secret shoes

I started this blog in 2007 and many things have changed since then. One thing has not, I still don't like shopping for shoes.

Another thing that hasn't changed; I must own and wear shoes. 

At times I have been given shoes. That was nice. I got shoes and yet there was no shopping, decision making or paying. I have found retail high end comfortable shoes that I like, but they wear out and have to be replaced like any other shoe. Some [Naot I am looking at you] wear out too fast for the price in my opinion.

So what saves me time and money and aggravation? I buy shoes second-hand. This appalls many people but it works great for me for the reasons below. Feel free to ignore my reasons, especially if we wear the same size shoe!

-Many people won't buy shoes secondhand so there is a good selection.
-Shoes in consignment stores are almost always high quality.
-Many people love to buy shoe then don't wear them then give them away/sell them.
-It is very clear from looking at the shoe how much it has been worn. Flip them over and look at the sole for wear patterns. They shouldn't smell, they should be clean. Usually they look 'new' or at least unworn. 
-Buy leather, it lasts. If you are vegan or don't like leather for some other reason I suggest not buying shoes secondhand. [also "vegan leather" is plastic, do not buy plastic shoes second-hand]
-I can take a chance on shoes without sinking hundreds of dollars into them. If they 'work out' they are a fabulous value, if they are a fail then I haven't lost much.

My most recent shoe find: Dansko wedge sandals in olive for $9.50. Perfect in colour, fit and price. Currently 50% of my footwear was previously used, I am hoping to up the percentage going forward.

Here ends my shoe secret. peace xo

serendipity while thrifting

The season is turning toward Summer. Memorial day is behind us and I have purchased new corduroy trousers. In time for Autumn .... which is 4 months away.

It's weird but that is how thrifting goes. When you find something you have been looking for, regardless of the season, you purchase it. Especially when it is less than $3. 

Then you tuck it away for the next 4 months [or 6].

It is possible to shop like this and maintain a minimal wardrobe but it takes some preparation.

You have to know what you are looking for...in this case I have had "corduroys in a warm favorite color" on my list since September 2014. I looked for them in the nine months since with no luck. I even tried retail. I reached for patience as I was not finding what I wanted.

Last Friday I was scanning a rack [for skirts] and a bronze-y olive color leaped out at me. I looked more closely and saw corduroys, in my size with no wear. They fit well and didn't need hemming [a small miracle]. They had been marked down three times and were priced at $2.75 because what sort of crazy person buys cords at the beginning of June?

I am that person. I am also the person who had thought about the holes in her wardrobe and what I wanted. The result; I can buy off season without worry that it will go to waste.  I save resources and cash and I also have clothing that I love. Which is the whole point of thrifting for me.

I am guessing this will not work if you have a closet so crammed full you cannot see everything or if you don't know your preferred colours. Perhaps though it is helpful to see some of the results of bringing mindfulness to something that you deal most days - what you wear.

I wish warm breezes and sunshine for you if it is turning toward summer where you are as well. xo

Thrifting in Color

When I did my full wardrobe inventory last month I thought a lot about why and how thrifting [=thrift store shopping] works for me and what I love about it.

My first realization is that my color palette facilitates thrifting for me. Knowing what colors you will and won’t buy streamlines everything. Afterwards you will be able to mix and match your wardrobe pieces with little effort. Note there will still be some effort for most due to proportion balancing and climate variables. I love things that save me time and effort.

Several things led me to the colors I buy currently.

Some years ago I thought about the color black, which I had a lot of because it is so easy to buy. Did it made me look tired I wondered? [Maybe] Is my skin is becoming more olive as I get older [I think so] and do I like how I look in black? [Hmm, kinda] The result: I stopped shopping for black.

Then I thought about what colors I liked and which ones would go together nicely. I realized I loved deep warmer autumn colors and felt good in them So my new neutrals became browns [espresso to chestnut], olive and burgundy. When I can find them I will use aubergine and rust.  This is my base.

In smaller amounts I might buy charcoal, lime, corals, plums, slate, dark teal, cream or prints with combinations of the above. My goal is to have options along with coherence because you never know what you will find second-hand. The colors I do not buy: black, pastels, cool whites, blues, pinks, cold bright greens, neons, most greys. I avoid colors with a cool undertone.
 
