My Love for Red Footwear

Apparently this started at a young age as shown by this photograph taken by my Dad.



Anyone who has been following my flickr page will have noticed I've become a bit enamoured with my red shoes. I took a nice group photo of my various red shoes/boots at the time back in November 2006.



However, in January 2008 I began the obsession with one particular pair. I called them my disco shoes as they had glitter imbedded in the fabric and some red plastic 'jewels' stuck on the sides (very out of character for me).



That first shot was taken in the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. I thought it was a cool shot and after that day I started happily snapping away at my lovely red sneakers in various locations.

On the shore of the Thames in Greenwich



In the Victoria and Albert Museum in London



The South Side of Glasgow



You get the idea.

The odd time I'd stray outside the norm and take a shot of my other shoes but I don't think it had the same impact as my red disco shoes.



But then it happened. The shoes were dying :( They were starting to get uncomfortable to wear and holes were developing in the soles. When I think about it I bought those shoes more than 10 years ago for something like $3.00 at Payless (50% off an already ridiculously low price). I was surprised they'd lasted as long as they did as Payless isn't really know for excellent quality.

I had the idea in my head that I wanted to replace them with a pair of red Converse All Star shoes but this was getting difficult as I have tiny feet (UK size 2). I was on holiday in London over the summer so I decided this would be a good opportunity to hit the shops and get a new pair. I went into a number of shops but I couldn't find any red ones in the correct size. So eventually I gave up and purchased these instead.



I like them, they fit well and with swapping the laces I think they are a bit of fun. But if I'm honest with myself they just don't have that special 'thing' about them. They aren't magical.

And then I saw them…



Aren't they beautiful? Can you feel the magic? My Ruby Slippers, just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. These will be the best shoes ever!

Let the magic begin.

Christmas Cards

I cloistered myself away in my room today to try and get all my Christmas cards written. I'm sad to say I only got about half done which means I will be doing the same tomorrow. But those I did manage to write have been dropped off at the post office so I guess they'll be going out in waves.

I really find writing that many cards quite tedious. Not boring, but I'm one of those people that can't see the point of sending off a card with just a signature in it. I need to actually write some stuff inside. I try to be witty, or funny or thoughtful and that's tough work. Plus I need to try not to repeat what I've blogged about as you'd know that already. Man, I am one tough critic. Maybe you guys aren't worth the effort....... OK, you are.

I received a very large envelope from the office today with the official letter telling me I've been hired and I start Monday. Along with it came the regular blurbs on professionalism and a CD ROM that I need to review on the company. I guess when they put the package together they didn't clue in that I've been working for the company for 10 yrs already. But it should be interesting to review the info just to see if there is anything different between the UK offices and North America. It also looks like I'll be heading out for a few courses in my first 3 months in Croydon which is just south of London.

I guess now would be an appropriate time to warn you all that once I start working I may not have all that much to blog about. That is unless you are all REALLY interested in the wonderful world of Pensions and Call Centre's. But we'll see, maybe it will be a fun office full of many hijinks and mayhem, but I doubt it. However, I will attempt to keep up with my picture of the day. Or maybe I'll revert to CD & Movie reviews or cultural observations of the day. I'll have to think about it.

Right, I forgot to mention today's picture. That's me back in 1969 and in closer inspection of the photo I can see that even back then I had a thing for red shoes.

Let the jokes begin....

I Have A Problem

OK I admit it. I have a thing for Red Shoes. What can I say, it's the one way I feel I can be a bit wild and funky even though deep down I'm the most conservative person I know. Yesterday I broke down and bought a pair of Cherry Red Doc Martens (seen on the left). I love them.

Here is my Friday report. I made my way to the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art today. I was here briefly last year but got there just as the Museum was closing so had only zipped through it. Today I spent a good chunk of the afternoon there viewing the exhibits. There was a photography exhibit on Voodoo in Haiti that was quite interesting.

The sun is starting to set at 4PM now so by they time I walked back to the City Chambers it was pitch black already. They have George Square all decked out for Christmas already. The big tree is lit up and it looked like they have built a skating rink as well, but I didn't see anyone on the ice yet.

In the evening we attended a fashion show for a friend of a friend of Jen's. It was in a cool venue with lots of 'beautiful skinny people'. The collection was called the 'Joan Barron Collection' http://www.neverthesametwice.com/jbCollection.htm . It's fashion created out of vintage fabrics found at the estate of a lady named Joan Barron. Very interesting but I think I've decided I just don't fit the High Fashion scene.

Afterward when Brenda and I got back to the flat we decided to go down to the neighbor hood pub on Woodlands Road called the Uisge Beatha which is Gaelic for Water of Life - which is where the name whisky comes from. Last time I was there was on our last day in Glasgow before flying home the next day. I was so sick with the worst cold I've ever had and the non-smoking laws hadn't come into effect yet so I remember it being very very hazy and dark inside. This was a much nicer experience. It was still packed so nice to see that the ban on smoking hasn't hurt business at all. This pub has over 125 single malt whiskys. Our challenge is to see if we get get through all the good ones found on the top shelf in the next year.

No problem.

3 Guys - all size 11 shoes

3 Guys - all size 11 shoes
Originally uploaded by sasseymills.

The South Garden Society of Lansdowne Cres held a BBQ tonight to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day (or Bonfire Night). Brenda and I went as representatives of Andrew & Jen's flat. It wasn't raining but the wind picked up and it was a bit chilly. So the warmest place to stand was right in front of the BBQ. The man in charge of the hot coals was Andrew from Australia. When the BBQ coals were not up to snuff he stepped in and took over and got everything going again so that the sausages could cook properly. In chatting with Andrew it was discovered that he doesn't live on Lansdowne Cres, but is just here visiting & staying with friend Lewis and his flat mate Dave.

In standing over the warm coals we started chatting with the boys and discovered that Lewis & Dave live across the hall from Andrew & Jen. Once the coals started to die down we moved over to the Lansdowne pub to continue the conversations and we ended up closing the place down. I think this is the first time I've actually been kicked out of a pub - but they were ever so nice about it.

In the course of the evening it came up that all 3 guys all had size 11 feet (size 12 North American). So that just begged a picture. You know what they say about guys with big feet.........



Big Shoes