ex boyfriends
Detox Your Dating: Day 5.
SRSLY, everyone is just freaking out about this solar eclipse – is it really that big of a deal? My office doesn’t even have windows, so I’m 100% sure I will not notice when Texas gets 65% coverage. Le sigh. Anyway, onto Day 5, and this one is a tough one for me. Day 5 […]
MoreGhosts of Exes’ Past.
Every 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. […]
MoreCeleb crush: Nick Jonas.
Good morning! If you’re in need of a “Hot Guy” does, I’m your gal. If you’re new to the blog, welcome. The Bitter Lemon has been providing pictures of hot dudes for those in need since 2010. My latest celeb crush is Nick Jonas. Truth be told, I never aid a bit of attention to […]
MoreAbout that spark…
I’ve been on OK Cupid for almost a year. It’s not my favorite way to meet a potential boyfriend, but I just look at it as having another stick in the fire. A few weeks ago, I met up with guy no. four from Ok Cupid. We messaged for a few weeks before meeting face-to-face, […]
MorePic of the Week.
I spent a decent amount of my weekend driving to and from Indiana. I got up Friday morning around 3am and drove the 12 hours to Bloomington, spent Saturday attending baby showers, treated myself to a day of Sunday drinking, and hit the road Monday morning at 4:30 to make it back to Baton Rouge. […]
MoreBecoming Strangers.
I’ve had a crush on this guy, Brian, for more than10 years. He went to my high school, and last year we reconnected. He lives in Indiana, and we had a date night when I was in town last summer. It was fantastic. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wonder about the potential […]
MoreIntroducing the friends.
Alright, I’m going to admit that I’m really bad about this whole “Introducing the significant other to your friends” thing. In the past, I get really excited when I meet a new guy and we start hanging out (who doesn’t?), and I want him to meet my friends, whom I love so much. I don’t […]
MoreSingle Girl Recipe: Eggs.
I know everyone’s got different opinions about eggs; and the health benefits of them are always in question. Is it the good cholesterol or not? What about the fat content? Well, I’m of the school of thought that eggs are a great source of protein (did you know one egg has 12g of protein and […]
MoreExes: Married With Children.
Sometime last week, I wandered over to my ex-boyfriend’s Facebook page. It’s something I do when I’m feeling rather low about myself, even though looking at his page usually makes me feel worse. Call me a masochist. Right away, I saw what I figured would be there: his profile picture was a tiny baby. His […]
MoreSurvival Guide: Road trip!
In just a few weeks, I’m heading on a road trip! It’s been years since I’ve hit the open road for a trip that lasted longer than 4 hours, but I can easily say that I’m looking forward to it. About a year ago, I took a 19-hour train ride (read about it here), which […]
MoreFresh Friday: Bright Crystal.
Whew, made it to Friday! I feel like every week is a complete roller coaster — it starts one way, and ends up completely different. On Mondays, I always feel so overwhelmed when I look at my to-do list for the week. I often wake up SUPER early on Mondays and stay up late to […]
More7/50 Shades: Girl Next Door.
Although shade no. 7 is a gloss — I just cannot pull myself away. I blame this completely on Bonne Bell, for getting me addicted to shiny, glitter glosses delivered to my lips via sponge applicator. Girl Next Door by Hard Candy is sheer, with a touch of silvery shimmer. It doesn’t have a scent […]
MoreDating on Instagram.
I recently got an iPhone, after being a Blackberry user for years (it’s about time, right?). Since making the switch, I’m really trying to embrace the world of apps, especially dating apps. I’ve already tried Tinder, and within three minutes I managed to play with fire and get burned. I saw my crush’s picture, and […]
MoreMe & my bullshit, part two.
Read part one of “Me & my bullshit.” I find a tiny bit (okay, a medium bit) of comfort in recognizing the fact that the road many writers, amateur and professional, travel is one that’s alone. The craft of writing is introspective — even fiction writers often say their stories come from some place real […]
MoreMe & my bullshit, part one.
“You’re the girl from the magazine, right?” he asked. It was a guy I recognized from my gym. I shrugged. “I guess…” I said, not really sure what he meant. “Yeah, you write that bullshit column,” he said. That bullshit column. Three little words that pretty much sum up my insecurities — especially lately. Let […]
MoreOn Baggage: Give Me Back my DVDs.
