Happy May Day!

Happy May Day! I never realized this, but apparently in France it's "Lily of the Valley" Day. Isn't that beautiful?? I love the smell of Lilies of the Valley. They bloom here, and in CT, right around Mother's Day, and are my mom's favorite flower for scent. In fact, "her" perfume is "Muguet de Bois".

Plus, here's a round-up of good blogospherical stuff:

Bob's review of an art book that spans the globe, and time. Makes me want to read it!

The Poop Report is raising money for latrines in Uttar Pradesh for local girls there... read the story and I bet you'll want to give some money to the cause too! My Uncle Harry would be so proud. I think I'll send him the link.

My dad and I got into a big discussion over the weekend about Thomas "yucky" Friedman and this post at IGHiH pretty much sums it up.

One way to really go greener, no matter WHAT Thomas Friedman says, is to hang out your laundry. And if you have restrictions on laundry hanging in your area, the Laundry List can help!

If you need a little transcendental quickie therapy, try exercise #8, below. I always find Rob Brezsny very helpful!

AMBIDEXTROUS PRONOIA THERAPY, Part Two

Experiments and exercises in becoming a mysteriously truthful, teasingly healing, fiercely magnanimous Master of Impartial Passion

8. In our culture, vultures are considered ugly and disgusting. But in ancient Egypt, they were sacred. Scholar Elinor Gadon says they were called "compassionate purifiers." As devourers of corpses, they transformed rotting flesh into usable energy, and expedited the soul's transition to heaven. Queens of Egypt wore vulture headdresses to signify their divine consecration.

How would you invoke the help of mythical vultures in your own life? Here's one possibility. Meditate on death not as the end of physical life, but as a metaphor for shedding what's outworn. In that light, what is the best death you've ever experienced? What death would you like to enjoy next?