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

Appalachian Bible College

Appalachian Bible College

I started attending the Appalachian Bible College (ABC) in Bradley, West Virginia, United States, in August 2006 when I was 21 years old. I met many inspirational friends like Sawyer Frye and Jen Moore and others. I loved my classes. I major in Pastoral Greek. I worked in the cafeteria, in food-prep, server, dishwasher,& maintenance. I worried about the money, the finances. I took out my one and only student Stafford loan in November or December of 2006 and I am still paying that back in the year 2013 still. It was my only loan so far. I started getting bad grades, due to increasing accelerating distractions. I started thinking about my mother as well, since my dad was leaving her and my mom needed help and I wanted to help her.

August 2006
21 years old
Bradley, West Virginia, United States
Joey Arnold

Family Reunion 2000

Family Reunion 2000.

In the year 2000, when I was 15 years old, in July, while I was still in home school, before I started public high school for the first time, me and my family attended the Morehead Family Reunion 2000 in Long Beach, Washington USA.

My mother's maiden name is Morehead. In other word, my mom was born and raised with the last name Morehead. The reunion consisted of her side of the family. Me & my brother have attended 2 family reunions with my dad, which had dad's side of the family. In 1992, when I was 7 years old, me, my dad, my brother, and my sister Katie, went to Los Angeles California, and Disneyland for around ten days to see the relatives of my dad. In 1997, when I was 12 years old, me, my brother, and my dad drove my sister Katie's car to southern Oregon, to Goldhill, Medford, Roseburg, Crater Lake, to see my dad's friends and and adopted family, since my dad was born in the year 1950 in Los Angeles but was adopted when he was 2 years old and was moved to southern Oregon. My dad did not know he was adopted until he was about 15 years old, and he failed at trying to find his real family until my mom somehow found a lucky phone book or something and was able to find my dad's real mother, but my dad's father died when my dad was 3 years old. So, we do not know much about my dad's side. I think my dad's dad, Peter Jr. Marinus Rasp, was born 1908 in like Holland, Amsterdam, Netherlands, or one of those places, or I am confused. Let me look for a map.

The reunion in 2000 had my 2nd cousin, Ted Pickett, who may be 40 years old, and he write and performs songs on his guitar and has a band. My mom's father and step-mother was there. We went go-cart racing. I was able to play basketball with people including uncle Jim Williams.



July 2000
15 years old
Long Beach, Washington, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Star Trek Voyager

They said that the Star Trek Voyager was going to be better and faster than the Enterprise from the Next Generation (STNG). I was a fan of the STNG. I would watch Voyager at 8 or 9 PM on Wednesdays after Awanas.

Voyager premiered on Monday, the 16th of January 1995.

My mom would watch it with me as well.

We also watch Nowhere Man.

I later started watching Smallville sometimes.

Star Trek Generations

Star Trek Generations.

My mom took me to the Forest Grove Theatre to see the film Star Trek Generations. I remember listening to the theme song to the television show Star Trek: the Next Generation (STNG) on Saturdays since like the year 1991 or so. I think it was on Saturdays and I would so while waiting for my dad to come home. My other siblings would wait for my dad to come home. My older sister may have done it the most, or it was my brother who was the most disappointed when my dad would stay drinking and gambling at bars past our bed times. This film included the crews from the two shows. Captain James Kirk works with Captain Jean Luc Picard to save the day.

1994
9 years old
Forest Grove Theatre, Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal

Spaghetti

Spaghetti

Before I was oatmeal, I was the Spaghetti Boy when I was 6 years old in the year 1991. The next year, I fell in love with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (PB&J). I would be playing in the front yard, near the big oak tree. My mother would call me through the kitchen window.

Spaghetti would get me into the house sooner.

1991
Six years old
Joey Arnold
Forest Grove, Oregon, USA

Christ Entered My Heart

Christ Entered My Heart

When I was five years old, in the year 1990, I heard Pastor Dave Webber mention how Christ knocks, and I was thinking that Jesus was only knocking on the door of just my heart and nobody else in the world, now or ever. I was paying attention at the Cornelius Community Baptist Church in Cornelius, OR USA.

After church, at home, I asked my mother but she was busy with baby Crystal, my younger sister. My brother led me in the prayer to ask Christ to forgive and take away my sins and to enter into my life. We did this in our room. I was looking at the heater on the ground as I said the prayer.

1990
Five years old
Forest Grove, OR USA
Joey Arnold

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

Born Smiling

Born Smiling.

My mom says that I came out smiling. I was looking around. I was curious about the world. Sometimes I feel that I remember the day I was born. I am not sure if they are real memories or fabricated memories, since I have an imagination to make up things. Sometimes, people begin believing their own lies. I cannot say if I can actually remember the day I was born or not, but I feel like I can. I was smiling when I was born. I was not crying like most babies. I was looking around. When I got older, I started asking questions. I wanted to know how things work. I am always curious. With Green Original Oatmeal in my bowl, is Jesus Christ in your soul? Making the world greener with one Oatmeal at a time. You are what you eat. I do want to make the world a better place. I do want to help others.

6 AM: Monday: 11th of February 1985
0 years old
Tualitin Valley Hospital in Forest Grove, Oregon, United States
Joey Arnold, The Original Oatmeal