Seven months into my sentence – March 2011

I have now been incarcerated for 7 months. I have gone through intake and spent time at Garza West. That was a nice, relatively close visit for my family so I was hopeful I might stay there for awhile but I was transferred to another unit that is much, much further away from hom. It’s a long ways from everywhere here, but the unit is a newer one, and not so bad.

I turned 23 in January, and I had an interview with the IPO in February. That means that now, my case will be reviewed by the parole board. It takes a 2 out of 3 vote to grant me parole, and it’s not just yes or no, they could say “Yes with a stint in TDC rehab” or they could say “Yes after you complete some classes” or they could say “No for now” and then I will need to wait a year for another review.

I am determined to hope for the best and expect the worse, so I don’t get disappointed. I am holding my own here and trying to keep on top of things. I read a lot and have remembered just how much I enjoy a good book. I am working out a lot and probably the most fit I have been in a long time. I try to avoid trouble and have found my people to hang with here.

I wish I could say I was busy with a job or classes or learning a lot or growing a lot, but at this time I can’t say that is so. I am doing time. The time isn’t doing me though.