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Hello and welcome back to Behind the Batter Podcast with me, Paulson Victoria. I know, I know it has been a good while. I have been suffering with burnout, and just October was massively busy for work, which is also always great. It really is. But it really well work burns anybody out, really. And so last month and this month, all I've been doing is working. Um there was the school holidays as well, which was glorious. Because if anybody knows, um, I am a single parent, so it can be a little bit difficult juggling so much and trying to find that just power to like keep going. That sounds really dark. But this episode is gonna be a nice and easy episode, mainly because I don't really want to edit anything right now. Um, because editing does take me like three hours, but yeah, so this is gonna be just me talking about October and November and what has been happening in I guess the two months of a sex worker's life, um, an activist. Oh, that feels really weird saying that. And a mum, yeah. So October, it was oh my god, there was so much going on. It was relentless. So at the start of the month, I'm just gonna bring up my lovely calendar because you've gotta make note, especially with this is all just gonna be rambles and me venting as well, by the way, guys. So hopefully you guys find this entertaining, but I did think this would just be a nice, easy episode for me to ease my way back into doing recordings. Um, November has been a little bit dead for work, um, which is fine, but not fine. I know that when I say it's dead, people do see how much work I've done and they're like, what are you on about? And I'm like, yeah, but like it just doesn't really add up into other people's minds. But like, yeah, I'll explain more later. But um, yeah, so we're gonna talk about the start of October. So with my activist work, um, I do a wee bit for Scotland for DeCrim, where it I I like feel like such a little small part because there's so many amazing people in Scotland for DeCrim. Um, Scotland for DeCrim is a grassroots campaign where we do one full decriminalization in Scotland, and that is what we are striving for. I think um it's been a little over a year since they have launched, and we have been to Parliament multiple times, which is absolutely amazing for a grassroots organization to be already in parliament after just being um formed a year ago. Like that's crazy good. But I've been doing a lot of interviews recently. Um, you will see me on BBC Um Alba. Um, I believe they're making like a Wii documentary. Um they literally went over to New Zealand not New Zealand, they literally went over to um Sweden to talk about the Nordic model. And then, you know, they asked um a few sex workers here as well, as well as just um lovely allies. And yeah, they literally came into my house. And if anybody has seen the previous videos when I did used to record my podcast episodes, my my living room um is very Halloween-y. Um I recently did finish, well, I I tell a lie, I sub-finished the um ceiling, which has some lovely fabric coming from it um to make it look like a circus top hat because I just love circuses and I love horror, and yeah, my my living room is like wall-to-wall, absolutely decorated, which is what I love. And they came in the BBC, and they were like, Oh, is this seasonal? Is it is this the seasonal decoration for Halloween? And I was like, No, this is just all year round, but yeah, they tried to um include me like picking up some kids' toys, and I was like, mmm, no, no. Mothers are um sex workers, but I will not be showing anything of my child or anything like that. Um, whenever um people come over, especially clients, um, I I will, well, mainly clients or like the BBC, I'll take down pictures of my Wi Won because it just feels really um not appropriate, really. And it is really quite personal. Um, but yeah, they tried to get me to talk about my child in the interview, but it's got nothing to do with my Wi-Won. Um the only thing which I would which I did mention was that the school system needs to get a heck of a lot better. It really does. I think we really push certain subjects like Pythagoras and learning French or Spanish, um, and learning about the news and the far right loves to tell us that we are a Christian country, um, as the UK all of us, um, which is kind of true when it comes to schools, because Christianity is a big one that they have to teach, even if it isn't a Christian school, which honestly kind of sucks. Um, because they just don't hone in on any other religions, it's just mainly Christianity. Um, that they'll do for like a straight month, especially coming up to Christmas. And um they'll maybe do one or two other religions for like a day, that's round that's it. Um, but they'll know certain things in the Bible, like Noah's Ark. Um, it's just odd to me that um we would rather teach kids about religion at such a young age. Um, because they do it in nursery as well. And you know, you can do you can join nursery at whatever age, you just sadly need the bloody money, which sucks. Um, because when my Wee One went nursery, their nursery was £65 for a day. And that's um 8 a.m. till 6 pm, which is alright, but when you're having to do that every day with a full-time job, that's very difficult. So yeah, I hit on a good few things in that interview. I'm I'm sure I'm going to be mentioning um it when it does come out, which is the 1st of December. Um we don't know the official title or anything like that yet, but it was great. They I think they are going to show a good representation because I don't honestly know really how you could twist it with what we said. Because it's like if somebody's going to work, wouldn't you want them to be as safe as possible? Like that that's what I always say, and it just doesn't make any sense to me why somebody would just go, no, actually, we're just gonna go with either legalization or the Nordic model because it's proven that it doesn't work. You know, like it doesn't it doesn't sound great and it's not great. And I feel like it's