168th Friday Blog Roundup
A few weeks ago, I was at a party and met a new woman. I asked the usual “what do you do” question and she responded that she was a Wii Trainer. Which required more questioning on my part since at that point, the only time I had stepped near a Wii was at BlogHer two years ago when I virtually boxed a bunch of women and hurt my wrist in the process. Apparently, there are gyms where you go and stand in front of a television and play Wii games as exercise.
I went home to Josh and we laughed and laughed.
And then I borrowed Lindsay’s Wii and I became one of those people.
And then it didn’t seem funny at all.
Then it seemed like a brilliant idea to go downstairs to the basement and take a little bike ride around Wuhu Island. And then take a 1.5 mile jog near the virtual water. And maybe go flying for a little upper arm definition.
When I said months ago that I wanted to lose weight without doing any exercise, what I meant was that (1) I literally can’t squeeze going somewhere to exercise into my day and (2) I can’t find the money for a gym membership. But the one-time cost of the Wii coupled with the fact that I can simply go downstairs, use the half-hour, and be done means that I can tuck it somewhere into the day.
The added benefit, which may reveal a loose grip on reality, is that I can totally lose myself in Wuhu Island. I love it there. I am so damn happy when I jump on my bike and start pedaling. I love it when you hit the 9 minute mark on the free run and the path opens up so you’re overlooking this gorgeous expanse of the ocean. I can get so engrossed looking at the scenery that I forget that I am in a slightly cold basement rather than a tropical island. Oh–and I love the architecture in town. It reminds me of Córdoba or Seville. I almost expect to see orange tree groves when I get to that little fountain in the center.
Am I the only one this much in love with Wuhu Island? It actually hurts my heart a little that it’s not a real place. The only thing that I think could make the Wii better is if you could choose the location where you exercise. I mean, I love the island, but if beaches are not your thing, you should have the option to go bicycle riding in the city. Or go jogging in the mountains. Maybe they make something like this and I just don’t know about this game yet. But if they don’t, they should get on it. I would totally buy a game where I could bicycle around various cities in the world. Can you imagine getting to bike through a Vietnamese fish market or through Paris? Past all the landmarks? See, it wouldn’t feel like exercise because you’re so lost in what you’re seeing to pay attention to how long you’ve been biking.
The only other thing that sucks is that I’m using the machine so much that I’m unlocking all these extra levels to the games, but I’m going to have to give this Wii back to Lindsay soon and get my own. Which means that I start from scratch. Which is just incentive to drop out of life and bicycle around the island non-stop for 24-hours.
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The Weekly What If : If you had to do an exercise-based trip–one that could not involve simply walking around and going to museums and sites, but instead needs to be focused on a specific form of exercise–where would you want to go and what would you want to do? It can be as specific as speed geo-caching on foot through London to as general as beach volley ball somewhere in Australia.
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I started a new section of the blogroll for password-protected and invite-only blogs so writers who wanted to get new readers would have that opportunity in the future. We had something like that a while ago, but new people didn’t know they could add themselves to it and the page was hopelessly outdated.
So as I said in the LFCA, I am creating a new and more steamlined space for password-protected or invite-only blogs to be added to the blogroll so those blogs can pick up new future readers while still controlling who sees the content. If you would like to be added, please fill out the form and I will upload it to the new section which will replace the old link to the password-protected section of the blogroll. If you were listed on that old link and would still like your blog on the list, please fill out the form as well. The link to this form will always be accessible in the “old news” section of every LFCA post under “Quicklink Resources.”
Got that? So if you have a password-protected blog or an invite-only blog and you want to be on it, fill out the form. The old password-protected blog list has been erased in favour of this.
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Other business-y news: this month’s IComLeavWe list will close to new people on Monday (of course, the next one will open in January). If you wanted to participate in IComLeavWe this month, sign up before Monday. It obviously falls over Christmas so as always when holidays occur during IComLeav-Week, it’s just do your best.
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And now, the blogs…
Dead Baby Jokes has a great and sensible take on Stephanie Saul’s recent NYT article about surrogacy. As she states, “Given my perspective, I tend to forget that surrogacy, and even things like donor eggs or IVF, are so far outside most people’s experience, that they must seem entirely theoretical, unreal, like fiction or, I suppose, science fiction.” And it is so true–this voice of reason.
