Tidbits Archives - Compassionate Women

Making Coffee with a Moka Pot

June 20, 2021 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Hello, Coffee People, and anyone else who may be reading this out of curiosity as to what a moka pot is! A moka pot (pronounced like “mocha”) is a coffeemaker that you use on the stove-top. The coffee gets brewed when the boiling water in the bottom portion of the pot is pressurized by steam and pushed through the filter containing ground coffee and into the top portion of the pot.

Compared to a regular coffeemaker, the moka pot makes more flavorful and stronger coffee. It takes a couple of extra steps and only makes one serving, but is definitely worth it in my opinion. I made a short tutorial video on how to use a moka pot. Check it out!

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The Healing Properties of Crystals

January 4, 2021 by Jillian Leave a Comment

When I was about eight, I remember going on a school field trip to a natural site in Oklahoma to learn about geology. My mom was one of the chaperones on the trip and she allowed me to buy a purple amethyst crystal as a souvenir. I still have that amethyst, in fact, it is currently sitting on the side table next to me.

I have always been interested in crystals, and have friends that swear by them, but never took any time to learn about them until recently. I was at a museum in Huntsville, Texas and could not resist bringing home some of the exquisite crystals and stones from their gift shop. I looked up each individual one when I got home and discovered a plethora of information on them! Not only are crystals beautiful and diverse in appearance, they are incredibly healing because they have spent thousands of years forming within the earth’s surface and retain the earth’s energy. Therefore, you can benefit from this energy by keeping them close to you.

In this post I have compiled information on 7 different crystals with a focus on their physical, spiritual, and emotional healing properties and simple tips on how to use the crystals for these purposes. Enjoy and happy healing!

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Making a Movie in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas

August 11, 2020 by Jillian Leave a Comment

I moved to the Rio Grande Valley of South in Texas in late 2016 because there was just something magical about it and I knew I wanted to film a movie there. I had a dramatic thriller in mind, with a strong female lead and tight-knit plot full of unexpected twists and turns…

Well, I did end up filming a movie in the RGV, but it was nothing like what I originally planned. From 2017-2019, I worked tirelessly on my movie, which ended up being a documentary project on the history of the region. The seed was first planted when a friend who grew up there clued me into the little-known Jewish history of the Valley. He suggested I look into it for myself and the deeper I looked, the more I found.

Thus began a long but rewarding journey that ended with a feature length documentary I directed called Remember My Soul. The film investigates how the Sephardic Jewish diaspora in 1492 set forth the practice of crypto-Judaism in colonial Mexico, and how these invisible Jewish families settled the Rio Grande Valley and contributed to traditions of borderlands culture. In this post, I share how the project came together, what it was like filming in the Valley, and the many photos I took during filming that reveal the marvelous landscapes there.

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Growing & Empowering Female Leaders at NEW Leadership Texas

July 25, 2018 by Jillian Leave a Comment

“If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu.”

Historically, women have felt this way in many regards, including politically. Today, despite some forward movement, the inequality still exists. But NEW Leadership is hoping to help change that. Originally developed by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, the non-partisan program has spread to 24 states, providing intensive workshops to undergraduate female students. The goal is to address the under-representation of women in American politics by preparing and empowering them to be effective leaders in their communities and beyond.

A professor at my university had posted a flyer about it on their social media and I decided to apply. I had to write essays, perfect my resume, get letters of recommendation, and find a department at my school to sponsor the $500 program fee. But it was totally worth it because I was accepted into the program! This past May, on my birthday, I drove seven hours from South Texas to Austin for a six-day residential program at the University of Texas and here is a little bit of what I experienced there…

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The Garden at La Posada

April 28, 2018 by Jillian Leave a Comment

I’m really bad at gardening. I can’t even keep house plants alive for more than a couple of months. So I started buying only cactus in the hopes that they are low maintenance enough for me and my gardening deficit. Plus, my compost pile has been sprouting new fruits and veggies, which was unintentional on my part!

I have a friend that volunteers bi-weekly at an apartment complex called La Posada that is part of my city’s housing authority. One of the volunteer programs she runs is the communal garden at the complex. Yesterday she gave me a tour, and I was so impressed with all of the beautiful things growing there! Luckily, I happened to have my camera with me and took photos.

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