Conversation overheard out in the yard the other day: (Okay, who am I kidding, this isn't a real prison. There is no "yard" here. More like GOSSIP overheard in the beauty salon as we were getting our pedicures done by the Vietnamese nail lady!)

Male Prison Guard: "Yeah, we are gonna have to stop selling cosmetics in the commissary."

Inmate Beauty with raspy voice and heavy New Jersey accent: "What!?! Whadda ya mean!?! Why!?!"

"Well, didn't you hear about the three inmates carrying on with those officers?"

"Yeah! So what!?! What's that gotta do with selling us cosmetics in the commissary?"

"The officers said the eyeliner made them do it."

"That's ridiculous! The eyelinah made them do it! Sheesh! Ya mean ta tell me the fact that tha inmates had a vaginah had nothing to do with it? Whadda crockashit that is!"

"Did you just say 'vagina'?"

"Yeah! I said it! VAGINA! There, I said it again! Ya mean tah tell me that if they just wore eyelinah, but didn't have a vaginah, the guards would still want tah have sex with them? Gimme a break! It's not like the vaginah wore the eyelinah!"

"I'm outta here. Have a nice day, ma'am."

Uh, yeah...that's what I thought! Don't. F#@K. With. Our. Cosmetics!!!  #prettygirlprisonproblems

Okay, so now we know to stock up on the cosmetics in case the threat's made real. 

Note to self: Forgo food. Forage foundation.

I just don't get who would want to do that to herself. What kind of sex play would that be...Cops and Convict? So not sexy! I've done enough of the strip, spread, squat and cough routine to last me a lifetime. It's no longer a fantasy...it's a way of life!

Well, I promised you an update on the introduction to the beautiful Vegas showgirl's cousin.  That was a bust! I never did go for the introduction, and she probably thought better of it. It was good in theory, however...

Here's how that conversation went: "I would love for you to meet my cousin. He's SOOO hot, you'll love him! He owns his own business, AND he has a house in paradise!"

"Oh, really? What kind of business does he have?"

"He owns a ...(insert any lucrative business here), and he makes a lot of money. Way more than enough to support himself and his kids."

"How many kids DOES he have?"

"Four...and one on the way."

=-/ Epic. Fail.

Just in case any of you are wondering...the longer you go without sex, the easier it gets to live without it, the less desperate you are for it, and the choosier you become when you do think about who you are gonna give it up to.  The same holds true for relationships of any kind - you start to re-evaluate those that you do have, in order to figure out those worth keeping, and those that are just not. In the process, you learn a lot about yourself and what's important to you. Maybe this is one of those lessons prison is meant to teach? Hmmmm...

I've learned that my old boyfriend/love of my life, probably was not really the love of my life - nor was he ever much of a boyfriend, either.  He was nothing more than a "casual" boyfriend, which meant we saw each other only when our extremely busy schedules would allow.  He, being a physician in a prestigious hospital in the D.C. area, and me, having been a successful lawyer running around doing business from coast to coast... you figure that one out. There weren't enough shuttle flights between us to satisfy what neither of us was ready for - nor really wanting from the other.  Our motto was ..."Together forever, until someone better comes along."

Of all the men I dated since, trying to find my 'someone better', only one ever presented that was actually better. Unfortunately, I was a prisoner when I met him, and he wasn't in a position to fraternize with a convict.  OF COURSE, the man of my dreams walks in in the middle of my nightmare of a life...why would it happen any other way?

I keep thinking that since I only have a few months left in here... I hafta hurry up and find me a man, so that I can focus on career when I walk out the door. But, that's only my Type "A" brain going into panic mode. I'm trying to relax and shed the wound-too-tight East Coast go-getter (for cheddar) girl mentality, and adopt a more relaxed SoCal vibe.

I'm still working on that. I'll let you know how it goes. But, let's be real...it's always been a "money over men" mentality, and that's probably not going to change just because I've been on pause these past few years. I'm going to need a man who can put up with me, AND keep up with me. He needs to be ambitious, successful, confident, generous, a go-getter (for dinero) himself...Plus all the things listed on the "no-compromise" list of my ideal man. 

