99 Cent Dreams

See it for what it's worth. There's beauty in everything...

Wata jerk.

It's been ten days since my last post. Of course, I'm sorry, as always. Busy is the word, definitely. Here's what I've been up to:

I've been doing lots of research on things that totally make me nerdy. We all know about my obsession with Mole People, which has grown to an all around infatuation of homeless people of the streets/tunnels of New York. I find their lifestyles completely captivating. Some of them put themselves where they are, some of them hate where they are and have no other choice. But the thing I find most admirable about Mole People/the homeless, is that they treat each person in their "community" as their family, taking care of each other as they would their own loved one, parent or child, they risk their lives for each other, they have such high hopes and are so positive about their future, and most of all, they live in complete simplicity. If only the whole world lived their lives with those goals in mind.

I've been reading The Mole People by Jennifer Toth, a book written by a reporter who set out, risking her life, to get to the dirt of who the Mole People really are, putting all rumors and "stories" aside and finding out the cold, hard truth herself with her own two eyes. If you're a resident/frequent visitor of New York, I suggest picking up the book and taking it seriously. I can promise a complete mindset change of what you previously thought of the homeless, even growing a love and understanding for them.

As I've been reading this book, which is taking me forever, because I've begun to literally study it, rereading chapters over and over for the pure fact that it amazes me, I realized that it wouldn't kill us to take a hint from the Mole People and follow their lead. No, I'm not saying go live in a subway tunnel (vegan's can't eat rats, silly. I'd STARVE!). Their mindset is so incredible: You live by what you need, excess is what made this world what it is, and this world is full of nothing but greed. Consider what you have now, and learn to be happy with it. Your simple surroundings can teach you more than you think, and it can open your mind to new things. There's a huge art community in the tunnels, and that just blows my mind. The pictures of the graffiti down there is incredible. We use the words "underground talent" way too loosely.

I've been researching art a lot. I've also been painting a lot more. In fact, I handmade all of my christmas gifts this year! It was so much fun, and I felt like the biggest kid. I created things like a cabinet knob jewelry wall hanging frame for my sister Nicole, fabric and fancy trim covered kitchen containers for my sister Stacey, a beautiful flower wreath for my mother, a self painted/distressed shadowbox filled with pictures of "daddy's girls" (my sisters and I) for my dad, a set of three flower vases, all hand painted for my bosses assistant, and a very modern wine serving vase with four glasses that matched which were also all hand painted. I'm thinking I should take some time and make more things to sell. I have way too much create energy inside of my little five foot two inch frame to let go to waste!

I've also been writing a short story, two in fact. One I'm much more focused on that the other. It's an incredible true story about a friend of mine. His unfortunate circumstances, down and out ways of thinking, and constant downward spirals of life are what inspired me to write this book. It sounds terribly unfortunate and sad, but it's all very interesting. Something a lot of people can relate to. Even he was in shock when he read it. (I wasn't going to tell him I was writing it until I had a few copies published for fear that I might totally freak him out, but I'm terrible at keeping things like that to myself. He was such a huge inspiration, and I was in a desperate situation to cheer him up one day. SUCCESS!) Here's a sneak peak of what the story entails:

In a community of dialog, he was the silence. It was like tilling an entire corn field with a fork, just to get enough out of him to make sense of what it was that was killing him inside. He would never say it out loud, but he needed someone to take care of him. In a world where you can make anything out of anything, create your being and identity, have free reign with your life, that very same world was too hard for him to survive on his own. A dirty look made him shutter inside. Rejection was like a knife stuck, twisting in his side. Conflict was World War II. Love was like trying to figure out the exact date, time and hour that the world was going to end, impossible. He was well aware that he had a heart, but he was never able to put it to use. He always said that if you could hold his heart in your hand, it would look like broken pavement, tattered and torn, broken and crumbled, a dark hue of grey. “There’s nothing in there I can give, because I don’t know how.”, he said, peering straight into my eyes. “I’m too scared to even try. All I know is how it ends.”

            For Torey, every beginning was an end. If I could only make him face all his fears. To enable him to reign free and find the secret of a beautiful life. If I could only make him see the punches he’s thrown, not the towels he’s thrown in. He told me, “I want to be something that’s different.” I said that he can be anything that he wants to be, he just had to start letting things in. That’s the moment when he first believed. I quickly realized that I was the only one breaking it down like this for him.  I was the only one that could figure him out, like a mad scientist who suddenly found the missing link between monkeys and mankind. Suddenly I felt as if he was mine. As if I had to take care of him. I was the only one who had solutions for his series of unfortunate events.

