Margaret Bonnano

"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis." ~Margaret Bonnano

Wolf and Willow

Hey lovies!

Check out this artsy site packed with brilliant photography, vinatage inspiration, and yummy how-to's. It's worth a look.

Wolf and Willow

Imagination

Iotadaily

 

 

 

Summer, Where Have You Gone?

Live Like Your Last

"The Buddha said that every time you go to bed you should consider that you won’t wake up. That way, when you wake up you will be especially grateful for the day you have ahead of you. Instead of seeing the day as a burden that you have to 'get through' you will see it as an opportunity to do something meaningful and beneficial.

Why? Because you could die tonight."

~a friend Chenay Gladstone

Framed

Pleasantly chilled....

Full Moon

Full moon tonight

 

Say the words you've been holding back, do the things you've been waiting to do, focus on the things that the world prevents you from thinking about, but most importantly- love the people that mean the most to you. In the end, doing that will free your heart to doing everything else.

Google's Growing Up So Fast!

Google's 14th birthday!! Wow! For me, Google is my Bible so this is a pretty big deal... Happy B-Day Google (she says as she wipes a tear from her cheek)

Inspiration

Specificism

General note to creatives:

Never go into anything looking for something specific- you'll end up skipping out on all the brilliantly unspecific things along the way.

The Summoning

 

 

 

With a crystalline finger, she painted the sky.

streaking the platinum canvas in a line of sheer, smokey white

smudging the sky as her finger challenged the wind.

A copper penny arose from the bobbing tides and silk horizon
 

                                                                                                         she pushed

                                                                                                         d o w n .
 

and summoned stars.

Dippers and Orion's sparked each nail

As she traced the planets and moons against the indigo sky.

 

                                                                                            h . e . a . r . t . b . e . a . t . s
 

highlight the waves,

ricocheting off the inflated moon.

Moonlit paths glaze the canvas.

Ocean breezes accent

the whispers of dawn.

A crystalline finger surrenders

Relinquishing to the

                                                                                                          w i  n d  .

 

 

 by Alexis Szoke.



 



Blogoogling

blogoogling 
        n. blogging and googling

Camera

Interesting Fact:

TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.



On a Hopeful Note....

It's Saturday night and My Mama Says....


"Everything will be alright in the end, so if it's not alright, then it's not the end."


Simple as that.

Excellence

We are what we repeatedly do, therefore excellence is not an act, but a habit. ~ Aristotle

Eyes.

Imagine if we could all hold each other as babies. Imagine the love and connection we would feel as we gazed into our friend's, our co worker's, our rival's eyes. Without attachment to earthly titles or past wrong doings- just love. Just eyes.

Those eyes are just enough to through away resentments and grievances and just accept the person not for what their bodies have done, but for what their soul is.

You.

Dear Peanut Gallery

Dear Peanut Gallery,

Though your witty comments and unsolicited advice on last nights Keeping Up With The Kardashians on E! episode was so ho-ho, haha (not) funny, and totally needed to be said (to make yourself feel better), I, on behalf of the rest of America would thoroughly appreciate a little hush hush from you these days. Because, frankly, I've just about heard enough. Now don't get me wrong, there are plenty of formulated remarks stewing around in all of our heads when it comes to the subject of tonights reality TV lineup, but for your own dignity, put a lid on it. I don't really need to hear how you were totally like "what" and "omg, lol, did she seriously just say that?" because yeah, she did and she will continue to keep saying it becasue she's a Kardashian. And "she" is a Snooki, and a "Lady Sitter," and a Bachelorette, and a person. Just because you type it into a chat box, it doesn't discount the fact that these are all people and the very fact that you are one too. Show some respect and start acting like it.

Kind Regards,
Daily Dose

Silence is Golden

Today My Mama Says...

 

"Silence is golden,

But duct tape is silver."

How to Get-'er-DONE!

Personally, I think the best way to get things done is not by

A) setting a goal and then revolving yourself around that one goal until you finally achieve it, (though productive for some)

We want it so much, we get too controlled on trying to make it happen so badly, that we don't recognize the ways the universe tries to make it easier.

neither is it by

B) just saying you want something so bad and whining every second of the day about how you don't have it, (though extremely fun for others)

We aren't willing to put in the effort for things that we say we want, but are willing to put the effort into saying how much we don't have it. We are pretty much telling the universe that it's okay to prolong it out and to give us more of the not having it.

but by simply putting your intentions on it, accepting it as something you want and something you intend on attracting, then letting it be.