I'm hoping to find me that one man who is everything I never even dreamed possible. The kind of man that'll make my list seem like a silly after thought.  But, in the meantime, I don't really NEED one. It really is crunch time for me in here.  And, let's face it, ambition is a dirty thing for a woman to have in our society.  It's almost as if we have to choose between being successful and having a man.  I think it goes without saying that I pick success over a man on any given day. That's exactly why I'm all alone in this world. (Do you see the tears streaming?) (...um, actual, I DO! I feel the burn. The burn!!!)

So, having said that, I organized my prison life last month to allow for the completion of certain goals I set for myself while I'm still locked up. Here's the list:
(1) Walk out of here with a banging body
(2) Learn a new language
(3) Continue with this Blog
(4) Network to find a Hollywood job
(5) Find a place to live in West Hollywood that takes in convicts - Must have tall, wood-beamed ceilings, wood floors, large windows, courtyard view, etc. etc.
(6) Study script writing 
(7) Write a script/book/some hit songs
(8) Place an online ad for a new man
(9) Find a new man
(10) Kiss said new man to ring in the new year (even if it IS Halloween before I find him!)

If you know of a guy I might like, a place I would like to live in W. Hollywood, a Hollywood mogul I could work for, please send info to: alexablogs2016@gmail.com.

This past holiday season has been no excuse to lay off the grueling Bikini Body Workouts (as seen in the January 2016 issue of Glamour magazine). We just wrapped up the end of the sixth week, with six more to go. I'm telling you, ladies, this workout really works!

Kayla Itsines (it-seen-ness) is the online trainer who came up with this workout plan that gives you beautiful results. You can purchase her plan at kaylaitsines.com. But, I will tell you, this is not a workout for whiney girls who complain about being fat, yet do absolutely nothing to try and lose weight so they can feel good about themselves.

So, today, I was telling my Bunkie what a great workout I just had, and how she is welcome to join our little workout group anytime she wants.  (My Bunkie is 5'2" and 197 lbs - just to give you a visual.) I'm not knocking big beautiful women, if that's their thing...but to have to hear my Bunkie complain day in, and day out about how fat she is, and then to be forced to listen to her farts and burps all day long, it can get pretty frustrating, especially for a girlie girl like me.

Her response to me was..."well, I'm okay with my big ass and tits. That I can live with. I'll just wait until I get out and do Jenny Crank. I'll drop all this weight in three months, tops!"

What!?! Well, folks, there you have it...classic case of ALL ASS, NO BRAIN!!! (And I don't mean that in a good way!)

I, on the other hand, along with a bevy of other prison beauties, do care about my body both on the inside and out.  I'll be the first to admit that I padded my curves a bit when I was in the Texas prison I just left, but now I have my A game back on and I'm bringing it! A part of me enjoyed all the delicious Mexican food, causing me to overindulge. The other part of me used it as a mechanism to make myself invisible from the guard's prying eyes and unwanted advances. More on that later. (As in, when I get out of here.)  But now that I'm in Southern California, I had to kick things up a few notches by going back to eating healthy food whenever possible, and working my butt off at the gym. I love every bit of my routine! These So Cal men better watch out!!!

Which leads me then to tell you about my official search for a man. I'm finally taking the plunge to find me a new love. One of my new friends and I sat for about an hour to formulate a list of traits and characteristics that define the "ideal man" for each of us. These are the non-negotiable qualities, that if a man doesn't possess, he needs to just keep it moving - no matter how good looking or rich he is.  Actually, I was quite surprised that "tall, dark, handsome, and rich" didn't make the cut on my list.

So, the way this works is you each sit and jot down all the things about a man you think are important to you that come to mind in one minute's time.  Then, you go down the list eliminating those things that you don't absolutely have to have, and what you are left with is the list which defines your ideal man. (Prison ways to kill time... can you tell just how bored we are?)

For example, if on your list you put down, tall, rich, handsome, great lover, honest, non-smoker - your friend will ask..."you just met this great guy, he's tall, rich, handsome. He's a great lover. He's honest, but he smokes like a chimney. Do you still want him?"  If the answer is "yes", then you mark "non-smoker" off the list, because clearly being a non-smoker is not a "must" on your search for the ideal man.

