Journal of today’s activities:

Today I presented our Straight-A Guide Life Skills curriculum to a group of facilitators who work at the probation camps in Lancaster, California. They are part of the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Following the one-hour presentation that I made to the senior administrators and leadership staff, I presented to a group of young men who were studying in a classroom. As soon as I walked onto the compound, people began running to me as if I were a source of inspiration for them. They had read some of the books that I wrote as part of the Straight-A Guide Life Skills curriculum. Before leaving, several of the young men asked me to autograph books for them. I feel an incredible sense of meaning when I see that young people read my work, especially when I learn that the curriculum I wrote inspires them to make better decisions.

After Lancaster, Justin and I drove to Ventura to meet with officials from the Ventura County Office of Education. We made a presentation to a principal and two staff members, and I expect that our meeting will result in at least one or two new purchase orders for our one-year licensing agreement to use the Straight-A Guide Life Skills Curriculum.

We all can become more than the bad decisions of our past, but neither change nor improved circumstances come by accident. We must pursue a deliberate course of action, which was the message I worked to show them.

• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison: 150
• Miles run today: 10
• Miles run this week: 52.53
• Miles run this month: 84.83
• Miles run in 2014: 84.83
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule: 19.13
• Today’s Weight: 163