I'm back, and better than ever. i don't even know what that means. Take it in lieu of an excuse of why i haven't posted in so long.

I guess I've just been working harder than I needed to at my old job. And I'm not working by my lonesome anymore. Now i can just talk to keith instead of write to you. ha, ha... I sound pathetic. Well, I'm okay with that.

Strange thing happened the other day. I was looking through the Oct/Nov issue of "Dwell" magazine. A photography spread of locales from the seventies had a picture of Miami Beach, Florida taken on my birthday - THE actual day I was born. I did a double take on that one. "Wow, look, my birthday... whoa, it really IS my birthday." and the pic showed a nice day too.

Unlike the present. I mean, how many cloudy rainy days can you take? I need a vacation from this misery. Except I'm actually fine. I can take it. and only two hours until i leave work to go to church. I just hope that i'm more awake there that i am right now.

The apartment got some new digs this weekend, if that makes sense. I'll explain: I finally got curtains up on my ginormous (jye-NORM-us) bedroom windows. (the windows are big, not the bedroom.) I also splurged on a down quilt and found a great chopping block for the kitchen. The roomies also did well and got a pair of stools for the counter. They're beauties. (The stools, not the... am i going to get in trouble now?)

I'm also contemplating some cheap surround sound speakers. Yeah, i might as well, right? I deserve it!

All is good again in the world! i got my ipod back from apple yesterday. for four days i had to ride the subway without music. tragic, i know. it's less about the music and more about drowning out everyone else. i don't know how apple did it, but it makes time go faster.

also good: the health club in my building is now open, and i even go (sometimes). I figure, if i'm going to watch tv, i might as well do it while working out. the cardio machines have flatscreens at each station that let you listen to cds, watch dvds, or watch the tube. but since i had my ipod back, i decided to hop on the new rowing machines. 8 minutes and 2000 meters later, i was about to die. i'm not quite in the shape i was during college crew. so does this mean that you'll be seeing a slimmer josh soon? probably not. i visit aunt sarah too often and love those chocolate chip cookies too much.

i realized last night that i'm leaving town in just a week. wow, christmas is coming fast! i'd better get on top of things.

oh, yeah. this past saturday i attended my church's ministry banquet. it's one giant thank you/christmas party for all the volunteers/people in ministry in the church. and since we really push being involved in ministry, there were a lot of people there. it was held in a ballroom at a big fancy hotel in times square near the church. although there were about a thousand people there, we still had good food. (you know how sometimes these things have lukewarm food that's more fancy than tasty?) it was a three course meal with waiters and everything. The pastors all said a few words, we sang some carols, played some games at teh table, fellowshipped a little (christianese for "hang-out and chit-chat), and then went home; short and sweet. perfect since we had to get up early for church the next morning, and some of these people have quite a commute.

okay, back to work. i love my new job! ooh, i think i get paid this week too.

it's officially holiday shopping season. so i guess i have to buy stuff for OTHER people. while a lot of people have finished their 'to-buy' lists, i've just started today. so far i've only bought presents that can be had online... i wonder if i'll actually do any in-person shopping. we'll have to see. i know i have more internet buying to do, but maybe something 'live' will come up. i would have bought something at the store, but getting it on the internet meant no sales tax (and there was no shipping) and i did't have to lug it to my house, or home for christmas. brilliant.

unfortunately (it took three attempts to type that word correctly) every saturday for the past few weeks we've had lousy shopping weather. and tommorrow (sat.) it's supposed to rain. i think i need a day off work just to shop. well, not really, but it would be nice.

oh yeah, i started a new job this week. everything is different, and it's going really well, thanks. And although i've just started, i'm still getting a generous christmas vacation. and my new location should give me greater access to christmas shopping. i went from middle of no-where to middle of everthing. i'm lovin' it.

it's f-f-f-freezing outside, so maybe we'll see some snow sometime soon. i can't wait, actually.

I love the three day work week. Especially when it ends with the gorgefest that we call Thanksgiving. This is also my last "week" at my current job. But don't worry 'bout me - I start a new one on Monday. So technically I'll be unemployed over the long holiday weekend.