If you answer "no", then you keep "non-smoker" on the list, and continue querying until you are left with only those qualities you are unwilling to comprise on.  These are the things that would make you still want the man no matter what. Anything less, you are settling.  And, why settle when there are so many good, quality, and available men on this earth who would be more than happy to snatch you up?  Well, if nothing more, it's at least a fun way to figure out your heart's true desire.

I'm going to have to get creative in order to find me a quality man while I'm still sitting here in prison.  I keep thinking, no decent man is going to want to meet a convict woman while she's still locked up. But then, I think back to my Texas Taquito. He was an excellent choice for me, but, unfortunately, he never went past the hungry-eye flirtatious "I want you" stare stage. If only he would have been a tad bit more aggressive, I would have gladly been the hot and spicy taco topping of his life. But, I'm over that. He's so yesterday's news. (Ok, not really, but what choice do I really have?) NONE!!! It's not as if I could have jumped up and down yelling "Pick me, pick me, pick me... I'm seen-guuullll!!!" No, never would have worked. Tried that already with the old casual boyfriend/love of my life. Never again.

Ok, so I got an exclusive invitation to a holiday soiree just the other day. I found myself sitting among the desperate convict inmates of Southern California in all their botoxed beauty.  I was like, WHAT. THE. F@#k!!! If this is what I am competing with when I get out, I need to find me some black market shit...and QUICK!  Boobs, Botox, and blondes everywhere I looked. So the opposite of the not so skinny girls of the South I'm used to seeing. F@#K ME!!!!

Which then leads me to give you the latest in prison gossip. An unnamed inmate recently tested positive for non-prescription pharmaceutical use.  She allegedly claimed to have taken "Mexican diet pills".  It turns out the pills tested positive for meth. Is this the same Jenny Crank my Bunkie speaks of? How all these skinny biaotches stay skinny? Hmmmmm.... But, it's only gossip folks. What do I know?

This week has been focused mostly on getting myself organized for the upcoming new year.  The Bikini Beach Body Workouts are still coming along just fine. The end of week four has just breezed on by. The body is a little less sore, and a lot more firm! I now look forward to jump squats and pushups! Can you believe?!? The motto for my new life is "My Body is My Billboard".

Unfortunately, the way we present to the world on the outside, determines how most people perceive us to be on the inside. For example, a tired, bloated body conveys that its' owner is typically lazy, unmotivated, and unconcerned with appearances. How can a woman claim to be a winner who has it all together, if she can't even control the most basic things in life - her "self"? The same holds true for other things - like the excessive use of alcohol, over-spending, bad relationships, drugs, etc.

Realizing that we alone hold the key to our happiness is the first step to taking control of, and changing those things in our lives that make us unhappy. Just by the simple acts of reclaiming our lives and taking responsibility for everything that "happens" to us, we can set ourselves free to chart the course for our futures - to live the lives we have always dreamed of, but were too afraid of, or too dependent on others to realize.

Prison has changed me in so many positive ways.  I am definitely not the same woman I was just four short years ago.  One of the greatest changes I've realized, is knowing that I am the only one responsible for where I am right now. God didn't choose for me to be here, my parents or upbringing didn't lead me to a life of crime, the risks of being a lawyer didn't see my way in here. No, none of that is to blame. I am to blame. The decisions I made (or chose not to make) are what got me into all of this mess. Now I, alone, have to live with the stigma of being a convict, a criminal, a felon.

So what does this all really mean in today's world where everyone seems to run the risk of incarceration? Well, what it doesn't mean, is that I have to sit and cry about my "bad luck", my poor decisions, the lack of a prosperous outlook for my future in the eyes of society. It means that I have to let go of the past, and focus on building the future that I envision for myself. No one else is going to do it for me. I have to remind myself that without great risk, there is no great reward. So, with that, I have started mapping out my future, beginning with the here and now.

My present looks bleak by most standards - I'm single with no prospects of finding a mate in the near future, I'm in prison, I'm broke, and my law license is suspended. So, in other words...no husband, no job, no money, and I'm still locked up. What a catch, right? Where does one go from here?

