Mystic Toad Press Blog

Scooters were first known as a child’s push vehicle that dates
back to before 1920. Advancements in technology led to the
development of small engines, which, when added to the
traditional scooter provided for a practical and affordable
means of transportation. Motor scooters have been a favorite in
European countries for decades. The low-power vehicle wasn’t too
attractive to the power-hungry American market until recently.
Sleek styling of the modern scooter, combined with the product
being seen in a variety of films has opened the door to the
American urban market.

Modern motor scooters feature either a small gasoline engine or
an electric motor, depending upon the vehicle’s design. Modern
scooters feature electric and gas motorized models. Competition
among scooter manufacturers and continuing sales has led to
unique design features, such as miniature low-powered
motorcycles. Motorized scooters, whether the rider is to sit or
stand, are considered low-power motor vehicles by many
municipalities and are subject to state and local regulations.
Some scooters meet Department of Transportation regulations for
operation on streets and roadways while others are prohibited
from being on the streets. Any time a motorized vehicle is
introduced into traffic areas, appropriate cautionary measures
must be taken and proper safety gear must be worn.

Scooters can be easily found in the retail market, however not
all retailers may carry all styles. Major discount or department
stores may only carry a couple of models that they believe will
be the most popular among their shoppers. A scooter store could
specialize in a variety of recreational scooters, while another
store will specialize in the mobility scooters. Retailers also
offer scooter accessories to enhance the experience as well as
replacement parts and service. Any style of scooter can be
purchased online for retail pricing. The current market demand
for scooters makes it hard to find them at wholesale prices for
a single purchase, but there are many opportunities for an
individual to become a scooter dealer.

Cancer isn’t for wimps. We have to endure shots, blood tests, pills, nausea, body aches, and many more discomforts. Along with the physical discomforts there are also emotional pains of facing cancer. The most emotional aspect of my cancer journey was my hair loss. It was emotional not because of my outward appearance, but rather the hair loss was a very visual reminder of my sickness. My hair loss brought home the reality that I do indeed have cancer.

In order to brace myself for my hair loss, I made sure that I had a wig ready for when I needed it. My fashion conscious daughters, Heidi age 16 and Steph age 13 helped me choose a wig that matched my hair color and style. They also had fun imagining their mom with long flowing locks of blond hair, or a curly, red, Shirley Temple style. We made jokes about hair to lighten the mood for that fateful day. Heidi said one evening “I heard that the longer that people are married, the more they start to look like each other” I’ve been married to my loving but bald husband for almost twenty years. Soon we looked like two bookends when we sat on the sofa together.

The day I was dreading, despite the joking around, finally came. Just two weeks after my first chemo treatment, my hair fell out in clumps and my scalp hurt like a bad sunburn. I decided to get a “G.I. Jean” buzz cut to relieve the pressure on my head and to eliminate the mess in the shower. I shed a few tears as I saw my dark brown hair falling to the floor. But I felt a sense of relief. I also felt a wave of reality sweep over me as I realized that I really do have cancer. In the early days of diagnosis, it took a while for the truth to set in. With the onset of hair loss, there was no denying it.

When my daughters saw my new haircut they reacted in very different ways. Heidi, was very quick to share the scientific reasons why my hair was falling out. “The chemo kills off cells that reproduce like digestive cells, hair cells and thankfully cancer cells.” Steph on the other hand, shed a few tears and wished I could just skip the hair loss part of chemo. She even snuck into my bathroom, and dug out some of my hair from the wastebasket, put it in a baggie and saved it so that she could always remember what my hair used to look like. Despite the emotions, the joking still goes on and I just join in the fun. After receiving the last cup of coffee in the pot I stated “This coffee is so strong it could grow hair on my chest. Oh, wait a minute. It can’t!”

Just as we are all unique, we will react differently to our treatments and our treatments will react differently toward us. Keeping a positive attitude can go a long way toward easing the pain. I have found that humor can be found in even the most emotional aspects of treatment. A good laugh can lift the spirits and heal the soul. No matter what cancer throws my way, I have to battle it with everything I’ve got, including my sense of humor. After all my hair loss is only temporary, but my life is forever.

http://www.writingup.com/blog/jwensink

I remember when I started trying to meditate. I would sit down,
close my eyes, and try to be really calm (my definition of
meditation at the time). That was hard: my head would burst with
ideas, thoughts, solutions, problems… I would become agitated,
and stopped generally after ten long minutes, if not less. It’s
during my short “meditations” that I felt less… meditative.

I knew there was something for me to explore that was beyond the
physical world. I knew I would unleash my potential, by “going
within”. And sitting meditation, as I knew it, was the #1
technique that would lead me there. Yet, I just couldn’t do it…
I was inadequate.

No, I wasn’t - and neither are you, if you are experiencing a
similar situation. It’s your definition of meditation that may
be inadequate.

The idea behind meditation is not to sit on a chair, and close
our eyes. Or to sit in lotus, and watch the leaves change
colors. You can do all this if you feel a call to do so, but
whatever technique you choose is just as relevant as the type of
fork you eat your meals with. Forks, meditations, cars, are just
tools that help us accomplish a specific task…

Meditation, we could say, is an “altered state of
consciousness”. We do not see things as we normally do; we feel
connected to something bigger than our everyday selves; we feel
“wider” than usual. In a few words, we are so immersed in
ourselves that we can transcend our own limitations. Now, the
question is: what do you need to feel that way (if so you wish)?
For some people, it’s gardening; for others, it’s laying down
comfortably and listening to music (it doesn’t even need to be
New Age…). I personally know someone who meditates by playing
card games on her computer. After a few minutes of calculating
her moves and keeping score, she looses touch with the cards,
and she “takes off”. Why don’t we value such activities as much
as those that involve candles, cushions, and incense? They may
be simple, or silly, but their impact often is important,
profound. Even more, they are easy and effortless. No need to be
disciplined - we are naturally attracted to them. In some ways,
maybe that’s why we don’t always see their true magnitude. They
are too accessible and natural. Mustn’t we pay a high price or
work hard to get anything of value? If it’s easy, it’s not worth
much… or so we were told.

For some people, meditating the conventional way (sitting down
and all) does not contribute to expanding their horizon. It may
look like they are meditating when they are doing it, but in
reality they are thinking about their problems, analyzing this
and that…they are relaxing, yes, but meditating, no. They would
probably have the deep experience they are looking for much more
easily by being active, by doing things just like those
mentioned before (repetitive tasks, especially, are very
effective in that regard). Of course, before washing the dishes,
or doing some gardening, we don’t really think “I’m going to
meditate”. But when we become aware of the higher potential
these activities hold for us, we can utilize them consciously
with that clear intention in mind.

Still, the point of this article is that we do not even need a
clear intention to meditate. In fact, when we want something too
much, we often become our first obstacle in the process -
especially when it comes to meditation. You cannot work hard to
attain something that is all about lightness, openness, and
receptivity. You cannot push yourself to open up. You can only
create favorable circumstances - and those can be anything, as
we have seen, since it is just a matter of which tool works best
for you.

So if your mind is constantly active, or extremely creative, and
your energy is so high you cannot sit down and close your eyes,
do not categorize yourself as unspiritual or “unmeditative”. You
may not be able to sit for hours in uncomfortable positions like
Tibetan monks do, but you too can accomplish things that they
would not even dream of doing. Sure, you would benefit greatly
from slowing down your thoughts and relaxing; but developing
strategies that suit you as you are now would probably serve you
even better. What could be the best way to meditate for you?