It’s a common topic in the ALI blogosphere, but IF in Big Sky Country briefly addresses the blogging after pregnancy topic really well. She writes: ” I hope that the new direction of my blog will continue to show the perspective of a pregnant infertile.” I recently read a post admonishing bloggers for not shutting down their blogs once they become pregnant or start parenting, and while it’s a valid way to blog, I tend to subscribe to the idea that your writing space grows with you instead of confines you. Closing your blog is a sensitivity to one type of reader (those who don’t wish to read about children or pregnancy) in exchange for an insensitivity to another (those who don’t want to keep updating their Reader and chasing someone down around the Internet). And honestly, the answer is to simply not read rather than to ask someone to change their space.
Good Egg Hunting has a post about surviving the holidays. It kicks off with an email newsletter she receives of coping strategies, but the meat of the post are two extra pieces of advice that got her through last Christmas. Perhaps they will help you too.
Just Wishing and Hoping has a post about a thought she had as a child. I am finding that describing this brief post is not doing it justice, so instead, I encourage you to click over and read it in full. Perhaps because I didn’t know what to expect when I clicked over to read it this week, the words were a little punch to the gut. I immediately had an emotional response.
Lastly, Beyond the Palemother has a post that made me smile. She writes: “And now I’m all … I have to ~tell~ someone. You know how that goes. You find something that lights up a dark, dusty part of your brain with a glimmer of recognition … a part that Everyday has little use for … and you want to tug excitedly on the sleeve of the person next to you and say, while fanning yourself, Oooo … Read this!” And being very familiar with that sensation, and loving that it’s Anne Sexton that kicks off that feeling, and the fact that she then ties the whole thing into the reason why we blog…well, I just loved this post.
The roundup to the Roundup: Losing myself in Wuhu Island. Answer the Weekly What If. A new password-protected blog list. IComLeavWe starting soon. And lots of good posts to read.
22 comments
I would do something dangerous, that there was no way in hell I could possibly whip myself into shape to do in real life, nor would I take the risk in real life. So: Hiking Mt. McKinley/somewhere in the Himilayas.
When I lived in DC (well, Arlington) for a summer I used to jog around the perimeter of the cemetery and then over the bridge and past all the monuments. I remember daily thinking I couldn’t believe this was my running route, it was just so cool.
I would do something idyllic like take a biking tour around Ireland. At least it sounds idyllic before the sore butt settles in! Awesome that you’ve found a way to get some exercise without dealing with gyms/scheduling and that’s FUN.
I received a Wii for xmas actually (haven’t opened the gift yet but already know what it is)! I’m excited to try out some of the exercise stuff that’s available. I’m wondering, how do you ride a bike? I’m imagining a stationary Wii-Bike you have to buy 🙂 haha
I would go hiking or backpacking for my vacation. Actually, if sailing would be considered exercise, I’d totally do that.
You make it sound like so much fun that I’m thinking that maybe I should get a Wii. And then I realize that, first, I’d probably have to get a tv (something I still haven’t managed to find the time to do). Sigh.
Yoga in India or New Mexico (what a difference, I know). I think it would be lovely, peaceful, and calm.
I would do something over the top. I love to hike… and take the kids frequently out as much as I can. To revel in nature and found objects. But my spine is crashed and burned. So in my mind I go there. David Breshears and his production partner once teamed with a company I worked for (creative services) and he filmed on Everest. I think he is a ballsy man for even attempting.
So in my mind, I will go to Everest. A beautiful place from what I can see from a former “coworker) who does breathtaking cinematography. My body won’t allow it. It’s ok, my life has been all about dreams and miracles.
I did a show and tell but there were no calls this week for Show and Tell. It is something I kept quiet for 2 weeks. It me and the boys at Walmart (otherwise known as Wallyworld) and I am wearing a Snuggie (ubiquitous but much loved and true) all over the place, from being a greeter to at Customer Service to in the aisles. With the boys. My wingwoman and BFF and photographer buddy by my side snapping away.
Just another day, and adventure, in my life. Yeah… that’s how I roll. It was and is dedicated to Once a Mother (who I will forever call, Always a Mama. Because she always will be, and she WILL BE…)
My guestblogger for the week is blocked so I guess I will find something to ramble on about at some point. But this entry is hysterical. It’s classic Half of a Duo, that is FOR SURE.
