sore feet and cookies

I made the mistake yesterday of wearing my new black boots all day long, even though I knew I was going to be tromping all over the streets of New York because I was babysitting and had to bring the boys to school. But I was so excited to have something new, since I am on a strict budget this semester (I only spend on frivolity and groceries what I make babysitting, if that), so I wore them. By the time both the boys were safely enconsed at school, my feet hurt. By the time I got insoles (interestingly, they are taxed less than other Walgreens products - because they are medicinal?), my feet were throbbing. By the time I got the boys back home and walked the dog and went to school and sent some emails and walked home, I was hobbling. It was the combination of cheap shoes with bad soles and with heels, which I'm not used to. Even today, my legs hurt and my soles hurt and, filled with fear of the boots, I have returned to the brightly-colored sneakers which I love so very much and wish I could afford to buy more of. There are these great green adidas with yellow stripes at the place where I bought my running shoes. And Foot Locker has these bright pink pumas.

The nice thing about not having money is that I'm very definitely learning to prioritize my materialism. And to delay gratification. I keep telling myself that I'll buy these things next semester. But by then I will have forgotten what they all are.

Now I'm sitting before a cup of almond cookie tea which smells exactly like a baking cookie involving almonds and makes me think of Christmas cookies which I will not have a chance to bake this year unless I completely slack off about my exams which are causing me to freak out because they start in two weeks and anyway, my Christmas cookie recipe passed down through the generations does not involve almonds, but it should. Sitting here with this tea, I definitely think it should.

I have to outline a class worth of professional responsibility. I wish I could continue to put it off as I have been doing for days. I can't.