Sunday Feb 05, 2023
There were three nights recently where a band with Church Behind Bars came to do a concert, as they do about every 6 months. I went to the last two days, and they blew me away! Eddie, their saxophone player also plays the EWI and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. The singer, Tony Loeffler (sp?) was great, and all of the players were incredible as well. The drummer, Marco, was a very nice man who inspires me to be a better drummer and to one day do what he does – bring music and the word of God to prisoners.
After the concert, I spoke with Marco and he suggested I order the book Stick Control, which my husband is sending me. I told Marco who my drumming heroes are (Mick Tucker, Ringo Starr, Tommy Lee, Sandy West, AJ Pero, etc.). “Ah, band drummer,” he said, and I laughed, as he himself is a fantastic jazz drummer. He was kind enough to answer my questions and talk about his black Yamaha kit. On the last night of the concert, I paid close attention to his playing and was stunned when he played a drum solo-something they don’t typically include in their sets, so I was honored. Before the show, he showed the different types of sticks he uses and some grooves. I hope to become more creative with drum fills.
The entire experience inspired me to bring inspiration and the word of God to other prisoners one day, just as Marco, Eddie, Tony, and the others do. It would be lovely to play for a church one day as well.
Monday Feb 06, 2023
“If you don’t see your worth, you’ll always choose people who don’t see it either.”
- Went in the morning to the chapel. Spent around 40 min cleaning the drum kit (with a sock and Q-tips). I don’t think it’s ever been cleaned.
- First day of classes in the Horizon Faith and Character program, which I was recently accepted into through the prison’s Classification Team (ICT).
- Signed up for the Arts and Crafts committee. First meeting today.
Thursday Feb 9, 2023
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails.”
My publisher contacted my husband offering to include my book (published September 2021) for their new children’s series! My husband and I are very excited. At a very young age, I was captivated by the Goosebumps books and the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark trilogy. I never dreamed I’d be joining the authors whose books brought me so much joy as a kid, or that I’d be contributing in the same way those other authors did. I feel more humbled and honored than there are words for.
February 19-27, 2023
“The Rolling Stones were wrong; Time isn’t on your side. But if you do it right, you’ll have exactly enough time for the important things in your life.”
- Band practice with a woman who plays the guitar. The chapel closest was locked, so she couldn’t practice with the guitar, but sang as I played the drums. 1 hour.
- Church Behind Bars chapel service.
- Solo drum practice in chapel, 9am.
March 2023
“We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That is who we truly are.” -Sirius Black, Harry Potter
- One year incarcerated. Two of the women I’m close with in my dorm made me a “Congratulations, you survived!” card.
- My husband visits!
- Happiness activity: My Favorite Smells (Things I can’t wait to smell again): Old books, lavender, Earl Grey tea, campfires, my husband’s cologne, my perfumes, bakery smells, coffee, pumpkin, apple cider, cookies baking, eggs and bacon, pine/Christmas trees.
April 2023
“We choose to go to the moon, not because it is easy, but because it is hard.” -J.F. Kennedy
- Practiced drums by myself in chapel. 1 hour.
- Mental health appointment. I take advantage of each appointment and appreciate my therapist, who is very helpful.
May 2023
- I enjoy the electives I’m taking in the FCB program. I enjoy my teachers/mentors who teach The Art of Storytelling and Impromptu Debate classes.
- Picked up my requested free books from free book organizations for prisoners.
- My husband visits with my childhood friend from back home in Indiana! Having family visit you is so powerfully grounding and comforting. I leave each visit feeling like I stand 10 feet tall. I feel loved and supported.
- Checked out books from the library.
Week of June 11-17, 2023
“If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.” -Rush
- Planned and coordinated today’s Arts and Crafts activity for FCB.
- Called my friend in Canada.
- Planned and coordinated today’s Arts and Crafts activity for FCB.
- Researched information on Germany.
Tuesday July 11, 2023
“It’s not whether you get knocked down it’s whether you get back up.”
- One year progress prison review went well. No disciplinary marks on record. Gave classification officer an update on what I’m doing.
- Horizon FCB Program progress review. Clerk informed me of hours completed and expected graduation date.
Monday July 17, 2023
“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried but you’ve actually been planted” -Christine Caine
Met with the head of education for my compound. He answered my questions regarding furthering my higher education, grants, and advice on future career options.
Week of August 1-5, 2023
“Associate yourself with women of good quality, for it’s better to be alone than in bad company.”
