Post 52---Scarlet's Shoes and Where to Now?

So, somewhere along my Shoe Journey (51 Pairs Of Shoes, Oh My!) I discovered that the obsession with shoes and pretty much all things "Fabulous", that my feelings and experiences were not unlike the experiences/feelings that many other people have. Now, this was not some "AHA!" moment for me, but it was pretty enlightening. I thought that this "shoe obsession" was a problem, so I began blogging about it. However, along the way, it brought me closer to many people whom I would otherwise not be close with. I realized that some men have a lot of shoes (and they definitely have their opinions about MINE!), I also realized that a lot of people read what I have been writing. I was utilizing some of the cool features of "blogspot" and saw that I could track the different states, countries, and YES, continents, where people are reading my blog. Crazy, but someone in GERMANY and also someone else in MEXICO are reading my blog. WHAAAAT???? (Hello to you, my international readership!) I am in shock and awe over this fact. I mean, I believed that some of my friends and family would read what I write, but never did I ever believe that I would have as many others as I do.

Now, this brings me to my next point. Where to go from here? I have been thinking about this for about a week now---okay, let's get serious---I've been thinking about where to go next since my first posting! And I have decided what my plan will be---at least for the time being. We have about 17 days left of the school year. I don't know about you, but when I was a high school student, I had a countdown going in my planner from about Spring Break and on....the last days of school always dragged on and on and coincidentally, the most interesting things tended to happen on those days. Both in school and out. Therefore, I am going to write about the last weeks of school, but with a twist (duh, how could there NOT be a twist, right??) I am going to write from the perspective of my shoes. Where did I take them that day, what weird things did they see, what strange experiences did I have whilst wearing them? We'll see. This has the potential to either be cool, or to really really suck. You just never know, right?

On another note, check out Little Miss Scarlet Rose Gutierrez's Sock Shoes!!!! Isn't she freaking adorable??? I got to thinking as I was holding her, that, unlike me, she has her WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE stretching before her. Those socks are just the first of many socks that she will own. They are just the first of many (hopefully) cute and Fabulously Ridiculous shoes in her wardrobe (if her Auntie Ali has anything to say about it!). She is full of life, and potential, and beauty to do and be whatever and whoever she wants to be. Gosh, I am so excited for her life. I am so excited that I get to be a part of such a beautiful thing. It makes me realize that I need to be very conscious of where my shoes are taking me. What stories do I want my shoes to tell? Do I want them to say that I am bad at my job, am rude to people, and have no patience? Or, do I want them to have adventures and a shelf life of Fabulous Ridiculousness? Hmmm....let's see.....what option sounds better???? :)

So, I will be a taking my cue from Scar-Ro, I will be seeing each day with new eyes. I will embrace new people and new experiences. I won't be afraid to cry. I won't be afraid to need my mom and dad. I will be demanding, but not be a diva. I will grow, in more ways than one. And I will try to be the best that I can be.

Ahhh, shoes. They make me all sentimental and stuff :)

Day 51---Payless Slip-Ons

Today is bittersweet. It is the end of my 51 day "challenge"! Can you believe it? I am seriously amazed that this is coming to an end. I am nowhere near finished with my blogging life though. This has been such an enlightening experience for me. I have always wanted to write in some capacity and as an English Major in college, I did a LOT of writing. But, as a teacher, I have not really found a niche for my writing....until NOW! I feel like I have been able to "get out" my creative writing (debatable if it is enjoyable for everyone!) urges on this blog. My goal was to write about my shoes, but also to write about the experiences that my shoes might be able to tell everyone about---if they could talk. I hope that my "voice" (as my professors were always encouraging me to use) was loud and clear while you have been reading my blog. It has been so fun and fulfilling to write again. I know that I am nowhere near being finished with my "Fabulous Ridiculousness"...I promise! Plus, I still have to blog about my Shoes' Journey to the Big Apple AND we have to have a Shoe Funeral/Memorial Service for all of those shoes that are no longer going to be a part of my closet.

