Opening up the backend of AliceMoyna to write a new blog feels like greeting an old friend. It's bittersweet, but after some persuasion from my Dad (hello, Dad!), it feels only right to officially sign off from my personal piece of the internet that I've kept all of these years.
It's been 12 years since I published my first blog post, and three since I published my last. A combination of life getting in the way, and the inevitable feeling that people 'just don't read blogs anymore' caused me to push it to one side. But for one final time, I'm back.
(Scroll to the final paragraph if you'd rather skip the preamble and discover where to find me next.)
For those of you who prefer to stick around, here's what you missed:
A couple of weeks ago, I celebrated my 30th birthday.
Surrounded by my friends and family, I insisted on being sung to not once, or twice, but three times over the course of the weekend (you only turn 30 once!).
We hosted my party in our new-ish flat (we being my partner and I, who didn't exist when I last wrote a blog on here), and sang karaoke until 3AM.
It felt like a fitting way to see out my 20s, a decade which has felt so relentless and never-ending at times, that it's surreal to be on the other side of it now.
If you've been following this blog for a long time, you'll remember that I spent the first half of my life travelling, living abroad, and avoiding a 9-to-5 job. I cannot begin to imagine how many times I've written blogs on how I'm 'staying put' only to u-turn two weeks later with a new ticket to a different country.
Like many people, my turning point came during the pandemic, which also happened to be smack-bang in the middle of my 20s.
I spent 45 hours travelling home from Auckland (and documented it all here), where I found myself living with my parents for the first time in seven years. With no freelance clients left and no idea what I was doing, it was the hardest few months of my life.
Fast-forward through 5 months in Germany from 2020-2021, yet another stint at home, and a break-up (WHEW, what a year!), it was one of my best friends who sat me down over some wine and persuaded me to give London a try.
She pulled me in with the classic: "You're single! You're hot! You're 26! All of your friends are in London, and you have nothing to lose!"
Four years later, it turns out she might have had a point.
I moved into the girls' house of dreams, made best friends, had completely feral nights out and went back into the overdraft that I'd worked so hard to get out of previously. It was all completely worth it.
By this time, I'd also been alone long enough to really understand who I was and what I wanted.
I wanted a job I enjoyed. I wanted to be successful. I wanted to live a full life and throw myself into new opportunities. I wanted to continue solo trips and travelling. I wanted to put in the work to be a good friend, and in return, have good friends.
I didn't want my frivolity to impact my financial stability anymore. I didn't want my insecurities to hold me back from doing the things I loved. I didn't want a relationship that would drag me down. I didn't want to be with someone for the sake of it. I did not want to settle because I was too insecure to be alone.
So imagine my surprise when a month after my 28th birthday, I met my now-boyfriend in a piano bar in East London, and discovered that I could have all of my 'wants' without compromising on my 'don't wants.'
A full life with lots of hobbies (you may have missed this, but I did in fact run the London Marathon), more amazing friends than ever, and still going on solo trips. All without settling, without feeling tied down, without feeling like I've compromised on anything.
For the first time in 28 years, I discovered the peace and joy that a partner can (and should) bring to your life, rather than the concern of what I'm missing out on.
So here we are, all caught up after three years since my previous blog post. And this will be my last on AliceMoyna (formerly, Alice's Antics).
Despite being a huge offender by letting this blog drop off the face of the earth, it is devastating to me that people are no longer reading blogs in the way they were in 2012.
However, as a young millennial (I'm torn between being thrilled that I'm in the same generation as Harry Styles and Taylor Swift, and devastated that this also carries the weight of the 'millennial pause'), I recognise the importance of keeping up with the internet.
So the good news is, a little platform called Substack has become the new home of long-form content. It's basically like an email newsletter, which you'll receive whenever I post, and you don't need to be a member to sign up.
Instead of finding my latest blog post on Facebook or Google, simply head to my Substack and enter your email to subscribe, and every Sunday, you will receive an email from me with my latest musings.
Whether you're a new friend, someone who has followed along for the last 12 years, or inevitably, my dad (hello again, Dad!), thank you for taking the time to read AliceMoyna's swan song.
If you enjoy my writing and want to keep updated, make sure you subscribe to my Substack. My writing is so back, just not on this corner of the internet.
So much love (and ciao for now!)
Alice xxx
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