Bloggy Friend Updates!!!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Today's post is all about the Bloggy Friends, and what they have been up to recently. I have the best Bloggy Friends in the world. They are all so involved, taking life by the balls as they progress through life like champions! Here are a few of the latest updates.

Have you checked out Rick's (Puss) blog lately? He has posted a whole gallery of some of his art collections. He changes it up from time to time and it's always a nice way to pass a free minute. Sometimes I stop by to feel like I am browsing through an über sexy art museum in between phone calls at work.


I am hotly anticipating the arrival of one of my dearest friends, Casey. He will be in Philly over the next few days for a work trip. When he took on this new job, we were both excited at the possibility of his chance to travel to Philly eventually - and it's finally here! This will be the first time he has visited me here, and the first time we have seen each other since our Loretta Lynn escapade in Kansas City in February 2007! We should be meeting up for drinks when I get off work tonight. I can't wait!


My good friend, Monica, sent me an email today announcing the grand opening of her sister, Tina's, new online store. She will be selling a collection of fabulous, homemade products through one of my favorite websites, Etsy.com. Drop by and check it out if you are in the market for cards, bookmarks, cardholders, or even jewelry. It is always good to help out a fellow artists whenever we can! Forget hallmark, visit Tina!

I will close today with one of the most entertaining YouTube videos I have seen - and it just so happens to come from our very own, Bloggy Friend Bill! His videos don't come along as often as I'd like, but when they do they're a guaranteed showstopper. This particular one is an audition for a Youtube dance competition. Yes, he dances! If you like Judy Garland, you'll do flips over this video! for the smiles, Bill. I hope you don't mind if I post them here. I just think everyone should see!

Love and peace to you all!

Josh

Puppy Progress, Pt. 1

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Well, yesterday marks the first day we brought Galileo home. He has definitely brought a little more sunshine into our lives. He is adorable, cuddly and a bundle of laughs for both of us.

This week also marks the very first week Alan and I have EVER house trained a puppy. Acclimating cats is a much easier job. You basically bring them home, show them where the litter box is and BAM - they have it! Puppies, as a lot of you know, are a totally different story! By the end of this first trial run, I am still sure that I am a cat person through and through.

I won't lie - I'm getting a little frustrated. It doesn't really seem like he is "getting it" yet. He goes outside and pees when we take him, sure, but I don't have the feeling he knows outside is the only place he can pee or poo. Sometimes we'll take him out and he'll just sit there in the grass starring at us, then as soon as we bring him in he pees on the rug! We are doing everything the books are telling us, but it seems like they leave out a few minor details - like, it isn't as easy as it sounds! He definitely understands that he gets a treat when he goes outside, which is a good thing. He'll squat and pee, then run right for it. But like I said before, that doesn't keep him from squatting in the house. I know it's only been a week, and all we can do is keep trying. It's just hard when it doesn't seem to be going the way you expected. I would really appreciate some words of encouragement, Bloggy Friends. You have all been so good to me already, with your advice and support. I know it will all work out, but I need to vent to someone!! He just seems so defiant and I need to know if that's normal!

There is also the issue with his crate. All the books say he will LOVE his crate - well he doesn't. He is miserable in his crate. We have bought cushions, comfy blankets, fill it with toys, give him water and still he barks like a banshee when he's inside. I feel like he sees it as punishment. He basically kept us up all night last night, whimpering and barking from it. We can't show him attention when he does that, because he'll think it works for him. So, we just lay there and let him do it - to no avail.

On a more positive note, Mary Todd and Abigail are slowly adjusting themselves to Galileo. I notice that they are getting closer (especially when he is asleep) to sniff him and see what in the world he is. When playing they start to wrestle around, but they both play so differently. He's all about nibbling and they are all about clawing. I think they'll find a meeting point eventually. He has tried to snuggle with them a few times, but they aren't having it yet. He is a puppy still, so his energy far surpasses their mature, teenage cat years. I look forward to the day when they play, sleep and cuddle together. How sweet!

