http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_804_A_Very_Long_Road_To_Florence.mp3 Jason Arkles got lost with a band of street performers until he found his calling as a sculptor. Also: proven in the skies. Plone 2.0 http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_804_A_Very_Long_Road_To_Florence.mp3/logo.jpg http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_804_A_Very_Long_Road_To_Florence.mp3 <h4>A VERY LONG ROAD TO FLORENCE</h4><p class="imageleft"><img class="image-left" src="resolveuid/facbda65ba513426a9d08b435020840d" alt="arkles" height="100" width="100" />Jason Arkles</p><p>Jason Arkles was an accomplished puppeteer in the States. When he didn’t get into a special training program in France, he decided to go to Europe anyways. While there, he became enchanted by a beautiful woman named Ana. Jason joined Ana’s troupe of street performers. In fact, he sold all his worldly possessions to follow her. </p><p>The street performing was so bad that Jason was soon digging in Parisian dumpsters for food, but perhaps divine intervention was playing a hand. It was this gaggle of odd-balls that lead Jason to his true calling as a sculptor - and a dream job in Florence that he holds to this day. Sometimes, it seems, you need to get lost to figure out exactly where you’re going.</p><ul><li><a href="http://www.jasonarkles.com/" target="_self">Check out</a> Jason's sculpture site</li><li><a class="addbtn" href="http://www.publicradio.org/applications/formbuilder/user/form_display.php?form_code=608cc948ba9b">Contact Us</a></li></ul><h4></h4><h4>The Ultimate Test</h4><p class="imageleft"><img class="image-left" src="resolveuid/b834ef0adc4c5146c8abac8394375200" alt="nervous_pilot" height="100" width="100" />John Kernell</p><p>John Kernell has heard the story series we call “your story" and wrote in with his. When John was young, he says he almost washed out of Naval Air Training because “I kept screwing up.” But the Navy gave him a mentor to settle his nerves. And one day he got the ultimate test: his plane came under attack. He joins Dick Gordon to tell how he faced up under pressure.<a class="addbtn" href="http://www.publicradio.org/applications/formbuilder/user/form_display.php?form_code=608cc948ba9b">Contact Us</a></p> Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:00:00