Days since my release from 26 years in prison: 46
Time I woke: 4:00 am
Journal of activities:

This morning I left my house early in order to go for a long run. I had to drive to Stockton for an important sales call with San Joaquin County Probation officials. The drive takes longer than two hours. I wanted to leave my house by 7:30 to ensure that I would have plenty of time to arrive for my 11:00 am meeting. I was meeting with the chief of probation and several deputy chiefs of probation to pitch the idea of the county using our Straight-A Guide reentry program. I spoke for one hour, following a precise agenda. I specifically wanted to gauge the county’s idea on becoming a client for transitional housing. The county rejected the idea for becoming a client of a transitional housing project because it was building its own project. Ms. James and her team asked that I present two formal proposals and I am thinking about how I will  write the proposals.

The challenge I have in writing the proposal is that the county wants me to deliver the services, but since I live more than two-hours driving distance from the jail, it would not be feasible to teach a one hour program, five days each week in that facility.  So I have to think the idea through. I will wait to submit the proposal until after Justin, my partner returns from his honeymoon. Following my meeting with the probation department I met with the Fathers and Families organization. It’s an impressive nonprofit that Sammy Nunez, a former prisoner began nearly a decade ago. We discussed the possibility of working together to create job opportunities. Then, I met with Jerron Jordan’s group called The First 50, which is a teaching organization for teenagers. Since I was scheduled to teach a second class on Saturday, I slept at the University Plaza Hotel that evening. The trip cost me more than $200, but I don’t know whether I walked away with a sale.

Exercise Routine-

• Time: 4:30 am
• Lenght of time: 2 hours
• Miles run today: 11
• Weather: Beautiful and sunny in Stockton
• Consecutive days: 6
• Cumulative miles since day off: 51
• Pushups today: 0
• Cumulative pushups for month: 0
• Annual marathon tally: 6

Gratitude prayer:

I’m grateful to God for all the blessings in my life, especially the strength God provides to rejuvenate my energy when I’m down.

Appointments:

Today I met with leadership from San Joaquin County probation, including Stephanie James, the chief probation officer and several deputy chief probation officers. Then I met with Jerron Jordan, who leads a nonprofit in Stockton. Following that meeting, I met with Sammy Nunez and his team of leaders at the organization known as Fathers and Families. Finally, I met with a group of teenagers so that I could teach a class on financial literacy.

Links to publications: