The journal of George LightfootTable of Contents:
4 February 2006Today was one of the most anticipated days of the year in the sports world, and trust me the Texas prisoners were just as hyped as everyone else. People were throwing spreads, kicking it, with all races anticipating the main event, "Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears." As usual, I was running a board for the game, betting on Indianapolis with money I don't have to spare. $5-10 takes you through a week or two in prison if you manage it right; big difference from society, huh? Lady Luck was on my side, and I'm $20 to the good. I'll bank $5, spoil myself with $5, and see which way the action is with the other $10. Talking trash, screaming at the Idiot Box for three and a half hours, my best numbers 0-0 got knocked off the $ in a SuperBowl Record 14 seconds. Yes, they roasted my ass like Lou Rawls or Sammy Davis, Jr. Luckily, I had 9-7, which brought me 10-1 odds home. Anyway, I remember the good old days when the pit was smoking, drinks were plentiful, and drugs of choice, along with females were in the place to be (T's Place, admission $10). Some of my downfalls in life: drugs, alcohol, and freaky women. Enough down memory here. I could live with more days like this, stress- and trouble-free. It's all good, 4th Feb. '07. 5 February 2007Breakfast isn't needed since my associates were so kind to me Super Bowl Sunday. Showers were running late. It's 6:30A.M., and I'm still waiting, knowing I'll probably have to put my hygiene off while standing outside my cell. Officers start the day by screwing over inmates, refusing them access to housing area to take care of their personal hygiene after shower. Cognitive Intervention class is 7A.M., so I'm pissed cause these officers have no respect for rules and regulations unless they're benefiting from them. Reporting officer misconduct is a must, but there's at least 15 other 7A.M. Educational lay-ins beside myself. And if they want, file ranking officers can feel there's no problem. My Cognitive Intervention class teaches me to do three steps: step away from the problem, take a deep breath, and try to find a solution that meets your needs over time. Making positive choices for myself for the rest of my time on Earth is my goal. Being submissive or humble about situations is new to me, and I can't stand getting screwed. I'm a convict who can't stand getting screwed in any way, shape, or form. Last but not least, my cellie has been in the house constantly, not giving a damn whether I need some solitude. I'll discuss this with him and get some type of understanding of where we fall out, but I demand my space from all cellies. (I ask myself, do my actions meet my needs over time.) 6 February 2007Today I had a lay-in for a T.B. shot. Leaving prison disease-free is a necessity in my life. Drug, alcohol, and disease-free forty-two-year-old African-American man is part of my overall makeup. Recreation is on the agenda along with a haircut, and losing about fifteen to twenty-five pounds is target. Nothing's happening today. Just another day in prison. 7 February 2007Today I was introduced to the PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act), which specializes in prison rape and extortion, taught my two inmates. They're instructing the Texas Prison population of over 150,000 inmates to report all rape and extortion (not giving a damn about the consequences). I jeopardized my freedom to get to prison. Now I'm being asked to jeopardize my freedom, life, and existence by snitching (a cardinal sin in the hood). 8 February 2007So I'm TB-free according to the nurse. My test was negative. Cognitive Intervention gets me in touch with myself and all my faults. I actually told the teacher I'm a piece of work in progress. I'm at the point where I'm reprogramming myself. An associate of mine wore a wire for the police to incriminate an officer who was bringing illegal products. He's supposedly running off with a family's money by getting shipped after his mission was accomplished. My question is, who do you really know in prison. 9 February 2007The weekend's here and I'm glad to have a couple of off days. Double hitter on the N.B.A. Hopefully my teams win, so I can increase my portfolio. We all need a nest egg packed away. I won. I won. Let me gloat in my private domain. All funds are needed and accepted. 10 February 2007A day of leisure, relaxation, etc. is needed on my behalf, so I'm chilling today. The Pro Bowl is on, I'm taking the AFC. Wish me luck. Sometimes I'm untouchable, and when I'm off, I'll be like the plague. Once again, Lady Luck has struck and the portfolio has a donation coming. 11 February 2007Nothing's happening on my end except daily B.S. in prison. Men squabbling over quarters (twenty-five cents) and dollars. Pathetic meals, and officers refusing to run commissary so that inmates can buy their own food. 12 February 2007Cognitive Intervention after my only shower allowed per day. Picking my mind early in the A.M. hours, showing how selfish I was in my past thinking habits. Making a positive change is a necessity in life for me, and to think that it took getting locked up in prison to come to this conclusion is pathetic on my behalf. Today a 300+ pounder slapped around a 165 pounder, knowing we're in a snitching environment with the odds against him. Making it through the week is 50/50. 