I hope you don't mind if I take a little time on the blog to post our progress with him. I feel like it will help me along the whole process. I have attached pictures to make it more entertaining for you, if you don't feel like listening to me gripe! I appreciate you're advice though, you have all been so helpful. I would like to give a special shout-out to my friend, Charlie. He lives in Tampa with his partner Jeff. I met them both in 1997 when we were all in the same fraternity (Lambda Chi Alpha)! We just so happened to be the only (secretly) gay ones around, so we have kept in touch after all this time. They are great guys and have helped so much with advice and such on the puppy. Thanks Charlie!!

I hope you all have a fantastic day. It's hot as Hades in Philadelphia today! I love it.

and I love you,

Josh

Kentucky Road Trip, Pt. 1 (Lancaster)

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Enjoy part one of my recent Kentucky road trip series. This video covers much of our first day - arriving in Kentucky and spending time with my Mom and family in Lancaster. We had such an amazing time. It was so good to see everyone. Visiting home in the spring/summer is 100x better than being there at Christmas, when everyone is too rushed to even scratch their butts. We were blessed with wonderful weather and my mom made a fantastic dinner. It's one of my favorites - Grease Salad! I know it may sound strange, and rather unhealthy, but it's an entree you can only enjoy about twice a summer - when the garden lettuce grows and is ready to be be cut. This is how it works: You make a salad out of fresh garden lettuce, add some radishes, bacon (if you prefer), and eggs and then drizzle piping hot grease over top of it! I love the way it sizzles. It really is so delicious and it brings back a ton of childhood memories. Mmmmmm.

I hope you guys are having a great extra day off. Are you doing anything special to celebrate or commemorate? I believe we are just going to chill, maybe take a walk, play with the puppy and make tofu hot dogs tonight for dinner! We thought it sounded good and American.

Enjoy today's video. Stay tuned for part two within the coming week!

Love you all,

Josh

Birthday Shout-Out: My Friends Tim & Sarah

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

I hope you guys have had a funtastic weekend. I'm sure you are all jazzed about the three-day break! We've had a lot of fun over the past few days. Last night we attended a birthday party for my friends (& co-workers) Sarah and Tim. Their birthdays aren't until next week, but they wanted to go ahead and celebrate this weekend for whatever reason. To kick off the night Alan and I joined Sarah, and her friend Jackie, at a vegetarian restaurant in Chinatown called, SINGAPORE. It was delicious! From there we met up with a larger group of friends at a pub on Sansom Street called FERGIE'S. We basically had a whole room upstairs to ourselves. Everyone seemed to have a great time. We had drinks, chatted, acted silly and tried unsucessfully to sing with the band. It's always fun for me to spend time outside of work with my co-workers. It's a great chance to get to know one another on a more personal level. I really do work with a great group of people. I'm so thankful.

Everyone join me in wishing Sarah and Tim a happy birthday! I think Sarah stops by the blog from time to time. I hope you guys have awesome birthdays. Thanks for being born!

I've attached a slideshow of pictures from the evening below. You can also check them out HERE, to see the pictures in color. I just liked the black and white/curtain effect!

Have a great afternoon. I'm going to be honest and admit that I'm nursing a pretty grueling hangover. Ugh!

Love you all to pieces!

Josh

Saving the World One Bottle at a Time

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Who wants to save the earth? I do, I do!

I am constantly trying to look for new ways in which I can contribute to the betterment of our beautiful planet. I realize I have a long way to go, but every little stride makes a huge difference.

Our newest save-the-world venture involves ditching all of those plastic water bottles we buy at the grocery every week, for a single aluminum one. By the end of each week we find our recycle bin full of empty plastic bottles. That just seemed excessive, even though they were getting recycled.


"In 2003, about 40 million bottles a day went into the trash, or even more unfortunately became litter. These billions of bottles take up valuable landfill space, leak toxic additives into the groundwater and take a whopping 1,000 years to biodegrade, if ever" (SOURCE).

There are also studies out showing plastic bottles can actually be bad for our health. By drinking out of plastic bottles, and especially reusing them, we are taking in many of the chemicals that were used to manufacture them. There is an educational video for more information on this subject!

