Shoes for a new runner

My sister in law just started running as a way to stay in-shape and healthy. Since she hears running horror stories from me all the time, I'm pretty sure I didn't influence her. (It seems like I only tell awful running stories. "And then my calf cramped and I was in agony!" "Sometimes I throw up when it's hot during a run." "The car practically ran me over!" "I lost another toenail." "Running gives you thunder thighs" "My shoes are all stinky from sweat dripping off my legs onto them!" "My hamstrings are so tight I can't straighten my right leg" etc. She probably thinks it's all torture).
However, now that she's running, I'm all over it! For her birthday we got her her first pair of running shoes. Before now she's been run-walking in Keds, but that's resulted in lots of blisters and blood blisters. Time to upgrade!

Knowing she's fashion-conscious, I was pretty concerned about the shoe's appearance - I knew she wouldn't want a big, heavy-soled, clompy shoe. And I would rather get her something lighter and more flexible anyway, so she won't develop an unnatural gait right off the bat. I settled on the Lunar Fly - it's attractive, it looks like a casual shoe, it's flexible yet has some support ("dynamic support"), it's a light 7.6 ounce shoe, and it's Nike plus compatible - which I think she'll like. I have two problems with the shoe: One, they're Nikes, and I despise Nikes. But she prefers Nikes so I sucked that up. Two, they're anything but "drop zero" and have a big at cushy heel. I'm worried about her transitioning from Keds (totally flat) to this near-wedge.
Oh and we also got her these clearance Christmas running socks 'cause we're classy like that.

What are your thoughts on shoes for new runners? What would you suggest as a first-time running shoe?

Foody Friday: after-dinner pizza

When people say "dessert pizza" they usually mean a cookie crust with frosting and fruit (or some atrocious topping like Oreos). So I've renamed this after-dinner pizza.It's a perfect little snack for a late night after a play or concert.
Need:
- Unbaked pizza crust, thin crust, your favorite recipe.  A tip for getting a thinner, less bread-like crust: Make dough, then freeze it. Defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before you need it. This allows the yeast to rise and fall a little so you get a thinner crust. I use whole wheat crust.
- Goat cheese and neufchatel cheese
- dried figs or dates
- toasted walnuts
- kosher salt
- brown sugar

Before popping it back in the oven...

Roll out (or toss, your choice, my tossed pizzas are never round, though!) the crust on a pizza stone. Bake at 425 for 8 minutes. Remove and spread with a thin layer of neufchatel and goat cheese. Top with toasted nuts and dried fruit. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and a little brown sugar. Put in the oven under the broiler and let the sugar JUST start to melt and caramelize. Remove and allow to cool for a minute or two before cutting into tiny slices (it's rich!).

These slices are far too large. Piggy me.

Serve with espresso, dessert wine, or port.

Southern Orthopaedics...and an injury update!

I had to make a tough decision when I finally concluded that I should see a doctor about my leg pain. I previously saw Dr. Stewart in the Tulane Sports Medicine complex when I had runner's knee. In all honesty, the entire situation didn't impress me. Tulane does not have any special equipment or faculty specifically for runners, and both times I went I waited for an hour only to be rushed by the doctor. I think Dr. Stewart's nice, but the practice is too busy (just try calling them - no one ever answers, and if you leave a message it takes 1 - 2 days to get a response) and for runners, there's just not any focused care. So I had to choose - stay with my current doctor for continuity? Or find someone new, at the risk of creating a complex and confusing medical history? I finally chose someone new, just because I wanted someone who could tell me accurately when it was safe to start running again. I chose Dr. McNulty at Southern Orthopaedics. The office staff, when I called to make an appointment, were very helpful in finding the appropriate doctor for me and working with my schedule. The office manager even sent me a personal email later to make sure my needs were addressed. However, I have the same old complaint about my visit - WAITING. I waited an hour before I was ever seen...with more waits for an x-ray and for the doctor to finally examine me. I was at the office for over 2 hours! Definitely inconvenient. 
But back to the appointment itself. I agreed to a single x-ray, even though I really don't like radiation. After looking at the film and feeling the egg still on my calf, the doctor concluded that I had a healed stress fracture (or in the process of healing) but that I also had...a torn muscle insertion. I kind of suspected that. Luckily, and remarkably, it's healing very well on its own! There is significant inflammation, though. We discussed a steroid shot but since I don't like steroids - even locally - we decided to go with oral NSAIDS instead (yes, I'm that annoying patient who won't take certain drugs). The egg I've been feeling along the bone is actually a lump of muscle that healed wrong, and it's probably there to stay. Besides that, I have medial tibial stress syndrome, which probably preceded the tear, and which neither I nor my doctor care about. If it didn't bother me before I don't really care if it's inflamed. I'm obviously good at ignoring it! 
The good news is that since I appear to be well into the healing process, I can actually start back running. I have to go slow and only three days a week - and distance is a no-no - but I'm happy about that. Dr. McNulty said I looked like I was 6 months post-injury, not 6 weeks! I told him it was all clean living.
I'm supposed to take NSAIDS for 2 weeks to diminish the swelling; run with discretion; and call back in 2 weeks. If the pain returns I will need an MRI to rule out complications or cancer.
Interestingly, this apparently is not a running injury. It seems I did something abrupt, like jumping from a height and landing on a twisted leg. Now I think I have a hunch what that was, but I'm embarrassed to admit. Unless you beg!
Conclusion about Southern Orthopaedics? An obviously better choice for runners - the staff and my doctor were familiar with runners and their ailments -  but there was the same old issue with waiting. I think I'll start telling patients that prescriptions will be ready at 10 am, then make them wait until 11. See how that flies.
So - have you ever changed doctors (for any reason besides moving)? I changed dermatologists TWICE because the docs would not believe I had facial eczema because it was always healed by the time of my appointment. They wouldn't look at the photos of flare-ups I'd brought - so I found someone who did!

