just store credit and I need the kid with me for the return.

This is utter bullshit. What the hell, shoe store?

(And this kind of behavior from kids shoe stores is why I buy all Dylan's shoes at Payless.)

joins Jessica.

all hail the payless (even though we sometimes have to buy 2 pairs to get a set that fits).

That sounds like Stride Rite insanity, Kat! All that stuff piling on is enough to make the average person go into a fetal position.

FWIW, I've totally made a purchase like that. It happens. But I think any store that sells kids' stuff should have liberal return policies.

Still no call from the nephew yet.

I don't think I should have mentioned my hatred of the Green Lantern in my dating profile. No one wants to kiss me, but they all want to debate the merits of the green bastard, and whether or not Aquaman sucks more.

I love that you put your hatred of Green Lantern in your dating profile.

Of course, I can't date you (although I would if I could), so the fact that I love it really doesn't mean shit.

(Aquaman TOTALLY sucks more.)

Jess, I've actually been really happy with their service prio to this. They have never tried to sell me such a shitty pair of shoes before.

I went in asking for lace ups and she didn't listen. She was like, well, his feet will be hot, here are sandals, or how about these velcro tennis shoes. I WANT laceups, bitch. Though we had been looking at sandals before.

My day care provider was "Oh hell no. Those are bad."

I should have just said, no. DAMN.

I try on at Stride Rite and then buy the same shoes (sometimes last year's version) on ebay, often brand new, for $10. I've also really liked Lands End kid's shoes, which are sometimes on super-sale at Sears.

My kids, of course, would live in crocs and flip-flops.

In the year or so before he died, my dad mentioned wanting velcro shoes, because tying or buckling shoes with arthritic fingers was a pain. Maybe you could find a really tiny-footed senior to sell them to, Kat.

But I'm sorry your day has sucked.

I'm being a moron. This is nothing that the half pound of pasta I just ate and a nice long nap won't fix.

Man Dies After Fall Into Chocolate Tank

CAMDEN, N.J. - Police said a 29-year-old man died Wednesday morning after falling into a tank full of chocolate at a Camden business.

Police were called to a warehouse and manufacturing facility on the 700 block of North 36th Street around 10:45 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a man who had fallen into hot chocolate.

According to authorities, the man was working at Lyons and Sons, which leases space to Cocoa Services. That company takes raw chocolate and melts it down to send out to other companies who use chocolate.

Police said the man was standing over the vat of chocolate and was dumping the chunks of chocolate in when he fell in. At least three people turned the emergency shut off, but it was too late because one of the paddles had apparently knocked him out. The chocolate was 120 degrees.

The man had been in the melting pot for about 10 minutes by the time crews arrived. He was declared dead shortly after 11 a.m.

The turnout gear of firefighters at the scene was covered with chocolate, as were the clothes of an obviously distraught co-worker who was being consoled by an EMT.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been called in to investigate, Fox 29's Robin Taylor reported from the scene.

I've also really liked Lands End kid's shoes, which are sometimes on super-sale at Sears.

Or just on the Lands End site itself. But I ditto the recs for Lands End and L.L. Bean for shoes. These days, too, I've been buying the Converse and Champion shoes at Target for Nate and Abby. Abby's got a rockin' pair of pink Converse with sparkly pink stars.