Posted by Luana | 3 Comments

Ghost Town

I love this! How was everyone’s weekend? I spent mine with my cousin in the countryside and it was beautiful. Brought back a lot of memories from when I was younger, I think I needed that. Ready to take on Monday now!

Posted by Luana | 6 Comments

Keeping Friendship Alive

It might be cheesy, but it is so true: real, true friends are not easy to come across. Luckily for me, I have found a few along the way (Caroline if you’re reading, you’re definitely in there x). We’ve seen each other at our best, at our worst, our silliest or most embarrassing moments. This is an ode to them, for being there despite our being scattered all over the world. It isn’t always easy to keep in touch due to time difference and busy university life, but no matter how long it’s been since we last met for a coffee date, with them it feels no longer than a day. How do you keep your friendships alive? It is obvious that in any relationship things unfold as they’re meant to, but I always feel a little effort should be put into them.

Tell them how much they mean to you
Go ahead and be cheesy! This might be easier to do in writing, or paint them something, send them something in the mail. Just let them know you appreciate them at all times.

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” — Helen Keller

Listen
Listen to what they have to say, but actually listen. It might seem silly to you, them gushing about a boyfriend or coming to you after their billionth argument. But if they have chosen you to confide in, that means something. It means it is important to them and they are sharing it with someone they trust. Sometimes listening doesn’t require a full list of suggestions of what you would do, sometimes just being there for them to let it out is enough.

Be honest
If there is something great about true friends is that you can be honest. Tell them what you’re thinking, what’s bothering you. Don’t try to hide something because they will either see through it or find out eventually (they are your best friend…)

“I do not wish to treat friendships daintily, but with the roughest courage. When they are real, they are not glass threads or frost-work, but the solidest thing we know.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don’t judge
The people I trust the most, people whose friendship I value the most, have never judged me. I feel like I can tell them anything; something I feel stupid about doing, or scared or embarrassed about. Even if you disagree with something they’re doing, let them know you’ll still be around.

Forgive and forget
Don’t hold grudges. I remember once I had a fallout with a close friend and we didn’t speak for the rest of the school year. Then we realized that didn’t get us anywhere; I sent her an email and we both agreed we had been pretty stupid. When it comes to good friends, swallowing up your own pride over who’s right and who’s wrong is important sometimes. Apologize and accept their apologies. Move on.

Don’t cancel on them
Sometimes life gets in the way and you have to cancel on people. If it isn’t essential, don’t cancel on your friends. If you aren’t feeling up for it then let them know honestly but be sure to reschedule. Best friends are like a second family, don’t put them aside.

“Go often to the house of thy friend, for weeds choke the unused path.”  — Ralph Waldo Emerson

K.I.T!
Keep in touch! Typical phrase found in every senior’s yearbook. Actually keep in touch with friends no matter how far away or close they are. It’s funny how nowadays it’s so much easier, what with facebook, e-mail, skype, blogs etc., and yet we still put it off. For me, I have to actually sit down for a while to be able to write out exactly what I’m thinking and to keep them up to date. Skype is amazing, but time difference is not. For whatever reason keeping in touch is harder than it seems, but if the friendship is strong, even the longest time without speaking will not be enough to extinguish it. Plan trips where you can all meet up again and actually catch up face to face; there’s nothing better than that.

“Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with.” — Mark Twain

Posted by Luana | 7 Comments

Party Right!