I watch a lot of TV. Not in the sense of me, sitting on my couch eating popcorn while binging on hours of TV, but if I’m home, my TV is usually on. I’ve got one TV in my living room and one in my bedroom. The one in my living room is a near-60-inch, […]
MoreA Review: ‘Looking for Alaska’.
I’m sad and happy (all at once) to announce that I’ve got NO more John Green books to read! I saved Looking for Alaska for last, because while I was excited to read it, I was also sad knowing that I’d have no more books of Green’s to read! Looking for Alaska was Green’s first […]
MoreThe truth on birth control.
I know birth control can be a little bit of a touchy subject for some, but as a relationship blogger & columnist, I feel it’s almost irresponsible if I don’t at least mention it. Let’s just get this out of the way: yes, I’m on birth control. I have been for about 8 years. I […]
MoreThe Lifetime of a Crush.
You know that feeling you get when you start dating someone new? The stomach flip, the tingles, it seems like the sun is shining all the time; it’s exciting and everything seems right. That’s how I feel when I’ve got a crush. This is probably because I don’t know much about those I crush on, […]
MorePic of the Week.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, y’all! Today is probably the busiest day I’ve got planned this week, partly because I’m prepping for a fun little event here at The Bitter Lemon HQ: Drumroll… Starting at midnight tonight, I will be TWEETING the entire contents of my very first book, “How I Fell.” Remember that one? My […]
MoreSurvival Guide: Dieting.
We’re well into March, which means if you had a New Year’s Resolution of “sticking to a healthy diet,” then you’ve probably crashed and burned a few times by now. And no, it’s not that I don’t have faith in you! I just know that making changes, especially when it comes to food (delicious food) […]
MoreLuv vs. Love.
The day after Valentine’s, I got a text at 4:30 am. “Love you.” It was from a guy I went to high school with; we’ve kept in touch over the years, and have hooked up a few times. Given the timing of the text, I figured it was a drunk thing and I just didn’t […]
MorePic of the Week.
It seems like so long ago that I had an 8-5 office job — and really it was four months ago. While I am still working out details of my life nearly every week, in ways it seems like things are going along okay, and in other ways, it feels like I’ve got no direction […]
More6/50 Shades: Blushing Sequin.
I know I can’t be the only one dragging ass this morning after LOSING an entire hour yesterday — so sad. But the good news is, spring is on the way, and that means summer is just around the corner (especially true if you live in the South. Spring is, like, a day). Regardless, I […]
MoreFresh Friday: Betsey Johnson.
I don’t know about you, but this week has been kinda rough — maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the sheer fact that my most recent crush is dead to me (I’m currently looking for a new one), or perhaps it’s that damn Daylight Savings Time coming up, but in any case, I’m so glad […]
MoreBaring it all, in business?
A few weeks ago, I received an email from a guy I went to high school with — you may remember him as the guy who wrote this email about me. To make a long story short, it’s a guy I had a massive crush on for years, but for some reason he was terrible […]
MoreI’m single, stop asking why.
“So, have you found anyone yet?” It was a question from my coworker whom I’d just met. “What does that mean?” I asked her. She found it difficult to believe I was still single. I told her to believe it, because I am very, very single. “That’s good,” she said. “Wait until you’re like, almost […]
MorePic of the Week.
Lately, I have been basically living off protein bars. Seriously. I take them to work and eat one when I don’t have time to break for an entire meal, or just pack them in my lunchbox so that when I do sit down to eat, I can get protein without the use of a fridge […]
MoreA Review: ‘Maine’.
I picked up a copy of Maine during a library trip — I had written down a list of authors I wanted to check out and J. Courtney Sullivan was definitely one of them. Maine is Sullivan’s second novel (the first one is Commencement), and it’s got all the good stuff rolled into one: the […]
MoreFresh Friday: Light Blue.
Another Friday is among us, and I can’t say I’m complaining! I’m still in the need for a hot guy, so per usual, I’ll turn to the ads of another classic fragrance — I know you know this one — Light Blue by Dolce & Gabanna. Truthfully, I’d never worn this perfume until this week […]
MoreAccepting my Dating Past.
