Simply put, a post on boots
You know how they say items have stories? Yesterday, I cleared the shoe cupboard and realized how many shoes that I have ceased wearing but haven't thrown away. (Note: That was a while ago, wrote this post then but neglected to post it.) They have been gathering dust, just like the clothes in my closet that I don't wear or the files of notes that I haven't the heart to throw. I wonder why this is. If a fire burnt my house down, and everything was lost, I am pretty sure that although I would miss a lot of things, there would be at least an equal number of things I would not miss.
I think within me, there is quite a lot of fear of letting go of the past. And we keep thinking these things will be useful sometime in the future, but then realize four years later that they are not and have not been, and that even if a situation came round in which they'd be useful, I might not be bothered to dig them up. So I think that this has to do with a fear of being unprepared, and some desire to feel secure in the future that is expressed in this case, unreasonably. And there's something about disposing of something that is just so final.
But things aren't the most important thing in the world. We must learn how to leave them behind. The most important things are inside us, and those will determine the rest of our life. So I have to learn to detach my feelings from objects, and let go.
I thought that before I did though, I would take a family photo of my boots. :) This will be the last time in a long time I will have so many pairs - will also have far less chances to wear them in future, not being able to express myself casually in the office.
My very first pair of boots was the purple pair in the front. Okay, perhaps to say they were the very first is an exaggeration - as a kid, I may have had snow boots, possibly, that I don't remember at all. But my very first. These were given to me by a dear friend who procured them from Hong Kong. They have a slight heel and are slightly elvish, with ties at the back. And they are furry leopard print inside. Haha. I think this was given to me in upper secondary or early junior college. At that time I absolutely loved purple. And aelfish looking things. A very thoughtful gift from a very special person. :)
My second pair was the short light brown pair in front. I remember getting these myself when I went to Hong Kong around the JC period. These have no heel, and are able to match a few more things. I wore them for some class outings. Haha, I remember happily strutting around with my brown shorts which match this and a pink shirt with a pink ribbon in my hair.
I think that my third and fourth pairs were from either Hong Kong or Taiwan. The tall brown ones at the back, and the grey ones. The brown ones are sorta pirate-y, remember wearing them to David's birthday party at Sentosa. I did realize then that it is a pain to get tall boots with laces and no zip though! Requires a lot of unlacing.
The tall grey ones that seem sorta slouchy Robin-hood, I have worn often, sometimes in the rain as they are quite waterproof. I think this is one of my most versatile pairs because it matches almost everything. It started peeling recently as it's not real leather, so I decided to give it a final wearing at the Farewell Dinner before sending it off.
Then, I acquired the cream and blue rainboots from Japan. I had been wanting rainboots for quite some time, and when I was sick of studying I liked to think about setting up a rainboots shop in Singapore. Afterall, rainboots can come in tons of really cute patterns and when it rains, it often floods in Singapore so where better? Although I was never really serious about wanting to go into business. I don't think I have the mind or patience for business; I can do logistics but I wouldn't spend my whole life doing it, and business really requires a love for counting money. Also, Singaporeans have an innate prejudice against boots, because it's humid here and they don't want to be covered up. They don't realise wearing jeans is just as bad (I honestly don't understand why people wear jeans all the time and claim comfort; skirts are so much more comfortable). I do note that I have a higher tolerance for heat and humidity for most people though. And finally, the rain is Singapore tends to be temperamental. It can rain for a short while then be crazily sunny the next few hours and dry up everything, so that people look at you strangely for wearing obvious rainboots that are rubber/plastic.
I love these rainboots. I brought them to Canada above the rest, because I knew it would snow heavily and I read that for a while before it got too cold, you could use thick socks with waterproof boots in the snow. I used them for my riding lessons as well, because they were recommended as a cheaper alternative to proper riding boots and I could wash them easily after coming back from lessons. There would be a bit of saddle oil and all sorts of gross things over it. :)
Then the short dark brown laced pair in front I got in Canada during the mid-semester break when I went to Boston. I really like these. They have a slight heel, are super comfortable, and protect my feet really well in the snow. They are quite versatile too, only sometimes I feel a bit clunky in them compared to when I wear the other boots, because these are rather stompy shoes.
Ordered the short grey pair from Aldo on exchange too. :) Haha it's really fun to order from Aldo there because you can order online and they have lots of sales and deliver to your door and if it doesn't fit, you can easily return at an actual store. There was only one Aldo in my ulu town, at this place called Masonville. So the point is, you can really take your time to decide what to keep or not. I used these to pick up my exchange buddy at the airport before. I must say these are turning out less versatile then I thought though, perhaps something about the ruches at the side and how they only suit certain styles.
