October is National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month

[Tobin S.]

I didn't know that until I saw it mentioned in another thread here. My birthday is in October and I'm glad to sort of have it associated with this.

I was bullied a bit as a kid. I was a shy, quiet type who was always carrying around a book. I guess the bullies thought I was easy picking. I started fighting back one day and after a bit of that they left me alone. I didn't do it as any kind of strategy, and I got my ass kicked a few times- I was just tired of getting picked on.

But I don't know if that's always the best thing to do. I'd guess that the anti-bullying experts would say no. If you were bullied, how did you deal with it? If you were a bully, what got you to change your ways? Or have you?

[HopeHoops]

1. It's also Breast Cancer Awareness month - FEEL YOUR BOOBIES!

I've got a couple of "I (heart) Boobies" wrist bands. Fortunately my wife's scan tested clean (recently). My high school guidance counselor had a double and chemo. I met up with her a few years back and she still looked great, but I could tell she was hurting. She so helped me out in one of the worst segments of my life. She also admitted that EVERY teacher in the high school smoked pot and the 11th Grade English teacher I had (hippie-headed fucker like me) provided the best stuff. I think that explains why she clued my dad into the fact that I was a stoner while I was in school. It takes one to know one.

[Tobin S.]

2. 10-4

I wonder what other causes are going on this month?

[HopeHoops]

4. I think it's also national vegetarian month, but that doesn't change anything for us.

[LWolf]

3. My students are all wearing their "boobie" bracelets this month.

Usually multiple rows on both arms. It drives my team partner crazy. He's male, fundie, and is the most prudish human, male or female, I've ever encountered. He's always having fits about what adolescent girls wear anyway. He's already given his speech about how the bracelets won't be tolerated after October.

They'd wear them anyway; to support breast health, AND, being adolescents, because they say "boobies." The many multiple bracelets on both arms, though; that's all for him.

[HopeHoops]

5. We had the fundies throw a fit over the boobies bracelets too. Kids still wore them.

I wore mine just to show solidarity with the kids. They aren't all that comfortable. I can't even where a wrist watch anymore (too many years of typing). I wear a pocket watch when I wear a vest and keep the cell phone clock on the analog setting (as are the ones on the computers). Unfortunately, I don't know where the boobies bracelets got off to, but as soon as I find them they'll go on.

[Phentex]

7. We celebrated you but I don't know if you saw it...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018206523

Kids attempted to bully me but never for long and I think I may have bullied back. I'm not proud of that and I hope I am not a bad memory for some of my long ago classmates.

I was very small and had a crazy family situation so I made an easy target. Until I used my mouth. Later, I learned I could actually defuse the bully with some attention and concern. I look back and realize some of these kids had horrible home lives, much worse than mine, and it had hardened them. Or they used bullying to redirect their pain.

[Tobin S.]

8. Thanks for the link. I did not see that.

I've been so busy I don't know whether I'm coming or going. Not much time for DU now days.