Laugh

Laugh every single day. If there's nothing lively going on, think of something that's funny. Before you go to bed at night, be sure to have a good chuckle. Life is full of amusing things. Learn to observe. There's a funny side even to the sad things that happen. Even if it doesn't feel like it, there are there. It could take courage to recognize it, but it's here. Build a repertoire of funny stories, things that happened to you. Tell these to others. Try not to talk about gruesome things like operations. Don't harp on your aches and pains. No one wants to listen to that kind of an organ recital. Right?

Rachel Berry

Everything I learned I learned from Rachel Berry-

One of my closest friends in the wide world Heather made me borrow season one of Glee a few years ago, and little did I know she was about to change my life. I used to claim to hate Gleebecause, well…I don’t really know why. Why wouldn’t I assume I would love a show that had not only show tunes and a capella covers of popular songs, but drama, love, heart, serious issues, diversity, and really ridiculously good looking people? Why did I think that?!

But anywho, basically Rachel Berry is my obsession because I think she is the prettiest person I have ever seen, and also she (well, Lea Michele) has the best singing voice ever and I wish she sang all of the songs in the world and I could just play them on loop and anyway let’s just say that:

EINTKILF Rachel Berry

1. Being part of something special makes you special.I’m not gonna front and pretend like I wasn’t well loved in high school, but I still have a huge soft spot for people who struggle with acceptance because, well…I am an A) biracial B) poor C) woman so like that’s almost all of the minorities. But I had a great high school experience and people have always liked me and I am nerdy but in an endearing way, so I never really dealt with “everyone hating me” or anything, but I feel like at the same time I really love people who have no friends because I just love the misunderstood.

Rachel: Look, I know I’m just a sophomore, but I can feel the clock ticking away and I don’t want to leave high school with nothing to show for it.
Will: You get great grades. You’re a fantastic singer.
Rachel: Everybody hates me.
Will: You think glee club is going to change that?
Rachel: Being great at something is going to change it. Being part of something special makes you special, right?

And yeah, I’m one of those girls who likes myself, so sorry that I am not going to pretend like everyone doesn’t love me right now. #nothumble

2. How to get a boy to fall in love with you.There is nothing I love more than a little determination in a love story. Rachel was so in love with Finn from like day one and she totally fights for her man. And it pays off! Even though she almost never sacrifices who she is to get him to love her except for that one time when she plays sexed up Sandy from Grease and he doesn’t even like it because he just likes her for who she is because he’s a real man, darn it! (I like Finn Hudson types, like a bunch.)

Finn: When I first joined, I thought you were kind of insane. I mean, you talk a lot more than you should, and to be honest with you, I looked under the bed and made sure that you weren’t hanging out under there. But then, I heard you sing. I don’t know how to say this, but you touched something in me. Right here.

Rachel attracts Finn with her super dorkiness and her beautiful singing voice and duh, who wouldn’t fall for that? Don’t stop believin’, you guys. It’s a thing.

3. There is nothing ironic about show choir!

Nothing.

4. Singing is the best.I mean, like I said before, I could literally listen to Lea Michele sing the phone book and be content with my life.

Have you heard her “Being Good”? Okay, listen to it and try not to like…sob yourself to sleep.

5. Take risks.You know when Rachel doesn’t get into NYADA, but then she invites Whoopi Goldberg to come see them sing at Nationals? Like who would even do that, right? And then of course she gets in to the school of her dreams. And then she goes there alone because Finn “breaks up with her” right before she gets on the train, and then even though Kurt ends up joining her in New York, she was totally ready to be on her own. 

AND her teacher Kate Hudson is super mean to her and she doesn’t give up. She is a risk taker, and I love her for it.

6. Don’t get married in freakin’ high school.I guess this was kinda Finn’s call, but I mean, they were super ready to get married before Quinn got into that car accident because she was texting and driving and the wedding was postponed and if they had gone through with it, Rachel never would have dated super hot Brody. There are seven billion people in the world, you guys. You don’t have to marry your high school sweetheart in high school.

7. How to have a break-up.Arguably my favorite scene in Glee history came from an otherwise lackluster season this past year. When Finn finally gets his ish together (well, not really) and goes to see his lady in New York, he gets all crazy about her relationship with Brody because they have super sexy musical chemistry when they sing “Give Your Heart a Break” at that karaoke bar (even though I’m pretty sure college freshman aren’t allowed in bars, even in New York).

So it all comes out that Brody and Rachel kissed and anyway everyone and their mamas break up in this episode and it is pretty sad, but like…nothing is sadder than Rachel’s speech to Finn ever. And sure, maybe it reminds me of my own first relationship but I sob like a baby still. Get over it, Jess.

(I don’t get over stuff pretty much ever.)

8. BE YOURSELF.Rachel’s idol is Barbra Streisand, and we all know Babs is quite the one-of-a-kind individual.

So is Rachel. So should you be.