The great news is that I've hit rock bottom, and I can't possibly dig myself any deeper without the use of heavy equipment! And, since I don't own any of that, there's only one way to go from here - straight up that same path that has already been cleared once before. Now, you might be wondering why I would choose to go down that same path. Well, the key is in the phrasing. I don't choose to "go down" that same path, I choose to "go up" it. There are so many things that I have learned on the way down, that can only be useful to me on the way back up - letting the voice of experience lead the way.

Yes, it can be scary at times knowing that I have to start all over, but it's also a very exhilarating time in my life! How many people do you know of that wish they could have a different life from the one they have now? Most of us can easily fall into that category, but because of familial obligations and expectations, or the fear of failure - they can't, or they won't. Most people would rather follow the path of least resistance, than lead the life they've always dreamed of for fear of the unknown.

So here I am, a convicted felon serving out her time in federal prison camp; I'm single and unattached; have no young children to care for; no dog to feed; no one waiting for me to get out so that I can complete them; no work obligations; no deadlines; no expectations. And, suddenly, this life doesn't seem so bad after all for now. This is the ultimate in second chances to get out there and follow my dreams. Yes, I said it. MY dreams. Not the neighbors, not the mailman's, not my best friend's. Are you feeling a tinge of envy yet?

You see, life is all about perspective. Is this the worst that could have happened to me in my lifetime? No, not even close! Will I recover from this experience? Yes, absolutely! Will I be able to reclaim my life, my hopes and dreams - find someone to love, who will love me back? Of course, I will!

And it's all starting right here, right now - today. And, just as I said earlier that my body is my billboard, my mind is the vessel that leads me to this freedom and renewal.

I'm not suggesting that you go to prison to escape your life. I'm saying that it's okay to want something different for yourself...to find a way to make it happen with your freedom and good reputation intact. You start by figuring out what it is you want out of life, setting out clear and verifiable goals, and then figuring out how you are going to accomplish them, and by when.

My beautifully toned body is just one of my many goals. It's the easiest goal to accomplish while sitting here in prison doing not much else. Everything else on my list will follow. I wish for you the courage to realize your dreams, and the encouragement to never give up until you reach your goals.

"In order for you to have the things others don't, you must be willing to do the things others won't."
                                                                                                           - Source Unknown

Until next week, dolls!

This is week three of Kayla Itsines' Bikini Beach Body Workout. Still kicking my butt, but I like it! Our thrice weekly one-on-one sessions have evolved into a full blown workout taking up our entire rec center with hot girls galore joining in. We dim the lights down low, do our circuit workout, then twerk it out until our asses are super sore! Probably not what Ms. Itsines envisioned her workout to be, but, hey...this is prison! What does anyone expect out of us anyway?!?

It helps tremendously to have a Vegas showgirl, a Vegas stripper, a socal Latina hottie with a phat ass, two Hawaiian hula-girls, and of course, moi and my down south booty rumpshaker. The hot tracks of the night were the very fitting "Hot Girl" by Belly and Snoop Dogg, and "El Taxi." Don't ask. Just Google them. You figure it out... all the fun we were having.

The best part of it all, absolutely no po-lice to shut us down. We dubbed it our own special version of a re-entry class - the kind that is prison sanctioned to help us convicts reintegrate back into society with social skills and income earning potential. I may not be eligible to reclaim my law license until 2020, but I can now twerk it so I can werk it! Pay me mah money, ho...you know I'm all about that dough!

We even have a special walk where you pretend your legs are loose noodles making your ass quiver with every step. Try it. It's fun! I'm sure your man will thank you for it. Maybe he'll even make it rain on you (um...with hundred dolla bills, girls!)

Well, it's extremely cold here in this little valley where I now temporarily reside. A little too cold for a girl from the south. Girls gotta find a way to warm up the bum, right?

So far, so good at this camp. Everyday is beautiful, and I'm having so much fun! It's also day two of work. I was beginning to enjoy the life of leisure, but then they decided to put me to work. Bleh!  I will be training to drive "Big Bertha" around the complex made up of three male prisons, and the women's camp, taking the women to and from work.  I chose this particular job because (1) I don't really want to work hard for prison pennies anymore, and (2) this is a nice, relaxing way to spend my mornings. I will only be working until 10:30am - sweet!  I'll have the rest of the day to work on keeping fit. But first, I have to train and obtain that license! Wish me luck! I'll be swanging "Big B" from the camp to the pen and back every day.

