tribe

Familia

Life Lesson, Living Life

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

SPiN Chicago

Living Life, Wheres the Adventure?

Pig Pong Anyone?

So what does one do on a Friday Night when your flight has been cancelled? Ping Pong of course. After spending twenty minutes trying to find something to jump at me, I come across, an event at SPiN, announcing “On Friday Nights, We Play” I’m sure at some point in my life, I’ve played ping pong but playing successfully and winning games? Nah.

SPiN is definitely a feel good place with Instagram worthy decor to surely ensure your photos are poppin’, even each stall in the restroom guarantees you’ll be ‘transported’ to that place and space. Photo shoot in the future? Possibly. Mos definitely. In addition to ping pong tables, try your luck at Giant Jenga, and Connect Four.

While SPiN, May look like the perfect date night spot (It is) it’s fully interactive that solo dates, blind dates or friends meeting up, will find something that appeals to their senses. And if not, there’s ALWAYS the full service bar which boast a full menu. I recommend the seasonal mule!

Tristan Jonez

SPiN Chicago, 344 N State Str Chicago 60654

We Wish You.

Life Lesson, Living Life

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

Why Wait?

Living Life, Wheres the Adventure?

Why wait for 2018? Do it Now.

Recently I listened to a video snippet, and the author told me, why wait until 2018 to make the changes you’d like to make?

And shorty, is right! Why am I going to wait until 2018 to start fresh, when everyday I wake up translates to a new beginning? With the rise of the sun, I am able to decide who I want to be and who I want in my World. Everyone’s manual for living looks different, so I have to find the instructions that work best for me. Find the people who work best, with my vibe, who brings out the best in me. Letting go is extremely hard for me, especially since my mother died. I hold on to folks tight, I look past their wrongdoings at my own detriment and I allow them to stay in my World. I find them sucking the life from me, and once I’ve hit rock bottom only then do I let them go.

This situation, this friendship, this love is NO longer serving me. Its no Longer allowing me to grow, no longer allowing me to be the best version of myself, no longer making me happy. I wish you the best, take care, thank you. I’ve found that speaking this outloud makes the transition easier. Can people change, sure they can, but for my own peace, they have to change elsewhere. Protecting my own energy is my top priority, everyone can and will be second my own self. Eff how they feel.

I’ve had a few light stealers, and I’ve let each and everyone of them go. God Bless ‘Em

Jonez.

Beauty Related. 

Beauty Blogging, Life Lesson

I’m always down for ANY shade of purple. It’s Matte? Even better! I had fun with NYX Ruthless, it goes on smoothly but beware if you have a heavy hand, as with a few swipes you’ll put too much in your lips. It’s very creamy, and surprisingly light, extremely pigmented as NYX Cosmetics products usually are.


This possibly can be used as a transition color from late summer into fall. But if you’re anything like me, it’ll be a colour you’ll wear all year round.


Jonez

Beauty Related. 

Beauty Blogging, Living Life

Any Shade of purple is my go to. No, All shades of purple are my go to. There’s just something about purple that makes it a color that stands out on brown skin. Marvelous! I’m wearing NYX in Strawberry Parfait and Berry strudel, surprisingly they are both *Only* lip glosses! With NYX you can be assured that your lip colour will always be pigmented.


Less is always more with NYX Cosmetics.

Tristan J

Haterade Nation. 

Living Life

I’ll admit, because I’m always super honest with you guys, that I almost turned into a hater this week. As you all know, there’s nothing more I’d like to do than live in my Soul city of Chicago but when it came time to transfer, unforeseen circumstances prevented that. So a coworker IS actually transferring to Chicago and I was a bit bitter at first when I was told. I was (almost) a hater because I wanted so badly for that to be me. 

I had to be real with myself, and remember how blessed I was for the opportunities that are presenting themselves, and Chicago may not be my destination right now. I owed it to myself to trust my journey but to wish my coworker well on her path. Since today was her last day, I brought a banging cake and a card, that had every little trinket that would remind her of New York. I decided to make this about her, and I’m so glad I did. 

So, tell me when YOU was almost a hater!

Tristan Jonez 

Win=Win

Living Life

I celebrate my friends wins as my own. A win for them, is most definitely a win for me.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been the sappy one. I’m the one that do the cards, balloons and candy for those milestone moments, and sometimes I just celebrate you. It’s my job as a friend to do everything in my power to make you feel as if you are the most valued VIP on my team. I do not take my responsibility as a friend lightly, although I have been known to casually throw around the word friend.

I have a friend that has recently graduated into becoming a flight attendant for Delta Air lines. It is said, that its harder to be a Flight Attendant for Delta Air Lines than it is to get into Harvard. I knew it was going to be a process to get her from the beginning to the end of her goal, but I was there, to provide her with encouragement and well wishes. To have a friend, you have to be a friend! So when she officially graduated, that wasn’t just a win for her, it was one for me too. It’s not always easy to find folks that you mesh with BUT when you do, My God! It’s a beautiful thing to have a tribe in which they empower you to do and be the best you can.

If you have a tribe, how do you find all of its members? And if you do not, what can I do to help? … And yes, I’m serious.

Tristan Jonez.

Bee You.

Living Life

I am not sure if I spoke about this here on Tristanjonez.com, but when you are being your true genuine self, the Universe reaches out and gives you the very things you are asking for. When we finally stop trying to put on, and imitate others, thats the very moment when your flower blossoms. I want to think I am always myself, but I know there are times when I hold back for fear of coming off a wrong way to someone. I am embracing my crazy, my contradictions, my warmness and my mood swings all at the same time.

As the quote states, we are out here acting like we live more than once. The time is now to fully embrace who you are, however you are. When you start being your true, amazing self, you are opening the doors so that your tribe is able to recognize you!

Are you still looking for your tribe?

Tristan J.

How to.

Life Lesson, Living Life

If I’m ever in need of inspiration, How to make it in America, is my go to show! It is the epitome of hustling to follow your dream, and making mistakes every single step of the way. But that’s what I love about the show. It validates that your dreams are real, and you better hustle like hell to make them come true, and even when you hustle, you can still fail. The best thing about the show, Is Cam and Ben have one another. Granted in your real life you may be going at this alone, but I encourage you to find a squad/tribe that you can unpack/vent to. I’m out here trying to make the best of what I have, but Im still looking and meeting folks that will be my squad.

Do I expect everyone I meet to be apart of my vision… No. But I do expect to have those interactions either be a lesson or a blessing, either way it will be beneficial for me. I definitely out here hustling for the vision I see for myself, cuz when its my time to go, this chick will have NO REGRETS!

What do you do when your inspiration is low? How do/did you find your squad?

 

Tristan J.