Familia

I share my experiences cuz I want y’all to be better than me. Learn from all the weirdo, dumbass things I do and make better choices. First, I’m mad dramatic but my point is still valid. Don’t let two months go by before you make time for your family. I in fact, have done just that. The last time I was with my family was June 18, so I’mma few days shy of two months but wayyy too damn long. Now that I’m going to see them tomorrow I can just cry, and will most likely cry when I see them. Hell I’m crying as I write this. Although I have been in every other city than my own, it’s no excuse. I will never allow this much time to pass before I physically see my fam.

Life truly is too short. While I’m getting families to and from, safely, my own hasn’t laid eyes on this beautiful face. Pissing my sister off via cellular device, doesn’t have the same effect. Being all in both my nieces business, just don’t do the job over the phone and showering my nephew with love, can’t be felt over the phone. Realize and understand the importance of family BEFORE something tragic happens. I’ll be heading home to New York later on today, and a sleepover is definitely needed!

Tristan J

The Decaying.

The morbid part of me loves Ivan Albright! I was fortunate enough to see a few of his pieces at the Art Institute or Chicago when I took advantage of Bank Of America’s free museum weekend two years ago. SideNote: Bank Of America offers free entrance to several museums in America (Obv) the very first weekend, Sat & Sun, of every month if you are a card holder. I was delighted to see the museum dedicate a section of the museum to Albright.

Albright was obsessed with the decaying human body. I admire his obsession as I believe sometimes we, humans, see ourselves as invincible. I appreciate his vision, a lot of his subjects were young, beautiful, healthy, but he drew what the ‘flesh’ would become. I’m so interested to know what became of the people who he drew inspiration from. As they got older, did they resemble what he paint them as?

Tristan Jonez

Pieces of my Soul

I’m a crybaby, always have been and will continue to be but I don’t normally get emotional at museums. Well, I wished someone would love told me to bring the tissues. Recently I traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas, first stop, Old State House Museum. Perhaps one day I’ll learn to research what’s on display BEFORE I visit but I’ll admit I’m lazy. However I think y’all know that already.

No secret, I love anything black people related. So I damn there bust out in the ugly cry for the A Piece of my Soul: Quilts by Black Arkansans exhibit. I remember being a young girl and snuggling up to the quilt that my grandmother, Theo Western, kept close. If I close my eyes and concentrate I can almost remember every single square. I’m embarrassed that I never inquired about each patch and the significance. My grandmother has since passed but I was able to find pride in her and this exhibit. Fun Fact: Quilts could weight as much as fifty pounds!

The museum has at minimum two hundred Quilts and proceeds to rotate the Quilts so all can be displayed. Yall know I’m super hyped to return. Growing up did you experience the magic of Quilts?

Tristan J

Scared AF

As a rite of passage, you’re not truly a flight attendant until you’ve taken the covenant engine photo. Well guess who is a truly blue flight attendant now? ME!

What ‘they’ don’t tell you, you don’t have to be scared, your pretty much safe. Well I was scared AF attempting to get a few photos, as much as I love y’all, No, you will not be seeing these outtakes today! I was so engrossed with the paperwork for the next flight I didn’t pay attention that there was an opportunity for the engine photo. Otherwise, I would’ve definitely worn a different shirt!

Tristan Jonez.

Flower Power

In my next trick, I will be a floral photographer. I’m always super excited when the light hits a flower just right, when I have company, a bee/an insect, who is admiring the art just as I am, or just after it’s rained and the beads of water have yet to fall. San Jose doesn’t owe me a thing! Every single sidewalk, walkway and park was bursting with fresh flowers, even dying flowers but there’s beauty in death. It’s a goal/dream of mine to host a gallery of my photos. I’d like to believe I can do wonders, and what better way to show them off then putting them ALL on display. I can’t wait until I return to San Jose, California. There’s still so much for me to capture. Tristan Jonez

When?

When did we get into the habit of glossing over the ‘struggle’? I find that folks are so eager to show that they are winning, that it creates unrealistic expectations so when you do lose, personally, you lose your fucking mind. We know, with all forms of social media, you have to keep up airs, stay put on but isn’t that exhausting? Now don’t get me wrong, who the hell wants to solely focus on failures? Nobody. That’s a depressing place to be, but shit happens, right?

I want to create a place of equal balance. A place where we celebrate the lows just as fiercely as the highs. Now maybe I won’t be the actual person to create this haven I’m looking for but i do want to play my part. So although I do believe I vocalize my lows and highs equally, I will be more aware of the content I put out. Just as often as I scream men ain’t shit but fuck boys, I’ll turn around and showcase men who have the qualities that’ll make your knees buckle.
Balance.

T. Jonez

Excuses.

I’ve missed writing. I’ve missed sharing my stories of adventures past, of the wild things that happens during a trip, during a flight, during the course of trying to get to that next destination. However lately I’ve been living life, instead of penning about it. When I would hear artist, specifically Adele, say she needed time off to live so she could have material to write about, I didn’t fully understand her statement. Not until Now! Now I get it, granted traveling gives you all the material you need to write a story but I want it to be deeper than that. I want to write an experience, and sometimes you need time to let the lesson become known to you.