By buying an aluminum bottle we are doing our part in decreasing the mass production of expensive, plastic bottles. Aluminum bottles are sleek, stylish and can fit in your bag just as easily as those plastic ones. They are definitely more expensive than buying a Dasani at 7-11, but once you fill it up two or three times it totally pays for itself!

Think about getting a sexy, aluminum bottle for yourselves, Bloggy Friends, all the cool kids are doing it! If we each do our part to eliminate all this excess, we will make huge strides in maintaining a healthy and vibrant planet. Go earth!

Have a great day.

Love, Josh

Wellness Wednesday: The Eight Pillars!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Occasionally on Oprah, she does a SHOW about health and wellness. I love these shows because I believe she is always up to date on the ways we can live our best lives possible. It also seems that with every passing show on the topic, the ways in which to better our lives becomes easier and easier. She can easily translate possible complicated tasks into more relatable ways of adjusting our lifestyles for the better. I am totally into this kind of stuff, so I thought I would share some topics she had on her show yesterday.

Kelly Freston, author of a book entitled Quantum Wellness was on yesterday talking about the "Pillars of Wellness." She discussed eight things in which we could introduce into our lives to create a better sense of balance.


These eight pillars are:

* Meditation - Zone Out & Get in Touch
* Visualization - Create Mental pictures of your ideal life.
* Fun Activity - Take some time to have fun, Bloggy Friends. Dance!
* Conscious Eating - Being aware of where our food comes from.
* Exercise - Only 30 minutes, 3 to 6 times per week.
* Self-Work - Educate! Read, see Art, catch a Film.
* Spiritual Practice - Establish a connection to (fill in the blank).
* Service - Lend some of your time to a good cause.

She suggests kick-starting the initiation of these eight pillars with a 21-day cleanse. This involves eliminating a few things from our diets that typically aggravate our bodies, if not done in moderation.

These things are (are you ready):

* Caffeine (No tea or coffee).
* Alcohol (No wine!)
* Meat & Dairy products (Eggs, cheese, none of that!)
* Sugar (ouch.)
* Gluten (wheat products)

I think I could do this. I don't really eat a lot of these things on a regular basis, anyway. The alchohol would be difficult, though, and so would the caffeine. I love my morning tea! I also wouldn't be able to do it when I have friends coming into town. You know Mimi and I will be having some wine next week! It would definitely take some discipline. Would you guys be willing to do it? Do you love your lives the way they are, or are you constantly looking to switch things up with a little lifestyle change? I'm contemplating becoming vegan again. I feel like a few things in life are pointing me back in that direction. I think I'll listen! Maybe many of us could do the 21-day cleanse together? We could all blog about our experience. Wouldn't that be fun?

Anyways, I just thought I would share some of my new health and wellness information. I hope you guys are having a fruitful day! Be well!

Love you all,

Josh

In Political News: Thank You, Kentucky!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!


Yesterday the democratic Presidential primary was held in Kentucky. Hillary won it with a resounding thirty-five point victory! With only two weeks left in the primary race, Hillary is hanging on, saying she still sees a pathway to the nomination. As I said before, I'm hanging in as long as she does!

I think it really says something that, even after she has been practically counted out, she is still commanding serious turnout in all of the recent primaries. I'm still holding my breath for a dream ticket. I realize this is nearly as likely as Hillary winning the nomination, but a fellow can dream can't he? I believe together they would kick John McCain's hairy, white ass! That was vulgar!

In primaries held in Oregon, Obama took the lead with sixteen points. This was also an expected win for him. He has won many of Oregon's surrounding states and even the areas of California on the Oregon border. There are three more primaries to go before the process wraps up - Montana, Puerto Rico and South Dakota. I'm going to predict he will win Montana and South Dakota by a margin of at most 15. She will win Puerto Rico by the about the same. We'll see if I'm right!

I hope you're having a fantastic day. It is gorgeous in Philly. Galileo is doing great, he is such a little charmer. We started house training him yesterday. It wasn't the best day to start. It was raining out, so we were both miserable as we stood there waiting for him to "go potty." I've taken some puppy advice from a few friends, so we are going to hang in there and be patient with him. If any of you (Bloggy Friend Bill) have any house training suggestions, I'm all ears!

