Saturday October 26
Well a beautiful sunny morning and College Game Day. About a good a start as there will be in this place. After our morning lockdown 9:30-11, my Oregon Ducks at 12:30 which will help speed the day along.
Finally got my UPS proof for the medical letter my doctor sent and received by the BOP here on April 5. Keeping it for future filings for now:) Reminds me I never had my September 19 labs they were supposed to give me as a follow on to my July doctor’s appointment. Once I get past my appeal filing, the letter from my attorney to BOP Office of General Counsel/Regional Counsel will become the priority for sure.
Had the relaxing pleasure of watching my Oregon Ducks demolish Illinois and stay #1 in the polls. Enjoying this little run as #1 for as long as I can:) We all know its the end of the season that matters, but a little fun along the way isn’t all bad either! I’ve noticed the last few weekends how so many guys only watch the end of the games, and otherwise leave the game for other activities. It finally dawned on me that 99% of these guys never went to college, so they don’t really have a preferred team, let alone understand football. To them its only about the “spread” and did they make money. Definitely makes watching the Duck’s games pathetical lonely, sitting there watching all by my lonesome:(
After chow, around 6, had a pleasant surprise , the phones came back on! And then the PC’s. I had given up hope till Monday afternoon at the earliest. Clearly there was something else at play here, as I can assure you there are no IT guys working Saturday. As it turns out, the investigation must be over so the guards turned it back on after 3 days.
Sunday, October 27
Hallelujah! no fog so I can go to the library at 7 am and get the heck out of the Unit after being stuck 3 days non stop. After today, only 3 more days of no Yard, but library should be open. Tomorrow is the first class we teach, and sill haven’t seen the curriculum:) All I know is its on personal financial planning…..
So from 7-12 am today my priority list is:
* prep questions for my attorney interview for the Canadian Treaty and my potential acceptance
* Finish the BP 9 for the young man with his daughter needing treatments
* Get new books to read
* Review compassionate release rules for a friend getting ready to apply, 73 years old and just had a heart bypass surgery
* Review my appeal notes prepping for my call next Wednesday with counsel
So I’m sitting here in the library at 8:15 am in the library and my co teacher comes up to tell me our class is postponed a week! Apparently, after 9 months, the construction crews are doing 3 units at once, instead of 2. With the Yard shutdown for the week so no one can be out there, they need an area to put the 3rd unit- yup the library! Nice way to effectively shut down the whole prison-no Yard, gym, movies,library as units will be in those areas. Priceless…. So much for emphasis on rehabilitating behavior:)
After church 12-2, was NFL till 3:30, lockup till 5, NFL Sunday Night and tracking my ticket. Last week I tied for 2nd with only 2 misses in our pick winners game.
Monday, October 28
Off to a productive start this morning. Funny how Sunday -Thursday seem like workdays, Friday/Saturday not so much.
Fired off a long email to the Assistant Warden responsible for Religious Services. The Chaplain’s staffing went from 2 in January when I got here, to 6, and now down to 3 as 3 quit. As such the head chaplain wants to reduce activities and cut/eliminate our weekly bible study led by an outside volunteer. Clearly this activity must have little/zero impact on resources, so I don’t get the logic . Also don’t get the logic of at least 30% of the inmates being of Christian faith, but only get 5-10 % of the chaplains staff resources. Every other religion, even most of them with 1-5 people get same treatment and staff resources. Some get even more like special meals, firewood ceremonies(yes that’s the federal law!) and so forth. Meanwhile nothing for us for Easter or Christmas. Anyways, since I have plenty of time, thought I’d ask the logic of all this:)
Meeting with the inmate I’m helping get home to take his daughter to treatments. He will need a release plan plus more doctor documentation so will see what he wants to do. These filings are like a ball of yarn, just keep unwinding them to get to the bottom of things.
The gentleman awaiting compassionate release for medical reasons is finalizing his request for the Warden. Quite educational for me. As with many things, BOP policy and requirements are different than statutes/case law. It must be intentional by BOP to not have them be the same. Crazy to me but then what do I know?
Switching gears, yesterday I finished anther James Patterson book, Run for Your Life, it had an interesting end for the main character. She was shot and dying, and a spirit from the past(bad person) came to her and asked where she was going for eternity? She was basically a “decent” person, but as a nanny was having an affair with the husband/father. In fairness the wife was also having an affair. The point being, as her last gasps were coming, she realized she’d done some bad things, like marriage busting, but also had never focused on her own life including death and eternity. As such, this spirit (former dead detective) was telling her she was going to hell. This really paused me, as normally these religious issues aren’t part of a Patterson book death sequence:) Then today in my devotional it was all about victory and conquering. Its always easy to focus on earth, another problem,another inconvenience, another thing instead of what I want or choose. But the point is eternity, life on earth is just the warmup. Like most people, I devote 1-5% of my time each day to eternity, and 95% to earthly issues. The good news though, with Christ in your Heart, you’ve got more than a ticket to Heaven. “Through Him you’ve overcome it, suppressed it, and prevailed over it.” Nothing someone can do to you on Earth takes that away. I might be bummed right now in the first inning of my life, but eternity reigns bright, and no judge or BOP can take that away, ever!
Tuesday, October 29
Had a 7:30 medical blood lab session scheduled from my July visit, and a 9 am legal call with an attorney in Boston regarding Canadian Transfer Treaty. Knowledgeable lady, and very helpful. Turns out I can’t file for the Treaty transfer until my appeal is ruled upon, so will start prepping for it after the first of the Year.
Helping the Dad wanting compassionate release assistance to tend to his daughter today. I got ahold of the BOP policy statement and he needs to get a lot of backup. Things like Doctor letter stating all the missed appointments and the scheduled ones the next 6 months. Plus a release plan laying out his goals, financial plan, medical needs, community support etc. Will be a good process for him regardless.
