All posts by Allison Shelby

Every holiday season brings something new, and this year brought for me some observations. This being my first holiday season an appetizer contributing adult, I noticed things I had never considered in my many years as nothing more than a young gift receiver.   1. Each day closer to Christmas and New Years everyone’s driving gets worse. Everyone is desperate to finish shopping and beginning to lose their minds from all of the contact with distant relatives.   2. After December 20th, don’t even try surviving the mall. If DecemberRead More

The age old profession of bartender, like the hairdresser, barber, or manicurist, also doubles as a cheap therapist. Something about the job just makes people want to tell you things, oftentimes also looking for advice. Having been working in a bar for two months now, I’ve already heard some of the most intense stories I could have imagined. I’ve heard from two men whose wives left them in their sleep after ten plus years of marriage, and conversely happy oops babies after years of thinking that was long over with.Read More

This may be a little uptight of me, maybe nit-picky or even considered OCD, but there are things in a relationship that just get to me. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has this problem. Highly likely, everyone does, but I’m not a mind reader. This is my list of absolute NOs. All of them are specific instances from past relationships, but as general ideas they can be viewed as just no’s for many a couple. I’m not a dog; don’t make that kissy noise at me. AllRead More

Senior year of college, Fall semester, I was packing up after my poetry final when the guy who sat across from me all semester walked up. Thinking he was not seeking my attention I stuffed the rest of the cookie my professor handed out as inspiration into my mouth. He was indeed seeking my attention and proceeded to compliment me and ask for my number. I nearly spit out the cookie. He and I had only made contact once in the class and boy was I a hungover mess thatRead More

After reading an article in the local free paper about Summer flings, I started thinking about all of the different kinds of flings that exist. While the summer fling is the most common, there are plenty more that are not so often defined. The five most common flings are: the Summer fling, the vacation fling, the party fling, the work fling, and the class fling. While seeing them stated in these terms may feel awkward I’m sure we have all experienced or witnessed one of these five. The biggest, but oneRead More

Here is another one for you folks obsessed with the hookup culture. The word relationship has a definition in the dictionary, but it does not follow a specific mould in practice. Average relationships last three to five months, but is anyone taking into account the micro relationship? A one night stand is just that, a micro relationship. It is a much nicer way of putting what has become norm turned back taboo turned back norm and now I’m not even sure what it is. Within a matter of hours an entireRead More

Have you ever had your significant other forget something you told him or her that you found to be very important? Did it make your blood boil and a pulse begin in your temples? Well, it’s happened to me, and I’m sure I’m not alone. The difference is that I have finally realized that just like memorizing stupid BS for tests like the ACT and SAT, remembering every little insignificant detail of someone’s life will prove boring and the information will be gone as soon as it is no longerRead More

With autumn just around the corner, universities will soon be back in session. Freshman will be clinging to schedules and seniors begin to count down the days until graduation. With all the hubbub happening I’ve started to think back on my own freshman experience, or lack thereof.  Dear Future College Student, Certain kinds of colleges have been created for certain kinds of students. That is something high schools tell you, but most of their information does not take into account personal experience. Much of their literature talks about where toRead More

I’m not going to dance around with this one. It is all going right out in front. Stop asking why – it scares people. The question “Why?” is accusatory, negative, and scary. I’m not talking about asking why yeast makes bread rise. This is about asking why someone did or did not text you back on Friday night. When someone asks why you did or did not do something, immediately the pressure is on. It is time to as quickly and neatly as possible think up a good answer thatRead More

Has anyone else noticed a rise in angry, rude, and unnecessary comments online? Where there used to be likes, up votes, and encouraging comments there are now trolls and real angry words. What caused this shift, and why does it seem to be getting worse? Obviously some people’s mothers forgot to tell them that “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Aside from missing life advice, there are five things that are definitely contributing to this wave, and there are surely others.  1. NewnessRead More

After a breakup we all wonder, “What is my ex thinking about?” This is not only a female mindset but an across the board irrational thinking phase, if you will. For a little while after a breakup it is healthy to grieve and normal to catch yourself hoping he is thinking about you, but after a while it gets old and ugly. So to save some time and help those of you stuck somewhere between breakup and the break down, here is the general of what all exes are thinking.Read More