Oh please read this. I know you have absolutely nothing better to do. For real. Yea….

Gah. I wanted to word vomit all over this page. But then I realized I couldn't. For certain reasons.


But then I realized I could.


But the word vomit would have to take on a different form. So here it is. I'm word vomiting about how I can't word vomit.


Sigh. My life is so exhilarating.


I'm listening to this song.



Because I like it.


Here are the things I am sorry for:

• Being an awful blogger
• Being an awful blog follower
• Reading that book that would have been better left unread
• Going to overpriced movies appealing to the shallow sides of humans
• Getting blisters
• Not cleaning my room
• Eating too much cinnamon ice cream (and ice cream in general)
• Being obnoxious.

Welp. Ha. It's time to go.

What plagues my headached, just-before-sleep thoughts.

So I'm just going to say it…. I'm pretty sure I'm hopelessly in love with John Cusack.



For tonight.


I think it's because he is one of the few actors that consistently play adorable characters. I mean, yea, sure, Gerard Butler is on my Wall of Husbands and so is John Krasinksi… and Robert Pattinson… (well he's more my servant, not husband. But you get the idea)...but do I love every movie they're in? Do I love their characters in all of their movies?

The answer is no.

And not that I've seen all of John Cusack's movies…but the ones I've seen, (with the obvious exception of 2012) I have really liked, and he has played basically the same hilarious, fast-talking sweetheart, adorable, puppy-like man in all of them. Maybe that says more about his lack of versatility than his general lovlieness…but I choose to look past that.


And would you look at that, I think it's time to go to bed.


It's always best to just sleep it off when you reach a new low.


For instance, if you find yourself not being forced, but actually wanting to write about your shallow fangirl love of John Cusack in an actual blog post that some people might actually take the time to read….yea. Just sleep it off.




And use a lot of italics so you get your point across.

Pretty sure Disney is a thief.

Remember when I posted that blog post about how Disney characters would be more interesting if they had a past story? And remember that I wrote a really long backstory for Maleficient? Yea. Well GUESS WHAT?

DISNEY ALSO THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.


They announced April 9th that Maleficient, starring Angelina Jolie, will hit theaters in 2014.


I'm not crazy enough to think Disney actually "copied" my idea…

BUT WHAT IF THEY DID???


They announced this not too long ago…. I wrote that post all the way back in November… I don't know how the film industry works….but that might be enough time to get a general outline of a screen play, and bag Jolie for the part…


My guess would be that they have been planning this for years, and the idea has always been on the back burner, but the time hadn't been right. And with this influx of all things "fairytale" in the entertainment world,  maybe the ball was finally set in motion.


Yea yea yea. That's probably the more likely answer….But I just like to think that somehow some random person connected to the movie, stumbled across that post and was like "Hey, we should make that Sleeping Beauty movie now."


Hey what can I say?  I dream big.


All I know is that if the movie in anyway whatsoever, resembles my blog post story, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM.


BECAUSE THAT'S COPYRIGHTED PROPERTY.


Sorta.


Not really.


BUT STILL. This is aggravating. I gave them the idea to write about characters' backstories, and then they do it. I just want some credit where credit is due.


Hahahahaha. I'm mostly kidding.



But not really.



But yes.






Mostly.

Oh hey it's time to procrastinate.

Current state of life:


Clothes. Everywhere.

Acne. Present.

One day left of Sophomore year.

One final left to kill me.

Empty cans of energy coffee drink. Approximately 5.

Brain prepared to not sleep for 48 hours. (I'm really not kidding. I'm not sleeping tonight and I definitely won't have the chance tomorrow night either.)

Trash. Piling up.

Time left to pack this entire room of items accumulated over 8 months? None.

Games of "Draw Something" played in the last 24 hours… not willing to admit.

Amount of sanity left? A pinch.

Hair. Remains unbrushed.

Sweatpants. Two pairs that I've been switching between for the past 4 days.

Amount of chocolate and/or general junk food consumed within the past 48 hours? A lot.

Showers. You may be surprised to know that I take them (they're just another form of procrastinating, honestly).

Motivation? Lacking.

Mental breakdown taking place curled up into a ball on the floor? Check.

Let me assure you that it was quite a show. Complete with nervous twitching and maniacal laughing.

