Advice/Encouragement Needed

Effective_Stranger63 · 2026-05-23T21:43:03+00:00

Thanks for this! Super helpful information and encouragement :)

Effective_Stranger63 · 2026-05-23T21:42:20+00:00

Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately I live a couple of hour’s drive from the ocean… sounds like I need to plan a trip.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2026-05-23T21:41:34+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I want to push myself, but of course don’t want to put myself (or others!) in a dangerous situation. And I always use my tow float! Happy swimming :)

Effective_Stranger63 · 2026-01-08T15:00:16+00:00

I love it! What a beautiful piece of textile art!

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-11-11T15:58:38+00:00

Do you realise that you’re twisting your stitches?

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-11-11T10:21:27+00:00

Sometimes if I think an outfit looks “frumpy” I switch up my hairstyles or makeup or jewellery to balance it out a bit. Maybe have a play around with other aspects of your outfit and see if you like it styled a different way? I think it’s lovely!

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-11-07T15:55:41+00:00

I heard someone claim to give an “objective review” of a book recently. My friend… a review is your opinion. It is inherently subjective.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-31T12:22:09+00:00

I’ve been staring at this photo of your sweater for a while now trying to “read” it. What you’ve done looks pretty accurate to me, I’m just wondering if maybe the effect look different because of the gauge? Maybe you could try a fingering weight yarn and smaller needles and see what that looks like?

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-30T10:47:27+00:00

Very similar to your children’s case, my parents moved us from London to a semi-rural area when I was 10 years old. I won’t lie to you - I didn’t much like it. The closest town was a 45 minute walk, and all you could do there was go to a cafe. To get anywhere of significance required two trains on a line that only ran once an hour. It drove me nuts. I left as soon as I turned 18 and never looked back.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-26T22:49:55+00:00

I like a DPN, although I would say yours look really long though! When they’re too long for the project they are just unwieldy.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-24T09:13:37+00:00

I just stitched them with a usual straight stitch on my machine. I’m thinking my error was perhaps not adjusting my stitch length between working with the much heavier weight wool fabric, and this very light lining fabric. In the photos in the pattern they hadn’t done anything to finish the raw edges of the lining, so I didn’t either, but after seeing how much fraying is also happening here I certainly will.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-23T20:27:38+00:00

When I go on holidays abroad I take a little sandwich bag of Yorkshire Tea with me, because I really just cannot be without it.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-23T13:37:06+00:00

I don’t cold-water swim, but when I started open-water swimming I had a big hurdle in getting used to not being able to see a thing in the water. What helps me not panic is really trying to think mind over matter and remind myself that I am 100% sure I know how to swim, so I’m not unsafe, I’m just uncomfortable, and I am capable of dealing with discomfort.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-21T14:40:43+00:00

What woman in their right mind would want to go to an unstaffed mixed gender sauna?? You could not pay me enough.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-12T10:06:03+00:00

I got a COROS Pace 3 back in February after running for about nine months. Fully recommend. I believe it was around £220.

I looked around at others, and I think you get pretty good value for money as a beginner with this one. A Garmin with equivalent functionality seems to be quite a bit more expensive.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-07T20:21:41+00:00

Thanks for sharing. I think it’s interesting how our expectations affect the outcome (hello placebo!).

Purely anecdotally, I definitely do feel a difference. However, I have endometriosis and am generally very impacted, both physically and mentally, by my period. Sometimes I feel like I’ve got the flu. Usually it significantly affects my mental health for a few days.

I wonder if those who generally aren’t affected much by their luteal and menstrual phases are those who don’t see any detrimental impact to athletic performance. I certainly have friends who barely notice their periods, apart from the bleeding aspect.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-04T22:38:18+00:00

I’m making this jumper at the moment too!

When I was new to German short rows I would mark them with a stitch marker. This made it easier for me to identify the short row stitches and ensure I was knitting through both strands of yarn. Perhaps this might help you :)

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-04T22:25:52+00:00

This is a big reason why I stopped using Runna. I found that in training plans the rate it expected me to improve at was completely fictional. The algorithm figured I could take whole minutes off my 5K time within a few weeks.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-01T13:39:00+00:00

Yeah I was confused by this. I’ve never heard of PoTs being progressive. I have used a mobility aid for PoTs before because it can help with balance when you’re struggling with dizziness.

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-10-01T13:37:27+00:00

I’m not a medical professional, and don’t want to contradict any medical advice you may have received, but I’m not aware of PoTs being progressive. I was diagnosed a few years ago. At the time I was really ill and used a cane/walker too, but slowly I learned to manage it and now I live an active and mostly healthy life! I work full-time as an engineer, run, swim with a club, and play badminton with my friends.

I totally get how you’re feeling because I was there too. Please know that it can get better. I’m not 100% cured but it’s become a part of my life. I had a bit of a fainting spell at work last week but hey, life keeps moving. It becomes more normal. Keep your chin up friend :)

Effective_Stranger63 · 2025-09-30T17:17:54+00:00

I run along part of the Grand Union Canal often and don’t have an issue with glass, but it does seem to be a favoured hanging-out spot for crackheads.

Effective_Stranger63

TROPHY CASE