This is not a coming-of-age post, not exactly, but maybe, just maybe, in some neighborhoods, getting arrested and going to prison qualify as rites of passage. Perhaps they qualify because it's all we have. I do remember the first time I legally purchased a pack of cigarettes, it was at a prison canteen in Belle…
Be Not Conformed…
Most people are conditioned to strive toward social acceptance. The American convict (or ex-convict), though ostracized, is no exception. That’s the power of mental conditioning; The ex-convict seeks the approval and acceptance of the exact people who sent him into exile, the same people who disapproved of his actions to such a degree that they…
Soul On Rice: Interesting Facts
Today I'm going to break away from the type of posts my readers have come to expect. I just want to share with my readers some fun facts about my blog. Here they are: The 5 Countries where my blog is viewed (and read) the most: (1) United States, (2) United Kingdom, (3) Canada, (4)…
Dear Recently-Released Prisoner,
From the moment you are released from prison the world will seek to impress upon you the idea that, somehow, you're behind, that you need to "catch up." It's not true. Who do you need to catch up to? They'll tell you that "you need to hit the ground running." But the truth is, you need…
Flash Debate: A Review
In one of my much earlier posts I wrote about growing up in the Bronx and not really having any coming-of-age rites that celebrated the transition from adolescence to adulthood. I went on to say that, instead, throughout our lives, we majored in survival. And then, a "Flash Debate" occurred in the comments section. In…
Soul On Rice 