If you happened to come to the conclusion that I should maybe possibly definitely be put away somewhere, you may have assessed 

a c c u r a t e l y.

I really don't know if I'm going to pass this exam…but this probably isn't the best way to study for it.

Saturday of Suck

You won't believe me, but I was going to write an actual post.


A real post about a real thing.


It had a theme and everything.


But that post never made it out of my fingertips (that's where I keep all the unwritten ones).


I'm really sorry for that.


Not that you really care, but I'm just apologizing in general.


I'm apologizing to my blog, and to me, and to BEDA, because maybe BEDA deserves more than that on its last living day?


But unfortunately, I am actually sleeping right now.


My brain is off.


You are reading words written on autopilot.


Congratulations.

Character Lovers Anonymous.

The Perplexities of Characters and Why they Ruin Our Lives

in Addition to Making them Worth Living

Part III: Words: The Most Infallible Love Potion

Hey there. Welcome to the last post in this exhausted series. And when I say, "exhausted", I'm mostly talking about my brian. Also my brain.



Meeting leader: Welcome everyone. I'm glad you are all here. Let's take a moment and introduce ourselves, shall we? Let's start with you. You, with the frizzy hair and the bags under your eyes. What's your name, and tell us why you're here?


Me: Hi everyone. I'm Lexie. And I… and I fall in love with characters.


Meeting leader: Ahh yes. I think we call can relate to this. Why don't you explain.


Me: Oh geez. Where to begin? Well… let's see… I think the best place to start would be the Disney Princes. I mean, how could you not fall in love? I was so young, too. You've got Aladdin with his adventurous and lively personality, and Prince Philip with his quick wit… Prince Eric never really did anything for me, but once the Beast shed his growly wall of defense…I was a goner. There was no going back. They all have such chiseled jaws too. Sigh. 


And then of course there was every male character in Harry Potter. I think I've had a crush on every one of them at some point (with the obvious exceptions of Dumbledore, Hagrid, Karkaroff, Pettigrew, Crabbe, Goyle, and the majority of the Death eaters. Oh and Colin Creevy). I realized the depth of my attachment to characters through my HP journey. That was really a wake-up call. 


And then there was Darcy of course. He still causes me to go weak in the knees (which is perhaps one of the most embarrassing side effects on account of me not being a mushy gushy, lovey dovey type person). Basically every P&P based story causes me to fall hard, e.g., Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail and Jimmy Stewart in Shop around the Corner.


Jim Halpert. My ideal. Absolutely. He is the reason I have given up hope on ever finding love. I'm almost sure no one will ever compare. Which is really heartbreaking. Oh please, someone (some man out there), prove me wrong. 


Is that a good overview? Is that enough to go on for now? Is there anyway you can help me through this? Please? I'm begging you. I need help. 


You have to know what I'm talking about. I know you do. I'm pretty sure that every female ever, who ever read a book or watched a movie, has fallen in love. At least once. You can't hide from this truth. You have to acknowledge and accept it! That has to be the first step in coping. It has to be.

Why do the men we read about or watch on the TV seem so desirable? Why do they seem so perfectly charming, talented and flawed in all the right ways? Why? Why does this happen to us?

It actually concerns me a little bit. It's unfair to the men in the world. I'm not saying that book or movie characters can ever compare to real people, but I think that sometimes…sometimes they set high standards. Unreal standards. And I think it's hard to let go.

I don't know the answer to this problem. I love characters. I love getting lost in their worlds. I just wish it was easier to emerge back out.

It's like when you take a really long, hot shower on a cold winter morning. Coming out of the shower into the cruel, unforgiving, crisp air is excruciating.

Coming back to reality after immersing yourself in a book or movie is like that.

And it's really upsetting.



(Male bloggers, how does this work for you? Do you often fall in love with characters as well? I'm thinking you must.)



And that concludes this miniseries. I hope you didn't die of boredom and/or lack of creativity.

Tomorrow: We conquer the beast.

"I go to seek a Great Perhaps"

The Perplexities of Characters and Why they Ruin Our Lives

in Addition to Making them Worth Living

Part II: The Legend of the Reckless Heroine

I love strong, vibrant female characters. I find it easy to look up to them. They have traits that anyone would want.

