re-post
1. Cast your eyes downwards at the guest's feet for a few seconds.
2. Make a faint smile with gritted teeth.
3. Look down at the guest's feet again.
4. When the guest looks down, nod.
This may not to work on first-time guests. This is best for reminding people who already know you don't want shoes in your house.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Prompting
I went to a get-together at an home yesterday. They don't seem to enforce a shoes-off policy, but most of us who visit them remove their shoes.
A young couple came. The guy reminded his girlfriend to take off her shoes.
It does seem removing shoes is standard etiquette for people under the age of 30.
A young couple came. The guy reminded his girlfriend to take off her shoes.
It does seem removing shoes is standard etiquette for people under the age of 30.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
abc: Suffer from knee pain? Wear flip-flops
abc: Suffer from knee pain? Wear flip-flops
People have warned me that I will damage my feet by wearing flip flops as often as I do. I feel very vindicated by this article. Recent evidence suggests that wearing flip flops can help to prevent osteoarthritis of the knees.
Flip flops are the perfect choice of footwear for those of us who favour shoes-off in homes as they are so easily removed.
Monday, April 5, 2010
On being a crackpot blogger
The other day I watched 2012. A rather awful film, but then I hate disaster movies. 2012 features a crazy blogger who predicts the end of the world. As it is a film, this lunatic is right.
There are plenty of crackpot bloggers out there. People who have some bee in their bonnet and start a blog to rant about it. With the internet these people can communicate to a potentially unlimited audience about the assasination of JF Kennedy, the Knights Templar and of course, the end of the world in 2012.
Guess what, I am one of those crackpot bloggers. Here I am writing to a readership of between 90-150 visitors a day on a subject of which I have no expertise. I warn you of the health risks of wearing shoes indoors and expect you to change your behaviour accordingly.
But then, unlike a lot of those crackpot bloggers, I have a professional job. I also have a PhD, which apparently means I am a proper scholar and an expert in my field (even if that has nothing to do with what I am writing about here). And if you met me, you would probably find I am a pretty regular sort of guy that you could enjoy a beer with.
And the really interesting thing is that although I may be a crackpot blogger, what I am talking about is what a good deal of people do anyway. You see, in a lot of countries, like Sweden and Bulgaria, they don't need some crazy person like me to tell them to take their shoes off at the door. They find it hard to believe that in some places people keep them on. And in the USA and Great Britain, lots of people have decided to keep their homes shoe-free without ever visiting this blog.
So maybe I am not such a ranting, lunatic crackpot.
There are plenty of crackpot bloggers out there. People who have some bee in their bonnet and start a blog to rant about it. With the internet these people can communicate to a potentially unlimited audience about the assasination of JF Kennedy, the Knights Templar and of course, the end of the world in 2012.
Guess what, I am one of those crackpot bloggers. Here I am writing to a readership of between 90-150 visitors a day on a subject of which I have no expertise. I warn you of the health risks of wearing shoes indoors and expect you to change your behaviour accordingly.
But then, unlike a lot of those crackpot bloggers, I have a professional job. I also have a PhD, which apparently means I am a proper scholar and an expert in my field (even if that has nothing to do with what I am writing about here). And if you met me, you would probably find I am a pretty regular sort of guy that you could enjoy a beer with.
And the really interesting thing is that although I may be a crackpot blogger, what I am talking about is what a good deal of people do anyway. You see, in a lot of countries, like Sweden and Bulgaria, they don't need some crazy person like me to tell them to take their shoes off at the door. They find it hard to believe that in some places people keep them on. And in the USA and Great Britain, lots of people have decided to keep their homes shoe-free without ever visiting this blog.
So maybe I am not such a ranting, lunatic crackpot.
Fictional People (Stereotypes?) Part 2
re-post
Emma
Emma is 33 and in management within a computer game company in London. She is single.
Emma lives a very active lifestyle and enjoys fencing and scuba diving. She also has a vibrant social life, frequently eating out with friends and going to clubs.
Emma has a shoes-off policy in her apartment. When she moved in, she was happy to walk about with her shoes on, but after a complaint from a neighbour below about the noise of her heels on the hardwood floor, she realised she would have to make her home shoe-free.
Naturally, it was necessary for Emma to require this rule of her friends. However, many of them also lived in expensive London apartments and had a similar rule. Emma tends to go out to socialise rather than entertain, though she and friends will sometimes have a drink or two at her apartment before going out. When she does have friends over, it tends to be for casual romantic movie watching occasions where shoe removal is pretty unconventional.