- Start of Horizon FCB classes after a break.
- Wrote letters to close friends in Canada and Australia.
- Designed and coordinated community activity game “Who Am I?”
- Created mini Where’s Waldo community game.
Week of August 6-12, 2023
“Creativity is Intelligence having fun.”
- My husband visited! So happy to see each other and spend ~6 hours together.
- Start of QUEST classes in Horizon FCB.
- Called best friend in Canada.
- Mental health appointment.
- 1 hour computer lab doing Processor Teaches.
- Created and directed community activity, “Inmate Inventions.”
Week of August 13-19, 2023
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
- Hosted Activities Committee meeting. Discussed birthday decorations for participants.
- Received free books from free prisoners book organization.
- Provided sergeant with list of broken things in our dorm.
- Directed community activity, which brought laughter to those participating and watching.
- Independent laptop study on “Instincts” and “Citizenship.”
September 2023
“Love more. Don’t push love away. Happiness is love. Full stop.” -Arthur C. Brooks
- End of Quest class and Purpose Driven Life class in Horizon FCB.
- Received free books I requested from prisoner books organization.
- Coordinated, scheduled, and hosted community activity: Barbie Contest.
October 2023
“It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.” -Lewis Carroll
- Mental health appointment.
- My husband orders me my first iCare meal! I’m so appreciative.
- Picked up journals my husband ordered for me.
- Organized community activity: Scary Movie Trivia
- Scheduled and hosted community event: Friday the 13th movie showing.
- Took test for our Communication and Anger FCB class.
- Hosted ghost story telling event for the dorm.
- Wrote and directed Halloween play for our program.
- Led a Halloween makeup contest. A huge hit with the entire dorm! The staff was entertained and in good spirits.
November 2023
- Mentored members in my Activities Committee how to create, schedule, and delegate a Poetry Slam. I was very proud that they stepped out of their comfort zone to lead the event, which was a big success! The participants were eager to do another Poetry Slam event soon.
- Helped members during our Activities Committee meeting come up with a Thanksgiving activity. Delegated the construction of a “pin the turkey parts on the turkey” game. One representative from each of the 7 FCB houses pinned the parts with eyes closed while their peers from their houses called to them directions.
- Met with the new chaplain, who encouraged me to return to drum practice in the chapel.
December 2023
“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be” -Douglas Addams
- Built a 4 1/2 ft Xmas tree by myself out of cardboard the officers saved for me to use. I cut, assembled, and painted the tree. I had help from a peer who made a beautiful silver garland out of foil cookie wrappers. The tree is beautiful and stands in our dayroom.
- I’m so excited that the Xmas ornament decorating activity went well! I had to schedule the event, get approval for materials from our FCB clerk, delegated committee members to trace and cut out the brown paper ornaments, and find volunteers to help set up. Each of the 7 houses spent an hour over 4 days painting their chosen ornaments. I collected them, dried them, pressed them, and strung them around our new Xmas tree.
- The Coordinator of the Horizon FCB Program interviewed me for the Peer Facilitator position.
- Received my requested free books from free books organizations.
- On the 20th I received my Horizon FCB Program certification of completion! I’ve officially completed the program!
- On the 21st it was announced I was the only one chosen out of my graduating class to become a Peer Facilitator! My hopes and goals I’ve prayed for so long have been granted! On this day, ICT officially made this my prison job.
- Coordinated and hosted our Secret Santa and Dirty Santa activities on the 24th and 25th.
- With 4 of my committee members, we handed out cookies and coffee or tea to everyone in our program on Christmas morning. We collected donations for two months.
December 31, 2023
Prayers Answered In 2023:
- Received permission from the chaplain to start a band.
- Received permission to practice drums every week by myself.
- Our FCB Coordinator informs us my friend and I will perform music for our dorm.
- My publisher asks to convert my book to add to their new children’s series and provide royalties!
- New chaplain encourages me to return to drum practice.
- I graduated the Horizon FCB Program!
- I became a Peer Facilitator for the Horizon FCB Program!
Books Read in 2023:
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Queens of Noise: The Runaways
- A Purpose Driven Life
- A Witch Before Dying
- Lita Ford: Living Like a Runaway
- The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy
- Soul Surfer
- Nothin’ But A Good Time
- The Joy of Drumming
- Hollywood Monster- Robert Englund
- The Prisoner in the Castle
- Crazy Rich Asians
