8.08.2004
Safety Mules
I've always hated the idea of mules. Not the infertile offspring of horses and donkeys; no. The shoes. Like many other women's shoes, they seem designed to make us walk funny, or worse, to hobble us so we can't get away from attackers.
Unlike all the OTHER Manolo Blahniks in my closet, though, the mules are pretty easy to fling off when you need to get rid of them. Which is what brings me to the real subject of this post, which is shoes that are designed to be easily flung off. Anyone who has spent any time in Asia knows that this is an important concept. Your really great, comfortable hiking sandals that strap you in for good support are not much good when you are having to take them off and put them on constantly as you go in and out of houses and temples.
Now, where is it that Americans are always having to take off and put on shoes nowadays? That's right -- airports. It doesn't seem to matter what kind of shoes they are. No wonder Asian fashions are in right now. It's really all about the shoes.
In some countries, people take off their shoes to show respect to the Buddha; here it's the Transportation Safety Authority that's our God.
And another thing. The flight I was on today. The captain went on and on about how safe flying is. How safe flying STILL is, that is. Safer than driving a car (he was all too happy to remind us that the guy in the next car might not even have a driver's license -- or a legally obtained one, I suppose, if you live in Illinois).
I don't really want to be reminded of how safe flying is. All that does is remind me of how f*ing scared flying makes me. Not because of terrorism. I figure a terrorist attack is more likely to come anywhere but on an airplane these days. But unforseeable mechanical failures or human errors leading to plane crashes pretty much only happen with planes. And no amount of telling me the guy in the next car doesn't have a legal driver's license will convince me otherwise.
So this is just to say. I don't recommend mules for driving, with or without a license, but the people behind you in line at the airport will thank you if you wear easily removable shoes.
Unlike all the OTHER Manolo Blahniks in my closet, though, the mules are pretty easy to fling off when you need to get rid of them. Which is what brings me to the real subject of this post, which is shoes that are designed to be easily flung off. Anyone who has spent any time in Asia knows that this is an important concept. Your really great, comfortable hiking sandals that strap you in for good support are not much good when you are having to take them off and put them on constantly as you go in and out of houses and temples.
Now, where is it that Americans are always having to take off and put on shoes nowadays? That's right -- airports. It doesn't seem to matter what kind of shoes they are. No wonder Asian fashions are in right now. It's really all about the shoes.
In some countries, people take off their shoes to show respect to the Buddha; here it's the Transportation Safety Authority that's our God.
And another thing. The flight I was on today. The captain went on and on about how safe flying is. How safe flying STILL is, that is. Safer than driving a car (he was all too happy to remind us that the guy in the next car might not even have a driver's license -- or a legally obtained one, I suppose, if you live in Illinois).
I don't really want to be reminded of how safe flying is. All that does is remind me of how f*ing scared flying makes me. Not because of terrorism. I figure a terrorist attack is more likely to come anywhere but on an airplane these days. But unforseeable mechanical failures or human errors leading to plane crashes pretty much only happen with planes. And no amount of telling me the guy in the next car doesn't have a legal driver's license will convince me otherwise.
So this is just to say. I don't recommend mules for driving, with or without a license, but the people behind you in line at the airport will thank you if you wear easily removable shoes.