Edward and Florence
Edward is in his fifties and owns an organic farm in Herefordshire. He lives with his wife. His two grown-up sons have since moved out of the family home.
Edward served seven years in the air force. He has a passion for all things military and has a huge collection of uniforms and military equipment from the second world war.
He is also keen on politics, being an active member of the UK Independence party. He is convinced that the European Union is a key component of the New World Order that is intent on subjugating Britain. He often hosts UKIP meetings at his farm.
Edward's wife, Florence, is considered by some to be a little eccentric. She has written two books on the subject of fairies. She has a website dedicated to the subject of British folklore. Florence also has a talent for painting and has hosted several exhibitions of her work at the farmhouse.
Edward and Florence have a shoes-off policy in their home.
Anyone who has visited the countryside knows that their is plenty of muck there which nobody would want walked into their carpet. Edward and Florence tend to have lots of visitors and so have been clear that shoes-off is a requirement in their farmhouse. Florence also claims that removing shoes is a way of showing respect to the fairies that inhabit the place, citing traditions from Asia in support of this thesis.
Most of Edward and Florence's visitors are either attending political meetings or viewing Florence's paintings. They are normally informed through the relevant websites that visitors are expected to remove their shoes and are suggested to bring slippers.
Emma
Emma is 33 and in management within a computer game company in London. She is single.
Emma lives a very active lifestyle and enjoys fencing and scuba diving. She also has a vibrant social life, frequently eating out with friends and going to clubs.
Emma has a shoes-off policy in her apartment. When she moved in, she was happy to walk about with her shoes on, but after a complaint from a neighbour below about the noise of her heels on the hardwood floor, she realised she would have to make her home shoe-free.
Naturally, it was necessary for Emma to require this rule of her friends. However, many of them also lived in expensive London apartments and had a similar rule. Emma tends to go out to socialise rather than entertain, though she and friends will sometimes have a drink or two at her apartment before going out. When she does have friends over, it tends to be for casual romantic movie watching occasions where shoe removal is pretty unconventional.
Edward and Florence
Edward is in his fifties and owns an organic farm in Herefordshire. He lives with his wife. His two grown-up sons have since moved out of the family home.
Edward served seven years in the air force. He has a passion for all things military and has a huge collection of uniforms and military equipment from the second world war.
He is also keen on politics, being an active member of the UK Independence party. He is convinced that the European Union is a key component of the New World Order that is intent on subjugating Britain. He often hosts UKIP meetings at his farm.
Edward's wife, Florence, is considered by some to be a little eccentric. She has written two books on the subject of fairies. She has a website dedicated to the subject of British folklore. Florence also has a talent for painting and has hosted several exhibitions of her work at the farmhouse.
Edward and Florence have a shoes-off policy in their home.
Anyone who has visited the countryside knows that their is plenty of muck there which nobody would want walked into their carpet. Edward and Florence tend to have lots of visitors and so have been clear that shoes-off is a requirement in their farmhouse. Florence also claims that removing shoes is a way of showing respect to the fairies that inhabit the place, citing traditions from Asia in support of this thesis.
Most of Edward and Florence's visitors are either attending political meetings or viewing Florence's paintings. They are normally informed through the relevant websites that visitors are expected to remove their shoes and are suggested to bring slippers.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Conversations with Colleagues
A colleague today told me his wife insists on a shoes-off policy. He dislikes having to ask visitors to remove their shoes. He is of African origin, but married to a white lady. I told him why it is important to keep the no-shoes rule and that wiping feet on a doormat is not sufficent.
Another colleague told me that when attending a guitar lesson in a home, she remembered having a conversation with me on this subject and removed her shoes.
Those of you who seem to love talking about shoe removal at work will find this one interesting. A colleague told me that in the previous office where she worked, she often removed her shoes. However, in the summer they tended to smell rather strong and her colleagues insited on her leaving the shoes outside!
Another colleague told me that when attending a guitar lesson in a home, she remembered having a conversation with me on this subject and removed her shoes.
Those of you who seem to love talking about shoe removal at work will find this one interesting. A colleague told me that in the previous office where she worked, she often removed her shoes. However, in the summer they tended to smell rather strong and her colleagues insited on her leaving the shoes outside!
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