gonna be a good documentary, hopefully. I just still can't believe I had the BBC in my house. Um and of course I should in the workroom, so everybody hopefully is gonna be able to see my workroom and what um I work in. But it yeah, I did mention how it is just really depressing every time I go into my workroom because it's a lot different from a three-bed flat um where I used to work out of. And of course, um, surprise, surprise, they didn't actually know that I was charged with brothel keeping. So that really threw a wrench in it with them just thinking they are interviewing a how you could say, just normal sex worker where nothing has happened to them, if you get what I mean. And it's just like, no, I was actually charged. Because again, they asked a question where it's like, have you ever they said something along the lines of just have you ever been fearful? And I was like, haha, yes. When 20 police officers um knocked on my door and one had a battering ram. Yes. Um, yeah, so if anybody doesn't know, I was charged with brothel keeping last year in February. It was a horrible frickin' time, it absolutely was. I do not want to relive that again. And that was all because I gave other sex workers a safe space to work from. Because in the UK, if you share a space with another sex worker, even if they're not there all the time, or if you yeah, even if you're not there all the time, or they just use it like once a month, that is class as a brothel. You don't have to be there at the same time. Um it's it's so ridiculous, it honestly is. That the government expect us to just to just be alone with a job that they say is so so dangerous. And it it's like makes sense. So yeah, we had the BBC interview, but before that, because I'm jumping ahead of myself, I'm like so not going in chronological order, which is what I wanted to do. But I'm just like I'm I'm really excited to like talk about everything that's gone on because I literally have had like no time for anything, and yeah, as I said, October was really good for work. But yeah, at the start of October, I went to the Femdom Ball, which is an event in London, which is held yearly. It was okay, it was okay, it wasn't too bad. Um, I went with two subs. One of them, well, one of them, he's gonna come off again because we did go um on holiday together. Um, work holiday, which is good, which is like, yay. Um, yeah, one of them, um, he's more like a kinkster rather than a sub. Um, I don't know if I want to go into like full detail about him because he's an ass. And I he's the only client which I will speak ill of because I've known him for six years and he knows what he's like, and I know what he's like. Um, I've been his mistress for that entire time. Um, and yeah, I feel like maybe I might do an episode about clients falling in love with you, but not the good love, which is really it's it's sad, but it's extremely toxic. But this is one of the clients where he pays a good majority of my wage every year, and I know that other sex workers as well have clients like this, or one particular client where they think because they've got the money they own you. And sadly, that's that's not true fully, but at the end of the day, we all work because we need to pay our bills, so it is kinda true that the clients do control us in a way. In a way, some clients do prey on us being vulnerable and needing money, which sucks. I really wish there was just no fucking poverty and everybody did get a fucking raise, and you know, we didn't have the struggles that we do have in life where we are struggling to pay bills. But you know, sadly that's not the life we live. We all have to work very, very fucking hard and it sucks. But yeah, I also went with a lovely submissive, which I think we've known each other since April, I want to say. Yeah, maybe oh my god. The first session was so hilarious. I accidentally fired on his face. And he never lets me forget that. But he has been locked in chastity for got more than two months. More than two months, I want to say, and I have the lovely key, of course, as well. Um and yeah, he he is like a model submissive, honestly. He will try and go above and beyond for me, his mistress. And through that, I was like, you can come to the ball with me if you want. Absolutely. And he was a very, very good boy and impressed me very much with how obedient he was. Um, there was a few times he messed up a little bit, but this is where communication is key. If either the mistress or the submissive, whoever you're with, messes up or does something you dislike, then you just communicate and bloody say. Um you need to find that little little roar in your voice where you can speak up, because then the relationship is gonna be way better when you can actually confidently and comfortably talk together. So the feminine ball, it was alright, I'll probably go again next year. Just if I get paid to go again, because um the kinkster he paid me to go. Um we went from Friday to Sunday, and so he paid for that amount of time to be with me. Um, but didn't go to the ball with me because I refused. I was like, you are not allowed to go, you're not good submissive at all. We can have this certain arrangement, but you will not be attending events with me. And I will be at some point I always say this, I've been saying this for like a year straight now, that I will be making a book at some point about all my stories and everything like that. Um, because I feel like it just needs to be heard. But it would never be to encourage sex work. No, I would never say to somebody, um do sex work because it's easy because it's not. Do sex work because you know you can get money. Yeah, you can, but you can also get stealthed, raped, sexually assaulted, um, and your bank accounts closed, and you can be seen as disgusting and dirty and a slut and all sorts. But it's not the greatest career, but I do enjoy it. But I would never recommend it to somebody. So yeah. Um, I went to go see Hamilton um in London. That was amazing. Loved it, love Hamilton. My uh client fell asleep. Um, he usually does. He loves to go