Month: November 2022

Townies, Cronies, and Hayseeds II C8-13

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Roxie walked up to Jane and put her arm around her.

“Jane, what just happened?” she asked, concerned.

“Just forget it! And forget him!” she said as she swiped her books up and stormed off to class. Roxie followed her.

“Jane, let’s go to the bathroom and talk. I think I know what’s eating Bruce.”

“I don’t care,” Jane snapped.

Roxie walked beside her.

“Yes, you do, Jane. Who do you think you’re kidding? I’m your friend,” she told her, “Now, please. Come to the girls’ room with me and I’ll tell you what’s going on. Okay?”

Jane stopped and thought for a moment. She then looked at Roxie.

“Okay,” she agreed.

Smokin’ in the Girls’ Room

In the bathroom, Roxie and Jane hid in one of the stalls. Roxie pulled out a joint, then lit it before taken two puffs and passing it to Jane.

“Here, this will relax your nerves,” Roxie assured as Jane took the joint and puffed on it.

After taking two big puffs, Jane handed it back to Roxie. Roxie then snuffed the joint out with her fingers and put it into an empty makeup compact and closed it.

“Let’s find another bathroom. If a teacher comes in, she’ll smell weed and we’ll get busted. And the sheriff would love nothing better. He hates my family,” Roxie said.

“He hates yours too, huh?” Jane asked as she and Roxie quickly exited the bathroom.

The two girls made their way through the crowded halls until they found a smaller bathroom to hide in.

“It’s almost time for class. We’re going to be late if we’re not careful,” Jane warned.

“I know. But they’ll only give us a slap on the wrist- a tongue lashing or something like that. It won’t be serious.” Roxie assured as they stood in front of the vanity. She then changed the subject.

Roxie Lets Jane in on a Secret

“Now, about Bruce? Everybody’s laughing at him and saying that a girl fought his battles for him. They’re saying that Bruce would have gotten his ass kicked if it weren’t for you,” Roxie informed her.

“Right! His manhood’s wounded, I get it!” Jane said in a sarcastic tone.

“Wait a minute, Jane. I didn’t say you did anything wrong. You didn’t,” Roxie assured her.

“I know I didn’t. Roxie, there were eight of those creeps! Eight! And they tried to jump us both! What was I supposed to do, let them kick our asses. As many of them as there were compared to only two of us! They would’ve hurt us really badly! Probably maimed us! Even killed us! I was fighting for me too! Not just him!” Jane cried.

“I know. Look! I’ll talk to Bruce,” Roxie told her.

“No, don’t worry about it. Please, Roxie. He’ll only think that I put you up to it. I know how guys think. If he’s going to act like a jerk, then piss on him,” Jane said.

Jane Scoffs at Male Pride

“Okay. I won’t. But just ignore him and he’ll come around eventually. Hell, he was crazy about you, and I think he still is. He’s just pissed off right now because he feels less like a man.”

“I’ve already had a bad morning. My mom chewed me out this morning before I got on the bus. And maybe she was right. If we hadn’t gone to the park to begin with, none of this would’ve happened and Bruce and I might not be angry at each other. But I’m not going to cry over spilled milk. Screw it.”

Suddenly, the school bell rang and both girls were late for class. They both grabbed their books and ran out of the bathroom.

Looking at The Bully’s Perspective

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Bullies perceive their target as their enemy even when the target has done nothing to them and even as they’re ritually abusing and torturing the poor soul. And once the target speaks out about the abuse, that enmity only increases exponentially.

The bullies get a fix on the target and he/she is all they can focus on because they feel threatened.

Bullies and abusers only see from their own perspective and their perspective has the target as an opponent to be punished- a threat who must be contained and even eliminated. Bullies aren’t concerned with the fact that their anger and hatred are irrational. They don’t think that they’re destroying a fellow human being much like themselves- a human being with thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Bullies are oblivious to the fact that the impetus of their violence comes from the primal part of their brains.

