Love is a temple, love is higher law...

May day! I just found out that 'May' is named after the Greek goddess of fertility, Maia, with May being associated with Spring and renewal. Growing up in Calgary, where the ground doesn't thaw until long after the May long weekend, I never really understood why. But after an hour long walk through habitat preservation in short shorts and flip flops, now I do. And Georgia O'Keefe seemed an appropriate addition here.

Matt and I just came off a week long fast from media, booze, wheat and sugar. (And when I say 'just', I mean about a week ago we finished and we've been filling in the extra time with TV and beer.) We took the time to work through the Purpose Driven Life (because I think we're the only Christians alive who haven't read 'the most successful Christian book of all time!') and this book called the Assertiveness Workbook. It was really cool to shut out certain things and really immerse ourselves in prayer and journalling, things that we always say we wish we did more of but were always distracted by other things...like beer. And watching TV for free!

Anyways, the Assertiveness Book was crazy helpful. It helps you to really identify what keeps you from being assertive, if that's something you struggle with. And since we read it, looking around, most people do. It starts really cool conversations with people too. It has made me far more patient with certain people that I was really struggling with. To understand, in the same way that I mismanage my feelings and frustrations sometimes, they do as well it just manifests itself in a different way in their personality.

And in regards to 'I want to work on a farm', I found the coolest organization! WWOOF, World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, is an organization that will link people who want to volunteer on organic farms or smallholdings with people who are looking for volunteer help. The volunteers don't pay any room or board and they then volunteer for them. I found it on We Like it Raw and found this gorgeous and very delightful video on Hawaiian Kava. "...breath it in so you have the smell of the land in your nostrils and in your being... lift it above the point of your manifestation and acknowledge your intention."

And on the fun side, I wanted to put together a list of my top ten 'repeatable' songs. These are the ones that just don't cut it listening to it just once. In no particular order:

1. Anthem by Emancipator: My sissy lovely just told me about these people and they are sooo cool. It totally would be Arielle who would tell me about it, her kind of music, but it is chill music that makes your creativity come alive and wander.

2. One Love by U2 and Mary J. Blige: When I was merch bitchin' with Rik and MJ, I remember MJ putting this song on as we were coursing through the Rockies. Such talent coming together in such a cool way.

3. Ghostwriter by RJD2: When we're closing at Bub's-Granny-Buns sometimes we'll just put this song on repeat and bliss out while we're doing monotonous stuff like polishing glass and counting croissants. Makes it seem fun.

4. Pretty Lies by The Dudes: I discovered The Dudes when I was painting last summer and being totally blown away by the fact that they are not only Albertan, but totally awesome. He's got the greatest voice...

5. El Tango de Roxanne from the Moulin Rouge Soundtrack: This is a brilliant soundtrack and despite the fervency and lack of temperance of certain drama kids at a certain point in time, this soundtrack will never fail to capture me. It's like Emancipator, makes my creativity wander.

6. Doubting Thomas by Nickel Creek: This is my favorite song. Ever. It supercedes any other song I've ever heard for meaning. I remember Matt listening to this song and saying it 'landed repeatedly on the anvil of his soul'. And so I married him.

7. Disease by Matchbox Twenty: Seems a strange follow up to Nickel Creek but 'hell on wheels in a black dress' makes it for me. I listen for that line alone.

8. Out of the Woods by Nickel Creek: I know, repeat offenders but I'm still putting them on here because I do what I want. The harmonies these people produce give me shivers and this song takes me back to Early 2007. And I'm not going to put 'You are Loved' by Josh Groban on here. I'm just not.

9. Beau Sommeil by Rik Leaf: This is so hauntingly beautiful and meaningful to me.

10. You're a God by Vertical Horizon: "Still learning things I oughtta know by now..." This song has been a favorite since I was in elementary school, hilariously enough. So it MUST be a good song if it has lasted in my strange mind since then.