To party

• Know where you’re going and assess the situation; dress accordingly (seemingly straightforward, but not.) Six inch heels might not be the best choice for dancing the night away but could look cute for a lounge bar kind of atmosphere. It would also be useful to estimate your chances of drinking one too many Margaritas and tripping over those shoes…trust me on that one.
• Coat-check before you run to the bar to make sure your valuables are safe.
• Hydrate in between drinks. Be wary of sneaky cocktails whose sugary taste conceals the effectsof alcohol.
• Stay classy ladies. If you’re wearing a skirt or dress, make sure it doesn’t ride up! Same with tops that could potentially slip down…
• For winter: layers. For summer: keep a cardigan or thin jacket around.
• If you are a smoker, please watch where you’re pointing your cigarette as you’re squeezing through the crowd; cigarette burns have ruined many a pair of tights, and their scars are not pretty either.
• Sing as loud as you want, even if you can’t sing. If you don’t know the lyrics it might be OK to just dance instead ;)
• For dancing on tables or chairs, get a group of friends to go for it for optimal fun.
• If the place is so packed that you can barely move, it might be safer to stick to the sides (as opposed to the middle of the dancefloor) just in case. Call me paranoid, but if there’s a reason to run, I’ll be the first one out!

In your bag

• Makeup/hand wipes for runny makeup.
• Mascara & eyeliner to touch up; don’t bother with eyeshadow.
• Mint gum for any lingering alcohol breath.
• Flats to replace heels in case of unbearable pain.
• Extra coins for the metro/bus so you don’t have to take your pass/card/ticket everywhere.
• Cocolate just in case you get the munchies on your way home. Candy works too.

If you wait ’til the metro opens to go home

• Keep a cardigan or sweater to wear over (of course there’s no need to worry about this in winter as you’ll have a coat to hide your party wear.)
• Wear your flats and put your heels away.
• Attend to your face; wipe away any runny makeup or get rid of it altogether with those makeup wipes.
• More gum for alcohol breath.
• Add a pair of sunglasses and tie your hair up.
• In Spanish we have a saying that goes: He who goes to bed drunk has water for breakfast. Get ahead and buy a water bottle somewhere to drink on your way home.

Once you’re home

• Take a shower and rinse out all the cigarette smell from your hair. I used to do this for a while but found it more annoying each time; if you can’t be bothered to shower, make sure you wash off all your makeup. Wash your face and brush your teeth.
• Have some more water.
• If you’re still tipsy from those Margaritas and your head is spinning, keep a foot flat on the floor as you sleep.

If your head is throbbing the morning after

• Unfortunately there is no cure for hangovers, only ways to minimize their awful effects.
• Don’t go to class/work, it will prove utterly useless.
• Stay away from coffee; have a banana shake instead.
• More water.
• Don’t try to eat until your body is hungry.
• Don’t go for fried goodies. Start with some bread, then move on to sugary foods to restore blood sugar.
• Vegetable soup for lunch.
• Painkillers will work for headaches, antacids for upset stomachs.
• Read this.
• Don’t look at last night’s photos. Call your best friend to fill in each other’s blackouts, lament the state you are both in. If you discover something ridiculous might have happened, turn to Facebook for proof. If it’s not there, it didn’t happen.

My weekend starts tonight! Any other tips for partying right?

Posted by Luana | 6 Comments

Luana Loves

We’re halfway through with this week! I am only happy about this because I have not been getting much sleep, and though I have mastered the art of getting ready in 10 minutes and looking decent on no sleep, I still need some me time for complete relaxation (which is essential in this hostile weather.) Besides the no sleep factor, everything is going well in every other aspect of my life, including Statistics which (for now) I am alright with.

Things making my heart happy:

• Sleeping in during cold weekend days watching the snow from inside knowing I won’t have to wait for the bus in the freezing cold to get to class.
• Re-reading my vintage copy of Alice in Wonderland a friend gave me for Christmas last year.
• 500 Days of Summer, obviously decades late on this one but still I loved its un-Hollywoody approach; also Joseph Gordon Levitt reminds me of the good old 90’s, 10 Things I Hate About You & Third Rock from the Sun. Yes.
• This dress in white, à la Blair Waldorf.
• Trashy TV, but only if there is cake around.
• Planning my trip to Barcelona with Tom, and such is the universe’s amazingness that it just so happens I have Monday the 15th off, which means I will be spending Valentine’s Day with my favorite English person in the world. But whatever, you know; Valentine’s is overrated etc. and we show each other our love regardless of calendar events and things. I’m just glad I get to see Tom (and maybe squeeze in a little shopping as well.)
• Bumping into people on the bus in the mornings, engaging in nonsensical morning chatter as well as lamenting our dreadful sense of punctuality.

