Small Success Thursday!

It's Thursday in all it's Weekly Awesomeness!


Every week, we take stock of the little victories that are the hallmark of motherhood. If you'ld like to join in, just use Mr. Linky and post your Small Successes on your blog or in the comment section here.  Then go blog hopping to 1) see how everyone else is doing 2) be inspired and discover a few new beautiful writers/mothers and doers out there and 3) be part of their support and encouragement to keep on doing by leaving a comment. 

So here's this week's wrap up:

1) I have only missed working out one day this past week using the Wii Fit.  Several people asked for a review in the comment section last week.  Upside: Loads of fun. Motivation to work out.  Zero excuses as it's not like I have to drive anywhere or even get babysitters to be able to work out. Downside: Don't think the wii's system of measuring calories or mileage is accurate or I'd be on the Olympic Cross Country Team.  (See prior post Virtual Reality for details).

2) Got a hair cut.  It was getting where the only way I tolerated my locks was if they were balled up in a pony tail.  Still needs a touch of color, (Hello Sherry, your ego is on line one and doesn't like being put on hold) but it looks nice. 

3) One of my favorite Catholic bloggers out there, Larry D of Acts of the Apostasy once wrote about how mini-fasts are like offering up a cross of toothpicks, and he surrendered Diet Coke.  I don't know how long he fasted, but I love the image of a cross of toothpicks.  Last week, I did fast from the computer.  I failed to do so this week, but I've been trying to give up a cross of toothpicks each day --chocolate, griping, diet coke one day, and I've stumbled too --when I tried to abstain from meat, I forgot and then after I forgot, instead of continuing, I allowed myself to quit for the day.  Whether I succeed or fail, these little fasts are good reminder to me how attached I am to what brings me comfort, what appetites dominate my will.

4) Took six kids to the dentist yesterday, only one cavity! Even the dentist said, "It's defying the odds."

5) Made a pitch for a piece in a newspaper.  We'll see. 

Now it's your turn! I can't wait to see what all of you folks have been up to this past week. (Now that my computer is back, I'll be able to get to leaving comments much easier --had to wait my turn with the family machine last week and there's always a line). :)

The Eye of the Tiger vs. the Energy of the Sloth: The Great Debate

My brother restarted his blog and his running regimen. Go, enjoy. It's a fun read.

The Eye of the Tiger vs. the Energy of the Sloth: The Great Debate: "The following is an example of the typical conversation I have with myself every other day in the summer heat of Houston. Lazy Me: You do..."

Virtual Reality

As followers of this blog know, I now have a Wii fit. I've been asked if it's good, and to give a review.

I will say, it is fun, it has promoted exercise in my family and according to it, I've jogged in place roughly 30 miles since last week.  Given that before last week, I had not run mile one in about three years, you'ld think the pounds would be melting away.

Alas the virtual miles do not make the actual pounds disappear. I've gained two! My Wii Mii is flabby in the middle like me.  Speaking from the tiny part of me that is completely vain, I'd like a little less realistic reality in my virtual avatar. 

Then there's the Wii Mii age. The machine gives you your physical age based on a series of tests.  I've been 63, 54, 49, 33, and 25.  It's very demoralizing when your kids tell you, "Hey Mom...it says you're old and overweight.  The Wii said so." 

The Wii also says I'm running 12.6 miles in an hour. I've NEVER done that, I don't think it's physically possible given my airway issues.  So the skeptic in me has awakened.  How is it possible I'm jogging nearly the equivalent of a half a marathon a day in an hour? How is it I am morphing into Supergirl when I run in the Wii world and staying slug flabby Mii both on the screen and in real life?  Is the Wii lying to me in my activity, telling me what I want to hear in one area but not the other? If the machine is going to lie to me, I wish it would tell me I'm thinner for all these miles.

Here's what I do know...reality is always harder than virtual; rockband is easier than practicing a guitar, blogging is easier than writing for a publication, and Facebook is no substitute for time spent with friends.

Sigh...Nothing good or great or worthwhile is easy. Nothing of value does not require commitment.
I'm reminded of the quote, "Of course it's hard. If it was easy then everybody would do it. Its the hard that makes it great."--from A League of Their Own. 

Wii Fit is the exercise equivalent of diet food dessert.  It almost works, but not quite because we know what the real cheesecake tastes like.    It is real enough, I'm working out and that's a start.   I still like the Wii, but tomorrow, I'm going to try running outside and see what happens...I'll let you know how far I get in those sixty minutes outside of the Wii world.  Hopefully actual exercise in the real world will yield better results than the Wii world has.  I'll let you know.