Have a great day.

Love, Josh

A Pat on the Back!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

I don't want to be boastful, but I received news today that I just had to share. My grades came through and I made all A's!!

I'm so excited about it. Thanks for letting me brag a little!

Love you all,

Josh

Back Together Again!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!!!

We are back from our weekend trip to Kentucky! I had so much fun. It was a quick visit, but I was able to see so many people that I love. I adore Kentucky in the springtime. The trees are so full, the grass is blue and the air is so warm and sweet. It was so good to get home to see my family. I love them all so much. I burst with pride whenever I think about how blessed I am to have them.

We spent Saturday in Lancaster, where my Mom fixed a delicious dinner for a bunch of people. She had a house full of my aunts, cousins, grandparents and friends of the family. It was great fun. Alan had a chance to meet a lot of people he hasn't had a chance to meet before.

On Sunday we got up and headed to Louisville to pick up Galileo! It was cute to see him running around with his sister, mother and aunts. From there we headed to my Dad's ex-wife, Dawn's, house. We had another delicious meal and hung out for a while with them.

Galileo is so well-behaved. He is tiny, at only two lbs! He was the runt of the litter. He has acclimated so well to being away from them. I'm guessing, since he was the smallest, he had a hard time competing with all the other dogs. Now, he has all the attention and I'm guessing he loves it. He hasn't so much as whimpered to be back with is family. He sleeps all through the night and he hardly made a peep on the way home! We definitely have ourselves a gem! He's precious and I love him to pieces. This is a picture we took of him in his crate at my Dad's apartment.



Below is another slideshow of pictures I took throughout the weekend. As you'll see, I didn't take too many. Stay tuned for videos that will chronicle our whole journey! You can click HERE for a closer look!

I sure missed you guys while I was away. It was nice, however, to close my computer and be free from it for a few days. I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. It did feel so good to be home. I think visiting in the summer is loads better than being there at Christmas - when everyone is too busy to stop and breath.

Have a great day, Bloggy Friends. We are trying to socialize our Mary Todd and Abigail with our newest addition. So far so good! At the moment they seem to be overwhelmed with curiosity. They mostly perch themselves in a place where he can't reach them, and watch as he barks and jumps around. It's so cute!

Love you all!

Josh

Birthday Shout-Out: Janet, Bea and Katlynn Ann!

Hello. Hey, Bloggy Friends!

There are some special birthdays to today, that I know will inspire us all to celebrate!

First off - Congratulations to Casey, who just welcomed the newest addition to his family. Katlynn Ann was born yesterday in East Tennessee. This is Casey's second niece. She helps complete a perfect balance of two nieces and two nephews. He'll take a trip to visit them on Memorial Day. Congratulations, Gurl!


Also celebrating a big birthday today is legendary actress, and gay icon, Bea Arthur. Most of us know Ms. Arthur from her hilarious days on one of my favorite TV series, The Golden Girls. She was born on this day on in 1926. She officially marks the oldest member of my birthday shout-out series, at 85 years old. She's only a few years older than John McCain!



Janet Jackson is also celebrating a birthday today. Ms. Jackson (if you're nasty) was born in Gary, IN in 1966. Her latest album, Discipline, is a smash. It's jam-packed with up tempo dance numbers, like the track "Feedback." Like the Britney and Madonna albums - it's a sure pleaser.







Join me in wishing a happy birthday to each of these lovely ladies. Thank you for the laughs, for the music and for the blessings I know you will bring to this world in the future.

Have a great day, Bloggy Friends. We are leaving tonight for a short roadtrip to Kentucky! It is finally time for us to pick up the newest addition to our family - Galileo. We are so excited. Stay tuned!!

Love you all,

Josh

Newest Top Model: Super-Sized Diva

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!


I don't watch a huge amount of television, but there are a few shows I never miss. America's Next Top Model is one of them, because it reminds me so much of myself. (wink) Last night was the season finale, and the girl I have been rooting for took home the prize. The winner, Whitney, is the very first "plus-sized" model to ever win the competition. I think she is so beautiful, and she consistently brought the fierceness (did I say that?) to every episode. Congratulations, Gurl. Click HERE to find a gallery of Whitney's model portfolio.