Speaking of shoes that will no longer be a part of my closet, allow me to highlight the pair of shoes that I chose to leave for last. I think that I subconsciously left these shoes for the end, because I knew how FREAKING UNCOMFORTABLE they are and I was dreading wearing them. Today has been PURE TORTURE. These shoes hurt my feet more than any other pair that I have ever owned. Seriously. They are from Payless---so it shouldn't come as a surprise that they are just a little bit "off"....from my vast shoe experience I have gleaned the fact that Payless shoes tend to all be a little bit weird. Does that make sense? There is something to be said for classy, expensive, well-made shoes. They just tend to be more comfy. For example, my Nike Free Running shoes are comfortable enough to wear on a daily basis for hours and hours on end, but these shoes are just NOT those kind of shoes. I bought these because I was taking advantage of the "BO-GO" (Buy One, Get One) one time when I purchased some other equally uncomfortable shoes, so I don't feel any real connection to these shoes, but for some reason I have never gotten rid of them.

After doing this blog, I have come to see that the reason I have these uncomfortable shoes in my closet is because I just have TOO many pairs of shoes, and then I tend to wear the same 5 pairs and never branch out and then I forget how uncomfortable they are and then they just sit there in my closet gathering dust. HOWEVER, I am NOW proud to say that I have at least 5 pairs of shoes that I will be ridding myself of later this week. (The best part is that I am going to take them to The Salvation Army and some other unsuspecting woman will be suckered into buying them, just like I was! I'm so evil!)

This may be the "end" of this particular Chapter in my blogging life, but I can say with full confidence that I am nowhere near done being "Fabulously Ridiculous", so stay tuned---because I WILL be gracing the screens of your computers with more of my Ridiculousness. Mark My Words.

Day 50---Brown Forever 21 Oxfords

Here they are friends! My third and final pair of Oxfords! I am still disgusted with myself and the fact that I have THREE pairs of these shoes. Seriously. It's slightly out of control. I have a problem. I see this style of shoes and I want to buy them. And the real problem is, they are flat shoes and, as you all know I don't typically wear flat shoes. However, I love these for some unknown reason more than I love any other pair of my Oxfords. Weird.

I must confess that I wore these while I was in NYC this past weekend as well as wearing them today. They are just too cute to pass up. I wore them out to dinner with my brother and our good friend Rick Lands. Rick has a place in The City and we met up with him and he took us to eat at this amazing place called "Cafeteria"....sooooooooo bomb.com! They have DELICIOUS mac'n'cheese and lots of really yummy food. Apparently they are THE hot spot for late night after hours dining and it really gets crazy there after the bars close. Probably a good thing that we don't have one here, because I would want to eat there all the time! Wes and I had a really good time with Rick...eating, chatting, drinking Belini's....so great!

So, when I wore them today, I couldn't help but think about where I was the last time that I wore them, in comparison to where I am wearing them today. Traveling is crazy, people. One day you're living it up in a new city, surrounded by fun opportunity and new experiences to be had, and the next I am back at Warren High teaching ROMEO AND JULIET. Oy Vay! How things change!

Speaking of change, my best friend had her baby! Scarlet Rose Gutierrez made her Grand Debut on Saturday, May 21, 2011. She is BEAUTIFUL! I told Britt that she really didn't have to go to all the trouble of getting Scar a "Baby Wig" (look at all that HAIR! She needs a BOW STAT!) I was overcome with emotions when I met her. It is such a strange feeling to hold a baby that was JUST inside your best friend, and feel the immense responsibility that comes with having a baby. I can't believe that Britt and Isaac are parents. It seems like yesterday that Britt was telling us all during lunch at DHS our Junior year about this guy that she met that is pretty cool and she thinks she kind of likes him. Fast Forward 10 years....SCARLET! Wow. I am in love. It's official. She is amazing, and beautiful, and SO SMART. I can tell! She needs high heels ASAP. Auntie Ali to the rescue!

Day 49---Blue "Michael" Heels

I'm baaaaack! So, I was gone this weekend in New York City (and let me tell you, I had the BEST time with my brother and sister! Thanks Diana and Brendan for getting married and inviting us to come!) I will have a post later this week detailing the trip and the shoes that went along with me!

However, we must move onto THESE AMAZING SHOES. These are the shoes, my friends, that have been taunting me from the top shelf of my closet for months. My sister got these shoes for me 2 years ago as part of my Christmas present, and I HAVE NEVER WORN THEM! I'm not really sure why I have not worn them until today, but boy am I glad that I did! I got SO MANY COMPLIMENTS on these shoes today. From several of my students to the NICU nurses at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center where I visited Brittany and Scarlet Rose Gutierrez this afternoon! Scarlet is amazing and beautiful and wonderful and is going home from the hospital tomorrow! I would have to say that these shoes took me on one of the best journeys I have embarked upon as of late: to meet my beautiful pseudo niece. Of course, I had a minor meltdown at the hospital because I am just overwhelmed with the emotions that accompanied the fact that my best friend is now a mom. So weird and so cool.

