Happy Monday! What are you loving today?

Yes Happy Monday :)

I've got a new job and it totally rocks. I'm not doing anything profound or decidedly ambitious. I work at a natural foods market in the produce section. And every time someone asks me how work was, I can't help but smile and say, "I really like my job."

I really like the organic, whole attitude of natural grocery stores. I worked at Community Natural Foods in Calgary for a summer and I absolutely adored it there. I was in bulk so again I was doing stuff with a lot of heavy lifting. But those kind of places just attract a very cool kind of person. They also attract a self-righteous, picky kind of person but for the most part, they are just people who want to nourish the planet while nourishing their bodies, and want to play an educated part in the whole farm to plate process. I'm learning a lot and I have this brand-new, harkening-to-a-past-positivity excitement about it. I work with great people and a lot of the customers who come in are really sweet too. And I get to eat fresh fruit ALL DAY.

So one of my favorite blogs, Bluebird Baby, does this on her blog every once in a while and I think it is so cool. She posts a whole bunch of links that caught her eye that she thinks are great.

• I love these gloves but I think they are slightly beyond my skill set presently. I want to try them out. I tried these gloves but they didn't turn out because my hook was the wrong size :( I am an ambitious and persistent crocheter.
• I love this belt. I love this whole shop actually.
• And these :)
• This is soooooo delicious. Matt and I will make a hugeness batch of quinoa so that we can have it a couple times a week. You can improvise with the toppings but the toasted nuts are a must.
• The way she does this song is so cool. This Dutch person I work with said that they have a saying that says, "Better nicely stolen than poorly come up with." This song straight up. She has another song called, "Belly up". Such a lovely husky, delicate voice.
• Another lovely delicate voice is Priscilla Ahn. My favorite song by her is called "Rain", but this song "Willow" is great.
• I love this blog! I posted the "Mulligan" post earlier and he reliably comes up with such truly awesome things!
• I want to learn how to do this!
• Poppytalk is a cute blog too. And she also does "link-posts". But she posted these beautiful necklaces. And I happen to know that I have a very talented sister who could totally do something like this. Something like this for me!

That's the fun stuff!

Bri

'Why do you set aside time to remember Christ? Because we need to set aside time to remember Christ."

I feel so at home.

Matt and I were commenting, as we walked in the rain, how settled we feel already here. We went to the AWESOME church this morning that we got connected with here through our friends Scott and Jolee and as soon as I stepped in the killer doors (they have a campus right on Granville Island), I just felt so energized. God really moves my spirit through that place. There are some aspects to it that I don't maybe agree with but I really feel that this is where the Lord wants us right now. When the Lord confronts me with those issues, then I will work through what I'm going to do with how I feel about that. But talking with Scott and Jo today, they said that they don't agree with everything either. You don't enter into community with people because you agree with everything they do. You do it because you are nurtured and find peace in the Lord in that community.

But man, today was so fun! Having people to hang out with, to have a church to go to, it is so what we need. Talking to Mama D last night, she told me about the same period in the early years of their marriage where they were still in school and having friends to really root into and enjoy during that period. I agree with her, it's a totally magical thing :)

Scott will say, "Norm threw it down this morning" which is always funny to me but it's very true. They've been moving through 1st Samuel for a couple of months now. Both of the times that Matt and I went to Van to visit and Scott and Jo took us to church with them, Norm was moving through 1st Samuel. But I would definitely say he threw it down this morning. I can't even really say how but he always teaches directly from the bible and I've never experienced anyone do that. And so it always feels really rich and grounded in the Word.

He mentioned an article he found but I will have to see if I can find it. It was this guy referencing a verse in Job:

"When you say to someone, 'the Lord is capable of so many miracles,' and they said, 'Like what', would you say, 'Like rain."

He went on to simply explain all of the specific, scientific details that have to be present in order for the plains to get water. Threw it down. For sure. All of the messages you can download on their website. I download message podcasts like there's no tomorrow. Revolution Church, Mars Hill, Unedited Spirituality. We are so blessed.

Vanny and Raven Hope

MMMMmmmmmmmmboy. That was quite a couple days.

Monday was so great. High spirits, made the ferry when we didn't think we would. Lovely Hannah rescued my water bottle for me and delivered it by hand. Ran into Christina and Johannes (also so lovely) AGAIN because they are our dopplegangers (I guess). Drove into Van on a cool but beautiful day, singing along with Foreigner and John Mellencamp, sights set on Ikea.

And then I bought the wrong map.

So, we missed our turn off but we had a map (after I got the right one) but there was another 'major roadway' coming up. Maps should really be selective about what is in fact a 'major roadway'. Ours wasn't. Not in my opinion, anyways. And that's what's really important in this story. So we continued along the roadway and then we got...kind of lost. EVEN WITH A MAP! It's absurd. Anways. Totally not the only absurd thing in this story.

