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?