Know Your Bully

Understand that if you’re a target of bullying, your bullies see you as the enemy, right or wrong. They view you as bad and evil and they want revenge. They have no inhibitions of destroying you because they think they’re the good guys and they’re doing the right thing by destroying you: evil enemies must be annihilated.

In the Mind of a Bully, The Target Owes Them Respect

And when the target doesn’t show the bullies the respect they feel they’re entitled to, or in the way the bullies think it should be shown, they become enraged and seek to destroy the person.

The power-dynamic between bully and target is always zero-sum. The bully feels the target deserves nothing but hostility and abuse from them but, in contrast, the target owes them respect…and he owes it to them as they’re abusing him.

From the bully’s perspective, the target must atone for their flaws, their shortcomings, and their evil by lying down and “letting” the bullies torment her.

But when and where does it stop?

It doesn’t. As we know, bullying only gets worse until somebody dies or leaves.

If you’re a target of a bully, understand this. It doesn’t matter what the bully’s perspective is. It doesn’t matter what the bully thinks. Neither the bully nor anyone else has a right to violate your boundaries, physical nor psychological.

I want you to know that you have a right to learn, work, or live in a safe environment. You have a right to be in a nourishing environment that allows you to flourish. And you owe respect to no one who hasn’t earned your respect. Bullies and abusers deserve no respect from you. Anyone who deliberately sets out to hurt you does not deserve anything from you. Understand that you must value yourself and put yourself first.

If someone is abusing you, you have every right to take care of yourself. You have not only a right but an obligation to yourself to either walk away from the person or, if you can’t walk away- if the bully won’t let you walk away, then you have a right to defend yourself. Realize that you are valuable, and you matter just as much as the next person.

And everyone has flaws, not only you. If anyone bullies you, then they have no business coming anywhere near you. Always remember that.

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Townies, Cronies, and Hayseeds II C8-12

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Grandma gave Jane her compress and she sat at the table, holding it against the bruise on the side of her head.

After Grandma treated Bruce’s eye. Bruce got up.

“Listen, I gotta head home. I just called my dad, and he is thoroughly POed! A real monster of a tongue-lashing awaits me, and I’d like to go ahead and get it over with,” Bruce explained.

“Well hang on and let me get my keys. I’ll take you home in my truck,” Grandma offered.

“Thanks, Mrs. Bennett,”

“Jane, you stay here with Olivia and the baby while I run Bruce home,” Grandma ordered.

Bruce kissed Jane on the cheek.

“I’ll see you at school in the morning,” he softly told her.

A Mother’s Concern

Later that night, Brielle arrived from work. When she caught sight of Jane sitting in the kitchen with Grandma, a stern look slowly crept across her face.

“I got your text this afternoon,” Brielle told her in a firm voice, “Do you mind telling me why you chose to go to the park with some boy instead of taking the bus home from school?”

“Mom, I didn’t think it would be a big deal as long as I told you where I was,” Jane replied, “I was honest, wasn’t I?”

“That’s not all that happened,” Grandma added, “Look the side of her face.”

“What?” Brielle shouted. She saw the bruise as she stood over Jane, placing her hands on her hips.

“Please tell me you didn’t get into another brawl…and on the first day of school!” Brielle said, raising her voice.

“Gee thanks, Grandma B! Couldn’t you’ve just let me break it to her?” Jane cried.

“Would you have told her, Jane?”

“Yes!”

“Keep your voice down,” Brielle scolded.

Jane turned back to her mother.

Brielle’s Dismay and Bruce’s Bruised Pride

“Mom, look. There were eight creeps against the two of us and they were getting ready to jump us! You should’ve seen Bruce and what they did to him! We didn’t have any choice but to fight!” she cried.

“It’s not the fighting I’m angry at! Defend yourself if you have to! But it’s the fact that you went traipsing off to the park with some boy when you should’ve gotten your butt on that school bus and came home like you were supposed to!” Brielle chided.

“But Mom- “

Brielle put her hand up.