So we somehow got off the bridge and got situated in Coquitlam where we encountered the WORST DRIVERS IN THE WORLD. Somehow not aware of the term 'blind spot'. So sad. And Coquitlam is also the land of the vertical climb. And this is a very bad thing in a uhaul. So as we achieve 500 ft above sea level in a couple of meters and boxes topple over in the back, we then realize that there is an irritating median between us and the road we need. And this happens a couple of times. And then I ask "what's burning?' and my husband calmly replies, "It's us." Oh sure. Just the tires, thankfully. Just! We finally catch a break onto the road, ignoring the smoking rubber smell and drive into New Westminster.

By this time my perfectly well-intentioned hydration habit is catching up to me and when I see the next traffic jam, I decided I can't...quite. So I pee on the side of the road and we're off again. Finally, the big blue and yellow comes into view. We were both about ready to throw someone through a plate glass window and we weren't even in Ikea yet. We grabbed what we needed in there and got out as fast as possible. Luckily, the Trans-Canada was right there. We sped along it and missed the turn off which led us right into North Van.

No kidding.

So we pulled over into a parking lot, took a deep breath, fixed our resolve and turned around. I'm obviously not a very good co-pilot. When we finally got into Mount Pleasant (which has been plunderously changed for the Olympics, we ran into more irritating median trouble. After screaming at the windshield, we turned down one of the narrow-like-a-bronchiole streets, clipped a mirror and finally pulled over in front of Scott and Jo's. While Scott and Matt when to see whether it was a mirror or a small person, I told Jo about our day.

And then Lovely Jo aks, "What were you doing in New West?" which was exactly what I needed to make me laugh finally. They made us delicious dinner, we went for a relaxing walk with the dog they were watching for a week and then cratered for a nice long sleep.

Scott and Jo were brave and sweet enough to come back and help us unpack which went super smoothly. Matt and I went for a big shop at Safeway (because we left all of our refrigerated food in Victoria by accident -maybe a nice parting gift?). We called a cab because we had a small nations worth of food with us and a super nice guy named Raven Hope picked us up, gave us some great advice about shops nearby and his facebook info. "If you ever need a friend in Van," he said.

Vancouver, despite our first tour of the ENTIRE city, has been very good to us. We have a really organized landlord, really sweet neighbors and a beautiful neighborhood to grow in.

Bri

P.S I think I've mentioned this before but I'm obsessed with Glee. I make Matt sit through it with me and he really gives it an honest shot, bless his heart. Anyways, the last episode I saw had this great song on it. Go figure, I go from posting worship music to Lady Gaga covers.

1000 Awesome Things

Quickie

My mom told me about this site and it is (as advertised) totally awesome!

This entry makes me laugh, out loud everytime! This is quoted directly from his site. Careful, it's totally addictive and will make you feel so happy all day!

#521 Calling a mulligan on the day

Do you play golf?

Me, I’ve tried a couple times but it’s always the same: I lace up some stained sneakers, borrow rusty clubs from someone’s basement, and then scrounge around the parking lot for somedented balls for my once-a-decade tee shot.

Now, I’ve mentioned my athletic abilities before so you’ll understand why I love that golf rule which lets me call a mulligan. Have you heard of it? Basically, I swing and miss the ball a dozen times before eventually shanking itdead sideways into the dense forest.

But then I just yell MULLIGANNNNN! really loudly and everyone lets me try again.

It’s a great rule and it got me thinking: We should be able to call mulligans anywhere. Because hear me out.

What if you could call a mulligan on your driving test? Yes, after tire-punching the curb and hitting Grandma’s shopping cart you just drop the m-word and start again. Or how about calling a mulligan after anawkward side hug in the airport? Or after accidentally spitting a tiny piece of food on your date’s face?

It’s starting to sound good, am I right?

Now, my old college friend Mike is the master. See, he’s perfected the beautifully indulgent Weekend Mulligan. He often gets up and groggily stumbles around the kitchen, spills coffee grinds on the floor, and accidentally steps on the cat. But then he stares at his dark, hollow eyes in the mirror and realizes he woke up too soon.

That’s when he just calls a mulligan on the day and goes back to bed with a plan to give it another shot a few hours later.

People, life’s too short not to sleep when you feel like it. So take a page from our book and when your first couple shots land in the rough, just yell mulligan and start again.

AWESOME!

I love it -MULLLIGAAAAAAN!

You have stolen my heart...

Music is a soul thing for me. Nothing can grip me and fill me and make me feel at peace more than music. It's probably the fact that I likely listened to Boston at ear bleeding level while in-utero and most of my memories from childhood involve my mom's classical piano and Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas cassettes. In that order. When Matt and I fasted from media that included music. We fasted from things that distracted us and kept us from the things that we wanted to be pouring into. I realize, post-fast, that music is not a distraction. It is enough a part of my mental process that to put on some wicked sweet music and go through my bible and journal at the same time or to listen to some on a mellow walk is so calming.

I love how songs can become new as you encounter them at different times in life. Precious Declaration became something newly special when I met Matt. Stolen is transcendent in my mind since a very special little baby.

