LEMON SODA

Hi beauties! The only thing that can keep me from blogging is class and work, and lately it’s just been piling on so I have had to skip some posting dates. I hate missing everyone’s posts and just keeping up with the online world, but sometimes it’s good to take little breaks I suppose! Tom arrived in Madrid on Friday, and on Saturday we were off to Avila on a little escapade. It was beautiful; a small city surrounded by a medieval wall behind which stood little churches and houses that might belong in MacBeth or Ever After. Easter parades and desserts, overpriced Cokes and cheesy photo ops were all part of the fun.

I’ve come back with more reasons why I know Tom is my person in the world:

• He always listens to what I have to say, no matter how random, weird, creepy or boring it is
• He makes me feel appreciated and important
• Food is high on his priority list, especially cake
• He doesn’t mind walking across half the city as I continue on my search for the perfect dress
• How easy it is to wind him up, and how fun it is to just be playful and joke about his Britishness that I secretly love
• He also doesn’t mind me spending about an hour at Sephora playing with makeup goodies and having my own makeup done at the counter
• The way he laughs
• He is a big cheeseball and writes songs for me (and plays them whenever a guitar is at hand)
• Lying is definitely not his forte, so he doesn’t even try it
• He makes me smile/laugh even when I am so incredibly pissed off (which I love/hate!!)
• He loves anything art or design related, so museums and galleries are always a fun option. So are design sites.
• Studio Ghibli films are all time favs for both of us
• He manages to make me feel beautiful even on ‘fat’ or ‘blah’ days
• His hotness
• His Britishness
• His everything

How do you think you know when you’ve found your person in the world? A friend or lover who just fits?

Hope everyone has been having an amazing time! I will be making my rounds soon enough to make sure I can catch up with everyone :)

Happy first day of spring everyone!

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!

The “R” factor, as my third grade teacher called it, is unfortunately the only way some people find to relate to others. It is impossible to steer away from the jealousy cliché, because it is one of the determining forces behind rudeness. Why are people rude? The possibilities are endless; it may spring from the need for self-validation, a bad day, a stressful situation, ignorance, prejudices…Whatever the reason, the key lies in your reaction to it.

Above all, remember that you are classy and polite; these are permanent conditions of your being, while temper is a passing state, so be wise about when to let it play a part. Knowing this will allow you to act accordingly.

Those who brag
A lot of the time, these people are trying to convince themselves of something — of being capable, talented, rich, what-have-you — and the only way to gain validation is to shout it to the world, especially to people who they feel cannot obtain the same thing they have. The best thing to do is to let them shout it out as loud as they want. Though very tempting, replying with irony will only result in them believing they have made you jealous, which will be another ‘win’ in their book. A simple reply will do.
Another reason for bragging is attention. A person who brags usually does so about something they know will generate a response: “WOW! How did you do that?!” “Where did you get it?! I want one!” “You’re sooo cool!”. Again, this attention is self-validating, it makes them feel important. Look for a smug look on their face or a smirk; if present, attention is most likely their objective. Don’t give it to them. A simple reply will do.

Those who belittle
Much like bragging, belittling brings the belittler a sense of power and importance. They have not found a way to be brilliant through self-merit and resort to trying to make others appear dull in comparison, so they will criticize everything from your looks, to your achievements, to your country. Basically anything that is attached to your persona is fair ground for bashing. Again, these don’t deserve more than a brief reply. Be polite, but don’t spend too much time around. Anyone who tries to make others feel like they are any less are too energy and time consuming so sticking around would not be the most interesting option.

Those who snap
Snapping is a milder form of rudeness, mainly because a lot of the time it is caused by physiological factors (sleep deprivation, hunger, pain…) so we find it easier to forgive. I snap, you snap, we all snap sometimes! The important thing here is letting the person know that they are being snappy without reason. Often it acts as a wake-up call and the person will stop. Otherwise (like for instance bitter customer service people), kill them with kindness. Being overly nice and genuine will catch them offguard and will make them feel slightly stupid at the very least.

Those who don’t appreciate
Giving should be done without expecting anything in return, but when I give I do expect a thank you, even if just out of courtesy. When I do give something, it is also because I imagine that the other person would have no problem doing something similar for me if the opportunity arose. A lot of people don’t have this sense of compromise though, which can be hurtful when it has taken a great deal of effort on your part. There is not much that can be done about this, except learn your lesson and refrain from putting any more effort into them.

Giving simple replies instead of ironic remarks does not equal to being passive and lame. If someone is truly out of line, demand respect, but do it with respect. “I only respect those who respect me” will only lead to more conflict and waste of energy. Simply call them out on it, and if it continues, remove them from your life entirely.

How do you guys deal with rude people?