Infomercial Purchase

I had a good run this morning, just under 8 miles, a bit too fast (and I started to lag the last quarter mile), but it was overall good and particularly nice to get to talk to a couple of the new guys from the Rock group who joined us for the first few miles. 

Last night I am embarrassed to say we started watching Bachelor Pad.  But fortunately we turned it off midway soon.  My husband was begging for mercy.  It's funny b/c he seemed to really like the Bachelorette, and we've watched the Bachelor together in the past as well and kind of enjoyed it together, but this was just too much.  At one point he asked me to put on something else, anything else.  So I scrolled through the guide and saw something called "Relieve Foot Pain."  I thought the infomercial would be sufficiently painful to watch that he'd be okay with going back to Bachelor Pad.  But the infomercial sucked me in.  Yes, I too want to walk pain-free!  I want to be like the guy who walks across the country!  So I called to order Walk Fit Platinums.  What a mistake!  I think I bought something off an infomercial about 10 years ago (Touched by Love compilation CD, purchased in about 1997).  The process has changed.  Now when you call, it's fully automated and they take your credit card info up front.  And then they keep offering you things that will automatically charge to your credit card unless you cancel -- replacement Walk Fits every 6 months, some glucosamine supplements, magazines, etc.  And each time the voice says "I'll add that to your order, okay?" and you say no, then you have to wait through another pitch for the same thing a second time, when you say no again, then it says offer declined and you move on to the next one.  The whole process took about 15 minutes and I will NEVER do that again -- I would have hung up if I hadn't already entered my credit card info and was paranoid I'd be automatically signed up for stuff.  Also, shipping and handling was insanely expensive.  The orthotics are $20, and s&h was another 10.  Not really a big deal b/c I don't mind spending $30 trying something new in my shoes, but I'd much rather know that up front rather than feel like they're nickel and diming me the entire time.  Well, lesson learned.  But ... if the orthotics get here in 2-3 weeks (what?!  another $10 for "expedited" processing to get them in 5-10 days, which I declined) and they really are as magical as the people on the infomercial said, I suppose I may look for an online ordering option...

But since I've been wearing these gel things in my work shoes, my foot pain seems to be reduced.  I've been thinking I'd really like to get one of those gel cushion kitchen mats like our neighbor has.  I've wanted one for a while but never gotten it, and now I really notice when I spend half an hour standing on the marble/tile/whatever floor preparing a smoothie for breakfast and making my wrap to bring to work for lunch.  I feel so old -- when I think about what I really want for my bday, the things that come to mind are the gel kitchen mat, new boot camp gloves and a mat, a new Brita for the fridge and maybe a new rack to hold bottles in the shower.  Way too practical!  Maybe I should mention those ideas to my husband though -- since otherwise I'll probably get running clothes, jewelry, or plane tickets, which have been gifts of choice the last few years.  I know there won't be any plane tickets this year since we're pretty short on vacation!  I told him I really don't want anything, maybe just a special dinner that he cooks and a relaxing night together, but he never listens when I say that...