Folklorists Do it Reflexively In Small Groups

Just a little disciplinary humor there. I know yr laughing yr ass off right now. Or LMAO as the case may be.
So today's update focuses on the concept of footwear.
Now, as may be slightly evident I am no fan of wearing shoes. My ankles hurt with shoes on my feet (10 points for reference) for one thing. And for another barefootin' people have to sort fewer socks. That should be enough to get people off the wearing of shoes, if you ask me. What a miserable way to spend a perfectly decent afternoon-sorting stupid socks to match. Some weeks I just wear odd socks because I just don't care that much. That is when I wear socks. But what with how working barefoot is right out that's most of the time.
ANYHOO--it's getting warm here in the mid-South and I was noting certain things about people. Because that's what I do. I notice shit. One day it might be useful but I don't know exactly how.
My first class was held outside in the shade of a lovely tree near the first floor of FAC. Now, this is one of those things I can't explain but I put ON my shoes to go OUTSIDE. Would seem to me outside would be one of those places where shoelessness would be pretty much alright-except maybe in neighborhoods where beer bottle tossing is a hobby and thus there's a great deal of broken glass laying around. (For example-my neighborhood. What are people doing to be throwing empty bottles of Miller High Life onto the devil's strip anyway? People walk Baxter there after all.)
But returning to today. We got outside and sat down and before you could say bingo bang bongo my feet were free of bondage. The woman sitting next to me also removed her footwear. Strange, but from what I saw most everyone else kept their shoes on. Although later in class I saw the kicking off of sneakers by one who kept her socks on-this just seems impractical but who am I to judge? And everyone kept their shirts on, which made me very happy because folk strip shows are not high on my to do list.
Me I roamed around campus sans Timberlands (yeh I know-not very hippie that footwear choice-I am multi-dimensional after all) until I had to go to my car to move it before my second class.
Now, this class was held indoors where people for odd reasons follow rules of decorum different from the rules of the out of doors. But I never leave my shoes on and so I was strolling the halls in my bare feet in no time. A cohort came in and promptly removed his shoes. Then as I watched the class wear on I couldn't help but note that there were at least 3 other persons detached from their footwear of all sorts and a couple others missing the shoes at least.
Now, I have no thing for feet lest you think I am odd. Actually, I am just struck by the fact that we are conditioned to keep as much of our bodies covered as possible. It is less than customary to remove our shoes when we enter peoples homes (Unless they have really expensive carpet or something) it's considered impolite and children are chastised for not keeping their shoes on. Yet, it wasn't more than 2 generations ago that people owned maybe 1 pair of shoes at a time (Da says that Granddaddy only had one pair of shoes at any time, and they were always from the second hand shop. Which is why Da is always ready to buy shoes, especially dress shoes the brand name I forget, because his Da never could have new and multiple pairs) and now we have shoes that are only applicable to certain very specific outfits or situations. (I'm as guilty, maybe even more so, as anyone else of that. No one NEEDS 3 pairs of green suede shoes or 4 pairs of Converse. But I WANTED them.)
So I noticed when people removed their shoes. Because for one thing it was damn hot and for another thing it is a situation that we are sort of comfortable. Also-I kind of wanted to see if anyone had as horrid winter feet as have I.The answer to that is no. I really must get on my summer feet here quickly.