Okay, so picture a circa 1970s Tijuana city bus, chipped white paint, busted windows, no ac or heating, brown pleather seats...all that's missing is the stripper pole and it's a donkey short of a Mexican party bus! Yep, that'll be me, bossing up in here and getting that money on Big Bertha.

In the meantime, I am working as a fuel station attendant. For those that know me, I don't have to mention that I didn't know how to operate the fuel pump. For those that don't... a girl's gotta learn new skills in here.

Well, I just tuned in to NPR news to hear about all that is going on in the world. Always the same doom and gloom. In prison related news, there are several sit-ins taking place in prisons across the country to denounce the poor living conditions that prisoners are being subjected to right here in America. There are hunger strikes taking place in at least 5 male prisons, in addition to two women prisoners who are also participating in the sit-ins.

It has been reported that these two women are being punished for complaining about the conditions at their particular facilities, and as punishment, they were transferred and held at an all male facility.

Now, while some of you would probably be thinking that this is a good thing, it's really not. These women are most likely sitting in some version of the shu or "hole", being berated by some of the male officers in some form or another. Prisoners really don't have a voice while incarcerated. It takes a collective effort to get heard in most instances, so, I understand the seriousness of this situation. It took great coordination efforts to get all of these participants across the country to demonstrate in unison. I just hope that their voices are heard, and that conditions improve. Being in prison is not the walk in the park that it may seem. While, yes, federal prison camp might sound like it is, it's really only what we make of it. Most of us would rather be at home, living our lives, seeing our families and friends, enjoying our freedom. 

For those of you who are in a position to advocate for those without a voice, I do hope that you see beyond what is parlayed to the general public through countless reality shows and other fabricated media.

Prison Transfer Tips:

(1) Don't eat spicy Indian food - no matter how fancy the restaurant;

(2) Don't stop and get sushi - not even at a world famous spot on the strip;

(3) Buy a bag full of Dramamine;

(4) Drink lots of water;

(5) Ignore the little voice in your head telling you to make a run for it as your bus crosses into the desert.




Leaving Las Vegas to get myself to prison really sucked my butt!!! Those five hours spent there felt more like five minutes. They happened so fast, not unlike time spent with the old boyfriend.  Over with before I could even bat a fancy eyelash!  You know, the feeling of wanting more, needing more...and then it being all over with in an instant. And you can't even call the backup because this one shot's all you got. Complete disappointment! The duration - not the quality of the experience.

Well, I spent the entire first week here sick to my tummy...suffering from "gastroenteritis" as my old bf would have put it.  It's like..."ummm, no, that's not EXACTLY what I would have called it." But, I'll spare you. Let's just say you won't want to be eating the booty like it's groceries any time soon.

And, so it was that I spent an entire week laid up in bed nursing myself back to health. It didn't hurt that I landed in this desert oasis where the going is easy and the fresh fruit's aplenty.  I was back on my feet feeling healed and renewed in no time.

After getting out of that funk, I realized that making the move from the Third Coast to the West Coast was the best decision I could have made for myself to ride out the remainder of my time.  Here, there are no officers or guards on duty watching over our every move, they leave us alone to do our own thing, and they don't ask too many questions or invade our space.  I don't even feel as if I'm in prison.  The only thing missing is our complete privacy and freedom.  So, I deal with it by pretending I'm at a desert oasis fitness resort on most days, and an ashram on others. Either way, it will allow me to walk out of here (when it's time to go) looking good and feeling even better.

Take this moment, for example, here I am in cute shorts and a tank top tanning my legs while I tell you about my recent adventures.  There is not one officer in sight to tell me that I can't. Loving it!

In the last few days, I've started a new fitness routine where I am "Walking Across America", and doing Kayla Itsines' Bikini Body Guide workouts. (They are kicking my A$$!!!)

In between, I take salsa dance classes, hula classes, and do all the bench step-ups that my legs can handle.  During more relaxed times, I go for evening mediation and prayer.

