NO IMELDA MARCOS AM I! I go through sneakers like no one's business. I go through them like most people go through paper napkins. Which is why I'm stunned and pleased that my current sneakers have lasted two and a half years--one and a half years longer than any other pair I've ever had.

My wife's sneakers could last forever if she would let them. But once they hit a certain point of dirtiness, out they go and in come the new ones. She claims it's because of comfort, but I don't buy it.

The trouble comes when she tries to get me to buy new sneakers. Now, this is not a man-vs.-woman thing, or even a these-shoes-are-like-an-old-friend kind of thing. No shoes are my friends. I don't believe in standing on top of my friends for any length of time. Regardless, I feel that as long as they cover my feet and don't cause discomfort, why spend my heard-unearned money on new ones? (My previous pair failed this test in the rain, being split wide open along the sole by the time I got rid of them.)

My current pair, special-ordered from L.L. Bean, are starting to fall apart on the bottom, but they still provide support and comfort. This is much more than any sneakers have done in the past at this age. So I'm going to hold on a bit longer, thanks, and avoid puddles. It never rains in D.C. anyway.