Babe, I can't pay the rent.

Can I be mean for a sec?

Are you married to a HiGh VaLuE mAn?

In case you haven’t been rotting away on TikTok this holiday season, let me catch you up on a trend. Women are filming their husbands’ reactions to “Babe, I can’t pay the rent this month.” These videos feature women who don’t contribute financially to household bills, and what started as an innocent joke has now turned into a way to claim moral superiority over going 50/50—or brag about being married to a “High-Value Man” (🤢that term).

As usual, the comments sections are divided. Some women relate—whether they’re SAHMs, trad-wives, or just not paying bills—while others argue that not contributing financially is anti-feminist.

For context, my husband pays our rent. I don’t pay half. I don’t pay the car bill or insurance. I don’t pay utilities.

It wasn’t always this way. Before COVID, we split the bills when I had a 9-to-5. We didn’t nickel-and-dime each other, and Joe usually treated us for date night. But when I left my decade-long career in the beauty industry, my finances became unpredictable. Joe picked up the slack, allowing me to pursue my passions. Wait, actually, it’s none of your damn business!

Here’s the thing: it’s almost 2025, and we need to stop assuming women can’t think for themselves. If a woman isn’t paying the mortgage—or doesn’t even know who the lender is—that doesn’t mean her husband is financially manipulating her. On the flip side, women going 50/50 or being the breadwinner aren’t necessarily married to scrubs.

Personally, I don’t plan on helping with bills again anytime soon, if ever. Until my husband births our future children, shaves all his bits, dyes his roots, upkeeps acrylics, cooks most of our meals, and carries the mental load of holidays, family obligations, and invisible household labor—he can keep covering rent.

He’s fine with it. You’re not married to me, so you should be too.

Have you heard? We’re allowed to like Blake Lively again!

During the It Ends With Us press tour, everyone was riding the Justin Baldoni train. Apparently, Blake Lively had become public enemy number one—she wasn’t just unlikeable; she was a horrible person (allegedly). Naturally, this meant dissecting every choice she’s made over the last 20 years. Meanwhile, Justin Baldoni was propped up as the misunderstood, staunchly feminist black sheep of the cast. Poor little Justin.

Well, turns out Baldoni might actually be a creep, according to Lively’s lawsuit against him. Back to team Blake! I’d rather get a lobotomy than scour the internet for sources—I’m not one of those millennials who pretends to read the news. I did, in fact, learn 99% of what I know from TikTok. So, Google it. <3

Anyway, I got the immediate ick from Baldoni and saw this coming a mile away. Are we done idolizing celebrities yet? Are we done lifting them up just to tear them down? It’s all so predictable, and I’m bored to tears.

On an unrelated-but-slightly-related note... why hasn’t Taylor Swift ever been canceled? That might tickle my fancy ever so slightly, even though I think cancel culture does absolutely nothing except make these people more relevant than ever. Honestly, I prefer to be an ice queen and pretend most celebs don’t exist. Can we all agree to silently cancel the people we don’t like? Unfollow, mute, block—easy. It might actually be more impactful?

Feast of the 7 fishes

Growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island felt like living in a constant I’m More Italian Than You contest. Despite being one of the only people I knew who was first-generation, I felt less “Italian” than everyone else. My family didn’t pronounce “calamari” as “gahlahmadddd,” nor “cavatelli” as “gahvahdeeel.” We didn’t pray to St. Anthony when we lost our keys, eat pasta on Thanksgiving, or count the number of fishes on Christmas Eve.

Yes, we eat fish, but I’ve never once heard my family refer to the meal as the “Feast of the Seven Fishes.” It’s allegedly an Americanized thing—like chicken parm or garlic bread—that Tony Soprano wannabes, in their velour tracksuits, insist is authentic but isn’t particularly Italian at all.

That said, mom did cook a feast, and there were only six types of fish. But who’s counting?!

I’ve lost seven pounds.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I randomly decided to try eating animal-based. Yes, I saw this on TikTok. No, I will not rename this publication to “Things I Watched on TikTok,” but I probably should pick up a book or something.

Anyway, I fell down a rabbit hole of people eating animal-based—not to be confused with the carnivore diet where you only eat meat, eggs, butter, and raw dairy. The animal-based diet includes all those things plus fruit and honey (I’m oversimplifying; plz Google <3). I didn’t decide to try it as a desperate attempt to lose weight, for once. I just found myself craving a diet of steak, fruit, and cheddar cheese, so I thought, why not?

My initial intention was to try it for a day to see if I liked it, and then... I just never stopped. I paused for Thanksgiving Day, my birthday celebrations (three days), Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. And yet, I’ve still lost seven pounds at the time I’m writing this.

Here’s the thing—the animal-based diet isn’t some miracle weight-loss hack. I’m in a caloric deficit, and eating this way makes it easier to stick to one. I look forward to the food I’m eating, and I don’t feel guilty about enjoying occasions and holidays. Something just kinda clicked in my brain. Maybe it’s the cheese, idk?

I felt compelled to share since I’m a lowkey Ozempy-hater and was starting to go crazy seeing all these skinny bitches on my feed.

I feel good. I’m proud of myself. I love steak and butter. All is right in the world.

You are amazing.

Whether you’re a stranger, bestie, family member (hi, mom!), or fellow writer, THANK YOU for being here and reading.

2024 was the year I became a writer. I have no idea what I’m doing most of the time, and I feel super insecure about my writing, but it’s been the most fun I’ve ever had.

If you want to connect, add me on Instagram and drop into my DMs—I’d love to get to know my readers.

Here’s to 2025 bringing you peace, adventure, laughter, and love.