Finally, there is the very dark brown pair at the back, which are my replacement rainboots. Got them from Zhu Hai, China this December, and I really like them because they look a lot like proper riding boots when you don't examine them up close, and are elegant in their slimness. Have worn them to school a few times this semester when it rained. If I were overseas and working outside of law, I would wear them in winter to work as well.
And that is the end of my boots post. :) Farewell.
I think within me, there is quite a lot of fear of letting go of the past. And we keep thinking these things will be useful sometime in the future, but then realize four years later that they are not and have not been, and that even if a situation came round in which they'd be useful, I might not be bothered to dig them up. So I think that this has to do with a fear of being unprepared, and some desire to feel secure in the future that is expressed in this case, unreasonably. And there's something about disposing of something that is just so final.
But things aren't the most important thing in the world. We must learn how to leave them behind. The most important things are inside us, and those will determine the rest of our life. So I have to learn to detach my feelings from objects, and let go.
I thought that before I did though, I would take a family photo of my boots. :) This will be the last time in a long time I will have so many pairs - will also have far less chances to wear them in future, not being able to express myself casually in the office.
My very first pair of boots was the purple pair in the front. Okay, perhaps to say they were the very first is an exaggeration - as a kid, I may have had snow boots, possibly, that I don't remember at all. But my very first. These were given to me by a dear friend who procured them from Hong Kong. They have a slight heel and are slightly elvish, with ties at the back. And they are furry leopard print inside. Haha. I think this was given to me in upper secondary or early junior college. At that time I absolutely loved purple. And aelfish looking things. A very thoughtful gift from a very special person. :)
My second pair was the short light brown pair in front. I remember getting these myself when I went to Hong Kong around the JC period. These have no heel, and are able to match a few more things. I wore them for some class outings. Haha, I remember happily strutting around with my brown shorts which match this and a pink shirt with a pink ribbon in my hair.
I think that my third and fourth pairs were from either Hong Kong or Taiwan. The tall brown ones at the back, and the grey ones. The brown ones are sorta pirate-y, remember wearing them to David's birthday party at Sentosa. I did realize then that it is a pain to get tall boots with laces and no zip though! Requires a lot of unlacing.
The tall grey ones that seem sorta slouchy Robin-hood, I have worn often, sometimes in the rain as they are quite waterproof. I think this is one of my most versatile pairs because it matches almost everything. It started peeling recently as it's not real leather, so I decided to give it a final wearing at the Farewell Dinner before sending it off.
Then, I acquired the cream and blue rainboots from Japan. I had been wanting rainboots for quite some time, and when I was sick of studying I liked to think about setting up a rainboots shop in Singapore. Afterall, rainboots can come in tons of really cute patterns and when it rains, it often floods in Singapore so where better? Although I was never really serious about wanting to go into business. I don't think I have the mind or patience for business; I can do logistics but I wouldn't spend my whole life doing it, and business really requires a love for counting money. Also, Singaporeans have an innate prejudice against boots, because it's humid here and they don't want to be covered up. They don't realise wearing jeans is just as bad (I honestly don't understand why people wear jeans all the time and claim comfort; skirts are so much more comfortable). I do note that I have a higher tolerance for heat and humidity for most people though. And finally, the rain is Singapore tends to be temperamental. It can rain for a short while then be crazily sunny the next few hours and dry up everything, so that people look at you strangely for wearing obvious rainboots that are rubber/plastic.
I love these rainboots. I brought them to Canada above the rest, because I knew it would snow heavily and I read that for a while before it got too cold, you could use thick socks with waterproof boots in the snow. I used them for my riding lessons as well, because they were recommended as a cheaper alternative to proper riding boots and I could wash them easily after coming back from lessons. There would be a bit of saddle oil and all sorts of gross things over it. :)
Then the short dark brown laced pair in front I got in Canada during the mid-semester break when I went to Boston. I really like these. They have a slight heel, are super comfortable, and protect my feet really well in the snow. They are quite versatile too, only sometimes I feel a bit clunky in them compared to when I wear the other boots, because these are rather stompy shoes.
Ordered the short grey pair from Aldo on exchange too. :) Haha it's really fun to order from Aldo there because you can order online and they have lots of sales and deliver to your door and if it doesn't fit, you can easily return at an actual store. There was only one Aldo in my ulu town, at this place called Masonville. So the point is, you can really take your time to decide what to keep or not. I used these to pick up my exchange buddy at the airport before. I must say these are turning out less versatile then I thought though, perhaps something about the ruches at the side and how they only suit certain styles.
Finally, there is the very dark brown pair at the back, which are my replacement rainboots. Got them from Zhu Hai, China this December, and I really like them because they look a lot like proper riding boots when you don't examine them up close, and are elegant in their slimness. Have worn them to school a few times this semester when it rained. If I were overseas and working outside of law, I would wear them in winter to work as well.
And that is the end of my boots post. :) Farewell.
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