The mountain views are astounding (not unlike the old bf's penis - "the biggest in his country"!). And the air is so fresh and humidity free - my naturally curly hair is loving it! Wish I had a boyfriend to run his fingers through it. I regret always telling the old bf that he couldn't touch my hair unless he was paying for it.  That shit was expensive!!! Just ask the non-bf (who is different from the old bf), who actually DID pay for it - he'll tell  you.  He had to drop some serious stacks on the do. Nearly gave him a heart attack the first time he offered to pay for it.

But, enough about all that. Those memories are from a lifetime that now seems so far removed from my current reality. Gotta keep it moving forward!

On a positive note, a new friend of mine - a gorgeous Vegas showgirl - has promised to introduce me to her cousin so that I can entertain myself with him for the next few months that I'm here.  If he's half as beautiful as she is ...Vegas, we have a winner!

As always, I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, I'll keep oscillating (in my dreams) between the old bf, and the Texas eye candy I left behind. At this point...it's almost as if any $#@& will do. But, not really..."quality over quantity" is still the motto to live by, girls!

I just got off the bus! Dude, I need a shower! Uh, not really. I made it to Cali smelling like a fresh desert flower.  Some adventures just have to wait to be unveiled AFTER I leave prison. With my luck, the Feds will add ten years to my sentence for looking fabulous and smelling like a winner.  Would you like a whiff of this? Eh, can't touch this! Back off, bitch!

So, the bus ride wasn't all that bad. Definitely not the complete derelict drag-along that I thought it to be. It's just my good fortune that of all the bus stations across America, this is what was planted in place for me to start my journey...

But, first, I must digress. I should start with the beautiful, extremely clean, loft-like modern bus station I was dropped off at.  I could live there and be happy.  It even came complete with a super sweet front desk attendant who put my prison transition life at ease. I'm thinking I could keep her on as my personal assistant after all this. (Keisha, I'll call you!)

Okay, back to the gifts from God.  There were only six of us standing by at the station waiting on our bus to pull up.  There were two of us from the prison camp, a former male prisoner (18-months out), a young girl on her way to see her dad, and two handsome East Indian men - a university professor, and a businessman from Singapore. What?!? On the bus!?! In this little town?!? Whoop-whoop...God is good!

Ok, so, the Indian men would probably never have figured out we were straight outta prison - we still looked pretty cute even though we were in our prison grays - except for our new former prison friend having put us out there on blast. Thanks a lot, dude! If you are reading this... you messed up my game, Homie!

But it's all good. Actually, it turns out the professor was very married, and was only dropping off his very single friend at the station. (wink-wink) So, together, we all waited for the bus while getting to know a little bit about each other.

Former prison guy, having recognized fresh off the yard girls, bee-lined his way over with some friendly conversation, chocolate, and unlimited talk, text, and data! What!?! There truly is a God! Everything a girl wants, everything a girl needs. I forgot all about the sweet, shy Indian business guy in a quick instant. Now I definitely know where my priorities are, if I didn't before. First thing up on the screen... rabbitrabbitbirdbird.blogspot.com! That was the first time I was able to see this little puppy live. So, thank you former prison dude...you made my morning!

Not one to leave shy guy out in the dark, once on the bus, I made it a point to illuminate the dark corners of disappointment in his morning. We all had so much fun talking up a storm from point A to the next big stop where my two convict companions left off. Then it turns out, shy guy wasn't so shy after all. He was probably just intimidated by the crowd of felons he was keeping company with in this strange new (to him) land.

After that first drop off, he opened up like a can of worms.  But, after quickly noticing that we didn't hold to the same standards on dental hygiene, it was time for me to inch my way back from all of that. There would be no East-West love connection going on here. No matter how highly educated that fish would be. Re-cast!!! Damn!!! I have less than 48 hours to find the man of my dreams, and it ain't that one! Hurry up, Bitch! Mingle!!!

Here's some of the advice I got from my home gurlz as I left for my adventure:

1. (HG) Make sure you get some on the bus before you get there.
    (Me) Some what? Ewwww....do you really think I want to bang some random Mexican on a bus?