It is amazing how quickly I can go through the racks at a thrift store, there is so much I can ignore. Sometimes the ‘right’ colors practically leap out at me since that is where my attention is focused.

Then I have to question the style, cut and fabric, but those are other posts.

Of course this works when shopping retail but for some reason it went hand in hand with thrifting for me. I think there are more colors second-hand than during one season retail.

Happy Thrifting!

so I brought one home

So for the first time since 2003 I am typing on my very own personal computer. The last Mac I bought sometime in the 90's....could it have been a performa? Or did I get one after that? I can't even remember.

I have incredible computer patience, I don't like to upgrade often in home computers... And then in 2003 I decided that my work laptop was more than adequate and I used that for almost everything. It was so much less work although I did miss my Mac OS.

In 2007 my wife shared her elderly laptop with me and I started writing a lot more and it worked fine, until it died a buggy death earlier this year.

Meanwhile all the light portable pads and notebooks were coming out. I did look at the iPad a bit but quickly realized that it didn't do what I wanted, It would irritate me for all the same reasons an iPhone would [which is why I don't have either] but the door to having my own computer was opened.

Then today, a good 18 months later, I have brought one home. Any guesses? It feels indulgent to be buying something like this just for me but so far so good. I think we will be happy together. I can't wait to schedule more writing time and find a nice sleeve for this baby

Here's to many productive years and projects!

love [or crush] at first sight

So my best friend and I went out antique shopping Saturday. It had been years since I have done this and it was just as overwhelming as I remembered it. The last time was years ago when my wife and I were looking for engagement rings.

I like to have a purpose for shopping. If I just look at 'everything' then I get overwhelmed very quickly but if I have a goal or limits they can help me focus and keep stress manageable.

Of course I can't actually control anything no matter what limits I try to set. That's ok, I want to live the life that is, not my plans, although it can be hard or wonderfully surprising usually both.

I was looking for serving ideas and dessert plates for an upcoming party. I was looking for deals, only things I loved. It was casual fun looking. No commitments were being sought.

There it was on the shelf. Plum and copper and teal and pale pink, chrysanthemum and peony? or lotus?, a hand-painted Katuni tea set. 24 matching pieces.

I fell in love immediately. My heart was enchanted with beauty. My brain belatedly turned on, "What? no, no. You do not need this and I am sure it's too expensive anyway."

I stretched out my hand gently and looked at the tag and squinted. I got out my reading glasses and looked at the tag again. Less than $50 for the entire set.

My brain was silent, flabbergasted I think. Part of me panicked. I called my friend over. "I need help." My friend will save me from this rabbit hole...that's what friends do. She'll tell me to not be silly or to slowly put the teapot down.

She came, looked at the beauty, looked at the tag, looked at me.
"You have to buy it."

So now I have a tea set.

the all capri summer

Now a post for those who like the chatty, non-spiritual musing side of me.

What happened to summer pants this summer? My favorite pair of brown linen pants died horribly so I went out, prime summer sale time, to find some summer pants for work a few weeks ago. There was nothing. Seriously, I am not exaggerating.

I wanted something really lightweight, probably woven. Have I mentioned how hot it's been here and how I needed something lightweight?

I don't pay much attention to fashion trends so I didn't realize that capris [and shorts] were all that were out there this summer. At least that was all I could find.

Not only am I not fond of capris, since I am short, let's just say they are not my best style. I know this so I don't really like them at all.

I broke my cardinal shopping rule and bought a pair. They were everything I wanted in color, material and style except that they were capris, but I bow to the reality that is this summer. I hope for a different trend next summer.

And while I am wishing and I perhaps have the ear of the fashion gods, how about some swimsuits that are not padded on top? Really. If you are D cup, you really don't need more padding up there, at least I don't. I'll try to wear my capris lightly tonight as an offering.

nanowrimo ends and winter holiday season begins

December is here, Nanowrimo is officially done for another year. This means that the winter holiday season has begun. And my brain is regaining a bit of lost ground.

