Free Geek

Free Geek.

My mom may have called Free Geek back in the year 2000 or so. Back in that year or around that time, a van came to our trailer in Forest Grove. They picked up some of our electronics, so that they could recycle our junk. Some of the people were children around 8 to 16 years old and there may have been a woman and other adults. It may have been a family. They may have been volunteers of Free Geek or another organization.

After flying from my second college in West Virginia to my home in Oregon in early May 2007, I think my mother insisted that I hop on a bus heading to Portland, Oregon. Before leaving my college in West Virginia, I bought a laptop for $50 from my friend Matt Manehan. He could have asked for $2,000. It was a good laptop. I looked up the address for Free Geek. I would try to find wifi at the Pacific University and library and I was able to find free wifi while in my room in my trailer that I was raised in, you know, in Forest Grove.

When I made it to Portland, I got lost because I was kind of going the wrong direction and it was hot sunny day, but I made it and took a tour and eventually began volunteering and going through their programs. You learn how to recycle and take apart computers, printers, and other electronics. Later, I began learning how to build computers. The 5 computer you can take home with you for free.

In June, I went to Camp Kuratli to be a Wilderness Counselor. After that, I attended my first Western Youth Institute (WYI) at the Camp Redwood Glen in Scotts Valley, California USA, and WYI is a week-long young-adults retreat for those associate with The Salvation Army.

During the second or so week of August 2007, I started returning to Free Geek, and one day, as I was going there, as I was walking, Lincoln Hawk called my cell phone (which was my first mobile phone ever that I got May 2007, which was my sisters or Jesse's or my dad's or Savannah Larson, or somebody). I never gave him my number. I met Lincoln at WYI. That was the first WYI I ever attended. I also attended WYI in 2008 and 2010 at Camp Arnold in Washington (state) USA.

Lincoln suggested that I call Rob Noland. I had an application to apply for Revolution Hawaii but I already threw that away. I ended up filling out an application on my laptop. I talked to Rob on the phone. I emailed Rob the application. The deadline was already passed. The team members are suppose to fly to Hawaii in the next 3 or so days. I was accepted on like a Wednesday and I made it into Hawaii Friday, which was like the 31st of August 2007. Rob told me that he wouldn't have let Crazy Oatmeal join RevHI but Joey Arnold could. When I talked to Rob on the phone, Rob was only able to hear the voice of Joey. I did not talk to Rob at WYI, except to compare him to pancakes and apple-sauce, or something, which he thought was crazy that I do things like that.

While I was in Hawaii, I sent a letter to Free Geek.

In October or so of 2008, when I started going back to Free Geek, they told me that they got my letter. I was kind of popular. I could not tell how they felt about it, since most of them seem to be not Christians. I eventually made my 5th box that I was able to take home. Like the next year or so, I made a second take-home box that I was able to take home as well. I think I only took home only 2 computers. You are allowed to take home one computer per twelve months. I met people here that are interesting people. You can get free coffee, bread, snacks, here, as well. You can learn many things here.

They do not use Microsoft Windows here.

They use Linux's Ubuntu (Operating-System: OS).




May 2007
22 years old
Freek Geek: Portland, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

To Save My Mother

To Save My Mother

I am always thinking about my mother. My father was having affairs, for decades, and he was leaving her and living other places. After my one year at my second college, the Appalachian Bible College in Bradley, West Virginia USA, 2006 - 2007, I returned back to the same trailer that I was born and raised in, which is at Rose Grove "Ghetto" Mobile Trailer Park Community: 3839 Pacific Avenue Space Unit # 163 in Forest Grove, Washington County, Oregon, United States of northern America.

I gave my mother the money (almost $2,000 USD) that I earn from the Camp Kuratli during that summer of the year 2007, when I was 22 years old. I was there to save the life of my mother (Marilyn Mitchell of Restore Main Street).

I promised to stay with my mom for at least a year, so that I could support her. I felt conflicted when I saw the opportunity to do Revolution Hawaii. I told my mother about my conflict and I said that I would still honor my commitment to her, but she told me that she would be fine. So, I ended up doing Revolution Hawaii after getting the blessing and approval of my mother.

My mom reunited with her high school friend, Bill Williams Cunningham, and they moved all of her things to his house in Shelton, Washington, United States. My dad helped carry things out of the house. My dad ended up living there after my mom moved out. My dad still lives there. My mom marries Bill in November of 2008. I walked her down the aisle. Bill died in 2011 I think. My mom married Larry Mitchell in 2012. I was not there for that.


2007
22 years old
Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Boring, Oregon, United States
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Joey Arnold