But I've noticed, recently, that some writers take it a step further. A step in toward the unstable, or the impulsive.

Let me explain. I'm sure you've all read the Hunger Games. Yes? Well Katniss is an example of an independent, intelligent and admirable female character. She, in a way, empowers women. Or at least that's how I see it. And I love her.

I also love John Green. A lot. But. I sometimes have an issue with the way people view his characters. In Looking for Alaska, the main girl, Alaska Young, is certainly a stand-out character. But not in the same way Katniss is. She's headstrong, but reckless. Wild and enigmatical. And big. And Miles, the narrator, falls for her.

Looking for Alaska is a beautiful story, and I wouldn't change it, but I just have a hard time believing in Alaska.

I have never met anyone like her. Have you? And I really can't relate. I'm not saying I have it all together. No, quite the contrary. It's just that I find it really hard to relate to so dynamic and self-descructive of a character. She's larger than life. And she makes it look desirable almost. Tragic and insufferable. But desirable. She's a paradox. I love that such a character could be created, but I have yet to find her in life.

And maybe that's part of the beauty of it. A book is an escape. Right? But like I mentioned yesterday, we seek to find similarities between ourselves and the characters we read or see. And maybe I'm the only one, but I don't understand Alaska. She's a mystery. Which could be, perhaps, what the author intended.


But Alaska isn't the only one who fits this description. Multiple books and movies display this type of female lead.

Clementine Kruczynski is desperate, careless and impulsive. Scarlett O'Hara is self-serving, vain and incredibly loyal. Daisy Buchanan is selfish, shallow and effervescent.  Holly Golightly is lost, charming and naive. *

*Clementine Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Scarlett from Gone with the Wind

Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby

Holly from Breakfast at Tiffany's

I love all most of these characters dearly. For the most part, they're real. So real. And that's what I love about them. But they also have another quality. An air of mystery. Something not so easily described or portrayed.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that these characters are messed up. Most of them even admit it. But the "perfect" (notice the quotations) guy falls in love with them anyway. They make normal seem overrated.

And I use the term "normal" loosely. What I mean is that most of them make wearing a straight jacket look alluring. It's like the only true way to make a guy fall for you is too be as ambiguous or reckless or irritating as possible. It will give your relationship passion. That will surely win him over.  I just have the feeling that people think, the only way to be an interesting person is to be like Alaska Young.

And I think that's the completely wrong message.

People. Just normal people. Are messed up in some way. This is what being human is all about. And these female characters exemplify this well. But almost too well.

I can't speak for the whole world, but I'm going to anyway. I think we love these characters because they are so different from the norm. They are infecting. And beautiful in their own way. They don't set lofty standards for people. They allow room for failure. I can definitely appreciate that. But they make this failure look flawless. Which I always thought was impossible.

People want to be them anyway.

Sometimes it's hard. It's hard knowing that these are the type of people we seem to love (minus Daisy, because honestly she sucks).


Because I can't be Alaska Young for you. And I don't want to.

"I'm nobody! Who are you?"

The Perplexities of Characters and Why They Ruin Our Lives 
in Addition to Making them Worth Living


 Part I: People Who Think They are Characters

These posts are coming to you from a female perspective. I mean, it's not any different than usual, but it just might seem more glaringly obvious this time. Just keep that in mind when you feel the need to disagree, male bloggers. Keep that in mind.

Do you know why we love characters of books, movies and television shows? It's because we notice similarities between these characters and ourselves. We see visions of who we could be, and what we could amount to. We admire them. We can relate. We get the feeling that we aren't alone. That someone understands. We are always in search for connection. And definition. It's a component of the human condition.

I could sit here and tell you about all of the characters I think resemble myself (and there are a fair few), but I won't. Why? Because it would annoy the freaking hell out of you.

It irritates me to no end when someone compares themselves to a character because, essentially, this is what they are doing:

1) Stealing a bit of that character from you. 

2) Flattering themselves undeservedly.

3) Being pretentious.

4) Just living. So I understand. But, really, try to keep it to yourself.

Hmm let me address all of these separately so you don't think I'm unreasonable.

