Yesterearth Day

So I wanted to write about how we spent our Earth Day, because we did our first no-energy night! "No Energy" or "Energy Fast" nights are activities that are oft part of the JVC experience, where all lights are turned off, computers and Ipods are put away, the oven isn't used, and depending on the bravery of the community, the heat is turned waaaay down. Ashland, a community in MT did a energy fast weekend back in the winter, and I know a house in Seattle last year did no-energy days once a week. Last year, our house did them a few times, but we ended up debating so much about what the "point" was, we stopped.

For me the point is not save on energy costs or to live in solidarity with anyone. (I don't know many people besides JVs who just turn off their lights for the hell of it). The point is to slow down. It does also help me realize how many times a day I use energy. I enjoy the quiet of having the TV off, the softness of the candles. It's relaxing and energizing at the same time.

Last night, I got home and Jen and I made peanut butter and banana sandwiches, left over quinoa, and cucumbers. The Pov had several overripe bananas and they were perfect. Then, since Karen and Bree were out, we went on a long walk to the university. It was a pretty overcast day, but luckily it didn't rain.

Then we came home, knit for a bit while it was still light out, and after the sun set, we pulled out every candle we had (which ended up being plenty of votive candles we had taken from a retreat!) and sat down to play dominoes. Which lasted about .5 seconds when we realized we had an incomplete set. So we played Apples to Apples instead. It's a game where one person lays down a card with an adjective on it, and everyone else picks one of their 7 cards which have nouns on them to go with it. My favorite combination of the night:

Adjective: Fantastic

Noun: Electricity

Good point. I was very happy to turn on the light this morning as I got ready!