Tuesday night, I smudged my apartment. “Smudging” is another way of describing a cleanse, often performed in a home or a building in effort to rid the presence of negative energy. A proper smudging ceremony can be done in many different ways, but they’re often performed while burning herbs (often bundles of sage) and repeating […]
MoreIt’s quite possible I’m still coming off a high from such an incredible weekend. I took my first paid-vacation day at the new job on Friday to travel to Kansas City, Missouri. A little random? Kind of. My reasoning was, I got invited to a wedding there. The groom has been a longtime blog reader, turned […]
MoreWe played the Wolverines in the Square three days after we killed the Flyers. I had just walked into the locker room when the usual pre-game banter sparked. “Who you gonna piss off tonight man?” 58 asked. “I heard Carmen was pretty irritable. I bet I can shake a fucker up,” I told him. “Dude […]
MoreLast weekend, my fantastic and beautiful hair stylist (and friend) Lydia (she’s at the Garrett Neal Studio, you should call her!), reminded me that the BEST way to meet someone special is through mutual friends. I do think it’s a smart move, but there are even studies behind it, saying that it’s statistically how most […]
MoreA month ago, I downloaded a new dating app called “Coffee Meets Bagel.” I’ll admit I downloaded it on a rather lonely night, as I was watching “Nightline”. The app’s founders were on the show, after they’d turned down $30 million from an episode of “Shark Tank” — the largest bid in “Shark Tank” […]
MoreAs I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I spent my weekend in Baton Rouge, mainly for a great friend’s birthday celebration. In years passed, I’ve made this same girlfriend a dessert of her choice to celebrate. I’ve made her angel food cake with homemade frosting (covered in neon sprinkles), and toasted matzah with chocolate and chopped […]
MoreThe following is an original fiction piece, written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007, with great inspiration form her favorite hockey player, Sean Avery. I had 30 seconds left in the penalty box. From my bench, I could see the rows of puck fucks in the lower sections. “Once we go Black…” one sign read; […]
MoreLast year, I decided to embark on a sexual adventure when I got involved with a f*ck buddy (FB). I use the term “involve” loosely, as it was purely a sex thing (and I’m not just saying that). Together, we agreed that it was a relationship only meant to — as Tove Lo sings — […]
MoreHola! I wanted to offer a quick apology for my lack of posts last week — it’s been a crazy few weeks with the move and all. I was really struggling to function, let alone get my five blog posts in. But I’m back in action and ready to roll! So, life in Austin means […]
MoreThree weeks ago, I started a new job. It’s a full-time career with benefits and a salary, and it’s pretty awesome. It’s my dream job! Starting a new job is always exciting, but a little stressful, too. You’re trying to learn new things, get adjusted to the culture, and meeting all kinds of new people […]
MoreI moved on Saturday! I’ve spent the last few weeks packing everything I own (well, minus the things I got rid of) and prepping for a move. Now, I know moving — the physical act of doing so — is possibly the worst thing we can do to ourselves as humans. It completely sucks. Because […]
MoreI’ve been living in Austin for two weeks now, and of course, I don’t know where ANYTHING is. I have to rely completely on Siri to get me anywhere. At first, I was really thankful for Siri. What would I do without her? Use MapQuest? No. So yes, at first, I was so thankful for […]
MoreWe’re less than two weeks away from the official start of fall! And yes, I know, Baton Rouge doesn’t really get a fall season. Instead, we get “slightly less hot,” and the leaves start to turn brown instead of that burnt orange color I saw growing up in the Midwest. But still, we wear hoodies […]
MoreIt’s finally here. What some would call the most wonderful time of the year: football season is upon us. What I’m about to admit is going to lock in my single status for the rest of my life, but here goes… I’m not really a fan of football. There, I said it. I’m a Yankee […]
MoreI spent last week in Austin, and made the trek back to Baton Rouge late Friday night. I wanted to visit my kitty, get some packing done, and I had one final shift to work at my retail job. My friend Derek had been telling me for weeks he was going to come over Saturday […]
