say is that you'll help me borrow from my future income so eventually when the future comes around and I need the money from my paycheck to pay for things like food and shelter, instead, I need to quickly put that money into my account to cover the check I wrote you a couple weeks earlier? Oh thank you so much for your 'help'! (and I'M the one in prison??)
"Cash for gold." But can't I drive down the street and get like 4 times more for my gold than what you're offering? By the way, what are you offering?
"But if you call within the next 20 minutes..."Ummm, don't you have this ad running all over the country at different times during the day all day long? Boy you must have quite a staff with a gob of stopwatches timing every single advertisement in the country. That's impressive!
"This deal won't last forever." Neither will this planet. What are you trying to say?
"Limited supply." Figure this one out from my last comment.
"Call us for your education." And pay thousands of dollars. Or go down to your local adult school and get it for free.
"Call now!" But you just told me to "wait, there's more." Ugh. I'm so confused.
D.
January 24, 2009 - For Sale
I think I blogged about these little soap holder bag things that guys make in here, but that's not all of it. A couple days ago I saw a guy with a full lighthouse sitting on a table trying to sell it. He was asking $30.00 for it. That's almost two months salary in prison!
I don't know exactly how they make these things but I'll try to explain.
It's mostly the Mexican guys who do this. They'll get strips of newspaper adn roll them up very tight, so that they look like little logs. That's kind of what they use them as, little logs to build things.
A couple months ago I saw a wishing well for sale. It was about 4" in diameter and about 8" tall. It had a little roof over the well, a rope holding a bucket, a handle that would actually lower the bucket into the well, etc. it was really neat.
A couple days ago there was a lighthouse for sale. It was pretty big, maybe 20" tall. There was a house at the base of the tower and it had plexiglass windows everywhere. It was very detailed.
There are times when I wish I had a cell phone so I could get pictures to you all, but that's a little against the rules in prison. I'm sure I could pay someone to take a picture and send it directly to my blog. Hmmm, I never thought of that. There are cell phones all over the place here. I'll think about it.
D.
I don't know exactly how they make these things but I'll try to explain.
It's mostly the Mexican guys who do this. They'll get strips of newspaper adn roll them up very tight, so that they look like little logs. That's kind of what they use them as, little logs to build things.
A couple months ago I saw a wishing well for sale. It was about 4" in diameter and about 8" tall. It had a little roof over the well, a rope holding a bucket, a handle that would actually lower the bucket into the well, etc. it was really neat.
A couple days ago there was a lighthouse for sale. It was pretty big, maybe 20" tall. There was a house at the base of the tower and it had plexiglass windows everywhere. It was very detailed.
There are times when I wish I had a cell phone so I could get pictures to you all, but that's a little against the rules in prison. I'm sure I could pay someone to take a picture and send it directly to my blog. Hmmm, I never thought of that. There are cell phones all over the place here. I'll think about it.
D.
January 24, 2009 - A Beautiful Day Maybe
Today's going to be a beautiful day. While walking to breakfast I could barely see that there are scattered clouds. When I walked out of the chow hall, it was lighter and I saw how clear and clean everything was after the rain last night.
Maybe I'll sit outside all day again and finish finding every radio station I can find. I still haven't found all the AM stations. That'll give me something to do this Saturday.
D.
Maybe I'll sit outside all day again and finish finding every radio station I can find. I still haven't found all the AM stations. That'll give me something to do this Saturday.
D.
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