Saturday, 10/21/2017

It is 2037 hours. I am lying on my stomach on the bed (one that we got on Amazon that I was a little skeptical about getting. Surprisingly it isn't 100% bad.. only about 40%). Mackenzie just went into the other room (I wonder what she is doing..?). She was up until about two minutes ago laying next to me playing her games on her phone. She has these trivia games she likes to play that I help her cheat with by searching answers before we write them down (LOL!)... we DEFINATELY make a good team!

It has already been 3 days since I first broke my silence on this thing. I hope I stick with it. I HAVE been thinking about writing since Wednesday, but I always seem to procrastinate doing it until it is too late to do it. Oh well. "Never stop starting" is something that my mom says in her fitness classes that she teaches at the Blanco Community Center ("Gem of the Hills" as they call it). The saying really can be applied to all areas of life, as we are all ALWAYS falling short of our goals. Whether it is failing to maintain a diet 100% of the time, or ceasing study of something you need to be studying, or having a day where you don't want to do anything. If you fail, never stop starting over again. So, with that, here's to me starting my daily blogging/online-journal-keeping over again.

So because I haven't made any sort of entry the last couple of days, I should play a little bit of catch-up:
Thursday- The only thing worth while that really happened on Thursday was I went shooting with a couple of guys from work. I was allowed to buy a rifle as part of my birthday present this last year, and I am still toying around with it. I got a aimpoint red dot sight from another guy from work and I threw it on my rifle almost as soon as I got it. I FINALLY sighted it in yesterday. 0'd in at 50 yards, which I would say is a good length. Anyways, I was able to put about 200 rounds down range which is a good amount for one day of shooting.

Friday- Showed up at briefing at work at 0545 hours. Some buckwheat was found with 8 coffee bags (Imagine the size of an average shoe in size) full of feces. The dude who was found with it was and is known for throwing and smearing his crap when he doesn't get what he wants... what's his name?.. "P" is good enough I think. I won't give you his name because that is too specific for public knowledge. The first initial of his first name should suffice.

Other than that we had 3 deployments back to back. It made the time go quick, but holy cow I was exhausted and hot.... and hungry afterwards. One kid we deployed on is named "D". Known to assault Staff, breaking lights, and being disruptive. Holy cow. So this kid, D, is a Level 1 inmate, which is the highest level you can get. He put himself in that classification by assaulting a staff member so so badly he was out for a month. Shattered his nose. so much blood, lemme tell you. The other kid we deployed on is named "Y." Y was arrested and booked in 3 months ago, and already has 17 Destruction of Property infractions. His MO is breaking cameras and sprinklers just cuz he feels like it. I honestly don't understand some people. He doesn't understand why does it either I believe. Sociopathy? Y was deployed on back to back. We dressed up, went inside and moved him after he broke a sprinkler head, went outside and took off our (hot) gear, got called back, put our (hot) gear back on and went inside and put him in the restraint chair. Oh well, it gives us something to do, and reps to practice with for when it actually comes down to a REAL deployment.

Today- The only major things that happened today were a staff member was assaulted by the same inmate that assaulted me a little while back. I responded to the assistance call, saw her laying on her stomach with another staff member holding her down, I went up to them and got ahold of her legs with my nunchakus and turned her around to where she was laying on her stomach. Then she went in the chair, pretty easy work. Still, gave us something to do for a boring Saturday morning.

There was something I wanted to write down specifically, but I can't remember.. It's okay. I wrote enough for tonight anyways.. I hope I can remember it tomorrow. Whatever I write tomorrow will be more insightful, I promise.

-P

Wednesday, 10/18/2017

Good afternoon. It is 1716 hours (5:16 PM). I am sitting in my living room, my left leg is crossed over my right leg, which is elevated on the big brown oversized bean bag. I am sitting next to Mackenzie (my wife), and she is watching "who's line is it anyways?". These are some good days, in my house at least.

This blog, these days and from here on out, will be aimed towards telling the world about my days in LE (Law Enforcement). Sometimes I have the need to vent. Sometimes I don't know how, or who to, or what about. Maybe the idea behind starting this is my own personal way of getting things off of my chest, I don't know. I certainly have noticed an increase in my overall stress these days. My stress, I believe, can be blamed primarily on things going on, current events, all of which are just tallied up to being "signs of the times." The things I have noticed lately: increase in natural disasters, war brewing between countries, a general lack of faith in Heavenly Father and the gospel of Jesus Christ, a rise in crime and hate between different people of different races and beliefs. All of these have been talked about and warned of years prior to these days. It's kinda scary.

