Neeew York City?

It has been entirely too long since I have blogged. But I have an excuse: I have been too busy.
You see, I have been in New Jersey for the last 2 weeks at Phase 2 training for my new job. I go home on Friday (YEAHHHH!) but still...a long last week lies ahead.

It has been like a minimester in college - cram as much as possible in to 3 weeks of training, take a final exam on it, and interview that you have the understanding to apply what you have learned in the field. I have thoroughly enjoyed the learning, but I miss my fiance terribly.

So here are some pictures of this weekend. My new work friends and I went to NYC. I have NEVER been until this weekend. It was truely a sensory overload - like you are inside a video game or something.

We hit all the big sites in just 1 day. We got into the city at 10am, and left at 7pm. One of the guys in our group, Todd, had been thee many times before, and so was our tour guide for the day.

We hit Battery Park, and from there got a view of the Statue of Liberty. It was nothing short of emotional. Thinking of all the people, who, when they saw Lady Liberty, had so much promise of a life of opportunity.


We took taxis most of the day, although we certainly did get our walking in while in town. That was almost the coolest part. Thinking, "I am spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon walking through NYC. While on of the guys said, "It doesn't get any better than this, I disagreed. I would rather be doing this all with Layne. :)

Our second stop was ground-zero -the WTC site. It was also an emotional place. The sound of the city seemed to slip away - it was so very silent there. All you could hear was the sound of the wind through the buildings. If people were talking around me, I couldn't hear them. And I almost felt gulity of taking pictures there - like it is some kind of oddity. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience.






Times Square was were all the action was. We snuck in the back door of the Hard Rock Cafe so we didn't have to wait in line. (shame shame shame, fuller). We hung out with some NYPD cops and chatted for a while, saw the christmas tree at Rockafeller Center along with the skating rink, and were just amazed at the number of people there.



All in all, it was a good, but very tiring day. We didn't get pick pocketed, didn't get lost, and had a good time.

Junk Mail & Haters

It is so funny that people get viruses. Now, I know sometime people get email in their boxes that 'sound' like a real email, or that maybe it is very important because it sayd so in the title. But I have chosen the recipient of my
"Keep On Trying Bud, You Suck at Sending Out Junk Emails" Award...this guy...

SUBJ: Fw[1]:HI Meeiyzdgobiot
FROM: cnrzzqjfcexeba@ server.com

NOW REALLY! Why in the world would I ever open this? You may be thinking ' well that was generated byt a computer program.' Ok then, I have another award:
"Keep On Trying Bud, You Suck at Designing Programs That Send Out Junk Emails" Award.

My friend Randy has been struggling with some family issues. His siblings and paarents dont like that he goes to Mars Hill or that he is dating a Catholic girl. If you have kept up, you know how hard they have been on him for it. Well, he is now engaged to this sweet young Catholic girl and they are getting married next July.

On Sunday, Randy's siblings disowned him. Yes - they told him they wanted to cut all ties'. They said they would not be at his wedding, would not stand up for him, and that he wasn't welcome. He was crushed I am sure. Although he didn't show it to us. He had been very angry and upset all day and was worn out by bible study time.

I don't understand. How can people, FAMILY, choose to say that, because you worship at another building, you are not worthy of their presence or that by being around you they may be poisened.

We worship the same God! We love Him just as much! We don't worship idols, or snakes, or wear Nikes in anticipation of the coming of the aliens! We are CHRISTIANS, or at least trying to be. We worship the same FATHER, and yet cannot call each other brother or sister? What kind of living is that?

This song, byt Brad Paisley, reminds me how wonderful heaven will be, when we are all on the other side and have all these silly questions and decisions taken away - the blinders removed - and all we see is Love from the Father.

When I get where I'm going
On the far side of the sky
The first thing that I'm gonna do
Is spread my wings and fly

I'm gonna land beside a lion
And run my fingers through his mane
Or I might find out what it's like
To ride a drop of rain

Yeah when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
And I'll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
Yeah when I get where I'm going
Don't cry for me down here

So much pain and so much darkness
In this world we stumble through
All these questions I can't answer
So much work to do

But when I get where I'm going
And I see my maker's face
I'll stand forever in the light
Of his amazing grace
Yeah when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
Hallelujah
I will love and have no fear
When I get where I'm going
Yeah when I get where I'm going

Corrective Maintenance

Yes - the anonymous blogging commentor strikes agin, leting me know that I dated my fish's birth and death dates as 2006. WHOOPS!

It IS still 2005. Sorry about the cunfusion. But since only 3 people read this, 1 of whom I don't know the identity, (NOTE: mayhaps we should refer to them as C. Smith) I am not too worried.

Thanks, Nony Mous.

Why It Sucks To Be A Spider

It's like a wordless picture poem...

"Nemo" Strikes Close to Home

Following a vast array of pet stories recently on my linked blogs below, I have the opportunity to share one too.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I spilled Coke on y keyboard and some of the keys don't work all the time, naely the "m" key...see what I ean? Please excuse y ess here. Sorry.**

WARNING: What your about to read is graphic. There is nothing happy about it. It is sad. If you don't think it is sad you are heartless, or don't understand the bond that can be made between a man and his pet fish. (TJ, most fish may only be able to remember things for 3 seconds - but my first are trained and brilliant. In fact, one of them pooped E=MC2 on the side of the tank. Brilliant, I say.)

Circa 2004 there was a movie released: "Finding Nemo." It seems little Nemo the fish (which is "omen" backwards ... I should have seen all this trauma coming) undergoes some really fun adventures in the wide open sea. Well, while he is captured in the dentists fish tank, he gets sucked into the water recycler thingy. I hope you see where this is going.


When I feed my fish (which is about 2-3 times a day) I go up to the aquarium, and tap on the glass. They all come running (well, swimming) to the front and frenzy in order to try and get to my fingers. They know them. They are friendly fingers. Last night at 1130 I was going to give them a last snack (since I hadn't fed them all day) and I only saw 3 come to the front. - but I have 4. I bent down quickly, surveying the tank for Crazy Eddie and where he might be. That is when I saw it.

Eddie, known in fishdom for swimming upside down, running into thr side of the tank, inspecting the pumps, etc., was against the sucker part of the water recycler - he was tuck. Upon closer evaluation, his tail had been sucked into the pipe, and was lodged between the slits in the end of it. He was breathing, but it was labored. I rushed in, hand first, and gently pulled him free. The current in the auqarium sne him spinning and in circles, and he seemed to lack the bouyancy or will to fight it.

I put him in aholding tank (a glass baking dish) overnight, with some food - hoping he would eat and find the strength to learn to swim again. What follows, is his fate.

RIP
Edward "Crazy Eddie" Fish
February 14th, 2006 - October 5, 2006

Eddie is survived by Laverne, Shirley, and Pete.
Eddie went to the big ocean in the sky late Wednesday
to meet Jaques and Homer, his late snail friends.
Eddie was a good fish, always jubilant and roudy.
He was a little slow, but he is a fish - his brain in naturally small.
We will miss his "swiming against the current" attitude,
when he would fight the skull that bubbled,
and his overall zest for life.

For You I'd Wait

Coldplay has a funny way of saying things. Perhaps this song is about Christ. Or perhaps it is about you. But either way, it is about

Love
Trust
Anticipation

Steal my heart and hold my tongue
I feel my time, my time has come
Let me in, unlock the door
I never felt this way before

And the wheels just keep on turning
The drummer begins to drum
I don’t know which way i’m going
I don’t know which way i’ve come

Hold my head inside your hands
I need someone who understands
I need someone, someone who hears
For you i’ve waited all these years
For you i’d wait til kingdom come
Until my day, my day is done
And say you’ll come and set me free
Just say you’ll wait, you’ll wait for me

I Love you, babe...I can't wait until March....
-me

Ten Treatisies Against Denominations

We are looking around for churches to get married in. We found this great chapel at a church in Midland, where Layne's folks live. Herein lies the rub...

It is a specific denominational church. We went inside to look at the sancutary and loved it...very colonial and different. Looked just like that church from The Patriot. Anywho, the paster was there. He informed us that in order to get marrie dat that church we had to take classes and give membership to that church. When we said we were members elsewhere, he said, "oh! no, you have to have membership here."

Now - I understand that they hold their church very sacred. It is a holy pl;ace for rituals and rites that lift glory to God, and also probably condemn people for not following every law. RTegardless of that fact, I am a member of CHRIST'S CHURCH!!!! HIS church that HE made for eternity! We are a BODY of people...my friend TJ once said, "If we all call Him father, we do we not act like brothers?"

I just get to irritated that we all get caught up in the littel things of religion...that's what makes it so confusing and untrustworthy to those outside of the church. Denominations are almost at war with one another. My first time at a Nazarene church, they welcomed me with ope n arms when I told them I had come from a Baptist church. "We don't like them, anyway," one woman said.
Shady McShades, I tell ya...

