When I got my first apartment (by myself) after college, my mom gave me an extra crock-pot she had, as all I had was a bed, a dresser, and a slew of clothes. It took me years to get enough furniture to make for a decent home, and lots gifts to fill my kitchen with […]
MoreLate last year, I entered a blogging contest for Cosmopolitan.com. The prompt was about the most important relationship you had in college, and what you learned from it. I hated to give a guy that title, yet I probably would have won the contest if I had, because, you know…Cosmo. Either way, now it’s here […]
MoreLook for my column, The Bitter Lemon, in Baton Rouge’s alt-weekly, Dig magazine. A fresh issue hits the stands every Wednesday. This week’s column covers two of my favorite things: cooking and dating. The man I thought I was going to marry was a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy. If love were rice dressing, […]
MoreThe following post contains affiliate links, which sends me a small percentage of any sales at no cost to you. Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’ve got HUGE bags under my eyes. Hell, there are HUGE bags above them, too. I have dabbled in a few different eye creams (Mary Kay Time Wise Firming Eye […]
MoreDuring my final semester in college, I quit my retail job and went to work as a bartender—something that was on my bucket list. As a foodie, I wanted to learn how to craft and serve some of the best cocktails in town. While the hours were rough and the work was difficult, it was […]
MoreWhen I was in 7th grade, I loved the store Limited Too (now known as Justice, I think). It was—and as far as I know, still is—the place where glitter, sequins, and overall cool shit for teenage girls, came to die. It was a real treat to get new clothes from there, but really, I loved […]
MoreMy relationship with sleep has probably had just as many issues as my dating life. But while I’ve been sleeping my entire existence, I can’t tell you if sleep has always been an issue for me. I do remember being an early riser during my high school years—waking early to allow myself enough time to […]
MoreMTV’s series, The Hills, has always been a not-so-guilty pleasure for me. I loved watching Laguna Beach, too. And while, I know you all probably think I’m dumb for obsessing over all six seasons of The Hills, not only while it was on TV, but ever since, thanks to my DVD collection—I’ve learned quite a […]
MoreWhen you ask me “Why are you single?” What I want to say is, “Why are you so fucking nosy?” But instead I put on a jacket of societal norms And I just Shrug my shoulders And tell you “I just haven’t found the one yet” But if you want my honest opinion… I don’t […]
MoreLast week, I finally got back into a regular routine of participating in an open mic night. But, my journey to the mic has been an interesting one. When I was in college, I was on a mission to get a degree in journalism. But after applying to my university’s journalism school twice, and getting […]
MoreIf the title didn’t sell you on this recipe, I’m about to. In college, I dated a guy who I fell in love with pretty quick. I remember the first time I saw him—as I was handing in an application at American Eagle—I felt that spark. He was cuuuuuuute. And he looked even better in […]
MoreIs it lame that I’m 28 years old and still watching shows on MTV? If so, let’s just get over that tiny little fact about me, and move on to MTV’s newest season of the Real World: Ex-Plosion, K? It starts off (last night was episode 3) just the same as every Real World season—7 […]
MoreIt’s here, it’s FINALLY here! My second book, How to Make Lemonade, is published and ready for YOU to read… What’s it about? It is a memoir of my dating life in college—I had 3 serious boyfriends, which, as you can probably guess, didn’t work out, considering I’m single right now. However, the stories of […]
MoreThe following was written in 2010; nothing has been changed. Like what you’ve read? Enjoy my #tb (throwback) blog series as I count down the days until my second book, How to Make Lemonade, is released TOMORROW! DAY 30: RECLAIM THE SELF Tuesday, July 20, 2010 I had the pleasure of adding another male to […]
MoreI’m not a big fan of Taylor Swift. But every now and then, she’ll come out with a song that gets stuck in my head or, in this case, strikes a chord with me. Enter, “Everything Has Changed” featuring Ed Sheeran. The song, as interpreted by me, is about two people who go from friends […]
MoreAnnouncing: my second book! My second book, How To Make Lemonade, is my story from the beginning—as far as dating goes, anyway. I tricked him into being my boyfriend. One morning before class began, I took a ring I’d gotten in one of those clear plastic bubbles and placed it in my mailbox. The mailboxes […]
MoreIs it possible to fall in love with something other than a person? I certainly hope so, because I’ve fallen in love with Los Angeles. This love affair has been going on since about 6th grade—before I’d ever even been to the city. But I dreamed about the streets, lined with palm trees and lights, […]
MoreYesterday marked three years that I’ve been registered with WordPress.com. Three years ago, I registered this blog space so I’d have a place to keep all of the stories running through my head. I thought I would eventually weave them into a memoir. As you probably know by now, that’s not quite what happened. But […]
