an interview with stacey, creator of shoe per diem

so i was listening to a radio program the other day which was about the so-called generation Y - you know, that generation behind mine (generation X) - those youngsters who don't believe in anything and who drift from one cool new thing to the next (wait a minute, that's starting to sound like Gen X). since i know stacey is of generation Y, i just had to ask her about that, as well as about her cool blog (of which i am a sporatic contributor - i'm sorry, but the snow depressed me last winter) - shoe per diem.

1. generation Y has been accused of not really believing in anything...what do you believe in?

Nothing.

Ha ha, that was the first thought that came to my mind. Then I remembered me. I believe in me. And I believe that there are really really really ridiculously good people in the world and that I am lucky enough to know a great many of them.

2. what do you miss about discounderworld?

The people, and the possibilities.

3. can you give us a little preview of your next big thing?

It's about showing people you love and are thinking of them, no matter where you or them are... we are calling it paperkiss.me (the website isn't up yet, but I will be sure to let you know when it is! We are aiming for September/October this year :)

4. tell us a hilarious travel story...

God, where to start, I manage to get myself into the most ridiculous of situations, but I guess the one that holds the fondest memories for me goes with this picture (in which I am nearly wetting myself):

On the left is my friend Erica, she and I lived in Paris at the same time, and we used to have all these crazy adventures together mostly because of the fact that she lived in Montmarte on Rue des Martyrs and we would frequent the shady strip bars along Boulevard de Montmarte for the free entry and free champagne... after one night out we were eating breakfast (okay it was morning by then) and these two guys sat down at a tiny table so close that we couldn't not start talking to them. I remember I was eating chocolate cake and it was delicious and Erica for some godforsaken reason had chosen to order a salmon tart. Anyhoo, we started talking, and it turned out they were English and very soon after that, it turned out that they were quite boring, so me and Erica began to make our *stretch* *yawn* *must be time for bed* noises. Just before we left one of them asked what we were doing in Paris, and consequently we asked them... turned out they worked at Disneyland Paris... one was Sully from Monsters Inc, and the other was his keeper. They were on their way to work and said they could get take us if we wanted, and suddenly not tired anymore we found ourselves after a night of shady bars and drinking, at Disneyland at 8am, getting chased around by that big hairy monster and having the time of our lives!!

5. what made you want to track your shoes throughout 2010?

Hmm, I saw this flickr set of a girl who took pictures of her outfits everyday for a year and thought that was an awesome way to visual diary her year. Then I thought about what I would be comfortable doing and decided my feet would suffice. As you've probably noticed my shoes don't change that often... black jandals/bare feet in summer, brown boots in winter, but I think at the end of the year, it will be awesome to be able to look back and take note of all the things I did, and having others on the blog is just amazing, it's awesome getting to know people through their choice of shoes and things they do on a day-to-day basis. I think there's the premise for a book in there somewhere...

6. apropos of your brainchild, shoe per diem, what percentage of the year do you spend barefoot or in flip-flops?

Ha ha, so you noticed! I would easily say 60% of the year. In summer if I'm not wearing my jandals, I am either swimming, sleeping or dancing. And none of those require shoes.

7. the worst book you've read in the past year?

Oh shit, this is hard, I get heaps of books through work, and mostly they suck. Um, okay so, "Think of a Number" was the latest worst. It was one of those crime books which I would never read if I didn't have too, and it alluded all this suspense and mystery, but it was I the reader who was one step ahead of the dickhead detective in the book.

8. when you were 9 years old, what did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?

An Olympic swimmer, this continued till about 14 when I chose life.

9. have you ever tried being a vegetarian?

No, but if I don't have to cook for anyone else, I don't usually bother with meat.

10. do you go to tweet-ups?

Ha! I have been to some, maybe about four. But the last was over a year ago, and I just ended up talking to people I knew, I am a terrible small chat chick.

11. how has the internet changed your life?

I'm not sure changed would be the right word. It has kinda always been there, I guess when it wasn't I was young and doing things that didn't need the internet. I suppose google has meant that instead of looking things up in dictionaries or encyclopedias like I did when I did projects for school when I was young, I now just have to type into the search engine.

on the radio program they asked Danish Gen Y'ers whether they'd tried cocaine, downloaded music or films without paying or took a "morning after" pill...but i decided i didn't really want to go there. :-)

but stacey said, "Ha, ha, see to me and many people I know, none of those things seem very far out. But I personally have never done cocaine :)"

* * *

but do go check out stacey's fabulous shoe per diem - it's like cocaine for shoe lovers. 

but you probably will want to go shopping afterwards.

she's assembled an awesome group of women from around the world.

and their shoes.
and you might occasionally even see my shoes there. :-)
(just to remind us that it always comes back to me.)