I hit the ground running Monday morning less than 12 hours after I won nanowrimo. My dear friend and I had our annual "shopping--spend time together" trip.

It was a rainy warm day and we got quite a bit accomplished. It was really helpful for me, I had tried to think of gifts for people beforehand but I was just feeling stuck. The act of shopping, having someone to exchange views and ideas with was so helpful. It all seems doable now.

Also it was just plain old fun. We had a long a fabulous lunch and did our best to catch up on each other. That didn't happen fully but at least we made a start. We made plans for other holiday gatherings and learned something new about ourselves; we are open to bribery. [at least it was new to me] My wife treated us all to take out so that she didn't need to cook that night. We quickly caved in to her bribe/suggestion.

I returned home exhausted and satisfied about 12 hours after I had left that morning. Truly one of my favorite things this tradition. I am so grateful there are no health issues this year to interfere with it. Now onto addressing those holiday cards. I just can't help it, I love them. Call me a kook.

Death of a Screened Tent

So I like to plan things. But I am also trying to just get stuff done with some grace and not drive myself [and others] crazy with the planning and preparing. Have I mentioned I am married to a non-planner?

So it wasn't until last week that I got around to airing out my screened tent for use at the cottage and camping next month. [I am so relaxed, see?] It hadn't been used at all last year due to my trip to India. As I erected it I noticed that 3 of the 4 poles seemed stressed, like they had been bent incorrect ways. It wasn't helping matters that I was attempting to put it up myself. I forgot that it really takes 2 people. I gave up because I was afraid of breakage. When my wife got home she helped me get it up properly and we left it up to breathe. There was rain coming that night, which we figured would be a good test of its' dependability.

The next morning it was in a twisted heap in the yard, poor thing.

We assessed; all the poles were shot and replacement poles cost $19 dollars each. I was hesitant to spend that much money, $76 on a tent that had only handled 4 weeks of work over the past 3 years. I was quite aggravated with it. I then questioned if we really needed a screen tent , to which my wife who knows me pretty well said 'yes'.

So off to Craig's list where my wife's luck was fortunately in full flow. She found a fabulous little/never used tent. It would sleep 7 [...children under10 or 3 adults] and it had an attached smallish 'screened porch' AND it was only $65 [proceeds going to an animal charity]. I had been wanting a tent I could stand up in, and here it was plus the screened room. I'll have to adjust not having them apart but I decided what the heck. It will be pretty brilliant for overflow at the cottage as well.

We put it carefully up and I reeled back stunned. It's called a 'lodge', but seriously it's like a palace. wow. It's like HP4 at the Quidditch world cup [peacocks not included].

Thank goodness for the kindness of campers because you would have to be a giant [or have magic] to put this one up by yourself. It stood up to a good storm, and then I seam sealed it and let it dry then miracles of miracles we managed to get it all back into the bag. It may just be magic now that I think of it.

So we now have a palace to camp in, we'll see how it holds up to conditions in the field next month. [but it doesn't have closets]

shoe sense?

Well I really put it off as long as I could because I was dreading it but I went shoe shopping last week. My super strict 18 month old goddaughter made me.

Once again it was horrible. I never seem to see the shoes I want at the time, but the shoes I was looking for 6-10 months earlier are falling on my head. [way too late to do me any good] I walked around DSW, which plays great music by the way and found some nice shoes for work this autumn on sale but no summer sporty slip ons.

I then went to REI willing to spend and use my dividend. I did find a reasonable pair of sporty, cushy, flip flops which will be semi useful for camping and they only ended up costing $8 dollars.

I then realized that both my old Tevas and Keens fit my niece so I broke up with them good and sent them away with her. It feels great to not have those losers from last summer looking at me anymore.

Saturday, still desperate for sturdy, comfy shoes for camping I went to Savers with my wife. I don't know why I don't rely on her superpower more often. It's like I am Darren in Bewitched. Anyway I go to Savers with her, walk over to the shoe rack and there they are are; brown, sturdy, comfortable, sporty clogs, just what I wanted for camping. $7.99 seriously.