Two Weeks Notice

I have acepted an offer to work as a primary care sales rep for Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals in Grand Rapids! Layne & I are both so excited, as this will be perfect timing with a wedding coming up and also because this is what I have wanted to be doing for SO LONG! It is a great job, with AMAZING benefits, includes a more promising salary and is just the icing on the cake.

The tough part will be putting in my 2 weeks notice with Enterprise. You see, last Wednesday they promoted me to Asst Manager at a branch in town. Well, I did that in case this Sanofi thing didn't work out. Well, it has....fortunatley, but my Enterprise folks will be PISSED! Oh well, most of them couldn't care less about me anyway, in all honesty. Given thi sopportunity, anyone in my shoes would be crazy not to take it.

So we are planning the wedding....if you want to keep up on this, check out our wedding blog @

http://joshandlayne.blogspot.com

God is soooooooooo good!
josh

Goin' to the Chapel

Before we get to the title story i want to say this: I grieve for the masses in LA and MS. I ache for them. I can't ever fathom what it would be like to be moved to NY or MI, when all your life you have lived in New Orleans. I don't know how much pain I could take if I knew my babies had drown, but couldnt be recovered until the floods that took them dried up.

I hate this storm! And what it meant for the thousands affected! They didn't ask for it! But what I wrote the other day was just thoughts...probably because i was reading a spiritual warfare novel by Frank Peretti (http://www.perettionline.com/). Nevertheless, God will make wonders out of what happened...


Next....



I AM GETTING MARRIED! That's right, if you haven't heard from me yet, I got engaged this weekend to my lovely fiance, Layne Shoaf. She is the most wonderful perons I know, and brings me such joy! I am so thrilled and excited to begin our life together....

I love you, babe...me

Sodom & Orleans

The events in the southern gulf states are catastrophic. I see the pictures on CNN.com and watch the news, and become sick to think people are so desperate. The entire city of New Orleans is a giant toilet: the city is shaped like a bowl, and sewage is leaking and contaminating everything. Americas rush to aid their fellow citizens, much like what happened in the Tsunami disaster. I have some thoughts on this:

(1) There is a lot of press regarding Hurrican Katrina. But somehow, it seems, at least to this midwesterner, that America is not as ready to give themselves to this cause.

Yes, we are donating money and supplies, but are people flooding down there as well? In the wake of the winter tsunamis, you saw tons of young people on the news from all over the US who saw it as a political and humanitarian duty to go there and rebuild. I hope that now, as they did for those folks far away, they will do here for our fellow countrymen.

You may think, "well, YOU go then, Josh." Nope - I didn't before, I won't now. No offense, but everyone has their role. While you go, I'll pray....that helpes just as much.

(2) I have been to Mardi Gras. Two fo my best friends and I went down there our 5th year of college. It was a crazy good time...but my friend Javier said multiple times, "this is like Sodom & Gamorrah." It was. There was nothing int he big easy but sex, alcohol and drugs. Everything revolved around it, it was as much a part of the lives of that area as the morning commute.

So was this natural disaster God's may of cleaning up the city? I am not saying that anyone down there deserved to have this happen to them. There were so many honest folks in LA who had been there for years, raising generations of families. Much like a victim of an AIDS infected transfusion, they did nothing to earn this horror. But, perhaps, looking at it from a biblical and historical perspective, God decided that the rampant sin in that city needed to be flushed. I am not sure I even belive this, but it popped into my mind...

And then think of this... How sick is it that people are shooting at helicopters, fighting with the cops and stealing at a time like this! That city is crazy!!!! Even with a wake up call like this (regarding how fragile we are in such a vast world) men are still pilaging, raping and shooting each other. And the fact that the news agencies are giving tele-time to people who are outraged at the government for not helping quickly enough...I know that are upset/frantic/angry...but the media needs to realize that we are MOVING AS FAST AS POSSIBLE! When relief efforts turn into riots, who WANTS to go help??? Why go in fast, when you might get shot trying to lend a hand??

It is a devastating disaster...and I refer not to the Hurricane, but to the aftermath caused my selfish people. One man on the radio said, "these are not looters - these are people trying to survive." Yes, true...but it is still sad.

And another thing, why are the media agencies covering all THAT?? Why not cover the triumphs, the volunteers, the families reunited, the groups standing strong and giving thanks for being alive...???

Heartsick, and disgusted by the madness,
josh

Americatown

"I can't stand to fly.
I'm not that nieve.
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees.
I'm only a man in a funny red sheet...
Only a man lookin' for a dream... "

Five for Fighting was right. Sometimes I get in this mode...or call it a mood. Layne does ...she's right.

When I was in college I would get in this super focused, but super withdrawn mode. I would put on a hat, put on my glasses, incase myslfl in my room, with all the lights out but the lamp on my desk, and strap my best set of headphones on. With an emotionally charged collection of tracks on the CD player, I could study harder than ever, or reflect deeper that usual on life things.

I am in that mood. It hits me hard and quick, and then after a time goes away. It is my
ME TIME. When I need it, nothing else will do. Layne is so comforting, but when this mood strikes I have to seclude myself. No amount of consoling or understanding does it. I am even skipping my mens group. No one can be here but me right now...and God.

I am convinced that these little moments are when He wants to be alone with me - even if there is music in the background. (God LOVES music - He made it after all, and can probably dance better than ANYONE else EVER.) He knows that in this special place only He and I understand what it means.

"But first I'll take a nap tonight, knowing someone is

looking over me...there's got to be a hero somewhere."

He is my Hero - He is looking over me. In these special hideen moments that few know about, I reconnect and recharge with Him. It is like after a certain amount of time, my batteries are drained. The only way to fill them back up is to reflect and know that HE has got it, that He is too big for me to grasp, and that He rocks!!!

This is a big week...bigger than some of you may know. I am interviewing on Tuesday morning at 730am with a drug company. My last round of interviews went well - I was the hiring manager's top candidate, but they went with an internal candidate. Well - there was another immediate opening, and he submitted my name for that one. So Tuesday I meet with the other hiring manager for breakfast/interview!!!! Seems so laid back, so I feel confident...but God is saying "Don't get cocky, dude." Immediately following that interview I do another one - this one for an Asst Mgr position with my current company. I have to keep climbing in my current position, assuming it is the only one I have...

I pray that God finds you all well. When He asks you to meet Him in your special place, go there! It is joyous! Never turn down the Maker when He wants a solo time with you - if it is for 15 minutes or 4 hours. You never know when He will be back for another one.

Held in the arms of Love,

joshua holland

My Cell Phone Makes Me Swear

It's true...I try to have a clean mouth, and tend to always be the one who does. I watch my mouth around everyone...but when I am in the car alone, and my Cingular cell phone cuts off my service right in the middle of town, cussage streams out of my mouht like stool from the sewer.

You see, my cell is like a cat. Here, let's get organized and make a list ( I originally typed listy by mistake, and it gave me a chuckle... "Let's make a listy .." hahaha)

TOP TEN WAYS MY CELL PHONE IS LIKE A CAT

(10) A cat doesn't come when you call it - it comes when it wants to. My cell doesn't call when
you ask it to - it calls when it wants.
(9) Cats don't really have nine lives - my cell phone doesn't really work.
(8) Cats get bored and quit paying attention - my phone gets bored and quits sending a signal.
(7) Cats eyes will roam around when they play with a strings toy - there is no roaming on my
cell phone.
(6) Cats have a strong sense of smell using their whiskers - my cell phone sucks.
(5) When you drop a cat , it lands on it feet - when I drop my cell phone it lands on its
antennae.
(4) There are no other similarities.
(3) I don't have a cat.


k...I'm done with that...my brain hurts...


Tonight Layne & I went over to Dave's house. He is in my Bible study - heck of a guy. All of Bible studiers/poker players brought out significant others over for Dave's homsemade pizza and some badmitten. It was awesome....Young people having a good time and eating pizza. It couldn't get more all American....

The Answer is in the Question

When I was pledging with my fraternity, this was a saying that was used during initiation week ("I" week, as we called it.) It was one of those very "Skulls" moments, when all the chapter is gathered around a roaring fire, and the members behind us were whispering "The answer is in the question." What is means, no one ever knew - and that is because it meant nothing, but was only there to make it feel "cool." It worked. And yes, I wet myself.

This phrase sums up the last week. I am in a Bible study at Mars Hill Bible Church - the church Layne & I go to in Grand Rapids. You may have heard of Rob Bell, our pastor - he does the Nooma video series and just came out with a book, entitled "Velvet Elvis." Very cool, young, hip guy who is a sweet leader for us...anywho, in our men's group, we play poker, go golfing, and also find time to fit in pseudotheological discussion, during which we use our colloquial phrases to try and put God in a box.