So with work, like I said I am a Law Enforcement Officer; not far off from my original dream of being a lawyer. For the sake of potential ousting of myself by my personal beliefs which may or may not be construed wrongfully, as we see with politicians who run for office, regardless of what it is they run for, I will not disclose who I am employed by. I don't even know if I even want to publish my blog to any public forum yet. I don't want to have any sort of attention at all for my ideas. However, they might be useful and interesting to some. Some people might be interested in the stories I tell about work, some people might identify with my ideas and beliefs, and like the support of having someone go through the same things I struggle with, some people might not understand at all. Like myself. I used to secretly make fun of bloggers. I thought it was ridiculous when I would see or here of someone constantly writing about their lives. I digress.

Work sometimes can be challenging. While I say I am a "Law Enforcement Officer," people generally assume I am talking about "Police Officers." Well, I am not a police officer. I am a corrections officer, assigned to the tactical emergency response team (Corrections Tactical, or CTAC, as it is called). I see and hear things daily that some people will never hear or see in their entire lives. Have you ever responded to a medical emergency, where there is a report of an unresponsive person, only to arrive at the scene and know for certainty that the person is dead and beyond help, and still have to perform CPR on that person? have you ever had to respond to a fight, where there was so much blood on the ground that you could've guessed that there had been a stabbing, and the person next to you could've guessed the same? Have you ever been cussed out so badly it makes you wonder why you are even in your profession, all because you wear a badge on your chest? I have. All of these things. I don't want to say it's hard to handle all of it, but it is. I have the day off today and tomorrow. I work on Friday. Who knows what'll happen then.

There is support in the guys that I work with. And with my wife. She is so wonderful. She is the greatest thing in the world to me. I hesitate when I say "thing", because these days the feminazis and the movement behind it would crucify me with my choice of words. "She is NOT an OBJECT!" they would say, but, she IS my WIFE. The word "wife" is a noun. A Noun is defined as a person, place, or THING, and sometimes an idea. So, I stand by my choice of words. But would she understand some of the things I talk about? I don't even know if I have the capabilities to talk or convey in words some of the things that bother me. Sometimes I just need to vent, and sometimes I don't think it is something I can vent to another human being about. Sometimes I just need to talk about it. But sometimes I can't.

I think I am going to wrap it up for today. This was meant to be just an intro to my new aim for my blog, but it turned into a full post. Oh well. There will be more to come tomorrow. I will probably post more then, then again, it is just another day off and I don't think anything interesting will happen. We'll see.

10 September 2009: The night I became an Eagle Scout. Thank you to all of you who helped me along the way.

Directions to Harwood, Texas to help with my Eagle Project

From San Marcos, go east on HWY 80 to Luling.
In Luling turn right at the light on HWY 183, then cross the RR tracks and turn left to stay on HWY 183.
Take 183 out of town. After a couple miles, cross a bridge and turn left on HWY 90 toward Harwood.
Go a few miles to Harwood, then turn left at the Post Office.
You'll see the Harwood Community Center on the right. Turn right after the Community Center.
The cemetery is down a couple blocks on the left. You can't miss it.

Bring a water bottle and any tools you have like: chainsaw and fuel, hatchet, weed eater and fuel, machete, rake, stuff like that.

Wear long pants, sleeves, hat, glasses, gloves and closed toed shoes.

Carpool from my house at 7 a.m. or come on your own. It takes about 45 minutes to get there from Kyle.

Thank you all in advance. I'll see you Saturday.

Philip

My Eagle Project

Project Description

Project name: Harwood Texas Negro Cemetery Clean-up

Describe the project you plan to do.