Have yourself an Unbirthday Party (or rather, pahteh)! Happy Wednesday (^_^)

Posted by Luana | 5 Comments

Loving Yourself More

The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely. — Carl Jung

You’re going to be getting ready for a fabulous party, and you are the guest of honor. Think about your grand entrance! What will people think as you walk in? Which parts of yourself will you show as they get to know you?
♥ Sit down with yourself for a moment; be honest and think about whatever (the good, the funny, the bad, the awkward) makes you you and not someone else.

In your skin
Ok, we all have insecurities to a certain degree — a freckle, our derrière not fitting into something, a slightly crooked nose. There is always someone who will remind us of these any chance they get, and that someone is more often than not ourselves. What’s happening on the inside has a way of manifesting itself outside, so if you walk into a room and expect everyone to be dazzled, you cannot do so with slouching shoulders, doubting your own beauty and ‘essence’. But before dazzling a room of strangers you must be able to dazzle yourself; it does not matter what size you wear or how tan you are(n’t), it only matters how you feel about it.

♥ Sit down and jot down things you are not comfortable with and things you love about yourself. No bullets! Complete sentences including why (Did someone make a rude comment about it before? Does your style icon have something you feel you don’t?) Read it back to yourself. Most likely you’re being too harsh, and instantly you’ll find things that you can live with — cross these out. Whatever is left is still a part of you, so you’ll have to work with it! Is it something that some exercise and healthy eating can change? If it isn’t, what can you do to ‘make it work’ for you? (Yes I did just steal Tim Gunn’s line.) These things take time, so while you grow comfortable in your own skin, find ways to celebrate what you do feel good about: wear a cute skirt to emphasize your legs, pull your hair back so your beautiful eyes can show through, get your nails done! It’s OK to believe the compliments you get, so do it. Be positive and kind with your body because you don’t have a spare one in your closet, and ultimately confidence is the most beautiful accessory. Make sure you wear a smile whenever possible, and you are well on the way to loving yourself more.

Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting. — William Shakespeare

In your mind
So if the outside is a manifestation of the inside, we need to take a closer look at what our busy minds are getting up to. There are many traits that are worked into our personalities, some of which we may not even be aware of until someone points them out. But in the quiet of our momentary solitude, while we pick out the appropriate attire for this fanciful event we’re attending, we can reflect for a moment.
♥ First and foremost, try to eliminate any self criticism and do not compare yourself to others. You may admire someone for how outgoing they seem, but were they given a chance they might find themselves admiring your effortless poise. From now on bring forth the best in you and surround yourself with people who do the same.
♥ Trust yourself more.
♥ Be fair to yourself. Know when you have done wrong and recognize when you have put in your best efforts despite the outcome of a situation. There is no point in punishing yourself; just be honest and know where you stand.
♥ Accept your quirks, mannerisms, your randomness. Polish up any negative attitudes and as always, focus on your best. The rest will follow.

Don’t forget to love yourself. — Soren Kierkegaard

In your life
♥ Compliment people (only if you mean it.)
♥ Stay away from gossip, and be wary of those who do it because you never know what they might be saying were you not present.
♥ Avoid conflicts if you can, they only bring negative energy. It’s not about ‘taking the higher road’, it’s about figuring a problem out without resorting to any sort of name calling or agitation. Sometimes it’s good to put feelings aside and agree to disagree — done.
♥ Be thankful not only for what you have been given but also to the people that surround you, no matter how small their deed; make sure they do not go unnoticed.
♥ Do things you’re good at! Emphasize your talents. If (like me) you are not sure that you even have any, try something you’ve always liked and see where it goes!
♥ Have fun. This is essential.

That should get you on your way! If you’re still worried about that big entrance, you could follow our friend’s advice over here, I say he’s definitely got the right idea: