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Leisure Time

Interview with Mickey, Nate, Anne, Ryan, Erik and Chris

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Mickey: T.V., about 20 square foot concrete "outside" area, surrounded by walls with a steel grate covering the top about 25 feet up. There is a TV set in the corner of the pod, and some metal tables.
Nate: None.
Anne: Books, a concrete court every other day for 30 minutes. TV in one corner usually blaring some horrible horrible American Idol or Little House on the Prairie. A special treat would be the Simpsons which I could hear if I sat next to the door. Actually, I had a hard time concentrating. My book reading attention span was an impossible 15 minutes. I couldn't read an entire chapter with attention to save my life. I am a big reader, but not in jail. I wrote letters to my fiance and wrote a journal constantly. It was the only catharsis I felt I had.
Ryan: none
Erik: As you are being classified, being house in quarantine there is a few boxes of assorted books. While the pod is not locked down you can check out various games (chess, dominoes) and usually one of the trustees will have a deck of cards for some good old jail house spades. If your lucky there will be a racket ball for games of handball in the yard. Quaratine pods are also great for people watching as new inmates are constantly being introduced to the pod. Television is also available. (Game shows and other random talk shows tend to be selected during the day. The more permenet pods give you access to the library system for more selective reading materials to check out.
Chris: There was a "yard" outside that was just brick walls which seem to be the theme of the jail. Other than that there were ho facilities unless you want to count the tables in the pod where you are supposed to eat but rarely do. The pod could be used for waking circles.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Mickey: It's sometimes hard to get into a game such as cards at the tables, or handball outside, and often hard to get a seat close enough to the TV to see/hear anything.
Nate: The only ent. was t.v., reading or playing cards.
Anne: The entertainment I enjoyed was created inside my head mostly so no.
Erik: They like to keep the pods quiet so getting a good chair in front of the tv can be a little competative at times. If you are a social person you should have no problem being able to be a part of whatever activity you want to. Just show common curtosy
Chris: There really was no entertainment so competition was not fierce. x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Mickey: No
Nate: No. I didn't eat too much and I could do laps around the block or pushups in my cell.
Anne: Hahaha is this a joke? I have been a trainer and coach for 13 years. In fact, while I was in jail I forfeited a job interview I had scheduled. Two positions I was scheduled to interview were with the U.S. Olympic Snowboarding team as Speed Coach and Technical Coach. Each position was a travel job, earning approximately 48K/year. This was the first time I had gone out in a couple of years for a major coaching position. Aaah, I did not do pushups, situps, or any other exercise I could have done. I had no motivation to teach, talk about healthy lifestyle, or sports. I walked and paced in my cell constantly which resulted in a foot injury. I gained 12 lbs of fat in 28 days.
Erik: The biggest complaint by inmates you will here is that you dont get enough food, so I lost weight during my stays. Push ups and cardio are about all you have.
Chris: No i did not have a hard time staying in shape while I was in jail . x x x x

JM: How often did you get to go outside? What did you do outside if you were allowed to? If you were not allowed to go outside what could you do for exercise?
Mickey: 1-2X per day
Nate: Never.
Anne: Earlier I explained our split-pod schedule. If I was outside for 30 mins on a tuesday morning, the next time I would see the outside would be thursday night at the soonest.
Erik: Each pod has an outdoor, "yard". This is made up of concrete walls and floor with a steel grid as you look into the sky. During the warm months this is the only fresh air you have. Handball, racketball basketball and walking laps around the 5' x 50' yard are about it.
Chris: You could go outside whenever you were on free time. If allowed out there you could play handball or walk around is basically what goes on outside.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Mickey: Yes, the LDS church held services, I don't remember when, I would assume on Sunday/
Nate: I don't know.
Anne: Yes, only a certain few could go usually chosen by trustees. in the split pod, one classification would be out on a sunday so whoever was out, and in the chosen crowd could go.
Erik: Every Sunday, LDS leaders come in and hold a quick discussion. As you get to a more permenent pod, I have seen other services held.
Chris: Yes there were church services. LDS and Catholic were on Sunday. There was a non denominational that came on Wednesday evenings.

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