MoreOver the summer, Maureen O’Connor wrote an article for New York Magazine, “All My Exes Live in Texts: Why the Social Media Generation Never Really Breaks Up.” Hmmm. Even the title had my gears turning. For starters, O’Connor states in the article that out of her 700 friends on Facebook, 36 she considers to be […]
MoreDuring the quick drive from the church to their home, D called his parents asking if they needed anything. “We are going to stop at Walmart because Holly needs a case of beer…” he told them (Baptists are anti-alcohol). I gave him the evil stare. He laughed, hanging up the phone, telling me to lighten […]
MoreMy new boyfriend had yet to meet my friends, and since my parents live states away, meeting my friends was as important as it got. So me and D planned to have my friends come into the restaurant one night when he was working—this way, he could meet them, but it wouldn’t be some formal […]
MoreI can still remember my first Valentine. I was in first grade, and a boy in my class, named Dustin, gave me a small, white teddy bear with a red bow tied around his neck. At 6 years old, this was a lavish gift among the ritual of passing out store-bought cards with flat suckers. […]
MoreOne of the best parts of my job as a journalist is meeting so many different, and interesting, people. With each interview I conduct, I’m reminded of the motto I live by: Everyone has a story to tell. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with a local gentleman who was […]
MoreDuring a drive this weekend, I popped in a random CD and came across one of my favorite country songs, “These Days” by Rascal Flatts. The song, which is the story about a man running into a girl he’s loved for years although she’s married, is a little cheesy (and so is the music video), […]
MoreEarlier this week, a local magazine published an editorial I wrote about my neighbor. You can read it here. Long story short, I went to his apartment for what I assumed was an innocent evening and ended up having to run out of there after he was trying to force me to cuddle with him. […]
MoreIn last Sunday’s issue of The New York Times there was an “Education Life” insert full of articles on the modern college student. As a blogger, I was super excited to check out “Term Paper Blogging,” an article written by Matt Richtel on the idea of the age-old term paper being replaced with a blog. […]
MoreI’ve been researching agents and the publishing world for just a few days now, and I will admit {as much as I hate to} that it is an intimidating world out there. I’m starting to second guess all of the work I’ve done, and wonder if I need to work harder, longer, be more clever…in […]
MoreIn late October, Austin and I got into a pretty heated fight (big shocker, I know). He was coming into town for Thanksgiving the following month and I told him it would be a good time for us to meet each other’s parents—my mom was coming in town to cook with me and he was […]
MoreAJ, Hey you! Just wanted to say thanks for another great weekend. I have fun with you whether we’re out or just at home…because you’re that cool. I’m looking forward to another visit soon. I know things might suck now but I am certain time will help in a decision that will be the best […]
MoreToward the end of July, I had a bit of a meltdown. I hadn’t really talked to Austin much since I got home from Dallas. So I assumed he would never talk to me again. Everything he was doing I was applying it to my fear and I finally broke down. I thought about what […]
MoreBefore my trip to Dallas, Austin and I got into another fight. We talked on the phone one day when clearly, we should not have. He was being a dick because I didn’t call him when he wanted me to. So when I said I’d let him go so he could work, he got pissed. It […]
MoreShortly after my 22nd birthday, school and work were really taking up my time and energy, and I was really stressed out over my summer school classes. But since I was so busy, I didn’t have much social time. Most of my girlfriends had boyfriends or didn’t have time or money to go out, which often […]
MoreAfter Austin graduated, I went on vacation to St. Thomas with my mom and best friend. Austin was still in Baton Rouge looking for jobs. In mid June, I spent three days and nights with Austin. Thursday night was the first time we saw each other since I got back from St. Thomas. I really […]
MoreAfter I cooled off from being royally reject by Eddie, I went back on my word and started talking to Austin again. Naturally, when my friends found out Austin and I were talking again, they were skeptical—warning me that all Austin wanted from me was sex, but I gave him the benefit since I cared for […]
MoreWhen Eddie didn’t call me the following day, or days after that, I knew it was the Adam situation all over again. I was confused and heartbroken. But unlike my relationship with Adam, Eddie and I were always open with each other. It was clear how much we liked each other’s company. But if that […]