to the theatre or the cinema, but he does fall asleep. He's like 70 odd, bless him. Um, but yeah, he does fall asleep a lot. Um, yeah, the Femme Dombo was alright, nothing to honestly cry home about. I was honestly a bit disappointed, but I feel like that was because I was on my period as well. Um basically with their raffle, my sub bought like at least £500 worth of raffle tickets, and I didn't realise that they were auctioning, not auctioning, they were doing the raffle as like three big baskets of toys, whereas previous years they've done them bit by bit, and that really sucked, honestly, especially because I didn't win. Um, and I felt quite bad on my sub because um he spent so much money. Um and yeah, I just just felt like something was missing this year, and because the raffle was over so quickly, there was like an hour of like dead space where you could either get ready for the after party, go back to the hotel, or talk to other people. Um which was I don't know, it just wasn't yeah. It just didn't really it wasn't that memorable and like maybe next year we'll be different, but it was it was okay. Um and uh yeah, the week after that was just um there was uh we went to Parliament, Scotland for D-Krim. I was stood in the audience where Laura, who is an amazing um what's the word? Just an amazing academic when it comes to politics and policies and everything like that. And so Laura was on a panel getting asked by MPs questions about the Nordic model in parliament. Oh my god, um about why we should do decriminalisation and everything like that. There was the panel before us as well who were for decriminalisation, and honestly, it was I don't I I need to choose my words, but it wasn't fair because there was a woman from Roots, who I think are based in Glasgow, um they were in support of the Nordic model, but again they couldn't give like proper exit strategies in how the Nordic model is gonna help with people exiting sex work. Um and then there was um a lady who talked about how she was trafficked, uh, which is already illegal and isn't sex work. Um, you're not coerced into sex work. Trafficking is illegal. If you are coerced into sex work, then it's not sex work, is you're being trafficked. You know? Um, so I felt that was very unfair and it got very, very personal. This was giving evidence of why um we shouldn't have uh we should have the Nordic model. Um but she just gave very, very personal um stories which are absolutely a hundred percent valid, but it wasn't sex work. She talked about how um she was trafficked, how they manipulated her, how they bullied her, but it wasn't sex work. Um, she said that she worked in a brothel um and that when she was raped, the staff members um said that they weren't gonna do anything, which I can I can see that absolutely. I'm not saying that um when you come into um when you're trafficked, it's fun or anything like that. And also in general, there are some nasty people out there where I can totally see if I was um in her position, but doing sex work where um I wasn't coerced into doing it. And I told somebody, hey, this happened, or I was in a brothel, and the staff members said, Oh, we're not going to help you, I can still see that happening because there are asshole people who don't want to get the police involved. I mean, this her mentioning that really highlighted how the Nordic model isn't going to help that. Because if the people who trafficked her, if the people who um were aware of what was happening to her were too afraid to go to the police in the first place, um, and that was without the Nordic model. And then you have evidence out there which states that the Nordic model is dangerous and sex workers don't want to come forward to the police because the police have abused sex workers, whether that be sexual assaults, um taken natural money off of them, um or hurt them, and it's it's not right whatsoever. But in cases in um New Zealand you can see that um where a sex worker um she was assaulted um or oh was it assaulted? Ignore that. So like I just she was also crying as well, which I feel like in the utmost respectful way, she she uh shouldn't have really been speaking because it you could see that it really affected her. And you know, when it's too much trauma, you can just visibly see it, and it's like we need her in therapy, like right after, like in in the nicest possible way, and I did just want to like go over and hug her as well, but it wasn't fair to say that trafficking, which is also like which is illegal, which isn't sex work, and that's why we should bring in the Nordic model. Like, it just it wasn't right. And the other person was um now Nordic model or Nordic model now, they're on Twitter. Um again, all these uh the the roots and the Nordic Now, um they were um old, maybe in their 50s or 60s, I'm just saying, just putting it out there. Um and of course Ash Regan of the Alpha Party was there. I mean not Alba Party now, because she actually uh quit. Um I think now she's trying to go solo in Edinburgh, um some shit, I don't know. Um but her cronies were completely silent throughout Ash Regan's four Nordic model people were talking. And then when the second panel came on, which was against the Nordic model, um her cronies uh were writing stuff, they were weirdly uh um unboxing pills and taking pills um and also just on their phones constantly, and like it was really loud, and they would just shuffle their bags and rummage and like it was just way too loud. To the point after it ended, I literally went up to her cronies and I was just like, hey, could we have the same respect please? And they couldn't even fucking look at me, it was disgusting. Again, they were very old as well. And um, there was a previous parliament visit um before October. What month comes before October? September, I think it was, um, where we did celebrate in Parliament um one year of Scotland for DeCrim. Um and two of her main cronies, Ash Regan's cronies, were there and we talked about why we want decriminalization, and I shared my story about how terrifying it was. And I went up to them