Paging Dr. Cuddy

I was cast as Dr. Cuddy for an internal company commercial, and we're filming tomorrow. It's a parody of House and it will be showing at the company's yearly worldwide manager meeting. Yes, I think this is silly...but of course I said I'd do it. I don't like telling my big bosses no.

I need to make THIS....

...look like THIS!

So, hints on how I can make my short, wide, brown-eyed face look like her long, lean, blue-eyed one?

I watched an episode of House last night (I really never watch the show so I wanted to get an idea of what this character looks and acts like) and I came to the following conclusions:
1. I will need to search my closet for Office Hoochy, which seems to be her style.
2. My hair will pass but it needs a wave. Damp braid to the rescue!
3. Soft bronze eyeliner and mascara needed.
4. I have to figure out how to frown yet look mood-neutral at the same time.
5. Plastic surgery would be the best option.

Taking tacky to a whole new level

I spent the weekend - and end of last week - in DC for a conference. I love DC, but our conference was actually closer to Arlington, VA, at an incredibly tacky resort called the Gaylord.
Oh my gosh it was hilarious.
It made Vegas seem reserved and quiet.
Although there were nice views,

That's the famed colored fountain you see in this pic.

They were ruined by fiber optic lights at night and piped-in soft rock.
The hotel itself was a massive glass cube planted lushly inside; I cannot begin to fathom the air conditioner bill. Every surface was marble or pleather; there was a hysterical assumed air of eliteness (there was a way-too-cool bar - oops, I mean LOUNGE - that actually had all the guests names on a list, so the sunglasses-adorned bouncers could check your name on the list before letting you in. I guess some people get their jollies off being on a list?!).
Of course, like many such places, the actual service was kind of crappy. There were so many guests that the line to check in was crazy long, and I waited half an hour, then trudged to the tenth floor and through about 6 miles of hallways only to discover that my key didn't work. I repeated the entire process, but the key still didn't work and I ended up calling the locksmith. As it so happened the key DID work, it was just that the door was swollen shut so firmly it wasn't budging. He heaved his weight against it, called for help, and eventually got it open. Then we discovered why it was swollen shut: the temperature in the room was over 100 degrees! I cranked on the air, but it blew hot. Annoyed, I called the front desk, and we discovered that my AC was out of order and my room was not supposed to be used. The good news is that I got upgraded to an obscenely large suite.

Sorry for the Blackberry pictures, I didn't pack a camera!

The bad news is that the entire process took over an hour!
But I'm not complaining, because nothing says luxury hotel like having a formal dining room in your suite (and no kitchenette or fridge, so obviously you're serving take-out on your pretty polished table).
Instead of a chocolate, I got a card on the pillow. It said, and I paraphrase, "Please enjoy a good night's sleep. But first go look at our awesome colored fountain, provided for your delight" (the phrase about "your delight" is a direct quote).
I was at my conference from 6:15 am to 5:15 pm (seriously) Friday and Saturday, then had a half-day Sunday before I flew out. I arrived Thursday night, and David joined me Friday night, which was sweet of him. He brought his camera and has better pictures of our loverly resort, but his computer is having issues, so you'll have to wait on those. Don't get too stressed with anticipation!
So my question today is...
Which do you prefer to stay in?
1. A huge fancy resort, that is so all-inclusive that you never leave the premises to sight-see?
2. A cozy bed and breakfast with an heirloom ghost?
3. A no-frills Holiday Inn Express kind of thing - super basic, but has a business center and continental breakfast?

More art!

The next pics for my office are these cheese-ball musicians done on glossy stock in acrylics. They are clearly "tourist art" and, well, I don't love them. But I need some inoffensive, generic art for my office and this will do. It sort of continues the New Orleans theme I have going on with my skyline picture.

The swirly background, you ask? Well, I don't actually know what's up with the swirly background. I think I got sick of painting. I can only paint for about an hour at a time and then paint starts drying under my nails and I freak out. I think I quit early on these.

The Special Man

In case you missed it...

...Conan is mocking a commercial that is near and dear to the heart of the Crescent City. Watch this commercial and savor it. It makes NO SENSE. There is no explanation for any of the ...um...characters in it, none whatsoever. Doesn't matter. New Orleans loves things that don't make sense. Even more, New Orleans loves characters. Just put some weird outfit on and give yourself a name and you'll be a legend.
I adore the parodies people are posting, too. Especially the speech coach:

Sometimes I pull the special man line when people are out of refills at the pharmacy. Do you have any iconic commercials in your area?