Organize a group of people to go to Harwood, Gonzales County, Texas and clean up the Negro Cemetery there. My sister, Heather is buried in the Harwood Cemetery in 1990. Over the years, as my family has traveled to Harwood to visit the grave of my sister, I have noticed a fence around the perimeter of the cemetery. On one side of the cemetery, I saw that there are graves on the other side of the fence. My mother told me it was the ‘black’ cemetery and that the Harwood Cemetery Committee does not do the upkeep on it. I climbed the fence and saw many graves in the undergrowth. Jamie Owens, who lives in Harwood presently, took the pictures I have attached 13 April 2009. My plan is to get permission from the Gonzales County Commissioner or Gonzales County Judge to clean the Harwood Negro Cemetery. After getting permission from my local and council scout leaders, I will select a date for the clean up. I will contact my friends, associates and possibly the Alpha Rho chapter (UT-Austin) of Alpha Phi Omega, the National Service Fraternity to enlist volunteer help with the clean up. I will enlist people who are willing to donate the use of weed-eaters, mowers, mulchers, trailers, trucks, hoes, machetes, gloves, bags and other appropriate equipment. I will organize transportation for those who need it to come help with my project on the day of the clean up. I will organize the provision of drinking water and cups for the workers and doughnuts or breakfast tacos for a mid-morning break for refreshments. I will organize the provision of a pop-up shade so workers can get out of the sun when needed to take a break during the hard work. I will arrange for the removal of the branches and other debris that needs to be removed from the site. I will consult a gardener or nursery operator to see if spreading the mulched natural material may be spread around in the cemetery area to suppress new growth of the weeds we will remove. If appropriate, I will organize the spreading of the mulch throughout the cemetery to suppress new growth of weeds. I will contact a local news agency to inform them of my upcoming project which is a service to those who cannot serve themselves, and is also a service to the youth and adults who will work along side of me in doing a good deed for the community.

What group will benefit from the project?

Unnamed and unnumbered families, who may come at some time in the future to look for their ancestors’ burial places. Families of the slaves, veterans, and other African American, and Hispanic individuals who are buried in the Harwood Negro Cemetery. There is no telephone number, as the possible posterity of those buried in the cemetery could be in the thousands and are unnamed. My project will also benefit the residents of Harwood, Texas, who live near the cemetery and who may wish to visit, but cannot due to the present condition of the cemetery.

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Name of religious institution, school, or community Telephone No.

Harwood Negro Cemetery west of County Road 230 on South Second Street, Harwood, Texas 78632

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Street address City State Zip code

My project will be of benefit to the group because:

There is a fence that divides the graves. The white people are buried on one side in a well kept section of the Harwood Cemetery. The African American and Hispanic graves are on the other side of the fence in a section unfenced and un-kept. I believe the clean up effort itself will cause the people involved to ponder race relations. As it is, no one can safely enter the cemetery without boots and jeans to protect from snakes, poison ivy, or other such possible dangers. Graves are covered with overgrowth of weeds. A clean cemetery will allow visitors to enter.

This concept was discussed with my unit leader on: Matt Kruzie

4-8-09 Date

The project concept was discussed with the following representative of the group that will benefit from the project.

	Jamie K. Ownes Representative’s name	13 April 2009 Date of meeting
	Harwood, Texas resident Representative’s title	Phone No.

Project Details

Plan your work by describing the present condition, the method, materials to be used, project helpers, and
a time schedule for carrying out the project, the estimated cost of the project, and how the needed funds will
be obtained. Describe any safety hazards you might face, and explain how you will ensure the safety of those carrying out the project.

If appropriate, include photographs of the area before you begin your project. Providing before-and-after photographs of your project area can give a clear example of your effort.

