Monday, January 26, 2009

thirteen.


GWYNETH Paltrow.
to me, this is one of the most beautiful ladies ever. i just really like her. always have. her style, her movies, her beauty, and she speaks spanish.

it's foggy today and abnormally chilly for south texas.
but it's wonderful here.
i feel free from so much.
people make me laugh/scream/mostly laugh.
it's better if i keep my mouth shut.
so many decisions to make.
i want a black cherry soda.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

twelve.

give me your eyes.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

eleven. (the real update)

1. over the past few months i've finally (after so long) made myself vulnerable to my God. He's rocked my world. quite literally. that'll be a post in itself. oh my i love Him so much. i want to tell random people i don't even know what all He has done in my life recently.

2. people (mostly family) don't understand why i go where i go to do the things that i do. well here is the answer, and it's quite simple: i go wherever i think the Lord is directing me. even if i don't really know why, i will go. because He is enough. He has been, is, and will always be my sustainer. He has done too many radical things and made Himself too real for me to not do what He says. i want more than anything to be where He wants me. because, trust me, when you are in the perfect will of the Lord - awesome. things. happen.

3. my photography has been put on the back burner for such a long time. only because i've been so discouraged with it. i look at other people who have a nice camera and think that it automatically makes them a photographer. it's frustrating! because it doesn't. and i hope people don't think i think i'm a photographer merely because i own a nice nikon. i've finally reached a point and a confidence where i don't mind if i don't measure up to your photography standards. i do this for me. it's my outlet. and i want to grow and get better. and i have people who support me in it and say i'm good.

4. i all of a sudden like painting my nails. i've never done that until recently.

5. i miss california quite terribly.

6. 2009 is showing itself to be a beautiful year. i feel very clear direction from God on things i never had. finally.

7. pretentiousness. pretentiousness. pretentiousness. is so irritating. nashville wreaks of it. it's funny because before i moved to nashville i might say i was a bit on the pretentious side. and i cared so much about style and my hair and blah, blah, blah. then i got here and saw how consumed this city is with appearance and show that it literally gave me a headache.

8. my heart has been shifting and moving in a totally new direction. my foundations and passions are mostly the same, but my perspective on them is completely different. i don't care how you look and how i look. i care about our hearts. i don't want your show. that sort of thing doesn't impress me.

9. i urge everyone, including myself, to pursue what you love. not what you think you should love or what other people tell you to love. people become very transparent and obvious when they stop following their own heart and start following other people's.

10. i am quiet and i am okay with it. i do not like being the center of attention and there is nothing wrong with that. i hate crowds and parties and that doesn't mean there is something wrong with me. just like i don't understand some people, i suspect some people don't understand me. we all have to be okay with that.

11. my pet peeve is when people say they are going to do something, but they never do.

12. my heart has finally found a home. it's not necessarily a place.

13. i don't have a problem with tattoos, but i don't think i could ever get one. and it's funny because i used to want one so badly. but everyone is different. and for me writing "faith" or "love" on my wrists doesn't make sense anymore. if faith is believing in something that isn't seen, then why do i want a visual reminder? i used to be so attracted to tattoos, too. thought they were dreamy and stuff. not anymore. gosh...no, no.

14. 2007 to 2008: nothing substantial happened in my life. i'd honestly have to think hard to remember anything notable. but just the past five months i could probably write a book. i love hearing people's testimonies. but i almost wish there was another word or idea for it because to me no one's testimony is finished. it won't be until Jesus takes us home. but if someone were to ask me what my testimony was (up until now), a good chuck of it would be based around the past few months.

15. there are so many things i want to be and so many places i want to go. i wonder if one lifetime will be enough.

16. lately i've felt like so many people's words are empty. tell me something real. something you mean. if you want to be my friend...be my friend! don't just say you want to be, but then become too busy.

17. and i'm with lydia - it's ridiculous how much we judge people based on their myspace or facebook. i refuse.

18. dear america, please - support israel.

ten.


beaaauuuutifulll photo by bill hatcher. the be honest, this is really the only one of his i loved, but this photo is magical.


photo by james blair. who thinks of twilight when they see this? i want it hanging on my wall.

Friday, January 16, 2009

nine.


i want a lomo camera.
with flash.
and a wide angle lens.
please.

YUM
also, i need this. i'll share with you, andrew. maybe.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

eight.



things i want:
1. arrested development season two
2. asian market
3. a phone that can send pictures

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Saturday, January 10, 2009

six.

"Just remember, the same as a spectacular Vogue magazine, remember that no matter how close you follow the jumps: Continued on page whatever. No matter how careful you are, there's going to be the sense you missed something, the collapsed feeling under your skin that you didn't experience it all. There's that fallen heart feeling that you rushed right through the moments where you should've been paying attention. Well, get used to that feeling. That's how your whole life will feel some day. This is all practice. None of this matters. We're just warming up.”
-Chuck Palahniuk

five.

if i was stranded on a deserted island, i don't think i'd want to be found. leave me stacks and stacks of books, my camera, van morrison albums, and some crossword puzzles. i'm good.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

four.

dear nashville, memphis, northern mississippi, little rock, shreveport, dallas, waco, austin, and san antonio:

i'll be coming to see you this month. so if you are interested in a photoshoot let me know. i have all sorts of packages and specials going on. also, if you are a photographer - let's play! january is a big month for me and i want to share it with you all.

love love, ali.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

three.


my resolution this year was to start eating meat (i guess i just got hungry) and try to yoga a couple times a week. unlike every other new year's resolution i have ever had - i've been successful! i already feel better.

the picture is my roommate savannah. she's very photogenic and quite the beauty...clearly. i am booking photoshoots for january. huge discounts if you are in nashville. message me if you are interested.

i've caught the hanson bug.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

two.

a playlist for you from me:

1. "my girls" by animal collective
2. "hoppipolla" by sigur ros
3. "sweet thing" by van morrison
4. "comes and goes" by greg laswell
5. "use somebody" by the kings of leon
6. "moonlight sonata" by beethoven
7. "summer 78" by yann tiersen

i've been reading a lot of oswald chambers recently.

one.

here's another place for my imagination.