2. (HG) When you get to Vegas, make sure you make you some money, gurl!
    (Me) Oh, no. I'm not allowed to go into the casinos.
    (HG) Really!?!
    (Me) Ooooohhhh...ewwwww!!! I gotta go now. I'll write you!

So, yeah, I had a great time traveling from Texas to Cali with complete freedom to do what I want. I had a five hour layover in Dallas, and another five hours in Vegas. And, what happens in Vegas...

And, no, I didn't bang some rando on the bus, nor anywhere else. I didn't try my luck in Vegas either. Not on the slots, nor on the strip.  You will have to stay tuned for all those details. I am still in BOP custody, so I must remain within the bounds of good sense. I will tell you, though, that this two-day transfer furlough was amazing, considering I'm still in prison. I am very, very grateful for it.

I didn't meet the man of my dreams on this trip, but I did find closure with those old lingering friendships that I thought were still important to me. And, having found that, I am even more free to find myself in this wonderful place that is Southern California, where the weather is ideal, the views are picture perfect, and the sunsets bring with them the promise of a beautiful new tomorrow.

Oh, and I think that I am finally over my Indian/Pakistani obsession. It's like...what have you done for me lately? (Sing it, Janet! You and that fine-ass Arab-money billionaire husband of yours! Can I get a little some of that...Can you introduce me to his daddy, please?)

This week, I'm on my way back to Cali - on a bus, no less.  I'm excited, anxious, a little bit scared, but mostly I'm looking forward to the new chapter of my life that is about to unfold.

The past few weeks have been so stressful for me. Not because of the anxiety of going to yet another unfamiliar prison environment, but because of that bus ride I will be taking by the time you are reading this.

I'm the same one who had a panic attack, and broke down in tears the first time I had to get on public transportation at the halfway house when I was ending my state prison sentence. Thankfully, the women who came to my rescue were sweet, patient, and understanding of my plight.  They literally held my hand, and supported me through that initial ordeal. I never got used to riding the city bus. I would walk to and from work most times, rather than ride the bus. Other times, I would just share a taxi with my co-workers, especially when traveling late at night.

Lean, Mean, Money Making Machine
Before you start thinking that I'm being dramatic over having to ride the bus, let me tell you why I stopped. It wasn't the drug deals I bore witness to. Nor the blatant prostitution hustles I overheard. No, it was none of that. Those things I could handle, especially having just learned in prison not to hear, see or say anything about anything. 

What I couldn't handle was the saggy, smelly and skinny white guy whose wrinkly, hairy balls hung out from underneath his daisy dukes swinging freely as he sat cross-legged on the seat opposite me. Uh, yeah! F*@k public transportation! I'm walking!!! Check, please!

Federal prison allows you to transfer from facility to facility for various different reasons. Prisoners refer to this as "touring" prisons, especially those that have some serious time to do.

In some cases, the warden will allow an inmate to "furlough" transfer unescorted from facility to facility. Not everyone gets this privilege to transfer unescorted, and those who pose a risk to the community, they never get to transfer in this way. Those inmates not allowed usually include those transferring to administrative, low, medium, or high security facilities.

The inmates who are privileged to furlough unescorted must be transferring from a low or minimum security facility, must not pose a threat to the community, and must have demonstrated responsibility while incarcerated to assure furlough requirements will be met. Those inmates convicted of a serious crime against a person will not be granted a furlough.

Institutional transfers can still be requested by those not meeting the eligibility requirements for an unescorted furlough transfer. These inmates will generally be transferred via U.S. Marshal transport - i.e. ConAir and full prison armor.

Inmates can be transferred for the following reasons, among others:
- To an institution with greater security
- With lesser security
- As a result of misconduct (disciplinary)
- Nearer the release destination
- Relieve overcrowding
- Increase population (of newer facilities)
- Participation in a specialized drug abuse program
- Other types of program participation
- Return to original institution upon program completion, withdrawal or removal

Transferring facilities is seen as a privilege (when not as a result of an institutional need), and a prisoner's disciplinary record plays a major role in the granting or denying of such requests.  It's just like in the real work where you have to give a little to gain a little, and bad deeds are never rewarded.

I will follow up with my bus ride adventures next week. Thank you for stopping by.