I will be calling and/or email people to get them involved. I have set up a special email account at philipwindham_eaglescoutproject@yahoo.com that I will use in my advertising of my project in both the Luling Eagle and the Gonzales Inquirer news papers. Volunteers can email me to tell me they will help. I will forward to each emailing volunteer a schedule of events at the project and the safety guidelines I have listed below. I have contacted the Gonzales County Judge to get permission to clean the cemetery. I will contact people I know and those who have been suggested by my Scout leaders to be helpers for my project and who will: Work, provide trucks, transportation to and from the project, trailers, mowers, chippers, hoes, weed-eaters, sickles, gloves, bags, water cans, cups, other appropriate tools that may be suggested by those I will contact. I will contact two local nurseries to ask about whether or not spreading the natural mulch from the clean up is healthy for the land in the cemetery. The table below lists items and expenses needed for my project. Item Description Quantity Unit Cost Total Cost 1 Ice 8 $1.00 $8.00 2 Water 20 gallons $.25 $5.00 3 Gas for travel round trip from Kyle to Harwood 4 vehicles @70 miles each $0.585/mile $163.80 4 Fuel for machines 12 machines $0.43/hr $5.16 5 First Aid Kit 1 $10.00 $10.00 6 Garbage bags 5 $.05 $.25 7 Sack lunches for volunteers 50 $2.00 $100.00 8 9 TOTAL $292.21* * I will present my project to the members of my Ward and request their assistance. The funding for my project will be provided by my church. Table below lists other tools and equipment needed to complete my project. Item Description Unit Quantity Chainsaws 8 Machetes 8 Weed Eaters 3 Garden Rakes 2 Chipper 1 I will discuss Safety Issues with project workers at the beginning of the work. Items I will cover during this briefing will include the following: Everyone must wear a hat; sunscreen is recommended Everyone must wear gloves; Operators and assistance running the chain saws and weed eaters must wear safety glasses; Whoever is running the wood chipper must wear ear protection; Everyone must wear long sleeves and gloves Everyone is encouraged to take water breaks every 15-20 minutes In case of injury, a first aid kit will be available. The items in the first aid kit include (but are not limited to): topical treatment for poison ivy and poison oak, tweezers for removing thorns, cleaning solvent and pads and bandages for bandaging cuts of all sizes, eye wash, hand soap and a gallon of tap water. If there is a serious emergency, Sally Windham will call 911 from her cell phone to alert the Gonzales County EMS or other appropriate emergency services personnel. I plan to perform the clean up on 16 May 2009. Whatever work needs to be finished, if any, will be completed on 6 June 2009 by members of my scout troop. The workers will meet in Harwood at the cemetery at 8:00 and will work until 12:15 noon. We will take a 15 minute break at 10:15. My goal is to have 50 people present to work for 4 hours. The following details the work schedule for this project. 7:30 a.m. I will arrive at the work site and set up the easy up shade, first aid station and water table. 8:00 a.m. All volunteers arrive on site and check in with me. 8:15 a.m. Divide volunteers into teams and make assignments: Group 1 4 Chain saws 5 Chain saw haulers (haul off the stuff cut by the saws) 1 Safety Supervisor Group 2 4 Chain saws 5 Chain saw haulers (haul off the stuff cut by the saws) 1 Safety Supervisor Group 3 4 Machetes 5 machete haulers (haul off the stuff cut by the machetes) 1 Safety Supervisor Group 4 4 Machetes 5 machete haulers 1 Safety Supervisor Group 5 1 Chipper operator 1 Chipper operator assistant 2 Garbage pick up 2 Mulch spreaders/garden rake 3 Weed Eaters 1 Safety Supervisor 8:30 a.m. Begin working 10:15 a.m. Fifteen-minute break 10:30 a.m. Resume working 12:15 noon Round up volunteers and closing remarks and words of appreciation Assessment of work completed and determination of need for second day or not Ronald Sherman will obtain a travel permit as needed for the travel to and from my project. I will counsel with Lyndert Kramer and J. Frederic Bell, both of Lockhart, Texas, who have many of the tools and equipment I will need to complete my project. Both are members of my church. They will help me. Also, Bill Edgel and Kert Robinson will be my pathway to Eagle guides. Both Mr. Robinson and Mr. Edgel have experience helping young men achieve Eagle Scout. Any garbage needing to be removed from the site will be taken to a dumpster at Windham Plumbing. The before pictures have been taken by Jamie Owens, current Harwood resident.

This is the first post I have written so far. I'm looking at myself in the mirror right now. I just read a blog of a friend of mine. He was talking about how out of shape he is. It's making me think about how in shape or out of shape, either way, I am. Next year, coach told me I'm going to be third string defense. I don't know what I think about that. I'll probably have a better chance to get to college ball playing offense, anyway. Right now, I squat around 430. That's not as much as before I broke my hand a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to work out. I guess the reason why I didn't lift as much this last time is because I wasn't used to it. My legs were sore from the work out earlier that day... from not being in shape. I have a 5.5 40-time. I have a 5.4 shuttle run. I haven't tested bench yet, but I'm guessing I could get around 230. These are educated guesses from my experiences in the past, but I am guessing I can power-clean about 225, incline-press about 190, and military-press about 210. These may not be accurate, but even if they are, I still have a lot of work to do before I can play at the college level.

As I have said, I have a lot of work to do, but one of my friends has told me that he is going to work with me during the summer to get my strength, agility, speed, and form so that I have a better chance at getting looked at by colleges. He is a linemen coach at Texas State University and has more experience than anyone else I know. I am greatly looking forward to the upcoming Fall.