LEMON SODA

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

— e.e cummings

Some beautiful words by e.e cummings. Who is your favorite poet?

Lyrics from Lady Gaga’s Papparazi that ring true, sometimes to extremes. Where to draw the line? I do not know of anyone who is completely uninterested in material posessions. We cling to these, are always on the lookout for new things we “need”, and losing them could mean a small depression for some.

Is it really possible to become completely unattached? Sometimes I count the number of times in a day that I’ve said “I want that!” or even “I need that dress in my life!” Of course I don’t actually, so when I do buy things I could do without, after giggling and jumping around to celebrate my new acquisition, I end up feeling guilty and shallow. But of course having some extra money, especially if it is money you have produced yourself, should be spent on anything your heart desires, non? So why the guilt?

I have learnt to accept the materialistic and consumerist part of my self because:

1. Things are not my entire life. Yes I would have a problem with my computer dying (!!!), or losing my phone. But at the end of the day ‘the best things in life are not things’. If there was a fire, you bet the first ‘thing’ I would grab would be my puppy! Things can be replaced, but people and the moments lived with them cannot. I feel that knowing this helps me get a grip on things, so I know the difference between “I want and I AM gonna get that!” and “I want that but I probably shouldn’t get it.”
2. Things can help bring you out of a rut and motivate you. For instance, if your gym subscription is just gathering dust, getting new sportswear could motivate you to start going. Getting new stationery is a great motivation for a starting school/work year (or perhaps this is just my inner nerd talking…). When you have a blah, bread face, nothing-looks-good-on-me day, getting some new accessories or makeup could lift up your spirits! Something you really want could be set as a reward for finishing an obligation or a big project. I love doing this because it makes me feel like I actually deserve it!
3. Things serve purposes! I buy a camera because I want to capture memories and because I love photography. I buy new clothes because they make me feel good and confident when I go out. I use what I buy, and all these things impact my life in a positive way.
4. Buying or wanting things does not automatically cancel out a functioning brain. I love makeup and am addicted to Youtube makeup tutorials (what? try it!), but I can still talk to you about politics and history and psychology. Don’t ask me about physics or math, though that has nothing to do with the level of my ‘shallowness’ but more the fact that numbers and I just have never really gotten along.

Wanting things does not equal being shallow — being shallow means knowing no other form of happiness than things.

How do you feel about the materialistic part of your self? When does one cross the line over to shallowness?

Hello lovelies! The sun has finally come and it is now okay to let my windows open all day long. It is strange how much more awake I feel, I just want to go outside and walk for ages with no predetermined destination until I find a cute little obscure cafe where I can have a nice cold cup of leche merengada.

Spring, is that you?

I have been sorting my life and making exciting plans for next year, none of which I will reveal until they are a sure go. All I can say is that next year I will be extremely busy to say the least, dabbing in all these areas that have interested me for so long. I don’t want to be at the halfway point in life wishing I had done this or that when I was younger. Now is definitely the time, so I am filled to the brim with excitement and all these expectations. I am going to make a turn in my life (or rather, a few!) and I can’t wait!

So to celebrate, I have decided to prepare Lemon Soda’s first giveaway! Would you guys be interested in one? Do let me know! If you have any ideas or would like your product to be featured, email me so we can arrange something!

Thank you guys for always stopping by and all your lovely comments, it means the world to me!

I’m the kind of girl who is just as happy at home watching bad TV as dancing out all night. The kind of girl who is a neat freak, color codes her class notes and arranges her books according to size; also has the messiest room and is often left wondering where that one sock went.

Like the things I love, my pet peeves are endless, but I don’t think about them often so I couldn’t come up with a good list to share. I have negative thoughts, but don’t manifest them out loud (mostly, at least), because negativity just taints everything with a sort of bad energy that feels heavy and I hate feeling heavy. So I focus on little things that my heart loves, like cake and taking Chimbo (a.k.a the cutest 15 year-old “puppy” you’ll ever see) for a walk around the ghostly streets. It’s March and everyone is still hibernating so everything is still and crisp, perfect.

I’m the kind of girl who will eat an extra serving so as not to be a rude guest. I don’t mind cleaning, as long as there is some loud music blasting for me to dance to. I’m so used to seeing my nails painted that I find it weird when they’re bare — clear polish is my bare minimum! Especially on toenails.

I like neon colors, muted colors, neutral colors. All except all the primary colors together.

I can usually see the two sides of the coin in every argument (though out of pride will not show it at times), which comes across as wishy washy for some people. But if there is one thing I have learnt in my 20 years of life so far, it is that there are no absolutes. Every day I find yet another reason for agreeing with Socrates; “I only know that I know nothing”. Everything we perceive with our senses may not be reality; it is just the way our brain decodes what is real for us to understand. What we see is a result of light hitting surfaces, reflecting in our eyes where that nerve impulse travels through to our brain, where it is translated and transformed into what we understand as an image. When I was little I was the kind of girl who worried about the possibility of my pink being someone else’s green.

I am the kind of girl who is a walking contradiction, who wonders about everything and is fascinated by people. So I find it extremely fitting that I went on to study Psychology — I couldn’t be happier!

What kind of girl are you?

Oh, it’s so good to be Queen — don’t we know it! Purpurine realms of fabulosity and self love, of amber inspiration and ruby gems and lemon soda. A darling world at our feet, ready to dazzle if we let it. Let’s celebrate!

• Know that you are enough; seek only inspiration from others and be not jealous! Stop comparing yourself to others, it isn’t productive.
• Celebrate those you love. Show them what it means to you to have them in your life.
• Throw yourself an Unbirthday Party!
• Pamper yourself; invite a friend to come along. Get your nails done. Yummy candy apple, mint green is in!
• Redecorate your space. Have an inspiration wall of photographs and writings, and very importantly, with a mirror so that you can appreciate your beauty (even in the morning.)
• Buy some lingerie. For the smitten: give your partner a sexy dance! For the single: dance to your favorite song and eat all the sweets your heart desires!
• Sit next to someone you love. Breathe together.
• Try something new. Anything! Pat yourself on the back for your adventurousness.
• Take a self portrait and hang it up somewhere.
• Watch a friend shine. Encourage them, congratulate them — sparkle together.
• Remember the importance of laughing at yourself once in a while.

So even if for a day, drop your musts and your lists. Stop to appreciate yourself, go ahead and feel special, and don’t forget to spread the love wherever you go!