But Why?

Elevation Requires Separation; Fortunately OR Unfortunately?

Not Sometimes, Not when its convenient, not when everyone is on the same page, Always and usually when you least want to separate. I never separate because I want to, I usually venture out on my own because If I stay where and how I am, I’ll literally die. Yes, I am usually by myself but only because I seriously enjoy my own company but I love to include others into my World. At times I find that If I do not separate and do my own thing, I’ll never do the things I want to do.

Right now I’m working on two projects, well trying to work on them both. Sometimes I want to have folks to discuss what I should do. Does this font go, can I scrap this, should I release a limited edition, should I add my own notes, etc but the more I work on my projects, I feel like my circle has gotten so incredibly small. I feel myself pushing myself to a new plateau, a new height, and I welcome that feeling, but to reach the next I have to, if only momentarily, create a lil distance from the life I’ve known for the life I want to live.

SideNote: Have you all had to separate in order to move two steps forward? How did you do this without offending anyone?

Jonezy

Excuse(s) Me?

Unfortunately I’ve mostly been the girl who puts a date on it before I actually do it. Stop waiting until Monday to start, stop waiting for “tomorrow”, stop waiting for the first of the month to do it. As soon as you imagine the change, complete the change then and there. I know what I’m asking of you, I’m asking you to get uncomfortable. When you set a future date, you’re just giving yourself time to back out. Time to talk yourself out of the very thing you dreamt up. 

I can’t tell you how many Mondays have come and gone, and I was still in the same place. I made no moves toward anything but the nearest excuse. For example, I’ve been meaning to print out the two books I’ve created but I would say, next day off, I’ll go to Staples or before work I’m heading to Staples. In all that time, I made no real effort to go, if before work I’d say I don’t want to be late or I’d rather sleep a lil more. I was telling myself excuses, consistently. 

Whatever you’re choosing to do, create the steps then and there! I promise Once you start to do the work, the Universe will reward you. 
Jonez 

WAR

Be Careful who you go to War for, cuz once they’ve called a Truce; You’re still the Enemy.

I had to really examine myself and my actions when it pertains to others. I have always been willing to fight and defend those who can’t/won’t but I am not doing that anymore. When I go to War on someone’s behalf I am ready for the consequences of such actions, however I didn’t realize that the person Im going to War for could call a Truce and forget to include me in the deal. After going through my latest battle because of someone else, I have learned to let folks fight their own battles. I will be neutral as that is the only way to be safe. I have to learn to allow folks to make the decisions they deem necessary, All the while, respecting those decisions. If I should be asked to help, I will politely decline, as I have to learn to stay within the limits of friendship I’ve set.

Jonez

Museum Mile Fest

I’m always in the mood for a festival, the icing on top is free access to Seven Museums?!

Just count me in!

Most Museums in New York City have a suggested fee for entrance, however most folks don’t know that, so they end up paying full price! Well not this gal! My favorite museum in New York is The MET! I am fully obsessed, and like most museum I can, and usually spend all day there. There’s so much to see, and resee! (Word?) During the festival, I do think I am going to focus all my attention on the Guggenheim! I’ve been there exactly once and that was years ago with my mother. If I’m not mistaken she had a school assignment, so naturally I tagged along. To this day, the magic of the Guggenheim still blows me away, and I cannot wait to refresh my memory with its beauty!

I will try to make an effort to visit at least one other museum but I highly doubt I’ll be able to pull myself away from the Guggenheim. I will try to dance in the street, or decorate the sidewalk with chalk! If you are in the New York City area, please do partake in the festivities!

SideNote: Its forecasted to rain but the rain doesn’t stop a thang, just bring your rainboots and umbrella, I’ll see you there!

Tristan Jonez.

 

 

 

 

Out of Love

Ladies, Please document your pregnancies!

This is the only photo I have ever seen of my mother pregnant. Its surreal to know that I am in her stomach baking in this photo! It gets me a bit teary eyed too. Just thinking about all the hopes and dreams she probably had for her baby girl. All the plans she had made her in head for her daughters future. The future that she created in her heart for what she believed her daughter could accomplish.

I am a bit awe struck that my mother, with the help of my dad, was able to create this life. Like how amazing is it knowing that I would be born, a life perfected. That I would be born into and inside of absolute Love. If I am fortunate to become a parent, I promise to take all the photos I can! I’ll show them to my offspring, so they can have this sense of pride, that not only was they wanted, but they was made out of Love.

Tristan J.

SideNote: Shout Out to my Aunt for sharing this photo with me. My older sister, and Older cousin is in the photo as well.

 

 

 

 

Unpacked.