These are serious shoes. They are super high, they have velcro (yes, VELCRO...like "grandma Reeboks"), and they are BLUE. I have a LOT of shoes (did I mention that??? LOL) but these are my only blue shoes. I feel like Elvis (you know, "Don't Step On my Blue Suede Shoes")....minus the drug addiction and crazy high fat diet....regardless, these shoes make me happy. They were a gift from one of my best friends, Joslyn, and they took me throughout the halls of Long Beach Memorial on my way to meet my precious baby Scar-Ro.

What a good day. What a fun weekend I had (more on that later). What fun shoes!

P.S. It was "Disney" Spirit Day today at school---hence, the Minnie Mouse Ears (a gift from my work wife, Karen). So fun. I've got spirit, yes I do, I've got spirit, how 'bout you???? I live for this stuff, people. That's why I teach high school. So I never REALLY have to grow up. Duh. :)

Day 48---Black Peep Toe "Steve Madden" Flats

Geez. I didn't realize how many Steve Madden shoes I have in my closet! So Many Pairs! I mean, I don't have really any other shoes that are same brands as other pairs. I have a thing for STEVE! :) Love Him!

These shoes are great, but were probably not the best choice for today. As I mentioned yesterday, we are in the middle of Standardized testing, and I was "click clacking" all around the gym trying to monitor my students. Needless to say, I was getting some dirty looks from the dang Honors kids. (MY students, on the other hand, like to hear me before I arrive so that they can look "alive" and as if they are taking the test seriously!)

These shoes are totally from my college days. I bought these from Ross in Long Beach right by BayCrest (the WORST PLACE TO LIVE EVER!) and I used to wear them with leggings and this dress from H&M that I wore so often it was like it was my job. They are slightly too big (the shrinking feet syndrome that accompanies losing weight) but they are a "staple" to my wardrobe. It is important to have at least a couple pairs of classy flats in case I don't want to wear heels one day (like today!)

I distinctly remember wearing these out on St. Patrick's Day my last year of college. Ahhhh THOSE were THE DAYS! You know, the days when you still celebrated any and all holidays (Cinco de Mayo, Cesar Chavez Day, 4th of July, St. Patty's Day, Margarita Mondays....you get the idea....) by going out and drinking copius amounts of alcohol. Now, I am less likely to do this, because let's get serious people, I just can't function after a late night out like I used to be able to. But, back to St. Patty's Day 2007....we got ready, headed over to the Passport Stop (no drinking and driving for us!), and arrived at The Dub right as it was opening. We proceeded to have a crazy day in which we all ended up with "Jameson Whiskey" temporary tattoos on our necks, trips into the men's restroom (girls lines are too long!), a journey to ColdStone's, and a weird interaction with a man wearing an afro wig and a kilt. Yes, it really did happen. I love my friends, and I love that I remember wearing these shoes, with a pair of jeans and my traditional "St. Patrick's Day" Target tank-top that Britt made by cutting up a huge men's shirt and reconstructing it (using all of our Delta Gamma date party skills!) and that Summer, Britt, and I all had matching shirts of varying styles (Britt was REALLY creative) and that we had the BEST TIME.

Now, as a responsible adult (debatable), I just don't "Go Big" like I used to. However, I am so happy that I did all of the things that I did, had all of those adventures, met all of those people, and lived my college life to it's fullest, because you never get those days back. I was in such a hurry to grow up and get a real job, and now here I am. And honestly, what I wouldn't give to be able to be a student again. When my biggest worry was where I was going to go out on Thursday night (The Dub or MaiTai??) Don't get me wrong, this new phase of my life is awesome and I wouldn't change it at all, but if I could be transported back, just once, I would wear these shoes and that St. Patrick's Day shirt and hope that I was lucky enough to run into the kilt wearing afro man.

P.S. I'm leaving tonight for NEW YORK CITY! So, I am going to try to blog, but I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to! I apologize to all three of you who regularly read my blog :) haha....I'll catch you up on Monday for sue! xoxo

Day 47---Puma Tennies

I can remember EXACTLY when I bought these shoes, who I was with, and have a very specific weird feeling when I put them on. This already does not sound good, right?

