October 12, 2004 NYC
Yesterday I celebrated my 40th birthday at Tavern on Jane with a small group of friends. This is one of the few places in the city that welcomes my hound Jetta and serves Guinness. Everybody was happy, even me in my extended years. My favorite gift was an original glass souvenir cup from the 1964 World's Fair in New York. Thanks Susie, brian and Lily.

October 9, 2004 Maplewood, New Jersey
My last book signing for Bootism, here at Goldfinch books. It all started 52 weeks ago in Brattleboro, Vermont (See Oct 11). A pretty amazing year when I reread this blog, recall the new places and remember the people I met along the way. My only regret is that I didn't sell more books and found a way to keep on this path. Other than my financial well being, the year has been a once in a life time experience, I very much hope to repeat with my next book.

September 24, 2004 Dornoch, Scotland
The home of Donald Ross, Skibo Castle and some pretty terrific golf courses. I won't bore you with the details, but this is the best birthday gift I could ever give myself. My clubs, luggage and alternate black golf shoes arrived unharmed. My swing has not yet been seen. Lots of laughs, gorgeous links courses and pints. I hit someone with a golf ball this week for the first time in my golfing life. Chuck deserved it and he's the only thing I've hit this week.

September 19, 2004 Nairn, Scotland
The start of a week playing golf in the Scottish Highlands with 3 old friends, Eric, Chuck and George (see Sept 3). We are all celebrating our 40th birthdays. After an uneventful flight, I arrived a bit bleary eyed, but my luggage and golf clubs did not. Knowing how integral my golf shoes are to my golf swing and planning ahead for once in my life, I carried my spikes on the plane with me. Brilliant, as they say here. I wish I could say I brought my game with me, but that too is in transit.

September 12, 2004 NYC
I don't usually share star sightings in this space unless they are really good. Today was a serious A-list spotting at the shoe department at Bergdorf Goodman's. I could go into a lot of detail, but cutting to the good stuff...I noticed a petite beauty with bug sunglasses stalking the shelves and trying to be inconspicuous. Sarah Jessica Parker on a Saturday afternoon shoe shopping uptown. I guess the show continues or at least the characters live on!

September 8, 2004 NYC
Today I recieved the Fall issue of SHUZ Magazine to find two articles written by me!! (see May 5, 2004) And my picture on the Contributor's page with some kind words. Opening a magazine and finding an article written by me will be probably a bigger surprise to people that have known me for a long time than it is for me. But not by much because both articles are funny, well written and impeccably layed out. Stephanie Lewis and her team make me look beautiful and read even better. Go buy a copy today or better yet, subscribe for the year at here...www.shuz.com

September 6, 2004 Marion, Massachusetts
Another Labor Day at the Nau Fun Camp, with a Wiffle Ball game generating stories until at least next year. Family fun in all of it's glory. Hopefully Emily is too young to remember and Dick will recover soon. The dryest in years and hugs kisses and thanks to Char and Bob for allowing us to invade eden.

September 3, 2004 Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
Still here an luckily for us George Babcock came to join us for the last few days. After dinner tonight on the cliffs of Aquinnah, George bought Tina and me (and himself) Rebound Crocs. The most comfortable shoe I have ever worn! The whole shoe, in the form of a clog with a movable strap that can be flipped over to hug the heel is made of the springy stuff they put in running shoes. Light as a feather with holes pocked on the covering and pure joy for beach walking or summer cruising. Captain Hugh Taylor turned us on to them during a ride on his Menemsha bike ferry and George was magnanimous as ever during his visit. Cool Shoes.

August 22, 2004 Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
Today I handled Jetta at the Dog Show as part of the 146th annual Agricultural Fair here on the island. I won the blue ribbon for best dachschund in the show. I would have won Best Hound if not for an outstanding Whippet from Boylston. Avenging last year's defeat was sweet in this non-competitive event. Great sunshine and deserted beaches have made for an excellent vacation this year (see August 13, 2003)

August 10, 2004 NYC
Book sales may have slowed but interest in Bootism continues. I have been approached about being interviewed for a documentary on people obsessed with shoes. How cool is that? How does “The foremost expert in shoe obsessions, Michael Duranko…” sound??

As many people know, I started a “Think Tank” focused on footwear issues. The main reason I started it was so I could be introduced as “Michael Duranko. He runs a New York City Think Tank.” Hopefully, more details can be shared soon.

July 31, 2004 NYC
This evening I tried to watch Kaptain Robbie Knievel jump his 500cc motorcycle over two helicopters and 5 airplanes on the deck of the USS Intrepid. I could not get onboard but spent some time in the crowd of people lined up on the shore. My estimate was 70% thought the son of Evel would make it, but that number seemed to go down as the jump approached. I think people wanted to see a crash, and I guess that’s why I was watching and so intrigued with the Red, White and Blue clad 45 year old who jumped to honor the troops fighting terror.

The death defying daredevil made it look easy, but his speeches before and after the jump were of the Al Sharpton variety, long, loud and loose. He slid into bales of hay and was dug out by his handlers and extras from American Chopper.

It felt like a Pay-Per-View event but it was free!!! And I should mention the biker wore white boots as did many of his fans cheering him on. Only in America, America the Beautiful.

July 21, 2004 NYC
Last night I ventured into the East Village for a Kerry / Edwards fundraising benefit show organized by Dana Schimmel. Great music, but the two songs by each artist/group were not enough. Duncan Sheik, David Poe, Katell Keineg, Rachel Loshak and others were outstanding. Moby made an appearance and led a 'Ring of Fire' sing-along complete with mouth horns. Nice. The Living Room is an intimate venue and not as much black as I expected though Moby did not disappoint down to his converse tennies.

July 16, 2004 Annapolis, Maryland
Once again visting our "Survivor" friend Trish Dunn, husband Leo and the girlies at their new compound on the Chesapeake Bay. Gorgeous sunshine, delicious crabs and lots of laughs though not much in the way of shoes to report beyond the typical summer flip flops.

July 3, 2004 Mattituck, NY
I pulled off a good one this weekend, maybe my best ever! I wrote a story for Dan’s Papers, a weekly newspaper circulated on the east end of Long Island. The true and funny story with a picture of me can be found here...www.danspapers.com

While the piece is hilarious, the reveal was even funnier. I had been hinting around about Dan’s Papers last night…Baiting the hook for Matt and Annelise. Then this morning, with eight of us sitting at an outdoor café enjoying breakfast with at least 3 copies of Dan’s Papers at the table, I took my first cast. Awkwardly I told the table that I would love to someday write for Dan’s Papers. I had seen the article on page 125 for the first time only minutes before sitting down.

My first nibble came from Matt, who incorrectly contended that Dan writes everything in Dan’s Papers. Pretending not to hear him, I wondered out loud what I would actually write, when I got my first solid bite. Matt suggested I write “The Scrabble Story”.

“What do you mean?” was my blank face reply.

Setting the hook, Matt, a bit impatiently explained, actually dismissed the topic with “You should write up the story from last year and submit it. Maybe they’d print that”

At this point both Matt and Annelise are flipping through separate copies of Dan’s Papers at opposite ends of the table. Another cast kept the conversation going “Good idea Matt” and then I wondered aloud, “What would the title be?” Matt annoyed, shook his head and allowed Annelise to take the bait.

