Yamyam

Perhaps you should see if the shop would pay you some commission? "Proceeds to the Francis & Jackie fighting fund" kind of thing? Actually, I'm serious here!

I certainly would! But those people are only unbelievable if you don't live in England. I used to think that only retired Army Majors used to complain about the standard of politeness dropping, but I sometimes think that people are becoming a little less polite. Sad but true.

Jim, I would say that I definitely am not happy with where PC is going. My view is that free speech is a right, but as with other rights, it comes along with responsibility. One of the problems with the PC thing is the authoritarian nature of it, the "You can't say that because someone might find it offensive". To a certain extent, things have to be subjective. Some people have said things to me that I've found offensive, where I would have tolerated it from someone else. It's important to take into account people's intent. And, of course, being black myself, I am immune to the worst accusations. I don't know what to do about it, other than behave how I wish others would, and hope that I can be an example at least to those around me.

Francis, good luck with it all, and don't panic. If it comes to it, I'm sure that emergency arrangements can be made!

Erm... bit close. (Warning - dates in calendar are closer than they appear). I need to arrange childcare, and the 14th is my brother's birthday. Can I suggest the 22nd or the 29th?

Indeed, well said julietta. This isa community, and it's all of the people here that make it what it is. (And SQ, I'd missed you too, but noticed you were on-line a lot )

Julietta and Highluc - thanks very much! "High" praise indeed from two experts! I'm inspired to keep going, but I have a busy week ahead of me now. Still, you never know!

Well, since you asked, try http://www.hhplace.org/hhboard/viewtopic.php?t=1578&highlight=, where I have posted some more pics. It's easier now I know how

Picadilly

That's a good point, Julietta. After all, nothing makes publicity like a good bit of controversy. Didn't Benetton make their whole strategy work that way at one time?

Control

I thought I'd do some more shoe pictures, so here we go. These aren't as extreme as the previous ones, these are my street heels.

Without further ado, the shoes:

My latest buy - my extremely fake market-stall J-Lo Blahnik copies. They have a 3.5" (8.9cm) heel but always seem to feel like flat shoes. They are really comfortable, and in a size UK8 run really big, so that they're nice and comfy even with socks. They're also the only boots I own that aren't black. The stall had them in sand (which these are), green and pink, but I decided that those colours just aren't quite me.

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338604.jpg

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338639.jpg

I've had these 3.5" (8.9cm) blade heels for a while now. They're a UK8, but with a big square toe, so the size runs big. Again, I can wear these with ordinary socks, so these see some use when I'm travelling. The label inside says 'logo', which is a clothes shop, but they have excellent shoes. They don't seem to have any shops in the south. The only ones I know of are Sheffield Meadowhall and Manchester. They aren't leather, but again they are comfortable to wear.

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338684.jpg

This is another pair I've had quite a while. They date from my 'buy anything I can get my feet in!' period, which has left me with lots of unwearable pairs. These are again quite comfortable. They're really stiff, which combined with the 4" (10cm) block heel means that I know when I'm wearing them. They feel a bit higher than the 3.5" (8.9cm) pairs above, but they are still comfortable. I've worn these out and about when travelling with a suit, and again they look fine. I haven't worn them all that much, but I think I'll get them out again. They're more for colder days, though, as they're a mid-calf boot rather than an ankle boot. I wear them with socks, but my socks tend to slide down inside them, and I hate that!

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338712.jpg

I've had these some time too. I went thru a phase of deciding that I wanted a change from ankle boots. So I bought a few pairs of court shoes. Most of them went to Francis in exchange for my screen, but I've kept this pair. I bought them from Barratts for ten pounds in the sale. They are quite comfortable for short periods, but I've never worn them for very long. They're one of the only pairs I'd ever wear barefoot. Normally, I wear them with knee-highs, as here. I didn't think I'd ever wear them outside, but after looking at the photos, perhaps I might. Surprisingly (well, I was surprised) they're a 4.5" (11.4cm) heel, which I wasn't expecting - they don't feel that high!

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338746.jpg

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338772.jpg

OK, in a moment of weakness in a shoe shop, I bought some pixie boots. What was I thinking? Not sure, but these are real leather, from Jeff Baines in Walsall. I think they were around thirty pounds. To me, the shape of the boot looks really odd, but even in an UK8 and with a pointy toe, they are comfortable. I could wear them a lot, but I don't, as I'm never sure if pixie boots are me. Now I've lost some weight, perhaps I'll wear them some more. I don't know why the colour's gone funny in this picture - they are black. Most definitely. Oh, and they're on a 3.75" heel, which is one of the best bits. I love the shape of the heel: it's a sort of skinny hourglass shape.

