Where did you go barefoot today?

Tho I've been doing barefooting since mid March, for some reason the last couple of days have been fun. Maybe because it seems to be summer or maybe because some places cause me to think twice before going to them and then realizing there isn't a choice. Go in barefoot or don't do the errand. So you go in. Yay.

 

Actually, it was a rather regular day, with no special plans ahead but the usual pre- and after-office barefooting and a more or less relaxed office day. At least I did as I planned and began my late shift an hour later in order to get some more sleep than the nights before and be less edgy... and it worked. Even though I had to do some extra statistics, which was presented to me the day before, just on leaving, I felt less stressed by it, was in a better mood and wiggled my toes quite relaxed under my desk (where I kicked off my flip-flops, of course).

However, there was one specialty about this otherwise usual work day which makes it noteworthy to me:
In the morning, I used public transport as usual, went to the town centre and into my usual supermarket to get some caffeinated drinks to keep my engine running during the office day, and since I had some time left before my bus to the office was due to leave, bought me a latte to go and stepped outside the central station mall to sip on it and have a cigarette. The various occurances of „The Look“® were nothing to bother me, but since it was a cool morning (no warmer than 10°C), some of them were of the even more incedulous sort than usual... that includes a middle- aged woman (well beyond 40), whose look was really oozing arrogance. The most peculiar occurance of „The Look“® that really prompted me to write this entry was coming from an elder man, his age somewhere in his late sixties or early seventies who was pulling one of those shopping trolleys which are most often used by elder people here in Germany:



He looked at me, a mixture of disbelief and disgust on his face, and I could see his lips move, uttering the word „Penner!“ while looking at me (he made sure not to utter it audibly but under his breath...). That word is German for „bum“ or „homeless“, and he made it his business to shoot his annoying version of „The Look“® at me three times in total – and at the third time I retaliated by flipping him the bird!

And quite rightly so, I might add. OK, there is truth in saying that you should respect your elders for knowledge and wisdom – if they do behave worthy of that respect. However, just assuming something from appearance (which in my case was hippie-esque, admittedly, but nevertheless clean) and behaving like an uneducated, loud-mouthed and rude old geezer is something not worthy of respect, IMO.

I kind of hoped to encounter him again after finishing my latte and cigarette and went to the bus stop, so that I might have educated him a bit about who I am... I would have enjoyed it greatly to say to him:
„You're the one who called me 'bum' a few minutes ago, right? Well, here's something for you to think about: I am currently on my way to the office where I work on a full-time basis, at least 40 hours a week, sometimes more than that... I do have a nice little apartment, I own two computers, one of which I carry with me in my bag right now – and which has a value of about 300 euros... I work for my monthly salary and I pay taxes and also my employee's share into the pension scheme, out of which your old-age pension is paid. So, next time, inform yourself before calling other people names, try to behave, follow the rules of common courtesy – which old geezers like you complain about not being obeyed by 'young people' nowadays - and be nice to one of your sponsors!“

Oh, I would have loved to see his face after that. And since I work in a direct and dialogue marketing firm, I would have known how to talk on without letting him interrupt me. Alas, he had evaded me, though, so that I could not apply my power of words to him. But if I ever see that guy again, and he calls me a bum again... oh, beware a shower of words coming from above, old man! Well, literally, since he was considerably smaller than me.

Other than that, it was a delightful day for barefooting, especially after work, since it had begun to rain about noon, and most people were sad about it, saying „Ugh, it's cold... it's raining..“ etc., while I was thinking „Cool! Puddles to splash my bare feet in and cool wet ground to walk on and cool off after the office day...“ And so it was - a real delight to walk on and to arrive at home relaxed and refreshed.

Wiggling happy toes,

~*Ganesha*~

(this is also part of my personal barefooting diary on my web site).

 

Here I was hoping you would say that upon getting to the bus stop you found him tragically dead under it's wheels (after all he apparently had lived a long life) and the contents of his trolley (many pounds of pot) spewed all over the street. And the impact knocking him out of his shoes and socks, leaving a barefoot corpse.....Ah well, thats just my sense of humor/imagination......sorry...

 

That was a nice story, ganesha1967. I enjoyed it a lot to read it.:driving:
When I get those 'looks', I usually stare back at them or just ignore it. Though I did have those days on which I would react in a more agressive way... anyway, enjoy your coffee!:coffee:

 

a dirt trail through the woods with a blacksnake on it

 

Black snakes are not supposed to be a good thing aren't they? Asks mr. suburbs....

 

hillman here in Texas we have a couple of black snakes:

- cotton mouth: a mean, ornery critter that is in the pit viper class
- rat snake: this guy isn't agressive toward people and helps keep the rat population down

I think there are one or two more that aren't vipers

 

I saw one two days in a row, and they were not aggressive.

 

Thanks a lot. Glad you enjoyed it.

Well, most of the time I am indifferent to "The Look"TM, but if someone makes it his business to stare in a very rude way, I get to thinking and depending on my mood I glare back, scowl, or just play the old male stare-down game... staring back until the other looks away. Wolves and dogs do that, and apart from that thin layer of cortex in our brains, we're basically just pack animals like them .