“Let’s just can it for tonight. I’ve had a long day, I’m tired, and I’m ready to go home and go to bed. We’ll resume this discussion in the morning,” she told her.

When Jane returned to school the next day, she saw Bruce sitting in the library and joined him.

“Hey, what’s up?” Jane greeted.

“Nothing,” Bruce said in a cold tone.

Jane noticed that he was distant and avoided eye contact with her. She gasped in indignance.

“’Something wrong?” she asked in a huff.

“I don’t wanna talk about it right now,” Bruce answered hotly as he got up and walked away.

Jane stood up and watched him go, shocked at the change of attitude. Her eyes then narrowed, brows furrowed, and lips thinned.

“Well, who the hell pissed in your cheerios!” She shouted.

Bullying and Toxic Conformity

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Conformity can be good because we conform to sensible laws and rules in order to ensure a safe and well-run society. Conformity holds us together. However, toxic conformity is never good and can place us in danger.

What Toxic conformity brings:

Toxic conformity brings unawareness, silence to wrongdoings and injustices. Also, it promotes abuse of power and totalitarian authoritarianism.

In a toxic environment, bullies in power demand that you agree with everything they say and do. Right or wrong, they expect you to keep your mouth shut if you disagree. Moreover, you’re cannot give off any nonverbal language of opposition. In other words, you must go along if you expect to get along.

Because, if you don’t, the powers that be will subject you to ostracism, rejection, smear campaigns, even physical violence. And in extreme cases, the bullies in power will send mobs to your door. Consequently, you may endure physical torture and murder.

Schools and workplaces with a culture of bullying demand total conformity, absolute loyalty, or- toxic conformity. Totalitarian authoritarian communities and societies also demand these things. In these types of environments, there’s no margin for error.

Expect to be Ostracized if You Don’t Conform to a Bully’s Buffoonery

Moreover, you can’t deviate even the slightest bit without being punished in some way, shape, or form. And it doesn’t matter if the deviation was an honest mistake. In other words, they don’t allow you to be human. For instance, in schools and workplaces where people practice toxic conformity, creativity isn’t allowed. In communities and societies of this nature, the head honchos forbid free thought and expression.

Understand bullies see anyone who doesn’t conform to their rules and standards as a threat to their power. And they will make that person pay dearly for daring to be different. Anyone having the audacity not to stay in lockstep with their morals (or lack thereof), rules, and standards faces danger.

As I mentioned, if you dare to be different- to show creativity and talents, God help you. Having your own thoughts, opinions, and ideas puts you at risk of the bullies’ hatred and brutality.

Therefore, if you’re a target of bullying, it’s imperative that you find a way out of that environment. Otherwise, you may pay dearly with your health and peace of mind. I realize that it won’t be easy. Nothing worthwhile is easy.

 Change, especially positive change, is never easy.

However, persecuted people have uprooted and left their home countries for the US in order to attain freedom. And they found a better life. So, how much easier would it be to leave a toxic school or workplace? Find an environment where you’re free to be yourself, express different ideas, create, grow, and flourish. Only then will you truly be free!

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Benefits of Baiting and Triggering Bullies

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This may be scary to do but trust me. Get your bullies angry enough at you and they will come to you. Play on the natural human tendency to react out of anger when pushed or baited. Get your bullies to reach to your moves. Make them pursue you because they only expend their own energy by chasing you. An added benefit to this is that it forces the bullies to act on your terms.

Also, when you trick them into pursuing you, you automatically fool them into thinking that they’re controlling the situation.

However, there’s one requirement for this to work:

You must remain calm.

Calmness always equals the ability to think more clearly. Emotions, on the other hand, block your ability to think and strategize effectively.

When you do get your bullies to come for you, always get them either on your territory. If you cannot get them into your element, then choose neutral ground. Never meet bullies on their turf! It’s much too dangerous.

If you can get your bullies on your territory, you’ll keep your bearings while the bullies will be on the defensive because they’ll be on unfamiliar ground. They won’t feel you pulling their invisible strings.