Seriously, I need to learn how to make things happen without the extremes. I've got better things to do like getting those things done.

Free

by Alexis Szoke


I am here.

I am free


From all people who construed me.

From all judgements that consume me.

From all lies that have restrained me.

And the thoughts I will contain.


From all darkness that surrounds me.

And the shackles that confound me.

From all the shadows that will haunt me.

And all the burns that stain my heart.


All the pasts that once lead me.

All judgments that have fed me.

All mirrors that do not reflect me.

The things that I have left behind.


I am free from restrictions that control me.

The people that had hold on me.

The ceilings that have kept me.

Today I am free.



Clean eyes that have seen me

Visions of what I will be

But will not be of me truly

I see now that I am free.

Defeat

by Alexis Szoke


I am defeated.
Defeated is to be overcome.
Overcome, or come over?
What have I come over?

Over, over there?
Not there, here.
Here and
now. Now I am afraid.

Fresh Prince

Remember this??

 

 

 

Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air

In West Philadelphia born and raised
... On the playground is where I spent most of my days
Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool
And all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school
When a couple of guys who were up to no good
Started makin' trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared
And said you're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air

I begged and pleaded with her day after day
But she packed my suitcase and sent me on my way
She gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket
I put my walkman on and said I might as well kick it
First class yo this is bad
Drinkin' orange juice out of a champagne glass
Is this what the people of Bel-Air live like
Hmmm this might be all right

But wait I hear they're prissy, bourgeois and all that
Is this the type of place that they should send this cool cat
I don't think so I'll see when I get there
I hope they're prepared for the prince of Bel-Air

Well uh the plane landed and when I came out
There was a dude looked like a cop standin' there with my name out
I ain't tryin' to get arrested yet I just got here
I sprang with the quickness like lightening disappeared

I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said "Fresh", and had dice in the mirror
If anything I could say that this cab was rare
But I thought nah forget it, yo home to Bel-Air!

I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8
And I yelled to the cabbie, "Yo Holmes, smell ya later!"
Looked at my kingdom I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel-Air

To the Moon

What music would you listen to en route to the moon?

Gimme Sympathy

Helllo lovies!!

New song obsession! .....I really should make this a regular thing, considering I pretty much have new theme music every week.... I'll work on that.

Any who, this week's song is Gimme Sympathy by Metric. Usually Metric's songs tend to be pretty intense, almost leaning on the metal side of rock, so it's nice to hear their sound on a lighter melody. I absolutely love this song, I know alll of the words and harmonic crescendos and decrescendos along with the subtle dinks and nicks of the vocals. Now, ask my mom or close friends, me knowing every single word isn't entirely depictive of how much I love this song, but let's just say Pandora and I have some pretty nasty fights over what the lyrics ACTUALLY ARE and what she says they are. Pftt... you know, why isn't there an emoticon for rolling your eyes?? If there were, it would be my best friend- unlike you, Pandora! She can irritate me so much, why can't she understand that when I click the thumbs up button, I CLEARLY want her to play the song again? Where's my eye rolling emoticon???!?

The point: check out this song Gimme Sympathy by Metric. You'll be glad you did.
P.S. My favorite lyrics (the chorus) where I turn it up real loud and belt it:

Give me sympathy 
After all this is done,
Who would you rather be
The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

Got me to thinking, who would I rather be? The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? There's a poll down south, check it out and let me know who you'd rather be.

Trader Joe's Best Kept Secret

Okay all you gluten free goers, here's a treat you don't have to be cautious about endulging in. Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Bar candy bar line of all assorted fixes and flavors truely make me smile inside and out! Just one bite of my carmel and black sea salt midnight treat and a melodious explosion was  unleashed [into my otherwise salavating mouth hole]. Wholesome hits of Hawaiian sea salt and captivating carmel danced about my tongue as symphonic notes of well balanced cacoa sent my soul into euphoric meditation. MMM!! Serious- next time your're at Trader Joe's, don't pass this one up!

Enjoy your Daily Dose of yum!

Jamie Oliver Pink Slime Illustration

An illustrative video on what pink slime is.... if you haven't already heard

:X

Pink Slime Plauging the Nation

Check out my speech paper I just turned in. An informational, yet persuasive literation of what this inhumane meat epidemic is and why it is that you should be second guessing your meat.

