Pocketball

Pocketball.

When I was 19 years old, in 2004, during my last year at the Forest Grove High School, home of the Vikings, for my required Senior Project, I invented a game, a sport, that is like pool with pool balls, similar to carpetball (gutterball), and I named it Pocketball. My church friend Paul Walker served as my so-called mentor, mostly to get me out to around Banks, Oregon USA to the farm house of the Hoefts out in the countries where we spent weeks constructing a 5 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 4 feet high of a table made of wood. I was taught about how to use power tools for screws and for cutting wood. I also had experience in wood construction from my Woods 1 & 2 classes in high school. I also had a welding class back in ninth grade in the year 2000.

I donated this Pocketball table to my Community Baptist Church in Hillsboro, Oregon. The pastor was Bill Gasser. They kept the table downstairs in a room near the youth group rooms so that the children and youth can play it. They kept the table there for several years. i am not sure what they did with it.

January, 2004
19 years old
Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold

But You Are Not Blood

But You Are Not Blood.

My aunt and uncle, Karen and Jim Williams, visit the parents of Karen annually in December for a weekend, usually between Christmas and the New Years. I am not sure when I first knew this, but I think that in 2003, when I was 18 years old, I asked my mom if she could ask her sister Karen if I could tag along.

I went with them twice I believe. I went like in 2003 and 2004 or something like that. Two different years. My aunt and uncle lived in Warrenton, Oregon USA. They drove a few hours to Forest Grove to pick me up. We drive a few hours to Roseburg.

My aunt Karen Williams is the sister of my mom. Their mom died when my mom was about 20 years old. We went to Roseburg to see my mom's dad, Richard "Dick" Erwin Morehead and his new wife "Skip" who kind of talked snobby and proudful about her ancestors or something like that. She kind of wispered that one of her relatives or ancestors may have a labourer, but she'd be ashamed of that. I made a joke, and was serious, at the dinner table, and said to Skip that she is not blood.

Me, Karen, & Jim went back into the car, & Jim was proud of what I said and he would tell others about it. It is something that Jim would say to until he died in August 2008. We were back in the car to see Jim's relatives, which I liked more than my own.



December 2003
18 years old
Roseburg, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Economics Class

Economics Class.

When my favorite classes at my one and only Forest Grove High School (FGHS) on 1401 Nichols Lane, in Forest Grove, Oregon, United States, was my Economics Class where I was able to officially meet high school president African-American Kari Herinckx. She taught us to Mix It Up. Try new things. Sit with different people during lunch. Meet new people. I typed out an Encouragement Article (EA) for her. I said that she has chocolate noodle hair.

In the Economics Class, we learned about the supply and demand grid. I previously took a Marketing Class with Mr. Kunkel, which has model friend Katie Dober in it.

September, 2003
Forest Grove High School
Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold

Tiffany Died

I first met TIffany Rochell Cumbo (TRC) when I was about 5 years old in the year of 1990. She lived 7 houses from our trailer, and we were friends for  13 years.

Around 1998, her and her family moved to Cornelius and then to Gaston, and to possible other places, which I lost contact with her as she moved out of the neighborhood, but we reunited in 2001 and me & Bill Bailey would talk to her in person or on the phone sometimes.

Tiff may have attended my high school briefly, but then went to another high school, but I think she returned for the 2nd semester, in January 2003, which means I started seeing her again at school, which put a smile to my face.

I was looking forward to the summer of 2003 where me, Bill Bailey, and Tiffany Cumbo, were going to have adventures, or at least that was what I was hoping for. I wanted to marry Tiffany when I was eight and nine years old. I drew pictures about it, but then Tiffany started having "Other Boy Friends" with friends and neighbors like Bryan (who lived next door to me, space 164), and Juya Sa, the brother of Bhakti, who also lived next door, and Bill Bailey, and others.