at the end and I said, Hey, I saw you guys were on your phones the entire time, and you barely look up and acknowledged any of us. Just please understand where we're coming from. And like they barely said anything and they nodded, and they said um that they are from Ash Regan's office, and I was like, Yeah, okay, I know. Like, um, but that was the respect that we got, which was zero respect. I feel like there is definitely a difference between where we are trying to be respectful and you know, be quiet when they're talking and hear what they say. Um, but they just don't want to do that with us, and they don't even want to look at us in the eyes. I mean Ash Regan said that we are um we'll never be whole again and we're like inhuman, and that's that's honestly heartbreaking to hear. Um as somebody myself has came from poverty. I've come from a really abusive family where um my dad was a drug addict and my both my parents, drug addict and alcoholic, I know it's great. Um and both my parents were mentally, emotionally, and physically abusive towards me. Um sex work really helped me be able to get enough money and to actually escape that. And coming from poverty, where you're meant to help people, um, we're near the government. And now that I'm in a certain profession, I'm seen very differently. It doesn't matter about like what has happened to me in the past, what hap what means a lot is my job. And that's all Ash Regan's people that that's all they say. And it really sucks that all the things that I've been through are basically they it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because I'm a whore. Um you can, you know, as Ash Regan said, you can dial me up like a pizza and I can be there within half an hour, you know. I I don't mind that because my bills get paid. But it really sucks. Um, it's hurtful in so many ways where I'm sure it has led to deaths of sex workers because of how other people have talked about us and how other people see us, and it's really hurtful for them to say that they're feminists when that's not what being a feminist is about. Um yeah, so on to the good stuff. Um when I mean I I say good stuff, so this episode was mainly gonna be about like an autistic in Amsterdam because um my client, the one which I previously mentioned who is toxic, uh he wanted me to go to Amsterdam with him. And it was meant to have him back in April, but it didn't for medical reasons for him. Um he will leave everything last minute. I could go on for hours about him. Let's, you know. Um, but yeah, we went to Amsterdam, which was great. Um, we went by train. I prefer the train so much. I don't like flying, I just don't. It scares the heck out of me. I would rather go on a train. So we went on the Eurostar and we upgraded for to like these really nice seats for like 50 quid, and it was really good. And we got the food was shit, but it was nice, it was nice. Um, so yeah, we got into Amsterdam. Uh we got into our independent like hotel. It was from bookings.com, but like um it was still independent, you know. Um, and off the bat you could see that sadly, the hotel that we picked, it was hella fancy in the way that like it was vintage furniture and old-looking decor, which fits my style so much. Um and it was it was nice, but the furniture was very aged. Um, the bed was comfy. Um there was multiple like stains on the furniture as well. Um there was a fire, but they ran out of logs, so we couldn't have the fire, which really sucked. Um it turned out that from so we got there Thursday in the afternoon and um we didn't leave until Sunday, late Sunday, and turns out that Friday at least, uh, when I went to take a bath, the heat wasn't working, so I was like, great, wonderful. Um, well, the boiler um to produce hot water, which was great. Um and what was it? The light switches uh were just terrible, they were horrendous. What was not happy whatsoever. I'll probably be making like a personal Instagram post about this as well, just because it was also my first time out the country um in like seven years. And because I was charged with brothel keeping, even though the case got dismissed, it is still on my criminal record, which is scary as fuck, honestly. Um I know instantly I'm banned from the United States for ten years, and that's like a rolling thing. Um, you have to be like, you know, free from doing any sex work for 10 years to be able to go back, go go into the estates. I mean, you can go in the states, you just might get told at the borders to fuck off, even if you've paid for your visa, you know. Uh there's a lot of you know in this. Um but yeah, I was still just very freaking terrified um about going into a different country. Even though Amsterdam, you know, you've got the red light district, which um I will come to in a minute. I was very disappointed, honestly, from uh my point of view being a sex worker. I understand that other people could have different views, but we'll get to that in a minute. Um yeah, so the hotel at first was a letdown. Um I didn't realise there was like mosquitoes in Amsterdam as well. Um I woke up, I think it was like Friday and Saturday, um, with bites all on me. There wasn't that many, but there was like enough for me to be like, what the fuck? Like there was like f six. Um and it was mainly my upper body. And I was like, what the fuck? Like, so instantly I thought it was bed bugs, but every night I would hear a like a like it was so like there was something flying around and it was fucking oh, it was horrible. Um, but like my uh client didn't really want to pay for anywhere else because this place was quite expensive in general for um three nights and four days, so fair enough, honestly. And yeah, it was just really like mmm. Um but yeah, so mosquitoes when you go to Amsterdam, there are because it's like what floating on water or some shit, something like that. Like, you know, I'm not I swear, we did go to the exhibit of uh This is Holland, but it was fun, it was fun, but like yeah, there's loads of water and stuff, so it attracts mosquitoes. Um the water in in Amsterdam, they