Love you all!

Josh

The Bloggy-Friend Minute: Good Ole Progress!

Good news, Bloggy Friends! The California Supreme Court has voted to overturn a ban on gay marraige in the state. This will make California the second state in the U.S. where gays and lesbians will be allowed to wed. Check out a more complete New York Times Article on the subject, HERE. Look for more news on the subject soon.

This brings me to my question of the day. For those of you who are in commited gay relationships, or imagine yourselves to be one day, are you interested in actually taking the steps to be married? Personally, the act of being married doesn't appeal to me all that much. I guess it would be nice in theory, but it isn't something I feel I must do. I think sharing your life with someone is a temendously rewarding thing, but it doesn't, in my opinion, need to be justified by a marraige certificate. The option should definitely be available, though, to make this a fair and equal world for all! Times are changing, people. Go Gays!

Have a great day, Bloggy Friends.

Love, Josh

Visiting the Frida Kahlo Exhibit!

"I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best."

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Last weekend I took a break from my studies to go see the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Art Museum. We tried to go once before, but it was so busy that we turned around and left. This time around it was a beautiful day, and the crowds were immensely less pervasive. We spent the afternoon tinkering around the Fairmount District. We loved it there, with all the coffee shops and beautiful streets. It is definitely a potential neighborhood for us when we start looking to move in the fall.

The Art Museum is monstrous. There are so many exhibits galleries that we only scratched the surface. We had time to check out the American Art wing and Alan's favorite - the Arms and Armor exhibit. My favorite part was the Pop Art section in the American Art gallery. They had some amazing Warhol and Lichenstein prints. It was exciting and funky!

When our turn finally came to see the Frida exhibit, they made sure I didn't take any pictures - so unfortunately I don't have a lot of that to share with you today. I did manage to get one snapshot, and you can see it in the video. It was a beautiful display. There were paintings I had seen before, ones I hadn't and an impressive collection of photographs from her personal collection. I had a great time learning more about her very interesting life. If you have a chance to check out a Frida Kahlo exhibit, I highly recommend you take the chance. Have you seen the movie Frida? You should definitely see that too, if you haven't already. It's one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen.

I am also proud to say that I became an official museum member this weekend. I guess that takes my diva meter up a few extra notches! I think it's set to explode pretty soon!! Actually, though, they had an awesome deal for students that I couldn't afford to pass. I know I will be coming back to check out everything else it has to offer - and this way I get free admission for the whole year! Some come to Philadelphia and tour the museum with me!

Have a great nigh, Bloggy Friends. I made a short video of our afternoon at the museum and HERE is a collection of pictures I took myself. I hope you enjoy!

Love you all!

Josh

The West Virginia 41: Victory in the Mountain State!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!


Last night was a huge win for Hillary in West Virginia. She took the state by an overwhelming 41-point margin! Though the press has shunned the victory, I think it really does say a lot about her chances in the fall. Take note that no democrat has won a presidential election without first taking West Virginia since Woodrow Wilson in 1916 (SOURCE). The 67 percent of the vote she took home last night, represents a monstrous support system that will enable her to easily take the state in November.

I guess we'll have to see what happens in the upcoming primaries. At this point it seems like her chances are slim — but wouldn't it be a fun shocker if she did turn it around and win? I'm hanging in there as long as she does. Like I said before, I am anxious to see good ole Kentucky in the news this week. I will be there this weekend to wave my Hillary sign, before their primary election on Tuesday. It's your turn, Kentucky, to get out there and make your voices heard!

In other news: I am officially finished with my semester. I just returned from taking my last final! Oh, what a relief to wash my hands of the semester and venture out into an exciting, Philadelphia summer!

Also, have you stopped by CASEY'S blog today? In his newest post he includes a link to pictures of his new home! It is the cutest thing you can imagine. Stop by to check them out. I'm so happy for them.

Have a fantastic afternoon, Bloggy Friends. I am going to lay back and have a well-deserved, relaxing afternoon!
Love you all!

