Ya Feets (2)

When I was in middle school (and/or jr. high as it was called back in the day), I found myself in the unfortunate position of bringing Converse sneakers to my first day of cross-country tryouts. Looking back, I'm not sure how such a situation happened as I played sports throughout my youth but, needless to say, the fact that I could only run two laps when everyone else could run three paired with some sideways looks from my teammates decidedly turned me off to the brand forever... until I found a cute pair on sale last week. However, as I wear my Converse kicks during the day (and do yoga after wearing them at night), I'm learning that perhaps I was not wrong to blame them exclusively for my poor performance and ridicule on the cross-country "court". As I've noticed that stretching ma feets has become more of an endeavor post purchase, I've confirmed that it was not my cross-country skills but the Converse brand which sucked and set out to find a new pair (or pairs) that would be better for my feets. After conducting some research, I came across not brands so much as types of shoes that are good for your feets. A few finding lie below. Enjoy!

Keeeeeeeeks.

In Health Before Beauty, I made reference (to my own mortification) to a massage received ages ago where I realized that it's not so bad to give our feet some extra attention. As, "it's where we spend most of our time," according to the masseuse in the story, getting a short pedicure (or foot massage) is not so much of a luxury as it is a luxurious necessity. However, if one chooses to drop the luxury entirely, a good pair of shoes is pretty important in maintaining our own health. To this extent, while there are many shoes that are bad for our feets, mmkkayy, there are a few that can treat our feet well (and can even be a little stylish... maybe).

Well fitting sneakers (obvi.): Sneakers are obviously good for your feet... at least ones that fit well. However, in my mind, they're not always the most fashionable item in the store. However, while Nike has always made good shoes for running, they're beginning to turn their attention to more leisure based shoes as well (as it would seem). A few of my favorites to come out recently include...

Blazer leather and ribbed knit trimmed satin sneakers: I bought these shoes and then felt guilty and returned them but in the short time I owned them... I found them to be super comfortable. As high-topped sneakers, the shoes offered solid ankle support but were still easy to slip on and off. Also, the satin sheen on the outside made the kicks a bit fashionable as well. However, if satin a'int yo thang, there are other sneakers in the Blazer collection as well.

Blazer Mid-Vintage Sneakers: Not as fashionable as the ones above, I still regret not buying these sneakers last year before the high-tops became the trend (a situation which likely led to me eyeing the sneakers above in the first place). Anyways, wrapped in velvet, the mid vintage sneaker gives more of a 70's feel but is still just as comfortable and well made as any other Nike shoe. However, if you're going for a more futuristic look...

Air Force 1 Sage High Platform Sneaker: When I wasn't sure whether I wanted to buy the satin sneakers above, I came across the Air Force 1's. Written up as, "bold and irreverent" I was intrigued by the playful sense of fashion they could provide... until I realized I might look like an asshole.

Wedges: In preparation for this post, I found, much to my dismay, that ballet flats are not too good for your feet. While I thought that the lack of a heel would be directly proportional to the health of a shoe, I found that it's good to have a balance (in heel height). To this extent, I read that a wedge was a generally beneficial shoe, providing the cushioning of a thick sole with with an less extreme heel. And in this sense... I've always found J. Crew's Seville Espadrille to be a sensible choice... in terms of both fashion and comfort.

So there you have it. A few shoes to get you through work (and possibly the winter). Even if you choose to wear sexier, more stylish and less sensible shoes... be sure to take care of your feet. Stretch, get them worked out, etc. We only have one (pair).

Serenity. Now!

My father once commented that, "you and your brother were super-easy to raise during your teenage years," a comment which I found quite surprising as he always seemed to be mad about something during those times. My twenties (and early thirties) however, have been another story. Perhaps nervous about making my father more upset than he needed to be in my youth, my heyday of "whatthehellamIdoing" crossed with a gross negligence for time management came at a time when I was out of the house and therefore outside the realm of my parents full concern. And while I always felt I would land on my feet, day to day, I would often freak out about where I was going (in the long and short term), what I was doing (in the long and short term) and generally being an asshole to most people because I was scared of not knowing. But, as people do, I'm beginning to settle down... not so much in the typical sense with a family and kids but, as a bit of an introvert, I'm beginning to settle into my inner world where I generally spend most of my time n-e-wayz. And as the other worries I once had begin to evaporate, I'm left with a greater amount of energy to appreciate the smaller and simpler things in life... something that I've missed out on for awhile. 

In a post I will ONE DAY publish (it's taking me awhile) I'll reference the phrase, "as within, so without." In my mind, what goes on within us, be it biological or emotional is often reflected in our outer states. In this regard, as my mind calms down, I've noticed things become a bit calmer around me... a circumstance which has ended with a few more plants in my room. So, to make a calmer space, I suggest the following elements. Enjoy!

Alllllllloooooo(e).

Aloe: Plants generally seemed to be owned by people who are less stressed. Maybe it's a bond with nature or maybe it's the fact that plants in one's space are shown to lead to happiness but, suffice it to say, I didn't have plants in my space for awhile... which left me at a loss as to how to care for them. Enter, aloe. A hearty plant with many medicinal uses, aloe is pretty easy (and cheap) to keep. As a succulent, aloe plants need to be watered about every three weeks. Throw in some sunlight and a stable room temperature and you've got a friend for life so it seems. 

Lilies: Having been stabilized by succulents, I've begun moving into flowers... a category of plants more delicate but will die anyways... leaving them a little lower maintenance than your regular household plant. As stated before, with the slight evaporation of stress on my life, I've been left with a slightly greater awareness of my senses. This means I've begun to enjoy some new smells and sounds and at least flowers take care of the former. In this regard, I've begun to pick up lilies at the store as they're sold in a "budget bunch." Lending a somewhat strong scent to one's environment, lilies are best placed in a wide opened space and bought before full bloom. Just don't give them to a friend as they represent death.

Water Fountain: Back when I was in high school, my father had set up a space devoted to his meditation practice. There were Buddhist statues and paintings and I noticed that my friends would often wander in much to my mortification. But one thing he had in there that I did enjoy was a small water fountain. You could plug it in and the water would runeth over small rocks... making a peaceful sound and thereby environment. And as I've noticed a need for more calm in my life, I've thought about purchasing a small fountain and sitting back like I did in the day and just relaxing. If you're in the market for a fountain, a few good ones reside here. Or, if you want to sit back and kick it old-school, there's always music...

Electric Relaxation.