TLC

Mama's latest saying when something is not to her standards, unappealling, gross, nasty or otherwise unsatisfactory...."that needs some love" sometimes if it needs immediate attention or is really bad...."it needs a lot of love".  Mama's goal....to shed love on things even where the love don't shine.

Friday

Happy Friday, m'friends!

If you're like me and are looking to surpass this glorious final weekly work day in the melifluous sounds of my top favs, then listen up.

....Or just read on because it's Friday and you choose to surpass this glorious final weekly work day by mindlessly staring at the computer screne as brain waves periodicly jolt up and down, telling you what insignificant information ...I have to share with you on this relatively insignificant day. I'm fine with that......

(And yes I watched The Big Bang Therory last night- channeling inner Sheldon)

Mm off topic- okay so back to those other waves I was talking about. The ones in which your ear interprets as sound and your brain demes rhythmic. Music, folks! I'm a'talking 'bout the music!

Okay, let me just cut to the chase- do you like remixes, but really only the good ones that aren't all *ntz, ntz, ntz* and messing up your favorite part of the song? Yeah, me too. So here are my favorite remixes that bring some joy into my life on final weekly work days like today.

Enjoy, fellow zombies, enjoy.

 

 

Best Remixes

Daily Dose Daily Task List:

1. Breathe deeply
2. Drink water
3. Sleep peacefully
4. Eat nutritiously
5. Enjoy activity
6. Give and receive love
7. Be forgiving
8. Practice gratitude
9. Develop acceptance
10. Develop a strong connection with God/source

...Let go, let God... There's nothing left to do.

Check Out My New Bike!

Salutations, my fellow earthlings,


So as you might know, my mom and I have been on a hunt for some good beach cruisers, here lately, to reinforce the fact that we are officially Californians!

Well, after 4 hours, to bunji cords, and to bikes later, we got our bikes! They are relatively normal bikes, in their current standing, but we've got big plans for our little bike-mobiles! I'll keep you updated with new pics as they become more and more Anthro-fied! ;) Any who- here they are:

             

              Mine is the cream colored one and Mama's is the black one... should they have names??

What Are You Talking About?

Okay, people- you know you who are. It's obnoxious and it needs to stop. Seriously, I am officially annoyed. Just ENOUGH!

That's right, you know who you are... ;D

...You don't have a clue what I'm talking about, do you?

WELL, for those of you too busy flappin' your jabs so much for me to even get a word in: LISTEN UP. You talk... a lot. You talk so much that sometimes it might just be so you can hear the sound of your own voice. Now, I don't necessarily have a problem with the talking, per say- you are just exercising the First Amendment's right to freedom of speech (thank you very much Ms.Kanelos, 7th grade history guru) It's what you are talking about.

So many people feel the need to vocalize every thought that pops into their head. And though this might be hypocritical, coming from a everyday blogger, I'd like to think I am not criticizing, degrading, insulting, offending, forcing opinions- I'd like to think that I am just talking about things I want to talk about. Their are others- I am not so thrilled to come across- that simply do not know what they are talking about! They talk to fill the open air, on subjects they have no idea, nor right to be opening their mouths about. I call them Mindless Marvins.

My point: A Mindless Mavtin cannot and WILL NOT stop the mindless marvining until someone stomps on their toe, in the act of putting their foot down! Stomp down on it hard and tell them to stop yacking in my ear things that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about! Tell them to STOP! The lesson: If you do not have anything nice to say, or do not have any clue what you are saying, don't open your mouth even but a peep.

I think I have made my point. Go make yours.





Stop the Mindless Marvining and Go Be Productive!
IotaDaily

One of Mama's Favorites!!

Today, My Mama Says...

"'Often times the most beautiful things in life cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart..." it is these things that remind us of who we are, where we came from and that we are connected as one.' 

100 Postings

Just hit 100 postings on Daily Dose!!! My baby blog is a'growin! :)

New Pic For My Mama Says!!

White Lions?

Hey sweets!

So has anyone ever heard of a white lion??? I certainly have not! I've heard of white tigers, but not lions. Well, I came across this picture and HAD to stick it on here! PROOF! How interesting, right? Don't they kinda look like someone just poured white dye all over their fur(s)?  ;D

White lions, white tigers, white bears- OH MY!

Rainy Days

Today I woke up out of my cozy little slumber cushion, only to find yet another day of rainy weather. :(

Now don't get me wrong- this is exactly what I hoped for when making a move from the forever dry and DESERTed, but with the amount of ...stormy skies we've been getting these past few weeks, this calls for some theme music.

