Dispatch no. 8 - Updates Podcast

Funnily enough, I did find you from the CosTube side of things. I started with Bernadette Banner and then found most the YouTubers I know follow from there

I feel for you not being able to take a trip to celebrate your 30th birthday this year. Maybe there’s a local mini road trip you can take. You do have those beautiful mountains to retreat to. Gosh, I would love a ride there. Your podcast reminded me of my 30th birthday, which was a major point of transition in my life as I’d been in school literally since kindergarten. I had just finished my doctoral degree in NYC after 10 years of higher ed in the US (music conservatory) and it was a major adjustment to return to Canada, find work, have my own place, make friends, etc. I still am trying to make that work! I think we always are. You may feel frustrated about not yet having your own place, but it will come and yet look at all of the things you’ve done professionally! You can be proud of yourself and, somewhere out there, there’s a house with your name on it!

I’m late to listen to this but I found it helpful, useful, interesting to hear your thoughts on what has been going on in the USA prior to the election, from the (relatively) safe harbour of post-election. I’m in the UK and the outcome of your election is critical for us, what with all the shit that is going on here with Brexit, hate-crime, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, anti-Islam, anti-Welsh, anti-Scottish, conspiracy theories etc. It’s a quagmire. I hope you are feeling mentally better now. Other than that, I’m looking forward to another Side Husselen video (fellow writer here), but take your time. Look after yourself, in all respects.

Coming into this a little late but: as a Cervical Cancer survivor THANK YOU for getting your smear test done. Although it is primarily caused by the sexual transmission of HPV , it's not ONLY contracted that way. In terms of your 'isolation'; it is hard, especially with 'cabin fever' , but you re stronger than you realise. If it is safe to come to London next year, I am 30 minutes from London, an hour from Heathrow and I have a spare room :o)

You are not alone. So many of us are right there with you alone in our homes just like you. These blogs are how we communicate with each other to stay sane. I have PTSD and so I am home 99% of the time. I sew to keep myself busy even though I have no where to go when the garments are finished. I give them to friends, by mail. Creating makes me happy. I hope your creations are making you happy. You are making us happy by making them. I'm glad you have gotten new subscribers. I've been telling people about your channel both to friends who sew and to other people that I follow who have sewing channels and asking them to take a look at your channel and if they liked it to tell their followers. It's important for all sewists to support each other, especially now. When you were speaking about going to the woods, it reminded me of a park I used to go to as a teen when visiting my grandmother. It was an island park and there was a walking bridge to reach it. There was one particular tree that leaned out over the river that surrounded the park. I would climb out onto the limb that hung out over the water and sit there for a couple of hours just contemplating the universe, daydreaming about future boyfriends, thinking about different careers that I thought might be good, etc. My Dad usually ended up coming down calling me to get back to Grandma's house for dinner. I often wonder if that tree is still there. I sometimes pretend I am back there and just sit with my eyes closed and put myself back onto that limb watching the water flow under me and down as far as I could see. It gives me relief at times and it calms me. I live no where near that park anymore so I can't go visit, but if you can go to the woods, bundle yourself up and take a drive there when you can. Even if it is cold, go there, find some snow and make a snow angel, watching the sky and the pictures the clouds make. Look at the snow on the tree limbs and the evergreens. It reminds us that life is continuing, new days arrive and bad days fade away. Each snowflake is unique just like we are. The virus will go away at some point and our lives will be better. I think I will be so happy to be able to hug my best friend again. I think I will be more grateful for hugs and being able to visit family and friends again. This mess we are in now has made me realize that I took these things for granted. I won't be doing that again. I hope you are able to get some ideas for self care from this message. I'm cheering you upward and onward! Hugs OOO

Hi, I don't know what a B-roll is, but if it's in the Victorian Project, I like it. Very Haloweeny. We don't have that here but I've spent enough time in the US to know a little about it. I must confess that I don't use Instagram or Facebook. It's too much like meddling with the Dark Arts for me. I think that's why I have no idea about why your dress is The Cicada Dress. I'm sorry. I too have declared you my friend, so it was good to meet up with you for the virtual coffee, (even if I'll have a tea, please) and hear what's going on in your life at the moment. Mine is same old, same old. Still sheltering in place with my husband. Lungs acting up and all that nonsense. I happen to watch Dr Pimple Popper on You Tube, and one of the cysts she's dealt with is called a ganglion cysts, The thing you describe sounds a bit like those. They are completely benign and inside they have a jelly-like fluid that comes from a joint. Those don't really hinder people, and don't seem to hurt the joint at all. It's only if they get to a large size that some people want them removed. As I'm not in the medical field this could be complete tosh, but it could be something to ask your doctor about, as a conversation starter, if you get really concerned about the cyst in your hand. Thank you for voting Biden and blue. Unfortunately what happens in the US has an impact all over the place, and we on the outside don't have a say about what's going on from the WH or on the Hill. As you probably can tell I'm not impressed with the current incumbent, or most of the red team in the Congress. When asked by a friend, if he could come here for political reasons, if Trump wins, we told him that our door is open and that goes for you and yours too, of course. You are now guilty of leading me astray. Thank you so so much. I've gone and bought three different vintage fabrics without having a plan or even an idea about what to make with them. I now have a stash! I found two different cotton sateens, from the 50's (Etsy, but different shops) and a piece of deep sky blue cotton organdy. The sateens have flower patterns, one on black and one on white. I'm still waiting for the white to clear customs so I haven’t seen it in person yet. I never realized that sateen was such a light fabric. The one that's here are light enough to be made into summer blouses or dresses. So again, thank you for inspiring me to try my hand at this hobby. Again starting a sentence with I (so sorry), but I’m saddened to hear that you are struggling with anxiety and existential stress. As you know I haven’t had the easiest life and I’ve been thinking about how I can share the things I’ve learned along the way, that now keep me from stressing to to much when things go pear shaped. Just as food for thought should you want it, sort of thing. If not, just ignore it. Even so I can’t find any words for it, but I feel for you. It’s a hard place to be, this I know. Totally at random, today I found two interviews with a woman that used to be a Secret Service agent, protecting presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, who talked about empowerment. I found it most interesting and I’m going to put the links here should you want them. As I said, if not just ignore them. And please understand that I don’t want to intrude on your life, it’s just that you have become someone that I care about, and this is me trying to be a good friend. Maybe it’s a character flaw of mine, I don't know. Here are the addresses https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loG9ujz0N4M&list=TLPQMjExMDIwMjDj-0f--d4CKA&index=3 :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmMTb2lF7jM&list=TLPQMjExMDIwMjDj-0f--d4CKA&index=2 From my heart to you (insert an internet hug here). Yours, Ann P.S Apologies for the long "letter". It seems like I'm more of a full novel type of letter writer, than a short story one. I keep working on it, unsuccessfully. D.S

