Today is Saturday, and the weekends are a lot different at the Atwood Camp than during the week. It is a lot quieter, as a lot of the inmates have visitors today. Last night, I attended my first class that will be a certificate towards Recivitism. It is a ten week class that is called “Ladies in Waiting”. It is a faith-based course discussing relationships once you are released from prison, and self-love after incarceration.
Your first 28 days of prison here you are in A/O, meaning you are orienting to the prison camp, and you aren’t assigned work or have the opportunity to meet with anyone, unless you take the incentive to do so. I have already met with my counselor briefly, Ms. Short, to address a medication issue I was having, in not being able to get my medications, even though I brought them with me. The medication issue was resolved within 3 days. I have also signed up for 3 classes here, two with psychology and 1 with social serices called “Foundations” as those are the only ones available when you are new to the prison camp.
Visitation will be challenging for awile, because the pre-approval process is cumbersome here. My husband said he is researching it to come up here hopefully by Friday, but I heard it takes a long time to get approval and requests approved. It is helpful to be able to make calls occaisionally, and use TruLincs for messaging, so I can stay connected with my husband, children and friends. I am spending my days planning for my release already. Working through a book currently on how to start a non for profit so I can launch my food truck for the homeless when I get out. I presented my business plan to Mercy Serves before my incarceration, so I hope that will help to be prepared.
I will write more later today, as now the washer is open, and I have to run and catch it so I can finally do laundry.
Carolynne Paker (Noffsinger 69123-510
