I got new shoes for Christmas. I found them on SteepandCheap.com (see link on the right), which means they were super-on-sale. Now, I've had a few crazy pairs of shoes before -- the flat Italian ones from the thrift store, those bright yellow Vasques, a pair of black Chuck's in third grade -- but these shoes are in a league all their own.

I may not know karate, but I do know craaaaazy. See for yourself.

I've always been one to strike up conversation with anybody; I believe that most people like to talk but don't know how to start a conversation. I don't mind doing the awkward conversation starting. But lately, I haven't had to. My shoes speak louder than I ever could.

A guy stopped me in Haggen at 1 a.m. (yes, I was grocery shopping at 1 in the morning) just to get a better look at my shoes. I catch passersby staring at my feet. Everyone in the newsroom weighed in one what my shoes look like: dinosaur skin, a bumblebee, a cleverly disguised moth. My dad thinks they look like dead salmon.

I wonder if that's why he bought a pair for himself?

Besides being ridiculously awesome-looking, my Slingshots are also quite comfortable. In fact, they are almost as comfy as my Chacos. Seriously. I could do some serious dyno-mantle-chaco-grippy- fast running-action in these shoes. (That phrase was for you Keith.) And people everywhere would stare at my feet.

Ike -- who is apparently cool enough to wear these shoes