Girl! I’ll be your friend. We vote by mail all the time. The anxiety because of this election and this year is real! If it was just me, I’d be like the joker, laughing while I watch the world burn. But I have a daughter. And she’s special needs. I can’t be out in the streets protesting like I feel I should. But we can do our part and vote as humanly as possible. Lesser of evils and all. We are blessed. It’s about doing the good you can. Ps. I love your rambles!

We all are living in strange times and although this year has been a dumpster fire, there is still good things to celebrate. I love the Victorian project and look forward to more videos. I don’t object to long and rambling pod casts as I find these more real and they give me insight to who you are and how you view your world Like most everyone else feeling isolated had become the new norm. Most of us fair better in a modified herd. My herd has been greatly reduced due to a job move and feeling detached is not a comfortable feeling. Worry has become my new best friend of late although I know better. You are not alone in your fears, all women are feeling the fear of our rights being reduced. I can only pray for right action on the part of our political party’s and like you, exercise my right to vote.

Thanks for another podcast, and man I'd love to go to coffee with you! I sat here knitting the whole time. I also hate the girly doctor visits, thanks for sharing your updates. One of my co-workers got uterien cancer when she was only 17 years old so I try to actually go. Re: who sews hospital gowns -- I know someone who is a seamstress at a state hospital which provides long-term care for individuals who had endured severe injuries and nursing homes won't take them. She sews clothes, underwear, etc. for them, specialized for their catheters, ventilators, etc.

While the b-roll takes extra time, it is really lovely and really solidifies the overall theme of your video. I'm enjoying the costuming content and if that means the Patreon vid is a little late I'll live. I know going to the doctor is not fun but I've learned to treat it like taking a car to a mechanic for an oil change. It is important to catch any issues early so I submit myself to a once-yearly physical and treat myself to some fabric afterward.

I want to say a couple health things. I genetically have cysts. Wet hot washcloths on the cyst each day until it reabsorbs into your body. And yes I have had them on hands, earlobe all sorts of wacky places. Wet heat works. Second. As a non-traditional sexual identifier, I have had one human to be intimate with. Then when I got a cyst on my ovary they did a test on my uterus. They found cancer. Stage 1. I got a hysterectomy because who needs that organ. I’m 14 years Cancer Free. Who would have known in a million years I would have Cancer there? I had absolutely no signs of it at all. I had all my yearly tests. You need to do base line tests. It is important. <—- end of rant about health. WA State has all mail in ballots. Thank goodness!!! I have been fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment for as long as I can remember. It’s finally passed, though they are trying to back off from that. The US Constitution must be changed so that all citizens are created equal. PERIOD no matter their sex, creed, color, sexual orientation, religion etc etc. All laws should apply to everyone equally. I hate that the colonizers of this country were Puritans. No Thanksgiving for me. No wonder every country kicked them out. We are seeing the results. I found this quote about the American Puritans of the 1600’s: “Puritans had to prove they had a conversion experience and that they were part of the predestined elect, a group who was guaranteed admission to Heaven. For the Puritans, religious and political life were completely intertwined. Each Puritan town had town meetings to determine how the town would be run, and only male church members were allowed to vote on issues affecting the town.” *Doesn’t this sound horribly familiar?* I say leave the fricking 1600’s behind! Also, it has been scientifically proven that being amongst trees heals us humans. Keep going up to your trees with mossy rocks. When we work, eat, sleep and everything in one place, we don’t separate enough. We must all do self care. Keep writing. ❤️

I agree, your victorian videos look great. I too enjoyed the extra effort you put into the B-roll and music and I can't wait for the next instalment in this exciting chapter. I am not sure if my previous comment stayed up so I'll repeat my message. I am positive that all of your Patreons want you happy, healthy and well. If you don't get everything done for October re Patreon, we will understand. We want what is best for you. I too definitely feel like you're my internet friend. I think planning a trip to London is a really good idea. It gives you something to focus on for the future and seeing London again would be amazing. People are still travelling so putting positive thoughts out there to universe isn't a bad thing. Thinking of you and sending best wishes and good vibes to you from Down Under x

Your victorian videos look great. I really enjoyed that extra effort you put into the B-roll and music. This cicada gown project does seem to be an excellent opportunity to grow your channel, and halloween is a real deadline for it. I wouldn’t mind at all if you delayed the patreon video until after the main channel work is done this time around. And thank you for being so candid about what’s going on with you in these strange times. I’m feeling a lot of the same ways about things, so it’s nice to know I’m not the only one. I definitely feel like you’re my internet friend.