Josh

Short & Sweet: Puss' New Blog!

Hello.Hey, everyone!

Our good Bloggy Friend and fellow diva, Rick, has started his own blog! I've been nagging at him to do it for sometime and am so happy to see he took my advice. Stop by and tell him hello. This is one you won't want to miss!

I hope you're having a great Sunday. I just finished writing my last paper of the semester. We are about to celebrate with wine and a delicious dinner!

Mmmmmmwah to you all!

Josh

Good Luck, Mimi!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

This weekend is big for our friend CASEY. He and his partner, Hal, are moving into their first home in Nashville! They recently purchased a divine little home and are undoubtedly working like crazy this weekend to get everything moved.

I just wanted to post a little good luck message. If you want, you should stop over to his BLOG and send some happy wishes! I'm sure he'll have several posts in the coming days about his experience - and maybe some pictures of the new place!

Have a great day, Bloggy Friends. Alan and I are about to go to the Philadelphia Art Museum to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit! I'm so excited to check it out.

Love you all!

Josh

Newest Whitney Updates!

Hello.Hey Bloggy Friends!

I read some exciting news today on People.Com. Whitney hasn't performed for many years, due to the tumultuous life she was leading, Last night, however, the hiatus came to an end when she performed for the Caudwell Children Legends Ball in London. According to sources at People, Whitney "both looked and sounded amazing."

She reportedly same some of her greatest hits, such as "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," "I Will Always Love You," "The Greatest Love of All," and "Saving All My Love for You."

I wish I was there! This is all set to coincide with her big comeback later this year!

This is a picture of her from last night's event, stunning!

Love you all!

Josh

New Addition!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

I just returned from taking my final. I think I did pretty well on it! I'm so glad to put that behind me now. Moving Forward!

I added something new to my bar on the right. It is a slideshow of random pictures from Flickr.Com. It's cool because I can type in a keyword and it will bring up all the pictures on Flickr that match it! I'm going to try to relate it to different things like - my most recent posts, what's going on in my life, your lives and the world. I think it's a fun addition, don't you?

Today I chose 'India,' which relates to my previous post about the Indian restaurant. Enjoy the slides!

Have a sexy night.

Josh

Overheard in Philadelphia: "The Western Ear"

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Recently Alan and I were starving, so we decided to check out an Indian restaurant near our home. When we walked through the door we were facing the counter, where a woman was picking up a to go order. Before she turned to go she had the gall to complain about the Indian music that was playing overhead. She looked at the waiter behind the counter and said, "I don't like this music, I don't think you should play it here. It isn't suited to the Western ear."

The pretentiousness of the comment left me a little stunned. Part of me wanted to say something, as a Westerner who didn't find the music offensive, but I refrained out of embarrassment for her. I couldn't see how she could take herself seriously. Luckily, the waiter didn't seem to understand what she said, so there was a moment of dead silence all around before she turned to leave. It was a little awkward, but hopefully it gave her a minute to think about the ridiculousness of what she said.

The audacity of some people! I just couldn't believe that she would walk into an Indian restaurant and complain that they were playing Indian music - and she was only there for a few minutes to pick up an order to go! What did she expect to hear, Kenny G?

I just thought that was a little funny, so I thought I would share it with you today!

I'm off to take my second final! This one is in my journalism class. I feel pretty prepared. I'm so eager to get it finished and wipe my hands clean from one more class. Two down, three to go!!

Have a great day, Bloggy Friends! Enjoy the music!

Josh

"Thank You, Indiana, Thank You!"

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!


Well, the numbers from last nights primaries in Indiana and North Carolina are in, and they aren't quite as impressive as I hoped they would be. My girl, Hillary, did take the win in Indiana by a narrow margin. The Indiana primary was previously referred to as the tie-breaker, but I don't see that it actually breaks any ties. We are basically in the same boat we were in before - no decisive winner. Looking ahead, it doesn't seem like there will be much of a change when all the primaries are said and done. The two candidates will seemingly continue to flip-flop wins back and forth, and divide the delegates evenly within the states. I guess the superdelegates are going to be the deciding factor, and in that instance Hillary better have a pretty strong argument. I'm guessing she still feels pretty confident, given the fact that she has decided to stay in the race. I really want to see her win, but more than anything I'm becoming a little fatigued with the whole ordeal. I am really anxious for a winner to be decided so we can move on to the more important election in November. It will be enjoyable to see Kentucky in the spotlight in the coming weeks. They will hold their primary with Oregon on May 20th. But for now - onto West Virginia!