But that is just it - we don't do that. As part of a new radical movement of young Christians, our generation has the ability to say, "I will never figure it out - and God has it all! He is in control, and is bigger than anyone could ever fathom!" He is. That is not being self righteous, but being real. We young Christians are very laid back and find Jesus as a friend, instead of a principal.

My friend Randy is dealing with something realted to this, with his family. The church he grew up in is very conservative and traditional in its ways. There are rules, and thinking outside of those rules could get you into trouble. Well, Randy is aweome - he decided to go to Mars Hill instead of this old church, and his family almost made him the black sheep. Then, on top of that, he is dating a wonderful young lady - who is Catholic. My Lord, how the walls came down! So Randy's family pays a visit to him last week, to discuss his salvation and lead him back to "the path" - of boredom, rule making and breaking, and the ancient tradition of jumping off the bridge because someone else did!

We have rallied behind him, urging him to invite his family to our church, or to a barbecue we have. But they won't have it - it is too strange, too different, to easy to be a christian at Mars Hill, and they wouldn't dare...

So this message is for everyone: accept the grace Christ gives you.

Understand...

He loves us ... even when we screw up (which we do)
He will restore our faith ... even when it fails (and it will)
He is bigger than science or reasoning ... even if we come up with a thoerom to prove other wise (and someone will)
He died for EVRY ONE OF US ... even if we have forgotten that (which we have)

God bless us...and He does,
josh

Pink Ffloyd Rules

"Hello, ...is there anybody in there? ?"

Remember thos words to the PF song? If not, well...that's what they are. And I ask myself continually, despite my faith in the Lord, that very question.

Yesterday I got promoted at Enterprise, and it looks like another one could come around in the next month or so...but the thing of it is, I don't want to make a career there. And tomorrow is a very special day...tomorrow I interview with a pharm-company in GR! I do so much want this job with them, but I have to continue to tell myself that God has it...and the moment I try to take control of tomorrow, He may just snatch it right out from under me. Not to be mean to me, of course, but because I do something to mess it up.

I give it to him...right now. And even for you skeptics who don't know if God really exists, I ask for your thoughts tomorrow. I want the job - but more want God to lead me to all the exciting things He has planned.

Please say a prayer. Thank you in advance.

Lord, help my unbelief....
your son

As the summer winds to a very warm close, Layne & I are still going to weddings. This one was wonderful! Outside, at a historic mill, complete with water wheel, Belgian draft horses and a little bridge over the water.

Layne was throwing things at the wedding, so we had to put her in the stocks for all to see and mock. Long live the Queen!

Whole Pork Loin

The newspaper for Ed's foodmart sits on my desk. It reads : "Whole Pork Loin, $1.79/lb. Sliced FREE!" When was the last time a deli counter actually charged for slicing? Does "Ed" really think that some yankee from the stix up here will see that and say, "hot damn, honey! Ed is slicing meat for free! Let's git the kids and go to town. Hell, maybe Ed'll throw in some plastic bags for the pork loin for free, too..."

Perhaps. Ed's a nice guy.

I got paid to golf yesterday. I got the morning off, then reported to the office at noon for a 1245 tee time. The company gave us E-balls, E-towels, bought our lunch, paid for 18-and-a-cart...the whole shebang... ["She bang she bang...She move she move." (You know that song?)] I got a redneck tan, and the white collar shirt is rubbin' today, but yesterday was the best day of work EVER...mostly cause I didn't do any!

No work this weekend. Just relaxin', goin' to Chi-town on Sunday...and bein' very lazy :) Come see me...

I heart pork,
josh

But What Does It All Really Mean?...

Things get old. Bananas. Celery. People. When something is new we get all excited about it, but when it loses that fresh luster, we bring the hammer down and talk about how boring it has become... School, that hot girl in Chemistry, your new purple Scoot-n-skate, NCAA Football 2006 on PS2,... the job we do.

You see, I have succumed to the age old problem of letting work follow you home. Like a lurking shadow, the problems and stress of the office tend to over-burden us and hang on our coat-tails, sneak int he passenger seat, and sit down at the dinner table with us. Then one day we wake up and say "why am I doing this?"

A few weeks ago it really got me down. I was a car-renter. I rented cars. Renting cars was what I did..and who I had become. The problem with that reality is that it is not one...it is simply an melodramatic statement that allows us to maneuever our way out of caring about the job we get paid to do.

I want to travel. That requires money. Money requires that I work for it. Working requires that I spend time away fromthe house. Spending that much time requires that I make the best of it and care about what I do enough to keep a smile. God is watching me...

I am NOT my job. It is what I spend hours doing, but not who I am.

I am a son.
I am a boyfriend.
I am a brother.
I am a best friend.
I am a Virgo.
I am a cowboy.
I am a God lover.
I am a sinner.
I am a fun-haver.
I am a volunteer.
I am a carer.
I am a helper.
I am a lover of people.

but I am not a car renter....it is just what I do. I would rather do something else, but I will awlays be just me...who God made me...warts and all.

Humbled,
josh

Poop on a Stick

Did that get your attention? I hope so. It got mine just writing it...i was ready to read whatever gross blogger I was about to write, but then remembered it was just a clever catch-all title that would draw in my readers (excuse me..."reader", singular) and seduce them with e-poetry of the superhuman sort. But I am a Biochemist. Not superhuman, just supernerdy.

Perhaps the French will begin to take serirously what we have been saying all along: theses terroristas won't ignore you Euros forever...they are just bidiing their time until you least expect it. Surely the poor Brits were shocked by the timing of yesterday's tragedy. And, contrary to popular belief, they didn't ask for it by being on our side of the war on terror (which is a gay title, they should actually call it "War on something we can't find, but which Bush can't give up on cause its how he got re-elected"). The French should have supported us the entire time. Just because they let al Queda operative inside their borders doesn't make them a haven...it makes them a storage facility. If you store gasoline reserves in your garage, don't be suprised if it explodes sometime. Ya'll fell me?

Moreover, the french invented French Toast, French Fries, and Canadian Bacon (indirectly.) All overweight middle easterners are already pissed at them for that...but then again so are overweight Americans who eat gravy soaked, beer battered cheese fries with every meal - and then accompany it with a side salad. And perhaps a Diet Coke.

I am trying to make a political statement, but I just returned to the subject of food. It is my favorite thing to eat. Food...not poop. Oh, and why do dancers smoke so much?

inherently obstinant, though I am not sure what it means,
joshua

Steadily Depressin, Low Down Mind Messin' Woikin' at the Carwash Blues

Recognize that? Jim Croce was a genius - a druggie, and a little luts, but genius, nevertheless.

Well I took my first vacation as a businessman this weekend. I went with Layne and her family (including Erin Dudley) to Deer Valley. It has been a vacation spot for them for 12 years now, but as you know was a home for me for so long. It was nice to visit. I rode some younger horses, working some in the round pen and taking others up rides with Uncle Harold. He doesn't follow the trail, mind you. He prefers to bush-whack his way through the pines. Old friends were there, Jake the dog, and so many others.

It was really relaxing, although my shoulders are sore to match my butt. The riding takes it out of you, but puts it back into you just the same. There truely is nothing better for the inside of a man then the outside of a horse.

Layne & I, after an emotional Sunday service, realized we need to search for a church that is smaller, or at least a smaller group within it. And as for me and Enterprise, it is just a stepping stone, and one I have been wanting to step off of recentley. Fun, yes, but the pay sucks and I feel like I worked too hard in college to be doing this. But Brock DeWalt reminded me that God is doing things right now - He has me in this place for a reason. I beleieve His reason was to get to Michigan to be closer to Layne, so mission accomplished! I am looking...and I have a few leads for pharmaceutical jobs. We'll see where it goes. God has it. And the night before I was to return to work with a bad attitude, Layne helped me out and made me see how wonderful life is - that ERAC is just a job.

As for dogs, they are really cool and can poop in your bed without punishment. I might try that soon.

Stinkin up the sheets,
joshua h.

The vacation to visit my Deer Valley family was fantastic! We took fabulous rides, rode new "green" horses, and got to really enjoy God's mountains! Here we all are at the Steak Fry Ride - the Shoafs, Dudleys, Harold, Wilson and I.....It was fabulous. And now, back to the grind.

My mom is great! I am so proud of you!!!!

The quintessential (sp??) Doug Fuller. He is a good Dad...thanks, pops, for being you. I love you...Happy Father's Day.

Here we are last weekend in Detroit at a wedding of Layne's friend.

I love her.... and yes...I DID shave my head.

The families got along great! Like we had spent lots of time together...and we did. My mom had never had smores before...can you believe that?

The cabin, called Pine Tops, was nestled off the shore about 100 yards...deep in the pines and maples.

