Three Interesting Things I've Noticed:

- Five out of six inmates I'm writing to use emoticons. I immediately discount anyone in my real life who sends me smiley faces. I, of course, have to be more tolerant of inmates that do so, as I want them to keep writing. Still, interesting thing to note.

- The handwriting of all of the inmates that write to me is extremely legible and neat. There are no cross-outs or mistakes on the page. One could speculate that this is because they have not had access to a computer or typewriter in so long that they have concentrated on their actual handwriting. Makes me sad to think that actual letter writing is such a lost art. Thinking about it, there are some very close friends I have, that I have no idea what their handwriting even looks like. We primarily deal with each other through email, texting and other electronic means. What does this say about us as a society?

- Again, five out of six inmates I am writing to are extremely well-read, educated and like to quote literature and/or movies. (Amongst them are a doctor, teacher, writer, and businessman.) Those same five out of six are extremely complimentary and charming. Those same have been classifed in the press as sociopaths.