Even her super powers couldn't get me the right shorts, but brown yoga pants, $5, in my size, which I never see new anywhere. I just don't know how she does it but I am grateful and it might be months before I need to shoe shop again! [Although I noticed the soles of my black boots are cracking but I am in total denial]

Thankfully she only uses her powers for good.

You know I am much more serene about possibility of shoes not working out when I only spend $8 instead of $80.

some shoe success

So now a break from all this navel gazing intensity.

Don't speak too loudly, you may scare off the luck I am having with shoe shopping this late spring. As I reported awhile ago my shoes last summer sucked. As the weather heated up I knew I had to face the shopping and at least try to find some summer shoes/sandals.

Well it didn't go horribly wrong. I found some fun slip on heels. Wedges, not skinny, cork heels and brown cloth uppers. They are comfortable and fun for wearing at work or out. They are Italian and are so lightweight it is remarkable.

I also got some tan leather sling back flat sandals. These are fairly comfortable, though not as comfortable as they look, which is odd. The heels are actually more comfortable.

Then I found another pair of my preferred tennis shoes on sale, so I can alternate all summer with the running and other exercising and my shoes really have a chance to air out.

In another fit of shoe stubbornness I tried once again to wear my keens, and they just do not work for me. Again my 'heels' are more comfortable which bums me out I need some slip on sporty shoes, that I can wear while camping and tromping around with cush. Wish me luck, I so need it.

I also need to remember the definition of insanity. Attempting over and over to wear those keens is insane, I need to just admit it, recycle them and move on. [but I so want them to work, I need them] How do you break up with your shoes?

Feel free to make any recommendations.

thrift store score

I easily and quickly get shopped out. I love to buy at second hand stores. I have noticed that these two statements do not go together all that well. In order to get the best finds you usually need to visit thrift stores fairly frequently, this just doesn't work for me. [see first point]

My wife does not like to shop much...except at the thrift chain store Savers. She always finds lots of stuff at great prices no matter what she may need. I swear employees are looking out for her in the parking lot. I can imagine the furtive mumblings;
'did you see who just pulled in Joe?' 'you bet! time to get all the good stuff out Sam, and let's mark it all half off'. It quite uncanny and I have found myself feeling wistful as she unloads her bag hoping there may be a goody for me in there.

Yesterday however was stellar. By cell phone I find out my wife has stopped into Savers after work. It crosses my mind that perhaps I should mention I am looking for a brown jacket, she may run across one but I decide against it. I am just too tired to be specific about what I mean by 'brown jacket'. I do ask, I hope not pathetically 'see anything for me?' 'Maybe' she answers 'I think it might fit.'

An hour+ later [thrift shopping cannot be hurried] she arrives home, and out of her bag comes the most beautiful brown suede jacket. Before she can finish the sentence "I am not sure if it's your size" I have it on and it fits perfectly. She is pleased and says 'I figured it was worth trying since it was only $9.99, well actually $5 because it is green tag day.' Please don't hate her, she is not this good at everything I promise. She is quite fantastic though.

So not only did my wife find me something fabulous and she did it when I didn't have the energy to tell her [psychic?] but she gave me a reason to be happy it will be chilly all this week. I do know how lucky I am.

holidays have begun 09

Word count: 52029

For me the holidays begin with a day long event with one of my best friends. Which does not have a clever name or acronym like IMAD does, which really it should. hmmmm.

Anyway 13, 15, a lot of years ago, [were we still in college when we started!?!] we agreed that we really didn't want to 'buy' each other something for the winter holidays what we would rather do is:
- have a fabulous meal together somewhere
- spend fun time together during a sometimes frantic season
- perhaps get some present buying done for others

This year was a rousing success. We did find some gifts for others, our personal purchases was minimal [thank you IMAD] , we had two fabulous meals, picked up tickets for a food shelf concert we support every year and I, I'll speak for myself, had a great time.

We have even planned a fabulous addition to our holiday celebrations this year. Nothing says happy holidays like Klingons.

What you didn't know I was a big old geek? The fact that my degree was in mathematics and I married a physicist didn't clue you in? Aren't you the non judging soul, good for you.

