I know this is not a prison story, but I wanted to write it anyway. I was fortunate enough to come across some copper wire the other day and so I took it home. I stripped away the insulation and had occasion to visit the scrap yard. I love the thought of recycling and getting paid for it is even better!

I am happy to inform everybody that I ended up with 51 pounds of number 1 copper wire. I received $2.30 per pound for a grand total of $117.30. I was as happy as could be as I can always use a little extra cash. Maybe I’ll be able to help the economy a little and help someone keep their job!

There will be a full moon tonight and it will be a special one. Because it is the first full moon of the year, it is known as the wolf’s moon. This is the name given to it by the Native American Indians who noticed wolves howling at the full moon. There is another reason it will be special, and that is because it is also a perigee moon. A perigee moon is when the moon is closest to the earth in its orbit. The two special combinations of tonight’s moon will make it bright and big.

There is also some speculation that a full moon causes humans and animals to act strangely. While many people believe that strange things happen when the moon is full, there is no proof as of yet. Many studies that have been done have found no correlations between the two. There are still those though who feel that the full moon brings out the worst in human behavior. I guess we’ll have to wait for another study to be done to find conclusive proof.

One thing that every inmate knows about is personal loss. That’s why I feel for the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake. While it’s true that I didn’t suffer as much as they have, I did go through some tough times in my life. There is good news for those people though; they have people who are willing to help. That is not always the case for the average inmate.

One thing I know about is feeling alone during a crisis. When life takes a turn for the worst, it can be a lonely feeling. I hope the people of Haiti will soon receive the benefits of all those who are reaching out to them. May god bless them and keep them safe until help arrives!

I was glad to hear that one of my good friends was released last week. Phil and I spent many days discussing the business of the day and we were very close. Phil is a really great guy and I am glad to hear he has finally made it home. Phil is returning to his home state of North Carolina and will be staying with family. I say good luck to you Phil and I hope that you will receive nothing but the best in your new life!

One of my favorite times of the year is Christmas! It seems that no matter how old you get, there is still something magical about it! I love to see the lights on everyone’s houses and all the wonderful Christmas TV shows. I sure would have loved it if it had snowed this year but I guess there is always next year. I wish to extend my Christmas wishes to all people around the world and hope you have a happy new year too!