1) I don't want to share characters. That sounds ridiculous, because of course you have to share them. First, you have to share them with the actual writer who chose to share them with you. Second, you have to share them with the entire world. Fair enough. But here's the thing, I bet you don't want to share them either do you? Every one of us has a favorite book or movie that is special to us for a personal reason. We each have our own personalized version of characters we love and characters we hate. We make them our own. But then guess what? Something like this will happen.

Person: Hey you know that book called "[Blankety Blank]"?

You: DO I? That's my favorite!

Person: Yea well, [Blank], the main character and hero of the novel, is basically my clone. We are so alike, it's ridiculous.

You: Die.

It's especially awful when this person is someone you often feel like punching. How insulting to that poor character to be compared to this person?! There is no conceivable way this person is anything like that character. Not in your head, anyway. And now they have corrupted what you held dear. And it's heartbreaking.

2) It takes a lot of nerve to go around telling everyone how closely you can relate to well-known, famously appreciated characters. A lot of the time, these are characters that society looks up to, and they have admirable qualities. How incredibly conceited do you have to be to go around boasting about how you think you are just like that character everybody likes?

"Yea, you know Cool Hand Luke ? That's basically my life."

"I can totally relate to Rachel Bilson's character form the OC. Our lives are, like, the same. We're the same. For real."

"I just realized, I'm totally Chandler Bing."

"As I was reading, I couldn't help but notice just how similar Lizzy Bennet and I are. We are both dragged down with loads of bratty sisters, we both read constantly, and we are both really sensible. And strong-willed. And beautiful." 

Wow. How great for you.

I think it's perfectly fine to find similarities between you and characters. It's the whole point. But once you find it necessary to proclaim how "awesome" you are, well then we have a problem.

3) There was once a guy I knew who wore a red hunting hat similar to Holden Caulfield's hat, for like a month (even indoors), because he thought he was Holden Caulfield. HE THOUGHT HE WAS LIKE HOLDEN CAULFIELD, one of the most, relatable, real and well-known characters of all time. How original. Please. Save it. You aren't the only person who finds parts of themselves in a character. 

4) We can have discussions and rants and be consumed in all things WRITING. But let's not lose sight of what matters. If we should be lucky enough to find words that really speak to us…words that seem to just know… then of course we should soak it up or spread the word… But I think people often find themselves in the more shallow end of the "character appreciation spectrum". Of course I love finding characteristics of myself in characters I like, but I'm not going to croak to the world about it. Because, frankly, no one cares.

From reading this, you can probably guess that I spend a lot of my time around really obnoxious people. The things I complain about are trivial, but what else am I going to do with all this time on my hands? 

Whohoo! Four mintues to spare! Take that BEDA

Just having a conversation with myself. Nothing to see here.

The voice in side my head: You really need to study. Like really.

Me: Yes. Yes. I am. I'm making flashcards! SEE?

The voice in side my head: That's all very well, but are you learning anything? P.S. The test is in 12 hours.

Me: Ugh. I'm trying!!

The voice in side my head: Yea. Okay. Sure. And sorry to keep interrupting, but it's 10:40.

Me: And?

The voice in side my head: It's 10:40 on April 26th.

Me: WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY?

The voice in side my head: APRIL. As in BLOG EVERY DAY????

Me: Oh.

The voice in side my head: Just trying to help.

Me: Yea.Thankskaybye.


Sigh. Where has the time gone? This month has literally flown by. Like I see it outside my window and it has wings, and it's using them. Last year, April was a little old man in a 1970s Cadillac, afraid to hit the gas, while driving through a small city during rush-hour.

I'm really quite proud of myself. I had way less cop-out-posts this year.

That's right, this month has really been a shining moment in Lexical Gap history, complete with sad, obsessive fangirling, a whole bunch of stolen pictures, paragraphs full of disarray, vlogs displaying near insanity, utter confusion intricately woven into most thoughts, sad excuses for artwork and post titles just riddled with creativity.

Really outdid myself. How will next year ever compare?

Right. Well.

I think that I'm going to start a 3-part segment tomorrow. It's called The Perplexities of Characters and Why They Ruin Our Lives in Addition to Making them Worth Living Parts I, II, and III. Which will take me up to April 29th. And then I have something grand planned for April 30th.


Ha! Just kidding. You know better than to think anything worth-reading would wind up here. Also, I never plan. Just get that straight.