I hope you guys have a fantastic day. Yesterday and today have been designated as "study days," for us at Temple. I have been utilizing them to do just that - study and finish a few final projects. Tomorrow I take my second final in my Journalism class. Wish me luck! Do I sound like a broken record with all this school talk? Sorry! It'll all be over soon.

Love & Happiness on this beautiful, Wednesday afternoon!

Josh

Time-Warp Tuesday: More Old Pictures

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Since Alex's birthday falls on Tuesday I'm feeling some of that old familiar Time-Warpy-ness. That is a word - check the dictionary! :)

I found some pictures of Alex when she was a child. This one is of her and my Mother while on a trip to St. Louis in 1989. At this point Alex would have been one year old. My Mom looks so young and sweet. I love her so much.



And since you guys were talking about some old make-up memories, I thought I would post this funny picture of my Dad. Alexandra got ahold of him in 1994 and gave him quite a makeover. He was always a great sport. So funny.



Why do I feel like crying when I see old pictures like this? I guess the sorrowful Nina Simone song in the background doesn't help. Days gone by...

Have a great night, Bloggy Friends. I love you all!

Josh

Birthday Shout-Out: My Sister, Alexandra!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!



This is another one of my most favorite days of the year - the day my sister, Alexandra was born. Today she moves from her teenage years into the roaring 20's! I wish I could be there to help her celebrate.

Currently she is living with my mother in Lancaster, KY. She is in the midst of finishing up nursing school in Lexington. She has one of the biggest hearts I have ever known. I'm so proud of her to call her my sister. One of my favorite memories of her is when we were younger. I used to love messing with her hair. I would curl it with mom's curling iron, brush it out, or practice braiding. She was so little and hated to sit still long enough to let me do it. When she started school I used to wrap curlers in her hair before bedtime, and bless her heart, she would sleep in those uncomfortable things all night long. When she got up in the morning, the curlers were inevitably tangled up and falling out. Her hair would be a mess! Mom would be furious as she had to brush out all those tangles. I would keep doing it, though, and she would keep letting me. It seems so funny to me now that I look back.

I love you so much, Alex. I can't wait to get home and see you. Be good, be careful and be sure to follow your heart in whatever you decide to do.

Join me, Bloggy Friends, in wishing her the best birthday yet!

Love you all,

Joshie

Cinco De Madonna!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

I hope you guys had an awesome weekend and are geared up for a fabulous week. From what I see on a lot of your blogs, you have a lot going on in the coming weeks. Mimi is moving into her new chalet in Nashville and was just voted #1 trainer at work. Eddie and Monica took trips back to KY and Tracie is finishing up projects as she tries to conquer her fear of spiders. I haven't heard much from Bloggy Friend Bill lately, but I'm sure he's somewhere having a glass of wine and being a diva! I guess it's the season to have a lot going on, because I'm sure feelin' it too, Bloggy Friends!

As I told you before I just finished up my semester of class time! I am so glad to have that behind me. I now have two weeks of studying and paper writing in preparation for finals. I will finally wipe my hands clean of my Spring 2008 semester at Temple University next Wednesday around 4 o'clock. I can't wait! I shouldn't complain, though. It has been a great semester and my workload hasn't been THAT terrible. I am also blessed in the fact that I have been provided ample time to finish everything and prepare for exams. I really should just shut my mouth and count my blessings!

We had a great weekend. On Saturday we took a trip to the Italian Market Place in South Philly. We heard lots about it before we came, but have just now taken the chance to get over there. What a surprise it was. For a moment, as we walked along the sidewalk, it really felt like we had escaped to in Italy again. We browsed the Italian groceries, picked up fruit in the produce stands and stopped to have a delicious snack of fresh mozzarella and pesto. It was a fantastic afternoon for both of us.