Make your bait so sweet that your bullies can’t refuse. Use yourself as bait if necessary, especially if they’re so POed at you that they can’t see past their desire to “get you.” Their intense rage will blind them to reality and they’ll be more than happy to come to where you are.

The angrier they are, the more desperate they’ll be to get back at you and the easier they’ll be for you to lead them by the nose right into the trap that you’ve prepared for them.

But do it with caution, of course.

And if you can get your bullies to dig their own graves, you’ve already won.

To quote Sun Tsu, “Never interfere when an enemy is destroying themselves.”

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Townies, Cronies, and Hayseeds II C8-11

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This was the girls’ time to pounce. In the split-second Jane turned her attention to Bruce, they attacked. With Ashley sucker-punching her from the side and Breanna shoving her to the ground from behind. As Audrey was about to stomp Jane while she was on the ground, Jane quickly took her foot swept Audrey’s legs from underneath her, knocking her sideways to the ground. She then jumped up and took the three girls on.

As Breanna threw a punch, Jane moved fast as lighting as she dodged, grabbed her wrist, then twisted her arm behind her, forcing Breanna to double over to protect her arm. While maintaining a firm grip on Breanna’s arm, Jane quickly turned to see Audrey running up behind her. She delivered a kick to Audrey’s knee, causing her to howl in pain as she dropped to the ground. She then wrenched Breanna’s arm, pulling muscles and tendons and causing Breanna to cry out in intense pain before letting go.

This time, Breanna and Audrey were temporarily disabled, unable to move quickly because of their injuries. Ashley then grabbed Jane by the hair, twisting it around her wrist to get a firm hold, but Jane quickly twisted in a way that twisted Ashley’s arm, then grabbed a hold of her arm and slung her to the ground.

Climax

Just then, Chandler, having recovered, grabbed Jane from behind.

“How about I show you what a real man feels like, you dirty little whore!” He shouted just before Jane jabbed him in the torso with each of her elbows, then did a pivet and spin, delivering roundhouse to the side of Chandler’s head, sending him to the ground unconscious.

A bruised and bloodied Bruce was being pummeled by Ron, Bryson, and Daniel. With Breanna holding her sprained arm and, at the same time, trying to help a limping Audrey toward the parked vehicles, Ashley crawled on the ground behind them, reaching out for either of them to help her up. Seeing the girls slink off to the vehicles and Chandler, still on the ground unconscious, Jane ran to help Bruce.

Bruce, although pummeled, managed to get a few good licks in, punching Ron in the nose and busting Daniel’s lip. He then delivered a brutal eye gouge to Bryson. Jane ran up to the boys and yelled.

“Hey asshole! Turn around and face me!”

Standing Up for a Friend

Bryson turned around only to get the business end of Jane’s fist, right in the eye. Daniel managed to get behind Jane and grab her before body-slamming her to the ground. Jane landed on her side, then rolled over on her back just in time to see Daniel stand straddle of her, raising one foot high in the air to stomp her. Quick as a flash, she drew her knee to her chest and delivered an upward kick, catching Daniel directly in the crotch, and catapulted him backwards.

Daniel hit the ground with a hard thump, then let out a high-pitched shriek, like a girl. He grabbed his throbbing jewels and curled into a fetal position on the ground.

“Awww, fuuuuck!” He continued to shriek. He then coughed and vomited.

Jane looked up to see Ron fall after Bruce delivered the last brutal punch to his face. She got up slowly as Bruce ran up to her.

“We got to get the hell out of Dodge, fast! Come on, Jane, let’s go!” He shouted as he grabbed her by the hand. And the two ran out of the park as fast as their feet could carry them.

An hour later, Grandma Bennett’s front door flew open, Grandma Bennett jumped out of her easy chair to see Jane help Bruce into the house and lay him on the couch. Bandit ran down the stairs, barking frantically. Bruce’s left eye was swollen and turning black and blue. A trail of dried blood run from each corner of his mouth. Bruce was conscious but grunted in pain. He guarded his ribs.