My mother may have heard of some typical jealousy schemes that Tiffany was cooking with her friends, instead of being in school, at Mary's Kitchen, on Tuesday, the 1st of April of 2003, the April's Fool Day holiday. Tiffany may have been mad at her current boy friend or ex, or with friends, neighbors, class-mates, enemies, and they may have had a plan to get even with them, but I was not there and I really have no idea what was going on.

Friday, the the 4th of April, I high fived Tiff in the hallway around 1 PM as lunch was ending. That week, or that year at school, I talked to the short Tiff about her guitar, skateboard, Avril Lavigne like punk goth outfits, where she lived, and I would call her sometimes, and I was going to hang out with her more, go take a walk with her, but we seem to have schedule conflicts or I was not certain if I should bend my schedule to make something work.

That Friday night, I thought about calling her but I was instead rehearsing my lines for my church play for Sunday.

On Sunday night, the 6th of April 2003, I got praise for my partially impromptu performance during the church play that I and the youth group did, at the Community Baptist Church in Hillsboro, Oregon, USA.

Monday morning, the loud-speaker announced, during the beginning of the 7:55 AM art class that I was in, that Tiffany died on Saturday, the 5th of April 2003.

I am not sure how she died.

It may have been Tylenol overdose.

It may have been drugs.

It may have been an infected scar below one of her eyes.

It may have been any of those combinations.

I encouraged people as I spoke at her funeral that year.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches.

Before I was Oatmeal, I was the Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches (PB&J) Boy, because I would always make myself some like a few each day and our neighbors would say something like, "Every time I see you, you are eating one of those." I may have been caught picking my nose a few times. Is tarted to stop that around this time in 1992 when I was 7 years old. The father, at the trailer next to us, in unit 164, built a play structure, which had a fort, swings, slide, and a few things like that. I enjoyed going there to play with the kids, Brian and Erin. Tiffany Cumbo started like dating Brian, which kind of made me jealous.

I was eating lots of spaghetti in 1991 when I was 6 years old. In 1992, when I was 7 years old, I started eating PB&J. in 1993, when I was 8 years old, I started cooking and eating pots-full of oatmeal.

1992
7 years old
164, Rose Grove, Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

All Dogs Go To Heaven

I remember watching All Dogs Go To Heaven, a cartoon film about dogs going to Heaven and Hell. I saw it originally when I was 4 years old, or so.


Friday: 17th of November: 1989
4 years old
163 Rose Grove, Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Alien

Alien

I thought I was an alien when I was four years old in the year 1989 because my older brother and sister would mention how hard it is to understand me, that I must be an alien, that I must be from another planet for how out of this world that I am, for how strange I am.



1989
Four years old
Forest Grove, Oregon, USA
Joey Arnold

Humming

Humming.

I started Humming in 1988 when  was 3 years old, if not sooner. I could keep the melody but I was not able to talk or sing well. My younger sister was the opposite. She would remember the words to a song and sing it off tune. I can sing it on tune but with the wrong words. I was able to hum.

1988
3 years old
163: Rose Grove, Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Family Photo 1988

I remember holding onto my yellow binoculars as we walked to the Forest Grove First Baptist Church. It was me, my brother, sister, and mother. My younger sister was not born yet and my father was most likely at work.


1988
3 years old
Forest Grove First Baptist Church: Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Loner

Loner.

The younger I was, the more alone I was. I was in my own fantasy world. I would pretend that my hands were people. I started playing the game Power Rangers in 1993 or so. In other words, I would play by myself. I would run around and pretend that sticks were spaceships. The older I got, the more I begin socializing with others. I was crawling in the dirt and on the floor early on.

1987
2 years old
163: Rose Grove, Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Cute Fat Baby

Cute Fat Baby

I think I was a cute fat baby when I was two years old in the year 1987.

1987
Two years old
Forest Grove, OR USA
Joey Arnold

Ducktales

I love this show Ducktales.


1987
2 years old
Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Freckles

There are freckles on my face and body.


1986
1 years old
163 Rose Grove: Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Uncle Jim Williams

Uncle Jim Williams


I started seeing Uncle Jim Williams and Aunt Karen Williams at our house and at their house and at other places from early on.