A Drawer of Black Bras

We call it death, but it is liberty.

2011-06-09T13:32:00.001-04:00

"I once read of an ancient Japanese religion that celebrated when people died, and mourned when they were born. It was understood that birth meant the forcing of an infinite spirit into a finite focus, while death meant the release of all limits and the freedom to live the full range of possibilities that God in His mercy offers us.

Life is much more than the life of the body; it is an infinite expanse of energy, a continuum of love in countless dimensions, a psychological and spiritual experience independent of physical form. We have been alive forever. We will be alive forever more. But the life of the body is an important classroom. It is our opportunity to deliver the world from Hell. "Dear God, may your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."

Cause I can't make you love me darling, if you don't. You can't make your heart feel something it don't.

2011-06-05T22:46:00.002-04:00

Adventurous hearts

2011-05-09T00:45:00.004-04:00

"We laughed and laughed, together and separately, out loud and silently, we were determined to ignore whatever needed to be ignored, to build a new world from nothing if nothing in our world could be salvaged, it was one of the best days of my life, a day during which I lived my life and didn’t think about my life at all."

-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Because you weren't there....

2011-05-09T00:40:00.001-04:00

La cœur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point.

2011-04-16T21:30:00.002-04:00

I want something real.

Something between the two of us

only we can feel.

The Pathway of Roses

2011-04-12T11:20:00.003-04:00

“When we realize that the strength of the Infinite is our strength and that the strength of the Infinite is limitless, we must come to the conclusion that we are capable of doing anything that the living of a great life may demand.”

-Christian D. Larson

Nothing is big or small for the Universe.

2011-04-11T20:33:00.004-04:00

"Most people can manifest the small things quickly. This is because they do not have any resistance around the small things, and because they don't think thoughts that contradict them. When it comes to the bigger things, however, people often emit thoughts of doubt or worry that contradict those bigger things. This is the only difference in terms of the time it takes for something to manifest."

If you can't dream, you're dead...

2011-04-05T17:01:00.001-04:00

I wish I had the guts to tell him how great I think he is...

2011-04-04T03:17:00.001-04:00

Il etait un fois...

2011-03-29T23:18:00.001-04:00

our inherent oneness with all life

2011-03-28T09:42:00.003-04:00

"Some day, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love. Then for the second time in the history of the world, we will have discovered fire."

-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

What is your Love language?

2011-03-19T01:13:00.007-04:00

"Whatever we do, whatever our job, it can be a vessel through which we teach the message of salvation: that the Son of God is innocent, and we are all Sons of God. Kindness to Him transforms the World. We don't necessarily teach this verbally, but rather non-verbally. The problem most people have is that they're more concerned with the mode of their expression than with what they're seeking to express. That's because they don't know what they want to express. This generation, this culture, is full of people who want desperately to write a story, but for all the wrong reasons. I meet people who want to be in the spotlight, but have no idea what they would say if it was pointed at them. This is a fraudulent posture. It means we want the record contract more than the satisfaction of making music. The highest prize we can receive for creative work is the joy of being creative. Creative effort spent for any other reason than the joy of being in that light filled place, love, God, what ever you want to call it, is lacking integrity. It diminishes us. It reduces inspiration to mere sales."

- Marianne Williamson, pg. 201 in "A Return to Love"

United in unconditional love, we see a world that is whole and perfect for all.

2011-03-17T22:34:00.007-04:00

"I hope from the bottom of my heart that the people will, hand in hand, treat each other with compassion and overcome these difficult times."

~Emperor Akihito of Japan

Dear God, 

We remember that You are the unifying force that links all life.

In the stillness, we connect as One—heart to heart and mind to mind. 

From this Oneness flows the guidance, ideas and courage we need to:

Cool reactors 

Calm fears

 Feed children

 Love one another 

Restore the planet 

Heal the broken 

End wars

 And change course.

The effects of our error thinking are evident in many places on our planet. 

Today, we move beyond effect to the deeper level of cause.

Now is the time for us to unite in thought, prayer and Love. 

Remind us God that in You, All is well. 

Thank You.  Amen

"Channel your abundance through me in a way that serves the word."

2011-03-17T17:21:00.003-04:00

Thank you to all of those who have helped raise over $120 already, your support and compassion amazes me. Regardless if you can donate or not, I appreciate everyones support and words of encouragement - my friends ROCK!