13 February 2007Nothing's happening in the life of a prisoner in Texas. My fellow inmates are chilling, doing their own things. 14 February 2007Cognitive Intervention was entertaining today. A fellow associate of mine made an ass of himself in front of the class. A final report is asked of all inmates before they graduate from the class, using two of the tools they learned while in class. You must write about a situation in your past that was negatively handled, and explain how you would handle that same situation today with the tools you've learned. We thrive on questioning one another when we see flaws. Needless to say, the Buzzard was circling and my associate got his ass tore off the bone. (The teacher refused his final report, and he has 60 more days.) 15 February 2007Cognitive Intervention: dealing with you and understanding why you made the choices you made in life. Holding yourself accountable for your actions, explaining and understanding to make choices that meet your needs over time. If I'm lucky, I'll win the bet on the game between the Houston Rockets at home against the Dallas Mavericks. Houston and Dallas inmates are always in competition with one another, and my homeboys stated I shouldn't ever buck the team near me. Little do they care if Houston played their best basketball at home, especially against instate rivalry. Wish my luck! 16 February 2007Those sorry Houston Rockets helped me out, which was cool so I can't complain too much. Class started out with everyone corrected their errors in thinking. My topic: Society as a whole. Example: I was at a job interview, and some people avoided answering the question of whether they've been convicted of a felony or not. After the interviewer asked this question, he automatically excused all convicted felons from the room. I felt for these brothers, but I got the job knowing that my employer was prejudiced towards convicts. Nothing is really happening in prison during the weekends here. School's out until Wed, the 21st. A four-day weekend with nothing to do. Being away since 1991, I'm female-less, friendless, and rarely have visits, which is sad and pathetic. I'm starting from scratch for real, which is my fault, but I've learned from my mistakes. 17 February 2007Saturday is my lazy day. Sleep until 9A.M. after showering at 6A.M., chow between 10A.M. and 11A.M., and clean my cell after I exercise. It's visitation weekend in Texas prison. The joy some that some have in their eyes returning from seeing their loved ones make a weak man envious. I've grown to be happy for others instead of hateful toward them on Visitation day. I've vowed to have a couple of pen pals to enjoy life because being without a female companion in my life has been stressful and empty. 18 February 2007Today's about enjoying yourself, knowing that school's out and field workers are off work. Other than for enjoying the N.B.A. basketball games, nothing's happening in my life. I'm still visitor-less if there's such a word. Sometimes I feel like kicking myself in the ass. Cognitive Intervention plays a major role in my life now. Being aware of my thoughts and actions keeps me sane. Lately, we inmates have been reading about factories and computer jobs in other states' prisons. Why the 2nd largest prison population doesn't have jobs where inmates can work and get paid is the question. Recently I found out there's a program called T.C.I., where you can work for minimum wage and pay for your own board. They put money into a bank account for you, along with putting money in your trust fund account. Needless to say, I immediately jumped on this opportunity. I'll be getting my application and sales pitch proof-read on Feb. 26th, before mailing. Providing inmates with a job, paying money while incarcerated, helps them get into the society's ways of conduct. Being held accountable for yourself, working a legitimate job is a start. 25-28 February 2007Nothing's happening in prison this weekend. Everyone is excited about this lawsuit being filed by over 1000 inmates on the Ellis Unit. The T.D.C. Texas Dept. of Correction is beings sued for violating their own rules and regulations, namely refusing inmates their good time/work time for when their parole is eligible. Good time, flat time, and work time add up to your total sentence of when you should be released from prison. Here in Texas, they're having you earn good time, take it away for any frivolous disciplinary case, and try to make it impossible to get your earned good time back. They falsify legal documents sent to the parole board to purposely prolong one's stay in prison. This is my first time in prison. I P.I.A. out of county jail once. They stuck it to me 60 years for robbery by threat, which is supposed to be non-aggravated, but I don't have any short way discharge date. This is my 4th or 5th time up for parole. July of 2007, after doing a 3 year set off. Wish me luck. July 22nd, 2007It's the weekend, baby and theres nothing to do but catch up on your rest. School has been out since 1st of July until 24th of July and all fieldworkers have been turning out for work every day. Question. What