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Table Tennis or Ping Pong

When I watch the Olympics and when Table tennis is up, three questions always come to mind. (1) Why is table tennis considered a qualified sport for the Olympics? (2) Did the Chinese invent the sport? And (3) What is the difference (if any) between table tennis and ping pong?

All I had to do what ask these questions online and so I did. All three answers can be found at All About Table Tennis. There is so much information there that, rather than me repeating it all, I think a couple links will suffice. Even more information can be found here.

Also, here’s the answer to Number 1: Table Tennis becomes an Olympic Sport.

Since the term ping pong is still used as meaning the same thing as table tennis, although it was trademarked in England, whether you are looking to purchase a ping pong table or a table tennis table, I’m sure what you want will be understood.

No More Crazy Jitters

I’ve been reading about Ephedra extract which is in products such as Stimerex ES and I don’t care whether it’s legal or not, even if I were interested in this type of product (fat burner, energy booster, appetite regulator, and natural duretic), I wouldn’t take my chances on taking it. It sounds like it’s potent.

I used to buy small packets of energy pills and after taking only one, I’d get so jumpy I’d practically scare myself. Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but it was pretty bad. I think they were pure caffeine. I hope it wasn’t anything else. I was wide awake, but I was so jittery I exhausted myself. It was crazy. And yet I can drink two mugs of coffee and not get that same affect. No crazy jitters. Hmm.

Review of Western Governors University

I’ve been asked to write a review for Western Governors University (WGU) and would like to say upfront that I am being compensated for this review, however, these are my opinions based on what I have read on their web site.

When I attended college the World Wide Web was brand-new and I didn’t even know that it existed. There wasn’t an option back then to earn an associate’s, a master’s or a bachelors degree online. Now, after 20 years, the web has exploded with online universities and WGU is one of them. What sets this online university apart from others is that rather than earning a degree by your attendance and earning credits, you earn by what you know and what you can do.

WGU is for highly motivated people who are focused and serious about their education and are willing to make that commitment. Because you only pay a flat tuition fee for each six month term, which begins on the first day of any month, you are encouraged to complete your studies quicker in order to save you time and money.

So, although they say that you can work at your own pace, it’s within reason, meaning the time frame that is set for each degree program. You’ll be working with a mentor who will help you determine what works best for you to get your degree.

Since WGU is a !00% online university, you can fit it around your busy life, usually working when and where you want. If you need to work at night when the kids are sleeping, for instance, you have that option. You can even do work while you’re at the beach. Sounds good to me.

Here are some facts about Western Governors University:

*WGU is a private, non-profit university and was founded by 19 U.S. state governors and is supported by several corporations and foundations, including AT&T, Dell, and HP.

*WGU received the 2008 USDLA 21st Century Award for Best Practices in Distance Learning.

*TIME Magazine called WGU “the best relatively cheap university you’ve never heard of.”

*WGU was featured on NBC Nightly News Reports with Brian Williams.

Goodness. There’s such high praise for WGU, and, like I said, you need to be highly motivated and ready to focus and commit to getting that degree quickly if you want to save money and get on using the knowledge in your career. I wouldn’t be a good candidate for this university right now because I would find it too daunting to remain focused like I need to be.

A Birthday Wish and Halloween Costumes

It’s almost Halloween which means carving pumpkins, ghost stories, caramel apples, candy, and of course, costumes. What I love is that it’s my baby sister’s (she’s not really a baby anymore) birthday and I get to wish her a happy birthday for the first time in I don’t know how many years. But that’s another story.

Whenever I go to a store that sells Halloween costumes at this time of year, I look at how expensive they keep getting. Thankfully I’ve never had to buy any. Even the sale prices aren’t always that low. Luckily there are online stores that offer great deals. Check out CouponTrunk.com’s Half Price Costumes coupons page where you can get a 10% discount and free shipping.

Sometimes shipping costs end up being more than the price of the product(s) and so if I shop online, one of the prerequisites is free shipping which you can get ordering $50 or more and using a Hollywood Toys & Costumes coupon.

There’s still time to save and you don’t have to drive anywhere to do it.

Chocolate Cravings and Indulgences

Oh dear. A day after I wrote the last few posts about weight loss I ate four chocolate cupcakes. Well, in my defense, I’m craving chocolate, which thankfully doesn’t happen all the time. It’s usually when I’m about to start my period or am on it. And it doesn’t last.

Today me and my daughter took a walk to Hilander. It was such a beautiful day and although my toe still hurts (which makes my entire foot hurt), I didn’t want this day to pass us by without enjoying it. If that were to happen, I’d find a way to curb it. Quick. I don’t intend on gaining 50 pounds.

After indulging on those cupcakes, the Snickers candy bar I had tonight, and the two cups of General Foods International Brand Coffee (Dark Mayan Chocolate – Wow! That’s delicious), I wonder if I should consider finding the best appetite suppressant. Nah. Like I said, this craving will pass. Well, it better anyway.

I’m not like those women who crave chocolate all the time. However…if I had it in the house all the time, those indulgences might be a daily occurance. Which is why I don’t. I love it, but I know what it does to this body. Why, oh why does chocolate have to be so good and so fattening? I’m sure there are ways to enjoy it without adding another person to our bodies, but is it as good? And is it cheap? That’s what I’d like to know. How about you? Any suggestions?

Weight Loss Surgery Can Help

Like I said before, I never used to worry about my weight until I had my second child. Who is now, by the way, an adult. I feel for those who do worry about their weight and if considering weight loss surgery Mexico is an option. I just don’t know if I could go through with it. There are so many different reasons that people gain weight and I also feel bad for them for being ridiculed. Please, look in the mirror before judging others. Your inner mirror, that is..

Weight loss surgery isn’t for everyone, but I believe that it can help those who it is for. From what I’ve seen, having the surgery doesn’t mean a person can just eat anything they want to whever they want to and however much they want to.

There is a risk of gaining the weight back. I’ve seen it happen. Not from anyone I know personally. Just from blogs I’ve read and what I’ve heard on TV about celebrities and people who have been on talk shows. I’m sure it’s a daily battle for those suffering from obesity. My heart goes out to all of you.

No Weight Worry and Enjoying Life

The more I write about weight loss, the more conscious I become of my own weight issues. I wonder if it’s confusing for people who want to lose weight and yet struggle with all of the different advice they get.

Some say to be happy with the way you are and the weight will come off. Some say to follow this kind of diet and that kind of diet. That’s why I don’t pay attention to one particular method. I just use what works for me and I toss the rest. Advice, that is.

I don’t want to be overweight and I also don’t want to worry about what others think. So, I’m just going to enjoy life and enjoy what I eat. In moderation. Except when I don’t. That is, except those times when I eat a little too much. But I won’t beat myself up over it.  It doesn’t happen everyday and I eventually lose the weight anyway.

When I was at my highest, I weighed around 203 pounds. I was selling ice cream at the time for neighborhood kids. I had a lot of ice cream. My fvorite was chocolate marshmllow. That’s what did it. That and chocolate malt powder. That was about 10 years ago. When I had to buy my first plus size piece of clothing, the ice cream milk shakes were no longer desirable. I went cold turkey, even with the ice cream still right there in my face.

Thankfully the weight went off quickly. I used to have times when I’d gain 10 pounds and then lose it again. Thankfully it doesn’t go any higher than that. But now I’m almost at the weight that I was after I gave birth to my youngest, who is now seventeen.

I’m not going to go on a diet like a lot of people do. I’m just going to do like I said above: eat what I want in moderation and not worry about the pounds. And enjoy life in the process.