MoreI already know what you’re thinking: Holly, STOP acting like turning 30 is the end of the world! Don’t worry, that’s not really what this post is about. I definitely don’t think finding love past 30, 40, 50, or any age is something that’s impossible. But, I’ll admit that sometimes I wonder if I’m getting […]
MoreRecent employment happenings have me thinking about dress codes, and specifically, how they affect life at the office. Over the last year, I’ve experienced many different rules when it comes to what to wear to work. At my last career job, the dress code was pretty strict — no jeans, graphic tees, sleeveless, sundresses, etc. […]
MoreOver these last few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about the different jobs I’ve had. I got my first job at 16, working as a hostess for Outback Steakhouse. At the time, I didn’t think I made much money, but looking back, the gig wasn’t so bad (restaurant minimum wage plus tip share). My […]
MoreHey there! If you stopped by the blog yesterday and were disappointed to see the password-protected post, feel free to shoot me an email at holly@thebitterlemon.com (prove you’re not trying to spy on me or sue me) to request it. I wish there was a way to at least let followers read the blog, but […]
MoreLet’s just get this out of the way: today is my very first day at my NEW job! Finally! It’s no retail job, not a restaurant job, it’s a real-life, big-girl, 9-5, salary, career job! Telling you I worked really hard to get it would be the understatement of my life. Many of my longtime […]
MoreHola on this beautiful Monday! We are completely celebrating work and jobs on the blog this week, but of course we’re doing it in a fun way, per usual. Why? Is it because I got called into the office of my retail job and was told gossip is more important than fact? Or is it […]
MoreThe following is an original piece, written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007. The characters and storyline is based off the song “Valerie,” sung by the great Amy Winehouse. Read part one here. * * * Kyle laughed. “Damn. It makes me want to address the crowd back at Killian’s. […]
MoreThe following is a guest piece by my bestie Sheena Hall, who is also madly in love with Harry Styles. She is currently mourning the One Direction split, but wiped away the tears to share the message below. * * * The news of the One Direction “break” came to […]
MoreEvery time I leave my apartment wearing sweats and/or my #CatLady hat, I’m aware of the risks. By risks, I obviously mean the increased chance that I’ll either A. run into a hot guy, or B. see an ex boyfriend. Because… life. Last week, a coworker and I were chatting about various exes we had. […]
MoreHelloooo out there, from the world of boxes, packing, and all things moving-related! I’ve been packing and organizing and cleaning whenever I get the chance in order to wrap things up as fast as possible. It’s no secret that moving is a huge task, but it’s one of those necessary evils in life. As I’m […]
MoreToday is the first day of college for many students – this is something most people probably don’t pay much attention to, but when you live in a college town, it’s all anyone talks about. It probably doesn’t help that I work with mostly college students. But, hearing my coworkers’ stories often reminds me of […]
MoreThe following piece is an original written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007. It was based on the song “Valerie,” sung by the one, the only Amy Winehouse. * * * He unfolded a black chair and put the acoustic on his knee; he closed his eyes and ran […]
MoreI LOVE watching CSI. And of course, I’m talking about the original CSI, as in CSI Las Vegas with Grissom only. I refuse to watch any other city/version/cast. I started watching the show with my dad, when it premiered in 2000. Although I hate everything scary, and some of the show does involve grisly murder […]
MoreYears ago, I joined LinkedIn. Back then, it was a new service and all of the cool kinds were joining. If you’re not sure, LinkedIn (according to its website) is a place for professionals to connect and be successful. Basically, it’s the social network for nerds. Honestly, I didn’t see much use for it as […]
MoreIs it just me, or does it seem like ever since Facebook happened, everything surrounding weddings has to be big, bigger, biggest, and frankly, better than yours? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to keep up with so many people and their happy life moments — those that I would definitely know nothing about if […]