Sometimes I honestly feel as if I don’t really have anyone to lean on. Better yet, I don’t feel as if I can unpack all the shit that weighs me down to someone and have them be equal parts understanding, and non judgmental. Basically I need me a ‘me’. I’ve perfected the art of being a friend, and I hate myself a lil for it. I wonder if I was less of a friend, if I would have more folks who appreciate me. I check up with people who I haven’t heard from in a while. I reach out when something seems off about their behavior, especially on social media. If I was needed I would drop everything to be there in person, if thats what it took to get them back to 100% I feel as if I am an after thought, like oh right, I should’ve invited T, or damn I forgot to call T about this event. If I went missing, besides my coworkers, I wonder if anyone would know notice. We have to start being better people to one another, be there for those that are there for us. Im often alone with my thoughts, that I had no choice but to love myself, if I didn’t I would’ve been lost my fuking mind.

I’m learning to unpack for myself. I write the things that I feel are needed to unpack, then I release that shit into the Universe and I move forward. I do my best to see in what areas I can improve in, and do my best to be aware when moving forward. There are days where Im unpacking similar things, but change takes time, so I don’t beat myself up. I just focus more on what I can do to bring about change.

How do you unpack?

Tristan Jonez

Seven Pounds (Reviewish)

Please do not EVER let me watch the movie, ‘Seven Pounds’! Ever!

The credits have finished rolling and I can not stop the tears from falling. I wonder If I could do it, IF I could give up my life to save someone else’s. Not just someone else, a stranger. A total stranger, someone who I had no prior knowledge of their life, only by watching them in the now, being able to figure out what type of person they are. Knowing you are the key to help, but by helping them, you were killing yourself.

I understand why the main character Ben Thomas (Will Smith) felt like he needed to repay what was lost to possibly restore balance in the Universe. Especially since he felt wholly responsible for the accident that claimed the lives of seven beings. Although I understand, I do think he could have repaid the Universe by being an amazing man, helping in all aspects that he could. He was an engineer, that was formally trained at M.I.T. so the ways in which he could repay the Universe back was endless. In a way I do believe him taking his life, although, for a commendable reason was slightly selfish. With Ben committing suicide he no longer had to deal with the emotions stemming from the accident, he no longer had to deal with anything.

What if the accident happened as a part of God’s (Whoever you believe in) plan? What if the lives lost, were due to a greater reason, a greater plan that Ben just wasn’t privy to? The movie leaves me with more questions than answers, however If I have to watch the movie again to get the answers, well then I’ll never have them. Cuz Im not ever going to watch that movie again. Twice was more than enough.

Have you guys seen it?

Tristan Jonez.

I 💜 Herschel

Shoutout to Herschel Supply Co!

Hands down, they have the best customer service of any company I have utilize as of late. I’m trying to decide if y’all want the run down? Yeah, y’all want it! (Ha!)

I had been looking for the perfect weekender and overnight bags, its harder than you would think, and finally I had logged on to Herschel. For the longest I had opted to stay away as I didn’t want to break the bank. So I browsed Target, Walmart, and other such retailers. However I wasn’t finding the correct sizing I was looking for. Every Option was always too big, or too expensive. I am a light packer, for the longest time I’ve been using my Coach bag, which is exactly the perfect size for an overnight, but I didn’t want to continue to use my purse as luggage, and I definitely was not going to check my bag, ever! I did take a look into Coach, but I wasn’t even about to spend 250$ for a bag I was going to allow to get dirty purposely, so Coach was out! Finally I broke down and search all the items of Herschel, and low and behold, I found my bags. Both my overnight and my weekender, but at 65$ and 89$ respectively and I honestly did not want to spend more than, maximum 100$, for both bags. With much thought, I purchased a youth bag, for 50$, to be used as a weekender, and upon receiving the bag, its larger than I calculated, but still smaller than the options I had seen.

 

So UPS was the shipping company used, and I was already anticipating for there to be some sort of issues arising. According to UPS my bag was scheduled to be delivered by end of day Tuesday, utilizing Herschel’s modern day tracking, I was able to see where my item was every step of the ride Until the day it was to be delivered. I looked as if it was stuck on 83rd and 2nd ave for hours. Once it started getting late I reached out via instant messenger on Herschel’s official site. I spoke to Sarah who tried to assure me she would do all she could but because it was late she wasn’t sure she would receive a response until the next morning. The next morning I was flying out and needed my bag. Sarah was apologetic, and assured me she would reach out once she had information for me. Early next morning, Sarah emailed me, the up to moment information about my delivery, which was assuring while traveling.

SideNote: UPS still sucks as a shipping company.

Has a company provided such good customer service, that you will shop with them again?

Tristan Jonez

Love & Death

I loved a man once.

He was the easiest to love, to like, to talk to, to be around, he was everything. I didn’t realize how ‘everything’ he was until recently. Even though he is gone, and has been for some time, he’s not. He was my best friend before I knew what I needed from a best friend. The thought of him makes me smile more than it makes me cry, and I only cry cuz I can’t experience him in ‘living color’.

