Help running mongDB on 10.04

[Jim Byrnes]

I wanted to check out the mongoDB. I followed the installation 
instructions and it installed and runs as long as I don't change the 
default dbpath in mongodb.conf. The default is fine for testing but to 
use it I want the data in my home folder.

dbpath=/var/lib/mongodb
logpath=/var/log/mongodb/mongodb.log
are the defaults and if I do sudo service mongodb start it starts as 
verified by sudo service mongodb status and then $ mongo will start the 
shell and I can interact with it.

If I modify the mongodb.conf file to:
dbpath=/home/me/mongodb/data/db
logpath=/home/me/mongodb/mongodb.log
and do sudo service mongodb start it says it starts and runs but if I do 
sudo service mongodb status it says 'mongodb stop/waiting' and trying to 
run the shell gives Error: couldn't connect to server 127.0.0.1 
shell/mongo.js:84.

I've done a lot of googling and found some supposed solutions but none 
of them have worked for me.  Most of them seem to revolve around a 
permissions problem.  I've followed some suggestions/examples of running 
chown but that didn't help.  The directory I'm trying to use is in my 
home folder. I've put some test files in that folder and I can write to 
them.

I wonder if any of you have overcome an similar problem and give me some 
help?

Thanks, Jim