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