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338802.jpg

Another buy from Logo, this time from 'Logo for Less', which is their sale shop, somewhere off the M602 in Manchester. I had a really good shopping experience buying these, with two sales assistants helping me out. There was also a woman there with her boyfriend, who handed me a pair of knee boots, and said 'Try these, they're an 8, so they should fit you!' I smiled and thanked her, and copped an evil look from her boyfriend for it. Oh well, what the heck.

Anyway, these are me-type spiky boots. There's a 4.5" (11.5cm) stiletto heel, and nice pointy toes. They're a calf-length boot too, and quite snug, so definitely a knee-highs pair. I plan to take these out on the street under long jeans next chance I get. It's a shame to hide them under trousers, tho', as I like the spiky metal pin in the top.

But I'm no way wearing shorts with them!

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338863.jpg

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338888.jpg

And, last but not least, we have my chunky platform boots. About a 5" (12.7cm) heel and a .75" (2cm) platform. These are one of my few pairs of knee-high boots. I've been known to wear these with knee-highs and socks. When I bought them I could barely walk in them, but now I'm happily walking around the house in them. Would I wear them outside? Perhaps, but only if I was out partying with friends in a way that didn't involve much drinking. Maybe a cinema trip or something. I think they're noticeably girly, and on those heels I would be a lot taller than normal. I guess that's just part of the fun. Time to check the length of my extra-long jeans and go for it!

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338919.jpg

http://65.160.96.70/hhplace/images/1053338937.jpg

So, what do you all think?

Good advice there from Nicole. If you're going to be doing something unconventional, make sure you're sorted in the event of bumping into a policeman. Here in the UK we don't have ID cards (yet!) but I always have my driving license on me, which is the next best thing to photo ID. It's also a good point about daytime vs. night time. Acting oddly in the day is apparently less suspicious than at night, but I'm never sure why I suppose the assumption is that there's more criminal activity at night, so any activity at night stands a higher chance of being criminal. Anyway, I can see why going out at night feels easier, but you'll probably attract more attention rather than less at night.

Tom (as in Tom Cat)

They are nice! I'm not so keen on the medallion, but everything else is way cool!

I met Kathy's parents and other family members last Sunday and with one exception they liked me. It was billed as a Mother's Day family gathering but it was soon apparent that they had organized it specifically to meet me.

Kathy's sister-in-law didn't like my earrings and told Kathy's mom that she wondered whether I was gay (silly, I wear them on my left ear). Her attitude was quite unexpected since she comes from a country where men kiss men in public.

Kathy's mom said "Well I think it's all right as long as he takes them off during the wedding." (now wait a minute).

All in all, it was a successful evening. Kathy was dressed very provocatively (tube top, very tight denim skirt, and wood-bottomed slides with 4 in heels). Later on we went out for coffee and a movie.

Glad it went well. And you're obviously accepted if they've mentioned the w-word

occult

Congratulations Lion. When a new life comes into the world it reminds us all of what we are here for.

As for the waste disposal that eventually gets easier but the audio just gets worse once they learn to verbalise so enjoy this hard but peaceful time

The audio seems to tune into a channel. Sadly, it's the 'I want a...' channel

I helped a mum take her push-chair up the stairs on the tube once, she was absolutely gobsmacked that someone actually helped

I think the "natives" saw me for the outsider I was

I've done that too, and again had a surprised reaction. Sad, isn't it?

still very real.

I don't think Lenin's control of Russia in 1921 and the current political correctness movement are deliberately heading in the same direction. However, they share an unpleasant authoritarian style. I tend to think more of the 'cleansing of the language' in Orwell's 1984. I'm also a little suspicious of the PC movement. I don't reject it utterly, as I think there is something to be said for being a little more careful about how we speak and how we write. On the other hand, the whole idea has got a little out of hand, and isn't helped by the tendency of the UK media to report stories like 'Nursery forces kids to sing "Baa Baa Afro-American Sheep"!' during slow news days. However, I don't think that trying to encourage people to avoid certain terms that can be offensive is going to lead to Soviet Russia's worst sins. Trying to avoid causing offence is a good thing, in my view, and if a certain care in expressing oneself can help, then that's a good idea. I'm never sure if the full-on frothing madness you hear is a genuine result of someone's overdoing it, or just a method of discrediting anyone who is trying to make a difference. I think that Lenin-style PC is much more equivalent to New Labour's 'on-message' idea, where you must be correct in thought, word, and deed, and no dissention is permitted. But I'm open to discussion on this one!

Thanks for the tip, Katie. I may go skiing this year, so who knows... Jim - where did you find that photo? indeed! That looks a lot more serious than a fracture or a torn something. The only time I've ever seen anything like that was on someone who'd had a pretty major fracture and could lose his leg.

Nice pics, Susan. I'm inspired to post some more of mine!

Wow - that looks awesome! I'm impressed. Is there a lot of work involved in this? I have no idea, having absolutely no design talent whatsoever!

Congratulations, Lion! Best wishes to the three of you! (And I remember what you mean about audio and waste disposal working!)