Aftermath

“What in the Sam Hill!” Grandma shouted.

“We got into a fight in the park, Grandma B! Eight classmates tried to jump us!” Jane replied.

Bandit continued the loud barking before Grandma scolded him.

“Be quiet, Bandit. It’s just Jane. It’s alright, boy,” she said as she petted the dog to get him to calm down. She looked at Jane.

“The baby’s upstairs asleep.”

Grandma then knelt beside Bruce. Bandit lay on his belly in the corner, whimpering.

“Try to relax, young man,” She advised, “Stay with him, Jane. I’m going to the kitchen to get an old-fashioned home remedy and make a compress for that eye.”

When Grandma came back with the wet compress and put it over Bruce’s eye. Bruce grimaced not only in pain, but in disgust also.

“God, it stinks!” he said, “ugggh!”

“Well, it’s Apple cider vinegar and it’s gonna keep your face from swelling up like a balloon,” Grandma told him.

Grandma’s Home Remedy

She looked at Jane’s face, then took her by the chin and turned her face to the side to see a bruise on the side of her head.

“Oh, Lord Jesus, Jane! That’s looks bad! Let me go get another compress!”

Olivia came running down the stairs. She gasped when she saw Jane kneeling over the strange boy on the couch. The little middle-schooler was so shocked she couldn’t speak.

“Where’s Mom?” Jane asked, “We stopped by the house, but nobody was home.”

“She had to go into work early today. Jo got sick so Atticus called your mama in around lunchtime,” Grandma called back from the kitchen, “What on Earth were you two doing at the park. You were supposed to get on the bus and get off here. I called the school. Didn’t they give you the message?”

“No. I’m afraid they didn’t, Grandma,”

“Well, shoot! I can’t say I’m surprised! Those yoo-hoos at Thomasville High don’t give a crap!”

“Nope. They don’t,”

The Family’s Reaction

“So, why were you at the park when you should’ve been on the bus home?”

“We just wanted to go to the park for a little while, Grandma. And I texted Mom and let her know where I was,” Jane replied.

“Yeah, well, she was at work and couldn’t leave. But you can bet dollars to donuts that your mama’s going to ring your neck when she gets here tonight! I don’t think she’s going to like it one bit when we tell her what happened. So, you’d best brace yourself, honey,” Grandma warned, “Of course that’s a small price compared to what’ll happen if the sheriff catches wind of it! And you can be sure that he will! He’s got ears all over the place!”

Parents and Children Being Bullied and Doxxed by Vengeful School Boards

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Here’s what one parent had to say on Facebook. I’m withholding her name to protect her identity.

“I think I am going to throw up! I’m having a PTSD moment.

Please read the entire post and share. Parents need to know.

This man should be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law in which is possible. Cyber Crimes and Stalking and Doxxing and a whole slew of other charges they can find!

Why do I feel this way? As you have been made of aware what happened to my child and the dysfunction by so called professional Educators and so called Professional Councilors and even a School Psychologist involved. Targeting and bullying and destroying a child and a parent. To my surprise after even dealing with legal aid who did absolutely nothing and I am doing everything possible I can for my son I get all my child’s education records!

I suggest to all parents you do the same. You might be surprised of what you might find!!

There is a envelope in my child’s education files! What do I find? I find Hippa Law Violation: Private medical records sent to the school and it even had mentioned my personal information and of course no one would believe me and everyone else covered their asses! Till this day no one has been prosecuted for anything these so called professionals did to my child and breaking laws.

Just disgusted at what these people have lowered themselves to, Arizona Educators, here in Ohio and across America.”