9. Be unique.I guess see above lesson because sometimes being yourself really is being unique like I feel like I am the same as everyone reading this article, but then again I have a lot of individual characteristics like my really great hair and ability to change it without caring, and like the Titanic thing, and um…my dad was a Black Panther? And I listen to rap music, and wear a lot of blush, and…I don’t know these things could all relate to a lot of people, but anyway, being yourself is important, even if that self is a kind of pretentious-center-of-attention kind of girl, you know? Just own it.

PS that was about Rachel, but I bet your bottom dollar you could find a few people who would call me both pretentious and center-of-attention-y, and I’m not even saying they are wrong.

10. How to duet.Every Rachel duet is perfection. I am honestly torn on which are my favorite duets: Rachel and Finn, Rachel and her mom, Rachel and Kurt? I don’t even care, everything she duets is gold.

Though Rachel and Blaine miiiiiight be my favorite.

Why was I not born a singer? I forget.

This article was written on HelloGiggles by:

JESSICA THOLMERview all posts by Jessica

Jessica Tholmer is a walking PNW stereotype, living in Seattle, slinging coffee and dreaming of a future in which she gets paid to be funny, even if her brothers always told her people are laughing at her, not with her. She never leaves without lipstick and her diet consists of black olives and whipped cream. You can pretty much find her all over the internet, because she loves being stalked.

http://hellogiggles.com/everything-i-need-to-know-i-learned-from-rachel-berry/2#read 

my dream last night

oh hey so my dream last night was incredible - 

I am at a school festival and I reach my hands up as if I was listening to some badass music or doing the act of dance. I hear the announcer shout to the crowd: "whoever grabs this rope will go on the adventure of their life!" The rope came straight to me. I was in the crowd of thousands of people. The rope had an aviation type motor attached to it. It pulled me straight into the air, flying me above the crowd, I was scared and had to rely entirely on myself for balance. I knew this was something only I could do. The rope pulled me into the clouds. I heard zee avi's song "stay in the clouds" in the background, it was comforting. I was pulled all over the world. I saw the colosseum at night in Rome, the pyramids of Giza against the hot sun, the beautiful beaches of the Philippines, the Eiffel Tower glitter among the dark sky, New York City with the millions of people in it and everywhere I've ever wanted to go. I was even dragged into the ocean and saw next to the huge whales, most biggest fear. Each image was incredibly detailed. I relied my on body strength to support my travels, I had to face all of my fears with the whales, see through the clouds. Traveling by rope isn't possible, well maybe? This dream taught me that I can see all of these places if I allow myself to take the risk, to set goals in my life. 

selling this rug

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90225401/

friends! I am selling this rug for $20 it is hardly used and brand new!
contact me if you want details: catilac16@gmail.com

Change the recipe

Often you can come up with a prize-winning dish simply by changing one or two ingredients of a known recipe. Maybe that's all you need to do in life - change some little thing you are doing. That one change will affect everything else for the better and make you a winner. Try a recipe for home. A recipe for work. A recipe for praying or being thankful. A recipe for managing your time. A recipe for letting yourself be you.

Yesterday I made this awesome dish for my boyfriend and I ended up having leftovers for friends! It was a crab ceviche! I originally wanted to use shrimp but I ended up using this after a recommendation from Parker at Black Hole. 

Ingredients: 

Crab - 3 bags

Red onion - 1/2 a large onion

Cilantro to taste

One large tomato

One jalapeño 

Two large mangos

Two large avocados 

Lime juice

Great add-ins:

Sticky white rice 

Quinoa 

Black beans

Yum.

relaxation station

Relax

You can't and you shouldn't work all the time. You need to relax! Include others in your fun, especially your family; but be secure with yourself. Enjoy yourself in the deepest sense. Be active. You have god-given powers. You can walk. You can read. You can write. You can choose to bike, ski, swim, play golf  or tennis. You might want to think, jog, study the stars or flowers, pray, plant a garden, take a trip, go to the theater, or just take it easy all day. But make it special. Why settle for a dull routine? 

dDuring the free press summer festival weekend, my one of best friends Cassandra came over and helped me focus on my being's priorities.

Guess what my latest goals are ... ? The most important first! We both registered for the Austin, Texas Half Marathon next February! Training started this week and already I started feeling better physically. Summer school started this week too! The lecture course I am in is Art in America and Europe from 1940-1970. This course is going to be incredibly substantial to my undergraduate thesis process. I like the professor and I like the direction she is taking the course. I am also in British Literature. We are reading short stories, Beowulf and Hamlet. I would just like to say ... Thank goodness for AP Literature in high school. Today was great. I have been going to the Rothko Chapel here at the Menil Camus to refocus my energy and try my hand at meditating. When I go there I read my new leisure book: the I Ching or the Book of Changes. Tonight I am starting my week long gig with a beach volleyball team. A lot is going on! Yesterday I started my Blaffer Internship in the curatorial department. That is going to be something that is really going to change my career. I love working one on one with a curator of a museum. You get firsthand experience and knowledge on what type of museum works for you. 

