second star to the right

Stella R. Schuester, Psy.D, LPC, RPT 33 • she/her • Ashford Valley ~ c o n n e c t i o n s ~

[ashfordvalleyhq]

MEET STELLA

Full Name → Stella Rose Schuester

Age → 31

Birthday → April 21st, 1993

Order & Type → third, solo

Gender & Pronouns → cis woman, she/her

Sexuality → panromantic/demisexual

Occupation → licensed therapist at Four Oaks Family Counseling

THEIR STORY

Growing up in the tight-knit Schuester clan, Stella took after her mother to an alarming degree – the same bright red hair and wide, guileless eyes, which she used to her advantage shamelessly as a child. She has her father’s flair for the dramatic though, and a sarcastic streak a mile wide. Her dad’s early efforts to steer his children into music and performing only had limited success with Stella, however – she was in glee club and chorus during high school, but also drama, student government, and soccer.

Stella proved to be her mother’s daughter in more than just physical resemblance when she decided she wanted to become a licensed therapist, with a concentration on children with anxiety disorders and on the autism spectrum. Growing up around a parent with OCD gave her a first-hand perspective in the way mental health issues are often addressed, and she enjoys working with children because of their unique ways of looking at the world around them. Following in her mother’s footsteps wasn’t without pitfalls, however, and after finishing her Psy.D, she left Lima behind and moved to Ashford Valley to establish herself in her career independently. 

Despite her chosen profession, Stella doesn’t want children of her own. She’s good with them, and enjoys working with them, but she prefers to play with them and then give them back to their parents, and then go home to her nice quiet apartment with a glass of wine. Relationships in general are a bit fraught anyway — she first realized she was asexual in college, and even though she’s since revised her personal label to demisexual, it’s usually more trouble than it’s worth to explain to potential partners who assume she’s just a prude.

Outside of work, Stella tends to spend her downtime out with friends, especially for her weekly Sunday brunch bunch. She likes to read (particularly historical romances and “cozy” mysteries), watch movies (the sillier the better), and hold impromptu dance parties for herself when she has energy to burn – but she’s a terrible cook, and has been known to ruin cookware.

[riverjacksonx]

Well hey, if it actually turned out good then that’s a win in my book. Sounds like that slow cooker might actually stick around then? If so, I have a cookbook I haven't used in ages. Got it when I bought my Instant Pot and now it's just collecting dust. I know that method's not the same as like regular slow cooking, but at least gives you some inspiration for what you can do?

[stellaschue]

I have been reliably informed that it can ALSO be used for hot cocoa, and my mind was sufficiently blown that apparently mulled cider is a thing that exists, come Christmastime? So yeah, I think we're gonna have to keep it around at least until then. I keep hearing about this Instant Pot thing, it definitely sounds above my paygrade, but I am intrigued by having actual options, I have to admit.

[kurtxhummels]

You know, for someone who claims peaceful is overrated, you're making a surprisingly compelling argument. I know I have an entire army of people who are as stubborn as me who would absolutely drag me back to reality if I started romanticizing the chaos too much, which is both comforting and mildly threatening. Though, I can't ever imagine Dom being bored without me around. I'm just a little too chaotic; if anything, he'll get a much needed moment of peace.

[stellaschue]

Look -- I'm feisty, and not afraid to bite. Although if it's actually you I have to bite, I'll try to be gentle about it. Just a friendly li'l nip at the heels. And if it's chaos you need to bring you back, we can absolutely deliver, I'm in, challenge accepted, 😁

[lucyquinnfabs]

Truly a missed opportunity! You could've indulged in so many renditions of Annie songs!

It really was, you are really so fun and delightful, truly! I plan to. Luckily he loves Beth and I know he would be happy to watch her. Also Beth will be happy to play with his dogs again. Oh those are good choices too, I love me a good Bellini!

How do you forget to water a plant for 3 years? That's truly insane! So I think anything that can't bark at you or yell at you is not meant to be. I will also make note to never give you a plant as a gift, not that I would've anyway.

[stellaschue]

I know, right? I'd've killed on 'It's a Hard Knock Life'.

...I have only just realized my dog's name is Pepper, and one of the orphans is ALSO Pepper. FML, I can't believe I missed that. I didn't want to change it when I got him because he's a salty old man and already answered to it, but now my poor brain is all Inception-ed.

I've seen him and his dogs at the dog park, they will be delighted to keep Beth company. And we can get you as many bellinis as your little heart desires, 😉🥂

It was just always there! And green! And I would think to myself, 'Stellz, you should probably buy a spray bottle and mist that sucker at some point' and then I wouldn't. Like a liar. Yes, please, flowers and plants are pretty, but I have the touch of death and SO much survivor's guilt.