MoreIn September, I went to an LSU game with a few of my girlfriends. We thought it would be a great idea to wakeup early and throw back a few mimosas, since it was an afternoon game. But the alcohol and the heat made for a very unpleasant mix. So I went home early, and […]
MoreAfter work, we went to a restaurant just across the street from American Eagle. We ordered beers—I got mine on draft and he made a weird comment about how draft beer was cheaper and wondered if that’s why I got it. It wasn’t. During our conversation, it came out that I had a male roommate. […]
MoreIn August, A&F was cutting my hours, so I looked elsewhere for work. Naturally, I decided to go to the dark side and put in an application at American Eagle. When I went to drop off my completed application, there was a hot guy working the counter. His name was Eddie. He was just my […]
MoreAustin and I didn’t go on many dates before we decided to be exclusive. Our first two dates went very well, and I remember wondering if things were moving too fast. I didn’t know if I was really ready for another relationship—I was still feeling the baggage from Adam. But I felt like Austin and […]
MoreI was in the stockroom at work one Saturday, trying to reorganize clothes, when Austin came in complaining about a recent date he went on. The girl he went with worked at A&F with us, just like all of the girls Austin took on dates. His general complaint was a blanket fear of never finding […]
MoreAfter Halloween, the anger portion of my grief set in. The lovely Facebook showed me pictures of Adam in a frat boy costume. He was with a girl who was dressed as a pirate wench. She is now his wife. Although I had declared my single status on Facebook, I wasn’t an idiot—Adam hadn’t met […]
MoreAs close as Adam and I were, I never saw much of him during school breaks. Over the summer, Adam and his family spent time at their lakeside cottage in Michigan. During Christmas break, he was either closing the cottage or traveling to visit other family members. From the outside, his family looked perfect. Adam’s […]
MoreIn late October 2007, Austin and I got into a pretty heated fight (big shocker, I know). He was coming into town for Thanksgiving the following month and I told him it would be a good time for us to meet each other’s parents—my mom was coming in town to cook with me and he […]
MoreOctober 7, 2007 {9:34 p.m.}: I’ve been feeling better about the AJ situation since we talked about things. When we talked, we never really got anything solved, but at least I learned Austin didn’t mean most of what he said and he was just trying to get a reaction out of me. There is still […]
MoreSeptember 30, 2007: Been a long time since I’ve been here. Been writing some on my computer—but I’ve reached that point where I really need to just WRITE. Last night, I cried for the first time over a fight Austin and I had over two weeks ago. I left for work and was coming home […]
MoreAJ, Hey you! Just wanted to say thanks for another great weekend. I have fun with you whether we’re out or just at home…because you’re that cool. I’m looking forward to another visit soon. I know things might sucks now but I am certain time will help in a decision that will be the best […]
MoreAugust 14, 2007 {9:59 a.m}: It seems airport writing has become my thing—or maybe just airports in general. I’m here in Texas on my way to Los Angeles, finally! So much has happened since I wrote last. Seriously last week was such a roller coaster. Gabe and Nik and Evan ALL contacted me so my […]
MoreJuly 25, 2007 {10:40 p.m.}: Okay, so yesterday I had a bit of a meltdown. For starters, I really hadn’t talked to Austin much since I got home from Dallas. So of course I assumed he would never talk to me again. Everything he was doing I was applying it to my fear and I […]
MoreJuly 22, 2007 {9:22 p.m.}: New journal, I know. Here I am, in Houston waiting for my next flight into New Orleans. I just finished my weekend with Austin in Dallas. I had so much fun with him and I definitely was so sad to leave him. Of course, I was wrong about so many […]
MoreJuly 10, 2007 {12:59 p.m.}: OK, so I don’t have my fucking journal, I’m at Starbucks and pissed at Austin AGAIN! This is the third time in three days. We talked yesterday when we definitely should not have. He was being a dick because I didn’t call him when he wanted me to. So when […]
MoreJuly 7, 2007{8:30 p.m.}: Okay, once again it’s been awhile since I’ve been here. I’m 22 now! School and work have been really taking up my time and energy…I’ve been really stressed. My geology grade sucks, I can’t seem to get ahold of the concepts and time is running out. But since I’ve been so […]
MoreJune 14, 2007 {11:24 p.m.}: Well, it’s been exactly two weeks since you’ve heard from me: A LOT has happened! But…first thing is first. I cried on my drive home from work tonight. I’ve cried so much this summer. The saddest part is, I can hardly pinpoint why I cry, not because I don’t have […]
MoreJune 14, 2007 {10:52 p.m.}: Well, I’m home and in my own bed…it’s Austin’s last night in Baton Rouge. I guess he read my letter this afternoon because when I got home from work there were roses on my doorstep (3 red, 2 pink). There was also a thank you card with it and he […]