Memorial Day Weiners

You may ask..."why, Mr Fuller, what are these mysterious weiners we have come to hear so much about?" Well, dear friends, they are the 5-7" "meats", made of leftovers from beef products, and wrapped in a swell intestinal shell...and every true American cooked them this weekend to honor our Fallen War Heroes...who themselves, with all due respect, were weiner lovers, too.

Mom and Dad drove up from Oklahoma to spend the weekend with Layne & I. They arrived Friday, and then Saturday morning we drove up north to Lake Bellaire, an inland lake. We rented a cottage there, just off the shore about a hundred yards...the place was beautiful! Later on in the afternoon, Mel and Shoaf (Layne's folks) got there and we all spent the night eating, making smores, sitting around the fire, fishing and playing Mexican Trains. Sunday was spent relaxing on the porch, in the hammock and taking short, leisurely paddles around the lake in the canoe. The loons were active, and their haunting sound made the experience all the more gooder (haha...that sounds cool for being so wrong).

I have included some pictures for you...It sure is pretty up here...come see me and find out!!!!

Does a bear **** in the woods?
Joshua "yes he does" Fuller

My folks came into town this weekend for Memorial Day! We took them out to Lake Michigan near Holland and walked out on the pier by the lighthouse. Today we are going north to Traverse City to stay the weekend in a cabin in the woods....Have a great weekend!

Maybe he was nervous...

When the novelty of a new thing called a blog wears off, what is a young man to do? Stop writing, I guess. I have to admit my laziness about journaling has been consistent. I began to feel like I was performing for an audience to laugh at my blogs, and the pressure of entertaining got to me and I stopped writing - much like a guy can get "stage fright" if he is asked to pee on command.

Then I realized that it is healthy to write in here, for me and for my carpells and tunnels. They tend to get down becuase they are not as syndromic as others their age. I am a helper.

So Layne & I checke dout sevral churches...well, actually we tried three. Two churches we tried once, and the other is Mars Hill, where we love to go. It feels like home there. So I got on ther horn to the staff and I am joining a men's house church soon. Six guys who just hang out and do guy things, like play sports, watch sports, and go see Star Wars movies. I am exited to see how it goes, as one of the things that I have been lacking is guy time. That is important for a man to feel supported by other Christian guys - there is a connection there. Layne & I are also trying to get into a couples house church, if one opens soon. They are less like Bible studies and more like "hang out with cool people" studies.

I am flying home to Oklahoma this weekend to see my FarmHouse little brother get married. Chitty and Haley get hitched on Saturday. I am excited to see my parents and friends, as it has been over three months. I'm only in town for about 48 hours, but that will be enough - just to see them and hang out.

So last week on the way to church I told Layne that I wasn't feeling like going. I told her that I felt like I was going becuase that is what good Christians do, and that I never wanted ot be that guy who goes to church because it is fashionable...I want to go because of some deeper reason. Well that was a hand to help Layne get on her soap-box and ht erest of the ride to church I just listened. She went on about how we go to honor God...not to feel "high" on spirituality, but in reverence of what He has done for us and Who He Is...that we should go becuase He deserves at least an hour of focus during our week. I agreed with that, was sufficed, and got slammed by the Glory of God at the service. It ROCKED! The music pumped me up - and God allowed me to feel jazzed about being in His fold...it is like He said, "Okay Fuller, you came for the right reason - becuase Layne showed you what it was on the highway driving in...so here ya' go!" He is fab-u-luss!

Don't let the humm drum of every day living get you down. It is the desire to work out the monotony of the work week and the drive to make it through the cycle that makes relationships to awesome. I love pushing through the same 'ol - same ol' with Layne. That is what makes us special - because we like to pull each other through that. She is fantastic. I love her. Nice job, Shoafs.

Erin Dudley is my hero.
josh

A "Sport" All It's Own, by Permenant Marken

This week proved to be a long one, so on Friday after Layne & I got off work, we drove to Midland to spend the weekend at her parent's house. We slept late Saturday, then Shoaf & I went to Lowe's while Layne got her hair cut. After a lunch at a sandwich shop, the girls went shopping and Shoaf and I did manly things - we went to the western store, moved manure with the tractor and rode through the wetlands of Midland.

Scooping poop is great! It blows up your nose and in your face and you feel like "this must be how heaven is!" The smell and warmth that rises from a steaming pile of horse poo cannot be compared to anything else..."I, I'm hooked on a feeling!" So after moving several buckets from the pile to the road o' poop that they are building at Starry Meadows, we played with the dogs and then went for a ride with Jeff Dudley. I rode Sport. He is 17, but has lots of spirit to him. I'll admit, this ride has been the most fun and exciting in a long time (since the 3 hour ride in CO that we took up the old railroad grade in the mountains.) Sport led most of the way, since he walked out good and the others had to jog to keep up :)

Shoaf's horse Rocky decided he was hot and wanted to roll, but Shoaf got him back up without getting off - good thing since we were in 2 feet of water. I hear "GET UP ROCKY! GET UP!" And as we turned an about face we see shoaf still on, pulling on Rock's reins as the gelding reluctantly rose to his feet. We intended t oluagh for a long while about that one. But then it was my turn.

Sport had an accident with a wire fence wrapping around his leg several years ago. He was pretty shook up and since has not liked anything touching his back legs. So we are riding through a clear-cut area that has been freshly done. Fresh stumps, branches and various shrubs abound - and Sport begins to feel the scratches of things on his back legs. He dances back and forth, and begins to breath heavily - snorting is what you would see in movies at this point. The fence we got caught in before is behind us - and he backs up! The wire in the fence hits his hind and he lets it push him forward. We hop along, with only one rear up as he thought about going over a stump, and made it to the road.

After a while on the road we went back into the clearcut where it had been done long before. It was grassy, but standing in 3 or 4 feet of water due to the snow melt and rain. While riding through the 100 yard soggy bottom, he catches his back leg ona stick under the surface and loses his mind, spinnning this way and that - darting up, jumping through the water. Onyx the black lab didn't help, by thinking this must be a game and knipping at his front hooves. He stopped, and I had time enough to get my right foot back in the stirrup before the "reggae" commenced again! I stayed int he middle, and Big Dave would be proud. A lazy ride back to the barn boasted 3 men, staying on top the whole time and living to laugh about it over dinner.

BIG NEWS! Greg Marken and Erin Diane Dudley decided to make plans to tie the knot this weekend. Duds gets made cause I never mention her, so here is her camio!!!!!!! Thier first child (some years down the raod I should think) has been pre-named: Permenant Marken, or, if he has mystical powers, Magic Marken. We'll see.....CONGRATS FRIENDS!!!!

Seacrest, out.
fuller

To Heck With Raton, It's Snowing On GR!

Yes folks, despite our best efforts to keep old man winter at bay with the blooming of tulips, the blossoming of pear and dogwoods trees and the wearing of shorts to expose our sun-fearing legs, the Old Man has come to pay another last season vist and dumped about an inch of snow on GR! Can you believe it! It is only 35 degrees out, even though last week it was 80, and has been above 65 for almost 3 weeks. It is funny to me that thises things happen up here. Of course the general populus is aghast about ti, but expected it nonetheless. Moving on...

Layne's family and I took the Amtrak to Chicago yesterday morning. We got some cheesecake to go at the Cheesecake Factory in the bottom of the John Hancock building, then ate a quick bute of lunch at a local diner beofre heading to see "Les Miserables!" It was FANTASTIC! I have heard the songs from it, at least some of them, but it was a powerful and spectacular show. We did get in trouble by Helga, the evil ticket taker lady who kept yelling at us for different reasons ("don't eat food in theater!", "no pictures in theater!", "nothing on ledge!", "isee the cell phone. I SEE!!!"). But you have to realize a few things. (1) They sell candy and water inside the theater. What is a little cheesecake at intermission? :) (2) We were trying to take a picture of US, before the show started, and did so because of the hundreds of John Does in our vicinity doing the SAME thing! (3) Monkey see monkey do. I love monkeys.

Anyway, we took the train back to MI last night and got in about 1245am. Today will be a lazy day...I usually like to be busy on Sundays, but not today. With no half-day off this last week, I am in need of some R&R. Gonns have some breakfast now....

Do you hear the people sing?
josh

Hockey fights and cocaine pipes

I was always taught that fighting was bad. It gets people in trouble, it is not nice and you could get your face rearranged like Sloth in Goonies. But I went to my 1st hockey game last night to see the Grand Rapids Griffins (2001 AHL Champs) take on Cincinnatti...and boy were my parents wrong! Fighting is awesome. The whole thing was so surreal - let me guide you.

First of all I don't know a thing about the game of hockey. I know that the ball is called a "puck" and is more like a cylinder. I know the goalee wears scary masks, and that most of the guys have a few teeth missing. But here is what I learned at my new favorite sporting event:

• They have to put the words of the national anthem up on the JumboTron because there are too many Canadians in the house.
• The goalee can actually leave his goal, thus having it exposed, to talke a breather! What a wuss!
• The crowd only gets into it if there are fights or goals made. Otherwise they are completely oblivious to the goings on.
• Mullets are the "in" hairdo at hockey games.
• The refs rarely call penalties becuase they have to much fun watching the guys kill each other.

