What is it about shoes that women love so much? What a passion they are for me and many others. I have a friend who has over 200 pairs in boxes in their own room. She has photos on the boxes so she can find what she wants when she wants it. She is otherwise sensible, stable and normal in every respect, but she loves her shoes. Especially high, strappy, unique little numbers. She proudly shows off the rows of boxes and regales the unaware with the history of each. A little weird maybe, but I think many of you may well identify with her. We have spent many a pleasurable hour oohing over a pair of Manola Blaniks, looking forward to the day we could afford to buy them.

Shoes give us the means to live life a little vicariously – it is like exotic lingerie with the added benefit of being seen by the general public and, in my case, it actually looks a lot better on. I seem to take on the personality of my shoes - red slingback shoes and I feel just a little naughty and daring, purple pumps and I feel stylish and funky. Black boots with silver heels and I feel sophisticated and worldly. They can give us confidence and make us feel that we have the edge, that little extra something that makes us interesting. It is the secret ingredient to success.

As I have got older my multiple shoe personalities have changed as well - I have stopped buying the high strappy numbers and have turned to the dark side………boots and low heels - but with added features of course. Two reasons – firstly, according to Harper's Index, the average increase in the protrusion of a woman's buttocks when she wears high heels is 25% and I really don’t need any more attention to that area and secondly, I am married…. need I say more???

I have this wonderful calendar that pictures a shoe for each month of the year with the appropriate personality. I examined my month in great detail and asked myself - am I

Impulsive?  Well, yes……….. Many years ago I packed up my 3 babies and sold my house and decided to tour rock bands all over Australia. My mother-in-law was singularly unimpressed. I couldn’t afford expensive shoes at that time so I decorated my own sexy numbers… sequins and ribbons… and had strappy, 3” high stilettos that I could barely walk in, but I did it anyway. I don’t regret it – in fact, it gave me many of the life skills I needed to be successful – the experience I mean – not the shoes…. They just gave me that little added extra…

Unpredictable?  Yes…...or so people tell me. I usually start off my meetings with "I have an idea for " ….  and everyone groans…. I don’t know why!!

Spirited?  Many have called me that and other not-so positive terms as I regularly argue my case for one or the other of my passions..

Friendly?  Yes, yes I love people, especially ones who share my passion for shoes of course.

Daring?  Oooh yes, I go where others fear to tread, because I want to leave a footprint on the world, and of course for that I need the right shoes….you must agree.

Therefore I can happily justify spending a lot of money to find the perfect shoes for each unique occasion. Nobody can argue with that….

I’d like to leave you with a little something I found on the internet (can't find out who wrote it though)…

It is called The Open Toe Shoe Pledge

Please raise your big toes and follow these rules when you wear sandals and other open-toe shoes:

I promise to always wear sandals that fit. My toes will not hang over and touch the ground, nor will my heels spill over the backs. And the sides and tops of my feet will not pudge out between the straps.

I will go polish-free or vow to keep the polish fresh, intact and chip-free. I will not cheat and just touch up my big toe.

I will sand down any mounds of skin before they turn hard and yellow. I will shave the hairs off my big toe.

I won't wear pantyhose even if my misinformed girlfriend, co-worker, mother, sister tells me the toe seam really will stay under my toes if I tuck it there.

If a strap breaks, I won't duct-tape, pin, glue or tuck it back into place hoping it will stay put. I will get my shoe fixed or toss it.

I will not live in corn denial; rather I will lean on my good friend Dr. Scholl's if my feet need him.

I will resist the urge to buy jelly shoes at Payless for the low, low price of $4.99 even if my feet are small enough to fit into the kids' sizes. This is out of concern for my safety, and the safety of others. No one can walk properly when standing in a pool of sweat and I would hate to take someone down with me as I fall and break my ankle.

I will take my toe ring off toward the end of the day if my toes swell and begin to look like Vienna sausages.

I will be brutally honest with my girlfriend/sister/coworker when she asks me if her feet are too ugly to wear sandals. Someone has to tell her that her toes are as long as my fingers and no sandal makes creepy feet look good.

And finally I give you all permission to buy which ever shoes you want, guilt free, go on …… you can blame me……..

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I am the besotted grandmother of a perfectly delicious four-month old girl.  While I dote on her and everything she does, I am also watching my daughter in her role as a mother.   She is a sensational parent, despite being sleep-deprived, adores her baby and can't bring herself to even think about having to go back to work.  Her lifestyle has completely changed, to now revolve around this little cherub.  While she is inspiringly serene in this new role, I know that there are times when she feels cut off from the world and very isolated, particularly from her former professional life.  She is on maternity leave, yet there seems to be no provision from her employer to keep her engaged in, and informed about, what is happening in her workplace.  I am sure that she is not alone in this situation.  If we are serious about retaining a motivated and capable workforce, then employers must acknowledge, and plan for, parenting so that there are choices about when and how parents can return to work, without feeling as if they have to give up their children to full-time care.

I have just read an article that suggests women can't have a career and a happy marriage. It really is a poor indictment on what is actually a pretty normal state of affairs in this day and age.

Lucky there is also a written rebuttal by Elizabeth Cochran to bring some sense to the mix. My fear though is that the male point of view is reality. Let me know what you think!

http://www.forbes.com/home/2006/08/23/Marriage-Careers-Divorce_cx_mn_land.html