The question of the day: In what ways are you using time inside to prepare for success outside?
This is a very important question. Unfortunately, this is not my first time being in prison. Its my first time in the federal system. The way I would spend my time before would be to shut out the outside world and just concentrate on doing my time. That way I didn’t have to worry about the heartbreaks, setbacks, or anything that would remind you that there was a whole world outside of the fences. It would seem to make your time go slower. But I can tell you firsthand from experience that all it does is set you up for failure. It made it harder to adapt to society and harder to try and land on both feet to be successful upon release that all it did was lead me back into hanging with the wrong kind of people and back into using drugs.
This time I know what doesn’t work so it’s time to try something that does work. First thing I did was while I was out on bond was went thru a very serious drug rehabilitation which led me to inpatient and outpatient rehab and living at a sober living home for a year. At the same time I was able to get my CDL and start a truck driving career. I have been sober since March 17th 2021.
However the truck driving career was cut short when sentencing came and I was sentenced to 148 months for 841, 922g(1), and a 924c. By this time I had already heard of Prison Professors from online and YouTube videos. I made a release plan before I even went to prison and walked in with it when I had to self-surrender in Milan Michigan. This is after you guys have already visited there.
Unfortunately, I was not allowed to keep the paperwork I came in with I’m not sure if they put it in a file for me or not. I wish I could get my hands on it. But since I have been in here I have been doing whatever I can to further my experience with truck driving which includes reading two books on how to start up trucking companies, currently working on a business plan for a trucking company that me and my wife are going to start. I work at Unicor where I work in the shipping department loading trucks unloading trucks and driving trucks from one warehouse to another. This is adding more experience to my resume. I also have been very active with the church here working with drug addicts and alcoholics preaching sermons. I am currently waiting on books from Prison Professors to work on their workbooks. I am on the waiting list for about 6 other programs that I am eligible for. So far I have only been able to complete Drug Education and Stress Class. It’s hard to get into programs here since they do not have enough people to take the classes. They simply wait until they have enough people signed up then they will have the class. There are no AA meetings here I’m in the process of possibly getting ready to see if the staff will let me start one. I am ready to get actively involved with Prison Professors and follow their lead. I am hoping that I will learn other things I can do.
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