Prisoners are persons whom most of us would rather not think about. Banished from everyday sight, they exist in a shadow world that only dimly enters our awareness. They are members of a "total institution" that controls their daily existence in a way that few of us can imagine. "[P]rison is a complex of physical arrangements and of measures, all wholly governmental, all wholly performed by agents of government, which determine the total existence of certain human beings (except perhaps in the realm of the spirit, and inevitably there as well) from sundown to sundown, sleeping, walking, speaking, silent, working, playing, viewing, eating, voiding, reading, alone, with others. . . ." It is thus easy to think of prisoners as members of a separate netherworld, driven by its own demands, ordered by its own customs, ruled by those whose claim to power rests on raw necessity. -- Justice William Brennan, dissenting in O’Lone v. Estate of Shabazz, 482 U.S. 342, 354-55 (1987).

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Week 8 Summary

Note from Bill's wife: sorry for the large gap in posting, I was on vacation with my parents for two weeks. It was nice to be away and it has helped the time go faster, for me, anyway, sorry Bill, but he'll be back at home next Thursday!

Wow, the week flew by.

It was wonderful to see my oldest daughter last weekend.

This weekend is Memorial Day so we get Monday off and it is also an extra visitation day so my wife and parents will be visiting Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. That should help next week to fly by, too.

My phone minutes ran out May 17 so I haven't been able to talk to anyone in 8 days. Not only is 3 weeks the longest I have not seen my wife but I don't think I have ever gone this long without communicating by phone.

My work detail was pretty consistent this week -- weed-eating, weed-eating, weed-eating, weed-eating. Weather has been nice -- the wind and clouds have softened the effect of the Florida sun. Twice this week I had my Harry Potter book seized while trying to take it to work. Sigh.

Had a few minor spats with other inmates but nothing major. It is really quite remarkable how "on edge" some guys are here -- they have hair-trigger tempers.

Also met the inmate who arrived May 17, having read this blog on the outside. His feedback has encouraged me to keep plugging on.

Oh, I also had a birthday on Monday but no cake from the prison :( 5 weeks to go.

Note from Bill's wife: I couldn't send a cake, but I did send him 14 funny birthday cards, one each day starting the Monday before his birthday)
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