literally we went on a canal ride and they said themselves that the water is no good, like you do not want to be going in the water, so I was like, what the fuck? Like the water looks like the River Thames, so honestly, I just felt at home. It was very brown and dirty, and I was like, What? It was very different from the Amsterdam you see online, and I know I was going in October and it was like rainy and everything like that, but I just thought it would be more pretty, yeah. Honestly, um, I like the houses are nice. Um, I absolutely hate the UK architecture and especially new builds and stuff. Like, we've lost all our fanciness. Um, it was very interesting, uh, autistic fact here, uh, that the houses painted black in Amsterdam were the ones that had the plague, and you know, you could never change them back from uh black uh yeah, you couldn't um put over in different colours. So the certain houses that you see that are black in Amsterdam, they had the plague. Very interesting, and then in the canal ride, you we saw like proper leaning houses, and I was like, fucking hell, Jesus. But it was really cool, it was alright. Um, I didn't very much like that everybody biked everywhere, like that's really cool, eco-friendly, love that. But even when you weren't on the bike paths, bikes would go past you or like fucking through you, and that really ruined it for me. Like it was just getting like interrupted and barged through or past, like it just kept me on edge, and I didn't really enjoy that very much. Um, obviously, to my client, I would absolutely go again. Yes, if I was paid. Um, if I wasn't being paid, I wouldn't go back to Amsterdam. Um, we went to the body museum, which was cool, really cool. I really enjoyed it. Um, it was one of my picks that I wanted to go in. Um basically all the bodies are donated and they cover them in wax and preserve them. And you can st they they show you like the blood vessels and the um the veins and all the um not artilleries, what's the word? I can't remember the word you know what I mean. They show you the spines and like the bones um all that stuff and it's really fucking cool. I really enjoyed it. Everything, at least in the middle of Amsterdam, because we stayed in the red light district, um, any attractions um are usually around uh 25 euros per person, something like that, which is alright, it's not too bad. Um, I found that the food in Amsterdam, um, there wasn't like proper Amsterdam y food. I don't know. I don't know. When I go to a different country, I would just assume that they would have a lot of like this is Amsterdam food, you know? Like, yeah. Like when you come to England, you've we've got our fish and chips, we've got Toad in a Hole, which I'm having tonight, I'm gonna make that. Um, we've got main things which uh signify the UK, mainly England. Like in Scotland you got haggas, you know? But like the only things that I could see were like um were what was it? It was pancakes, um, and these also mini little pancakes, which are okay, but like that's that's the only food which like was like quoted as like this is Amsterdam food, you know? Um aside from that there was like tons of other different cuisines um of restaurants. Uh we went to my client really wanted to go to the ice bar. Um unless you're like I don't know. It just wasn't my thing. I don't really drink anyway, um, so I like had an orange juice uh um and a sprite. But it was so tiny, the ice bar. So tiny, so tiny. And the line to get um there was only two bar people serving other people, like 30 odd people. Um, so it was a little bit of a good wait to get your drinks, but also like it was just so small. It was like, oh, this is it. Um an ice bar, it's totally how it sounds. It's a small place and you just there's ice everywhere and it's like minus 30 or something. It was okay. I don't know. Maybe I'm just old, like I'm 26, I don't really drink or anything. Uh so it wasn't eh, you know. I also just don't like getting chaplips. Um what else did we do? We went to Mr. Ripley's, um which is like a whoa, big tall man, big overweight man, um horse uh no, it was like a cow with two heads. Yeah, it just one of the w wonders of the world. Um I might do an episode about Mr. Ripley because that was it was really cool, honestly. Um, but I didn't appreciate it. Felt a bit weird. I need to look more into it. Like, I think he bought all the artifacts and stuff, but it still feels really weird. Um, a British white man going around the world um taking things, even though even if he did pay for it. Feels a bit weird, alright? With like, you know, with our queen and you know, um armies stealing stuff and you know having things in the museums which aren't ours. So it felt a bit weird, like I didn't really want to be like, wow, this is like awesome, but it was kind of cool. But it also made me think like I really hope like he paid for all this. But that was awesome. Um we didn't we we did go to the red light district and of course I went to see everything. It was I don't know what I expected, honestly. But seeing women in Windows, some really couldn't give a toss about being there. Um some were just on their phones. Um and it it was kinda sad, honestly, seeing them in Windows. Like I would still love to be like, you know, somebody in one of the windows. Um that's mainly because I have a big ego and I like to show off. But it still felt really weird and ki and and kind of gross. But I feel like that's what Amsterdam wants to give in the ways of I went to the Prostitute Museum and no, none of the funds were actually going to any kind of um sex work org or anything like that. And yes, that is what it's called. The Prostitute Museum. Not the sex worker museum, but no. They needed something more Not eye catchy, but you know, something that really spoke to people. Oh, actually, I think because of the information which I have about the Amsterdam Process Museum, I think I am gonna leave that as a different episode because I have babbled on for quite some time now. Um but I think I'll do that next Monday where I'll talk about the museum. Because I