I bought these shoes when I was dating this guy---he shall remain nameless---and this relationship, well, it kind of sucked. These Pumas are super comfy and pretty cute and are just sporty enough for my liking---even though I am realizing as I look at the pictures from today, they are kind of not very clean, I still like them....but I have a hard time wearing them for a couple of reasons. And, if you have ever been in a relationship, and then not been in that relationship, random things/places tend to remind you of that relationship---in both good and bad ways. So, these shoes are like that for me.

1. Each time I tie the laces on these shoes, I can hear his ever so slightly condescending voice telling me how much HE likes these shoes and how I should totally buy them---as if HE had better shoe style than ME...blah blah blah....

2. On the right shoe there is a very distinct coffee stain that did NOT come from ME spilling coffee on my shoe, but instead from HIM spilling coffee on my shoe at a Starbucks and NOT apologizing. Ugh. So, even if I did not associate him with these shoes initially, every time I look down and see that stain, I think of him. (and his lack of apologizing and his stubborn machismo attitude...I'm such a brat, but there is NO way that he reads this, so who cares?)

3. I bought these at the Nordstrom Rack in Long Beach---great store, but I don't like going there, because---you guessed it---it reminds me of our stupid, ridiculous relationship.

Now, these things all might be misinterpreted as me actually thinking about him, caring about him, or still being under the spell of our relationship, but it is quite the opposite. When we broke up, I never spoke one more word to him again. Seriously. Not one word. Never have even seen him in like 3 years. The End. I move on. That is why these shoes are so frustrating: because no matter what, when I put them on, I associate them with him. I can't help it. I don't spend any time thinking about him and I sometimes forget that I was ever even in a relationship with him (how sad, right?) BUT HOWEVER, when I wear these shoes (on the rare occasions that it actually happens!) I see his face for at least a split second and experience this inner questioning of "Why did I date him?" Bet you never thought shoes could tell you all of that, huh?

Any male readers are currently thinking to themselves "Women are crazy" and my ladies are thinking "Hmmmm....I have some things in my wardrobe/life that remind me of a former relationship." Why do we hold on to this stuff? What am I hoping to glean from these possessions? I am thinking that maybe I should just get rid of these shoes. I obviously have a negative association with them---but unfortunately I actually like these shoes. What's a girl to do? Continue to wear them and be haunted by this past relationship? OR, perhaps invest in a new pair of cute, sporty tennies that are free of ghosts? I'm thinking probably these are going to be a part of the "shoe funeral" that is going to take place in about a week.

Weird.

P.S. A BIG SPECIAL THANKS TO KAREN, my photographer, FOR BEING SO CREATIVE OVER THESE PAST 47 DAYS! LOVE THE SHOE PIC TODAY! (we are in the midst of standardized state testing, and I made these papers for my kids and got pencils made for them to use during the test to try and encourage them! Fun times!)

RANDOM SHOE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

So, I tormented myself last night by going shoe shopping with my friend Daniela (she is looking for black flat boots) at the Stonewood Mall. Besides being so frustrated everytime I saw a cute pair of shoes that I am not allowed to buy (self-imposed shoe drought for at least one more week!), we encountered some of the most annoying human beings that I have ever interacted with. Now, as you know, I usually have positive experiences at this mall, but I promised myself (and Daniela) that I was going to put these shoe salespeople on blast on my blog. Here is how I am choosing to do it:

Dear Salespeople at Bakers and FootAction,

I would greatly appreciate if you could please tone down the volume levels of your voices when I walk into your store. There is no need for you to SHOUT AT ME "HI! NEED SOME HELP? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? WHAT'S THE OCCASION?" If I tell you, "Thanks, I'm just looking", please accept that. don't continue to follow me around the store, asking me irrelevant questions OR trying to pretend that you remember Daniela and I coming into the store last week and buying matching running shoes. (While believable, we unfortunately did not buy matching running shoes....yet) Unless I ask for your help, I do not want it. Except, of course, if I am shopping at Nordstrom's and you are super smokin' hot, then and only then will I want your help. You are obnoxious. I'm not sure if you went to training and they told you that the best way to sell something to people is to shout at them, but you have been misinformed. Please take this as some friendly advice. Talk softer, people will listen. AND they won't be totally turned off by the shrill harshness of your loud voice like Daniela and I were.

Thanks A Bunch,
Ali