Otherwise typing/break time until 3:30 lockdown. Didn’t plan on it, but since no Education at 6 tonight, and Yard still closed, watched 8 innings of Game 4 of the World Series. I don’t really have a team, just want entertaining baseball and 6-7 games for the Series. NY finally started hitting so another game in NY tomorrow!
Wednesday, October 30
Finally, last day of no Yard! Weather of course has been beautiful but looks like fog coming back for tomorrow, of course!
Supposed to have another legal call today on my appeal at 9 am, but the counselor didn’t show up so didn’t have it. The process for these calls is not fair here, either for the counselor or the inmate. Counselors aren’t always in control of their schedule, which makes things like today happen even though it was scheduled 2 weeks ago. And of course inmates wait 2 weeks, show up, and then NOTHING! Yes we have legal rights to these calls with privacy, but what can one do? I just don’t know why they don’t create a central area with 3 offices and schedule everyone through those offices, and take the burden off the counselor?
Making good progress typing wise these past few days. Finally all caught up on my 3 month backlog of weekly journals, book reports that were written are now typed and posted. My 3 part blog series “Getting all Your Credits” is written,and one post remaining for next week. Now I’m typing the next series “Facts of Life in the BOP”. Will bring my observations and proposed solutions for transforming the BOP so the Director can achieve her mission and objectives. As I write it, its amazing how much is truly out of the BOP’s control.
Have to admit, being inside all the time does give one time to reflect on things. Its easy to get inward focused while in prison, as there really aren’t a lot of external inputs. Yes TV news, but otherwise its late newspapers by a day or two,email from friends and family and legal stuff. One just has to work hard to focus on the positive, what to be thankful for, and spend your time and energy there. Not sure why, but lately I’ve been even more grateful for my girlfriend /partner and all she does to love and support me. We talk almost daily for 15 minutes which keeps me sane and us connected. Inside here we don’t think as much as we should about others but the impact on her has been tremendously hard on her. I’ve got to do a better job being sensitive to her journey and all the stuff she has to deal with now( and I don’t mean power washing:)) through no fault of her own other than loving me.
Thursday, October 31
Finally Yard is open!! And predictably the fog returned, so locked down and no Yard this morning:) Reflecting on yesterday it was unfortunate my legal call was cancelled as the counselor who arranges it was tied up on something else unscheduled I guess. At least got to see a good Game 5of the World Series yesterday. I rarely watch baseball, let alone 9 innings, but sure glad I did!
Last evening I spent one and a half hours with the inmate I’m helping get a compassionate release so he can help his daughter with her treatments. He literally can’t write his release plan which is required for the BP9 I’m helping with. So as I interviewed him I realized what a tough situation so many of these illegals are in. It’s one thing to see the masses of illegals crossing into the US on TV and get annoyed at our government or frustrated as an American. But when one hears the specifics of their existence from where they come from, the police or cartel threats to be a donkey or face violence, and lack of education and rampant crime at home, its pretty hard not to be sympathetic and have compassion. In his case,he came to the US at 3, went back few years later with his mom, then came on his own at 13. Attended public school while living with his sister here thru 6th grade, then began working in the fields and became a laborer for construction as well. He’s been here 20 years now, has a car and no drivers license this whole time! Filed tax returns for 15 years without a social security #. Our government apparently enables this by providing illegals a PIN to file their taxes, incredible!
The saddest part of all this, if I’m to believe him, which I think I do, is he needed $100 for his daughter’s next appointment and didn’t have it, so he bought and sold $2000 of drugs for $2100 , for the $100. Of course the buyer turned out to be an informant, so 4 years in prison. Just sad all the way around.
After the fog lockdown this morning ended, Surprise! At 9:15 they ordered us outside as construction was coming back to our Unit. We knew it would hit sometime, and guess here it is. Should be 4 days or so to install WIFI. Would be amazing someday they actually let us use it and email and video call family. Guess I’ll believe it when I see it.
Good 30 minutes outside walking the track finally, felt so good! Beautiful morning as well. Then boom! It ended as quickly. We went in at 10am into the gym(200+ people) and left our stuff outside thinking we ‘d get after lunch. After chow back to the gym like normal. Wasn’t sure why they didn’t just let us go back outside after chow? Well after 4 minutes sure enough the rumor started that some idiot truck driver accidentally backed into one of the Yard fences, so Yard closed again until fence fixed. That was it. 30 minutes of Yard after waiting 7 days, so special! Really can’t make this up!
With no Yard we were kept in gym for 3 more hours while construction finished for the day and we could return to the Unit. The rest of the evening after the 3:30-5 lockdown was email and phones for everyone. For me, Thursday Night football as well:) I took a gamble on the Jets and after trying hard to lose in the first half, pulled away from Houston and won. Hopefully a good omen for my picks from the weekend:)
Friday, November 1
At least knowing we’re going outside makes it so much easier to plan ahead. So I showered early and went to Education at 7:30-10:30 and did all my writing stuff. No typing which is a bummer, but better than being outside for 3 hours in a cool early morning light fog, 50 degrees and just walking the track to keep warm until the sun kicks in around 9:) After lunch, headed outside from 11-3 to get real exercise and workout and enjoy a beautiful 68 degrees day. Not bad way to end the week!
Felt so good to get real fresh air and exercise! But can start feeling winter as the 68 dropped quickly by 3 pm to high 50’s and a 15 mph wind kicked in. I knew it was coming and we will have off/on till May.
Surprise Surprise, got a new Mitch Rapp by surprise in our 3:30 mail pickup. Perfect timing to rad this weekend!!
Praying for Liberty and Freedom and to see my Family and Friends Again! BJ