MoreThis is the final installment of Holly’s original short story, “Oil & Ink.” Read part one here and part two here, as you wish. * * * “I need to talk to someone about financing a building.” The clerk looked Charlie up and down; from his miniature blond mohawk to […]
MoreI’m always trying to figure out different things that make people compatible — horoscope signs, personality tests, age, family situation — but what about birth order? Turns out (after Googling), there’s actually a TON of information out there on this! An article in Women’s Day lays out the characteristics of each birth order “type”: Firstborns: […]
MoreThe first time I got dumped, it happened on the phone. I was a junior in high school, unaware of any problems in my relationship. But my then-boyfriend — the first one I’d ever had — called me on my clear, purple cordless phone and kept the conversation short. “If the relationship isn’t moving forward […]
MoreSome of you may remember that last week I mentioned a road trip I was taking — and yes, I did that, and can now share my adventure. It all started when I got a phone call from a company I’d had a few interviews with. “Can you be in Austin next week?” the woman […]
MoreI swear I didn’t intend for these “coping” posts to become a series, but what the hell, Hollywood? Why is everyone I love breaking up? I cannot take it! Yes, I was sad and disappointed when we heard the news about Blake and Miranda (read the guide on How to Cope), but this — Gavin […]
MoreA few weeks ago, I got a Facebook message from my uncle, my dad’s brother, saying he read my post about my nonexistent relationship with my father. He told me it was obvious that I was leading an unfulfilling life and the only way I would ever be satisfied, is if I consulted Jesus. This […]
MoreAs I was leaving for work Friday afternoon, a letter fell out of my door. I knew exactly what it was before I opened it: a letter from my leasing office that would define the new terms of my apartment lease, if I decided to renew. Having lived in my apartment for nearly four years […]
MoreThe first guy I fell in love with lived in Indiana. I lived here, in Baton Rouge. It was a 14-hour car ride between us, or two connecting flights. We fell in love one summer, when I was home in Indiana. When the summer was drawing to a close, for me, there was no question […]
MoreBack at the shop, Charlie sat in his black leather chair, the one with the holes worn in it, and waited for someone to mosey over to his corner. Occasionally, he’d read part of a book from the wire racks up front, but mostly he’d study his art magazines. Charlie’s station was clean, except for […]
MoreOver July 4th weekend, my friends suggested an interesting activity: going into the 13th Gate Escape room. From what I gathered over our beer-induced conversation, an escape room involves participants placed in a room and the only way out is to complete a series of puzzles within 60 minutes. At first, I was completely against […]
MoreFor the last few months, I’ve been making an attempt to clean out my (literal) closet. Not only is my closet way too small for my collection of clothes, shoes, and bags, but a majority of the things in my closet should not be worn. I have a really bad habit of keeping clothes (and […]
MoreWhoop! It’s 11:37pm on Thursday, July 23, and I’ve just gotten home from the PREMIER of “Paper Towns” — the movie based on the bestselling book by fellow Hoosier, John Green (Yep, I read it). Y’all don’t understand. I’ve been looking forward to this movie since the day I put down the book… which was […]
MoreOkay, so you may not have heard the name Mick Fanning, but I KNOW you heard about the Australian surfer who nearly got CHOMPED by a shark during a pro-surfing competition last weekend — that’s him! Any guy who gets chased down by a shark, punches it in the face, and gets away completely unharmed, […]
MoreI saw him for the first time at Duvic’s. It was Valentine’s Day, he was bartending; pouring several tequila shots. I was out with a friend, doing what single girls do on a couple-y holiday: drinking. What I didn’t know then was that the bartender that night would become a part of my life — […]
MoreOver the weekend, I’m proud to say that my friends and I completed what’s known as an “Escape Room.” I won’t give anything about our particular scenario away, but these escape rooms are all over the country (I even saw one in London, too!) and groups of people are setting out to conquer them. I’ve […]