“Naked Girls” she said with confidence still thumbing through the first half of the issue. Reeling in my catch, I asked Annelise if there was a North Fork section. She said yes, and went to the middle of the issue. “Oh my GOD!!” was all she could manage when she saw my picture in the middle of the page, beneath the title she had just suggested. I burst out laughing alerting the table and landing my prize.

Disbelief, confusion, and then finally nervous laughter as memories replayed recent comments. The table caught up to my guffawing and joined me. My wife beamed at me proudly as she was among the surprised. Matt came over to shake my hand with a smile pinning both his ears back. I held up my catch for a proverbial snapshot before tossing him back into the sea for others to enjoy.

June 29, 2004 NYC
Today I signed with a literary agent and am looking forward to uttering the phrase "Call my agent" Stepanie Kit Rostan of Levine Greenberg will be negotiating on my behalf. She is terrific, though I must admit, I say that about anyone who reads my work:>:> I hope to make Stephanie a very wealthy woman and have some laughs along the way.

June 27, 2004 Marion, Massachusetts
Relaxing at one of the most beautiful homes I have ever visited, The Nau Fun Camp in Buzzard's Bay. See August 29, 2003. The perfect place to unwind from the BIFF screening of "Growing Pains" and to celebrate my cousin Melissa's 30th birthday. Both events were well attended and enjoyed by all.

June 24, 2004 Boston, Massachusetts
Our dog Jetta was a big hit on this evening's red carpet. "Growing Pains premieres tomorrow at the Boston International Film Festival and the buzz is starting to build. See May 17.

This is my wife's first film, and perhaps most important, her first red carpet reception. She looked stunning stepping out of a limo in Green high heeled sandals with a leafy/viney motif, White Pants and a trendy black top. Ofcourse she wore sunglasses!!!

June 18, 2004 Shinnecock Hills, NY
This place is a gorgeous spot for a golf course and a great place to watch a golf tournament. Golf is one of the few sports where the spectators dress like the athletes. Many in the crowd were wearing golf spikes today at the US Open. I have never understood this shoe decision, but I like it.

I was the guest of Julie and Andrew, the Vander Cools as I like to call them because they are so hip. Julie decided on sandals today instead of the sneakers Andy and I sported. She feared ticks in the long rough, though she looked stylish as always.

June 14, 2004 NYC
I am still digging out from last week's Licensing Show at the Javitz Convention Center. Hopefully sometime very soon the good people of Argentina will be able to buy a Bootism umbrella and the Children in Poland will have their Bootism backpacks! And maybe a few other branded products will see the light of day. Also, there was an article in License Magazine about the Bootism screensavers and wallpaper. Cool stuff and hopefully the momentum will continue to build.

One shoe note from the show floor, I wore my very comfortable white bucks for the first time this summer. Sharp!

June 12, 2004 Shelter Island, NY
Relaxing on a different island in New York. Between the North Fork and the Hamptons is a wonderful place ot escape the city and recuperate from the 2004 Licensing Show. I chatted with a bunch of people interested in Bootism the brand and I hope to find an agent to help me 'exploit the brand' as they say in the trade. Sunshine, delicious food and dogs at the beach...what could be better?

June 9, 2004 NYC
Bootism is now available from the High Heel Museum, how fitting. Here is a link to a fabulous collection of glamorous shoes...www.highheelshoemuseum.com

The curator is a Los Angeles sculptor named Bruce Gray who is well known for is huge shoe art. Lots of shoe stuff at the site and I hope this makes up for all the recent unshoe related postings.

June 4, 2004 Portland, Maine
Checking out the largest town in Maine, though not the capitol. Tina brought me into a few shoe stores both very hip and loaded with the latest styles. But both Stiletto and Blue Shoe did not have Bootism available for thier shoe loving clients...Yet. Great state and I can't wait to come back.

May 30, 2004 Kennebunkport, Maine
On holiday this week in this northeast wonderland. Long beach walks, steamed lobsters and unexpected sunshine. I saw the former President Bush (I hope to refer to his son the same way in November) on his new fishing boat trailed by the Secret Service in a fast boat. Also, Barbara was out sniffing some flowers and walking her dogs. Pretty cool, and our hotel has a very warm salt water pool.

May 27, 2004 NYC
Over the last week or so, I recieved a few emails and noticed some guest book entries from Louisville, Kentucky. Yesterday I found out how these wonderful people found their way to this site. A cover story about shoes in a local paper called Velocity was written by Maisy Fernandez and prominently featured Bootism. Check out www.velocity.com

Not only is she a Bootist, but Maisy has one of the most beautiful names I have ever heard. Life, Leisure and Louisville!!

May 23, 2004 NYC
No word on the red carpet length for the Boston International Film Festival at this point, and yes, I will report on Tina's shoes:>:>

The 6 week "Are you a Bootist?" campaign has ended in Saskatoon, Canada (See March 31) and the results surpassed all expectations smashing all sales records at Durand Shoes. Lots of shoes sold and many happy Bootists up north. Plans are for a Bootism patio party in the Fall. I did see a few pictures of the C95 morning radio promotion. That is, pictures of DJ's having fun with Bootism in the booth. Probably a little abuse but that's fine by me.

May 17, 2004 NYC
Exciting news over the weekend..."Growing Pains" the short film Tina produced last year (see July 28) has been accepted to the Boston International Film Festival. The world premiere screening is Friday June 25th at 4:48pm. At this point, there is no way to determine how long the red carpet will be or what my wife will be wearing. Should be fun and congratulations to Mario and everyone else in the cast and crew.

May 10, 2004 NYC
Last night I was in the studio audience of the Survivor finale at Madison Square Garden. Today I suffer from a Reality TV hangover. Our friend Trish was on the last season of Survivor (See Dec 17) and nabbed tix for the show and the after party at Crobar.

The show was a bit long but the M&M’s and Oreo cookies were free. I didn’t watch many All Star episodes but I love a good fight. I’ve always said, “If you can’t think of something nice to say about someone, sit next to me.” Too much bickering for my taste…

The after party was at a cavernous disco club with loud music, free drinks and my overbite on the dance floor. Lots of D level Reality TV celebrities and their adoring fans. Trish stepped out in a variety of beautiful shoes over the weekend, but my bride’s Marc Jacobs Pink Butterflies on Sunday stole the show.

May 7, 2004 NYC
I hope you have downloaded the Bootism screensavers from this website. See the box to your left, the one in the bottom corner? That's the one, or see Nov 26, 2003. What are you waiting for? For those who have downloaded the witty images, know that you are in good company or at least a lot of company.

I just got the latest update from the wonderful Lisa G at Comet Systems/Screensavers.com. Are you ready for this, over 28,000 versions of either the Bootism screensavers or the Bootism wallpaper have been downloaded this year. Over 10,000 last month in April! Another huge thank you to Alexander Robinson who helped me with the designs. Now if I can figure out how to sell everyone a copy of the book and a shirt...

May 5, 2004 NYC
I was on The Morning Rave yesterday, 107.9 Sacramento's #1 Hit Music Station with Darci, Lucas and Maney. No call-ins but another chance to talk about Bootism. I got a few emails and someone signed the guest book. The momentum is slowing a bit, the amazon sales rank creeped down to 261,711. Not good, and hopefully it's only temporary. Can you imagine a better Mother's Day gift?

