DannyBoyinExile

Many people think that we in prison “have nothing but time” – but you’d be surprised at how busy we can get in here, if we keep ourselves occupied.
A typical day for me begins at 3:30am, when I wake up to get ready for work in the mattress factory. Well, a TYPICAL day is one in which I’ve found an excuse to not go to work, I’ll admit. But when I do, I’m up at 3:30am. I drink some coffee, brush my teeth, and they’ll be rolling my cell door by 4:00. Then it’s straight to breakfast, and straight to work.
Remember that the mattress factory isn’t the only industry here. There is also the tag plant (where all the license plates in Texas are made), the sign shop, computer recovery, diesel mechanics, welding school, etc. By the time we all actually get to our workplaces, it’s around 5:30.
Then we stay there, hard at work (don’t laugh!), until “quitting time”, at 11:30. At that point, we all get strip-searched on the way out (can’t have anyone stealing mattresses, I suppose). Then it’s straight to the showers, where we get strip-searched again, on the way in. No big deal, I suppose, as I typically strip before showering anyway – but it’s still a nuisance. Though I do understand the need for security.
After showering, groups of twenty inmates at a time are sent directly to the chow hall. When we finally make it back to our living areas, it’s around 12:30pm.
I’ll admit that I’m usually exhausted by then. Not from all the hard work I’ve done – just from the routine of getting up at such an ungodly hour and being on my feet all day. Almost to a man, we go back in our cells at the first opportunity, for an old man nap… but not me. I prefer to call it a power nap! haha
We eat the last meal between 5 and 6pm, and our day is basically over then. Most people on that schedule go to bed around 8 or 9pm, to get plenty of rest for the next morning. I usually dare to read, think, speak, and write until 10 or 11 before I fall into a coma again, and my tablet and I recharge until 3:30am… Now you see why I miss work as often as I’m able! haha
Of course, there are many other activities in addition to or in place of our job assignments. I just wanted to illustrate how your job here isn’t just a job, but also your routine, your schedule, and your lifestyle. As an inmate, you are lucky if you have a job that you actually enjoy, that suits your temperament and talents (or lack thereof). You may even get a job where you are actually able to learn something from, that you can use in the future. Because you can learn from just about any situation, if you are willing to… So says DannyBoy.