Follow Me Here

I'm starting a Tumblr account for all the random stuff I want to post online that doesn't really fit into my travel/photography/other blogs.

So, if you are so inclined, keep up with me there: Just Allie

I'll still continue to post here, but probably not with much regularity.

Cheers!

Online Life Consolidation

I spent the better part of my morning attempting to consolidate my online presence to one central location and failing. I wonder if it's possible to import posts from my other blogs into this one. That might solve part of my problems.

Sorry A-Train of Thought, you always end up neglected. I don't mean to ignore you, I just end up spilling all my stories to all the other outlets. Maybe it's time to retire you.

Happy Birthday to ME!

Today I am 28.

It's odd. I don't feel my age. But who really does, right?

Today's been a great day. Ange (my friend/current roommate) made me pancakes for breakfast. And she made me dinner. She did more for me that my bf last year (of 3+ years) did. I went for drinks with friends.

I came home and have been reflective and indecisive and much like myself.

I'm in a weird spot lately and not sure what to do with it because I know the consequences of all my possible outcomes and I don't like any of them so I'm not doing anything. Wow, that sounds like everything I always say. Dammit it sucks when you have to be vague and censor yourself on your own blog because you don't want to admit anything to yourself.

Suffice it to say this: I am stuck having feelings for the person that would be perfect for me like, 5 years from now. I'm not ready for that, he's not ready for that. I know that pursuing something would mess it all up. Neither of us are in the right place for it to work and I refuse to lose what we DO have for the sake of something that I know will ultimately fail.

Maybe you know who I'm talking about. It's probably not much of a stretch.

So guess what I'm going going to do: Continue dating/going after the boys I'm not meant to be with. Partly because I know it's easier than giving up my heart. Partly because it's amusing and fun to meet new people. Partly because thats what I always do.

Welcome to 28. It's exactly like all the years before.

Bodily Change?

  I've been on this kick to attempt to lose weight etc. I've made progress, having lost inches overall.

I kinda wish I'd taken pictures from the get go, but instead I'll just use the ones that I took over a year ago when I started the 30 Day Shred.

Jan 9th I measured myself (curiously this is exactly a year later from the last time I posted).


A Year Ago: 
Calves 15.25
Thighs
  lower 19
  upper 25.25
Hips   42.5
waist
  where I wear my pants  34
  "true" waist  29
bust    32.5/36.5
arms  11.5


Jan 9 2011
Thighs 27
Hips   43
waist
  where I wear my pants  36
  "true" waist  30
arms  12


Feb 26 2011
Thighs 23.75 (this is pretty amazing, actually)
Hips   41 (whoot! 2 inches gone!)
waist
  where I wear my pants  32 (4 inches gone!)
  "true" waist  27.4 (2.4 inches!)
arms  12


Now, granted, I had gone up from last year - but the fact that I am lower now then I was then even is pretty exciting. 


Photos (a year ago)

And now 

Sadly my awesome pants don't accurately depict my leg situation... maybe I'll have to take some more photos.

I've got the world at my fingertips... well, kinda.

I went and got my tattoo done today:

I think it's pretty awesome. Dana at True Love Tattoo did a great job with it!

A-Team to live together?

I've had a lot of changes in the last month or so.

On Jan 15th Jocelyn moved out, leaving me scrambling to figure out what I was going to do. I wasn't very lucky finding someone to move in for Feb 1st but was able to convince Ange (my Italy/Vegas travel partner) to move in on a temporary basis while she looked for a place to live here in London. She's started a new job and is looking to put down some roots.

We've gone back and forth about what we're going to do. I've looked at a few one bedroom apartments but generally they are out of my price range and I don't really want to have to spend more money a month than I have to. We discussed finding a two bedroom place together that is bigger than what I have now. At first I was a bit apprehensive about the idea - I don't make any decision quickly (except maybe to travel somewhere) and wanted to be sure that we'd live together okay before committing to anything.

