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Transcript
Hi everyone! Today I’ve picked three new Zentangle patterns to learn, and I invite you to try to them with me.
[Intro]
As the title of this video suggests, this is another Tangled Talk episode with a full voiceover from yours truly. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. If that’s not your thing, mute me and turn on some music or just skip this video altogether.
Izzy apologizes for not making an appearance today. She’s currently self-isolating.
Alright, so about today’s patterns. When I say they’re new, I mean of course that they are new to me. I’ll be following instructions from the website TanglePatterns.com as best as I can, but expect mistakes. Links for each pattern are in the description. In case you want to see step-by-step directions from someone who actually knows what they’re doing.
So…things are going ok here, for the most part. The sun is shining today as I’m recording this voiceover. The windows are open and I can smell that our neighbor is grilling and hear lawnmowers in the distance, kids are playing in their yards. It’s lovely to have the windows open and be reminded that at least spring hasn’t been cancelled.
Dan and I are good for now. I have plenty of anxiety still, but most of it is just me worrying about other people to be honest. My parents, cancer friends who are trying to navigate treatments in the age of coronavirus. I always tend to worry more about things outside my control than about things that might be happening right under my nose.
Anyway, we’ve got what we need as far as food and household goods go. The only thing I still can’t get my hands on is a normal roll of paper towels. I have seen those heavy-duty shop towels available online, but they seem like overkill for us. Today I managed to make a tuna casserole without burning myself—always a win. Tuna casserole is one of those comfort meals that takes me back to my childhood. Man, we ate a lot of casseroles in the 80s and 90s.
I have more good news to share this episode! And that is that my attorney won my long-term disability appeal against Lincoln Financial Group! If you’re not familiar with that part of my story, I’ve written a ton about it on my blog in the past year or so. Also made a video about it several months ago which I’m linking to in the top right of this video if you’re interested in checking that out.
Another cool thing that happened this week is that I had a chance to do a video interview with Rudy Fischman, the host of Brain Cancer Diaries, and talk to him a little bit about Zentangles, my memoir, insurance, and the general state of healthcare in the US. I’ll try to remember to make an announcement here when he has a chance to post that video, but in the meantime I do encourage you to check out Brain Cancer diaries and subscribe. Link will be in the description.
What else to mention? Oh yeah! Another fun thing I did this past week is cut my own hair. Here’s the before and after. This is not the first time I’ve had such a short cut. Right before chemo and radiation in 2017, I decided I was going to shave my whole head. Anyway, I’d been growing my hair out for about two years after treatments ended… and in that time I’ve learned that I just need to have my hair short. It’s a whole lot easier for my broken body to maintain, it’s saves me a ton of money on shampoo and styling products, and it doesn’t mess with all the screwed up nerves in my head and neck the way longer hair does.
Funny thing. My mom, who used to be a hair stylist, was going to visit and give me a proper haircut, but then coronavirus changed all that. There was just no way I could go another month or more with it long and with all those split ends, so I took matters into my own hands. I just couldn’t handle it anymore. I sent her that picture selfie and texted, “Look, ma! I cut my own hair.” And she replied back, “You sure did!” [laughing]
I feel so much freer now. And taking control of just that one little thing has been good for my mental health. One thing cancer has taught me is that it’s important for me to take control where I can, to feel empowered when so much else is entirely out of my hands.
Looks like it’s time for me to wrap this up. Thanks for joining me for this Tangled Talk. I hope you stay safe and healthy. Until I can upload another video, you can always find me ranting on Twitter, posting Zentangles on Instagram and blogging everything else at EmilySuess.com.
See you again soon!