There are 16 days left until my Birthday, and I know we can all pull together and raise $15,000! [that's $10 per every FB friend!] It is an attainable goal.

Check out this amazingggg act of love [from a child!]

And if you have questioned why Haiti still needs our help, it was estimated that a Haiti Cholera epidemic could sicken over 779,000 people between March and November of this year - that's about the population of San Francisco! [according to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and Harvard Medical School.] - You can read the USNews article here: http://ht.ly/4fYbv

Donate $10 to Partners in Health today & help bring health care to those in need, so that they too may see another birthday!

Donation page is here: http://act.pih.org/page/outreach/view/birthday/AliRoseBDay

"The problem is not the distribution of wealth, but the consciousness around it. Money is not scarce. It is not a finite resource. We are not poor because the rich are rich. We are poor because we do not work with love."

xoxo, Ali Rose

"Tout moun se moun" [Every person is a person, every life matters]

2011-03-16T05:11:00.018-04:00

Over 8.8 million children did not have a chance to make it to their fifth birthday last year - almost all of them in the developing world. Help me break the cycle of poverty that these children are in!

Click this link to make a donation: http://act.pih.org/page/outreach/view/birthday/AliRoseBDay

For my 21st Birthday [April 2nd], I am asking that all of my family & friends - yes YOU - to make a donation of just $10 [or what'ever you can afford... even $1.00 can make a difference!] towards Partners In Health - an organization I so deeply believe in and support. [Last year I donated $118 of my own money to PIH] I would not ask you to make a sacrifice that I am not willing to make, and have kick started the donation pool with my own $10. I am specifically supportive of the initiative PIH took in Haiti starting in 1985 to provide health care in one of the World's most impoverished countries by building not only medical facilities, but training and teaching the community how to help one another and prevent disease. After the devastating earthquake in January 2010, PIH has also designed a 3 year plan PIH to help rebuild Haiti.

[for more information on PIH's work in Haiti CLICK HERE]

For the past year and a half I have been advocating for the work that Partners in Health does to provide health care to those most in need in countries such as Haiti, Rwanda & eight other countries around the World. Partners In Health is an organization that focuses on breaking the cycle of poverty and disease in every community and person they serve. The money raised for my Birthday will go towards treating disease like malaria and tuberculosis, building homes for families, assisting farmers in more sustainable farming practices, treating malnutrition in children - and most importantly HELPING OTHERS REACH THEIR OWN BIRTHDAYS AS WELL!

I know most of you are thinking "why not the relief efforts in Japan?" and yes - Japan needs all the help they can get, and please send love and light towards Japan and give what you can to help them recover from their tragedy, but the work Partners In Health does is VERY important and inspiring to me. My only wish for my upcoming Birthday is to show them the love and support they NEED right now too. How can one judge the importance of one devastation over another? There are so many countries, communities, and individuals all over the World who are suffering every day and we must not forget about them either. The WORLD needs to UNITE and help our people, everywhere.

I have 1,510 'friends' on Facebook... and if you all donated $10, that could be $15,100 to help bring global health equity to those in need.... and thatttt is the GREATEST Birthday present I could ever receive! I know times are hard on everyone, we are all trying to cut corners and save money, but any type of donation you can make will help! I know I often forget how blessed and fortunate I am to have the necessities of life, which are not available in many developing countries around the world. We are blessed to be free of disease, have clean drinking water, and available health care - that is SO much more than many people can say. I always say "You and I are just the same," and it is time to unite and help our brothers & sisters of the World. "Everything you give, you will receive." Please help my Birthday wish come true. :]

Click this link to make a donation: http://act.pih.org/page/outreach/view/birthday/AliRoseBDay

My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.

2011-03-11T01:59:00.007-05:00

"With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls;

For stony limits cannot hold love out,

And what love can do that dares love attempt;

Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me."

"Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books;
But love from love, toward school with heavy looks."

I'll wait for you. [Will you wait for me too?]

2011-03-10T04:35:00.005-05:00

I always have art on my hands

2011-03-08T03:13:00.003-05:00

My friend Mitch took this photo when he was in town last month. This is how I spend the majority of my days - drawing, painting, sewing: making 'fashion' happen. I think this is the most honest photo anyone has ever taken of me. I have been really blessed to have been living on the 3rd floor of a house in Brooklyn, with 2 bedrooms, and an office that I've turned in to my "art studio" [aka - the one place to confine all the mess I make]. Unfortunately I am having to move out next week [my renters have friends coming from overseas]. This has been my art studio since January, and I have certainly made a bloody mess of it.

