"Normal" life

Despite yesterday's entry, I am beginning to feel like this life is normal. I'm used to being wakened at any hour for whatever reason - noise, food, count, searches. As much as I don't like it, I've become used to the overwhelming negativity of inmates and guards. I'm no longer surprised by stupid rules that pop up out of nowhere when a guard wants their way.

Every day that I go to school is like an escape. There I am a person with a voice, opinion, intellect, and name. It's a reminder of what I'm working toward. The classes are almost like the classes that I was taking before I was arrested. We just can't leave whenever we finish, and all the students wear remarkably similar clothing. The instructors don't have a bias against any of us that I've seen and about half the guys in class actually have good comments and questions. It's great to be around (some) people who use their brain. I can't wait to get back out and away from this world that has become normal for me.