Every time it rains from now on, I will whip out my unbeatable track of lil diddies to put some warmth and content back into my rained out heart.

... it's my rain coat. Forever protecting me from the depressing doldrums of early-morning downpour!

 

 

Rainy Days

Mayan Calendar

Happy Friday!!

Anyone looking for some reading material? If you are as interested in the Mayan Calendar and what it has to say about our fate in December 2012, check out a research paper I wrote on it. I included information about who the Mayans are, why they created this crazy calendric system, and what they are telling us. This subject is relatively subjective; it's all about interpretations. Tell me how you interpret the Mayan Calendar...


Enjoy!

Welcome Spring!

Howdy y'all!


Today was the very first day of the blooming and beloved spring!

Many of you might resonate seasons with certain activities or holidays, thus giving the season a special essence that comes upon you once a year. For instance, some might pair spring with the term, 'spring cleaning.' If this is true, then I assume some of you have genuine, ear to ear smiles paired with Christmas morning eyes out of the sheer anticipation of finally getting to use that new Swiffer contraption you've been dying to break in. For others- I feel for you, I really do- you are probably moaning and groaning because, by chance, you get stuck with OCD neat freaks that find the only holiday that could ever possibly be better than Christmas- the day the clock strikes spring.

Tragic.

So, tell me- what does spring mean for you?

How to Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad

• 1 cucumber
• 1- 1 1/2 tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• dash of sea salt
• and black pepper
• balsamic vinegar
• and olive oil (eyeball it)
• pinch of parsley

The Cold, Hard Truth

This vegetarian dish brings an essence of chill and breezy summer days into your mouth, the minute you take a bite of that pacifying cucumber. But suddenly, the tang of edgy balsamic vinegar disrupts your delight, catching you off guard from the sour crunch of savory onion. But all balance is restored when the ever constant tomato comes to save the day. Such a symphonic delight to your tastes buds- you even forget that it's healthy!

Why Mom should not be allowed to use the blender.

Happy St.Patty's Day!

Project Design on a Dime Complete

Hey lovies!!

So my mom and I recently decided to go a little artsy and totally repaint all of our furniture. Now, need I mind you that our stash of plump, plush beauties is not exactly what Pottery Barn would consider a "complete set," but our freshly distressed coffee table, weathered and edgy TV stand, and gold rushtic bar stools are feelin the ego boost of a nice, fresh makeover. :)

Well, if the birdy hasn't gotten around to your window yet, my mom and I just made a big move from Arizona to California. In order to successfully do this, we got rid of all large pieces of furniture so everything could fit into our humble sedan. So in the process of getting settled, we have been reaccumulating cute and inexpensive pieces, knowing we could easily revamp them all into marvelous masterpieces to accentuate our lovely home! Anyways, as we acquire more, many of these pieces could end up getting shuffled around the house, but for now, our living room is much livelier with them included!

Walk Down Memory Lane

Hi there,

So I went digging through the old photo albumn the other day and found some very touching old photos of me when I was a little girl.

How strange looking at this bitty baby's eyes and seeing the world in a whole other light... children are Source's gifts to the world- little angels sent down to replenish the earth of its native light.

Seeing the world differently today....

The Fun Theory

 

What a brilliant idea!! Definately an advicate of The Fun Theory!

25 Ways to Wear a Scarf

If you have a scarf fetish, like me and want to learn some different styles other than a simple drape over-the-shoulder, you'll love this video! And it's so brilliantly done!!

Could Not Have Said it Better, Myself!

Wayne Week, Day 13

Wayne Week, Day 12

"If you want to see the doors open in your life, you detach yourself from what the E.G.O says and you allow yourself to live from this divine place called spirit."

"What Lao Tzu called the virtues- there are four of them. The first of these is reverence for all of life(which is respect). The second is sincerity (which is really nothing more than honesty). The third is gentleness, which manifests itself as kindness in our life. And the fourth is supportiveness, which manifests itself as service; offering service to others."

"Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth 'You owe me.' Just think what a love like that can do. It lights up the whole world."

Wayne Week, Day 11

"Whatever you are looking for in your life is there for you. It will show up where and when it's needed. It's always in your mind. Whatever you need to complete this project, whatever you need to create; it's all there. You can prepare and then let go."

Wayne Week, Day 10

"You attract what you are."

Wayne Week, Day 9



Wayne Week, Day 8

"All of us have a knowing within us. It's been said that when you trust in yourself, you are trusting in the very wisdom that created you. It's there to tell us who we are and who we're meant to be."

