I love this thread.  

I get incredibly self conscious when I know other people can hear me practice (Especially since my toddler tells me "mama no play violin, too loud.") I have a little bedroom-turned- art studio in our house which is where I practice at home. My husband tells me it's hard to hear me which is nice. I'm trying to loosen up about when and where I play, though. I began this journey wanting to be a "campfire jammer" sort of fiddler, but then I got all uptight about it. Also I want my son to hear more live music so he's more comfortable with it. I want it to be a common thing in our home, playing music.

as for shoes, I have always preferred being barefoot. Wearing shoes in a house is misery to me. I was totally at home that way in Japan, except for the embarrassing times I would walk barefoot outside and then come in with dirty feet and i'd get rushed a pair of house slippers. In high school I would wear flip flops to school in the snow, like an idiot, because I didn't want to wear socks and shoes. I'm still paying the price for that.