I'm thinking about hiring someone to do my Christmas shopping for me. It's too hard to do by myself. Are you interested? You can buy yourself a gift too.

speaking of gifts... I bought myself one last week. I had had a long day at work, so I splurged that night on a pair of expensive sneakers. I had shopper's hangover the next morning, but I discovered that I couldn't return them. (it should be illegal to not take returns. Who wants store credit?) so then I just felt guilty and not too happy with my decision. But then, I received a late birthday card that had in it the exact cost of the shoes. Result: no more guilt! (well, almost.)

I'm back from Africa! And I must admit, I kinda forgot about this blog. It wasn't until I was posting pictures from the trip that I remembered that I haven't posted since I've been back.

The trip was great. The people in Zambia are extremely friendly and gracious and generally happy no matter their personal circumstances. They loved to hear us sing almost as much as we loved to hear them sing. They even taught us a few songs in Membe while we were ministering.

Most of the short time we were there was spent at the hotel. We were to rest and adjust to local time so we had enough energy for the crusade meetings at night. After a leisurely breakfast by the pool, we met in groups to pray and learn what was happening that day. After lunch and some more free time, we would head over to the stadium. Since promptness is not a local custom, the singing part of the program was stretched out, so we really needed our energy. By the time the preaching would start we had a big crown every night.

Monday, after the outreaches and meetings were over, we had a free day. We stopped at a few markets for souvenirs, and then headed out of town to a safari park. We had to travel an extemely bumpy dirt road for close to an hour to get there. But it was worth it. We had a feast, and then saw all kinds of animals from horseback or jeeps or while walking. It was a great afternoon, and a great way to end the trip.

After a few more days of travel, I made it back to NYC. We flew from Lusaka, Zambia to Malawi, and then on to Nairobi, Kenya where we had a seven hour layover. From there we went to London where we first heard how the US election was progressing, and then on to New York. I'm about over my jet lag now, and ready for something new....

My free trip to Africa is getting expensive. I've been running around gathering supplies and filling out my wardrobe as per the official dress code. I got some more shots and pills this week. and now I'm almost done. I just need some things to keep me entertained during all my flights and wickedly-long layovers. Anyone know a good book to buy? I have a Stephen King novel that I need to read, but it's probably not appropriate reading for a missions trip. (Even thought it's NOT a horror story.) I've also been trying to think of what I'll miss most by leaving comfortable America, but I haven't really come up with anything. I guess I won't be gone very long. I can take it.

I've also been kinda busy with other matters, but I won't discuss until something is final.

And now I'll get back to work. My next post will probably be after I get back from Africa, so wish me luck. (Great; a legitimate excuse for not posting.)

Do you ever notice things and wonder if anyone else notices the same kinds of things? Not because you're particularly clever, necessarily, but... maybe just by chance? or maybe something about the way you're put together, whatever that means? Let me offer an example:

The subway doors have just closed. Just before the train begins moving, you instinctively clench your body and do an ever-so-slight lean into the direction of movement in an effort to soften the jolt that's coming. That's the normal thing to do unless you are a tourist and you are not aware that you will soon be stumbling into a stranger's arms or lap. BUT, then the train doesn't move. Sure it will soon, but you're stuck in that body clench / lean act that you're accustomed to. Do you ever notice how that's feels? While not painful, it's completely uncomfortable. It's indescribable, really, but it makes me want to squirm.

Or maybe it's something that really bothers you while everyone else just dismisses it as normal. I will again provide an example: My roommate, Ryan, has what you might call a pet peeve about something at the movies. (is it really a pet peeve, though? Not really. It's just something that happens.) Ryan does not enjoy the moment of time between when the previews end and the film begins. Or perhaps it's the gap between the pre-movie slideshow and the film previews. Whichever it is, the problem is that everyone has started munching on their buckets of popcorn, but the "movie" isn't making any noise. Everyone is quiet with anticipation, EXCEPT for the munching of that popcorn. I admit that it's not a pleasant noise. Ever notice that?

i realize that i haven't posted anything in a while. thinking about it now, it's because nothing much has happened. i didn't go anywhere last weekend except home depot, so there's no exciting tale there. (although it is the first and only home depot in manhattan.) work had been busy, but i try not to say anything about it here.

i'm starting to get ready for my trip to Africa. i get another shot on monday, and i have some prescriptions to fill before i go. i need to gather some supplies before i leave too, so i'm going out to long island tomorrow for some of that. hopefully i'll find some things for the apartment while i'm at it. i should also try to think of ways to keep entertained during all these horribly-long transcontinental flights. they should just drug you until you get to your destination.

i'll try to do somehting exciting soon so i have something to post. ha, ha, later.

