I'm back in Grand Rapids!

Hey everyone!

I've been enjoying my time in Flushing, my old hometown.  I haven't been doing a whole lot other than resting up and preparing for my job in Grand Rapids, which I start Monday. 

It will take me awhile to get settled in, so I won't be blogging much for the time being.  Once I do get settled in, I plan to begin:

- Begin making my next mask.
- Booking Ceremonies for the Summer, beginning in June.
- Research and establish my Vision.
- Re-organize and re-structure my website/s.

If you want to keep up on the happenings of this work and my life, add this blog to your favorites and check up on it every now and then.  You are also welcome to find me on the social media network Facebook to keep tabs.  Please send me a message to let me know that you are friending me because of this site.

https://www.facebook.com/justin.arndt.7

If you have any trouble with the link please leave me a comment.

Ciao!

Justin

It Feels Nice...

To sleep in a bed again! 

Seriously though...I'm loving it. 

Before the bed and I re-acquainted ourselves I had a bit of a last haul.  Let me tell you a little bit about it.

Last time we talked I mentioned that I was invited to a stone-tool craft show in New York.  That was pretty cool.  It was nice staying in a tent after being fed food and...initiated into the Ooga Booga society! 

I am officially a wily ol' coyote howling in glee with the other members of the Ooga Booga.  Unfortunately....I was sworn into secrecy by the Chief not to share what the society is all about.  I should've bought a t-shirt with their logo...

I was able to walk around in the morning and look at all the exciting tools, both new and old, that people were making and selling.  Eagle Dan, whose teepee I stayed in, took the time to share a lot with me about some of the tools he had.  One of them was a long, smooth, slender stone that was given to him along with a box of other stones.  It turns out that this particular piece is worth $1,800.  Well...it was.  He managed to drop it before he found out what it was.  What was it used for?  Executions.  Indigenous people would lie down the person to be executed and line the stone up with their temple and...

Well you get the gruesome idea.  Now it is glued back together and worth about $800.

I left there and pedaled my way on to Pennsylvania.  This visit was to visit family.  I arrived later at night and spent the first night with my cousin Steph.  We stayed up for awhile (both super sleepy) and chatted about this and that.  She is quite involved with turning her dreams into reality.  I find it both unique and inspiring.  I am happy for her. 

The next day my Aunt and Uncle came over with pizza that was made with a special pie crust...very yummy.  We cracked jokes and ate around the table for awhile.  It seems like we usually crack jokes upon meeting.  My uncle Kyle is especially good at making me look like a blonde... ; )

I was planning on staying the night at their house too.  Instead, my cousin Josh asked me if I wanted to stay with him and go on a little adventure.  We weren't able to talk very much because he had things to do.  So I took up the opportunity to go with him.  Besides...it isn't every day that you get to practice Hapkido and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with your family member! 

Josh has always been interested in physical activities like bodybuilding, hockey, and martial arts.  This works well for me because I really like bodybuilding and have always been fascinated by martial arts (I used to play hockey too.)  We manage to talk a lot about them since he is becoming quite heavily involved in martial arts.  I am blown away by how much knowledge he has gained about the field since the last time we talked.  He eventually would like to open up his own place to teach.  I must admit it was a strange sight at first to see my cousin Josh show respect in the way he did to his teachers.  The Josh I am used to like to pick on me and embarrass me in front of girls.  ; )

Needless to say, I was very impressed by his mannerisms and could see him being a very dedicated and compassionate teacher some day. 

Both of my cousins, it seems, are really starting to show their own unique contributions to life.  I am glad to have them in my life to learn from them. 

I left in the morning after saying good-bye to him one last time and made my way to Indiana. 

I don't really have too much to say about being in Indiana.  I originally planned on visiting my aunt and helping her out.  She passed away about five days or so before I arrived.  Instead, I helped out my other two aunts in any way that they wanted until my ceremony in Muncie took place (which my aunt helped me set up.)

Her memorial is coming up on Thursday and I am heading down there with family tomorrow.  She wants her memorial to be a celebration.  So we are handing out ear-rings she made herself, among other festive things.  I will be very interested to see the people that show up.  She has always spent her life helping people/animals and mentored a lot of young kids making their way through college. 

After I packed up and said my good-byes, I headed back home.  I was ready!  I guess the spirits had one more stop they wanted me to make before I actually arrived back in my hometown. 

I stopped in Ann Arbor in order to pick up some research material that my friend Charo decided to give to me for the non-profit work.  Thanks Charo!  We had some Cuban coffee and chatted for awhile on the couch.  I also had the wonderful opportunity to meet her sweet mother. 

I remembered that a friend of mine moved to the city awhile back.  We met at the chiropractic office that I worked at in Grand Rapids (she being the receptionist.)

Eden agreed to hang out and I picked her up from work.  We hung out at her apartment and sat by the pond/river and talked and joked for what seemed like a few hours.  I actually have no idea how long we were down there.  I enjoyed it though!  I always enjoyed talking to her and it seemed as though we forgot how much we enjoy each others company.  She may be visiting me here in flushing if she has time.  Since it was late she offered me a place to rest my head for the night.  So I gladly took the opportunity. 

In the morning we drank coffee, talked maple syrup, and parted ways. 

So here I am.  Back in my hometown.  Even though there is hardly anything here in Flushing I find that I love coming back.  I get to visit my friends and reminisce about all the trouble I used to cause here...which was way more than I care to mention on here. ; )

Not to mention Fall is my favorite season.

I have two possibilities in which the next steps can take me, both working toward the same end.  I won't mention much about them yet.  However, I am largely hoping for the SECOND option.  I am putting my intentions out there very stongly.  If you have the time and would like to throw a prayer or two my way in order to turn it into a reality, I would greatly appreciate it. 

Mmm Bed...(drools)




Ciao for now! 


Justin