Explore my journey through incarceration with a unique collection of daily journals and in-depth book reports. Each entry offers a raw, personal perspective, transforming moments of confinement into reflections of growth and resilience.
After what felt like forever, I've finally finished reading Moby Dick. Honestly, this was one of those classics that really tested my patience. The story kicks off with Ishmael, a guy looking for adventure, deciding to join a whaling ship called the Pequod. He's heard...
This week was kind of a bittersweet one. It started with one of my good friends — and my cube mate — getting transferred to the other building. He’s the same guy who burned himself making me a pizza for my birthday (I mentioned him in a previous post). He’s a real...
This is the latest in a long line of business-oriented self-help books I’ve read in here, and I thought it would just repeat the same old concepts. Not even close. This book taught me so much. Kaufman starts by making the case that business school is overpriced and...
When I first got here, time felt like it was crawling. Every day dragged, every hour felt like it would never end. But now that I’m at my halfway point — officially more time behind me than ahead — it’s surprising how much faster it all feels. Once you can see the...
Another great classic to add to my knowledge base! A Brief History of Time was a London Times bestseller for 237 weeks when it came out in 1988 — and I can see why. Hawking explains incredibly difficult topics with clarity and grace. While I’ve already read and...
This week was a pretty big one for me — and another dramatic one for the compound. But honestly, most weeks are at least interesting when you live in a prison camp. First, some good news: July 1st marked my official halfway point! Half my time is now behind me — more...
The theme of this week? Heat — lots of it. We’ve been hit with a nasty heat wave rolling through the state. I think it’s been scorching the whole country, but we don’t exactly get the Weather Channel in here. It all kicked off Monday when I made the genius decision to...
I usually try to keep these journal entries lighthearted or at least optimistic, but I’ve been thinking lately that maybe I’m painting too rosy a picture of prison life. Some readers might get the impression that I’m doing just fine here, like this place is some sort...
This book is essentially a list of techniques—rhetorical devices—that writers and speakers use to make their words more memorable, moving, and powerful. Forsyth breaks down each device in a short chapter (most only 3–4 pages long), giving a brief explanation followed...
This week has been packed with antics at camp, but before I get into the chaos, I want to talk about my running. One thing I’ve learned about distance training: your body adapts in cycles. When you first start, it’s your legs that give out. Mine were in agony during...