When I started TristanJonez.com, I told myself I would be consistent. I would have a new post everyday (I was trippin’), but I also told myself I would be true to my experiences and just posting a filler, wouldn’t do. So I’m back (Kinda), while I won’t promise to post something everyday, I will not longer go weeks without updating y’all on my life’s adventures.

Let’s get started.

Jonez.

Ask, Seek and Work

So my life is in a weird space, but it feels like a necessary space for me to be in. “They” always say right before you’re about to level up, your life resembles chaos. I don’t feel chaotic, I do feel eerily calmed. I’m going thru major changes, and real life shit but I know this is the direction I am supposed to be traveling in. How amazing is it to know, without really knowing, that you are on the correct path. There is truly a liteness (word?) I feel. Its almost as If I am not really experiencing this life, as myself, just someone who is watching this life be lived.

Your steps are guided, make whatever decisions feel correct to you, and if they scare the shit out of you, even better. I will always be here to encourage you to do WHATEVER you feel, and we can work out the rest, the bits and pieces. Put in to the Universe what you want, work towards it and the Universe will conspire to give you everything you could’ve thought you wanted. I promise! I spoke on what I wanted, spoke to myself, to the sky, I let my thoughts only think on what I wanted, and the Universe has been showing me exactly what I asked for. Sacrifices had to be made, but that happens often… You ask the Universe, and the Universe will give it but require sacrifices to see if you are really a person who’ll recognize the opportunity.

Be that person.

Whatever you are ‘losing’ will be returned in such an abundance, this I promise!

Jonez.

I’m Back… Kinda.

I’m a bit embarrassed that I haven’t updated my site since December 27! I so sincerely apologize! Honestly, Truly. I could blame it on being busy with life, but I will spare you excuses. I would hate to insult your intelligence, in that way, cuz y’all my people. You want the truth? I just haven’t felt like writing, I was a bit underwhelmed by the numbers. I write my heart out, then I only see a view or two. It was feeling like no matter, how amazing my photos were, or how relative my content may have been, I was getting absolutely no where. So I said off it, why write? Why post? Why be bothered with showing up, If no one else was.

Guess What?! I woke the hell up! Even if nobody ever shows up, I’m supposed to show up for myself. I am supposed to make sure I’m out here doing what makes me happy, and writing makes me happy, throw in some traveling, experiencing new food options and BAM! I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. So while I won’t promise a post everyday, I will post at least twice a week.

Thank You!

Tristan Jonez.

12 Days.

Shout out to myself for putting together this 12 days of holiday movies, at first I was calling it the First annual, but that would imply I would be doing this again. As much fun as I had, I think once was enough. I’m so excited that you guys joined me during the posting of the list, to tell me which movies where your favorite and those must see movies. I found myself looking forward to sharing my top movies, recording my video for the day and I anticipated you guys feedback.

Just in case you missed any of the movies, here a full list in order.

1. The Best Man Holiday
2. Last Holiday
3. The Preacher’s Wife
4. Elf
5. Home Alone
6. Almost Christmas (This/That) This Christmas
7. Get Santa
8. Die Hard
9. A Christmas Prince
10. (Double Header) The Nightmare Before Christmas/Bad Santa
11.The Holiday
12. How the Grinch stole Christmas

Tristan Jonez

We Wish You.

Hopefully your Christmas was merry, and Santa brought you everything you wrote on your list. Surprisingly this year, I asked for nothing but I received a super abundance of Love!

Every single year, my family throws a Christmas Eve dinner/party in Peekskill, NY. This year I was actually in jeopardy of missing it as my job was attempting to hold me hostage but by the heavens I broke free, took metro-north then a cab and arrived fashionably late. I must say, I had an amazingly fun time this year. Literally you could feel the love, bursting thru the damn walls. Lord knows my family has its ups and downs, hell my favorite uncle just passed away but his presence was felt. The house felt full.

Although I don’t always appreciate them, I’m lucky to have the family that I have. Even the folks whom I choose not to communicate with, they’ve helped to create who I am and I implore you to find things that you love about your own families.

Happy Holidays!

Tristan J

Art De Modern.

No matter what city I visit, I am drawn to the art museum in that city. Its almost as if my soul is being called by the artist who have painted such masterpieces. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a must see, must experience museum that I throughly enjoyed. Im not sure if museums can be feel good places, but SFMOMA surely was. I found myself falling in love again with Pop, Minimal and Figurative art, and Andy Warhol has captured the essence of my being. Roy Lichtenstein is another absolute favorite of mine! Can I tell you how I’m so not a comic book imaging fan but there’s something about HIS work that just captures my whole entire heart? His work just gives me all the feels I can handle, makes me so warm and fuzzy!

When I tell you I was on the brink of tears, tears y’all, Gerhard Richter had me feeling like I NEEDED his painting with me, in my home. Lord know its priceless, but If I could afford it, I would have placed my bet, then and there. I spent at minimum twenty minutes in a serious trans. I forgot where I was, and if it wasn’t for the scores of people visiting the museum, I would’ve taken off my shoes, and laid out as If I was watching television. Just incredible. I urge you all to visit the museum when you have a chance and just be. Clear out all the noise, and just sit with it. Sit with it as if you’re visiting with an old friend.

Tristan Jonez.

SideNote: Anything Oil on Canvas, Abstract or German artists I just fall in love.