September 19, 2014
Getting Ready to Go To Federal Prison Camp
The pure shock of my Sentencing Day is over. It is time for me to deal with the real world issues I have to face as I get ready to report to Federal Prison Camp. I want to be through and precise. I do not want my family or my friends to have to run around and clean up after me after I am gone. My clothes will be stored in a friends attic as our small condo does not have much storage space. I am purchasing a car cover for my old car that will sit outside for several years in the Florida sun. I am making arrangements to send money over Western Union to the BOP so I have funds available in my commissary account to purchase basic necessities upon my arrival at Federal Prison Camp.
Contrary to popular belief, prison is not free for the inmates. You purchase everything from bathroom products to stamps to phone cards on your designated commissary day. I have organized our tax file so my wife can be ready for the accountant at year end. I am drafting lists of email addresses and mailing addresses so I can maintain my network while I am inside. I plan to mail these lists to myself the day I report . Apparently, you cannot walk in with them on the day you report. I am drafting a good bye letter for Family and Friends which will contain my address in case they are motivated to write.
I hear getting mail is a happy day in Prison. I am lining up a newspaper subscription so I can stay in touch with real world events. (the way things are going in the world right now, this could be a mistake? ) I am also compiling an appropriate reading list so I can order books to read that will educate and entertain. I am also making a list of things I intend to accomplish in prison. Writing blogs like this, reading a specific number of books per month, writing a specific number of letters to family and friends each month, etc. I will mail this list to myself just like my contacts list.
I am saving my phone information to a computer since my phone will be shut off upon arrival at prison. I am also doing all of those little household projects so my Family is not burdened with them after I am gone. In Essence, I am moth balling my life in the real world before I report to Federal Prison Camp. While I am doing this, I cannot help but think what the real world will be like when I return to reverse the process. Moth balling your life is not a lot of fun, but it is necessary!
By the way, I never liked the smell of moth balls!
Ken Flaska