Every couple of years, I meet someone that makes me wish I could change a few things about myself. Often these things are impossible to change, things in my past. About three years ago, I had a giant crush on my neighbor, John. He was incredibly sexy, even when wearing sweatpants. We bonded over our […]
MoreCelebrating John Hughes.
Today, I wanted to celebrate my favorite screenwriter, John Hughes, as today would’ve been his 65th birthday! Hughes wrote two of my favorite movies — Home Alone and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — among many others, including The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Uncle Buck, and National Lampoon’s Vacation. He went to high school in Illinois […]
MorePic of the Week.
I’ve discussed a little about the trouble I’ve had with sleeping over the years. From what I remember, the trouble started during a bad breakup I had several years ago. He was cheating on me and I had these terrible nightmares of him having sex with other women. They were vivid and would wake me […]
MoreEven singletons have love.
As a child, Valentine’s Day was marked with gifts. There was a party at school, my dad would buy something for my mom, and my parents would get me one of those heart-shaped boxes of truffles. Since then, my parents divorced, my dad decided that Valentine’s Day was “just for women,” and he quit talking […]
MoreFresh Friday: Viva la Juicy La Fleur.
If there is one company that’s got it right on the perfume front, it’s most definitely Juicy Couture. I’ve said it before (when I featured Peace, Love & Juicy Couture) that Juicy Couture knows a little more than just velour tracksuit. Juicy has several perfumes, and I’d be lying if I said they didn’t all smell […]
MorePopping the question.
Every year around the holidays, it seems like everyone I know — who’s not already married — is getting engaged. Of course, if it wasn’t for social media, I probably wouldn’t know about 85% of these said proposals, but it’s 2015 and I guess I’ve got reality to deal with. The thing is, I’m not […]
MoreWorkout playlist.
If you had a New Year’s resolution to workout more, get fit, lose weight, etc., now’s probably the time you’re losing a little steam on the motivation front, right? Because of my career-change, my schedule changed with it, and I took a solid month (okay, more like five weeks) off in order to adjust. But, […]
MorePic of the Week.
This weekend, I finally got around to doing something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: I made Valentines! As February crept around, I realized that I’ve spent way too many Februaries being pissed or upset that I didn’t have romantic love in my life to celebrate the holiday with. Some years it bothered […]
MoreThe heart at home.
One of the best parts about my job as a journalist is being able to meet all kinds of different people; hear their stories; their struggles and triumphs. In the mix, I often end up in spots I wouldn’t normally be. A few weeks ago, I was in a flower shop, talking to a man […]
MoreOn the rebound.
A few years ago, I came to an ugly realization: most of my relationships have been rebounds from the previous one. There’s even been rebounds for rebounds. It’s not a fun thing to admit, but hell, admitting it is the first step, right? A “rebound” is a relationship that comes right after another has ended. […]
MoreThe dating age.
I work part-time at a shoe store in the mall. It’s not my dream job, but it provides cash, plus I get to meet all kinds of different people. About ¼ of the customers I meet are hot guys. When a hottie comes into the store, I think, “Yes! A hot guy!” And then I […]
MoreCeleb Crush: Justin Bieber.
I know, I know, everyone hates The Biebs. But I just can’t! Truthfully, when Bieber came on the scene, I wasn’t falling for it — even though he did have a cute face. But then, I went to see “Never Say Never,” the Bieber tour documentary (I love a doc), and it was then that […]
MoreThe Column: Sweaty is the New Sexy.
The shiny sweat, a shortness of breath, muscles tightening… it’s your workout routine, and it’s (apparently) sexy as hell. Pickup any magazine, ask any fitness professional, and they’re going to tell you that couples who sweat together, stay together. A lot of things that happen to the body — the aforementioned sweat, short breaths, muscle […]
More5/50 Shades: Tulip.
I’m still on the hunt for a great (or a few great) shades of pink to add to my makeup collection — and I recently tried CoverGirl’s Natureluxe Gloss Balm #205 in Tulip. I feel like a majority of the “shades” I’ve tried have been glosses/balms, and I think that’s just proof of my fear […]
MorePic of the Week.
I’ve been on The Hunt for comfortable flats to wear to work since I started in retail three months ago. At my previous job, I spent lots of time in a chair, so wearing incredibly high heels was pretty easy. I only had two pair of flats in my closet. Truth be told, I don’t […]
MoreThe Column: Dating in the ER.
