7/15/2014
Out of commission. Yesterday I strained my back by doing way too many leg lifts way too fast. What really made my back even worse at the end of the day was sitting up in the same position for more then three hours doing my horticulture homework, only to find out by another classmate that all that homework isn't due until this coming Friday. I wasn't aware of this detail because I was at the Captain's office picking up my incentive for passing victim awareness class. As I sat reading and writing my homework I thought to myself ' this is an awful lot of homework for one weekend', I thought that I would be able to spend the weekend catching up on things like email responses, birthday cards, cell cleanup, etc., etc. Back aching, homework unfinished I allowed myself to get overwhelmed, completely unadjusted to this new responsibility, yet I powered through it, making sure I got every question right,
thoroughly rechecking my work. After I finished my work, I began to walk around, unable to stand up straight I decided to call it a day, took some ibuprofen, said a prayer, laid on my rack and closed my eyes. As I got up to turn off my alarm this morning I realized I was still hurting, so I told myself I had to pass on my exercise routine, (which I hate to do) and take it easy this morning because I need as much strength as possible for 3 1/2 hours of sitting in hard plastic chairs in the school room this afternoon. I just hope and pray this back pain is temporary and alleviates as soon as possible because I can't stand lying around unable to fulfill my daily goals.7/21/2014
____ As I walk out onto the yard this morning for my run, I noticed a little more activity then usual on the yard. Then, as I walk closer to the track I could hear people talking over a set of large speakers. There's a group of Christians that travel to prisons all over the country, preaching to inmates and spreading the word. Some of the men and women preaching had recovered from prostitution, crime and addiction through faith, experiencing a new and better way to live life, hoping to reach another inmate. They sang, they told jokes, did tricks, they even brought their motorcycles on the compound for all the inmates to look at. It was an unexpected surprise to see and hear all this from the yard inside prison, but I could see many other inmates were watching and listening intently, intrigued by what they were preaching. I just hope they were able reach a few souls and help them save their lives.
STEVEN DYBVAD