Except for I did plan the 3-part segment. That part was real.

BEDA 25 and the worst ever.

I'm pretty much in the worst mood that I can fathom. Everything is the worst.


I was going to say something hopeful, but then I deleted it because it put me in even worse of a mood.

I wouldn't normally be writing a post with such a state of mind (because absolutely no one wants to read something like this), but I won't have time during the day, so another midnight post it is. And plus, it's BEDA, so who really cares if this is depressing? At least I posted something. Right?


Hmmmmmm….



I'm still angry. In fact, the longer I write this post, the more upset I'm getting. So I might just as well stop this nonsense and go to bed.




I want cake.

And this.

(not so) blissfully unaware.

I spend a lot of time trying to convince others that I know things.


But don't let me fool you, I don't know a single thing about anything.


I have a fairly great and terrible, misplaced pride complex that masks this truth, but I'm confessing to you, blog, because we've known each other for quite some time now, and I think it's only fair. I may as well come clean; I am one-hundred percent clueless in all matters life-relating.


Just in case you need a visual representation, here is a list of all the categories of knowable things that bewilder me:

• Everything
• Anything that is anything
• Opposite of zero things
• All the things

I'm hopeless. 

I don't know how to bank and I don't know how to bake, fry, or grill chicken. I can't spell thesaur thesaruus thesarurus thesaurus and I have yet to master ordering through a drive-thru. I will never learn how to actually study for something and I don't really care. I don't know what I'm supposed to do in this life, and I don't know how to figure it out. I'm lost when it comes to love, and I can't ever say the right thing. I pick at my lip when I'm stressed, and I eat too many off-brand Fruity Pebbles.  I am quite uninformed about the political situation in my own country, and I probably couldn't even tell you the capitol of any other. It took me a while to understand how to put gas in my car, and I can't manage my time. I would forget almost every single one of my friends' birthdays if it wasn't for Facebook notifications, and unfortuately that will probably never change. I'm unaware of the rules of any organized sport except for baseball, and even that is an extremely limited knowledge. I don't understand technology in any form, and I even have trouble remembering to blow out candles. I don't know how to not spill everything, lose everything, or break everything. Commas confuse me, and dogs scare me. I can't tell if a tire is flat, and I can't count change. I don't know how many cups are in a gallon, or how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. I don't know how to raise children, and I can't even sew back on button. How am I going to make it in life?


Please. Tell me. Because, like I said, I have no idea.

I don't want this to come across as one of those depressingly serious, cosmic voidy, semi-pretentious, emo posts that sometimes occur. Because that was not my intent. I'm okay with who I am, and where I am in life. I'm just….  I don't know the word… it's not lost or stuck or confused… I mean, I have been those things at one time or another, but right now I just feel… blind. Yes. Blind. And I'm just unsure of how to not be blind. Not sure how to seeeeee.


Oh no. I feel like this is getting semi-serious vibe. Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of serious things. This isn't a defense mechanism or anything, but this post just can't be too serious. Because I don't want it to be. And it's my blog, dammit! I'm the one who chooses the tone!

Here. This is what the tone of this post should be: mildly ambiguous with a touch of detailed irony and lighthearted self-deprecation.

Did you get that feeling after reading all of that?


Just in case you didn't, here is a picture of a cow I drew.

Ranty Memey Vlog

Well, as you can see, April has taken its toll. Two vlogs in a month is a bit extreme for me. But, I'm okay with it. I would rather write, but sometimes a little camera time is necessary when the brain be-eth mushy.

Oh, and when I say that my Harry Potter poster "rhymes," I mean that it "rhymes" with the original "Keep Calm and Carry On" sign.

Urgh.

LALALALALALALALALA BEDA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU



Go away BEDA, no one cares.



Seriously. You need to get a life, BEDA.



If you don't stop this madness, you will soon find out how many enemies you have, BEDA.



BEDA, stop being a brat or I'll make you listen to Nickleback.



I can't take it anymore BEDA. All you do is take! I work hard to make sure you have a clean house and hot meal to come home to, but you don't even look at me anymore. I'm starting to feel invisible. DO I MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?



I'm leaving you, BEDA.  I can't live this way anymore. The truth is, May just has more to offer. And I'm not so sure I even love you enough to consider staying with you.