Last week, on my day off, I took my computer and hung out in Fernwood. According to everyone in Victoria, Fernwood is the coolest neighborhood in town, but it's funny because it's off the grid, tucked away in residential streets and it's not busy. At all. Anyways, it's totally awesome and it was a beautiful day so I took the scenic walk along all the Heritage houses. All the hippies were out, mmm-ing and sighing through their food and coffee, staring at the swaying hems of their clothing as they walk through the square. They hug everybody. And they talk to everybody. Which on one hand is totally awesome and not enough people are that open towards strangers anymore. And then there's this weirdness for me of 'I'm going to put in my headphones and I'm pretty sure you're going to keep talking to me. Hmm....". But this one guy harassed me with this band called These New Puritans. Arielle had just passed on a band Emancipator to me and I've just come across Ellie Goulding. And THEN I found, through a beautiful blog I love called Walk Slowly, Live Wildly, a group called Jesus Culture. I've been experiencing this resurgence towards worship music in my spirit after a long period of it seeming contrived and lacking meaning.

So it's been a great period of music. You always have those ol' standby's that you go to that you know you can groove to, mellow out to, cry to and such. But to find new music that speaks to you in a new language is so fun! John Butler Trio just came out with a new album that is so great!! I haven't been able to buy it yet but we rock out at work after closing to it. Caravan Palace makes me want to dance every time. Shiny Toy Guns always make me think of driving out to my grandparents two years ago. I still love Amy Winehouse. Plus my boss' name is Valerie and she is such a sweet, funky lady, it makes me think of her now.

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.

You know, like the Buried Life!

Brilliant, lovely Lacey wrote this in a communal diary at a coffee shop and it stuck in my head and did a cool little dance.

"don't be anyone's slogan 'cause you are poetry"

I have begun formulating a list of life dreams. It is essentially a bucket list but I'm not exactly sure why I don't like calling it that. I think it is because of that fact that I serve a God who won't take me a second earlier or later than he planned. I don't want to dream with the end in mind. I want to dream. Period.

~I want to work on a farm. When Matt and I were in Maui, Lahaina had quite a few of these rad restaurants that had their own farm up on the volcano. They prepared and served only local food, farmed themselves, and served fish they caught that day. I love the idea of being part of a movement that nurtures the earth and our bodies. The fact that we've come to a place where we can get tomatoes at any time of the year but that they really don't taste like real tomatoes at all, really scares me.

~I want to ride on an elephant or a camel. I stole this one from my mom. She showed me her list when I was about 13 and the thought of riding an elephant or a camel took hold of my mind and captured my imagination. I will most definitely sing "Prince Ali" while I'm doing it. Guaranteed.

~I want to see the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. I want to see Jerusalem period but the Wailing Wall is such a beautiful image to me. It is a very physical surrendering of your prayers and your worries to God. The Jewish faith is so rich and layered and the little boys with their funny Hasidic haircuts! Seriously adorable.

~I want to march in a protest. I want it to be a protest that matters to me obviously but I want to be part of a demonstration of my liberty. There are so many marches that occur for many different reasons that I just need to get off my butt and do. Like the Take Back the Night march to end domestic violence. Or the Stolen Sisters march. Women's Studies always makes me a little uppity but I can tell it is because those issues tug at a very real place within me. It's not just about women, it's about people and how we live in our world. Different races, classes, histories. I live in a country that guarantees me the right to protest and have a voice. Lacey and I protested once but we protested outside City Hall on a Sunday so no one was there. And then we walked to the library.

~I want to assist a midwife. Lacey and Matt would get this because we watched it on The Buried Life! Which is a totally rad show if you're looking for something to watch FOR FREE, ONLINE! (It's the newest excitement). I want to give birth at home but I would also love to be part of that experience with someone else. And I have come a long way from my first experience as a labour coach thank you very much and if we could leave those stories in the realm of 'when I was seventeen...' that would be considerably less embarrassing.

~ I want to grow a garden on a window sill. This is reflective of my urban obsession. Or I'm sure this could also be construed as an obsession to nurture things. Hmmm. I like our little apartment and our big windows and the retro window sills. And I get more and more aggressive when I think about grocery stores the more I watch crazy movies that make me feelguilty.

~ I want to learn how to longboard. The kind on wheels and the kind on the ocean. It looks so fun to stand on a huge surfboard and paddle along. I think the wheel kind may be more attainable at the moment but Vic and Van have waterfronts. And I always see spandexed people out there, way out in the ocean. What are they doing, you ask? Maybe longboarding. Or doing sea research (umm...I guess). Or drowning.

~ I want to do a triathalon. I think it would be such a cool thing to work towards and actually accomplish. I don't need or want to compete. How I do in it isn't important to me (and kind of scares me actually) but I think to do something like that would be such a rush.

~ Guerilla knit or crochet. Make a little hat or something for the numerous commemorative statues that pepper downtown. Queen Victoria is just asking for a sceptre cozy. Ahaha, so fun!

~ I want to sit for hours with my feet in the ocean and write. I want to allow myself to be inspired by my surroundings and by my world. Last year, I sat in Fish Creek park and that where I wrote a lot of the things for my portfolio into UVIC. Sitting alone while the wind combed through and sculpted the long grass was an incredible feeling. It made me feel small but it made me aware of the powerful world that hosts me.

I want to constantly add to this but Lacey and I talked about how you need to have some big things but small things that you can do in the meantime.