MoreI had the weekend off, and I don’t have to go into work until 4pm today… I’d be lying if I said my mind wasn’t wondering if I should take an impromptu beach trip, all on my own (it’s just a short, 4-hour drive to Pensacola). But, I wussed out, stayed in-town, and attempted to […]
MoreHowdy! I’m so happy that it’s Friday, per usual, but there’s something actually interesting about this Friday in particular: I have the weekend off! WHAT!? I’m really happy that my retail job is giving me the weekend off, given that I’ve worked my little booty off this week. So, once I get off work today, […]
MoreI blame Food Network for my recent crush on local chef Jay Ducote. He’s currently starring on season 11 of Food Network Star, where contestants compete to have their own cooking show on Food Network. My crush on Ducote started like any other “stranger crush” — one where you know basically nothing about the person […]
MoreAs I mentioned in my post yesterday, I am ATTEMPTING to make more time for myself; time to actually relax and/or do the things I love to do. In the last few days, yes, I’ve had to work several 8-9 hour shifts, but I also found plenty of time to do things for myself. For […]
MoreHappy Monday! I hope the weekend was fantastic for you — I had yesterday off, and was delighted to spend some time outdoors (working on my tan, as promised) and I met up with a friend to see a classic film: GREMLINS. All good things. As I continue on my journey of soul searching, I’ve […]
MoreHey there! Just when you thought I’d forgotten about the “50 Shades” lipstick series, here I am with a new color. I had to dig up a backup for #9 because, originally, I wanted to tell you all about one I’ve been using recently by Victoria’s Secret. It’s their Beauty Rush line in “Melon Out,” […]
MoreI turned 30 last week. I’ve never been big on celebrating my birthday. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a little shy at times, or because having a birthday so close to July 4th made parties as a kid nearly impossible (everyone was always out-of-town). I never thought age would bother me — it’s […]
MoreHappy Friday! As a start to the holiday weekend, I’m so happy to share something special with you guys today — a Q & A with my friend and actress Courtney Clark, who has a role in Jurassic World, which is currently in theaters. Courtney plays the role of “Sarah,” the park announcer who’s now-iconic […]
MoreI’ve been job hunting for eight months. In November, I lost my full-time, 9-5 job where I’d worked for almost seven years. Since then, I’ve been freelancing, helping clients with writing and editing, and I’ve been working retail part-time to make ends meet. What I’ve come to realize is, looking for a job is a […]
MoreSo, it’s only been officially summer for… what… a week? But now that July 4 is right around the corner, I all of the sudden feel like the summer is about to end! Summers in my previous life — when I had a desk job that allowed for free weekends — meant hours at the […]
MoreHey y’all! I’m SO sorry about not blogging on Friday. Truthfully, last week was PACKED with all sorts of exciting life things, and I’ve been out living things, and moving and shaking, that I just didn’t have time to sit down at the computer and create something worth reading. And of course, all of those […]
MoreWhew! These last few weeks (okay, more like MONTHS) have been really rough. If I continue to be honest with you, I have to admit that this has been the most difficult time of my life. I’m overwhelmed with so much confusion, and emotion — there are days I feel fine, some days I feel […]
MoreIt’s been 10 months since I’ve talked to my father. I haven’t seen him in two years, and it’s been about 10 years since I’ve spent a holiday with him. I don’t have his address (it’s somewhere in Kentucky), and the last e-gift card I sent him for his birthday went unopened (and I kept […]
MoreLast Wednesday, I was really excited to get to attend a social media seminar — “Making the Hashtag Your BFF” — hosted by a local creative firm, Dezins Interactive. I’ve seen DI advertise for these seminars before, but I’ve never been able to make it, due to my hectic retail schedule. Well, I guess no […]
More“This is a bit out of nowhere but I may be homeless in Baton Rouge tomorrow…” It was a text I got a few weeks ago from a fellow writer friend who was coming in town from states away. He went on to ask if he could stay at my apartment the following night. It […]