If I had a million dollars, I would use it all to buy a time machine and go back in time to stop them from inventing the month of April.



Do you like being hated by virtually everyone, BEDA? Is that why you do this? Is that why you are the way you are?



It's okay. I understand, BEDA. Sometimes it's just easier to be awful. It's easier to push people away than let them in. I'm here if you need to talk, BEDA.



But just so you know, I still despise everything you stand for. Also I love it.








Just to clear things up.  Yea. I'm talking to an abstract idea. Got a problem?

Why I Hate My Best Friend.

Seriously. She sucks.


A lot.


In case you were wondering why I'm harboring these emotions, I think it would be best to do a little "show and tell" in the form of this music video. The reason for this post is in the descriptions.

Yes, my friends. Alex Carpenter dedicated a parody cover to my best friend, Carina. (Yes, it sucks that Luke has made an appearance, but I can almost forgive him because this is actually really funny. Keyword being "almost". I still loathe him.)

I'm not saying she doesn't deserve it, and I'm not saying it's unfair. Because Car has worked hard to get to this place of honor. But still. So jealous.

And this is where I brag about how she's friends with Hayley G. Hoover. She's friends with Hayley G. Hoover!! I've blogged about this before, but I don't care if any of you are annoyed because I still find it blog-worthy. And I reserve the right to boast about this one element of awesome that is indirectly part of my life. Keyword being "indirectly". ALTHOUGH, one time she did ask Hayley to say my name in a 5AG video. Which was the best present in the whole world. THIS IS THE LINK. CLICK IT CLICK IT. *


Okay the shameless, abhorrent bragging section of this post is now over. I'm sorry! I don't mean to be awful, but I think Carina deserves someone to brag about her every once and a while. She is also known for creating extremely well-written stories of hilarity, and capturing most of all of the pokémon.



What is happening in my life you ask? Because you are overly concerned, I'm sure. Well, some good things. Some not so good. May 12th will be the best day in a long time. I will finally be free from the constraints of learning!!! For a few days… and then I will have to intern. Which is really not all that bad. I've been eating a lot of rolls. And I've been listening to a lot of One Direction. I really need to clean this room and make myself look presentable. So I will post more tomorrow. Obviously. Seeing as how that's the whole point of this BEDA nonsense.

You know, I love BEDA. I really do. And I'm so glad for all of you doing it with me! I love your posts and I love our adventure. It's fabulous. Call me crazy, but I'm already excited for next year.


Yep. I'm nuts.



* To those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, maybe it's for the best. That way, you won't realize how insane I am. But that's probably assuming too much.

Just one more post in which I devote the majority to five lovely boys.

Recently I've come to the conclusion that I am suffering from what I like to call Extreme Emotional Displacement of False Reality. You may be thinking that I like to sit in my room all day and make up the names of afflictions like this, but I will put that notion to rest, as I just made this up on the spot. But I still feel like this disorder applies to me.

You see, I just bought one of those over-stimulated, intensely colorful, tweeny pop-culture magazines………... because I wanted the poster of Harry Styles that was inside…


I've hit a new level of crazy. And that got me thinking… Why do I love One Direction so much anyway?

I came up with about a million reasons, of course. But. I noticed that perhaps the main reason was because they are just normal boys being adorable. Yes, of course they're pop stars and everything, but before that, they were completely normal teenage boys.

And that confused me. Because the rest of the world loves them just as much, and we have plenty of young men around us at all times. So why do we go overboard on these five?

Here is my answer.

Girls love boys right? Right. And girls love to be obsessed with things, correct? Exactly. And being "boy obsessed" in general usually leads to things like bad reputations and unplanned pregnancies. So that's why it is so vital that we have a separate outlet. An unattainable, mostly harmless outlet. One that comes with a fandom. Boy bands are that outlet. Girls can hyperventilate over the opposite sex without looking weak and crazy (well sorta) because it's completely acceptable with celebrities (well sorta). One Direction represents every boy who was ever adorable. And so we celebrate them. Because they are our ideal. They are normally adorable. And that's all we ever want.



I think.






I'm not willing to admit how long it took me to make this.

I'm wearing ballet slippers because I can't make any other type of shoe look acceptable.