I was about two months into dating this guy I met through some friends, when he started acting distant toward me. He stopped answering my calls, it took him longer to respond to text messages, and instead of multiple dates a week, we barely saw each other. I called him out on it, and he sent […]
MoreFresh Friday: Nirvana (black).
A few weeks ago, I told you all about Nirvana White by Elizabeth and James. Can’t have one without the other, right? In the perfume sampler pack I got for Christmas, there was also a bottle of Elizabeth and James’ Nirvana Black. As described by Sephora, “Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black is an addictive blend […]
MoreBack to it: Online dating.
I recently logged into my OK Cupid account after not touching it for two months, because 1. I was seeing someone that I thought would turn into something, and 2. The email account which I signed up with was definitely one I don’t have access to anymore since “the incident.” Oops! I joined Ok Cupid […]
MorePic of the Week.
I’ve got a TON on my mind this week, so grab a cup of coffee. For starters, this whole to-do list thing is really working out for me! For some reason (and this has always been the case for me), if it’s on a list, I will not rest until the list is completely checked […]
MoreFresh Friday: Reb’l Fleur.
Most of the time, I don’t believe that the celebrities who make perfumes and scents actually wear them — except maybe J-Lo (“Are you wearing Glo??!”), but I actually think Rihanna would wear her scent: Reb’l Fleur. As described by Fragrantica, “‘Daring, sexy and truly memorable, Reb’l Fleur is as much in tune with Barbados-born […]
MoreThings I’ve learned from watching ‘Laguna Beach’
Oh, Laguna, how I love (yes, still do) thee. In late 2004, MTV capitalized on the popularity of The OC, making a reality show based at Laguna Beach High School — claiming it was the story of the REAL OC. And hell, I don’t know how much of it was real, fake, scripted, or whatever, […]
MoreCocktail King.
Baton Rouge bartender and chef George Krause was waiting for the book to drop. At eight years old, a cocktail book fell from the “booze side” of the cabinet to the “game side.” “It was now fair game to grab it and read it, and I did,” Krause said. “I enjoyed it.” His parents found […]
MoreArgh! Dating pet peeves.
As a singleton still in the dating game, I am constantly given unsolicited advice from couples. What I often gather is that couples seem to think dating is just SO fun! Newsflash: it ain’t. Actually, most of the time, it’s pretty annoying. So, I’ve put together a list of MY dating pet peeves (some of […]
MoreFresh Friday: Body.
Known for its signature plaid, Burberry also has a collection of fragrances. I got Burberry Body for Christmas, and I fell in love with it at first whiff. As described by Sephora, “Wrapped around a woman, the iconic Burberry trench coat evokes sensuality, femininity, and luxury. In this fragrance, an eclectic composition of fruity-chypre notes […]
More4/50 Shades: Spun Sugar.
Not sure when, but some time ago, Sally Hansen created a lip gloss known as Moisture Twist, which is said to have moisture, plus shine and color, as well as serve as a primer for the color. Wow! When I bought a tube of Moisture Twist, in Spun Sugar, I had never tried any Sally […]
MoreThe Column: Sleeping W/Someone New.
A few days after a great first date, I joined a guy named Justin for a second date. We met through mutual friends, and bonded over weird relationship stories. For our second date, he invited me to his house for a casual night in. While I’m a fan of a relaxing night at home, I […]
MoreFresh Friday: Nirvana (white).
Eeek — it’s the first Fresh Friday of 2015! I promise I’ll stop getting over the fact that it’s a new year; I think part of my shock and awe is from the fact that I’ve been working every single day, so I have no idea what day it is most of the time. But! […]
MoreHappy New Year!
YASH! I made it to 2015! I swear, there were times when I didn’t think this day would ever come — I have never been so excited for a new year, in hopes that it will bring new opportunities, new memories, perhaps new places, and new people. I am so excited! Last year, I mentioned […]
More2014 in review.
Here’s an excerpt: The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 21,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 8 sold-out performances for that many people to see it. Click here to see the complete report.