Later that night we headed to the movies with a few of my co-workers. We saw a funny flick called "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." It was a really cute movie. I totally recommend it if you are in the mood for silly, slightly sophisticated comedy. While I'm talking about comedy, I'll also mention that we saw Baby Mama last weekend. It was really cute, too. I love Tina Fey and am thrilled about the success she had with this film. Check them out, Bloggy Friends!

In music news: Madonna's new CD "Hard Candy" dropped last week and, once again, she delivers. I bought it on iTunes and really love it. If you liked Britney's latest album - then you'll really like this one. There are numerous upbeat dance songs that really get me In The Groove. Of course, like on all Madonna albums there are a few duds - but for the most part it's a really enjoyable listen. My favorite tracks so far are - "Candy Shop," "4 Minutes," "Give It To Me," "She's Not Me," and "Dance 2night." Check those out if you only want to buy a few select ones. Check it out!

Well, I guess that's about all the news I have for now. We go to KY to get Galileo in two weekends. At that point I will be out of school and so ready for a little break. Besides meeting him for the first time, I am really anxious to visit with family and friends for a few days. So get ready Puss!

Tomorrow is a big day in the election. Everyone close your pretty little eyes and say a soft prayer for Hillary! Also, for my Bloggy Friends in Indiana and North Carolina, get out and cast your vote!!! I would love to see her pull out some nice wins, or at least significantly narrow the gaps. Go Hillary!

Have a great night. I'll talk to ya'll soon!

Love, Josh

Dining Out For Life: The Whitney Version

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends. My friend Casey is so in the know. While reading his blog yesterday I discovered an event that was taking place here in Philadelphia tonight. It is called Dining Out For Life.

Dining Out For Life is a fundraiser that asks area restaurants to participate in a charitable cause by donating a certain percentage of it's earnings to an HIV/AIDS foundation. Throughout the year you will find that the event takes place in about 40 different cities across the nation. Tonight (May 1) it happened here in Philadelphia, where the organization began 20 years ago. There are over 200 participating restaurants throughout the Delaware Valley, who all donate a third of their proceeds to people living with HIV and the fight against AIDS. According to the the Metro, Philadelphia raised over $277,000 for the cause last year! That's pretty big, considering it only takes place one night a year. Proudly, Philadelphia is one of the countries biggest earners, but Nashville is showing very impressive numbers since it's start only last year. Go Nashville!

You can check the WEBSITE to see when it is happening in your area. It's a great way to give if you have ever been interested in seeking out a good charity to provide to. When searching the website we noticed that there was only one participating restaurant in Manayunk - but it just so happened to be one of our favorites! Adobe Cafe is a Mexican fusion restaurant that has a fantastic vegetarian menu. They use meat substitutes like tofu and seitan in fajitas, burritos, quesadillas and etc. We ordered just about as much as we could handle - appetizers, entrees, drinks and all! It's a great night to eat all you want and not feel guilty about it - because it's all done for a good cause. Our friend Kevin stopped by for a few drinks, and we had lots of fun. I know there have been amazing advancements in the treatment of HIV, but hopefully little things like this can lead to the eventual termination of it's existence on the planet! Get out there and dine, Bloggy Friends!! Check the website to see when it's coming to a town near you!

Thanks, Mimi, for the heads up. You made a difference tonight, Gurl! I love you.

Have a great night, Bloggy Friends. Below are a few pictures we took of our evening's festivities!

Love, Josh

MJ Has Nothing on Them!

Happy Thursday, Bloggy Friends! I hope your week is going by like a delicious ice cream cone on a hot summer's day. I've been working hard to finish all of my last minute assignments before school is out for summer! I can't wait.

This morning I was watching CNN and a clip came on that left my jaw on the floor for about 15 minutes. Seriously. I was happy to find it on YouTube so I could share it with you today. It's crazy!



and they gave Michael Jackson a hard time for simply dangling his baby over the balcony!

Love you all,

Josh