Footsmart [link] is very useful for comfortable shoes. I've ordered a number of shoes from them.

Surprising no one, juliana swoops in and pimps Runner's World as a good place for shoe resources/finding: [link]

They also have a good section of articles on walking: [link]

The best things in a walking shoe (after, like all shoes, fit) are flatness and flexibility - you (probably) won't need the pronation correction like most runners do, but you will need flex and cushioning. Again, Runner's World reviews shoes every quarter and provides detailed specs on things like that. Your best bet is to research through them and then go in to your friendly local sports store and try on ones that you think will work.

Brooks and New Balance are both really good at providing options for wide-footed runners/walkers.

Those are both excellent resources.

The footsmart site shows an Easy Spirit clog that would be great for Bartlewalking and the Runner's World diagnostic tool is awesome for narrowing down the bazillion choices out there.

More walking in 2007. My thighs and my dog thank you.

Thank youse guys all so much for the ~ma yesterday.

B gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. 8 lbs, 5 oz and 21" long after a half hour of pushing which B said "was a blast."

Her name is Arden.

And being an LA baby, she came into the world in the same room as Hazel and Phinneus (Julia Robert's babies) and Rocko (Madonna's baby).

Shopping for housing in DC gives me anxiety attacks.

Move to Baltimore and take the train!!!

I've just been using my running shoes (Mizunos) for walking. Which I've been doing a LOT of lately. I do have to start adding running intervals back into my routine because I swear I'm going to do a full marathon before i'm 40 (still a year and a half away but I need to longterm plan).

I've been doing this 12 week bootcamp diet/exercise thing with friends (some here, some in CA) since Jan. 2nd. It's not a rigid diet but you definitely have to pay more attention to making healthy food choices. The main thing is exercising every single day. Even if it's just going for a 30 minute walk. Oh and there's an option to not drink booze at all for the 12 weeks which I'm doing. A period of sobriety was very much needed for me after the holidays (in particular the NYE). Anyway, so far? It fucking rocks. I have so much more energy than usual!

Go lisah! Boot that camp!!

Is it the kind where you go out in the morning? t /cold wimp

Glurg. My defenses have fallen to the Red Menace. Must remember not to tell callers they are idiots. Must remember not to trust the Mute button to protect me if I call them idiots. Wait for lunch hour to call them idiots.

I have a friend who has two cats and three dogs. One of her cats is on a special diet so she gets crated to be fed. At first she was not. pleased. But now she is fine with it.

Because she's got some sort of intestinal order - a small litter box is also in the crate. I think that if you have a crate that you can put a litter box in you should be able to crate your cat.

That's a big baby. Congratulations to your friend, Aimee.

The only thing that makes me cranky about the body fat calculator thing is that I've been gym-ming it up since April and my numbers. haven't. moved. Any of them. Gah.

Have you lost any weight? Do your clothes fit differently? Do you feel stronger?

From what I remember of using the calipers in high school and college, it's really easy to get different readings. I know not the calculator, and do not want to.

Aimee, congratulations to your friend B! I like the name Arden, it reminds me of one of my favorite actresses, Eve Arden.