Speaking of which, I was walking through Grand Central Station last week and noticed a stationery store with a display of Mother's Day gift ideas. And there was Bootism in the window for all the world to see!!! Papyrus may be one of the smartest stationery stores on the planet, they really know what people want. Anyway, I looked around and tried to find a familiar face to share the moment. Throngs of people rushed by me, all strangers. I lingered for a few moments, smiled like a crazy man and walked on.

Also, I'm writing two articles for the Fall issue of SHUZ Magazine. I think my picture is going to be in the bio section, a first for me. SHUZ is going through a redesign and a relaunch and I hope my mug shot shock or cause too much damage. It's always the little things that have huge effect on success of a magazine.

April 30, 2004 NYC
Not only did I get bumped from a radio program on Wednesday, I never got the call on Thursday monrning from Cat Country. Turns out there was some cat fighting going on and my favorite Pensacola DJ is no longer a DJ in Pensacola. She told me she walked out in a dynamite pair of strappy sandals never to return. Crazy?

I did join Tony Brueski on WPKR-FM Appleton/Oshkosh/Green Bay and WSPT-FM Wausau/Stevens Point/Wisconsin Rapids, "The Valley's Best Country" for an interview last night. Funny, funny man with some deep seeded Bootist tendencies.

April 28, 2004 NYC
Today I got bumped from the Cat Country radio show, though rescheduled for tomorrow morning. Geri, Pensacola's hottest morning DJ could not have been nicer, but I wonder what knocked me from the schedule? What is more important than shoes?

April 12, 2004 NYC
The most recent issue of SHUZ magazine is on the newsstands. This is a magazine for the truly passionate Bootists. As always, SHUZ is gorgeous to look at and offers tons of pictures of the latest shoe styles.

I wrote the article that starts on page 77, “Shoe Departmentz”. For some reason I did not get a byline or a mention in the masthead? Nobody believes I wrote a book about shoes, so there is no chance of convincing people I know that I actually wrote an article about the shoe boutiques at national department stores for a magazine dedicated to shoes. But at least you know.

April 6, 2004 NYC
This evening I was a guest on LoveLines, a UK radio show hosted by Helen and Shirleyanne. Two hilarious birds making people laugh on late nite radio.

One caller, Allie from Nottingham, told the world she never throws her shoes away and has a collection of a couple hundred pair. Displayed on shelves in her home office, Allie has shoes from the 70's, 80's and 90's. She didn't care for the term Bootist, but I hope this mention helps convert her.

In tribute to the Bootist of the UK, this month the Hall of Fame is an all UK edition. Check out www.106centuryfm.com

Thanks Ladies!!

March 31, 2004 NYC
I have some pretty exciting Bootism projects in the works and thought I would share them here. Two shoe stores, international empires in the making, have requested the use of Bootism in their marketing and advertising. Both recognize the power in the Bootism brand to intimately connect with shoe lovers.

Durand Shoes (no relation) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada approached me through their Ad agency Blaqmap about the “Are you a Bootist?” campaign. Complete with posters, print ads, billboards and a week long radio promotion. There are 3 stores and record breaking sales have been reported since the program launched. How cool is that? Cooler if you live in Saskatoon.

City Walker Shoes in Perth, Australia opens on April 8 and will feature Bootism prominently via posters, ads and book marks. Copies of Bootism and Bootism shirts are planned as give-a-ways.

Support these Brilliant, innovative shoe boutiques if you can. I will be sending out a few press releases and hopefully you will come across more uses of Bootism in the near future.

March 28, 2004 NYC
The case settled before it started, so I was unable to test any shoe theories. It could have been the over-the-knee studded warrior boots I wore into court that gave the attorneys something to think about...We'll never know.

March 25, 2004 NYC
I got picked for a malpractice case! I went with the black Tod loafers, not polished and not scuffed, but I never saw either lawyer look at my feet? So much for testing the theory, though I still believe shoes tell a lot about a person. Perhaps I will do an analysis of my fellow juror’s shoes, and see if conclusions can be drawn.

March 22, 2004 NYC
I have been called to serve my civic duty as a juror for the New York State Supreme Court this week. While I want to do my part, I can’t imagine spending days, weeks or months listening to testimony. I have a shoe related plan.

A defense attorney in Seattle once told me the first thing he looked at during jury selection was people’s shoes. And I believe you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes. My strategy for getting out of service revolves around this philosophy, but my problem is I really don’t know what a lawyer is looking for when they excuse a juror. Do I wear scuffed loafers, polished square toed Tod’s, or trail runners? Or do I go for the raised eyebrow with a pair of Birkenstocks, garden clogs or cowboy boots?

I guess it depends on the case which makes it impossible to plan. If nothing else, this should be an interesting test to the shoe theory and give me something to think about during the tedious process.

March 19, 2004 Boston, Mass
Today I met one of the biggest Bootist on the East Coast, Carolyn Fritz at her nail salon. Carolyn is a stylist and creates innovative designs for finger and toe nails. One customer I talked to said she lets Carolyn cook up a new design every week or so and she is always pleased. The craziest I saw was a set of 10 sculpted bikinis, great for the beach? Carolyn is one of the good people and it was wonderful to finally meet her.

March 14, 2004 NYC
I don't typically share the details of my own purchases in this space, but I have found 2 items I feel strongly about and want to briefly discuss. One shoe related, the other more pop culture.

Today, I purchased a pair of Green & Yellow mesh puma sneakers to replace my blue on white ones. I cannot recall anything more comfortable on my feet. Joy, fun, love are all appropriate descriptors and I thought you should know of my happiness.

Next, I unabashedly admit to enjoying "The Apprentice" each week, and blame Trish Dunn (see Aug 29) for my Reality Show addiction. Earlier this week I was in Gristedes, a NYC grocery store and found a huge bottle of Trump Ice. I could not resist buying what The Donald described as some of the finest tasting water in the world. Laugh, but chilled with a slice of lemon, the water is delicious. Delicious.

March 9, 2004 NYC
More radio interviews with me promoting Bootism. This morning I was a guest on the Morning Madhouse, Cow97 with Karson and Arnie. This station is Mid-Wisconsin's most listened to radio station playing both kinds of music...Country AND Western. The hosts are not Bootists and the one caller that called in did not actually have a question for me. but I think we made some people laugh and I had a blast. Check out www.cow97.com

March 4, 2004 NYC
First off, thanks for all the mail and cards with your comments about the Annie Sparrow interview. Yes, she is gorgeous and bursting with style. I can't thank her enough for allowing me to introduce you to her on this site.

And in response, in part, to the Annie Sparrow interview, I was invited to be a guest on my first nationally syndicated radio show. Jane Silk is the host of News You Can Use, and my segment aired today from 1:31pm to 1:39pm. Jane is a lovely host, not a diehard Bootist, but a warm soul with a sharp sense of humor. Her web site lists recent guests and I'm not quite sure how I fit in among Steve Forbes, the Duchess of York, Howard Dean and Mario Cuomo. Check out www.radioamerica.org

March 1, 2004 NYC
My Oscar picks did not come through for me this year. I thought Diane Keaton was going to be the big surprise and Bill Murray was going to deliver a great speech. Billy Crystal was very funny as expected. Perhaps the biggest surprise was my Shrimp Risotto...superb!!

