Halloween 2

Good morning, Bloggy Friends!


Halloween continues in our household, but today with more of a vengeance! Like I said yesterday, we didn't do much last night. I had to work until 8:30, so there wasn't much partying going on. I did get a little festive, as you'll see in the picture above! After work Alan came to pick me up. We walked around Center City (our new neighborhood!) for a while, before ducking into Valanni for a drink. As I sipped by Malbec, I reminisced of the time I shared a similar glass with Mimi when she came to visit in the spring. I miss you, Girl!

Tonight we're going to a party at my friend Sarah's house, but first we have a few chores to run. Galileo has an appointment to be groomed at eleven. I can't wait to get his haircut! Then, Alan and I need to do some shopping for our costumes. We're so bad about putting these things off until the last minute. I hope we can find everything we need. We may even run into some good discounts, since Halloween is officially over! Sarah was smart when she planned her party for the day after.

Stay tuned to some pictures and videos of our evening. Below I have attached a video I made last week on our moving day. It's not very spooky, but I hope you enjoy! Have a great day!

Love, Josh

The Adventures of Mimiverne & Whirley

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

Here is the long anticipated video of Casey's trip to Philadelphia a few weeks ago. We had such a great time together. When we finally get a chance to star in our own sitcom, I think the intro will go something like this!

I hope you have an exciting (or relaxing) weekend planned. I am very excited because my Dad and his lady friend, Dawn, are driving up to visit us for the weekend. They should be here any minute, so I better run.

Have a great day. I love you and hope to talk to you soon!

Love & Harmony,

Joshuwa Funk

Kentucky Road Trip, Pt. 3 (Back to Philly!)

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

I hope you are having a fantastic night. This has been a great weekend for us. It's been super hot in Philadephia - with temperatures reaching far into the 90's both Saturday and Sunday. I love the hot weather, but it's getting a little stuffy in our apartment, since we have no central air. We do have a window unit downstairs, which keeps most of the first floor cool. We may have to breakdown and get a unit for the upstairs, too. I don't mind the humidity so much, until I go to bed at night. Icky, Sticky! I also have an array of guests coming over the next few months, and I want to make sure they are comfy.

Anyways, here is the third and final video of my Kentucky Road Trip series. I know it was a long time a comin', but work and raising a new puppy has been keeping my hands full. It is all about our return trip back to Philly, bringing the puppy into his new home and introducing him to Abigail and Mary Todd. Enjoy!

I hope you guys have a fabulous, cool evening. I wanna send a shout-out to Mimi, who is on a fabulous trip to Manchester, UK! Check his blog for possible updates on what he's up to over there - it's a bunch of no good if I know that Mimi!

Love you all,

Joshua

I'm Pooped!

Hello.Hey, Bloggy Friends!

What a whirlwind of a few days this has been! I honestly don't think I have sat down to rest since - well I can't remember when. As you know, Wednesday afternoon Casey flew into Philadelphia for work. He was only here until Friday afternoon, but we were fortunate enough to spend a little time together every day he was here. His hotel was literally steps away from my work, so at nights when I finished I would just pop by and we'd head out on the town. Friday afternoon before he left we spent the day together touring some of Philadelphia's historic sites. I saw the Liberty Bell for the very first time! We closed our visit with a little lunch in Old City, and some light shopping on Walnut. We had such a fantastic time. It was so great to see him. Having him here helps to reconfirm my belief that God blessed me with some of the best friends in the whole world. You're the best, Mimi!

Saturday afternoon Alan and I met up with his aunt, Jude, to see the latest play put on at PTC - The Happiness Lecture. This play, starring Bill Irwin, was a highly entertaining piece of performance art. I was a little skeptical going in, because I thought it was going to be a silly show about clowns and magic - boy was I wrong. It was such an uplifting, comical show that had me laughing out loud - and holding back tears of joy at the end. The show was full of dancing, singing, special effects and puppetry. One of my favorite aspects of the performance was the usage of the entire theatre space, by the actors. They were running through the aisles, climbing up rafters and even communicating with some audience members. It was fantastic. If any of you are in the Philadelphia area - I totally recommend seeing this show. Bring your loved ones and be prepared to be overjoyed! It's a winner.

As always it was fantastic to see Jude. When the show was over we headed to a restaurant on Pine Street, called MIXTO. We conversed over drinks and a little dinner. Jude's husband, Lou, was a little under the weather, so she had to rush off a little quicker than usual. We hated to part so early, but hope to see them again soon when Lou is all better. Speedy recovery!

