diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3bec50f..8263b7a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,6 @@
 *.pyc
 ajax/dojo/*
+.project
+.pydevproject
+.settings
+
diff --git a/composer/schema/field.py b/composer/schema/field.py
index 0eb88f2..2620984 100644
--- a/composer/schema/field.py
+++ b/composer/schema/field.py
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ class EmailFieldInstance(FieldInstance):
 class BooleanFieldInstance(FieldInstance):
 
     def marshall(self, value):
-        return value
+        return bool(value)
 
     def display(self, value):
         #return value and _(u'Yes') or _(u'No')
diff --git a/composer/schema/instance.py b/composer/schema/instance.py
index 11d2718..f95cc62 100644
--- a/composer/schema/instance.py
+++ b/composer/schema/instance.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class Instance(BaseInstance):
                 fi = f.getFieldInstance(self, context=kw.get('context'),
                                               request=kw.get('request'))
                 name = f.name
-                value = getattr(self.context, name) or fi.default
+                value = getattr(self.context, name, fi.default)
                 if mode in ('view', 'preview'):
                     value = fi.display(value)
                 else:
diff --git a/util/date.py b/util/date.py
index fd495b0..a325799 100644
--- a/util/date.py
+++ b/util/date.py
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ def year(d=None):
         d = datetime.today()
     return d.year
 
-
 def toLocalTime(d):
     if pytz is None or not d:
         return d
@@ -82,3 +81,13 @@ def toLocalTime(d):
         return d.astimezone(cet)
     except ValueError:
         return d
+
+def month(d=None):
+    if d is None:
+        d = datetime.today()
+    return d.month
+
+def day(d=None):
+    if d is None:
+        d = datetime.today()
+    return d.day