| Hello Everybody!! (Simpsons respond) Hi Doctor Nick! Ok I'm not Dr. Nick but I had to throw that in. Saw the Simpson's movie, it was ok overall, but really the graphics was the big selling point to me! Now its time for what you have all been waiting for, I'm sure, my big almost annual update. Courtney and I had our second child on Dec. 5 and we named him Matthew. William is adjusting to baby brother slowly but he still isn't completely convinced that his brother is ok to have around. However William has gotten to where he wants to hug, hold, and yes occasionally kiss his new brother. More to the point he likes to steal Matthew's bottles at feeding time. I'm still working for TDCJ and my supervisors have been telling me that I need to take the Unit Mentor class so I can train new officers that come to the unit. One of my Lts. even told me at my yearly review that next year, when I'm eligible she wants me to apply for a Seargents position. I've been starting to work some overtime when I can because it really is easy money, an Extra $140 a night take home after the state takes out retirement and comp time. That's really good money for 12 hrs. of fairly light work. However the jobs not always easy there is a reason we get hazardous duty pay. I am currently working at a Maximum Security unit and in the summer it gets rough, because there's no A/C for the offenders and their tempers seem to rise with the tempature outside, a lot of uses of force during the summer when they get beligerant with us and each other. First, they get angry then, they start fighting and then, they get gased and sent to "lockup" or as they call it "jail". In a lot of ways the prison is its own miniture city. The commisary is the "store", the chow hall is the "Diner", the Infirmary is the "Hospital", the sidewalks are the "streets", the rec yard is the "Gym", the Chaplin is the "Church", the cells are the "Houses", and the officers are the "Cops". It's kind of weird when I think about it at times. I am, in essence, a beat cop armed only with mace and my wits on one of the hardest and most dangerous beats in the state. On a good night my fellow and officers and I are outnumbered roughly 150 to 1, more than 150 to 1 on a bad night, but each day we do our job and, if all goes well, everyone goes home safe and sound. We are able to do this because we are Proffessional Correctional Officers. We are the Gaurdians of the Gates. |