I am also looking for new apartments for the Fall. I'm thinking the museum district. YES! 

Have a great day chats 

Gatsby Review

I would like to write this down because I need to express my adoration for Baz's new film.

First and foremost,

I am completely and utterly inspired by the behavior of women in the 1920s. Wouldn't you secretly love to be idolized like that? Idolized for wearing your everyday flapper, glitter, or headbands?! Love it. Or maybe you would want to speak with a soft as butter accent, and everyone knows what region you are from by the way you dressed or spoke? I know you can do that now, but now, we are dreary and boring individuals that are trying to get innovative with our surroundings. I found that there was a certain magic about living your life then, and now people have forgotten that. It was the first time, and I am only referring to America, there was freedom in apparel, people had to sneak around to have sex, to dance in public, or to drink alcohol. They had more jazz. More pizazz. It all just fascinates me so much that it makes me want to live with magic in my bones. 

Okay onto the partying,

UM. WHAT? Gatsby's home was every person's paradise. It was beautiful.

Onto Jay/Leo,

Okay, I'll admit to you that I love Leo. I always have had this draw to him because of his depth. One thing that Ryan and I agreed on was that we didn't quite register the way he said "old sport." I liked Tom's character F. Scott Fitzgerald's way in Midnight in Paris better actually! Cassandra recommended that maybe it wasn't pristine because he was pretending to be someone he wasn't the whole time to win back Daisy? Good theory! He demonstrated Gatsby's psycho behavior perfectly. I was actually scared of him at one point but then I looked around and thought .... "ahhh what! it's just Leo."

Tobey was okay. Just like Toy Story 2 (thank you Demetri) was just okay. That is how I felt. He was okay.

Tom freaked me out because it was a really good casting job. He was crazy. Loved his voice! 

Onto music,

TWO WORDS: JAY-Z. Hollllllla! Lana Del Rey's track was gorgeous. I really loved the reprise.

What I am trying to say with this post is that I was captured by it. Just as I am with every one of his movies. I particularly liked this one because it didn't stray too far from the plot and focused more on the aesthetic feel. He convinced me and made me dream in the 1920s that night! I loved it. I loved it. I loved it.

update on my life

hello chats! I finally uploaded a simple new cover photo for the blog. im in austin, texas right now and boy have I had a whirlwind of a month! May is seriously the best month for me!

first of all, I turned 20 on the 18th! (finally!) on that same day my brother graduated from the university of texas! it took him 11 years! he earned his bachelor's degree in history! during the time he wasn't in college, he became a fireman! my uncle said it best, "it doesn't matter if you were the first to get it, it is how you worked to get there." I thought that was really important for him to know. he had so much support and love from everyone. thank goodness everyone was there! congratulations adrian, you are the best!

 

my twentieth birthday was low key! it wasn't until the monday after ---

camille and kristyn threw me a SURPRISE birthday party! I was completely shocked. I had no idea that I was even going to this! ryan kept it from me .... soooo well! I thought I was on my way to art night. even the girls from a&m came all the way from austin! I was so happy to see my life this way. I love surprises. I felt really blessed and thankful to be apart of it and to have such amazing friends. I was so happy and shocked and surprised that I had to take a picture with Bendel!

update with ryan and I: 

we went to a small beach on galveston island about two weeks ago and my back is STILL peeling! yikes. 

it was so peaceful and exactly what we both needed from each other. it is always a great time to get away from the city and laying around on the beach. he took this picture when I was walking from the water. while on this beach, I felt like I was in my own private world. there was no one on it! we worked out on the sand and swam in the water. I definitely want to utilize the island during the summer! 

 

ryan was my beau during the graduation weekend! such an amazing person 

ryan invited me to his best friend sister's wedding! I was his date. I definitely danced the night away on the dance floor. that weekend was great with his friends in town! I got to meet everyone and really get to know his friends and family even more! 

 

happy mother's day to monica gonzalez! je t'aime mere

update on the girls: after lindsey & krista visited me in houston, we all went to fredricksburg!we ate at the brew pub and shopped on main street. I adore these girls! they will always be so close to me.

 

 cassandra couldn't make it because she is in colorado! but she will be in houston during free press summer fest! yipppeeee! can't wait to be hostess for the chica with the mostess.

personal update: 

I am the new curatorial intern at the blaffer art museum for the summer. 

I can't wait to be working with dr. amy powell and the curatorial staff!

AND 

I got hired at anthropologie in highland village. 

UM

OMG

three words:

IT'S.A.DREAM.

can you imagine going to work and thinking you are in a dreamland? that is how I feel!

thesis research in san antonio's at the mcnay

delicious breakfast

favorite pieces

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garden

cinco de mayo and brulunches

I decided to start painting again 

cinco de mayo celebration lunch with parker

horchata at the cinco de mayo lunch 

la guadalupana cafe off dunlavy 

bsa brunch with alicia

bsa brunch with bsa members