Anthony Ongaro

Living an Intentional Life

photographer

Photography by Rita Farmer

Creator of Break The Twitch

When Anthony Ongaro looked at four years of his Amazon purchases, he realized his purchases were more of impulsive decisions than intentional actions. There were hundreds of meaningless purchases that when added up were a large sum, but didn’t align with the life he wanted to live.

 

He calls these types of decisions ‘the twitch‘ – an impulsive, unproductive response to discomfort. For Anthony, it was Amazon purchases; for others, it is mindlessly scrolling through social media, committing hours into mobile games or eating something when you aren’t even hungry.

 

Anthony decided to do something about it and created Break the Twitch, a website and Youtube channel dedicated to helping people align their actions with their values and live more intentionally. His philosophy is rooted in minimalism so that you can pursue a life of meaning and fulfillment, beyond meaningless consumption.

 

Hand-crank Pasta Maker

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My Aunt gave this to my parents as a gift years ago. When I moved to Minneapolis in 2008, I started experimenting with fresh noodles and pasta which led my parents to gift the machine to me. There is something incredibly satisfying about hand-made fresh pasta, it brings me great joy to prepare it for others.

Buy Now$20

Delightfully Flavorful artwork

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My dad made this in art school in the early ’60s. He had a second, completed painting of the sign, but I really loved the draft copy because it still has all of the guidelines and rough markings. My parents had it framed for me and it has adorned my kitchen since my first apartment in Minneapolis.


Zippo Lighter

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In 1965, my dad bought this lighter for my grandfather, who passed away when I was seven years old. It stayed in the family for a while, then eventually made its way back to me a few years ago. It still has the original paperwork that offers inscription services for $1.25.

Buy Now$25+

Italia Keychain

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My wife and I spent a summer in Europe together soon after we met, around 2008. I picked up this keychain during our stint in Rome, and it happens to perfectly fit the screw on a tripod quick-release plate so it has come in much handier than expected.

Buy Now$8

C100 Mark II

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While it’s nothing old or particularly unique, this camera is my first ever “real” cinema camera and represents my dive into filmmaking and creative video work. It means a lot to me to have the gear necessary to create things and execute on ideas that I have, and the C100 does that for me.

Buy Now$2,727

Yamaha S90ES Piano

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Before moving to Minneapolis to be with my now wife, I played in a band and had a Nord Electro 2 – a 73 key electric piano that had killer organ and piano emulation. I had to sell it before moving to both fund the move and due to lack of space and was pretty bummed out about it. A few years later, my wife Amy got my whole family together and bought me this piano as a birthday gift. It was incredible and still means the world to me.

Buy Now$500+

Sunglasses Picture

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I took this picture during a trip to O’ahu, where my wife Amy and I visited for our honeymoon. After reviewing the photos, I noticed that I hadn’t properly wiped clean the lenses and it’s quite visible around the edges of the glasses frame. I figured it was a great metaphor for life and outlook in general, things don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful or interesting.

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Make Your Own$custom

Taiwanese Blue/Gold Vase

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My wife Amy was born in Taiwan and we visited her family there shortly after our wedding in the United States. We visited a pottery village in Taiwan, where I found this particular vase. I couldn’t take my eyes off it, I love the colors and style of the design, and having noticed, Amy’s aunts ended up surprising me with it.

Visit Taiwan$CUSTOM

Crystal Wedding Flutes

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These were a gift from Amy’s parents for our wedding in 2012. We drink champagne from them on our anniversary every year, and that’s it. We love the tradition and proudly display them in our living room. It’s a nice reminder of the event and all that it means to us.

Buy Now$98

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The Minimums of Anthony Ongaro