The past week has been status quo, which is a great thing for me. I appreciate your flexibility with letting me vent about the advocacy group in last week’s post that seems to just prey upon nearly incarcerated felons. Hunter Biden was added to the list of felons this past week. How interesting the whole situation has been with the Trump/Hunter cases. I had not read Hunter’s autobiography, which prosecutors astutely played snippets from the audio book narrated in Hunter’s own voice. I did not know that Hunter had a fling with his sister-in-law after his brother’s death, which resulted with him introducing her to smoking crack. Addiction affects so many of us and our family core. Its cancerous grip is purely ugly and doesn’t discriminate between sex, religion, age, race, or economic status. The Bidens aren’t exempt from the grasp of addiction. Unfortunately, addiction often correlates with illegal activities, which I am constantly reminded every day here in Morgantown. I am encouraged by so many men that I see daily who are dedicated to addressing their addiction, embracing sobriety, and eradicating criminal behaviors through their active participation in rehabilitative programming and psychological services offered here in Morgantown.
Band Update: The new band, Another Day Down, had its first performance at the GED Graduation this week. Normally, the band plays in an auditorium with a capacity of 400 people. Since the GED Graduation has visitors, we had to move our equipment to the Visitation Center, which is halfway across the campus and up a few flights of stairs. While guests were signing into the event, we played some of elevator-style songs. Then, the ceremony began with our rendition of Pomp and Circumstance (traditional graduation march). After the keynote address by the assistant warden, we played a reflective song, Goodness of God, which surprised me that we were permitted to play a religious worship song. Following the ceremony, we played a few songs: La Bamba, No Woman No Cry, Ain’t No Sunshine (When She’s Gone), Wagon Wheel, and Yellow Ledbetter. As a band with three newer members, we played really well together. Now, we are preparing for a 4th of July concert, which will consist of 16 songs to be played in the auditorium. As I have detailed earlier, we had a bit of drama with the band member dynamics. For the past two weeks, everyone’s been getting along.
The day after the graduation, my parents visited for the umpteenth time. I teased my 83-year-old father to see if he could recall all the visits. I even challenged my own memory. These visits are quite enjoyable. It’s quite abnormal to visit a loved one in a prison or jail, but thankfully Morgantown is a bit different from the norm. The officers are very respectful to visitors and create a welcoming environment, which really helps maintain a positive experience for everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to visit due to distance, scheduling, and the process for being approved as a visitor. Thus, I am beyond grateful for so much loving support shown through prayers and communication, albeit snail mail letters and emails. All and any support is critical for a successful experience in prison, which keeps me connected to the real world. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and allowing me to indulge on random insights from week to week. Please continue to be mindful of any little miracle in your life 😀