Annie Sparrow, visiting from Seattle and a past member of the Bootist Hall of Fame was our guest for the Oscar evening. Five years ago Annie joined us in Koh Samui, Thailand to watch a statuesque Gwyneth Paltrow take home a golden statue. I was lucky enough to interview Annie in southeast Asia and she agreed to answer a few questions for me on Sunday night.

md: Why do people care about the Oscars?

AS: People don’t care about the awards they care about the style, elegance and manner in which the actors carry themselves. People care about the outfits, the jewelry and of course the shoes, that’s why a billion people tune in.

md: What shoes impressed you?

AS: They didn’t do such a great job showing off the footwear, they never do. Diamonds and designers, that’s about it, and how ironic when you consider the celebs are walking the red carpet. Even the $2million Stuart Weitzman's were hardly shown.

md: What did impress you?

AS: Scarlett Johansen was probably the best dressed and Naomi Watts looked stunning. Charlize Theron is beautiful. Op-bow looked great, and so did the other bow tied beauts. I liked the Martin Scorsese commercial and the Will Ferrell / Jack Black song was a great moment. Adrian Brody is adorable. But there were no real surprises and no disappointments, though your Shrimp Risotto was outrageiously good. I was entertained tonight and that’s what I was hoping for.

md: Thanks Annie

February 26, 2004 NYC
Big mistake today. I missed a chance to be interviewed by Yvonne Auld, the Tucson Fashionista on WKRQ 97.3 morning show. I thought the time difference was 3 hours instead of 2 hours, and when I called in the show was over. Tragedy. I was told Yvonne, Johnjay and Rich chatted up the book and did the Bootism quiz, but I had some fun ideas for the show that will have to wait until next time. 10,000 apologies to Tucscon and thanks again Yvonne for making Bootism your Pink Sugar. www.tucsonfashionista.com

February 21, 2004 NYC
First, Happy Birthday Dad! Next, a little bit of good news...Bootism reached 111 on the Amazon bestseller list in the UK today. I am too cynical to think my near bestseller status will last much longer, so I am enjoying the small personal thrill. I may be the only one who notices, but like this blog, noteriety is not really the point.

The bad news is Sex and the City ends tomorrow. My guess is a vague, thought-provoking ending setting up the newly announced movie to answer all the story lines left hanging. While the show will be missed, I think the world is ready to move on. Perhaps the new trend will be popular shows leaving the air on top, gracefully.

February 16, 2004 NYC
I can't believe my book got panned by the Times!

The Sunday Style section of the New York Times has a column "Books of Style", and this Sunday Bootism got panned. I was on the moon with the news Bootism was even mentioned, but only 2 lines, both unflattering brought me quickly back to earth. There were some other unimportant errors in the short piece, but who cares? Worse, I didn't see any discernible increase in traffic to this site or lift in sales.

So, what's the point? I did receive a bunch of notes and calls of encouragement reminding me of all the wonderful support out there for Bootism. I am lucky to be having so much fun and Bootism is a great ride. And I guess that's the point, or it should be.

February 13, 2004 NYC
I finally saw the Sex and the City episode that ran during the Super Bowl. Hilarious, best ever, most thought provoking and coolest yet, etc. Aury Wallington wrote the episode (see June 22) and she told me a little about the the process when we met for cocktails in January. Bootism did not find its way on screen, no doubt left in the editing room, but it was really cool to know someone so involved with the show. My prediction is Aury will find her way onto the next blockbuster TV show, and I'll be rooting for her all the way.

February 8, 2004 NYC
Anne Radice and Iris Love held their annual party at the Tavern on the Green this evening, kicking off the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show – The Super Bowl of Dog shows. Anne and Iris are dachshund people and so Jetta landed us another invite. This year the first person we saw was Liz Smith, though not sure if the world’s most famous gossip columnist will mention me or Bootism in her column, though I mention her here. Last year the first person we saw was Henry Kissinger and he kept our brief meeting under raps last year. Jetta wore her pink Jackie-O outfit and Tina strutted in on her favorite boots, Siggy’s in black. We mingled with some very serious dog people, and I am convinced this canine gala is the finest people watching event ever. Think Best in Show LIVE.

February 5, 2004 NYC
I did another radio interview yesterday, this time the topic was Uggs. Two DJ’s in Central California, Joe and Pete at WZOZ 93.3 were looking for an observer of the shoe obsessed and found me. Lots of laughs and I have always thought style is incredibly subjective. Uggs may not be pretty in the eyes of some, but they are pretty damn comfortable and that’s what should count. I have been doing a lot of radio interviews lately and next week (Tuesday, 2/10) I will be the guest on WCTC in New Jersey for a full 30 minute segment. Should be fun, tune in if you can and please call in to say hi.

February 3, 2004 NYC
Yesterday I went to the Gift show at the Javitz Center. Tons of shoe related gifts but nothing as cool as the Bootism stuff in development. Also, Bootism UK reached 1,865 today breaking yet another far from significant record for Shoe themed books written by me. And more importantly, I found a club of miniature shoe collectors, perhaps the nicest group of people in the world. Their web site is www.jtrscollectorsclub.com.

January 31, 2004 NYC
Bootism ranked 2,741 on Amazon.com.uk this morning. That may not sound like a lot, but that's the highest Bootism has ever reached. Then a few hours later (yes, I am obsessed) the gorgeous gift book for people passionate about fashionable footwear was back at 32,229. Talk about a rollercoaster.

January 28, 2004 NYC
Bootism launched in the UK last week with the title, Bootism: A Shoe Addict's Handbook (See Nov 20). It's very cool to see Bootism on the Amazon.com.uk site and I am anxiously waiting for the first review, though that will probably be as close to the UK as I get. My offer to support the launch with personal visits to London booksellers was politely passed upon. Turns out only celebrity and royalty bring the brits into stores and I don't rank with JK Rowling, Beckham or Camilla. Their loss.

January 25, 2004 NYC
Moving is no fun, but moving to the West Village, the greatest neighborhood in the greatest city is fun. Big Hassle getting here and a huge distraction, especially installing the wall of shoes in Tina's closet. Settled, I have no more excuses for not keeping this current.

January 9, 2004 NYC
Happy New Year!

A little slow out of the blog blocks this year. It could be the cold weather in New York or it could be I'm still recovering from the holidays. Still waiting for the floodgates to break open for Bootism. The book has received a bunch of publicity, but mostly at the local or regional level. The floodgates will open when the book gets the attention of one of the national TV shows or a big circulation magazine picks it up. I have seen the terms Bootism and Bootist used in association with shoe obsessions separate and a part from the book. Pretty cool, and certainly helps build awareness for all things Bootism. Also, Bootism shirts and screensavers are now available from the site and will help attract more attention to the book. Shirts at www.bootism.com/shirts and screensavers at www.bootism.com/screensavers.com.

Lots more products planned for 2004 as well as an untitled follow up book.

December 28, 2003 Boca Raton, Florida
Another belated Christmas on the east coast of Florida. Mom took us for a few hikes at some local swamps for bird and gator watching. She is working hard as a photographer and creating some amazing pictures and winning contests. Shoes have not been the subject, yet...And I have another great aunt, Ginny.

