Yamyam

I have to be comfortable with the whole thing myself before I start telling people about it.

Now there's a true statement!

This site has helped me get comfortable with it, as has an ex-girlfriend I'd have liked to stay with. I think feeling comfortable with it is the key. (Once you can fake that, you're sorted )

<stupidaccent>Goodo Just checking ol' chap!</stupidaccent>

Hmm... mincing... reminds me of last night's CSI episode...

SH

Reminded me of Julian 'The Mincing Machine' Clairy

Say - isn't the 'word association' game someplace else ?

All this makes it sound worse than if you were telling someone you were gay.SH

What's wrong with telling someone you're gay? It's not 'better' or 'worse'. After all, gay people are people too. As are us non-pink people. It's just different. I remember telling a gay acquaintance many years ago: 'It's _easy_ for you - when you walk down the street, no-one knows you're gay!'

And he replied with something that makes me smile, ten years later: 'Ah, but you didn't have to tell your parents that you're black!'

All it is is a choice of footwear, not sexuality and lifestyle! So why does it seem such a big thing when really when it comes down to it, it's just a different style of footwear?! It's mad...

Sorry, SH, but it's not quite like that, IMHO. People may well think it *is* a sexuality and lifestyle thing. And even if they don't, it's still a big thing to tell people, it's still 'coming out', it's still something that some people are quite messed up about. Yeah, it's easier for those of us who've managed to tell people, who are out there, but to say that this is a smaller issue than sexuality... I don't think so. Apart from anything else, I think that as long as there's a generally accepted label for something, it's easy. It's like:

"OK, you're gay, no problem."

"OK, you're bisexual, no problem."

"OK, you want to change gender, no problem."

"OK, you want to live in a commune, no problem."

But when it's something more like you want freedom to wear the shoes you love, but you don't fit into a nice easy category, hence the problem. Hence years I've had of trying to work out what I am. At the risk of sounding like one of the four Yorkshiremen, I never had this site when I was trying to work out what the heck was going on inside me. I'd never call this easy. Explaining to loved ones that you're not quite like they thought can be hard.

But, SH, and others, please please please don't think I'm having a go at someone. I'm not. All I'm saying is that some things that seem easy to some of us are really huge big serious fscked-up stuff to others. I think that all we can do is remember that heeling down a busy shopping centre is second nature to some - and a dream that's a million miles off to others.

Let's not forget we're all different! Part of what this is about is celebrating each other's achievements, and helping people to achieve more. Let's not disrespect other's efforts, let's not make out it's easy. I nearly died telling my brother - and I'm sure that some people who aren't as lucky as me have it worse.

And I'm at least as guilty as others here, so I'm awarding myself a slap on the wrist too.

I'd have to agree. Children are little joy factories! The best sound in the world is a little voice going "Dad!" (or "Mom", as appropriate ) I only have one, and I don't see him anywhere near enough... but I'd have lots more if I could!

in on them,

My friends wouldn't have expected it from me - but they all seem cool about it. I know it's easier said than done, but my experiences have been that it's never as bad as the anticipation.

Hahahaha! I've been called mental before, and crazy, and insane, and I've admitted to it too... Although I'm assuming the "mental" part of that phrase wasn't directed at me?!!

SH

No, of course not. It was just a silly remark for cheap comic effect! If I was going to call you 'mental' (which I wouldn't) I'd just do it! I'm not one for mincing my words

Sadly, I've just discovered I've got to work late Thursday, and Friday as well. So I'm afraid I can't be there. Perhaps we should just pick another day. Sorry, Xa.

There's 1 person I may tell in the future and I think she'll be ok with it.

Go for it. To be honest, the fear is the worst bit. I'm sure someone genuinely close will be able to take it on and be cool about it.

I'm quite happy in my 4" heels for an evening out, and i don't think I'll go much higher than that. I don't want to end up with a collection of 'bedroom' heels at the moment, I'm happy walking around in mine. So for me, I think around 2.5" to 4" is fine with me for heely days. Day to day, as I've said no end of times before, I don't wear heels, but I'm quite proud of the fact that I can change from trainers to heels, and walk around in heels for two days without any ill effects, then go back to flat shoes for Monday morning.

crackle

Yamyam: Sometimes I think Kathy is not interested in me at all. But her friend Lori says she is just painfully shy around men. Lori wanted a man who was nonthreatening and slightly effeminate to be Kathy's friend.

