My biography
I’m not ready to bare my soul just yet but here is a quick background of me. I was born and raised in southeast Texas. I have one older brother. Basically a single parent household so we didn’t have much supervision. Mom worked and Grandma stayed in her room reading. As a teenager my grandmother developed cancer and passed away. It took up most of my mom’s time at home so I was free to run the streets. I gave my Mom hell as a teenager. She eventually kicked me out. My Dad would come around a few times a year when I was young. When he would show up he always took my brother and I to a bar. He was always drunk. It usually led to something traumatic happening. As a teenager my Dad allowed us to drink and smoke so we kinda bonded over that but it usually ended in a fight. I did okay in school early on, but never really applied myself. I could coast by with minimum effort. I left high school at sixteen. I skipped school a lot to drink and smoke weed. I remember my counselor called me into the office and said “You never come to school. Why are you even enrolled?”. I dropped out, I got my G.E.D. and went to work. I had my first kid at 19 in 2004. I joined the Army about a year later in 2005. I spent all of 2007 in Iraq. I got out of the Army in 2008 and spent the next 15 years drunk or high. That is SUPER depressing to write. I have 3 kids now. My number one goal in life was to not be like my dad. I have failed that one so far. He killed himself in 2013 I believe. For a long time I thought I would follow suit. Here it is 2025 and I am on my second year of a 15 year sentence. I am bound and determined to come out of this a better person. I am eligible for parole in 2031. I was already driven to improve while a waited for my sentence but Mr. Santos has motivated me even more. I am currently at Garza West. It is a transfer facility and not a great place to be productive. I will not let that hinder me.
My ten year goal is to be out on parole and working in the renewable energy field.
My five year goal is to have my renewable energy vocational training completed and a 4 year degree in a study associated with energy. I currently have an A.A.S. for process technology. I need to find a field that I can use that knowledge and expand my training.
In one year I hope to be moved to a unit that I can prosper and be productive. I am currently enrolled in vocational training awaiting transfer. I hear it can take a few years. In the meantime I am staying productive.
My goals for February are to finish the Spanish course on Edovo so I can take the CLEP exam. Journal and read daily so I can complete 3 book reports. A physical goal is to do five pull ups. My spiritual goal is kind of hard to describe but I read scripture daily and always try to walk in the light of the Lord and do his will.
I set goals daily as well as weekly to help fulfill my monthly goals, which help my yearly goals. I always try to make them S.M.A.R.T. goals.
The dorm is having a prayer call now so I am going to go join them.