Layne & I went with a bunch of her friends from work. I love to be at sporting events. Any of them. By then end of the game I had deduced (by analogy to other sports) that slashing is like fouling in basketball - even though it is against the rules, awlays do it on purpose. There is off sides, like in soccer, but I had no clue what it meant. At one point I leaned over to the guy on my rigth and said, "just thought you should know - I have no clue what just happened." I told him I just jeer with everyone else, clap when they clap and use phrases like "good stop" and "tough D". I mean, you can use those in any sport, right?

And to get on to other matters, I found a crack pipe, crack, and a needle in a car the other day. Someone left it in a pari of shoes under the seat. I wore the shoes, but threw out the cronic...it's ironic. Snoop would be pissed. he probably wouldn't call me Dogg anymore....oh well.

Go see a hockey game. Go with a girl. Have a hot dog and chili cheese fries. Grow a mullet. And then smoke some crack. Yum yum getcha sum.

joshua

Sources of Motivation

It is funny where motivation comes from. I had decided that going to a wedding in OK would be just too expensive. There was thisidea in the back of my mind the whole time about being unhappy with that choice, thinking "just buy a ticket! you won't be poor because of it. make it work!!"

So I did.

I didn't expect my source of motivation to be in the form of a young Costa Rican almost-doctor who has serious case of lactic acidosis. :) But thanks, Jav.

The ticket is bought. God will provide. He always has and always will.

Oklahoma, your native son is coming back! GET READY!

Bring It On

Although it didn't win many...well, any...Academy Awards, this cheerleading movie brings to light an importnat phrase: "Bring it on!" YOu see, wheteht you are in the business of pumpin gup high school students for mega-big crosstown football rivalries, or in the vehicle rental replacement area, yo uunderatdn that as Monday fast approiaches, it is time to get your game face on because tomorrow someone will come in and
tell a small lie,
present a fake ID,
pretend that they didn't know about he deer stuck to the hood,
or leave a bad credit card and then say "well, I was going to bring it back!"
And to the masses who believe that I didn't watch 2 episodes of COPS on Fox Saturday night, you are wrong! I did..and I have more perspective on how to sniff out a bad deal... that is why they call me "The Bloodhound" Fuller. And they do...

What a fabulous weekend. After working Saturday morning, Layne & I went to see Fever Pitch, the new flick with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon. Great show! It was a romatnic comedy, but had plenty of awesome 1- or 2-liners in it that made me chuckle out loud. YOu see, on a Saturday matinee showing most of the peopl in the theater are blue hairs...you know, elderly people. I think they missed most of the humor involved, because the only person I heard laughing was my date (I don't count myself, because I hear me, but it is more in my head..you know what I mean?) Anywho, I loved the movie.

Today we got up early and met Layne's friends for breakfast at 8am. Married, they are going to seminary to be pastors in Chicago. Great people. We tried a new church today, too. That is a difficult process. We love Mars Hill, but feel like it is too big. So we tried Sunshine Community Church just down the road from us. Lots closer..and the average age of the folks there was higher too. It was more traditional...but we decided it was worth giving a few more tries. We hated to make a decision based on one Sunday.

Anywho, April marks 6 months we have been dating. And to all who wonder, yes...it is great! The move up here was totally worth it. We have a blast together and learn more each day about what makes each other tick. She is truly a woman after God's heart and her heart may be nearly as big as His. Take care, friends....God Bless you all.

Capital T like Tokyo,
The Bloodhound

PS: not sure what that "Tokyo" thing means. It just pooped into my head. Yes, pooped.

What are we saving for?

Sometimes the trueness of life on your own settles in and allows you a front row seat to watch it perform, in all its happiness, bitterness, confusion and anxiety. Yes the everyday is truly a spectacle to marvel at.

I expected to be making more than I am. Rent is high here, at least for me. I chose to live somewhere where I didn't fear the neighbors and it was a good choice. Then you add up cost of living, including food, utilities, and little luxuries that really take their toll...the internet, full coverage car insurance, a cell phone with enough minutes for me to feel important. I am not asking for a pity party because we all have the bills to pay. All I ask for is for each one of you reading this, no matter how many or few - to take a moment to realize all the important things in your life, and that none of them can be priced. Not one.

I made a hard decision today. I called my good friend Chitty and told him that I would not be able to afford a plane ticket to fly down for his wedding, in which I was an attendant. Unexpected tires for my vehicle ate my "fun" allowance. He took it well, suggesting that we simply put a manequin in my place. I am sure it would work: perfect features, proportionate arm mass to torso - everyone would know who it would represent. Honestly, it was a very hard thing to do. I am sure he will be sad and have to scramble to find someone to replace me in the lineup, but the real truth set in: we're not in Kansas anymore.

I could charge a ticket - yes, I could. And then pay it off later - yes, I could. And thus begins the story of so many who are in debt by the tens of thousands. My friends and relatives have been there. But instead of staying in OK where the cost of living is lower, gas is cheaper and friends are 2hours away, I took a risk... a true leap of faith...in fact, the 2nd largest one of my life (second only to the choice to stay in Colorado to see what, or "who", the Lord had waiting for me at Deer Valley). So here I am, living the American dream. And truely loving every minute of it.

So when you go to bed tonight, say a short prayer of Thanksgiving for what you have been given. I have so much here - a roof, food on the table every night, a steady income, faith in the Lord, and a wonderful woman who cried for me tonight because I won't be able to go see my friends. Her heart is so much kinder than mine. She really was sad for me...wanted it to work, but I told her this was an adventure...

So to my friends in Oklahoma - I miss you, and will until we see each other again. Although I am unsure how long it will be, know that you are my friends no matter where we are and someday our kids will still get a chance to play together while we barbeque.

"You never said it would be easy, you only said I'll never go alone"..."All I hath needed Thy hand hath provided, great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me..."

One for the homies, and Bear...
j holland fuller

The Pen is Mightier

But rock beats scissors, and scissors always beat paper...However, paper ALWYAS beats rock. You digg??

Anywho - so last weekend was fabulous. My friend TJ came to Kalamazoo to play a concert. Layne & I drove down and met him afterwards to have dessert and coffee. We went to a sweet jazz club in downtown K-zoo, then drove back to GR where TJ crashed at my place. After a hearty breakfast he headed out to Green Bay, WI, where his next tour stop was. TJ is a good friend. We go back to highschool and, although we only see each other once a year or so, we still enjkoy time spent talking and cathing up. He always pumps me about about life with his great spirit and jovial "I mean, watcha gonna do?" attitude. Saturday night we watched the playoffs at my boss's place and then Sunday we kept the social train going by having lunch with some of Layne's college friends. All in all it was a very talkative, fun weekend.

So the week at work has been good. Tonight was our area meeting and, come to find out, I was the Top Seller in our area for the month of March! Our area (or region) makes up 44% of the west half of the state of Michigan, so I took that as a good sign. Mayhaps if this trend continues I will be promoted in another 4-6 months. Cross our fingers and say a prayer...

Tomorrow I have my 60 Day seminar in Lansing and my stage 2 test for ERAC. I can't believe I have been here for over 2 months! Time has flown, and I feel very comfortable. Mom and dad are coming up for Memorial Day...when are the rest of you coming up??

Take care. And when shooting, remember Bart Simpson: "good ol' rock, nothin' beats rock!"

With optimism and podiatry,
joshua h fuller

Joe Pesci was right

H-E-L-L-U-V-A day.. lemme just tell ya'.

You know those days when you wake up feeling rested, totally relaxed, and you know that this feeling is going to come back to haunt you sometime during the course of your day's schedule? Well, that is Stardate 03.30 for this Space Captain.

It all started well enough. Drove up north to Fremont to work at our satelite branch up there. It was a good time. My sales today were at 66%, so that helpes my monthly average out a ton. I was moving throught the day by reading up on branch stats and numbers to get an idea of what kind of crazy business I have gotten into. I called sveral customers trying to cllect money, ro jst seeing how their rental was progressing. I left important letters out of words to make things confusing., and rearrangde some others. Towards the end of the day I started seeing how busy we will be tomorrow and that promises and faith in my products will be tested with so many vehicles reserved. Then I got in my 5-in-the-floor and began the drive home.

Cell phones. Joe Pesci had it right when in Lethal Weapon 3 he ranted on and on about how "they screw you with the cell phones!" They do. He was right. Short and grumpy, but correct none the less. My phone kinda sucks. I get poor reception in my apartment and often have to call from outside to get a signal. I can't get a signal in my Fremont office. Heck, the thing hang sup on people all the time, mid-sentence and freezes up like a computer. So I was driving home from work, trying to hurry so I coul dmeet the internet guys who were coming to get me back online at my house...and I was talking to Layne, when the thing cut out and I had enough. I yelled obscenities at it (since that usually works, getting the phone to give up its wallet and cry about how it is underappreciated) and then, rather forcefully, slammed it against the steering wheel. Whoopsie...