December 26, 2003 Fort Lauderdale, Florida
A belated Christmas celebration with my side of the family. My Dad has a new loft and wears Uggs slippers, making him far cooler than me. His place has lots of room for a big, tall tree. My dad has not signed my guest book (see Nov 21) and is still a bit sensitive about my junk food comments (see Nov 4) Hopefully he will catch up on his blog reading and sign the book.

December 24, 2003 Sarasota, Florida
Today I taped a segment for the Teri and Maureen radio show. A couple of very funny, somewhat eccentric women chatting about the issues of the day, and the topic today was shoes and Bootism. My first time in a recording studio, hilarious.

Then Christmas Eve dinner with the family at Aunt Dessie's. I have great Aunts. Merry Christmas to all...

December 20, 2003 Sarasota, Florida
Awesome signing event with two other authors, mid aisle at a very busy Barnes & Noble during a holiday rush. Lots of books signed and lots sold to some of the many shoe people in Florida. Frank Troncale is awesome, festive and simply the best promotional person I have run across at B&N. He's so good, he invited me back on the 23rd. A truly brilliant man.

My fellow authors were both wonderful. Maureen Ann Flaherty wrote Portable Sister a clever encouragement book providing sisterly wisdom and advice. Wayne Barcomb wrote a murder mystery set here in Sarasota, Blood Tide.

Lots of flip flops and other toe exposing footwear. It's nice to be in December sunshine.

December 17, 2003 NYC
Yes we made it back from Cuba safely. Long enough to do some laundry and get ready to leave tomorrow for christmas in Florida. Long enough to have dinner at a favorite restaurant (Lupa) with some favorite people. Long enough for Tina to to fly to Los Angeles for the LIVE Survivor Finale with Trish and Leo. (See Oct 25) Party boots is all I was told in response to Tina's footwear choice.

December 11, 2003 Havana, Cuba
Cuba is an amazing place, a combination of romantic and nostalgic. The pace is slow and people seem to enjoy life here, and I am doing my best to fit in. Though, today we left the city and travelled to Hemingway's hacienda, Finca La Vigia about 10 miles south of town.

Papa was younger than I was when he was 1st published, though he never realized his dream of writing a gift book about shoes. His home is simple, but grand when you imagine what went on here from the 30's to the 60's. Then we loaded up the van and drove to Sierra del Rosario, about an hour west of Havana for a swim in the Rio San Juan. It was nice to see the countryside and an unspoilt ecological zone. The day was spent in a group of 8, and with 4 from NY and 4 from LA the conversation was lively and varied.

We got back in time to see the Oliver Stone documentary about Fidel Castro. While the translator was hard to understand, and the editing was too jostled for me, the subject did not disappoint. Castro is a rare leader who has lived an incomparable life so far, and watching the movie in Havana was perfect. One shot was a close up of his shoes, all black court shoes, with a black Nike swoosh on the toes.

A lot of things in Cuba are hard to explain.

December 8, 2003 Havana, Cuba
After our flight on Saturuday was snowed in JFK, we tried again the next day and arrived here Sunday afternoon. Odd to me that after passing through Cuban customs, we passed through metal detectors. Perhaps a subtle indication of the distrust Cuba has for the US.

We are staying at the Hotel Nacional, overlooking the Malecon, drinking perfect mojito's (not too sweet) and smoking delicoius cigars. Mine is a torpedo and Tina has become fond of the thin cigarittos. Lots of film people are milling about in the lobby/veranda talking about films, especially Suite Habana. This is my 1st film festival and it's cool, no other description fits. I'm still not exactly sure how I got here, and I'll spare you the details.

Tons of old cars from the 50's and grand buildings, both in need of every imaginable repair. It feels like a place forgotten but it will be hard to ever forget this special visit. So far the dining highlight has been a Paladar, a restaurant set up in a grand house on a desolute street in a delapitated neighborhood.

Upon entering through doors at least 12 feet high, the interior is an oasis. Tables are arranged as needed and people, nearly all tourists, sit on mismatched chairs surrounded by haphazard decor. Each room is funkier than the previous room, but each demands a few moments to take in the uniqueness. The food was not great or even really good, but with a group of interesting people it didn't matter to me.

December 5, 2003 NYC
I fell a bit short of my goal for the promotion yesterday. Aiming for the Top 10 on Amazon, I'm not sure I cracked the Top 100. A large group of people helped me out with bonuses and emailed their lists and I will thank them individually. Writing a book is hard and getting a book published is harder, but selling a book seems to be the hardest.

Tomorrow Tina and I go to Cuba for the Havana Film Festival. Tina's Directing partner, Mario Diaz had his film "BAZOOKA" accepted into the festival. (See July 28) Huge honor and an amazing chance for us to visit Cuba. Cigars, rum, warm weather and lots of movies...What better place to plan my next promotion?

December 3, 2003 NYC
About 500 copies of Bootism is what I think I need to sell to make Amazon's Top 10. It's pretty complex and a few people have tried to explain how the Top 10 works at Amazon, but everyone's story is a litle bit different. No matter, I gotta sell a lot of books on Thursday.

December 2, 2003 NYC
Antsy is the ony way to describe my present condition. For the last few weeks I have been planning a promotion with Amazon.com leading up to December 4th. By concentrating the sales of Bootism on a single day, I hope to rocket to the top or near the top of Amazon's sales ranking. My goal is Top 10, which is a long way from where Bootism started at 1,664,525 (see Sept 7)

Everybody buying Bootism on Thursday, December 4th gets a collection of discounts and bonusess from some very wonderful organizations. Many outstanding shoe boutiques, fashion web sites and salons are helping me spread the word and many others have been awesome about promising to send the promotion to their email lists. Hopefully all of the pieces will come together and Bootism will find it's way into a lot of stockings this season.

Thanks to everybody for all the help and support!!

November 26, 2003 NYC
Today I inked my first licensing deal for Bootism with the good people at Comet Systems. This is a huge, groundbreaking deal for Bootism to have joined forces with an innovative, pioneering force in the desktop customization software space and a nice addition to the growing collection of content available from Comet. Soon, hopefully next week, you will be able to download gorgeous shoe themed screensavers each with Bootism quips and quotes.

A huge THANK YOU to Margot, Courtney, Adam and everyone else at Comet Systems. And the project would not have been possible without the creativity of Alex Robinson of Adro Design. The screensaver and wallpaper will be available from Screensavers.com and from this web site. WooHooo. Now, bring on the bird!!

November 23, 2003 New York City
The one act play, "Virgin of the Vieux Carre" was written by Aury Wallington (See June 22) and I saw the show today. Very smart, very funny story about a situation everyone can relate to...jealousy in a relationship. I've said it before, Aury has a wicked sense of humor and timing. Bianca Laverne Jones was the solo performer and nailed it. I talked to the rightfully proud Mr. Jones after the show. Shaking his head, he told me his daughter has a big shoe collection. Way to go ladies!!!

November 21, 2003 New York City
Today I met a very cool writer, Stephanie Iris Weiss who has a book coming out next week. A mutual friend introduced us, and we found lots to chat about. Her book is about the return of Saturn and explains the astrological signifigance of women turning 30. Check out www.saturnreturn.net

Also, today the Mighty Luke McDowell of Mighty Lab got my guest book working on this site. Perhaps you saw it? Well, go back and sign it. And tell your friends to sign it. Please. I think my Dad is the only person that reads this blog on a regular basis, so Dad, please sign the guest book. I'll know when you read this when I see your sig show up on the the guest book. Thanks Dad and thanks Luke. And thanks for signing in.