I miss him.

I know I tell you guys this often, but make sure you are expressing yourself to your loved ones, to your friends, to yourself. Make sure they know how you love them, how much you love them, and that you appreciate them. I have peace in my heart because I know how much I was loved by this man, and on the flip side, I rest easy knowing that he knew how much I loved him. How I would do anything for him, to ensure his happiness. Sometimes what we believe we want for ourselves, outweights everything else, including our common sense. As I long as I live, I will keep his memory alive, if only within myself.

Rest Easy Ali Sidney.

Tristan Jonez.

Hitch (Reviewish)

Because I am a romantic sap, my favorite movie is Hitch. Well one of my favorites, there are movies that I could sit and watch every single day! When I watch Hitch, it just gives me hope that I can, too, find someone who meshes that well with me. For those wondering I am Casey in the film, I am that friend, that dates these losers, because I have hope that they will finally be my prince incredible. Possibly If I was more like Sarah, being such a ‘realist’ she limits the amount of hurt she subjects herself to, on the flip side, she also limits herself to the amount of happiness she could possible receive too.

SideNote: I always gush over Sarah’s apartment in Soho! That place, with its bay windows, are the stuff we romantic saps dream of! Hitch’s apartment is the maker of tears, but Sarah’s has a vintage feel to it.

Double SideNote: Sarah and Casey meet up at Rice to Riches in Soho after the horrible date, where Sarah is kicked in her head. Well I absolutely Love that dessert eatery. Let’s plan a date there soon, K?

The only part in the film that makes me roll my eyes EVERY SINGLE TIME, when Hitch goes to the yacht to speak to Allegra Cole, and she lists all the things that Albert does that makes her fall for him, and they are ALL the things Hitch told him not to do, she then says, “Well what did you do?” Hitch Replies, “Nothing” Well thats a damn Lie! He created the boarding meeting outburst that allowed you (Allegra) to actually pay attention to Albert. He also was able to get the tickets to the Sky Studio Fashion Show, for you (Allegra) and your best friend to be heard about your ideas of how you should invest in Maggie’s company, So I would say Hitch did a hell of a lot, and he deserves ALL praises that I hope you gave him! What he did do!? The nerve!

If you have yet to see Hitch, first shame on you, second Go see it today, NOW!

Tristan Jonez.

Buff Body 

So… I was not feeling the price point when I first purchased Body in the buff by Alba Botanica, however when I got home and used it the first time, I really wasn’t happy! At first try, I thought the micro beads were too small, and not coarse enough to actually be able to exfoliate my skin in the way that it needed to be scrubbed. So I chucked it up as a garbage product, and pretty much vowed to never used it again. I left the bottle in the bathroom, in the corner as it was on punishment for disappointing me, and for being such a pricey product. I ended up buying another similar shaped bottle, so when I used this the second time, it was purely by accident. However the way in how I used Body in the Buff, so I received a different result… which ended in my now love for the product! If you would like the product to work as intended you have to learn to relax. This is not to be used when you are in a rush!
I found when I took my time, massage the scrub into my skin, then massaged it into my skin once more I received the best results. It’s such a relaxing experience, if I wasn’t standing up, alone, in the shower I would’ve thought I was at the spa getting pampered. Take your time with this product, close your eyes, knead it like your body is the dough, and you have to get all the air out. Plan to spend at least ten minutes, just rubbing and scrubbing yourself down. After you finish pampering yourself, rinse off, then admire your now glistening skin. I promise your skin will feel smoother, cleaner, brighter. I have a cluster of stars on my chest, overtime I use Body in the Buff by Alba Botanica, my stars are brightened, my skin now sparkling.
Even though I was initially unhappy with my purchased, I just needed to make it work for me. The Grapefruit scent is my favorite, I love this product in the morning, as it gives me an extra kick to start my day off right!

Tristan Jonez.

Weirdos

“They” say you are what you attract so recently I’ve been approached by either hood dudes or nerdy weirdos, does that mean I’m a combination of both? My friends would agree that I am combo of many things, including Hood (at times) and pure weirdness. I’ve come to accept the many different sides of myself, aren’t we all multifaceted? I don’t have split personalities, each identity with a new name, nah that’s not me. I just know certain sides of myself, need to be called to the front of the line depending on the situation.

Now back to my dating life, or non existence of it. Although I’ve been approached by opposite ends of the spectrum, I am an equal opportunity dater so I welcome all suitors. Why wouldn’t I? I’m willing to see beyond a first initial impression and at least get to know someone. People have a way of surprising you when you least expect it.

Do you allow men who may not be your preference have a chance?

Tristan Jonez