I took it to Cingular when I got into town, told them it was a crappy phone and that it frustrated me so much I slmmed it down and made the exterior screen turn blue and yellow. "We have had nothing but praise for the Motorolas," he says to me. "Not now," I thought in my head (I am not a retorter or a smart-alec...I would get slapped for that.) He got me a number that I called and they guy says "I can send you a new phone of the same model as long as yours is fixable. Long story short, if mine is damaged (the screen) then I have to pay $75 to get a new one. So then I ask myself, do I just get a new phone and pay a little more? Or pay $75 and get another crappy phone? If it is reviwed as undamaged, I don't pay a thing...but I fear my impatience and bad temper got the best of me here and I may be a little out of pocket. Great...

SO I came home, got the internet fixed, and made some chicken nuggets - which cleared everyhting right up. Ahhh.... So to all my friends (especially my favorite who is far away right now), I lov eyou and God bless...

joshua "call me on my broken cell" fuller

PS: Did you know David Duchovny has a blog? YEAH! The guy from X-Files and that minnie Driver movie about the heart transplant. Although he is worshipped more than I, he is far less interesting. I don't see him touching his own poo just to save face...check it out. http://lionsgatedirectors.com/duchovny/index_flash.html

This is Sister. She was good to me. Nothing beats a ride in the warm spring sunshine in the northern Michigan woods...except a ride in Colorado. No offense, fellow Michiganders.

Moose is my buddy. It was a very relaxing Easter. We watched basketball and enjoyed some riding, too. The weather up here was perfect - 50 and sunny! Wish you all could be here, too. Love you...

I got my artistic talent from my brother.

The Duck and the Hawk

I heard a great story today from an associate of my mom's. Read on, then scroll down to see the illustration of it. OH! And TJ, does this story sound like an experience we remember with Brooke's dog?

For the rest of you, here is the best story I have heard in awhile...and by the best, I mean that in a "did you hear Santa died?" sort of way. Enjoy....and I quote...

"I got to work early this morning, trying to get things done before a 10:00 am meeting that would last most of the morning.
Right at 10:00 I was leaving my office and my cell phone rang and I saw that it was my son who is home alone for part of today because of his school spring break. I answered my phone and my son was hysterical.

A couple of weeks ago Morgan had an idea that it would be a cute idea to have a duck in the fish pond during the garden show in April. We said ok and went and got "2" ducks, because 1 duck would have been lonely. The second day that we had them, I stepped on one and we had a little duck funeral. We then had to go get a replacement duck.

This morning we let the 2 ducks out of the pen and they were happily paddling in the pond when Mary and I went to work and Morgan went back to sleep.

When he called me he was sobbing that there was a huge Hawk in the back yard "EATING" the ducks and it would not leave the back yard. I quickly left the office and hurried home. When I got there Morgan was still sobbing and he showed me the carnage.
When the Hawk would not leave and kept eating his duck, he hit it with a chair. That pretty much immobilized the bird and then he proceeded to shoot it with his BB/Pellet gun. I had to finish him off.

After calming him down some, I asked Morgan if the Hawk got both ducks and he said that he must have because he could not find either of them. We started looking around the back yard and I could hear a familiar chirp and as we rounded a corner of the house a little ball of fur came shooting out of the bushes running/waddling to us as fast as he could come. He was really glad to see us."

Just in case you forgot what we looked like, here is a gentle reminder. Soothing, yes?

The Madness of March

And that is is - mad, like crazy! It has been awhile since I have blogged, although I have no reasons why. I suppose the novelty of journaling got a much needed vacation for a week. The craziness continues, however, on many fronts - one of which is the road to the final four and my OSU Cowboys are kicking butt and taking names!

I haven't had too many good car rental stories, although I suppose I did fail to mention the drug dealer who got busted in a car of ours after he stole it from his girlfriend and stashed his 2 1-gallon bags of weed in the backseat. We cleaned it up really well, but it was a chore. Did I fail to tell you about that one? - well just comes with the teritory I suppose. Oh, if these cars could talk...

So I was at our satellite location north of town in Fremont, MI, last week for 2 days. It is at a Chevy dealership and I have a cubicle near the front for conducting my business. Just me. Solo mio. I am the only Enteprise guy there. On Friday this guy comes in the dealership, looking lost, and walks to my humble abode. Then he points at me.

So I pointed at me too. I didn't want him feeling alone or strange. I point at me all the time. I won't offend me. And with a smirk I asked, "me?"

"Are you a born again Christian?" he asks. Like a well tuned tennis player I retort, "yes I am." He fires again, this time with "do you go to church regularly?" I take aim - "yup." And then he brought out the big guns: "do you tithe consistently, your ten percent?" He had me on that one. I sat up straight in my chair, raised my head and replied, "nope." (For further discourse on this subject, ask me personally. And yes, it does involve a soapbox with the phrases "for building a gym," "old testament law" and the word "goat.")

So the man, who is wearing several coats and baggy navy blue sweatpants with the inseam slightly elevated above the knee, says to me, "well I want to buy a car from a christian who gives the money he makes off me back to the Lord." I told him that I wasn't a car salesman, but that I had great weekend specials on rentals. "Here, take my card." "I don't want that!" he chirped back, hastily. I rose to my feet. The battle line had been drawn.

He preoceeded to lecture me on how he was not going to buy a car from someone who spent his loot on sinful things, like bars and women. But that he would find a salesman who would give his ten perecent back to the Lord. I said a few "amens" in there while he spoke, one or two "I hear that brother"s, and even a "yes, I am that baby's daddy" (kidding...Layne, Mom... that was a joke. :) ) I sent him on his way with a good luck and a pat on the back.

There are religious people in the world. Then there are heathens. In the middle you have people like you and I - and then a variation of sanity differentiates us. Mr. Tenpercent was a couple tacos short of a combo platter, but he sure looked warm in his 4 jackets.

One for the homies,
joshua h.

And then it was Monday

We get so excited for the weekend. Wednesday there is a rumor floating around that the "weekend is comeing up." Thursday we say "it feels like Friday...man!" And then on Friday when each is asked "abig plans for the weekend," he answers - "no, not really" or "nothin', lest the wife has something for me to do." (We will get back to that in a second.)

Well to tell you the truth, I love the weekend, but look forward to the week because there is so much to do. The days fly by at work - as I like them to. Layne and I cherish our nights and, even though I thought it may be different, we don't talk about work too much after we ech get home. I took work home with me this weekend. First, I let a mes up on Fridya get me down and I find it helpful to try and bring loved ones down with me. It doesn't work, usually just makes me mope. I am a moper, after all. And then working Saturday morning just held that feeling over.

But Sunday was FABULOUS! Church this morning, then we made fajitas for lunch and watched the OSU Cowboys dribble their way to a Big XII TITLE!!! YESSSS! They play Friday night in OKC in the first round of the NCAA tourney - I have them dancin' well, but not all the way. MAybe they will surprise me and the Illini....
Tonight me played Monopoly and Layne crushed me AGAIN! Both times we played, she hit Free-parking multiple times and also rolled onto Park Place and Boardwalk and built houses before I could get back to go and collect the rent to pay her! But so fun anyway... :)

Bettr hit the hay...another fast paced work week awaits. It was good to talk to friend this weekend, and I hope you all continue to do well. Blessings.

I am a walrus,
joshua h fuller

Seasonal Fans and the Death of Country Music

I have you interested, don't I??

Well today I went to Meijer (like WalMart, but WAY better) to buy some milk, a chef's knife and a fan to alleviate the stuffiness of my partment. (I don't have ceiling fans.) I searched all around the home section, furniutre, lighting..heck I had exhausted all the possibile locations that the fans could possibly be. Then I asked a yougn girl who looked like she had never heard that question before..."Not celing fans," I said, "stand up type fans thatyou plug in." Silence. She looked over at the guy stockig the clearance rack (whom I thought maybe had a crush on her and they were secretly have a Meijer love affair) and asked him if he knew about fans. He shot the same, "are you kidding?" look back at her that she had given to me. "Those are seasonal - I haven't seen them out yet. Maybe closer to spring."

Two things:
a) it IS spring...spring break, spring fever, spring solstice, "spring forward"...just because it is freezing here doesn't mean it is not that time of year
b) who doesn't keep fans in stock? In Oklahoma I could find fans in Wally world year round, regardless of the climate.

So I am here in my apartment, realizing that the snow that is again accumulating outside may be peering in through my mini-blinds saying, "hee hee hee - heeere I aaammm". If these flakes could talk...