Wayne Week, Day 7

"When you die, you will return to that perfect space of  love. You will return to that source and you will be in that perfect state of love. But the Dao says that you don't have to die to get there. You can die to the E.G.O and  live in that space of perfect love, while your here."

Wayne Week, Day 6

"A quantum moment refers to athe characteristics of what it is like to have a 'peak experience.' There are four qualities of a quantum moment: 1) It is very vivid. 2) It's a surprise. 3) They are benevolent. 4) It lasts with you forever."

Wayne Week, Day 5

"And off I went. There was a strong, inner kind of feeling that I had something greater to give. I had something that I had something that I had to do that was beyond just going through the motions, just doing something that I already mastered, that I knew how to do."

Wayne Week, Day 4

"You don't have to get this all at once, just get a little bit at a time, that's all it takes, once you start practicing it. Eventually it becomes a way of life, you start living from a different perspective."

Wayne Week, Day 3

"Everything that's missing in your life, that you would like to have, you are already connected to in spirit. All you have to do is figure out a way to align yourself with that and have a knowing that you're already connected to it- you just have to bring it on it's way."

Wayne Week, Day 2

"The real meaning of life is to be happy, to enjoy yourself, to get to a place where you're not trying to get some place else. Too many people spend all their time striving, they never get to arrive."

Wayne Week, Day 1

"We cannot live the afternoon of life, according to the program of life's morning."

1/16 - 1/23 is Wayne Dyer Week!

To bring in the new year, inspirational Wayne Dyer Week coming up!!!!

Spaghetti Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Corn pasta and vodka sauce w/ Parmesan cheese- yum!!

Spaghetti is just one of those meals that brings you back to your childhood. Back when you were that messy, slobbery, bundle of joy that preferred eating their food with the hand attached! You just picture this sauce faced, cheeky smile staring up at you from their booster seat. No wonder people love babies, by product and all- they make every activity a new experience. Perhaps babies are the greatest, most profound teachers of all...

So Eat Some Spaghetti,

IotaDaily

Super Baby

Hey guys!

So I hopped on the Internet today, and on my homepage, (iGoogle) I found this amazing video of a two year old having a sign language conversation with her mom at the dinner table! I thought it was just so mesmerizing, the ease and fluidity she and her mom had- as if they were having a vocal conversation! Truly amazing what we are capable of...

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Gucci!

Howdy!

So today, January 12, 2012, marks my amazing dog, Gucci's, 7th celebration of life! Seven years old, he was pulled from the womb from my loving hands. I had to smack his face a few times and do a little emergent CPR to get this little ball of fur to breathe, but when he did- oh, when he did, he let out this little squeal that just filled my heart with such joy....

...

Okay, so all of whatever that was- complete and utter lie. For one thing, I was 7 when we got Gucci. How a 7 year old- or anyone, for that matter- could pull a puppy from the womb... clearly false info. And second of all- and this is pretty crucial- we bought Gucci from a regular, old, hole in the wall pet shop when he was 5 months old. Yeah. So I exaggerated, a smidge- so what!? That story is a lot more interesting than "I got him from a pet store," right? I think so, so let's just say that I breathed life into a newborn puppy's mouth, okay? Looks better on a college application.

Either way- we love you, Guch! You have become by best bud, always by my side. A true man's best friend, you are! Can't wait to spend 7 more joy- filled years with you, buddy!


Your Master,
Alexis

America's Drivers

America's Drivers,





You are becoming blinded by the quick fix for the present, frothing at the mouth with righteousness, demanding answers. All you care about is a quick solution to the problem at hand, as you ravage through  past statistics to give you permission to move forward with senseless and ignorant plans. You are so blinded, you cannot even see where you're leading us-irreversibly permanent destruction. What will you do then? No more Band Aids will be left in the box.

What are you going to do now?



Down to Earth

Friends,

To my all friends who let the physicality of life overtake their own. Always remember: you are amazing, light filled, creatures of earth. You're always bigger than your problems because chances are, it's not worth your energy. Once you believe this and live in this space, everyday, you can truly live out your full potentials.


Down to Earth by Jem



Learn to Love Yourselves,
IotaDaily

Egg Omelet

A yummy New Years breakfast for my mom. Not bragging, here, but this was my first perfect egg omelet. I am very proud!

Check out the Iota Cook Book for the recipe how-to.