I love, LOVE writing. (I don't keep up with two blogs for nothin'!) I don't do enough of it, until recently. Actually, I owe a big thanks to my Hipster Sister and Tough Luxe readers who have pushed me and given me the praise that I've never heard about this new found skill of mine. It's nice to know that something you've always loved doing, is enjoyed by others. That is what keeps dreams alive.

Even with my recently busy schedule, I'll do my best to occupy your eyes on a more timely basis. I appreciate you reading my blogs, even though I get a little side tracked with my creative ADD.

Until next time ...

Current Listen: 55th and Halsey - His Name Shall Breathe

Whoa, snow.

Scooty is wearing an Elvis tee. 

Latte is wearing an old dude-looking sweater.

Can we say irresistible?

So. Much. Snow.

I've got a Yorkie under my arm for the entire weekend. This thing can make satan himself smile and purr the word, "Awwww" in a loving manner. I was dreading this moment, the "time for a walk" moment. This little nugget, named Scooty, was doing the pee pee dance. "Have you seen it outside, Scooty? It's snowing poodles out there!" He did not find it funny. He had to pee.

Twenty five minutes later (I had to put all of my winter gear on), I took Scooty out. His hesitation grew more and more as he stepped down each porch step. "There's no turnin' back now, buddy. Peters and pooters. Let's go." (I call pee and poo peters and pooters. It's much more socially acceptable, I think.) I look up to see if the sideways were shoveled. Negative. Great. I look back down at Scooty. Scooty? Where's the dog??? The leash led to a little hole in the snow. Scooty down under. Poor thing. He just ... sunk. That dog was an eskimo for a hot second.

For the first time in the last ten years or so (literal), I am actually enjoying the snow. It's prettier than I remember it. (It's hard to remember, we haven't had a real winter in like two years.) I don't mind being snowed in, either. I wish I had gone food shopping yesterday, but it's cool. I can totally live off the two frozen edemame bags in my freezer.

Does snow make you drowsy? Because it's not even 8:00 and I'm ready for bed!

Current Listen: Stadium Love - Metric

Tough Luxe

Tough Luxe 

Duh!

I totally forgot to update you all on my new endeavor!

I've been super busy, but with overwhelming requests from many of my Hipster Sister followers to create a fashion blog, I did just that. You can see it here: Tough Luxe. Tough Luxe is a fashion blog that has been created to fill the fashion side of Hipster Sister, passing along the inspiration and fashion sense that pours out of my ears and heart.

I hope you find it nothing less than what you expect. Also, there is an exciting new Look Book in the making, so be on the look out for that coming within the next few months!

Tough Luxe and Hipster Sister both have big plans, so keep reading and check back often. And if you're not already following both blogs, please do!

With Love To My Lovelies,
Ali

I Am A Whosoever

The Whosoevers. Dig it.

WARNING: If you are a nonbeliever, then this particular post will be totally awkward for you. 

But by all means, I totally encourage you to read on. 

A rare opportunity showcased itself at my church this evening. There's a movement called "The Whosoevers", who does nothing more or less than change this generations lives by the masses. Thank God for them, because someone needs to do it. The Whosoevers are a movement that combines music with living for the Lord. They put on a concert, and have huge figures in the music industry tell their testimonies of how they were saved. The Chronicles, a hardcore christian band that played tonight, did their thing and gave us all the realization that we all worship differently. Some of us listen to straight up worship music, some of us bang our heads and listen to hardcore christian music. Hey, it all works, it's all worship. All the glory still goes to God.

After the head banging was over, we were graced by the presence of Ryan Ries of Circa, Head from Korn, Sonny from P.O.D., and Melanie from Flyleaf. Each one told their incredible testimonies, leaving us all thankful for the lives we had that we once thought were falling apart. 

It's funny, when you hear someone's testimony like one of theirs. You think you have it so bad, that your life is falling apart, that it can never get any worse than this ... and then you hear their story. For example, Ryan was shooting heroin, coke, and popping ten or more pills of E a day. A DAY. On another occasion, one of his buddies found him in his room, passed out, with coke all over his face. He thought he was dead. He probably should have been dead. Head, on the other hand, was knocking out his wife on several occasions, in front of their baby girl, because he was a Meth head. Both testimonies were grounds for death. While everyone's life is different, you still have to be thankful for what you've got and what happens in your life, even on the bad days. Just because something's not going according to your plan, doesn't mean it's not going according to God's.