just was not happy in any way how they did portray sex work. Um because multiple what I will say is that multiple times um they said prostitute, they said sex work, they said hooker, they said sex work, they said prostitute, they said hooker. Um and they also spoke about trafficking, which I feel like the way they mentioned it was inappropriate in the way that this isn't how it should have, you know, came about. Um but yeah, I think I'm gonna talk about that next uh week. Oh, I'm just so happy doing the podcast again because it does it's it's getting the oomph to actually do it. Um that's the struggle. Um but then when I do do the podcast, I'm like, yeah, let's do that. And like I'm like so fucking happy. But yeah, I was also trying to find like things in the gift shop which weren't just like stereotypical like Amsterdam stuff, or no, not stereotypical Amsterdam stuff, but like stereotypical holiday stuff like cups or shop glasses that just said like Amsterdam on, or like uh keychains and stuff. Like I'm not really that type of person where like I will get a fridge magnet. Um, I don't believe I actually brought anything back from Amsterdam. Um, aside from um, I went to what's it, World of Wonder, and I went to the Barbie, uh, the Dream House experience, and I picked this. My client was like a grumpy grandpa um just being dragged along. I loved it. Oh my god, I love I do like Barbie. I do, and like I love that this year I feel like I have just been reliving my childhood in like such good ways because I would shit you not. I would so I did have Barbies and everything like that, but I would get bullied by my own family members for like liking the colour pink. Um, and so that was messed up, and you know, I didn't feel like for quite a while that I could be like a girly girl, you know, the stereotypical one. Um and uh I'm just looking through the photos now because I wanted to talk about Amsterdam, but I think because of how many photos I do have about Amsterdam talking about information, um, I'm gonna leave that till uh next week. But the Barbie Dream House experience was really, really good. I did enjoy it. Um, the food, um, a little bit overpriced, but my client paid, so hey-ho. I do know that the Barbie experience is coming to Glasgow next year as well. Um, yeah, the food was like mediocre, but I would think that they would have different food um coming to Glasgow, at least different people making it. Um, and then you know, the wonder experience, that was fun. That was really fun. Um, didn't enjoy that there was loads of kids. I can defin so I think for both experiences, you could actually book like an adult only um after six o'clock, but that sells out really quickly. Um I absolutely encourage you to do that because the kids were just honestly kind of assholes, and the parents weren't watching them, um, or encouraging them and not seeing anything wrong with um them butting in line or shoving in front of me and like oh my god, it's one of those where it's like I love kids, I love my own very deeply, but any of us I want to froll. Um, but it was alright. I would definitely encourage you to go do it. It also just takes you outside of the city centre in Amsterdam, um, and that was nice to see just normal residential buildings and their architecture compared to the city centre of Amsterdam. It was different, it was something nice. Um, there was also a popmart. Popmart wasn't on my list, but the Wii One has been talking about a La Boo-Boo, and I was like, right, bet, let's see if we can go get a La Boo-Boo. Uh and we did. And I love skull pandas. Um, there was a few which I got. There was um one called Tiny Tiny, and it was really cute because it was just like cute little sad girls, like dolls, and they're so tiny and it's really cute. Um Pocket Friends, um Molly is this one and it's a cute little baby like um in like a cat suit. It's cute, it's cute. Sounds a bit weird, but it's cute. Um yeah, I got a few um of the circus lab boo-boos, they were cute. Demon slayer uh little models and skull panda. I love skull panda. Um and right next to it there was the waffles. Um feel a bit ripped off, honestly, by them. Um, because you could get them there and then and they would like quote unquote make them. Um they didn't really make them there, they got them out of a packet and then warmed them up a little. Um, and then put caramel inside of it and chocolate sauce on the top, um, and marshmallows. Well, whatever you wanted on the top. So like that was a bit of a ripoff. Um, but I guess you know that's Amsterdam food, but I feel like that was there for like mainly tourists. Um it was okay. We Oreo, quit it. Um we did go to a few restaurants. Um we went to a restaurant which was in Del Europe Hotel. D L Europe Hotel? Yeah, I'm probably saying that really wrong. But that was called Gradia Zella Torteria. I think that's how you say the restaurant, which was nice. Again, it was it wasn't Amsterdam, it was Italian. It was yeah, there was just so many different uh cuisines, but like I couldn't find like a proper this is Amsterdam cuisine restaurant, which sounds weird. I don't know. Um we did go into one of the restaurants which sold a few uh Amsterdam um foods, um which was like one of them was like these fried balls with like mustard in and stuff, which it was alright, um, and meat in them. However, when we walked in, uh we sat down and then I saw a mouse run across the floor, um, and that really freaked me out. Um and um I told the waiting on staff, and the guy was so sweet, less. Clearly, it is like the norm that mice run about because he was not phased. He was like, Hey, do you wanna just go sit over here? And I was like, no. It's just not something that I have seen that much of to the point it it did make me uncomfortable. Um, but even when walking out, like he literally said, like, oh, Amsterdam has a really big rat and mouse problem. And I was like, Oh, okay, thank you for like you know telling me. Um and it was just totally normal in like his eyes, um, which is interesting. I didn't really know that, and then I googled it, and