If you have heard of peopleofwalmart.com then you will know that, spurred on by a boatload of childhood friends, I was trying mightily to get on their site… and be added to the classic peeps there. I didn’t make it, though I WAS nominated.
http://micrimas.blogspot.com/2009/12/people-of-walmart-half-of-duo-style-yes.html
I’d bicycle all over Spain, with my family and a biking nanny.
Necesito cinco bicicletas y much0 gazpacho y sangria!
Volleyball on the beach would be SO much fun! I’m not all that picky about which beach, as long as the sand is beautiful and warm and the water is blue and cool. Now I have something to day dream about all day! YAY!!!
*HUGS*
I have only played Lego Star Wars on a borrowed Wii and got addicted, so we returned it. I’ve never played any of the sports of Fit games. We just picked one up for my mother-in-law for Christmas as she is a fitness nut and wanted one. So I’m excited to try hers later.
I have done some scuba diving and would love a scuba diving game. I’m sure someone can make a game that lets you decide where you want to go. My hubby is a private pilot and he has some flight simulator games that let you pick where you want to fly to and from. I love the idea of hiking and mountain climbing some great places. It’d be fun if someone can create a base jumping game too.
I would ride cross country through Europe on Horseback. Some day I will actually do it since there are companies all over the world that offer this amazing adventure.
My husband and I love hiking vacations – we’ve done one in New Zealand (honeymoon) and one in the Yorkshire Dales. I think if we could afford it, we’d go back to England and explore even further – we didn’t get to even a tenth of the places we wanted to see. If we had the time, we’d love to hike the Appalachian trail.
Ever since I read Hans Brinker in 4th grade, I have totally wanted to ice skate on the canals in the Netherlands. I don’t actually like Amsterdam that much, but I’d probably enjoy it more on the ice than on the too-busy streets. (I’d also probably enjoy it more if I were into getting stoned.)
The Amsterdam canals almost never freeze over anymore, though, so a backup plan would be to ice skate on the canals in Ottawa.
You can probably save your progress on an SD card and put it in a new wii so you don’t have to start over.
I’d ski in the Alps. This would be awesome since I can’t ski a bit. Fall down, yes; ski, no.
I love me some Wuhu Island! I get way too into it and it turns into a real workout. It makes everyone laugh when I forget what I’m doing and end up jumping to move the controller instead of flicking my arm while wakeboarding. 🙂
My vacation would probably be either sledding somewhere or swimming the Caribbean. Though some real wakeboarding might be in order soon…
We love our Wii! Can’t wait for Karl to get his Wii Ghostbusters game this Xmas. 🙂
I’d love to go kayaking around the Hawaiian islands. I’d never have the guts to do it in real life – I’d drown, for sure – but it’s a nice dream. Hey, why don’t they make a Wii game for that?! 🙁
The Wii people are onto it right now, I can tell.
I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to exercise. I don’t like exercise, and I’ve never had time for it (even on idle days). But I don’t mind being active, if it’s interesting.
I would… sail home from SE Asia. After rockclimbing in SE Asia. No wait – I would climb Asia, sail to NZ, then ski NZ.
I am totally trying to work out how I can get to do that trip before I die, now.
Bea
Dude! Yoga in India. Yoga in India, mountain climb to China, hike and cycle south to Vietnam, buy sailboat, sail to NZ… then ski. Probably there would be scuba diving somewhere along the boat trip route.
This is the best thread.
Bea
There would have to be horseriding, too. Maybe in NZ after the skiing.
Bea
Hmm, wii biking sounds complicated! BUT- a friend of mine lost 20 pounds in three months using Wii Fit (she dieted too but said until Wii fit she never really saw a budge on the scale). Between you and her I’m sold.
Biking sounds awfully fun….particularly through all the old streets of Europe. I’d love to start with Florence, I was there years ago and fell in love with the city. After that, I’d love to branch out. I’d love to see parts of Spain, Germany, Switzerland, the countryside in Great Britain, and I’m dying to see Prague…wow. So many places to go by bike! I don’t even bike!
Wuhu island sounds fantastic! It ~is~ a shame it isn’t real.
I love water, so if they could make some sort of swimming/snorkeling game that would be fantastic!!