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!

One thing that every inmate looks forward too is recreation time. Being able to exercise is always a good way to forget your troubles and mix with the other inmates. Many take their rec time serious and lift weights or play such games as basketball or volleyball. At the receiving center, we got to go outside for about an hour a day. This is a very short amount of time for all we wanted to do.

I always liked to play volleyball. We had some really good players and some great games. Being able to go outside was a treat as we could get a little sun and fresh air. The time always seemed to pass way too quickly though and we were ordered back to our cells. I guess we will have to wait till tomorrow to play another game.

Once you get into prison life, you start to realize that there are different layers of prisoners. One group that usually has it pretty well is the trustees. These inmates are recognized for their good behavior by the powers that be and are given special duties and rights that the other inmates do not have.

At the receiving center, this was also the case. The trustees were allowed to have some benefits, such as a pool room, single cells, and sometimes better food. In exchange, the trustees performed tasks given to them that required some trust on the part of the administration. They were allowed out of their cells to do them when everyone else was on lockdown.

There has always been the perception that all trustees will “snitch” when they get the chance. While this is sometimes true, it is not always the case. They do sometimes provide services to the other inmates by being “Mules” that is, they would sometimes deliver items such as cigarettes and food to other inmates who could not send or receive them otherwise.

One thing that is very important to understand is that prison can be very uncomfortable. There is usually no air conditioning or other amenities that we all have come to enjoy. During the summer months, life can be almost unbearable when it comes to temperatures. It can be very hot and there is little relief.

I remember some of the tricks that inmates used to combat the heat. We used to put our mattresses on the floor just to be a degree or two cooler. Some would put cold water on their beds in order to make sleeping bearable. It can be very difficult to sleep when it is extremely hot. Fans can be an option for some, but even then, they are but a temporary relief.

Now that I am back out in the world, I take great pleasure in our AC. It is wonderful to crank it up and be chilly in the midst of summer. I enjoy the times when I need a blanket to sleep. It is a far cry from the nights when I had to sweat it out!