yeah, lo and behold, Amsterdam has a big rat and mouse problem. Um, but also, which I didn't realise about Amsterdam, they try and sell you um bottled water rather than tap water. So here in Scotland and in England, they will you have to give the option of like tap water um when you are um an establishment with um food, I believe. I think it's just with food, um, where you do have to offer like free water. And so at Amsterdam, they will try and not do that with you. Every place we went to never offered us like tap water or anything like that. Um, they would always um ask, would you like some water? And they would bring over some bottled water. Um, and of course ask if you want still or sparkling. Um but the restaurant where we saw the mouse, the guy literally slipped up and said, Would you guys like some tap water? And instantly he said, Oh, bottled water. And of course, my bloody mind, that's normal. Um, asking if you want some tap water. So I went, Oh yeah, tap water, please. And like he was so hesitant in getting me tap water. Um again, like, I know their water isn't the cleanest, and that's coming from people of Amsterdam themselves who have said, um, because you know, it was on the canal boats, uh, that the boat guy was talking about it. Um, but like I looked up that they just don't want to give you free water, which fair enough, you know, you're trying to um you try and get as much money out of the customer as possible, you know. I can't really same same here, bro. Like same. I can't really say bad about that. Um, we went to a Michelin star restaurant which was called Vermeer. Um, honestly, I was really surprised. It was dead. Um, for it being a Michelin star restaurant, it was so dead, which was shocking. Even in bad weather, I've seen Michelin star restaurants be crowded. Um, so that was different. Um it was alright. It was an alright restaurant. Um, I had the full eight courses um because I like my food. And you know, when you're in Amsterdam, you know, when you're at a Michelin star restaurant and you're not paying, as long as it's okay with the client, you know, you um can get what you like. And that was really nice. I honestly don't really have that much I don't have any negative thoughts to say about that restaurant. Um it even had uh free toiletries, um, like period products and stuff in the women's. I really appreciate that. Um, I feel like that should be a staple everywhere. Um yeah. What else did I do in Amsterdam? Oh, we went to this one restaurant. Um, it was like um it was called Dulce and Gelato. That was it. Um, it was horrific. It was terrible. Um the guy was so rude to me um in the way that he literally, as I was mid-speaking about my order, he then went on to ask my client what he wanted, and I was like, what the fuck? I wasn't even done. And like the whole customer experience was just terrible, and I felt very uncomfortable. Um and it was just a lot of money um for not a lot of food as well. Um, like if we wanted to add like strawberry sauce to like a crep, it was like an extra three pounds uh well free 3.5 euros and it was quite a bit. Um yeah, I I also think that like if you do get high, this is just not from my own experience, totally not, but if you were to get high in Amsterdam, um I'd say do it in the middle of the day or something, so that all the restaurants are still open uh if you do get the munchies. Um uh because I noticed that like there wasn't many dessert restaurants um on like Just Eat or Um Deliveroo when it came to like nighttime and stuff. I don't know, maybe that was just the day um that I was searching, but I just couldn't really find any. So I'd definitely say do it um during the day. Overall, I'd say if you wanted to go to Amsterdam, sure, do it, why not? Um it's not too expensive. I think the hotels are like the most expensive thing, honestly, because you can get cheap flights. Um we also did um go see a exhibition which was celebrating the life of Erwin Olof, which was absolutely amazing. Fully please, please go see their work. It was fucking extraordinary. Um I was really moved by him and his artwork, just celebrating LGBTQ plus, drag, self self-exploration, and it was so frickin' beautiful. I just it was really beautiful. Um, I think I'm probably gonna have to get some of his artwork um put up in my house because it was just really, really nice. Sadly, he did die in 2023 from emphysema. He was a Dutch photographer and a visual artist, really known for his high stylized cinematic imagery that blends fine art, fashion, social commentary. His work often explored themes like identity, vulnerability, power, um, and societal norms, using lighting, dramatic staging, and signature polished aesthetic. His photographs frequently carried an emotional undercurrent, quiet, unsettling, or provocative, and he was celebrated for pushing boundaries while maintaining a strong sense of who he was and what he supported. Honestly, absolutely amazing person, never mind, photographer and artist. Beautiful. Definitely encourage you to look at his work. And yeah, I think that was it for my Amsterdam trip. It's a nice city. I wouldn't go again unless I was paid. Um it was alright. Like, you know, I don't know, maybe I I don't know if I'm hard to please or just like I just yeah. I think also just the bikes kind of ruined it as well. Because I just it was so hectic. Just bikes going past you every freaking second. Um and also like when it was like the red light, they didn't stop on the road or anything, they just went past and oh hectic. Um but yeah. Yeah, that was that was my month of October. Um I love how I'm looking at my calendar and I'm like, oh, that says bomb worship. Very nice. And of course Halloween was good. I went to my first like parents Halloween like party, but like the kids were there and everything like that. But I didn't realise like Halloween party to parents was we're all gonna get smashed, and then you know, as a collective, we'll just see, you know, make sure the kids are okay. I like that was my first time, and I was like, ah, okay. So when parents meet up, we get