is the purpose of making rules, regulations and guidelines? If these rules, regulations and guidelines are broken, shouldn't the person who breaks these rules be punished. My 16 medical work squad was forced to work in an area where some grass was 4 to 6 feet high in snake-infested water over your work boots. Chopping down grass they claim the tractor couldn't get to because of the water, f*** everyones medical restrictions about no working on uneven surfaces and no working on wet surfaces. Security breaks rules and regulations at will and their supervisors allow it even after being informed. *Prison life in Texas* Parole is one of my only reasons for allowing this type of abuse, along with holding my mom in society. On numerous occasions I felt like lashing out for prison injustices, but being of a cognitive mind now I try to handle my problems like a mature adult. There's movement in Texas prisonsĀ--paroles and pre-releases have been plentiful this year and in July my 3rd year set off is up. Going home and back in society is a must for me after 16 years flat in prison I'm rehabilitated. July 23rd, 2007Free labor in the prison garden were medical squads baked in the sun and ate up everything eatable. Another of my hometown homeboys entertained us today with his grill looking stupendous. Top and bottom 6 teeth grilled in gold with *stop six* trimmed on the inside. *Flossing like new $$* Conversations about people we know are strange and roles have changed. It seems the world is more violent and the females are squabbling as much as the men. Seems though my homeboy little brother wants to be a producer of movies so he made some movies called Agg Town Fights. Teenage girls and boys going around picking fights and filming the results, selling them for profits. Unfortunately, someone was hurt and the police were informed of his actions and whereabouts and the Feds are after his hide. I've been on this unit in prison for 10 years and have consistently complained of breathing problems, now I'm told I have asthma. Locked up since 1991 and in 07 diagnosed with asthma after using asthma pump my chest expanded, heart rate and beat quickened, and I had to breath in short shallow breaths. After reporting this problem to nursing staff, 1 nurse tried to blow me off as if I'm exaggerating, and I had to take a stand about my health issues. Security tried to intervene but I informed them a doctor or nurse is needed, not a security officer. This could have escalated into a full-blown war, but I stood firm. July 26th, 2007Everything's slow in Texas prison. A couple of skirmishes along with Eastham prison wardens perpetrating like their ward is always up to par. The ACA visit Texas prison to check to see if it's compliant with rules and regulations. The ACA informed these people of the date they'll arrive so they worked inmates around the clock to get in compliance. Obviously the ACA could care less because they didn't question inmates about the happenings on the unit, lord knows they should have been able to smell the fresh paint. Today's one of the days I've prayed for, for the last 16 years - parole interview day, I've just completed a 3 year setoff for pathetic reasons. #1) Nature of the crime has elements of violence. (this was true in 1991 but I've changed now and I can't change the past.) #2 Moving without permission from parole officer (When you live with someone and they ask you to leave what choice do you really have?) *Prayers are needed for my release* After this 3 year wait for parole for the 4th time up for parole, I've noticed a lot of people getting out of prison or being sent to pre-release. Upon talking to Mrs. Reynold, explaining my situation and delivering my reference letter she explained she's just the messenger. August 10th, 2007Channeling my energy toward something positive or entertaining is a necessity for me in Texas prison. There isn't anything in sight that resembles unity in prison except religion and gangs. *most of them are back-biting and perpetrating* Thank God for pre-season football, sports motivate me to entertain my peers with my brand of entertainment, which costs a small fee. We love our Football in Texas and if your city's too cheap to have a team (shut the fuck up) your voice don't count. Seeing though, I'm from Fort Worth the Dallas/Fort Worth area, I get a pass to talk trash with the best. Those damn Houstonians get to brag for a year since Houston kicked the shit out of the Cowboys. We Texans love our football and taking one anothers $ by gambling. Showing our superiority over one another is a must. Sports also is a stress-releasing pastime and for 3.5 hours you almost can escape from your surroundings (prison). Nothing else is jumping at this time except waiting on my answer for parole, I try not to worry about situations outside my control. Question: What do you know about writing, producing, and selling music to companies or people? I've wrote a few songs and I've even envisioned who I'd like to sing them. There's so much $ out there I may as well try to get some. (Close your eyes for a moment, think of that special someone in your life or the one you let get away or the one that piques your interest. That's what my song is about.) *Visions of you deep in my mind* |