What kind of prisoner would you be?

Today on a leisurely lunchtime walk with two co-workers the topic of prison came up. I think we were talking about sitting through an episode of "Two and a Half Men".

We explored the idea of becoming a prisoner ourselves which is actually something I had previously considered after watching a movie called The Reader, starring Kate Winslet whose character has an affair with a teenage boy. Though the relationship later ends, the two are ironically reunited when the young man, who is studying to be a lawyer, attends the trial of a woman who is subsequently convicted of war crimes relating to her time as a concentration camp guard in World War II. Of course, the woman convicted is Winslet's character who goes to prison and learns how to read. For the years leading up to her death, the woman becomes educated and enriched through books checked out at the prison library.

Another interesting story related to time spent in prison was through a special report on Oprah. Selected convicts were invited to take part in a program aimed at rehabilitating prisoners by allowing them to take care puppies that would later be trained to become a Seeing Eye dog. These men spend their days in jail fostering dogs and taking care of their every need; food, water, grooming, etc. Seems like a lovely way to "do your time" if you ask me.

http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/about.asp

Anyway, what would you do if you were in prison? Let's say you're in the slammer for some sort of crazy string of unpaid parking tickets and it's not maximum security so you're free to drop your soap in the shower without fear.

My co-worker Carly said she's be more than happy to study medicine in the hopes of becoming a doctor upon her release.

Stephanie, we decided, would probably be so shell shocked that she's most likely go into her own imaginary world where her ability to speak and communicate would be lost.

As for myself, I think it would be a good opportunity to brush up on my skills because Lord knows it won't be easy to find employment after ticking that "have you ever been to jail" box on a job application. It might be nice to learn Mandarin or Arabic. Perhaps a University degree though correspondence in sociology or psychology because I wouldn't waste my money doing that on my own dime. Let the tax payers pick up the bill! Of course I would read a ton and maybe even take up meditation to cope with the anxiety of prison life. It actually doesn't sound too bad being in prison, does it?

What would you do? Would you be the kind of prisoner who freaks out and loses their marbles? Perhaps you would use your time to be productive? Or would you just plain chill and take it a day at time?

Would love to hear your thoughts.