Doxxing cyber bullying

https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Farizona-school-district-says-independent-investigator-examine-alleged-dossier-parents&h=AT35l_7jx66xUS0_i2Yte80gFDNoSBs2P1LA1PxxNIxSth56CJZVrECXDJwX0Fa0yZcU5zpXIJMt6hUgSHCY0y8us4sfFUhfrzFChI2mTw0qzapXJKt-vhFny6emgEFTwBeBpQI_LJVbvbZRJA

My take:

This is bullying on a grand scale, by school officials. And my advice to these parents is to take their kids out of public school and homeschool right away. Taking their kids out of these schools is the only way to even hope to hold these school officials accountable. Because with each child that exits public schools goes an average of $100.00 of funding per day in attendance. And it adds up quickly! Without kids, schools lose money! So, hit them where it hurts, parents!

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Weaponizing Your Bullies’ Triggers

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bullying baiting

Here’s how you expose the bullies for the brutes they are. Use their own tactics against them! How you do this is to find what triggers their emotions, then use it to your advantage.

And why not? They’ve been doing the same to you for a long time now, haven’t they? As much as I hate to say it, sometimes you must play the bully’s game if you expect to survive. And I know it’s not a pleasant place to be. It sucks! But sometimes, you must wade through crap to come out clean on the other side.

Here’s how you do it!

1. Get the bully in public – in front of coworkers and supervisors, or classmates and teachers. Then very sneakily do something you know will trigger them. Bait them into a reaction, then stand back and watch with pleasure as the bully yells, screams, curses, and exposes themselves in front of everyone.

If you live in a one-party consent jurisdiction, record the outburst, and if you’re sure it’s safe, blast it all over social media.

2. Befriend others the bully has bullied (preferably people who’ve been fired or no longer have any contact with the bully). Then have them spread it all over social media. Give the bully the reputation they so deserve. Befriending others the bullies has harmed also has another way of getting under their skin. Bullies hate it when you talk to people they hate. Also, they especially hate it when their targets unite and form a group! That really ticks them off because, deep down, it intimidates them. Think about it, bullies always run in packs and they catch their targets when they’re alone. But when a group of targets ban together, the bullies then feel threatened because they lose power.

Exposure is the best way to conquer bullies! So, out them! Better yet, trick them into outing themselves!

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Townies, Cronies, and Hayseeds II C8-10

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“Ooooh, will ya look at this, guys!”

Bruce paused and Jane flinched as they looked up and saw Chandler, Kevin, Ron, and Bryson approaching. In the street behind them was a waiting quad-cab pick-up truck, which was a shiny, new, silver Ford F-150. A shiny new red sports car pulled in behind the truck and out stepped Daniel from the driver’s side. Alice in Chains’ “Them Bones” blared from the car’s speakers as Breanna got out of the passenger side. Then, a third vehicle pulled up, a jeep, in which sat Audrey and Ashley. Both girls climbed out.

As the group of eight approached the new couple, Chandler spoke again.

“Damn, Bruce! We didn’t think you had it in you, boy!” he said.

Jane looked at Bruce.

“Look, Bruce. Let’s just go. I don’t want any drama and I hate fighting. Please let’s just go. You don’t have to prove anything to those creeps! I already know you’re a man!” Jane pleaded.

The Bullies Lay Down the Gauntlet

“Jane, I’m not running from these worthless pieces of shit!” Bruce said as he and Jane wrapped their arms tighter around each other.

“Well, isn’t that sweet! The lover boy is protecting his sweet love. ‘Must be really nice,” Breanna taunted.

“We’ve waited a long time for this, Jane! What? ‘You really believe the reprieve you got was by accident? Did you really believe we’d just give up and go away? Huh?” Audrey asked in a mocking tone.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Jane growled, looking at Breanna as if to dare her, “What? Are you a bunch of stalkers now?”

Ashley scoffed before speaking.

“Stalkers? Ha-ha!” Ashley mocked before turning to Breanna and Audrey, then to each the guys, “Did you hear that, y’all? She just called us, us…a bunch of stalkers! Can you believe the audacity of this bitch?”

“Damn, boy! Ya girlfriend’s got bigger balls than you do!” Ron derided.

