monica loves

2012-01-26T18:13:00.001-08:00

2012-01-16T18:55:00.000-08:00

"How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world."

- Anne Frank

2011-11-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

-Henry David Thoreau

quote of the day

2011-10-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

"It is never too late to be what we might have been."
-George Eliot

I saw this quote in a great book I'm reading and it immediately struck me. I turned to a new page in my journal and copied it, center-stage. Why? It's almost like someone hit me with it. It's a comeback to the excuse I've been living in my mind, my reason for why I never meet my imaginary expectations, a belief that's kept me shackled for the past year or more.

When I read this quote, I comprehend. There is no excuse. It is true that it is never too late--so why am I playing Eyore? I need to believe that it is never too late to be what I AM. To be what I can become. As Abraham Maslow said, "What man can be, he must be." I feel the pull of my Self, a self I can no longer keep shackled with lies and delusions. A self I have no right to restrain. It is the Me that I am MEANT to be, someone so much bigger than who I 'might have been.'

This quote gives me hope, and it gives me the realization that it IS to late for one thing:

It is too late to keep holding myself back.

i'm obsessed

2010-12-02T00:45:00.000-08:00

with this song:

Isn't it amazing!?

(:

i love

2010-06-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

2010-02-23T18:58:00.000-08:00

--Corita Kent

just cause

2010-02-23T18:54:00.000-08:00

first paragraph of How to Write

2010-02-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

by Richard Rhodes:

"If you want to write, you can.

Fear stops most people from writing, not

lack of talent, whatever that is. Who am I?

What right have I to speak? Who will listen

to me if I do? You're a human being, with

a unique story to tell, and you have every

right. If you speak with passion, many of us

will listen. We need stories to live, all of us.

We live by story. Yours enlarges the circle."

2010-01-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

--Rumi

today's creation

2010-01-21T16:33:00.000-08:00

2010-01-20T12:30:00.000-08:00

--Wassily Kandinsky

nancy's bagel grounds

2010-01-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

My mommy and I have made a tradition of going to Nancy's Bagel Grounds on Frankfort Avenue. Our order: always oatmeal, with butter, brown sugar, and almonds. And a bagel to share. And a mocha for me.

(:

"We've all heard that the unexamined...

2010-01-11T15:22:00.000-08:00

snowy conversation

2010-01-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

"Hey where's your snowman?"
"we didn't make one."
"why not?"
"we made the base of one and then it wasn't working so we sat on it."

2010-01-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

(photo from fridgedoor.com)

2010-01-03T18:06:00.000-08:00

"It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy."

from The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

crazy love (i love this cover)

2010-01-03T16:59:00.001-08:00

2010-01-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

me, jan. 1, 2010

2010-01-01T23:45:00.000-08:00

goodbye, 2009

2010-01-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

I celebrated the beginning of a new year with one of my best friends of all time.
This photo ^ reminds me of this one:

Happy new year. <3

two things for you

2009-12-31T12:11:00.000-08:00

A quote:

"That wasn't flying, that was falling with style!"

--Woody

and a story:

In the center of sunny Savannah, some "street people," as my mother identified them, drew attention from the passers-by and the pigeons. I asked if I could join them; they poured seed in my one hand and placed a rose in the other.

They asked for nothing.

christmas (photo) traditions

2009-12-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

five reasons i love my brother

2009-12-31T10:38:00.000-08:00

ahhh!!!

2009-12-28T19:52:00.001-08:00

I have so much updating to do! But before I do anything, I MUST share this video with you. It makes my day (:

i <3 my mommy (:

2009-12-20T15:48:00.001-08:00

2009-12-19T16:17:00.000-08:00

"All I can say about life is, Oh God, enjoy it!"

--Bob Newhart

2009-12-16T16:51:00.000-08:00

"I am not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful."

--Marilyn Monroe

saddest rascal flatts song yet

2009-12-16T15:13:00.001-08:00

watch & listen

2009-12-14T15:09:00.000-08:00

this song has been driving me crazy for weeks!!

But I love it. (:

a conversation that made my day:

2009-11-30T10:12:00.000-08:00

"You seem like an art major."
"Why?"
"Well, you're always listening to music."
"That's why?"
"And because of your shoes."
(:

2009-11-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

"Tomorrow's forecast? Sunny."

--Sid Phillips, Toy Story

i feel pretty good about my life

2009-11-30T10:00:00.001-08:00

i'm sitting in the library listening to stevie wonder.

tune in on the right. -->

13 pictures of happiness

2009-11-23T12:57:00.001-08:00

caution:

2009-11-10T11:03:00.001-08:00

attributes of the "<3"

2009-11-10T10:33:00.000-08:00

My foot landed next to a folded piece of paper as I walked to my dorm. A black heart caught my attention and I really wanted to pick it up, but someone was walking right behind me so I just looked at it and kept going. When I headed back out to go to the library it was still chilling in the same spot. So I decided it would be mine.

