1) My sister-in-law (who lives in Moscow, Russia) knows someone in prison there. The prisoners there have a tablet they can use to make video calls frequently to their friends & family. The food is good, but family members can take food or have food to send to them as well. Obviously, he is not in a political prisoner or high security prison, but hard to believe that there are aspects of a Russian prison that are better than an American one.
2) People have asked how big my cell is. I live in a 6-man room with 3 bunkbed sets (I am on the top bunk). My 6-man room is 22 feet long and 10 feet wide. Each bed takes up about 3′ * 7′. A 1-man room is 8 foot wide by 10 feet deep. Besides the bed, each prisoner has a locker that is about 1.5′ & about 2.5′ wide. Everything you own needs to fit into that locker or can hang on the pedestal of your bed. Technically, there isn’t supposed to be anything hanging on the walls, but some guys hang their jackets there; plus calendars and other papers may be taped up as well.
3) Everyone gets three meals at the chow hall. There are a certain percentage of people who elect to not eat at chow hall (especially in the evening) or choose to augment what they get at the chow hall. You would be amazed at the meals that can be made in your room with a griddle or iron working as a griddle. Burritos, pizzas and there is even some talk from some about making some ice cream (like we used to make in the summer).
4) I am thinking about doubling my exercise routine to 260 push-ups and 260 sit-ups. Not sure I have the time given all of the reading I have to do, waiting to go to chow (you don’t go at the same time everyday) and going to work. Still thinking about it though.
5) There is a bad stomach virus going around that typically means 2 days of it coming out of both ends. I am washing my hands with soap like a crazy person and trying to stay away from others as much as possible to prevent getting sick. I wish now I would have gotten some Pepto-Bismol from the commissary.
6) I just got my fan bolted to the wall in preparation for the summer heat. A facilities guy was in our unit and I got him to drill the holes and put in some lag bolts for it. The cost was half a book of stamps which is about $4.
7) Harder to make calls home now as there are many guys calling home to get their bets placed on various NCAA basketball games. As someone who doesn’t gamble, I find this interesting.
That is all for now,
Dennis Zeedyk
