Logjam

I’m mostly a lurker here anymore, but since I was one of the “first responders” to the original post (is the OP still around anymore?) I’ll comment. Similar to Cali’s experience, over 10 years ago, an ingrown toenail sent me to a podiatrist. The doctor, a woman, treated the problem, told me that I would likely loose the nail (happened), then examined my feet. She immediately advised, that due to rather severe “Morton’s toe”, that I should wear sandals or open toes as much as possible. She also advised that I start getting regular pedis, and told me that after the toe healed, a decent nail tech could fashion an artificial nail. Then she commented, almost casually, “and you can paint them. Men do that now, that’s a thing.” (In retrospect, I think she was a fan of the practice.) After a couple of visits to various “generic” everywhere nail places, I sought out a native English speaking nail tech. On about the third visit with her, my curiousity got the best of me and I asked her about men wearing color. Her response was an enthusiastic “Yes! Let’s do that!” So I tried color and was immediately hooked. Now, with the original tech moving away and then me not caring for the second tech, I’m on my third. This lady is friendly, kind, does great pedis including a foot/lower leg massage, and I’ve learned, is a VERY enthusiastic and outspoken proponent of men wearing color. We have sort of an unwritten color protocol. I kinda like changing up colors. So, during warmer months, I do wear openly, so I stick to blues, grays, occasionally black or dark red. This time of year I’m only wearing full shoes or boots out, so I generally give her “dealer’s choice”, and she comes up with a different color, or often a combo of colors, each time I see her. Right now I’m wearing a metallic fire-engine red with a small white heart for Valentine’s on one toe. For no particular reason, I just like the look and enjoy the treatments.