Well, I hope it works out. Sometimes just spending lots of time together helps get over shyness, and you find the real person underneath. And I've found that shy people are always worth getting to know, even tho' it's harder for me as I'm a 200MPH talker

I never heard of buying petrol at Argos! Is it a drive through section at the back or do they sell you it in cartons?

:rofl: Oi! Francis! Behave! (Like that's likely )

SH, you're lucky that you don't have to buy petrol means you don't have to buy insurance, tax, mot, repairs, oil and other associated bits for keeping a car on the road! But cars are useful, even if I am starting to use my bicycle a bit more often. This fat sod needs to lose some pounds from around the midrift or I'll look like the Michelin man soon Yamyam will probably say it's due to too much cake

I must admit that certain cake-related thoughts did drift across my mind there That's why I didn't have any.

And you left 'tyres' out of your list - that about UKP140 I've got to shell out in the next few weeks

Don't you mean "insufficiently differently enthusiastic"?!!

No, it's one of those irregular verbs: "I'm differently enthusiastic, you're obsessed, see them over there - they're mental"

I'll also need money to spend on shoes to make it worthwhile! I'll get there eventually.....!SH

Now that is a fair point

Best of luck learning to walk in those pumps They don't look quite like "starter heels" to me, but each to their own. Did you get red or black, Alex?

I mean "witch"

Cool. I've never really done any serious browsing or buying on market stalls. Were they second hand or brand new?

They were brand new, in boxes. There's no heel tips on them any more, as I wore them out in one day, but they're top shoes. And the people on the store didn't bat an eyelid as I tried them and bought them.

Having had a look at the Shoefayre site, I've discovered my nearest one is probably in Newark, which is a good way out from where I live. There are buses, but it begs the question "is it worth it?". Since I've never been to shoefayre before, I can't answer this! I doubt it'd take too long to get there, probably an hour or so... so it's a long afternoon's shopping for just one shop!SH

Is it worth it for just one shop? You're sounding insufficiently obsessed there, young SH. It's a shoe shop! Of course it's worth it

Hello and welcome! And post away! I'm sure you'll soon be zipping up those rankings.

I like the range at Argos, and I can spend all those Nectar points I earn buying petrol at Argos too, I think. Hmmm... I feel a spending spree coming on

Absolutely. Topic drift is all part of the fun. I seem to remember a thread trying to organise a heel meet, which got hijacked by the gricers and turned into something quite unrecognisable (Francis - are you listening ) And to answer Julietta's question, I buy more shoes in the winter, as that's when there's more of my favourite booty styles around. I need cheering up in the summer when there's fewer nice shoes to buy

It's true! My Dad, Stepmom and brother were just cool with it. My long-standing mates in Hertfordshire were cool with it too. I haven't had a negative comment from anyone I've spoken to, certainly not from anyone I've told. And even if I had, the positive comments would more than balance the negative ones!

Those are great photos. It's enough to make me charge the batteries for my camera

Well, I'm glad it's going your way mk4625 (can I call you "mk"?)

Actually, I found quite a good selection in a market stall yesterday. I swore I wasn't going to buy any new shoes, so I had to kick myself (carefully) when I splashed out thirty quid on a pair of copy J Lo Blahniks. They're great, and a really easy 8, so they're as comfy as anything. I wore them for hours as I walked around, and they just felt better and better. I wore the heel tips down to the metal, so I was *damn* loud strolling around the town! I thought I'd attract loads of attention, but I didn't. I nearly fell over on a wooden floor, tho', due to a lack of grip in the heel department. Oops. Pictures when I have time Still looking for United Footwear

Had to sell the Pontiac Firebird

I wanted one of those after seeing the "Smokey & the Bandit" series!

But now it's convertible season here in the UK, and I'm stuck in my tin-top