November 20, 2003 New York City
I'm taking a hiatus from the book signing tour, at least until Christmas in Florida. Next up is trying to cook up a holiday promotion and trying to get my mug on TV here in NYC. Tall orders but Bootism is a perfect gift for the holidays and hopefully everyone will agree.

I found a great review article in the Rocky Mountain News www.rockymountainnews.com I can't imagine ever not getting a huge charge reading an article about Bootism or finding Bootism mentioned in a blog. Check this one out www.splendoroftruth.com Notice my pathetic gratitude at the end, I'm not cool enough to call these pages a blog.

And finally, Rachel Gilmour from Random House UK is my Press Officer and we are starting to plan the launch of Bootism: a shoe addict's handbook in the British Isles (see June 6 ) And again, Yeah baby, YEAH!!!

November 16, 2003 New York City
Thanks for the reminder...Tina wore a new pair of gold lame Hollywould pumps on Friday. Later, she raved about how comfortable the soles were and showed me the clever inscription.

November 14, 2003 Greenwich Village, NY
My last scheduled book signing in 2003 was a special event. Greenwich Village, Friday nite, a chill snap of electricity filled the air. Suzanne Gerber, the astrologist, actually I refer to her as my astrologist joined me at the Barnes & Noble along with many notables and more than a few minor celebrities.

My wife Tina, to whom Bootism is dedicated made an appearance and signed a commemorative copy of the briskly selling gift book along with Suzanne and me. Look for this impossible-to-value item on one of the internet auction sites in short order.

My chat was a bit disorganized and thankfully Suzanee relieved me and read some shoe astrologies from Bootism. She added comments and interpretations for the masses that filed into the 2nd floor reading section. Discretion prevents me from listing the famous and near famous, but I must announce Bessie Kostidis was the winner of the specially signed copy of Bootism. Lucky gal is she!!!

I do want to thank all the people that stopped by, it meant a lot to look out and see so many friendly faces smiling with me. And thanks to Donna Rauch for organizing another fun event at B&N.

November 8, 2003 Birmingham, Michigan
Imelda's Closet on a Saturday is another crowded place. Groups of ladies slowly perusing the numerous, seemingly infinite "cute" items in the store...Including Bootism: a shoe religion! Patti and Jayme made a lovely Bootism sign for me that attracted customers into the beautiful boutique. Patti is a fountain of great ideas and has supported Bootism right from the beginning. Lots of books sold and signed, great shoes and great people.

The Hamills stopped by for a visit and so did George's cousin. Then my Dad and I met chuck later for a cigar. The Spartans lost again convincing me not to have any more book signings on Saturdays during the season. I take full responsibility for MSU's two recent losses. Sorry Green. :<:<

November 4, 2003 Detroit, Michigan
It's great to be in Detroit staying on my dad's fold out bed, eating junk food and playing gin rummy. Warm today, almost hot, bright and sunny. The traffic wasn't oo bad either. Something's wrong?

At the Barnes & Noble in Rochester Hills, a vase with fresh flowers waited for me at my signing table. Dee Eurs is the wonderful community relations manager there and she helped arrange an interview with Sharon Dargay of the Observer & Eccentric. Sharon was loads of fun, and she brought a photographer. I posed for pictures waving my sharpie around. Cool!!!

When I approached the Borders in Birmingham a little before 7pm, flashing lights of a fire truck, an ambulance and a police car waited for me. Not the start I had in mind. False alarm, and Carla had flowers and a potted plant on the table near the entrance. Lots of interesting conversations, some chuckles and more than a few books sold.

The Thomases invited me for over for a glass of wine, and a visit. The only shoe reference I can think of is that it's nice to see old friends and put my feet up on the furniture. More Corn.

November 1, 2003 Chicago, Illinois
Lori's Shoes on Armitage on a saturday is a crowded place. Lots of women searching for shoes, most successful, all determined. The people in the midwest are incredibly kind and warm, from the ladies working at Lori's to the locals to the tourists in town for the weekend. A few people came in to lori's and mentioned the article in the Tribune. (See Oct 29) One person actually saw me on TV. The good news was I sold a bunch of books and chatted with a bunch more curious about Bootism. Thanks Lori, Brian and Jewel.

The bad news, tragic really was my Spartans lost to university of michigan ending their Big Ten win streak at 4. Tina, a u of m grad has bragging rights for the year. Ouch!

October 31, 2003 Chicago, Illinois
My television debut this morning was live on the WGN morning show. I was sandwiched between a story about downloading music on the internet and the 2nd heat of a baby race in the hall outside the studio. At the last moment the Morning Show Co-Host, Roseanne Tellez was unable to interview me and Paul Konrad, the weather man stepped in.

Roseanne did not dress up for Halloween, but Paul did. I think he was going for a latino Howdy Doody, or so it appeared to me. Unfortunately, Paul and I did not develop a chemistry in the 90 seconds we had to prepare for the segment. When the red light went on I stumbled a bit, then staggered before I was saved by the book.

Overall Bootism shined and I was able to mention the weekend events, this website and hopefully convey that Bootism is a perfect gift for people passionate about shoes. At least that was what I was shooting for. The green room really was painted green. George Babcock and Julia Junkin joined me in the studio and provided me much needed support both before and after the segment. Very cool, but it was over very quickly.

October 29, 2003 Chicago, Illinois
A long drive to Chicago today, alone. Tina was planning to join but to many obstacles kept her in NY with Jetta. I ony brought three pairs of shoes, and I don't plan to bore you by chronicling my footwear choices for you in the space. Sorry.

The best part of the drive was Glen Campbell playing amazing Grace on the bagpipes, which I repeated three times. That was as good as the drive got.

George Babcock welcomed me into his home and was the perfect host. Lead foot is the only shoe reference I can think of...Corn.

October 26, 2003 New York City
I found two great articles about Bootism in the Sunday papers. First, a long one in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Kathy Flanigan where I make a few choice comments and this web page is listed. Check out www.JSOnline.com

Then a lovely short one by Amy Tara Koch in the Q section of the Chicago Tribune mentioning my upcoming events in the Windy City. www.chicagotribune.com

Thanks Susie.

October 25, 2003 New York City
Yesterday was was my first book signing in Manhattan. A small group of friends stopped by Ziggie's Cafe and touched me with kind words of support. Liz won the chicest shoes contest with black boots topped with fur.

Tina, prohibited from all Bootism sanctioned contests, wore some nifty mid-calf pointy black Sigerson's. She's still in mourning since Trish was voted off Survivor. I was hoping to make an appearance on CBS The Early Show before her, but sadly Trish Dunn (See Sept 19) was interviewed by Harry Smith on Friday morning.

October 22, 2003 New York City
My first radio interview today with Kelly 95.3 FM in Bakersfield, California. The morning show is hosted by Dean, a non-believer and Darci, a Bootist. They have the smoothest voices I have ever heard on a telephone.

Darci's favorite pair are tall pink boots, no question of her commitment to Bootism. On the other hand, Dean has a single pair of sneakers in his closet. I did my best to explain shoe obsessions to Dean, but I could hear him shaking his head in disbelief.