Today we woke up and took care of all our puppy duties. This includes several potty breaks, feeding, playing, and watching him incessantly. It is starting to feel like a hassle and is a huge reason why I don't feel like I have been able to chillout in days. He has been doing so much better since my last post, though. Thank you all for your advice. Around one o'clock we headed a few miles away to the home of our pet sitters, Scott and Zoe. They have been helping us out since December when we go on vacation, or when we are not here during the day to take Galileo out. They were hosting a Garden BBQ for friends and clients, so we went along to meet some folks and let Galileo socialize with other puppies. He had a great time running around with this cute French Bulldog named, Driver. They are about the same age, and nearly the same size, so they became fast friends. It was great to see him take so well to other dogs. We also met a lot of interesting people. The food was delicious and the weather was fab. I'm loving the Philadelphia summer.

So, as you can see we have been running rampant over the past few days. It has all been worth it, but like I say in my title - Josh is pooooooooped! I have some great videos to share of Casey's visit, and of course the final two parts of our Kentucky road trip - so stay tuned for those in the coming days. When I close this blog I am going to head downstairs, make myself some warm tea and crash on the couch for the rest of the evening. Does that not sound dreamy???

I hope you guys had a lovely weekend and here's to a perfect week. Below is a slide show of PICTURES we took over the past few days - most of which are from Casey's visit. Gotta run, Galileo is barking for some attention!

I love you all. Good night.

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

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

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

Buenos Aires?

Nope. Not as of today anyway!

Hi Bloggy Friends!

While a trip to Buenos Aires would be fabulous, we don't have any such thing planned at the moment. My friends Casey and Hal went last year. The pictures and videos they shared has totally made BA one of my most desired travel destinations. Maybe we'll make it sometime soon. Besides a few small trips, we haven't made any huge vacation plans for the year. We have talked about it, though, and may come up with something in the near future.

So we're down to two options! Is it Whitney? Is it a puppy? Could it be both? or neither? Maybe I am just collecting data for a project in my statistics class!?!! You never know. Tune in tomorrow to find out more! :)

I hope you guys have an awesome day. I haven't ventured out into the world yet, but I can see through my windows that the sun is shining bright. This makes me very happy, following two days straight of rain and gloom. Did anyone see Dolly on American Idol last night? I thought she looked fantastic. That's the best I've seen her look in a long time. For a while there I was worried that she had maybe two or three too many surgeries - but it looks like she has pulled it together, just like Dolly always does. I love her!

Have a great day. I'll see you tomorrow!

Love, Josh

P.S. Enjoy this fabulous video that Casey and Hal made following their trip to BA last year. I hope it's ok that I post it, Mimi!

I Had A Wanda Sykes Saturday!

Hi, Bloggy Friends!!

I hope you all had a great weekend. On Saturday we took a trip to Atlantic City for an overnight stay. For Valentines Day, Alan got me tickets to see Wanda Sykes in Atlantic City this weekend. I am a huge fan of her comedy. I seriously think she may be the funniest person I have ever heard in my life. She was playing at the same casino we saw Diana Ross, the BORGATA.

She didn't go on until 11 pm, so we had a whole day to knock around Atlantic City. We went to dinner at a delicious cuban restaurant called CUBA LIBRE - which is right in the heart of downtown AC. The meal was delicious overall, despite the small portion sizes. Isn't it funny how it seems the more you pay for a meal - the smaller it gets! Geez. I did enjoy their house-made rum selection!

At 11 we made our way to the Borgata to see Wanda in one hilarious show. She stayed on for nearly two hours straight! I'm not lying when I say I had a smile on my face the WHOLE time. She kept the crowd in stitches for real. If you guys are ever in need of a good two hour laughfest - I suggest you get on the computer and find out when Wanda Sykes is coming to a town near you! I love this girl!

Anyways, I made videos of Wanda's opening act KEITH ROBINSON, a segment of her talking about WORKING ON A GAY CRUSE and another on THE GOVERNMENT. Click the perspective links to check them out! They are all great clips, so I highly suggest you check them out. There is some offensive language, though, so consider this a fair warning!

In other news - diva extraordinaire MIMI had a very exciting Saturday himself. In his most recent post he talks about the diva he saw at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday Night. Be sure to check that out!

I hope you guys have a great start to the week, Bloggy Friends. I look forward to talking more with you as the week progresses.

Love you all!

Josh