[andersonjones]

Important question.

You're being chased through the woods by a monster. Which fictional character are you choosing to protect you?

There are no wrong answers. Except choosing Shaggy. Because he'd leave you behind and you'd both know it.

[stellaschue]

I think I'm going with Buffy. Not that I don't trust Sam and Dean to get the job done in a pinch, I just would rather not deal with whatever their whole weird dude thing is, not when the alternative is a badass chick with a sarcastic streak. Me and Buffy, we'd be bros, I think.

[stellaschue]

stellaschue posted:

Cranky old man somehow looks significantly less cranky surrounded by happy little flowers. Me too, Pep. Me. Too.

[lucyquinnfabs]

Sounds like you have a complaint to file with your father about that red hair should always been accompanied by a cute furry compainion!

I like to think we've already become friends over the course of this conversation. I will absolutely take you up on that offer. I'll make my friend Kurt or Nick babysit Beth so I can have a wonderful child free brunch. Mimosas are the most important part of sunday brunches!

How did you kill an aloe plant? They require like no upkeep at all! I would consider that a very impressive skill that you managed to kill an otherwise impossible to kill plant. When the alive thing can physically jump on you and yell, or bark, at you for food then it becomes hard to forget about and kill. Oh god you don't know the half of it! Yea, it's the only thing I can do at this point.

[stellaschue]

SERIOUSLY. Or maybe with my mother, since I got the hair from her? Misrepresentation!

See there -- I am a delight, and so are you, so it was inevitable, really. OMG MAKE NICK DO IT. Kurt's a Brunch Bunch regular too, but I'm like 78.6% sure Nick's scared of me, he can entertain the kidlet while we get you mimosas. (Bellinis or bloody marys are also acceptable substitutes.)

Uh. I sort of. Forgot to water it. For like. Three years? It had no root structure left. So honestly, it's probably a good thing that Pepper can bark at me and glare with his one good eye if I forget something important like meals and ear scratches. You know what that is? GROWTH.

[stellaschue]

@thatschuesterguy @matt-schue 😶😶😂

[lucyquinnfabs]

Oh anyone would've wanted that dog, he was the cutest dog ever and he was resourceful. I mean, he was able to survive on the streets on New York in the 1930s with no help or handouts.

Please let me gift you some. I have way too many copys at home and I don't know what to do with them all. My publisher made the mistake of thinking I had a large collection of friends and family to gift them too when I originally got published so they've just been sitting in a box.

Why do you think you'd be a terrible dog mom? You seem like you'd be an awesome dog mom honestly. Honestly valid judgement from someone you love is usually the kind of judgment you need from time to time. Yea, high school was a bit rough at points for me. I can definitely show you some photos, since Beth was born I have begun embracing my past as opposed to hiding it.

[stellaschue]

I know, right?? Cutest mutt EVER. Was honestly offended that red hair didn't come with an adorable canine companion.

I mean, if you're sure -- far be it for me to say no to being counted amongst your many, many friends, 😉 Tell you what though, in exchange you have to come to at LEAST one brunch weekend. There's a whole group of us who meet up at Coda on Sundays for brunch and shenanigans. And also mimosas. The mimosas are Very Important.

Well, I can't keep plants alive, so that's a bit of a red flag there. Literally have killed an aloe plant. It's a succulent, Quinn. It's supposed to be impossible to kill, but I did anyway. I have severely limited adulting skills despite being technically an adult, so keeping another living thing alive just seemed like sort of a tall order. I like to think I serve the necessary judgement role myself from time to time, so I'm willing to let Pepper be that for me, ha. High school was just terrible in general, I hear you there. But that sounds like a healthy attitude to have -- learning from it instead of blocking it out.

[zacsylvester]

Oh you very much can! And I'll tell you one thing, once you've ventured into the dessert drink side of the slow cooker, you will never get store bought hot cocoa packets again. Assuming that how you usually make your hot cocoa is a la Swiss Miss.

[stellaschue]

I'm a sillycow enthusiast when it comes to instant hot cocoas, but I am intrigued by this -- how complicated are we talking here? Milk plus -- what, chocolate chips?

[riverjacksonx]

Alright, alright — I’ll ease up on you 😂That’s actually a solid first attempt. I’m impressed you went straight for flavor instead of just throwing in chicken and calling it a day. So how’d it turn out?