Darci gave me 5 cups of joe, a venti. Check out www.klly.com

October 20, 2003 Seattle, Washington
Record rainfall in Seattle, imagine that. The previous record for rain in a single day was 3.74 inches. The new record is 5.04 inches.

Words cannot describe the amount of rain that fell from the sky today. Rubber boots must be cut high for days like today.

October 18, 2003 Bellevue, Washington
The sunny clear skies kept the B&N in downtown Bellevue a bit quiet today. Still some old friends and some new friends came out to say hello and buy a few books. Chritine, my host treated me like a king, Stephen king. Still having trouble coming up with witty things to write, can you tell by my previous sentence?

Tina marched in on a pair of Barney's motorcycle boots. What else?
October 17, 2003 Seattle, Washington
Bright lights, big signs and flashbulbs...Must be my first Barnes & Noble book signing. I was greeted a big sign alerting the world that Michael Duranko was in the store signing copies of Bootism, Today Only! And a smiling Melissa who treated me like an important author. Huge ego boost.

The real draw was Tina - What shoe would she wear? Last week in Brattleboro she went with Birkenstocks attempting to fit in with the crowd. Lana busted her because of the nail polish. Today she chose pointy patent leather black flats by Sigerson Morrisons. Perfect.

I wouldn't say there were throngs or swarms of people, but it was pretty crowded with friends and well wishers. All were well behaved, including Claire, Gigi, E4 and Maya (combined age > 12) who helped me sign Bootism notecards. The hardest part was trying to come up with witty comments to go along with my signature. Lots of corn.

I think we sold about 30 copies of Bootism, which is probably 30 more than B&N would have sold without me:>:> Thanks to everyone who came out to support me and celebrate Bootism.

October 11, 2003 Brattleboro, Vermont
Late to my 1st book signing, not the ideal way to kick off a tour. Lots of traffic on the beautiful backroads of Vermont, a few wrong turns and the Newfane Heritage Festival were partially to blame. But more than anything else, I botched it.

Sandra and Lana at the Book Cellar were wonderful, they set up a table with a bunch of Bootism books and offered me pumpkin spiced coffee. Lana (in tall clunky black ones) handed out "ARE YOU A BOOTIST?" postcards in front of the store and I found a few Bootists to help spread the word.

Overall the day was glorious, with crystal clear skies and brilliant sunshine. Also, Happy Birthday to me!

October 10, 2003 New York City
Googling Bootism, I found the Knoxville News article was picked up by a bunch of newspapers all across the country. I am happy to report The Anchorage Daily News now know about Bootism. Nice!

October 6, 2003 New York City
The first article about Bootism ran in the Knoxville News-Sentinel last week. Someone sent me the link today and I read it outloud to Tina. The piece was incredibly flattering to me, Kevin Cowan really connected with Bootism. (See Sept 30)

Reading about the book I have been working on for almost 4 years in a newspaper I've never seen or heard of was strangely natural to me. I guess I've been expecting this attention in some form for a long time . I only hope this is the first of many more articles about Bootism. Check out www.knoxnews.com

October 2, 2003 New York City
Bootism's ranking on Amazon.com has been yo-yoing between 40,000 and 8,000. It's feels like running a marathon and when I stop to tie my shoes, 30,000 people pass by me. Or it could be Bootism attracts typos from the data entry people who are reading the book and laughing out loud causing the discrepancies.

September 30, 2003 New York City
Kevin Cowan, the style maven of Knoxville called to today to ask me a ton of questions about Bootism. We had a long conversation about shoes, boots and people's passion for fashionable footwear. He is surrounded by Bootists and has a few Bootist tendencies of his own. I hope to see an article about Bootism in the next couple of weeks, and will post it along with any others on this site.

September 28, 2003 New York City
Possible headline "Bootism in the TOP TEN thousand"

That's right, Bootism has cracked the top ten thousand at Amazon.com, momentarily resting at 7,853 today. More than anything else, breaking into 4 figures was an emotional barrier for me. Three orders of magnitude in 3 weeks is hard for me to talk about without getting choked up.

On to some really good news...Annie and George came through their surgeries, Trish made it another week on Survivor, I sent some gorgeous greeting card designs to a publisher, the Spartans beat Iowa in the Big Ten opener, and Party-Boy Armour III won the Texas Open for me. Nice Week.

September 21, 2003 Central Park
The Dalai Lama visited the park for a short discussion with 75,000. I feel a little guilty parodying his teachings in my book, but the process of writing Bootism dramatically increased my respect, admiration and interest in the eastern religion/philosophy. The message imparted on me by this amazing spiritual leader was life doesn't need to be so complex if each person can strive to be more compassionate each day. There are signs of our progress every day.

He didn't wear the expected sandals, rather well worn, basic lace-up oxfords.

September 19, 2003 Annapolis, Maryland
Last night was the premiere of Survivor and we watched the 90-minute Reality Show with one of this season's contestants, Trish Dunn the blue-eyed beauty. (See Aug 29 & May 22) Actually, Trish, Leo and the girls and 25 or so neighbors at the home of someone prepared for hurricane Isabel. After a day of rain and increasing winds, the power was lost at 5:30pm.

At 6:30, Leo opened the second bottle of wine and braved the rain in search of a nearby generator.

At 7pm we followed a humming sound in the darkness and staked out seats close to the TV.

At 8pm Leo opened the umpteenth bottle and the show started.

At 9pm I cut into a piece of cake decorated as a $1million winner's dollar check signed by Mark Burnett. Trish made it to next Thursday's episode and I think she won. Watching the show with her was surreal. Without power, Trish will be applying her Pearl Island skills until early next week.

September 17, 2003 New York City
Lots of excitement the last few days, organizing events at book stores in Seattle, Detroit and Chicago. The signing event details are listed in the press section of this site and more are on the way. I've got a few ideas for what to do at the events, and the pressure is starting to build:>:>

Also, the sales rank for Bootism has broken through into the 5 figures territory, now resting at 88,461. How much higher can Bootism climb?

September 14, 2003 New York City
The early reviews are starting to pour in...A Bootist nail salon owner in Massachusetts sent a glowing note about the book. All her customers were laughing and sharing stories. Thanks for the note Carolyn.

Also, there are a few reviews on Amazon.com saying nice things about Bootism, but I must admit they were written by people I know. No matter, it's always nice to hear nice things from nice people.

September 12, 2003 New York City
My first published article has hit the newsstands!!! The Fall issue of Shuz Magazine is out, and on page 28 you will find my piece "Secrets of the Shoe Obsessed" Over the course of the day I saw the magazine at 4 different locations in Manhattan and the article looks the same in every copy...Pretty Cool!!!

September 10, 2003 New York City
I'm still recovering from Katie Couric's opening to a Today Show segment with Manolo Blahnik. "If shoes were a religion, Manolo Blahnik would be the leader." There is a religion for shoes and it's called Bootism!!! Like it says in the book, revere Manolo Blahnik. Katie couldn't hear me through the TV, but she will hear from Courtney, my publicist.

We're getting close to breaking out with Bootism, and have quickly moved up the Amazon.com sales ranking to now sit at 1,388,465. One good nudge is all it will take to break into six figures.