MorePic of the Week
Wow, it’s the LAST pic of the week for 2014! It’s hard to believe I actually have 52 pictures that represent my year — one full of nothing and something all at once. I really thought I was going to have something representative for this last one, but when this magazine came to my mailbox, […]
MorePic of the Week.
Late last week, I decided to bake some holiday cookies from a kit I bought a few months ago — an Ugly Sweater Cookie Kit. It was just too cute to pass up. The kit had nearly everything I needed: dry ingredients for the cookie dough, a sweater cookie cutter, food coloring for red and […]
MoreAll Blanche wants for Christmas…
When you are a cat lady, said cat (or cats) is a large part of the holidays (well, and every day). That is no different in my home, where one Miss Blanche E. Devereaux pretty much runs the plantation. This was made pretty obvious last year, for Blanche’s first Christmas, when her stocking was overflowing, […]
MoreThe Column: Single Bells.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… or is it? The holidays are often associated with cheer, get-togethers, and gifts, but for singletons, the holidays can be a lonely reminder of what we’re missing. Blame it on the chilly weather or the party invitations, but it often seems like the holidays are made for […]
MoreFresh Friday: Fan di Fendi.
This week’s Fresh Friday profile is Fan di Fendi… by Fendi — say that entire phrase five times fast. I’ll admit that I’m kind of loving this scent, and not just for the winter months, but for the entire year! It’s got warm base notes of leather and patchouli, middle notes of jasmine, tuberose, and […]
MorePic of the Week.
In the first volume of The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring), J.R.R. Tolkein wrote a poem: All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light […]
MoreWhen you’re not invited…
Over the years, I’ve been to some really great weddings… and I’ve been to some not-so-great weddings, of course. But now that we live online — we can see everything anyone we even slightly know does — it’s easy to see when someone gets married. Which, in turn, makes it easy to figure out when […]
MoreSurvival Guide: Solo and Sick.
It’s that time of year, and by that I mean: cold and flu season. Yuck! If there’s one thing worse than being sick, it’s being sick with no one to care for you. When I’m sick, which is at least once every fall/winter, I throw a massive pity party for myself. Let’s face it: getting […]
MoreThe Column: One New E-Male.
Thanks to spam email, my inbox always has at least 50 unread messages. I usually use my elevator rides to delete them in what seems like a never-ending game. Goal for 2015: unsubscribe to Target, Victoria’s Secret, Macy’s, Restoration Hardware, and Barnes & Noble email lists. I was about to delete one, when I realized […]
MoreWas Harry right about the friends thing?
“You realize of course that we could never be friends… What I’m saying is — and this is not a come-on in any way, shape or form — is that men and women can’t be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.” —Harry, When Harry Met Sally Harry might have been the first […]
MoreGirlfriends’ Guide to Divorce.
After seeing (what feels like) a million previews for it, Bravo debuted their FIRST scripted series, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, last night. Based on the Girlfriends’ Guide series by Vicki Iovine, the show revolves around Abby, the author of said Girlfriends’ Guides. Though she writes about all things related to family, in last night’s episode, […]
MoreBoyfriend Recipe: White Choc Cookies.
I know everyone is probably still full of turkey and pie, but I couldn’t help but post one of my favorite recipes just in time for the Christmas holiday season — White Chocolate and Pecan Cookies. I made them many years ago, the ONLY time I’ve spent Christmas with a boyfriend (read about the details […]
MoreThe Column: Presence Over Presents.
Given that there’s a giant, decorated tree at the end of my street, and bins of cinnamon pinecones at my neighborhood market, it would seem the holidays are here. I’ve only spent one Christmas with a boyfriend. We’d been together for three years, and had yet to take things seriously – we hadn’t exchanged gifts. […]
MoreI want your love (story).
It wasn’t long ago that I obsessed over Lauren Conrad’s wedding, and purchased all of the magazines that mentioned it so I could get all the pretty details. One of those magazines was Martha Stewart Weddings — my first time purchasing a wedding magazine — and I found that it was filled with non-traditional stories […]
MoreFresh Friday: Happy.
I was feeling kind of cheesy about using Happy by Clinique as my Fresh Friday scent this week, but once I spritzed a little on, I was reminded why this perfume is so popular — it’s refreshing! As described by Clinque, “A hint of citrus. A wealth of flowers. A mix of emotions. Our best-selling […]
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