That was the message for me tonight. I complain on a daily basis for something, anything, that's happened to me throughout the day. I thought about it on the way home, and have come to the realization that I'm never happy. Nothing ever satisfies me. Maybe I'm so focused on what I can complain about, that I'm missing the important stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm a very happy, laid back person, but what I have realized, is that there's always something that "doesn't go my way". 

And that's my problem. Nothing should go "my way". It should go God's way. He's the one who knows me better than even I do. He's the one with my owners manual. I'm so busy making big plans for myself, and getting so upset when they don't pan out. Yet I never stopped to think that maybe it's not working out for good reason. Maybe it's not in my life's plans. Now I have comfort in knowing that in reality, I don't have to worry about a thing, as long as I'm following God's plan. 

I'm going to step into the confessional for a second and air out my dirty laundry. I've been falling apart a little bit. I've been doing things that I know are wrong, but I got a rise out of doing them, so I did it anyways. No solid Christian is partying with her friends, drinking or not drinking. Nor should she continue to do the things that she feels convicted for. (God has this thing that he does to me, I like to think of it as the equivalent to a taser gun. I do something wrong, and he IMMEDIATELY convicts me for it. Like, light speed conviction. Sometimes He does it BEFORE I even do/say it, and I can stop myself. Man, He's good.) I've been slowly slipping away, back into the things I used to do, before I got saved. And I knew I should stop, but Satan got a hold on me. He makes things look good, look like fun, and like you're not doing a dang thing wrong. I needed tonight's swift kick in the butt to knock me down and make me realize that I can end up just like those guys. I'll treat this like a cold, and try and cure this while I have the first few symptoms, instead of catching the disease and letting it go full blown .... only to blow up in my face. 

I've got a purpose, I know I do. Ask me what it is, and I'll stare straight at you like you just grew a foot for a nose. But one day, it'll all fall into place. I just have to follow "The Plan". And that plan is definitely not mine. My plans always turn out terrible, anyways.

Current Listen: Street Choirs Singing - His Name Shall Breathe (Srsly - check this guy out ... youtube him or something. Incredible.)

Jalouse

Young, Wild & Free

I've been bombarded with, "Please post more on Hipster Sister!!!", and "Where have you been?" comments.

So ... here I am, kidz. Life's been a bit on the hectic side. Which, I know is no excuse. (Hectic lives are what makes blogs so interesting, no?) But I'm back, with too much to blog about. As always. I will not apologize for it.

A common pattern that I can't help but notice lately, is that I've been people's third arm. Lot's of people's. Let me explain. 

My heart's big for this little body. If someone mentions, even briefly, and not in the manner of asking for help, that they need help with something, or something is bothering them, whatever the reason may be, I always feel inclined to help them. Could be the feeling of accomplishment for someone other than yourself is a good feeling, or that I'd love to change the world, but this is the only way to do it in my five foot two frame, or maybe I know what it feels like to need help, but it's not available. Whatever the case, I enjoy being an extra limb for someone who needs it. Centipede's must feel AWESOME.

Yes, the Brooklyn move is still in the works. It's slowly but surely being accomplished. I'm happy that I'm being super careful about it (regarding working and making sure I have health insurance), and taking extra time to work out the small details. I could move to Brooklyn this weekend if I really wanted to, really. And knowing myself and how spontaneity gets me in trouble (sometimes), I've gone on the grown-up route for this one. I'm learning to, for once, map it all out, put my foot down and make sure I get what I want/need out of all of these changes, instead of taking what's there and learning to get along with it. Sounds like I'm shopping for a boyfriend or something.

I've really been enjoying having gone vegan. I feel awesome, creating new things to make is so much fun, (I am NOT a cook my ANY means, so this was a huge challenge for me), I feel better about what I eat now, and I feel all around healthier. While some people frown upon vegans, I say do what you feel good about. I went vegan because I adore life, human and animal alike, and would never want a living, breathing soul killed for my benefit. It's come to my attention that I upset some Hipster Sister readers by calling meat eaters "murderers". I truly am sorry, and never meant any harm by any means. I had written that particular post while heated after having watched multiple animal cruelty for food videos, and after reading up on researched material. My apologies. For those of you who expect some sort of explanation/need to demean my decision, I will not explain/think you're silly. I do, however, stand by my choice/belief. After all, we are all entitled to one, no?

Off that serious note. I'm excited to finally get back to Brooklyn this weekend (last weekend was super low key), and see my Brooklyn Brat Pack. I've missed my little alt kidz. They're always a good time. We put on a good show for the neighborhood. Oh, and I've decided on tattoo number two. Already. I'm debating whether to wait until after the holidays to get it, or just do it. Debating.

Take care and be safe, kidz!

Current Listen: Waking Up - Amsterdam