02 April 2011

Where in the World and a Shoe Crisis

I love where I live, I really do and I love my friends in this area even more, but I kinda think I have the traveling bug. The problem is a lack of nearby international airports. The recent round trip to Malta required no less than 10 flights!!  And while I love flying, I can certainly do without that headache every time I want to go somewhere and do something.  So this is a BIG problem!!



London blew my mind! And I really want to go back and see the place properly and see friends this time. But with the schedule I was running there was simply no time to do anything other than whip my ass hard to get around to see what landmarks I could and I certainly didn't manage to get a proper run in which is something I always try to do if I'm in a different area.

The other thing is not actually a “shoe crisis” as such but a whole appearance crisis lol.  
Here in the southern states we tend to be very laid back and casual in our dress, but driving a truck all week long makes me want to dress like a girl on my time off, skirts, heels, boots. But here I stand out a little too much. It wasn’t so bad when I wasn't  single, but now I kinda feel that I am looked at differently.



In London and Malta most people were wearing the kind of things I enjoy wearing, and I’m not even talking about my crazy love of heels and tall boots, although there were plenty of those about too.  Also, I’m starting to find the discomfort of being hit on more… this probably sounds silly after what I just wrote but it’s partly work related and while here and on twitter I can laugh and joke with the best as it makes day fly by with a smile, it’s a very different thing when it’s close to home and more discomforting when it’s in the work place where I don't dress in anything but sensible work gear. I have always had to cope with a certain amount anyway because of my tattoos and being in a very male dominated industry etc, but this is slowly becoming intolerable, I probably have enough phone numbers to fill a small phone book with and I don't necessarily want any of them!! Especially now that it seems that these are beginning to fetter my web presence too. It's gotten to the point where I feel that my trucking days are starting to draw to a close, especially if I end up having to move to over the road driving rather than regional.  So, as this year progresses,  I will probably be looking to change my online presence quite a bit especially with the recent twitter hiccup. It is something I have been contemplating for a while anyways and I'm considering possibly reorganizing this blog into something a little less haphazard.

So a move to a place with more of an acceptance of dress and appearance plus an international airport to have access to running in Europe, the Med and Asia may be in the plans soon – I’m open to ideas, but where I live now is fantastic for running and cycling and above all -my friends! It certainly would be a tough call to move away from here.



3 comments:

The Wondering Brit said...

When you say "Move".... Just how far are you talking about?
I hear Tripoli is good, Central location, international airport, great weather, you'd get a cheap fix-a-upper though some attention should possibly paid to the roof, No or little taxation, exotic food, over 10,000 square miles of beach... the is a bit of sea too :-)

Terri said...

I feel kinda stupid, but what does "over the road" mean? Driving cross-country?

I think what's going on with these changes in you is similar to what's going on with me. This is the first time you've been on your own for a long time, and you're discovering who you are, and what makes you happy, not suppressing those things anymore. if traveling is what you like, then I say do it. If it's moving to a different area of the country, I say do it. (Hey, the northeast will always welcome you, hint, hint) And Elsie too, of course.

As for wearing what you want to wear, girl, I say, GO FOR IT! I no longer worry about what people will think if i wear pink. It makes me feel girly. Same thing with heels- you have awesome taste in them, so wear 'em, lady!

And about the people who you see in person and who are starting to encroach into your personal life online, I say, go ahead and delete them off of facebook and/or twitter if they are following you there. It sounds like maybe some guys are thinking "hey, open season on Gabby--she's single now!" let's face it, a lot of men are pigs. (There are some good ones out there you just need to know how to recognize them when you meet them.) I did it recently - cleaned out my facebook account, and I don't feel guilty unfollowing folks on Twitter anymore.

your life is what you make of it right now. You've been through so much over the past year, Gabby. Allow yourself to feel happy. Allow yourself to stop feeling the self-loathing you and I have gone through around the same time. allow yourself to think and know that you are making the right decisions for yourself right now. If that means a move, just start saving for it. i think once you make a decision, and some of the indecision goes away, you will feel a lot better and less stressed.

And we all know you are tough as nails, shut the creeps down when they start making you feel uncomfortable.

[hugs to you]

Unknown said...

Terri,
awesome advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TWB, ignoring you :-/