In other news, and more sobering, Chris LeDoux, the rodeo king and country music legend, died yesterday in Capser, WY. He dipped too much. Serioulsy. He had cancer in his bile duct, caused by tobacco going into his stomach. He sang songs like, "Copenhangen,".... and lots of others that mention the bad habit of dipping. But really, who hasn't? I have - but I preferred to chew when I was in college. Not that I did it alot, just on long raod trips with close friends Excuse me. :)

Pizza is on the way. Stuffed crust. Layne is on her way back too. I got off right at 6 today - tomorrow I am marketing to our corporate partners. OH! Here she is now! Better run - watching Ray tonight..it won lots of awards, so I will let you know what I think.

God Bless Chris Ledoux,
josh

PS: all of my fish are pooping simultaneaously! you should see it!

That's why I hate Monopoly

Layne & I love games. We play Rummikub, Sequence, crads...and tonight, Monopoly. That's right everyone's favorite corporate-intenso money game where investing in real estate and running out all the ompetition is fun and exciting! Well, I am not sure if Milton or Bradley played the game before they endorsed it...

But I hate it. Okay, the truth is - I love it. But it is such a personal game for me. See, growing up we played all the time and it was so intense - and I always lost. I guess somewhere deep in my sub-clavian psyche I figured I would grow out of the losing stage and become a master. So tonight Layne says, Yeah! let's play it ... but you will have to teach me the real rules."

And then, with a swift motion, she kicked my a**. I was so mad. Well, not a her - but at the losing. I remember when my buds and I played it in Jackson Hole for spring break in college - Court and Rusty almost fought over it. We all got so upset about the game. I think it's because every move you make is a gamble. And hwen you play it safe, the odds get you every time. I have nothing else to say.

Go buy connect four,
j holland

Under the Weather

It is official - Michigan is permanently under the weather. And I don't mean the flu or the common cold...I mean literally, the weather patterns that are cold, snowy and otherwise dreary have a time-share leased right abouve the 41 and 50 longitudinal parallels. That means they hang out here in the winter, and then migrate north for the summer to hang out with Rudolf. At any rate, the parallels i mentioned have no actual geographical or topograchical or rhinographical significancce. I made them up to sound smart. In fact, rhinographical isn't a word either!

... (<---there it is again) Think I have a cold or the flu, since we are on the subject. Tired, sore, chilled...we will see int he moring. So everyone, hurry up and feel sorry for me and have pity. Aaawwwww... Better yet, send soup and juice. Or buy my DVDs. Wait, I can't have mom call in to work and tell Neal that I am sick today. Although... There was a HUGE wreck today in GR. 85 cars made contact in a pile up on 131 north of the city., which doesn't include the cars who swerved off the road and didn't hit another vehicle. 1 man died, 2-4 are in critical condition, and 29 were transported to hospitals. I even heard that the airports mass casualty crew was sent out to be posted, and they had all kinds of chaplains on scene. Tell you what happened...people going too fast, there were white out conditions due to snow, and slick roads. An equation that equals disaster. Pray for them and thier families. We are ok. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
josh

Here it is - the real thing. I blocked out my info so some people wouldn't find it and stalk me. But it's true, I am a professional...hi ya!

Mark of One Hundred Paces

That is about the distance (with a 7 foot stride) that it would take to get from my apartment building to Layne's. Nice, huh? (A canadian I met recently says Americans say "huh" too much - but compares it to Canadains' "eh." Canada is wrong about most things, so we will leave it a that, huh?) That's right, one hundred paces from solitude to loving togetherness. One hundred paces from the confines of a modern one-man cave to the palace of tranquility.

Just got off the phone with a college friend - Chitty. What a guy. He is getting hitched in May and is really pumped about it. I like him - more than that I respect him. After all, he did throw a glas of water on Mat Turner when the "heat" got turned up in February of '01. My FH buddies smell what I'm steppin' in.

The word of the day is "bracket." Why? Because that is the word that comes to mind first when I think of shelving. Shelving solves lots of problems - it organizes, stacks, neatens and can, in some cases, be folded. You know what else is folded? Bread - well, actually it is kneaded. And the word "knead" sounds like "neat.' And that is what I think Chitty is - neat. That is why bracket is the word of the day.

Adieu.

Solving the problems of modern man,
dr. j. holland fullster

The Difference

Men and women are different. There - I have said it. I know that scientists the world over may crucify me for making such a bold statement, which contradicts every known theory or model of human nature, but I believe it to be true. In fact, I may even go so far as to say that males are very different from females. Heck, the opposite is true in itself - women are very different from men.

I know that this may be a new concept to most of you, but just let it sink in. All basic phsyical differences aside, there are other differences too. I was prepared to list them, but couldn't think of a single one - mainly because all of the numerous ones are running together in my mind now and would come out like this:

1. Moodinesspridetemperemotionalvulnerabiltyindependenceiheartmoose

...only longer.

The goal of any man in a serious relationship should not be finding a way to get more for himself, but instead to give of himself. You see, men can be jealous. Take me for example (you see, I am giving of myself)...like a child, I sometimes get moody if I am not paid enough attention. Standard poodles behave in the same way. It is hard for me to believe that I am not always the center of my love's world. When all things are well I see us holding hands, dancing through the daffodils and singing "tra-la-la-ti-day". When things are well but different than usual, I see her hating me and spontaneously deciding I must have been the biggest mistake of her life. All the while, the real truth is that her plate is full of lots of things and that she, as a woman of God, was made a far more emotional being than I.

I am independant - even to a fault. She is tender and strong all in the same woman. And beautiful for it. So while we men feel like we are the leaders and in charge, sometimes it is best if we walk behind her so that when she slips, we can catch her.

He who humbles himself will be exalted. God made a magnificent thing when he made the woman. Her tenderness is unmatched. Often times I feel like she will lose interest, but, at the risk of being completely honest - I am blessed, overwhelmed, and relieved when she keeps wrapping her arms around me, making the choice to invest in someone as strange as I am.

I love you,
me

I miss these guys. My best friends.

PS: This is for the good times

I can see how being up here all winter, when you can't be outside because it is so cold and cloudy can make a person get cabin feever or depressed. I am ready to be able to get home from work and have it be light outside and 80 degrees. The inability to enjoy the outdoors is hard on me - I am an active person and staying inside all night is sometimes tough. Tonight it was a little bit that way.

There is a guy at work named Dan who I just met today. He hasn't been in in awhile. A funny kind of guy, quirky and a love for talking with people. Just a good ol' boy. I bet in a past life he was from Oklahoma. :) Anyway, he was telling me that people think he is not too smart, but that he has a motto, from the movie Song of the South (which is no longer availabel because of political correctness issues). He says this:

"Briar bear and briar fox - they think I'm dumb.

But they don't know me -

they don't know I grew up in the briar patch."

Einstein has met his match.

Pray that God doesn't let me lose strength to be a light in the darkness that is up here.

"If you still can hear me singin'

to the people who don't listen

to the things that I am sayin'

prayin' someones gonna hear?

I guess I'll die explainin' how

the things that they complain about

are things they could be changin'

hopin' someones gonna care?

I was born a loneley singer

and I'm bound to die the same

but I've got to feed the hunger in my soul.

If I never have a nickel

I will never die ashamed

Cause I won't believe that no one wants to know."

I ain't sayin I beat the devil, but I drank his beer for nothin' - then I stole his song.

joshua holland

Ten Condemned Commandments

So there is this huge issue now about whether a TX public building shoudl have the 10 Commandments posted on their front grounds. Advocates say it is an "important piece of history" and that the 10 Commandments "played abig part in the creation of our government." Opponents say it is against separation of church and state. I have some things to say about this...

1. Separation of church and State was designed to keep the US from having a national church, like the church of England, so that people don't have to go to a certain church because others aren't allowed. GET YOUR DEFINITION RIGHT! There is NO national church. Mission accomplished. So if anyone has the desire to side with these folks, please edumacate yourself before doing so. Separation of church and state is a CRAPPY defense, here, and the US Supreme Court should only hear it if there is sound reason - this isn't it. Dumb people use this phrase to sound smart - but it is just watering down the importance of this phrase, much like words such as "love," "hate," and "pottery."

2. The advocates may be cross-pollenating the issue. Yes, the 10 Commandements and the Bible played ahuge role in the creation of the United States of America. But are they sure that is their reason to argue? Or do they think that evangelising to the whole world should be done at the pulpit of a government building? More than likely it is a little of both. Again, edumacation is the key.

3. I know edumacation is not the word. It is education - but "eduma" is cooler to type. And funnier.

4. Marijuana should not be legalized.

Hope this helps you. Probably not, but at least the 4 people who read this journal will know I think about stuff.

Thou shalt not,
joshua h.

