Big Girl Shoes

December 29, 2014 By 1 Comment

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

–Dr Seuss


I once met a lady who is a death row attorney. Her clients are hard-core murders. People most of society has written off. Appearances can deceive.  She was the quiet mousy librarian type, likely to be found hiding in book stacks, not strolling into maximum-security prisons to consult with her clients.

I asked her how she did it– knowing how diminutive she was in personality. She looked me straight in the eye and said,  “I put on my big girl shoes and march in.”

Not to quote Nike or Michael Jordan–But it was the shoes! They transformed her into a very tall impressive badass attorney.

I completely understood her explanation. I am not a natural extrovert. Which makes getting on stage for me a very interesting dichotomy. When I started doing comedy I would dress to the 9s – nightclub ready. It was battle armor. I was scared to death but my clothes –they were very confident. After thirteen years what stuck?  The shoes.  I always (almost always) wear fancy shoes on stage.  When my luggage went missing in Africa I had to perform in sneakers, first time ever.  I was actually a little afraid, I wasn’t sure I could be funny without my fancy footwear. Silly I know but in almost 3000 shows, I had never once performed in sneakers.

So what came first the attitude or the shoes? For me it was the shoes. When I put on the big girl shoes I feel like I can conquer just about anything. It’s a crutch I know, but its not illegal or immoral so I’m at peace with it.

We have a new year approaching, put on your big girl shoes and show 2015 who is the boss.

Laura

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Shoe Trees

December 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment

I like to think there is a romantic intent behind the cooperative effort from many people whom collectively yet individuality create a shoe tree.

Sort of like gum walls or bridge love locks; yet shoe trees seem to be even more special because they are usually in very remote, way out of the way places. Unlike the fore mentioned gum walls and bridge love locks, which are located in popular travel locations.  There are about 12 shoe trees listed online in the United States. Several are essentially hidden in the Nevada desert, which is where I first encountered this phenomenon.

Shoe trees start with one dreamer tossing their footwear high in the air to catch an out of reach branch, unseen by most. Slowly then a domino effect; months, years or even decades can pass before this public work comes to be known as a shoes tree. Each pair added as a solo event until 1000s are dangling from the branches.

Some of the shoes have messages or poems attached; newlyweds, baby shoes, marking a personal place in history or personal accomplishments. Most are unadorned, just dreamers who want to be part of something bigger and universal.

This public work of art, years in the making, connects its contributors to this place as we travel through life.

Together, we each contribute to the fabric of life, to the universe.  Merry Merry! and Happy Happy!

Laura 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abandoned at a Bar

December 13, 2014 By 2 Comments

Maybe it’s the influence of Cinderella, her back-story and the ultimate fairy tale ending that spurred my fascination with deserted shoes.  What happened? How did these shoes come to be homeless? Surely the wearer had shoes on and then at some point took them off and then left them behind?

This happens a lot to women, early in the evening you see the big fancy shoes and then later in the night girls dangling their heels in their fingertips. It is also a popular phenomenon at weddings, when the serious get down to boogie. The shoes get knocked off. The shoes are off, but still in possession.

When I see a shoe or a pair of shoes completely discarded I wonder, surely the wearer started with a pair of shoes on. How/when did then become unneeded? One lowly shoe on the side of the highway; I figure the owner was demonstrating some sort of road rage. Or the passenger (hopefully not the driver) had their feet out the window and one flew off?

Recently on a night out, sitting in a swanky restaurant lounge I came across a pair of deserted Louboutin’s. Yes, red soles and all.  No one, I mean no one was monitoring the whereabouts of these shoes. This is a pair of shoes even used could pull in $200+ on EBay, I suspect.  I inquired with the manager about the shoeless patron. My friend and I laughed about what women came to this establishment sporting expensive shoes and then left, leaving her Louboutin’s. Maybe she was literally swept off her feet. She is now on a private jet to Paris, off to purchase a new pair. I can only hope my modern day Cinderella this is your story.

Safe Travels!

Laura

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Tis the Season

December 7, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Some songs can magically transport you back to a particular time and place. It may have been years–heck decades– since you last heard that song.  And suddenly you are back at that high school dance or some other random memory you thought was all but wiped from your cerebral cortex.

They–whoever they are– say the sense of smell produces the greatest memory triggers. I’m convinced that’s how dogs remember they have met you before- even if it has been years.  A whiff of a scent can transport us back to some place buried deep in our memory. For example my grandmother’s house with a crazy combination of smells; rose perfume, baking bread and cigarettes. Not really pleasant, but distinctive.

The memory trigger from visual stimuli is actually one of our weaker recall links, but one we rely on the most.  We all love to look at old pictures.

This fabulous pair of shiny candy apple red boots is a memory trigger for me. Several Christmases (maybe 12?) ago these boots were a shining beacon on the top shelf of the shoe department. I was in Nordstrom in a completely different department, men’s I think. I was trying to find something for my father for Christmas, that he would not hate. (Notoriously a challenge to shop for) I looked up and like a lighthouse lantern on a foggy night these spectacular boots pulled me into port aka the shoe department. —And if you are a shoe lover, Nordstrom’s shoe department is always a safe haven from the holiday chaos. These shoes remind me of holiday shopping, and the glee of finding something perfect– even if it was for me. Be safe out there —holiday shopping can be a battle. Be kind and patient– really that is more the reason for the season.

Laura

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,