I hope the klingons sing!

shoe summer

So this summer I have been having shoe/feet problems of the like I have not experienced since I broke my ankle 20 years ago. Those who have read this blog for awhile might remember how I hate shoe shopping. Feel free to think I am weird. [like you need that permission]

I started the summer knowing I needed shoes badly, I especially wanted good shoes for India. Summer shoes are always more of a challenge for me, because I was shooting for sandals styles and most sandals are not suitable for inserts. However I was willing to spend money on good summer shoes, ok not $300 a pair but I was not going to look for sales and settle for less. I was ready to shop for shoes!

Seriously I did my best. And I bought 3 pairs. Merrill clogs, Clark dressy sandals, Teva sandals and Keen sport water sandals. Prices $68, $60, $40 and $98 I believe. See I did not go cheap. I have had good luck with Clarks and Tevas in the past, I have never heard a bad word about Keens [my chiropractor loves hers] and the Merrill clogs felt really good. It was all a big shoe lie.
My feet, especially my right heel, hurt almost constantly. [I have never had problems with my right heel before] And since I basically bought the shoes at the same time I had a hard time narrowing down the culprit. It was especially horrible in India, because guess which shoes I brought? And then I was sitting so much it was making everything worse, and then because I hurt I didn't want to move, and the lack of movement made other stuff worse and my heel ached all the time. You can probably see the vicious cycle.

I got home depressed about my shoes and feet. So I threw the clogs away, and went shoe shopping again. I was going to get something with lots of heel support that I could exercise in and well I just prayed that my shoe luck would turn.

Happily it looks like it has. I just happened to stumble on a sale at Nordstroms and I got a pair of ASICS gel-kinetics for $89 and they are working out pretty well. My heel is not getting any worse, it is certainly supported and I have spent long hours on my feet and still felt pretty good at the end of the day.

I was feeling a bit cocky about my shoe luck even. While I was on vacation, I pondered on what shoes I should get for work. I can't wear my tennies all the time. After mulling it over I came up with what I thought was the perfect solution. Short, brown, low heeled square toe boots with room to put in a good insert that gave me plenty of heel support. A great solution. Then last weekend I took the shoe goddess shopping with me for guidance. HA! The boots in my head do not apparently exist at this time at least not in the zillion of stores we went into, I may turn to Zappos online.

So was I too cocky about shoe luck turning? Are the Asics just a fluke? Do I bring all this bad shoe fortune on myself? Ah well. Wish me happy hunting.

Shoes, shopping and showers

Well my master bridal ninja [thanks IB] has told me the date of the shower in August. She has reserved a tea shop so that there will be no decorating, or cooking, or cleaning up at least not by us. It sounds like heaven. I am really looking forward to it. My dear one and I decided against having a couple shower, we figured it would make the guest list way too large and we both prefer smaller, more intimate showers. I think my sweetie may be miniaturing golfing at hers. It should be a blast for both of us. A completely unexpected bonus is my mom, 2 sisters and niece are invited but I wasn't really counting on any of them being able to make it. Right now it looks like 3 out of the 4 will be attending. I am so touched and so anxious to get this house cleaned up, and it's in less than 2 months. gulp. I know I speak for at least myself and my honey when I say being engaged can be a total trip. I mean it wouldn't be a real rite of passage if it was all smooth sailing. Right? It's excellent that I have vacation and party fun to look forward to because tomorrow will be grim. [see below]

Following true internet blogging tradition I am about to share a truly horrifying fact about myself. I don't like to shop much at all and I really dislike shopping for shoes. Ok, i really hate shopping for shoes. HATE it. I'd rather go to the dentist.

There now the world can despise me or at least shake it's head in wonder. I am not much of a shoe person in general, don't get me wrong I wear them but I only have 6 or so pairs...which means they do get a lot of wear and get worn out and then need to be replaced. Which means I have to go shoe shopping. And I am totally blocked. Not only do I need to look for comfortable shoes to get married in, but I need new sandals and tennies. That is at least 3 pairs I need to look for...my head might explode. Or more likely I'll come home with some sort of shoes in desperation and they'll end up not fitting right or something. le sigh. I'm off to DSW tomorrow, wish me luck.