Anonymous sure is secretive

People comment here on my posts. That's cool...but could you post your name? Because really, I have no clue who you are - and would like to, especially if I know you already. For example:

Who is JBR?

A Short Dissertation on Global Affairs

Wow...what a day. (Do you ever notice that I write like I think...lots of these three dot things...like that...and that, too. I think I like it because it is more like a conversation...well, a one sided one. Actually, the definition of [...] is to electronically insert the verb of thinking or considering.) Where was I? Oh yes.

Wow...what a day. I worked 14 1/2 hours - from 7:15 until 9:45. Lots of cars to be delivered, but business is good. ( How do you spell business? Buisness? Or business? I think business because you stay "busy" at work, so it is like "busy"ness... (<--there it was again). There is a spell check but then I would have to move the mouse. "Lazy"ness.)

No exciting stories today. Just listened to people on NPR talking abotu how their sons didn't know what they were getting into by joining the natioanl guard in VA or the resevrs. I am sorry, but doesn't Army National Guard, or Air Force Reserves have a certain ring to the title? Maybe that's just me. I am sure it is hard on mothers of wartime soldier sons. But the fact is, I signed up with Enterprise knowing I would work long hours and not earn 50K a year. Soldiers sign up knowing they will have to fight when duty calls, and they won't earn 50K a year either. I must be a suburbian soldier...that's what I am.

And the people who say "NO WAR" and say that we are killing innocents...like I heard a lady on TV tonight saying "we are so ready to use a gun to solve out problems instead of sitting down and talking out our problems."

OK Susie Q. Public, you sit down with John P. Crazyextremist and rationalize why he/she shouldn't blow you up because you worship different that he/she does. Good luck. Don't these left sided anti-war types understand that in a utopia there would be no war and everyone could have tea and arrange their problems in a neat pattern for some grandma to cross-stich about..but that this is NOT a UTOPIA and there are people among us, both domestic and abroad, that are not rational? Whom talking doesn't work with? Heck, I knew some in college who were in my fraternity.

The point is, use your freedom to yank yank about NO WAR..but then, please, before the grace of Almighty God, thank the soldiers and their wars for the freedom that allows you to express that view. Ever heard this before,

"Those who do not remember thier past are condemned to repeat it."

I believe that was quoted at Adolf Hitler prior to his second try in WWII. He lost. But freedom gained by that war changed the world.

No more politics for a week, just Fruity Pebbles,
joshua holland fuller, President

... ... ... ... ... [<--ARGHHHHHHHHH!!]

The Colorado Kid

That is my name in our area at Enterprise. Today my area manager posted the top sellers for Monday - guess who was NUMBER 1? ME!! That's right...And tonight we had a long business meeting, and some guy was given an award for top sales for February with and 88. Guess who was in his tail with an 87? ME! And I was only there for 2 weeks in February! So needless to say things at ERAC are going well. Went out afterwards with my associates - then finally got home. Time to chill for an hour.

Met with my mentor today. I haven't ever met him before - so he took me out to lunch to get to know each other. During our meal he brought up religion & politics - both issues that I wouldn't have chosen for our first meeting. He is from Canada and pretty different from me. It was a good time, but I wonder how much we will get along. Just because he is assigned to me doesn't mean I need to utilize him all the time. We will just see, I guess...

Amazing Race is on. Better go see who the new people are this time.

Here's lookin' at you, kid,
joshua holland

Oh yeah - the weekend!

GREAT WEEKEND! Layne & I drove to Midland late Friday after I got off work. Saturday we slept in - and then had lunch. In the afternoon I went riding with Erin & Jeff Dudley. It was a great time. They have Arabian horses. I rode "Sport" - a good gelding. We rode in the snow and it was freezing outside, but with the sun out it was nice to bask. The place we rode was goregeous - 200 acres outside of Midland. We saw plenty of whitetail. Erin got so cold - and her horse started losing her footing and Erin fell off...whoops! So I let her ride my horse while Jeff caught hers.

Saturday night we all went to see "Hitch," the Will Smith movie. HYSTERICAL! A funny, happy movie - not too much of a chick flick, and I am sure guys can see the humor in it. I know that I was picturing guys I know that are as hopeless as some of the fellas in that movie. Guys like me :)

Sunday we went to Mel's church for opeing Sunday. Then for her birthday we went to the Dudley's - Jeff grilled steak and I made artichoke dip. Layne made mashed potatoes and noodles. It was a GREAT meal. Somehow, every time we go up there I eat so much and come home filling stuffed.

Sorry to dissapoint, but there were no stories of overflowing this time - actually, everything went down quite well, thank you.

Like a swirly in February,
joshua h.

Hola, amigo

Friday was a crazy day at work. I actually got off before the sunset (that rarely happens)...around 6:15pm. The day was constant, although not hectic. First thing this morning I locked the keys in a van, while it was running and thus customer was waiting. Felt like a total goob. So I had to take him to another branch, get him in a van, and go to the Dodge dealership to get a new key cut. I admit it was not the start to a friday that I would choose, or planned.

Then a phone call came. Bill was saying "I don't understand...What?" to whoever was on the other line. He then said "No habla Espanol." I blurted out "I DO!" and ran to his aid. I told th elady that her husband has a reservation for a rental car, asked for his cell phone number & told her to have him call us when he got home. He never did, but she understood me and I actually carried on a conversation with her! IT WAS SWEET! So the extra year at OSU to get my minor paid off...listen here, Dr. Monotone Spanish Teacher who hated me - how do you like me now? Can you handle that - HI-YA!?!

Anyways - a while later I got cussed out by lady who said we were taking to much money from her and that she would call her lawyer on us. The fact that she only pays in cash and I am pretty sure she can add makes me realize I was right - she owed us money to keep her car. When she asked to speak to the manager and I got him, she hung up. Ok, ma'am - you don't owe us anything. I will just call the cops, have them repo the car, and you can go to jail for theft. Have a nice day and thank you for renting with us!

Customer service is a wild and challenging field. Keeping my cool is a struggle, but I am sure I will conquer it eventually. If you are a customer of mine and are reading this, I thank you for your patronage and hope that, if your future plans call for airline travel, youwill choose Kellogg's.

Today Layne & I are in Midland for her mom's birthday. I love her poodles - Moose and Nayla. I am going horseback riding with some friends this afternoon. Haven't been in awhile - I am sure my butt will be sore. i hop eyours is too. :)

Suya hermano en el norte,
josh

Feelin' the burn

Does that title make you think I am working out hardcore and wailing hard on my back and abs? Nope - just had lots of dinner, actually. So just the opposite.

Layne didn't get her job that she wanted. She interviewed 5 times and made it to the final five, but wasn't as the company wanted "more experience." They have no idea what they just passed up. And i am not some American Idol parent saying that baout my kid who can't sing...she is so truly talented and creative and would make any com-firm blessed! But she has been working this week, and will continue next week, with a firm out of Holland, just 30 minutes from GR. She likes it htere, but they just brought her on for this project. We are hoping they will extend her to something more permenant.

2 more days of work till the weekend. YEAH! This 86 year old woman wrecked her rental today - broke my heart. She hardly has the money to pay her deductible. She wasn't injured, but got a ticket as she was at fault. She was a cutie - kept insisting she was only 16! :) And she made me agree that if she wins the MI lotto (1 million buckaroos) that I will drive her to see the grand Canyon and Alaska...so of COURSE I said yes!

Adios days on the wide open prarie,
joshua holland

Here are my roommates. The 2 on bottom are Laverne & Shirley. The black and ornage one (top) is Pete (like Pistol Pete) and the one to the right is Crazy Eddie (if you knew him you'd know). Eddie likes to swim up towards the suction filter and play in the bubbles....crazy. Jacques (the snail) is not pictured - he is busy cleaning the skull. Happy trails! 

TJ's blog

Playing hookie

As I was heading back to work today after my lunch break, my boss Neal called and said "why don't you flex out this afternoon?" I wasn't about to hesitate. So...I have the rest of the day off! I have a meeting tonight at 7 at the office, but that should only last an hour. I feel like I am back in college and skipping class or something. Ah, the days of my youth...mayhaps I will take a nap.

I was thinking today about how we judge people by looking. Last week we had a car reserved for the president of a big bank in Michigan. We made sure to have the exact car he requested on the lot when he arrived. When he came in, I never would have guessed that he was the president of a bank. Ballcap, sunglasses, 5 o'clock shadow, blue jeans...he looked like someone who hadn't been employed in some time.

It got me to thinking today (sometimes I have to let things like that sink in) that we should serve everyone as if they are the most important dignitary we will meet that day. Why treat people differently and with more respect because they have money or power? Shouldn't we treat everyone that way? And you know what else? I HATE the phrase "white trash" or "trashy"! Why would we ever want to make an analogy between refuse and a person.

All things things wise and wonferful,
All creatures great and small,
All things bright and beautiful,
The Lord God made them all.
josh