September 7, 2003 New York City
Yesterday my Spartans went 2-0, routing Rutgers and I signed my first copies of Bootism at Barnes & Noble at Broadway and 83rd St. Look for them in the humor section upstairs.

Currently, Bootism is ranked 1,664,525 on Amazon.com. I think I can do better, but I need to work harder. Maybe the signed copies will spur sales?

September 5, 2003 New York City
I am pleased to announce my 1st book signing event at The Book Cellar in Brattleboro, Vermont on October 11, 2003 at 2pm. Similiar to the Rolling Stones, I like to start my tour in smaller venues before hitting the stadiums and the big crowds. I'm still working on what I'll talk about, but if you're planning a leaf viewing excursion in southern Vermont, please stop by and say hello.

Also, October 11 is my birthday!!

September 2, 2003 New York City
Bootism has hit the shelves!!!

Tina and I went to a Border's and found Bootism in the gift book section. Big, Big, Big Thrill.

Tina was hilarious. She picked up a copy and loudly read the title, then "Oh my god, this book is all me." A few nearby browsers looked up and smiled, unaware of the truth in her proclamation. Tina continued to read a few pages, laughing out loud. Then she said, "I wonder who this book is dedicated to?" The book is dedicated to her. Then she chatted up the cashier and read a few more pages, leaving the checkout with the clerk laughing and pledging to buy a copy. Hilarious!!!

I was nervous waiting for someone to pick up a copy of my book. The store was not too crowded, and only one woman was in the aisle. I was too impatient and decided to save the thrill of observing someone flip through Bootism for another day. It was hard to stop grinning.

August 29, 2003 Marion, Massachusetts
Back on the mainland, recoverying from a mild case of island fever, we're at the Nau compound on Buzzard's Bay for the annual Labor Day family reunion. The opposite of our experience on MV: toys, noise, cats, cloth napkins, comfortable furniture, a cement pond. Not much in the way of shoe news, but everyone had good things to say about the book, even the Uncle's Bob and Dick, both far from the target market.

Also, yesterday on the CBS Early Show, Trish Dunn (See May 22, 2003) was introduced as a contestant on this season's Survivor. She has refused to answer any questions, but I am certain she won the $1 million. She is tough as nails and I can't wait to watch the season premiere on September 18!!!

August 13, 2003 Martha's Vineyard
Great place for a vacation, though no Bill Clinton or Carly Simon sighting yet. I've been facing one of my oldest, deep rooted fears, swimming in the waters where JAWS was filmed. Much to my wife¹s chagrin, each day I join the locals skinny-dipping on our nearly deserted beach in Aquinnah/Gayhead. Falling asleep to the sound of breaking surf is an idyllic break from Manhattan.

August 5, 2003 New York City
Big day today. I saw an advance copy of the Fall issue of Shuz Magazine which includes my first by-line. (See May 29, 2003) Stephanie Lewis is a superb editor and if you don¹t like the story, she is to blame. Just kidding. This completes my journey from state to church, though so far I really miss how well state paid.

August 2, 2003 New York City
Today I saw the cover of the UK version of Bootism (See June 6, 2003). Distintive, eye-catching and colorful with elegant typeface, but apart from the author names, the cover has nothing in common with the US version of Bootism. Both gorgeous but seemingly unrelated, though the text is the same.

And the title has been changed to 'Bootism A Shoe Addict's Handbook' I always thought the funniest part of the title was the shoe religion part. Oh well, I guess in some ways, addictions are more popular than religions. Sad, but true.

July 28, 2003 Battery Park City
This evening we had a group of friends over to watch a rough cut of Mario Diaz's "Growing Pains", my wife's first effort at producing a film. The feedback was positive, and provoked quite a few reactions for a 13 minute film. Still some work to do, and hopefully the premiere will be at the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center in October.

Mario's previous film is a documentary on the boxer Wilfredo Gomez titled "BAZOOKA" and the premiere is scheduled for September 24, 2003 at 8:30pm during the NY International Latino Film Festival. Details at www.NYlatinofilm.com

This note is not really shoe related, but the book is dedicated to Tina:>:>

July 12, 2003 New York City
I woke up with a slight headache from the beers and laughing at the Improv comedy last night at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre's 5th Annual Del Close marathon.  Many laughs and stellar troupes from all over the country, but "The Swarm" was the best in my book. I am in a class taught by Sean Conroy, and he is genius when it comes to the art of Improv.

Anyway, checking email, I found a note from publicity team, Rebecca Murray and Courtney Pence. They have been working with the Sharon Osbourne Show and there is a possibility of an interview next week. The Queen of reality TV wants to talk to me about Bootism.  No commitments, but the segment producer expressed interest.  Come on, is someone pulling my leg?  Stay tuned.

July 10, 2003 New York City
I received an advance copy of Bootism today. Woo Hoo!!! It is an actual book, wait til you see it!!!

June 22, 2003 New York City
The season premiere of Sex and the City, the show some call Shoes in the City. I must admit, this show was a constant motivator to keep the project moving and finish the book. I took a writing class from Aury Wallington and she is the Script Coordinator for Sex and the City. I get a small thrill seeing this wicked funny woman's name in the credits and can't wait to see her name above the line.

June 6, 2003 Montreal
My agent/publisher, Beth Farrell at Elton-Wolf in Seattle called me. Random House UK offered to buy the rights to Bootism in UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. How cool is that? I asked Beth about a world tour, but could not hear the response. Yeah baby, YEAH!!!

May 29, 2003 NYC
What a great start to my day, an email from Stephanie Lewis, Editor-in-Chief of Shuz Magazine. She asked me to write an article for the Fall issue. Tina's first response was for me to think about finding a ghostwriter. Thanks honey:<:<:<

May 28, 2003 NYC
For some reason, before going to bed, I checked out Amazon.com and searched for Bootism. There it is!!! We are for real. I got Tina out of bed to read about the unreleased offer. These small little thrills keep me going.

May 22, 2003 Washington, DC
On our way to visit Trish and Leo Dunn in Annapolis for the Memorial Day weekend, we spent the day in our nation's capital touring the sites. At the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial I got a call from Sandy Eckstein, a writer at the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

My first interview!!!! She was researching an article on the trend of dressing down in today's society. I shared some counterpoints from the perspective of the shoe obsessed. I have found Bootists to be as concerned and serious as ever about their stylishness. Perhaps more formal than ever in some ways. Tina brought 9 pairs of shoes for a 4 day weekend, and we are heading to the beach?

The article is for the June 12 edition. It was a very cool sensation, having a journalist ask for my expert opinion, though not sure what Sandy will call it:>:> Or if she will use my comments?

May 20, 2003 NYC
The National Stationery Show at the Jacob Javitz Center. I experienced the same thrill and dread I used to get going to computer trade shows (COMDEX, CES, N+I, etc.). The frenzied, show biz atmosphere with endless booths all fishing for something or another.

My first stop was my publisher's booth, Andrews McMeel #1348. And the first thing I noticed were the catalogues stacked throughout the booth.

Do ya think? Is it possible? Oh my god, there it is...and there is my picture...The one George Babcock took. We really are going to have our book published. I had to leave the booth before meeting anyone, my smile pinned my ears back and i could not stop laughing to myself.

This is the best trade show I have ever attended.