I've spent pretty much all my free time in the last month searching for possible apartments on Kijiji, as well as arguing with my landlord about moving out and when that would happen. Originally I thought I would stay til May 1st, allowing him (the landlord) and myself a chance to find suitable replacements. However, I realized that May is going to be a terribly busy month with working in Toronto and going to Thailand and that if I can move for April 1st I'd be much better off.

Next thing you know, Ange is wanting to buy a house here in London, and we've been looking at various properties around the city. She'd buy and I'd rent from her. Of the places we've looked at none have been hugely bigger than what we currently live in, but with the added benefit of more parking and a huge backyard with a deck - something I would definitely want if I were to move anywhere.

Like I said, before I was a bit skeptical about living with Ange long term, but I think it would be okay. We get along fine, we keep each other balanced (something we both need at times, I think) and she's okay with the fact that I hope to take off and live overseas around this time next year. So what more can I ask for? If she finds another job that pays more in another city then she says I can rent from her and have a whole house to myself. Can't complain about that either!!
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In other news - new tattoo on Wed! It'll be the first one that's visible to anyone and everyone - a map of the world on my arm with all the places I've been marked off. I'm pretty excited, I think it'll be fun.

Also - planning a trip to Central America with my cousin Meg for July. Not certain yet where we'll go, or how we'll do it, but it will either be Mexico/Belize/Guatemala or Costa Rica/Panama. I'm up for an adventure either way.

And only a few more months til Thailand!! Can't wait. I think it will be a fantastic time.

I'm not sure if I've linked to it before, I've been updating under my pseudonym Atlanta Noreen at The Girls of 52 Hilltop and writing about my dating adventures. Mostly misadventures lately. The longer I'm "without" a guy in my life, the more I kinda like it. I'm getting to the point where I'm alright with casual dates (or just hanging out) with guys I know, but for it to become serious a lot of criteria are going to have to be met. And that's probably okay. I'm not willing to just settle - I'm okay with being single so why mess with that if it's okay by me?

Monthly Post Time!

Poor poor A-Train of Thought.. you've been left out in the cold while I've been keeping company with the other blogs I seem to have gotten myself into.

There's my travel blog, which I diligently recorded my trip to Peru (and linked to this blog for all my other trips)
Travel with the A-Train

And then there's the photo blog, which I haven't been so diligent with posting to - guess I ought to start taking more pictures.
Alanna Foell Photography

And then there's Girls of 52 Hilltop, a foray into the unsuccessful life of a single girl.

Not sure why I haven't managed to spend any time here. Whether it's been that I usually use this space to record my thoughts of all types and now I have 3 different spaces to record 3 different types of thoughts, or if I just haven't felt like baring my soul lately, I don't know.

Things have been pretty good with me though. I made it past new years without falling into another relationship. Now I'm setting another goal for myself - no relationships til after my bday. 3 month intervals seems to be a good plan to me. It's kind refreshing. Sure I've been on dates and met lots of people and had many an Oh Alanna moment, but its' all in fun and no one is getting hurt, at least I don't think so.

I've spent the evening dishing out advice to friends. I've always been pretty good at doing so, and my friend Ren suggested I start an advice column. Maybe I should. It's not that I think I'm right all the time. It's just that I think I've gained perspective into certain situations and can call it like it is. So, stay tuned, Ask Allie may be on it's way.

Since I totally suck at keeping this thing updated, here is whats on deck for me in the next little while:

Booked flights to Thailand today! Going in May!
Getting a tattoo of a map of the world on my arm in Feb - going to mark off all the places I've been.
Jocelyn, my awesome roommate is leaving me, sadly. Searching for a new roomie. Might have Ange move in with me - should the A-Team live together?
Sending my Irish Citizenship papers in to be processed tomorrow - soon I will be an Irish citizen with a passport allowing me to work and live anywhere in Europe!

And.. that's about all I can think of right now.