MoreI ended up rewriting the letter and giving it to Austin on our last night together, in Baton Rouge. June 13, 2007{11:42 p.m.}: Okay so I just got home and into bed from saying goodbye to Austin. Needless to say, I cried my eyes out—ugly girl style. The night was awkward and short. We didn’t […]
MoreAfter I cooled off from being royally reject by Eddie, I went back on my word and started talking to Austin again. To be honest, I don’t know or recall why or how it happened, but I have a ton of journal entries to prove it. March 21, 2007: I am still upset about the […]
MoreI didn’t see or speak to Eddie in months. In January, when I returned back to Baton Rouge after winter break, Kirk and Nicole and I went shopping in the mall. Kirk walked by American Eagle and saw Eddie inside. We went in as a group and messed up a few shirts, acting like we […]
MoreOctober 21, 2006 {12:03 a.m.} Well here I am in this trusty heartbreaking journal of mine. First, it was Adam, then Austin, and now it’s Eddie. So we went to Indiana over fall break…and before and during the trip I was under the impression we both really liked each other. Both of us always told […]
MoreThe next morning, Eddie and I drove to Ohio to visit my dad and his girlfriend. We got to their house in time to head to the river for the annual balloon festival—a beautiful sight to see all of the colorful hot air balloons lined up along the water at sunset. There was food and […]
MoreEddie was ready to meet my parents. We’d been seeing each other for two months, but it felt like a year. Since we both had fall breaks coming up with school, Eddie suggested we drive back to the midwest and meet everyone. I was ecstatic! I called my family and told them Eddie and I […]
MoreIn September, I went to an LSU game with a few of my girlfriends. We thought it would be a great idea to wakeup early and throw back a few mimosas, since it was an afternoon game. But the alcohol and the heat made for a very unpleasant mix. So I went home early, and […]
MoreI stayed at Eddie’s that night, and when I left in the morning, I was pretty sure he would never call me again. I didn’t know the status of his girlfriend, and it definitely didn’t help that he was my manager. So I tucked it away in my mind as a great night, and left […]
MoreSo, Eddie had a girlfriend. He never talked about her, but I had put the clues together at left it at that. One Sunday night, I joined a few of my sorority sisters and their boyfriends at this bar that overlooked a swamp. It was at the end of a short pier, and basically stood […]
MoreIn August, A&F was cutting my hours, so I looked elsewhere for work. Naturally, I decided to go to the dark side and put in an application at American Eagle. When I went to drop off my completed application, there was a hot guy working the counter. His name was Eddie. I dropped off my […]
MoreJuly 24, 2006 {1:00 pm} Okay, so here I am again back in the journal writing about what I know best: how someone else has broken my heart. It’s been nearly 8 months since I was here writing about my issues with Adam. Today, it’s Austin. Yesterday, he told me he doesn’t have an emotional […]
MoreAustin and I didn’t go on many dates before we decided to be exclusive. Our first two dates went very well, and I remember wondering if things were moving too fast. I didn’t know if I was really ready for another relationship—I was still feeling the baggage from Adam. But I felt like Austin and […]
MoreI agreed to go to dinner, despite Austin’s very lame attempt at asking me. We were in the stockroom, trying to reorganize clothes, when Austin came in complaining about a recent date he went on. The girl he went with worked at A&F with us, just like all of the girls Austin took on dates. […]
MoreOf course, after I got rid of my physical baggage from my relationship with Adam, it took months before he was out of my mind. At the time, sorting through my emotions was one of the most difficult things I had to go through. But looking back on it now, it was just one step […]
MoreA few weeks later, I spent my first Thanksgiving away from home. It was such a hassle to travel back to the midwest for such a short trip, that I was happy when a sorority sister invited me to her family’s Thanksgiving dinner. However, I was worried that all of my high school friends would […]
MoreAfter the journal entries, and after Halloween, the anger portion of my grief set in. The lovely Facebook showed me pictures of Adam in a frat boy costume for Halloween. He was with a girl who was dressed as a pirate wench. She is now his wife. Although I had declared my single status on […]
MoreAs you can tell from a few of those previously posted columns, things were going pretty well with Adam and I, even though we were 15 hours away from each other. When I got back to school in August, for the fall semester, I booked a flight to visit Adam for my Fall Break—basically a […]
MoreI wrote this column for the LSU newspaper. It’s about my relationship with Adam. It was published about two weeks before he dumped me. Relationships with Holly A. Phillips {published Tuesday, September 27, 2005} I miss my single-self. My single-self is laid-back, strong and independent. But I lost her somewhere in the midst of my […]
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The Bitter Lemon 
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