Things are getting crazy over here… I attended a “sweat ceremony” this past week. I almost passed away and I absolutely loved it… well… I loved it when it was over. Some of the guys… most of them Hawaiian and some from other islands asked me if I would like to attend their “sweat” on […]
EDUCATED: A MEMOIRAUTHOR: TARA WESTOVERNON-FICTION RATING: 7.2 OUT OF 10 I found Tara’s story captivating and certainly unique. The book kept my attention throughout and does a great job allowing the reading to feel as though we intimately know every member of Tara’s family. I also found myself having an intense reaction of anger during
I just can’t get over what happened in Texas this past week. The senseless, horrific act of one sick individual that changed the lives of so many families forever. In an instant, caused inconceivable suffering to at least 20 families. Although I will never be able to fully understand this pain and suffering (I hope!)…
Alright… I have been having long conversations with “Dave” (Again – there is no one that I know actually named Dave…if you don’t have any idea who Dave is… go back and read “The Smile” post and then jump back over here) while walking the track together the past few nights. I have found these
Another school shooting. An ELEMENTARY school shooting. Another one! 14 elementary children are dead. An elementary kid is between the age of 5 – 11 years old. What the f*ck are we doing wrong and why is it not our government’s top priority to fix it IMMEDIATELY? We live in the greatest country in the
I have been thinking a lot about the past year, the “pre-trial” year aka 2021 into early 2022… the time between me getting arrested and surrendering to Terminal Island. I have been thinking about all the changes, all the revelations, all the tears, all the truths, all the wreckage and all the lessons. I realized
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There is a guy in here that I will name Dave (that is not his name)… Dave is 46 years old and has been in and out of prison since he was 17. He has been held in supermax prisons, high security penitentiaries and now has worked his way down to a low security facility
As you can imagine, prison provides a unique situation where all of the aspects of your life that you love are stripped away from you and simultaneously… all of the daily stressors and anxieties of life are also suddenly taken out of your world. Due to this depletion of all things “normal”… you are left
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Every week or so the BOP (Bureau of Prisons) and Terminal Island specifically posts an updated list of FSA (First Step Act) approved programs that are “available” to us. I put available in quotations because so far even though they may be “available”… it has been a process actually enrolling in a program. Since the
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THE BUDDIST ON DEATH ROWAUTHOR: DAVID SHEFFNON-FICTION RATING: 8 out of 10 Jarvis Master’s story and the themes throughout this book resonated deeply with me. I think anyone dealing with the hardships of life will find that Jarvis and his story can provide perspective and hope. As I have said before, quieting the chaos in-between
The Buddhist On Death Row Read More »