I got tapped by Fuego to do a "20 things I hate about ___" post, so here goes...

The 20 things I hate about not wearing shoes

1. I hate that people think you have to wear shoes in order to be serious.

2. I hate that people think bare feet are in some way unhygienic. (I wash them every time I shower... and sometimes an extra time before bed. How often do you wash your shoes?)

3. I hate that people think shoes determine professionalism. "you won't be able to find a job..." (Thank God St. ECWIW's doesn't think this way!).

4. I hate that people make it their mission to get me to wear shoes. "I'm going to buy you shoes just so you'll feel guilty if you don't wear them..."

5. I hate that people think wearing shoes demonstrates maturity "someday you'll have to grow up..."

6. I hate that people somehow think covering your feet is more important when it's wet outside. "you can't wear sandals in the rain..." Five words: Soaking wet shoes and socks. My feet stay warmer and dry quicker wearing sandals in the rain than they ever did wearing shoes.

7. I hate that people don't respect my choice to not wear shoes. Shoes are confining, they are a hotbed for bacteria, they smell, they make my feet sweat, they're expensive (and the ones that aren't are even worse than this description), and they require socks -- which too easily get holes in them and need replacing, look silly, and are hot hot hot.

8. I hate that businesses claim that it's against "health codes" to have bare feet in their place of business when what they really mean is that they are afraid of the liability of my feet getting cut. Health codes say nothing about bare feet... what can my feet bring in that your shoes can't? Bare feet are actually cleaner than shoes since if I step in something, I notice and clean it off. I'm also a lot more aware of where I step when I'm not wearing anything on my feet, so the likelihood that I'll step in anything gross or hazardous is far less than the typical shoe-wearer walking down the street or aisle unaware of where s/he is stepping until they stick in something, smell something, or impale their foot on something that goes through the sole or side of their shoe anyway.

9. I hate that sandals are seen as less spiritual than shoes. "You can't wear sandals in church..." What do you think Jesus wore? Air Moses's? What does covering your feet with cow skin or synthetic fiber have to do with spirituality?

10. I hate that shoes are seen as "normal" footwear and that sandals are seen as either optional or inappropriate. I'm not trying to make a statement or be a rebel by wearing sandals, I just don't like shoes, which brings me to...

11. I hate that my wearing sandals is seen as some sort of political statement. It only becomes political when people attach their own agendas to it and make an issue out of it.

12. I hate that people think I'm crazy for wearing sandals in the snow... okay it makes some sense, but it's not like I'm trudging through the Alaskan wilderness. I have great circulation in my feet and they stay perfectly warm even if it's snowing while I'm out walking around. Skiing or hiking or camping in the snow would necessitate a different choice, of course, but just general pedestrian traffic works fine!

13. I hate that I can't go without anything on my feet more often! I love being bare foot... in case you hadn't already guessed. I have done camp barefoot (except for meals... "health code" -- pshaw), I hike barefoot, I walk the dog barefoot, I drive barefoot (see #14), pretty much anything I can do barefoot I do -- about the only thing that gets me is hot pavement (see #15).

14. I hate that people think driving barefoot is against the law. I have asked. It's not. But thanks.

15. I hate when the pavement is too hot to go barefoot -- ouch! This really only happens when it's been over 100 degrees for several days, otherwise the calluses do the trick.

16. I hate that people don't appreciate calloused feet! Calluses are awesome, they are natural, they are tremendously helpful, and for me it's soft supple sweaty feeling feet that are gross -- you use them every day and yet you scrape off the calluses or dissolve them with chemicals... why not just learn to appreciate them?

17. I hate that "dressy" and "sandals" are seen as mutually exclusive terms. I happen to have three different pairs of dressy sandals, and when I've worn them to dressy events I haven't gotten a second glance (and no, it wasn't just because people there knew me already).

18. I hate that going barefoot is dangerous. This is a real concern for those of us who go barefoot. Bees, glass, needles, sharp rocks, thorns, dog crap, gum... there are a lot of either dangerous or gross things out there to step on, and you can't always keep an eye on the ground where your next step will land. Even with calluses it's not always safe.

19. I hate that the bottoms of my feet are pretty much permanently discolored. Dirt gets trapped within new calluses, asphalt and tar stain the skin, these things happen. I wouldn't mind, except that folks think it means my feet are dirty even when I've just gotten out of the shower.

20. I hate that people will read this and still think I should just suck it up and wear shoes.