It's just an outline someone wrote, but it makes me so happy. Here it is:

Attributes of the "<3"

Intro -
-What is the Heart
-Websters Definition
-Historical Thoughts of the Heart
-Spiritual attachments to the Heart (Christian and others)

~What the Heart Does
-Pumps Blood through the Body
-Miles upon miles of veins and arteries
-Love
-What love is
-Does love have anything to do with the heart.

~Vitality of the Heart
-Without your heart you cannot live
-Heart still beats after out of your Body for a while
-Synthetic Hearts work as well as Natural ones

* But Take Care of your heart poorly and
you could be more prone to Deseases and such
like Heather will tell you.

Illiterate

2009-11-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

"Be who you are, breathe fully, be alive, and don't forget to write."

--Natalie Goldberg

i spent the night at huddle house

2009-11-08T12:57:00.000-08:00

writing my heart out. Here's some:

I have so much going on in my mind tonight! First of all,
I'm happy to be ALIVE, & to be YOUNG! I am only
19 years & 2 months & 2 days old! Hell yeah! Also, just
ideas & feelings... like about God & love & life &
heaven & soul mates... I feel what I believe. & it's
good. I am not even close to being in a hurry. (:
God I have never felt so alive... (: Seriously.
This is incredible. WHAT HEAVEN? WHAT GOD??
Life & love are my gods. They are all I need. Coffee
is delicious. God is this coffee. It's you, it's me. It's Writing
Down the Bones. These things are holy to me.
I also thinkg we should ask ourselves,
"What if this is all there is?" I think that question
scares people to death. Don't run from it. Embrace
it. Celebrate it. Smile at it & hold its hand &
go for a walk w/ it. Have coffee
w/ it! MOMENTS. Time. Beauty. Life is a
gift.

- -

Never give up! Life has room for a million
chances. Take them. Take them all.

- -

Yes. I want to know what the good
things in life are.

- -

I promised to write about Seth the crazy
waiter. He believes we met while
he was mopping but I know
better he brought me coffee
dripping all over the cream,
four times.

- -

"Stupid dishes! Do yourself!"
-Seth the crazy waiter

- -

I'd rather fall awake

2009-11-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

"Everything is ordinary and extraordinary."

--Natalie Goldberg

"sometimes i feel like i'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst..."

2009-11-06T10:15:00.000-08:00

elephant love medley

2009-11-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

do you?

2009-11-02T10:08:00.001-08:00

photo + poem = <3

2009-10-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

(at an Italian restaurant in Germany)

The waiter is from Canada: his English
is probably better than mine
by now. I say little but smile a lot, clueless
about the menu but hungry--I’ll have
what he’s having. When they say pizza
they mean it & the Canadian brings a whole pie
for each of us. I’m not as hungry as he thought.
I ate and ate and ate, one third gone,
my appetite shot; they watched me slow, waiting
not for me to finish, but to assist me
in consumption: I was more than happy to
oblige; they happily finished the rest,
not saving me a single bite. But then
we shared shots & wine,
sharp & stinging wine,
& hiccupped happiness into the air, the ringing
of crystal glasses & giggles floating toward

the blue Bavarian sky.

heidi & ares <3

2009-10-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

2009-10-20T22:44:00.000-07:00

"Some people care too much, I think it's called love."

--Winnie the Pooh

mmmmmm

2009-10-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

German ice cream is the best. (:

2009-10-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

-- Angela Hayes, American Beauty

this is how i feel today

2009-10-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

awesome movie quote

2009-10-18T19:39:00.001-07:00

i am missing

2009-10-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

the gorgeous window light that makes even my bed head look good. (:

2009-10-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes you just gotta look yourself in the mirror and say, 'When in Rome.'"

--Ron Burgandy

2009-10-15T19:30:00.001-07:00

"Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius."

--Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

my german adventure: i'm here

2009-10-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

My blog wants photos. I want to give it photos. So I decided to take you on a journey to the most beautiful place I've been so far--Germany. The summer before last I participated in the Making Friends program and had the opportunity to stay with a host family in Landshut, Germany for 2 weeks. It was the most fascinating two weeks of my life. I'm going to share it with you, one day at a time. So here we go, day One, I'm here.

coloring = love

2009-10-15T19:16:00.001-07:00

my college food pyramid

2009-10-15T19:14:00.001-07:00

2009-10-14T07:44:00.001-07:00

"When I have a terrible need of - shall I say the word - religion. Then I go out and paint the stars."