[stellaschue]

Hey now, what I lack in skill I make up for by having ludicrously high standards, that chicken's gotta be seasoned somehow, at the very least. It was WAY better than I'd been expecting for something that took literally 5 minutes to throw into a pot and turn on. Well. Plus a few minutes to microwave the minute rice.

[anastasiabeiste]

I recently planted lavender in my little garden at school and it's finally starting to bloom! The scent is just heavenly, and now I'm thinking about baking a batch of lemon-lavender shortbread cookies as one of our last class projects. I'm hoping to find a few brave, wonderful souls to be our official taste-testing guests next week... Would anyone happen to have some extra time and an appetite for something sweet?

[stellaschue]

I keep seeing lavender in food and drinks and stuff, but have never quite been able to bring myself to try anything with it. Does it taste like flowers? You can be honest, and maybe I can be brave.

[kurtxhummels]

You're not wrong. That is one of the perks of having a stable life, ha. I don't think I'm worried about that stable life not being here any longer; I think a bigger part of it is how easy it would be to fall back into that life again. I worked so hard to build something here that feels steady and real. Life in New York was great, but it was a different kind of chaotic. The kind where work wasn't ever really guaranteed, and for the first time in a long time I actually like the life waiting for me when the curtain comes down.

And then there’s the irrational part of my brain that immediately goes, “Great, you’ll leave for two months and Dom’s going to realize how peaceful his life is without your dramatic ass in it.” Which I know is ridiculous. Kind of. But still.

[stellaschue]

That's where WE come in -- we're stubborn as shit and won't let you fall back into the insanity without a fight. Also peaceful is overrated, it's much more likely Dom will be bored without you around to liven things up, and be ready to welcome you back happily when your run is done.

[lucyquinnfabs]

Wow your dad sounds like a character. I always loved Annie, I had the 1999 version with Kathy Bates. I just liked the whole story of the little girl living with an abusive adult getting out and living a better life with someone who cared about her.

I am happy to gift you some if you like. They are chapter books made for older kids, but I'm sure some of the ones you work with would enjoy them.

Awe he sounds adorable. I would love a dog, but I want to wait until Beth is older. I'm stretched thin enough as it is. Honestly the little old cranky dogs are sometimes the best ones. They just chill out and judge you from afar. Yep, the bitchy head cheerleader that was a major bully for most of high school. Thank god I grew out of that phase of my life. Though I also had a phase where I was a smoking pink haired punk gremlin when I was a senior.

[stellaschue]

That's putting it mildly, ha -- there's a reason Matt and I turned out the way we did, and we got our dramatic streaks honest. Me? I just wanted a Sandy, I think.

Oh, I can buy a set, make sure you get properly compensated for your work -- business expense, even, 😉 I work with kids of all ages though, potentially until they age out at 18, so chapter books they can work through a little at a time are pretty much perfect.

I resisted for a long time, mostly because I was pretty convinced I'd be a terrible dog mom. Pep's pretty lowkey and low maintenance though, we're at the point where I can tell there's actually affection behind it when he judges me, and his judgement is usually valid, to be honest. Bitchy head cheerleader AND smoking pink haired punk? I need to get my hands on a few old yearbooks, I think... 👀

[ambersrose]

Ugh, I know. Does sunscreen not help you at all, though? Because that sounds like the worst and I totally do not blame you for hating summer even more in that case. Ugh, you're so right. Just another reason it can't be stated enough how much tougher us ladies have it.

Aw, thank you! You'll be missed on the shopping trip, but trust that your likes on my posts are much appreciated, Stel!

[stellaschue]

SPF 70, every two hours like clockwork, ✌🏼 And a cute little floppy sunhat, just to keep the freckles somewhat at bay (with limited success). Honestly, the cute little sunhats might be the only perk I miss in the winter.

I am but a slave to the algorithm, but I do try to do my part, at least, 😉

[zacsylvester]

As you should! Really, there's no wrong way to devour the stuff, either on your own or sharing with good company. And of course, just wait until I pass on the secret slow cooker hot cocoa recipe I have up my sleeve. Complete with optional toppings and snacks to go with it. (Okay, hear me out... what about a small business candle company with that name?)

[stellaschue]

Wait.

STOP.

You can do HOT COCOA IN IT??

(ngl, I'd purchase a truly questionable number of chocolate and/or vanilla scented candles there.)

[mackfabray]

It's not necessarily the fire safety portion I have concerns about, but I see your point.

[stellaschue]

Chris is actually the primary griller in the family, although Matt holds his own. Pretty much everything turns into a competitive sport when all three of us get together, I can't imagine why.