I'm back from vacation... too soon, i'm afraid. But i'm no slacker either; you'll find not just one, but TWO new photo albums on the site. you can show your appreciation by cash OR check.

i'm too tired for sentences, so here's a few fun things i did while i was away:

slept in; had mom's roast; saw the sights in Sheboygan; web site work with Brent; Zombies with Brent and Tracy; cut down branches with Dad and Holly; fried out brats; saw old friends; visted the cheese factory and stopped by a farm for caramel apples; my first visit to the Brewer's stadium in Milwaukee; shopping and a boat tour in downtown Chicago; fresh chocolate chip cookies on my flights!

thanks and good night.

I'm in Wisconsin! I barely made it on the plane. First, my cab ride took forever... so much traffic. and then the security line at the airport was a mile long. I never would have made it except that they a "shorter" line for mine and another flight.

It's a short week, thank the Lord. I'm off to the land of cheddarheads on thursday to refill my depleted supply of cheese... and to visit the family, etc. Unfortunately, my long-time barber in Sheboygan is on vacation.

I kow, i still haven't gotten pictures of the new apartment on the site. at least the new format works, so it shouldn't be too difficult once i have the time. but i'm a busy guy. that reminds me; i have a website to finish....

But i did get my new mattress yesterday. It's great to have a real bed again! this means though that i'm kinda broke after buying a platform bed, new mattress, mattress pad (these aren't cheap like i thought they'd be), and new sheets. but it's all worth it. definitely.

There's really nothing else new happening. oh, i went to a luau with a pig roast and everything. unfortunately, i missed the pig on the spit, but i still got a taste. yummy!

Happy 30th Holly!

back to me. ha, ha! i finally updated the pictures section on my webpage. the newest gallery is from this spring, so i'm a little behind. but it's a new album format that shows bigger pictures while still being nice, i think, to those folks who are still in the 800x600 resolution dark ages. so check it out:
http://josh.homerlane.com/pic_toc.htm

My new bedroom is finally coming together. yes, there is a twin sized mattress laying in my new full-size bed. and yes, a corner of my closet is piled high with miscellaneous junk that doesn't yet have a place to call home, but the floor is visible and mostly uncluttered. i guess i need another piece of furniture to store and hold things like a small stereo, architecture models, and stuff, but there's no huge hurry for that. and just ignore that giant piece of flattened cardboard box that's mostly covering the window; blinds of some sort are in my future. but first i need to find some that cover seven-and-a-half foot tall windows.

the living room bookcases have been assembled. now we're just waiting for appropriate mounting brackets and a few moments in our busy schedules to put them "up."

so pretty soon we'll have it together, and we'll have you over to see the beautiful place we call home.

We just went wireless yesterday. It was either WiFi or mounting a network cable across our living room walls and ceiling. My room mates already had wireless cards from their summer of using free internet, so all we needed was a new router and a card for my computer. Sunday after church i stopped into CompUSA (on my way to the grocery store) to check their prices against some internet options like newEgg.com or eBay. i was handed a flyer on the way inside that advertised wireless stuff on sale--just what i needed. so i plunked down a wad of money, and now we have G-speed wifi. Aren't you jealous?

As i was about to get ready for bed last night, i decided to put together my new bed. i don't have a mattress that fills the frame yet, but i knew i could use my twin mattress until i get a full sized one. Assembly was quite an ordeal, really, especially since i had to clear enough space in my bedroom to do it. so i stayed up a few houres later than i planned... at least i did laundry between church services. (which were really good by the way.) Now we just have to assemble another bookcase, mount a few things, and we'll be well on our way to moving in. Anyone know a good place to find short bar stools or a slim coffee table/ottomans?

i'm back online! whoo-hoo! but i'll have to post later, because it's time to go to church again.