A Few Of My Favorite Things (a.k.a. High Heeled Shoes and Barnsey)

I mean, does it get any better? Although, before we continue here, I would like to briefly address those naysayers who have knocked me for talking about my shoes. Evidently some find it difficult to believe that an elementary school teacher would consistently wear high heels to work. Believe it, people. However, although I made it my own priority to wear fabulous shoes that made me feel good about myself at work, I never discussed, mocked or really even looked at the shoes of my colleagues. So, dear naysayers, may I suggest you continue to wear your shoes and I will continue to wear mine.

Now, speaking of shoes….here are the shoes I wore to the Leonard Lopate show on Wednesday. Apparently, my reputation proceeds me because the first thing Mr. Lopate did upon meeting me was comment upon my shoes. He thought they would be red. Sorry to disappoint Mr. Lopate, but I went with purple. (Which ended up being a fabulous choice because they matched my microphone. Hey, I was looking for anything to calm my nerves, people. It was my first time on the radio.)

And here, my friends, here are the shoes that I will be wearing this evening, when I read aloud from my very own book at (clutching chest here) Barnsey.

Yes, yes, I know they are open toed. And I also know that it is approximately 42 degrees outside. But Barnsey is not outside and I just couldn’t resist. They are some of my most special-est shoes. (Again, I take advantage of the perks that come with being an author, namely making up my own words.)

Although honestly, I’m more excited to read out loud to a group of people than I am to wear my fabulous shoes. Shoes may be my guilty little pleasures, but read alouds are my crack. Oh read alouds I HAVE MISSED YOU. The dramatic pauses, the voices, the laughter! You see, I was doing well with this whole not teaching thing, but lately, I miss my friends. I don’t really miss the data collection, the filing, the pee holding or inhaling my lunch in four minutes or less, but I do miss reading out loud to my friends.

Picture it. I had this fabulous red chair in my classroom. It was a classic old wing chair that belonged to my grandmother. It was super comfy and had so many memories wrapped up in it. My friends would sit on the carpet in front of my chair, surrounded by books and all the fabulous kid stuff that fills classrooms. (See, I really do miss it in the classroom. Last year, I would have bitched about all the crap on my floor. The erasers, the scraps of paper, the stray hair accessories…but now *sigh* I miss it.) Reading books together was like our therapy. Whenever I felt overwhelmed or that the vibe was off in the room, we would stop whatever we were doing, gather on the rug and read a story. I must have read three or four books/chapters out loud every day. We were read-a-holics.

So while tonight won’t quite be the same (in case you were wondering, I will not be bringing out my full range of voices or entire repertoire of comedic gestures….those are for the children), it will at least let me read out loud again without Mr. Mimi giving me strange looks across the living room.

A few deets (and then we will be done with the shameless and never ending self promotion…at least for a bit):
Barnes and Noble
150 East 86th Street (btw Lex and 3rd)
7:00 p.m.

My shoes and I will both be there. Hope you are too.

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15 Comments
  • Hey, any time you can put on a pair of sexy, strappy sandals, go for it! As for the rest? Let them eat cake! Have fun tonight! 🙂

    October 16, 2009 at 6:56 pm
  • do make the day better. I just ignore comments from people when they make snide comments about wearing heels or spunky shoes.

    October 17, 2009 at 7:13 pm
  • Those purple shoes ROCK!! I am insanely jealous….

    October 17, 2009 at 7:13 pm
  • Good luck tonight. Enjoy every minute of it. I know your listeners will!

    October 17, 2009 at 7:13 pm
  • OK, so I occasionally wear heels to work – I usually go the route of the adorable ballet flat – but only on days I'm not going to be on my feet all day. Are those shoes seriously comfortable enough to be on your feet for 6 hours straight?! My jaw is *thisclose* to dropping in awe. Respec', sista.

    October 17, 2009 at 7:13 pm
  • I love your blogposts, I have sent the link to all my fellow girl teachers and they are loving it too! Thanks for the insights and mostly thanks for the humor. If I was not in farm country in Central Alberta, I would love to be at Barnsey, enjoy and just "do your thang!"

    October 17, 2009 at 7:13 pm
  • Have fun at your read aloud. I didn't think 40 something was too cold for open toe. But who am I kidding. I love shoes and very few of them get "put away" for the winter.

    October 17, 2009 at 7:13 pm
  • Oh, Read alouds. I miss them, too. I have been out of the classroom for a dozen years (Reading Recovery/Intervention) and sorely miss reading aloud to children. It was the one time when I had all their attention. It was the most powerful teaching tool I ever used…and it was magical.

    In 1978, during my second year of teaching I got a book called, The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. That book (and it's reprints and updates) became the focus of my teaching for the next 20 years – until I left the classroom. I taught grades K through 6 and with every group (even the dreaded 6th graders) the read aloud was the favorite part of the day…mine and theirs. I never skipped it…ever.

    Hope you had a great time reading aloud to the grown ups, Mrs. Mimi…and btw, grown ups like the full range of voices, and elaborate gestures, too.

    October 18, 2009 at 2:08 pm
  • I can attest that you did indeed wear high heels every day. I was consistently impressed. I hope you rocked those black shoes last Friday!

    October 21, 2009 at 1:07 am
  • I am glad you addressed anti-cute-shoe naysayers! I am always "teased" (read: criticized) for my daily choice in stiletto heeled footwear when I have no qualms about others' ordinary (read: ugly) shoe choices. Let me wear mine, and I will let you wear yours. 🙂

    October 21, 2009 at 1:07 am
  • I just can't do the ugly shoe so I wear heels most days — the clack down the hallway commands repect.

    October 22, 2009 at 3:22 pm
  • I'm a graduate student for elementary education and my literacy professor does a read aloud for us every class – even as a 20-something graduate school student, I still love them.
    Good luck!

    October 26, 2009 at 12:30 pm
  • Purple high heels are underrated. Very cute. I kid you not when I say the word verification here is "pedis'.

    October 30, 2009 at 7:38 pm
  • People think that I am crazy for wearing heels every day, too. Note that I never, ever tell other people not to wear their shoes. The other day I wore flats with my Halloween costume and lasted all of 45 minutes before switching into heels. My feet hurt too much in flats! LOL

    November 3, 2009 at 2:31 pm
  • Girlfriend. How did it go???

    November 6, 2009 at 4:44 pm

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