Shyheels

Soldier

15 hours ago, Heelster said:

@Shyheels

Regarding flying .

Thanks to TSA and dumbass terrorists, anything that makes it easier to clear Customs and TSA checks is fine by me. I know a couple women that pack all their dress wear in luggage and wear sweats and slippers - - - easier and faster.

Hard to believe but I had to go through customs and TSA at O'hara recently. I had over 2 hours of layover, and caught my connecting flight with 2 minutes to spare. Peel off your shoes, your jackets, anything in pockets, belts, metal anything, take laptop out of bag - - - 

I wore boots with a full zipper because it was the fastest footwear I had - - - 

Yes, I understand that going through airport security in the US is something special these days thanks to understaffing by the TSA, and so there is a natural and understandable desire by passengers to streamline the process where possible, but it should still be possible to look presentable. No need to be a slob. Nice jeans or trousers with empty pockets should be able to pass through the eye of the needle just as readily as sweats or shorts with empty pockets.

And the rest of it. Are cheap rubber flip-flops really necessary for speeding through security? Are there no alternatives? Can people not think ahead and stash their phones, pens, wallets and coins in the pockets of their carry-on so they don't have to hold up the queue? I do. Can they not sort out their carry-ons so that their laptops and iPads are quickly and easily accessible? I do.

Flying is pretty grubby these days, but it needn't be downright gross.

I wear my otk suede boots (either chunky 7cm heels or flats ) with jeans and jumper virtually every day at my office, although I work from home (when I am not travelling) and so am at perfect liberty to wear whatever I please. Strictly no jacket and tie. Those are banned from my workplace.

Duty

Requirement

I take your point on the double standard in dress codes. Interestingly, not long after the big brou-ha-ha over the temp who refused to wear heels there was a piece in the Guardian about a guy - a teacher - who decided to make the big experiment and not wear a tie to work. He was quickly taken aside by the headmaster (a woman) and told to shape up and wear a tie, or else start looking for a new job. It was interesting to read the comments section at the end of the feature - nearly all of them were disparaging him (poor you) for moaning about having to wear a tie. Unlike the lass with her dislike of heels, there was no petition to Parliament about changing the sexist dress code, no 130,000 signatures, no outrage by commentators, just a man made to bend and wear a tie. Which he did.

As someone who flies a lot though, I am not thrilled by seeing people boarding planes in flip-flops, shorts, beach wear, tracksuits, etc. It's crass. 

Cause

I don't know whether you are coming for business or pleasure, or whether you have been over here before, but London is a great city and I am sure you'll have a fine time. I am Australian, although based in the UK these days. I travel a hell of a lot for work and indeed this autumn will be bouncing all over Australia on various assignments.

Nut

Oak

I am guessing your feet did not shrink...

I know exactly what you mean. Oddly enough in the right sort of small town, one's differences and idiosyncracies can be absorbed and soon become just another part of the scenery, not commented upon by anybody.

Maple walnut

9 hours ago, spikesmike said:

meganiwish

Clay-ali is not punching anything, he's dead.

shyheels

You have a good knowledge of Clay-Ali . You have the right to your beliefs. Lets get together for a drink-meet when I get to England this fall.

spikesmike

Cheers, Spikesmike! Alas I shall most likely be in Australia come autumn. 

A flawed hero

Top Hat

15 minutes ago, swedeheeler said:

Yeah. Not that bad here. Or is it? People can start talk negative sh*t here where I live.

I can understand your feeling. The whole way. But if you did same thing in Stockholm the capital of Sweden or Gothenburg or Malmö for that part no one would even care.

Or what do you say about that @4608?

I am from a small village originally myself, but I couldn't believe the scrutiny everybody - not just strangers - was exposed to in this tiny fishing village on this remote island in Lofoten.  It was almost comical. If I saw it on a TV show I'd say the directors over-did it. 

I thought you were from somewhere like Gothenburg and so was surprised by your descriptions of insularity and close-mindedness 

3 minutes ago, swedeheeler said:

Mostly. But it depends where in the country you live. South sweden. You'll blend in. North sweden. Depending where you live. I live in small community out on the country.

I guess so. I had an assignment in a remote part of Norway a few years ago and was amazed by the curtain-twitchers when I walked down the street of this little village.  It was kind of unsettling.

23 minutes ago, meganiwish said:

He's punching angels now.

And looking pretty...

Top Cat

I see. The entire bench of the US Supreme Court is wrong, along with every single US President and Commander-in-Chief for the past 40 years, but you of course are right.

If only the US Government and rest of the world had your perspicacity...

Given your persistent use of 'Cassius Clay' to refer to Muhammad Ali, i am guessing that you must be one of those people who believe that the writer Jan Morris should always be referred to by her birth name of James, that the new bathroom laws in NC are a good thing and that Nelson Mandela, as a convicted terrorist, who never renounced violence, should have spent the rest of his days on Robben Island...

I will grant you this though - judging by the strength of your convictions, however misplaced, you certainly would have the chutzpah to strut your stuff magnificently in heels.

Surely you are aware that the US President is also Commander in Chief of the armed forces? If you're not, he is. There are four living former presidents, and one sitting one, all of whom ave been outspoken in their admiration of Muhammad Ali. One of them, Clinton, is delivering the man's eulogy. Obama made quite a moving speech about Ali's huge contribution to society and the civil rights movement. Yet another C-in-C, President Bush, awarded Ali the Presidential Medal of Freedom - the nation's highest civilian award for meritorious service - in 2005.

I might point out - again - that the US Supreme Court, in 1971, unanimously overturned his conviction for refusing military service. He was on firm legal, moral and constitutional grounds for doing so. For him to have taken the stand he took, at the time he took it, was an act of immense moral courage - and he paid a heavy price for it. He didn't cut and run, as so many others did, but stayed and fought his way through the courts - and as with so many of the fights he entered, he won. 

As to his title, he won it back. Twice. The world has moved on greatly in the past fifty years with the overwhelming number of people having long ago come to realise what a great many people already understood way back then - that Muhammad Ali was a humanitarian and champion of the civil rights movement as well as a magnificent boxer.

Stiletto

On 3 June 2016 at 9:45 PM, swedeheeler said:

Well. I want to start with something subtle to gain some nerves for coming along with more visible stuff as I gathering more courage. To be honest. Back in north Sweden folks are more judging for this kinda "behaviour" as many people still stuck in the 20th century.

Thats why I want some discrete to start with. But it will take a while. Have to practice more heeling.

A pitt. One tends to think of Swedes as being more progressive and tolerant than most. 

Heels!