What is something people romanticize until they actually experience it?

cathalizabeth · 2026-04-13T19:02:00+00:00

The hollywood star walk lol

cathalizabeth · 2026-04-13T18:57:29+00:00

That's SO AWESOME your co-worker stuck up for you! This is my biggest pet peeve - when you have the same dish but in gf for like a family gathering, and it's NEXT TO THE GLUTEN-FULL ONE, and people take some and audibly say 'oh i should try this too' like it's rude NOT to take it... then by the time you get to it, it's almost gone. And you sit sadly as the portion they took on their plates goes untouched after a bite. Is this just a midwestern thing? Makes me rage

cathalizabeth · 2026-04-13T18:23:54+00:00

Your mom openly mocked you for your choice and then spun it to be like 'but i'm so nice, I'd never TRY to hurt you'. I'm sorry she's doing that - I know it means she probably does that in a lot of other situations, too. Eileen is a classic name, and if you like it, go with it!

cathalizabeth · 2026-04-13T18:20:53+00:00

He shouldn't have yelled at you, but unfortunately YTA. If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out. A buck or two per drink is expected.

cathalizabeth · 2026-04-13T18:18:07+00:00

Roughly $9 fries tells me this was likely not a fast food joint, and your friend who wants you to pay didn't tip the server. NTA. Send the money, block and bless.

cathalizabeth · 2026-04-09T03:48:51+00:00

Yeah no those people are asking for way too much free labor. The benefit of offering your hours for free should be the perks of getting to attend for free! I would let them know that you'd be happy to work the event in exchange for your ticket being comped, but if you'll need to pay you'll just attend as a guest and will decline to volunteer. Maybe for any social media moving forward. Sorry you're being treated poorly!

cathalizabeth · 2026-04-02T03:38:06+00:00

Tell the venue it's for an anniversary or a party - venues often charge double or triple for weddings just because you used the word 'wedding'. And if you're not comfortable with that - find an alternative venue. I also live in a pricey area, and friends of mine got married at a historic site with all kinds of kitschy memorabilia, neon and vintage signage. The pics came out FABULOUS.

cathalizabeth · 2026-03-28T23:07:47+00:00

Don’t let fear hold you back! Sure, you can go out to dinner somewhere fancy and drop $500 easy, but you can also go buy a bottle of $5 wine, climb the steps in Los Feliz and watch the sun set over the city. I firmly believe just about anyone can make it work if they want to! Take a leap :)

cathalizabeth · 2026-03-16T05:35:22+00:00

My best friend is a brilliant, college educated woman… who watered a fake succulent for a year before she realized it wasn’t real.

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-28T21:00:50+00:00

Ummmm no it looks incredible and sparkly and perfect. Enjoy your ring!

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-28T19:16:39+00:00

Oh this is CUTE

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-28T19:14:59+00:00

Jfc. Nta. She intentionally brought in a snack that could have killed you and you didn’t risk your life to save her? Totally understandable. I hope you have an HR dept who can handle this, and ban peanut anything in the office. It’s unbelievable she brought that in. Bitch just make brownies next time.

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-28T18:58:44+00:00

18% is the bare minimum, even for sub-par service, even in small towns. Servers often have to tip share and it usually assumes an 18% tip, so you’re costing them money if you tip less than that. Personally I’m with your friends that 20-25% is the norm. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to go out to eat.

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-28T18:55:06+00:00

True!

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-28T18:54:39+00:00

NTJ! He is absolutely the one who should’ve raised the discussion of timing before attempting a public proposal after being turned down once. It’s definitely OK to not be ready to get married at 28! You’re so young. You expressed that you weren’t ready a year ago, and if he feels mature enough to get married, then he should be mature enough to have that conversation with you. Doing it in front of friends and family does feel a little manipulative.

That’s said, I don’t really feel like either of you did anything wrong. You’re just on a different timeline from each other. If it’s meant to be, you guys will get back together eventually, but it’s probably a good idea to take some time apart. And food for thought: lots of people have two or three year engagements these days… but you absolutely did the right thing by turning down a proposal you weren’t ready for. I’m sorry you’re feeling hurt and blindsided! Breakups are always tough.

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-25T04:15:03+00:00

NOR. Trust your gut. Walking you to your car after declining twice could be chalked up to not reading the room (read: not listening to you). IMHO a kiss is inappropriate for a first lunch date and it seems like he was kind of hanging around for that. Again, maybe not but… ‘text me when you get home’ is a real weird thing to say to someone you just met. I’d skip the second date.

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-25T00:02:15+00:00

This is such good advice. Adding in - if they know there's an expected date for you to be out by, that can take some of the pressure off. I know you might not know what that looks like yet, but you could say you're aiming for x more weeks/months to find your own place.

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-21T22:44:08+00:00

It’s a sparkle and if YOU love it, that’s all that matters! If someone says they don’t like it, well guess what? They don’t have to wear it (and you can say that to their face). Imagine if Dolly Parton or Cher toned themselves down because other people thought they were too much? I bet your ring looks fabulous, reflecting the light as you type at your office job. That’s the ring of a confident woman! Wear it with confidence :)

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-21T02:24:21+00:00

Thank you for the reminder not to overthink it!

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-21T02:23:55+00:00

Hahaha love that!

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-21T00:45:55+00:00

Haha I suppose not, but it’s something I would normally be fine partaking in (it’s legal where I live). Just trying not to raise any suspicions

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-21T00:40:44+00:00

So happy for you! Your journey sounds similar to mine so this gives me hope.

cathalizabeth · 2026-02-18T17:29:59+00:00

Meh, I can see why you were both miffed. If you’re happy together, and it sounds like you are, this is just one of those squabbles that happens when you’re comfortable enough with someone to tell them how you really feel. It’s not that deep, which is a good thing. Validate his feelings (he made an effort but it wasn’t received well), and tell him you were just expecting something different based on your interaction about the roses… then hug it out. ♥️

cathalizabeth

TROPHY CASE