Check out more of Mitchell Wojcik's photographs at http://mitchellwojcik.com/

i've known it from the moment that we met, no doubt in my mind where you belong.

2011-03-02T04:45:00.005-05:00

I could hold you for a million years, to make you feel my love.

‎the only person standing in your way is you

2011-03-02T03:58:00.005-05:00

Today one of my professors asked me what I was so 'afraid' of, what was holding me back in my work.... I sat in silence, and he said, "I think you're afraid of being successful." I tried to resist the response that swelled inside of me, realizing that he was oh-so-right - but, I couldn't hold back the tears, and without having to ask him to- he hugged me. It's strange how someone else can really hit the nail on the head for you sometimes.

I'm making a commitment: I'm willing to accept success. I'm willing to think and feel differently about my work, and allow my creativity to flow freely. I'm willing to stop making it all about me, and start remembering that I am making art because I want to inspire and uplift others. I will find my humor in art, again - and I will laugh again.

Coming to a closet near you.

2011-02-24T01:11:00.003-05:00

Guided by Spirit, I am taking a fresh look at every area of my life.

2011-02-18T15:10:00.013-05:00

“And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." -Revelation 21:5

"February is thirteen months long in Michigan..."

2011-02-16T18:51:00.001-05:00

A PRIMER

by Bob HicokMAY 19, 2008

I remember Michigan fondly as the place I go

to be in Michigan. The right hand of America

waving from maps or the left

pressing into clay a mold to take home

from kindergarten to Mother. I lived in Michigan

forty-three years. The state bird

is a chained factory gate. The state flower

is Lake Superior, which sounds egotistical

though it is merely cold and deep as truth.

A Midwesterner can use the word “truth,”

can sincerely use the word “sincere.”

In truth the Midwest is not mid or west.

When I go back to Michigan I drive through Ohio.

There is off I-75 in Ohio a mosque, so life

goes corn corn corn mosque, I wave at Islam,

which we’re not getting along with

on account of the Towers as I pass.

Then Ohio goes corn corn corn

billboard, goodbye, Islam. You never forget

how to be from Michigan when you’re from Michigan.

It’s like riding a bike of ice and fly fishing.

The Upper Peninsula is a spare state

in case Michigan goes flat. I live now

in Virginia, which has no backup plan

but is named the same as my mother,

I live in my mother again, which is creepy

but so is what the skin under my chin is doing,

suddenly there’s a pouch like marsupials

are needed. The state joy is spring.

“Osiris, we beseech thee, rise and give us baseball”

is how we might sound were we Egyptian in April,

when February hasn’t ended. February

is thirteen months long in Michigan.

We are a people who by February

want to kill the sky for being so gray

and angry at us. “What did we do?”

is the state motto. There’s a day in May

when we’re all tumblers, gymnastics

is everywhere, and daffodils are asked

by young men to be their wives. When a man elopes

with a daffodil, you know where he’s from.

In this way I have given you a primer.

Let us all be from somewhere.

Let us tell each other everything we can.

Somewhere in his body--perhaps in the marrow of his bones--he would continue to feel her absence." -Haruki Murakami

2011-02-16T18:39:00.009-05:00

my bones ache, and the marrow it aches too, and my heart aches in a way I didn't know hearts could ache, but at some point i stopped being able to tell the difference between all the aches-the body aches, turned in to heart ache, and vice-versa. i'm "in it," [i heard them say that in a movie once, and it made a lot of sense to me at the time, but i don't think you can ever understand until you're "in it" too.] i was "in it" before i even knew I was "in it." It sneaks up on you like that, and now i'm neck deep in the pain. my pain, your pain, your brother's pain, and his wife's pain too, the pain of the human condition-I feel that too. i never thought this is what they meant. I never thought this is where it would lead me. but i'm here. i'm here, and i'll do the work, and i'll be "in it" until i'm not "in it" anymore. and then it'll be over. and i'll be free. i have faith in that - in my freedom.

Looking uptown with my head in the stars

2011-02-10T00:15:00.003-05:00

My third week back in New York City. It feels like home so quickly here.