San Diego gangster reflects on 35 years of banging (That's Life and Life's Not Easy)

[gustavo fring]

Good read, repped for sharing.

 

[ps2child]

p4l

 

[dallassneakerhead08]

I didn't plan to read all of it, but after page 2 I couldn't stop... A lot of good ish in the midst of that article

 

[アミーゴ]

Really good read. Been to Downtown SD quite a few times, always see the people on the corners selling etc.

 

[n3rd]

Great article, thanx OP.

 

[donmega]

Great article, thanx OP.

 

[Sir San Diego]

I'm glad to hear I wasn't the only one who enjoyed it. It's crazy how reality is kept hush hush out here...

My homie from back home who lives out here too is going through it with his son. Dude is 14 and has been quietly escalating the level of trouble he dabbles in. Little man has been running away, getting picked up for different **** and has been kicked out of the school district. My homie moved out of the hood, but it was too late. Little man dips just to go back. smh

He thinks because he's not 18 yet, he's exempt and his record will be expunged.

 

[nineteen92]

That was a great read. Thanks for sharing, OP.

 

[curtis howard]

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I value your time and review. However, I did want to clarify something that you may have missed in my story: I joined the Crips in 1977. However, in 1990 while at Pelican Bay prison I had a change of heart after undergoing several racial conflicts and "I never committed another gang act". This equals 13 years of gang activity. The criminal offenses that extended my incarceration resulted only from the struggles of street-life elements such as drugs, homelessness, and battling the demons of an uncertain future. I actually did learn my lesson long before 40 years. (I'm only 4 At that point of realization I was trapped into a life that I set the stage for at an early age and long before I had the presence of mind to fully comprehend what I was getting myself into by taking that path. I did have the opportunity and resources to change the course of my life a couple of times, but I didn't, and those opportunities would not come again for a very long time. That is the reason why I omitted childhood, economic, and social factors from my story and took full responsibility for my actions and circumstances that followed. Thanks again, and I look forward to finding a publisher for my book Cellmates&Cellouts which is an extended version of my article with many more episodes, trials and tribulations of the street gang and prison life for you guys to read! Stay up!

                                                                                                                                                                          Curtis CurtDog Howard

 

[brainwashed21]

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I value your time and review. However, I did want to clarify something that you may have missed in my story: I joined the Crips in 1977. However, in 1990 while at Pelican Bay prison I had a change of heart after undergoing several racial conflicts and "I never committed another gang act". This equals 13 years of gang activity. The criminal offenses that extended my incarceration resulted only from the struggles of street-life elements such as drugs, homelessness, and battling the demons of an uncertain future. I actually did learn my lesson long before 40 years. (I'm only 4 At that point of realization I was trapped into a life that I set the stage for at an early age and long before I had the presence of mind to fully comprehend what I was getting myself into by taking that path. I did have the opportunity and resources to change the course of my life a couple of times, but I didn't, and those opportunities would not come again for a very long time. That is the reason why I omitted childhood, economic, and social factors from my story and took full responsibility for my actions and circumstances that followed. Thanks again, and I look forward to finding a publisher for my book Cellmates&Cellouts which is an extended version of my article with many more episodes, trials and tribulations of the street gang and prison life for you guys to read! Stay up!

                                                                                                                                                                          Curtis CurtDog Howard

Hope everything's good homey.. 

Wats your take on the prison system? 

What would be your advice to a young kid growing up around a negative lifestyle?

 

[dipsetgeneral]

Good read. Damn this gang lifestyle is crazy. What kinda mentality causes them to commit such silly crimes? Why can't you just be in your respective gangs and leave the rest of society alone?

 

[brainwashed21]

I think it's all a part of fitting in.. Whatever role you choose to play in that type of environment is what ultimately sets the more savage ones aside from the rest, that level of respect and fear is what some crave.. Once you act a certain way you have to play your role and deal with the consequences.. It's just a normal state of mind depending on the environment you grow up in

 

[melo0115]

That mike, crack, and cop part had me sad after he was straight for about 5 years... **** crackhead MIKE...

Benny Od'in right at the end of his journey to success...

Old dude falling off and hi jacking a council man for his property, followed with a high speed chase...

Amazing story or being up against all odds. I couldn't even imagine fight for that long and still coming up short. Hopefully this book deal sets dude up nice, i'm going to help dude out...

 

[alkatrez]

 

[tripda6]

will read

 

[bhergh]

Hot air balloon ride .. I want , can't wait to go back home

Nvm saw date old article. .

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Great, great read.

 

[doubled productions]

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I value your time and review. However, I did want to clarify something that you may have missed in my story: I joined the Crips in 1977. However, in 1990 while at Pelican Bay prison I had a change of heart after undergoing several racial conflicts and "I never committed another gang act". This equals 13 years of gang activity. The criminal offenses that extended my incarceration resulted only from the struggles of street-life elements such as drugs, homelessness, and battling the demons of an uncertain future. I actually did learn my lesson long before 40 years. (I'm only 4 At that point of realization I was trapped into a life that I set the stage for at an early age and long before I had the presence of mind to fully comprehend what I was getting myself into by taking that path. I did have the opportunity and resources to change the course of my life a couple of times, but I didn't, and those opportunities would not come again for a very long time. That is the reason why I omitted childhood, economic, and social factors from my story and took full responsibility for my actions and circumstances that followed. Thanks again, and I look forward to finding a publisher for my book Cellmates&Cellouts which is an extended version of my article with many more episodes, trials and tribulations of the street gang and prison life for you guys to read! Stay up!
                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                          Curtis CurtDog Howard

Great article. Good luck finding a publisher for your manuscript. I work at a publishing company in Pittsburgh, PA - while it is a self-publishing company (requiring fees from the author to publish) - I would be happy to answer any questions you have about finding a traditional publisher (one that pays you for your story), finding a literary agent, etc. Let me know if you're interested and thanks again for the quality article.