smashed, okay. For Halloween. It was very interesting. I felt really accepted, and it was nice. Um, of course, fireworks day we had uh in November. Love uh Fireworks Day, but I don't like fireworks in the ways of like the environmental issues and what effect it does on animals as well. Silent fireworks do exist, we just don't use them. Um we went to Brat Club. Uh Bratt Club is a new uh nightclub event um in Edinburgh. Um it was okay, it wasn't too bad. I'll probably cover it again. The next one is on the 31st of January. Um it was 8 p.m. till 2 a.m. Um they've already addressed like the disadvantages they had came across, which was like there was only two staff working the bar, and there was like over like there was there was at least 100 people. Um it was quite a lot. It was very, very, from what I saw, very successful. Um, the DJ was banging. Um and yeah, I think people were getting pissed off about just the drinks taking long. Um, because yeah, people weren't so nice in their drinks line. Um, but yeah, I'd I'd go again. I'm very much looking forward to next time. They do have like a members system, which I don't understand how that works. I think I have to email them with like all my details. Um, but it was alright. It was good. I will definitely be going again. Yeah. Um, and then literally a few days ago we had the lived experiences in Glasgow. It feels like it was yesterday, um, where I went uh along with quite a few other people to talk about our own experiences of sex work and why we do not want a Nordic model. And that was lovely. We spoke to MPs who took time out of their day, I'm sure they were paid as well, but you know, um, to come and talk to us um uh you know about why we don't want a Nordic model. And it was great, it was lovely. Um I think a lot of us ended in tears because of our own experiences and we are afraid of what the future is to come. Um we just hope that we got our story across and that the government will actually listen to people who they're going to actually affect with this bill. But you know, that's all we can do. All we can do is hope. Um and yeah. I also got my nipple pierced. That was painful. That was very that was quite painful. Um, it was painful for the first like six, seven hours. Um, obviously it was painful going in as well. Um, yeah, once the adrenaline worn off, oof, that hurt. But now it's Fine. After like four days, it's it's alright. It's still sensitive. And you know, you've got to keep it covered for two weeks. Um, but it's great, it's wonderful. I'm really happy. Um, this Tuesday on the 18th, um, we do have Scotland for Decrim, a lovely parliament protest. Um, very excited for that. And yeah, the rest is work. Um, we get a lovely smear test on the 20th. You know, everyone get their smear tests. Hurts like a bitch, but gotta make sure, you know, there's no cancer cells and things. Um, last time in my test, six months ago, I think you're only gonna have it yearly, but um they found cancer cells in my smear test. Um, last time they were dormant, I think, but they said um come back in six months to recheck. So gonna make sure that they are uh still dormant. Um and that's on the 20th. So yeah, that's what is happening this month. Next month I've got barely anything booked in, which is kind of happy, but also it's December, so I need come on, give me all your December Christmas money, please. Um, around this time of year, sex workers do struggle because it is a luxury hiring us, and we are aware that it it is, yeah, it is a luxury, and we are money, you know. Um, but we do appreciate every client that does come to see us um around December and you know in December and after December as well. But I think that's about it. I hope you have enjoyed me babbling on for like an hour. Um thank you very much for listening. This has been Paws and Victoria from Behind the Powder Podcast. I promise I will update my socials and everything like that. Um my Instagram uh from Behind the Padder Podcast. Uh, we have that. Please go follow. Um there is also YouTube as well, but is uh voice rather than video because I just it's a it's a lot to do these days and I just rather um not honestly. Um it does make a bit of a difference, so maybe I should start doing it again, but hi. Um I if people who do want to be on the podcast or have emailed, um I'm very selective of who I want on the podcast. I have had quite a few inquiries, like a a good amount, but they've been sent over through ChatGPT or they've got nothing to do with what I stand for, and it's just like who are you if that makes if that's not that rude. Um not that you know I'm meant to know you, but like sending me ChatGPT and sending me something which doesn't even have my name in it or anything to do with behind the paddle. Um I just kind of see that as rude, honestly. Um yeah, but please, um, if you do wanna be on a podcast, please reach out and things like that. But I just wanted to say that like if I haven't reached out to you, that is why. That it just feels very um it's not even informal. It just doesn't, you know, not not even like you could say like hello porcelain and then the rest is like nothing to do with behind the paddle, and it's just like somebody's biography. Um I don't really appreciate that. That doesn't look eye-catchy for me to want to interact with you. Um yeah. Like it just needs to relate to the podcast and what I guess I stand for on here and what listeners stand for as well, who are listening. Um, but yeah, that's very much it. Please follow. Um I don't really use the Twitter anymore. Um, I honestly don't even use my work Twitter anymore that much because it just doesn't get enough attraction. And Instagram as well. Um, I haven't been given a we're only showing your followers, but a lot of um Instagram profiles like my work one and my personal have been hit with the we're only gonna show to your followers or we're not gonna show to anybody under the age of 18, which is totally fine by the way, but like it just doesn't hit a lot more people. Um so yeah, I think that's about it. Thank you very much for listening and bye.