MoreSummer is right around the corner, and although it’s about to get nice and hot here in Baton Rouge, there’s a few things I’m appreciating lately — the little things that make me smile each day. So, here’s my list of current obsessions: Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion by Liz Earle — I got a sample […]
MoreA few weekends ago, my friend and I ventured to Gulf Shores for our second Hangout Music Fest. I’d been looking forward to the sun, sand, music, vodka, and naturally, all the hot guys without shirts. The fine creators of Hangout Fest announced that this year, they were offering weddings. That’s right, you could get […]
MoreWhen my mom was in town a few weeks ago, she treated me to one of my favorite things: TV on DVD. We went to FYE and I ended up with another season of the Mary Tyler Moore show (love it), another season of The Hills (obsessed), and the first season of House of Cards. […]
MoreI have always suffered with this texting thing — mainly when it comes to dating. I feel like we were forced to accept it, and it’s ruined basic communication skills. Texting has made it easier for folks to lie, cheat, and just be downright rude. To years ago, I wrote a column for Dig magazine […]
MoreEvery night, I set my coffee pot to start brewing early the next morning — 5:47 to be exact — it gives me enough time to hit the snooze button once (okay twice) and still have the coffee brewed and ready for me to drink. When I finally get out of bed, I shuffle to […]
MoreI’ve had a houseguest since Saturday. He’s a coworker, and needed a place to stay for a month while he works to save money for his apartment rent come July. He’s 19. Welcome to Hotel Holly. Well, Hotel Holly & Blanche. When my friend said he needed a place to stay, I wanted to help […]
MoreA post on my Timehop app the other day reminded me of a few dates I went on with a guy who was introduced to me by a mutual friend. For some reason or another, our relationship didn’t work out — but the dates we had were absolutely fantastic! Being set up by a friend […]
MoreI know so many of you are AMPED that a 3-day weekend is upon us (not for me, but story of my life) — however, I hope y’all have a happy, safe Memorial Day weekend! And please, eat lots of burgers, because I can’t think of anything better than to kick off summer with a […]
MoreYes, I like Green Eggs & Ham, even in a house with a mouse… okay, so not really. When you actually think about it, green eggs and ham sounds super disgusting. Amiright? I know I’ve been a little slow to add to my collection of Boyfriend Recipes lately, and that’s mainly due to the fact […]
MoreA 10-minute drive gets me to work for my part-time job at the mall. I take the same route, park in the same area of the lot, and I walk the same path to the shoe store where I work 4-5 times each week. On my way into work, I walk by one of those […]
MoreMy pic(s) of the week this time just HAD to be about Hangout Fest, since I haven’t even been back home from it for 24 hours! It was a weekend in Gulf Shores, full of fun, sun, sand (it was even in my hair), fried food, drinks, and of course: music! I will admit, I […]
MoreIF YOU’RE READING THIS… I’M ON THE BEACH! And in honor of that, what better way to celebrate hot, shirtless dudes by having a scent profile of Abercrombie & Fitch’s elite perfume, Ezra?! I got a bottle of Ezra when I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch in college (stomping grounds for two years), and I’d […]
MoreI spent all of last week with my mom, as she was in town to visit. I hadn’t seen my mom in an entire year! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to ask off work, so I still had to put in 40 hours while she was here, and a lot of our visiting time was early […]
MoreI’m SURE you heard all the hooplah in the last few weeks: Hilary Duff joined Tinder. I suppose the real craziness over The Duff joining Tinder — I swear I heard this news at least a dozen times — is that she is actually taking it seriously, and is actively going on dates. I have […]
MoreWell y’all, we’ve survived yet another week! There are times when I just can’t believe I’ll get through another busy week, and then Friday rolls in like nothing else. A week from today I’ll be on the beach at Hangout Fest, so I’m keeping my eye on the prize! This week’s Fresh Friday scent profile […]
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