Still definitely struggling to find an essay subject, I had an interesting conversation with a course-mate (Iñaki) about my internal strife. We talked about absurd things, trying to illustrate the absurdity of modern day living and about perhaps researching a phenomenon rather than a cultural scene. Footsteps came up in conversation, owing to my choice of shoes, and I reported that I enjoyed their sound. I was wearing a pair of oxfords, and they make a nice clack when walking on hard surfaces due to their thin, rigid sole. Iñaki mentioned that the sound of heels reminds him of getting ready to leave the house, as his mother would wear heels when going out for dinner etc. The idea suddenly arrived in my head to interview people on the move about their footwear choice, with an additional microphone dangling down to capture both of our footsteps as we walk and talk. This makes use of dialogue (which I identified as a strong contender for an audio paper subject matter) and incidental audio (which I had dismissed, but now seems to be of utmost importance). It also has ties with psycho-geography’s ‘flaneur’ as we would be walking purposelessly, letting the landscape guide us. In this way, it carries on from last years’ experiments and research. It’s also slightly absurd, treating footwear as this supremely important aspect of daily life, and suspending belief to read into how ones footwear infringes on their behavior or confidence. Although, perhaps it isn’t all that far from the truth.

But what questions do I ask? Here are a few off the top of the head:

How many shoes do you own?

Do you enjoy the sound of your shoes?

Do different shoes make you feel or act differently?

To what extent does the sound of a shoe impact your decision about whether to wear it or not?

Are you able to identify friends by the sound of their footsteps? What about family?