 

[sofa king awsm]

Cool story cuz

 

[natrix916]

thanks, save me the time from picking up an actual copy

 

[ninjahood]

Good read.

 

[360waves]

great read

 

[curtis howard]

Thanks for the support bro. As far as my advice to a young kid growing up around elements of that lifestyle I would say: "Never give in to fit in". We always had deeper respect for the guys that grew up with us, but who didn't run with us. We secretly admired them because they didn't considered themselves to good to be cordial with us, but they were smart enough to not do the dirt. Those are the ones that we went to when we really needed a friend. A lot of guys called them "squares or busters" in order to hide the fact that they had the courage to do something we didn't. To make their own decisions! If you grow up around these guys they will still be cool with you whether you run with them or not. We had plenty that we treated with respect and considered them to be "our homeboys" just because they grew up with us. You don't have to get in to be in. Get it?  Curtis CurtDog Howard

 

[curtis howard]

Hello Niketalk, it's me Curtis CurtDog howard checking in to say "what's up" and a small update on what's going on with me. I pretty much have not had any luck on finding a publisher for my book Cellmates & Cellouts. The challenge of keeping a job and keeping the bills paid takes up just about all of my time and energy. I do write blogs for the Americandebtproject.com, yet have not posted anything there for the past couple of months. My ex-girlfriend of 20 years whom I met at the height of my gangster days came to visit with me all the way from Louisiana, and we had a very pleasant reunion. She was actually here for her sister who was hospitalized with a heart condition so we were able to reunite based upon that. Katrina is her name. She stuck with me throughout the b.s. in my life; writing me in prison and giving me a place to stay when I came home. Her and her two sons were my biggest fans. She finally moved to Louisiana from here in San Diego after I was given a 15 year prison sentence in the early 90's, and I had not seen her since then. Yet she always found me and wrote me letters where ever I was at. She was here recently from January to March 2013 and nothing changed with us. It was as if we never parted ways! Unfortunately, Katrina had a very tragic accident when she returned to Louisiana. She was admitted into a hospital for a very minor surgery, and had an allergic reaction to medication. She flatlined and stopped breathing. They placed her on life support where she had been fighting to stay alive for the past 2 months. She passed away on May 15th 2013. I received a long distance phone call at 4am that morning informing me of this, and it's been very hard on me. I have several posting on my facebook page with photos of her since this happened. Her two sons contacted me also. They both have kids now, and one of them was named after me! "That's Life and Life's not Easy!" Man, that title sure covers a lot of ground...... Peace Out everybody, and cherish the ones that love you. You won't get many Katrina's in life.... Curtis howard 

 

[putting in work]

Thanks for the support bro. As far as my advice to a young kid growing up around elements of that lifestyle I would say: "Never give in to fit in". We always had deeper respect for the guys that grew up with us, but who didn't run with us. We secretly admired them because they didn't considered themselves to good to be cordial with us, but they were smart enough to not do the dirt. Those are the ones that we went to when we really needed a friend. A lot of guys called them "squares or busters" in order to hide the fact that they had the courage to do something we didn't. To make their own decisions! If you grow up around these guys they will still be cool with you whether you run with them or not. We had plenty that we treated with respect and considered them to be "our homeboys" just because they grew up with us. You don't have to get in to be in. Get it?  Curtis CurtDog Howard

So true fam so true... so much truth in this post

When we were chilling on corners dudes use to low key talk smack about the college friends trying to do something with their lives, but it was almost always saltiness because they were trying to to do something and the rest are just ante up for the next blunt or liquor.

Good wisdom there.

Hello Niketalk, it's me Curtis CurtDog howard checking in to say "what's up" and a small update on what's going on with me. I pretty much have not had any luck on finding a publisher for my book Cellmates & Cellouts. The challenge of keeping a job and keeping the bills paid takes up just about all of my time and energy. I do write blogs for the Americandebtproject.com, yet have not posted anything there for the past couple of months. My ex-girlfriend of 20 years whom I met at the height of my gangster days came to visit with me all the way from Louisiana, and we had a very pleasant reunion. She was actually here for her sister who was hospitalized with a heart condition so we were able to reunite based upon that. Katrina is her name. She stuck with me throughout the b.s. in my life; writing me in prison and giving me a place to stay when I came home. Her and her two sons were my biggest fans. She finally moved to Louisiana from here in San Diego after I was given a 15 year prison sentence in the early 90's, and I had not seen her since then. Yet she always found me and wrote me letters where ever I was at. She was here recently from January to March 2013 and nothing changed with us. It was as if we never parted ways! Unfortunately, Katrina had a very tragic accident when she returned to Louisiana. She was admitted into a hospital for a very minor surgery, and had an allergic reaction to medication. She flatlined and stopped breathing. They placed her on life support where she had been fighting to stay alive for the past 2 months. She passed away on May 15th 2013. I received a long distance phone call at 4am that morning informing me of this, and it's been very hard on me. I have several posting on my facebook page with photos of her since this happened. Her two sons contacted me also. They both have kids now, and one of them was named after me! "That's Life and Life's not Easy!" Man, that title sure covers a lot of ground...... Peace Out everybody, and cherish the ones that love you. You won't get many Katrina's in life.... Curtis howard 

Good luck man I hope everything works out for the best for you and Katrina seemed like a rider for sure.

Besides your parents not too many people would stay in touch with you like that during a long bid even your siblings... maybe your sister's if they you were close with them.

Damn I feel for you and I have myself a Katrina that's been riding with me through thick and thin and even though I act a mess every now and then shorty is seriously my other half no matter how alpha and macho I may seem.