--Vincent Van Gogh

cutest card everr :D

2009-10-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

2009-10-13T23:00:00.001-07:00

CLARITY. freewrite

2009-10-13T22:18:00.000-07:00

Clarity—a word I love to think it means things are clear (for once) it happens sporadically surprisingly all the puzzle pieces fit together finally the stars are aligned the kaleidoscope becomes an eye. what am I clear about right now I’m not sure. what does my soul affirm that I am alive I am here I exist. Life is mine at the moment which is always now. & now. & now. as long as I am alive which is NOW NOW NOW. it’s amazing to breathe if you take the effort to notice breath is a miracle. life is in general. little moments mean the most like that delicious smiling silence between sentences. like the flavor of coffee. like walking the streets with an ice cream cone. like the happiness of being alone. like the silky smoothness of a perfect note sung w/ no person to listen. like walking to a rhythm. like smiling secretly like swinging high like falling into a cloudy blue sky.

my blog wants photos

2009-10-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

so here you go, blog. (:

(from my favorites on flickr)

This is only the beginning. <3

ta-da!

2009-10-12T09:10:00.001-07:00

2009-10-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

-- Helen Keller

they had where the wild things are t-shirts

2009-10-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

at hot topic, but they were like $22! So I'm making my own. (: Here's what I'm thinking of putting on it:

2009-10-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Someone wrote this on the wall for breast cancer awareness month. I think it's hilarious.

2009-10-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

"Happiness is anyone and anything that's loved by you."

--Charlie Brown

brandon responds

2009-10-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

This was written by my brother in response to my love life. freewrite. I love it!

heaven greatness to it's creator an idea by one with no knowledge of love--joy. Human nature is negative, pessimistic for reasons built to build us. would you want to fill a glass if you have happiness with it's emptiness? heaven a greatness where no humanity exists and no earthly wants drive us but what love and joy could be found in such a prison. If we love to love and find joy in being joyous how can you aspire to nothing, how can nothing be greatness?

What's a rose without the call for one? Maybe it isn't the rose at all but the homeless man. life is filled with complex questions as these--nothing simple to be found. Maybe the fear of popping equals the action itself. Who could not drown in a world flooded in tears muchless think of the ability to float? thank the sun for life but curse other life for complicating it Thank the earth for it's our home but curse it for hiding the intricacy. Love life But it's way past simple.

~>big surprise<~

2009-10-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

I went to my room last night and this is what I found:
My bed was covered with glitter and balloons and gifts. (:

Peace & dream.

rule #1: wait for nothing.

2009-10-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

today's adventures

2009-10-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

one: nancy's bagel grounds on frankfort ave. mmmm oatmeal (:

two: st. james art fair @ st. james ct. mmmm art (:

<3

"We love life...

2009-10-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

ilu!

2009-09-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

love life. freewrite

2009-09-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

HOT—my heart laughs when it fills up so full about to burst like a balloon—hot air balloon flying in the sky we will go & it will be amazing & we will feel like living. Every day is a new day but one will be our last say it today tell him how you really feel today before it’s over it being life—your life or his who knows if there is a heaven & if there is what’s so great about it I have everything I want right here now it is everyone I know & love & all my precious memories that are always with me I don’t need a tattoo to remind me of the love I feel.

It’s a rose made by a homeless man given for free to make a friend & dance in the street w/ the birds ALIVE. In the middle of a city with equal people who don’t give a damn or care to worry about life they just live. Why can’t we all just BE HAPPY it’s easy just let go & let love flow, open your heart & feel all the pain & hurt & cry but tears turn to love they land on your cheeks & let you smile. Smile because life is short. Laugh because it feels good. Love because this is your chance, your last & only chance to live fully you can fly if you can feel love & swim in beauty you will feel like drowning but don’t move & you will float easily so light like a bubble. Smile you won’t pop you will just float between love & beauty & smile at the sun it is keeping you alive, thank the sun for life & the Earth for it’s our home. Love life. It’s that simple.

2009-09-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

"The most beautiful thing in life is life itself."

who says the library is for studying?

2009-09-28T11:26:00.001-07:00

I think it's for collage and pickin' up Good Vibrations. (;

flowersssssss<333

2009-09-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

make me happy (:

2009-09-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

"Every day will be ordinary unless you choose to make it special."

-- Unknown

touch

2009-09-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

you are beauty full

2009-09-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

today's adventure

2009-09-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

Stephanie and I broke out the sidewalk chalk!!! We're little kids. (:

2009-09-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

"Punch me I bleed."

-- Peter Parker

i am a designer

2009-09-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a t-shirt I made this weekend:

photos from yesterday's walk

2009-09-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

i'm runnin' late and i don't need an excuse

2009-09-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

'cause i'm wearin' my brand new shoes."

--Paolo Nutini

ive been having way too much fun

2009-09-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

playing with the pop art toy on bighugelabs. Go check it out!! <3

2009-09-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

So I'm in love with this band. Called Boys Like Girls. (: They're amazing!!
Last year I was really into watercoloring, and mostly I painted cards based on lyrics I liked. That's when I first discovered them, using "This is how I do when I think about you" from their song Hero/Heroine. I command you to look up and listen to this band! Right now! All the time! Hehe. Actually, you know what, I'll do it for you. Tune into the playlist on the right. I'll put some of my favorites of theirs on there for ya. (;
Speaking of Boys Like Girls, they're coming to my city November 12th! Guess who's getting meet and greet tickets... <3