Oh, I did, and I do on a daily basis. Caffeine fuels my life... I am a worshipper of the Coffee Goddess:



:smilielol5:

As far as barefooting is concerned, I had the same opportunities today as I had yesterday, and this time the encounter was on the way home from the office, as I got out of the bus and was about to change to the subway, a middle-aged woman (somewhere in her 50s) was calling out - loud enough over my MP3 player's acoustic shield: "You're not wearing shoes!!" - hah, great observation skills, really, which I replied to her (with a grin). She then asked "Can't you afford any?", slightly grinning as well, to which I replied "Oh, I can very well afford them, I just don't like wearing them..." A little conversation then ensued about whether I never get ill - my answer being that I haven't had a flu or heavy cold in years, what about callous on my soles, spiky stones or the like to step on, health benefits, etc. She was at first intrigued, then honestly interested. Funny thing is, that an elder woman standing behind me on the escalator only noticed my pedal nudity, when that first woman pointed it out to the world at large...

As we parted, she wished me well walking around barefoot. I thanked her and thought that those are the encounters more shoddies should witness... especially the likes of yesterday's old geezer.

The barefoot walks today were again refreshing, energizing and relaxing, due to slightly rainy weather and cool temperatures around 10°C.

Wiggling happy toes, which are now free for a whole weekend,

~*Ganesha*~

 

well i just woke up so i have no shoes on haha Later on today im gonna be spinning fire, I ALWAYS do that barefoot!

 

With quite nice weather (16°C and cloudy skies, no rain), I took my usual barefoot Sunday stroll in the park today, enjoying slightly moist and cool soil and grass underfoot...

You can see a detailed report and pictures on the web in my barefoot diary.

Wiggling bare and happy toes,

~*Ganesha*~

 

Family Dollar

 

Kia Ora!

I ran out of gas today, so I had to walk 2 miles barefoot in the rain! About a month ago I was without a car, and I walked this street a couple times barefoot, and my soles were SORE for almost a week! I totally had to hobble step the whole way. But today, I could walk regular speed, even fast speed without even flinching even on the gravel portions. It's amazing, but walking on rough surfaces like that when your feet are tough actually feels GOOD. Like a non stop massage.

Anyways, I'm coming upon a month barefoot with the exception of one occasion. but now i'm back to no shoe ownership and I'm enjoying barefoot season more than ever before.

However, I have noticed lately that it gets annoying answering SO many questions about why I'm barefoot. In iowa, i'd get questions/comments few and far between, but now it has become an every day occurrence. The way I see it, I don't stop people with green spiky hair wearing a dog leash to ask them why! I just let them be! I hardly think being barefoot is more extreme.

Cheers!

 

Yesterday was warm (~70 deg F) so I took advantage of the temp before the snow comes on Wednesday (the weather's all screwed up here this year). I went barefoot to Home Depot, Safeway (grocery), Post Office, coffee shop, and Staples (office supplies). No issues - there almost never are. Today (Tuesday) the temperature's cooler so I wore my Vibram Fivefingers to the airport. I'm actually in the terminal typing this and I've already had two people comment about how cool they look. I told one person I only wear them when it's not very warm. I was hoping she'd ask what I do otherwise (go barefoot of course!) but she didn't take the bait. Anyhow, I'm really anxious for steady warm weather.

 

Saturday I walked a quite few blocks to pick up a pizza. Probably not a huge deal to anyone else here, but it was my first time leaving home without some just-in-case flip flops in my bag, and also my first time walking into any kinda shop barefoot. It's not much, but it's progress!

 

Acrylic, sounds like you had a great experience. Not taking just in case backups is really good cause (in a good way) it gave you a more intense experience knowing you have to go into the shop barefoot. You gave yourself no choice. That is the fun part.

 

Acrylic, I think that IS a huge deal -for you- leaving your home like that. From now on you can do this more often. This is a big step for most of us, so it's great for you! good luck barefootin'

 

That's great! I got started by going to a Strabucks. I left my shoes at home and was convinced I'd get thrown out of the store. Much to my surprise NOTHING HAPPENED. I did that for a few weeks with the same result. Over time that gave me confidence to go barefoot more-and-more, lots of different places, and had the same result! I've sorta monitored where I've gone and have info supporting that 99.5% of the time nobody cares I'm not wearing shoes. I've gone into most every type of establishment and have had VERY FEW negative experiences. The odd times I have been approached, I think it was more the paranoia of the individual store manager or employee than an actual business policy. I've gotten to where I just do it without thinking.

 

went walking in the woods, going up and down rocky slopes and deep-mud gorges until I met a small group of wild boars, pups with one female around 80 kg., which didn't notice me coming. I was several feet below them and about 20 away and they didn't hear nor smell me, nor showed signs of distress, so I returned on my steps after a couple of minutes. during this time of year females have pups and get aggressive so it is better leaving them alone. i departed silently as I came, keeping my hands over my hefty 2-inch-thick pine stick with a lead head, which luckily I did not need to use
p.s. next time I'll bring my pruning hook, the size of a sword and heavy as an axe .

 

Thanks everyone, it definitely felt accomplishing! I'm working on making some barefoot sandals, partially to help me ease into going into more public areas barefoot, but mostly because I just like dressing up my feet nice n' purty.

Today I walked to the store and back which added up to about a mile, though I didn't actually go INTO the store because my friend made me mad so I ditched the sucker. I remember coming home with sore tootsies from trips half the distance, and now it's as though I hadn't even walked it at all. It's definitely fun to see the progress you make doing something as simple as not putting shoes on!