Challenging the Bullies

“Oh, really! Are you so stupid as to think that eight people on two makes you a man? Hell, you couldn’t survive without your wingmen, could you, Chicken Chandler?” Bruce challenged as he stepped in front of Jane, glaring at the bullies and placing his arms akimbo, “So, I tell ya what. If you’re a man, prove it! Take me one on one! Without any interference from your buddies! I dare ya!”

The split-second micro-expression of surprise flashed across Chandler’s face before he looked around at his friends.

“Boy, this bastard has great big, hairy balls the size of watermelons, don’t he?” He said before his friends roared in mocking laughter.

Chandler then turned back to Bruce.

“Alright, freak! I accept your challenge!” He said as he pulled off his muscle shirt to reveal six-pack abs, a bulging chest and well-chiseled guns.

Put Up or Shut Up

Jane just stood there, speechless, as she watched Bruce pulled his tee shirt off to reveal the same. Each boy faced each other, each placing a dominant leg back and throwing up their dukes. Chandler danced backwards, trying to dance around Bruce, prompting Bruce to slowly turn, maintaining his focus on him and his fisted guard up.

The girls surrounded Jane, prompting Jane to take a defensive stance, placing one leg behind the other and putting her hands up in preparation. The girls flinched and backed off.

“Yeah! That’s what I thought!” Jane snapped, raising her voice.

“That’s okay! We’ll get you after Chandler’s finished with your boyfriend…slut!” Breanna growled.

Meanwhile, Chandler took a swing at Bruce, but Bruce dodged and belted him in the stomach, then caught him under the chin with an upper cut. This caused Chandler to bite his tongue and his head to snap back.

Seeing Chandler stumbling, coughing, grabbing his wounded torso, and spitting blood, the other boys immediately charged Bruce. Seeing what was about to happen, Jane screamed.

“Bruce! Behind you!”

Sample Canva Creation

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Inspired by one of my fellow bloggers, Betty, I have a new interest in Canva, and thought I’d try it and get my feet wet. It’s certainly not the best as I’m far from being an expert at designing, but it’s a start one must crawl before they can walk.

But oooh! Canva is so fun and it’s definitely sprouting a new hobby!

Never Conform to a Bully’s Standards

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Understand that a bully’s standards are unachievable. No matter what you do, who you are, where you’re from, or what you have; bullies will always- always move the goalposts, change the rules, and find something else to use against you. Bullies will even weaponize your best qualities.

Therefore, you should always be yourself, no matter how difficult it may be. Don’t change for anyone. Realize that anytime you conform to someone else’s standards, you only lower your own.

The way you dress, your interests, etc.

Bullies will often make fun of the way you dress- even if you dress fashionably. Understand that with bullies, it’s not about the way you dress. It’s not about your hair, makeup, your attire, hobbies, favorite music, your family, or anything they make fun of. No!

Its about power and control.

It’s about having the power to make you feel bad about yourself and taking away your confidence, your pride, your happiness, your health, peace of mind, everything that matters.

Your personality.

We all have quirks. Never change your personality. Continue to be yourself. Realize that anything you change to appease a bully today will be ridiculed tomorrow. Again, bullies have a desire to control you to get that ego boost they’re seeking. So, understand that they get their kicks from making you jump through hoops to win their approval.

And you know what? You don’t need their approval.

Just continue to be yourself and calmly blow the bullies off. Eventually, they’ll get bored and find another target.

Only you know what you like and don’t like. Only you can know what feels right to you and what’s best for you, so, don’t sell yourself short by living up to someone else’s expectations. They don’t know you the way you do and you’re a separate person from them. Always remember that.

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Songs That Lift Your Spirits

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No matter what I might have been going through in the past, music has always made my day. I’d either rock out to hair bands like Dokken, Motley Crue, and Judas Priest; or shake my booty to some Janet Jackson, Cece Peniston, and Paula Abdul. Whatever your taste, music sure does lift the soul!

Here are a few tunes that can light a fire under my butt:

“Turbo” – Judas Priest

“Lightning Strikes Again” – Dokken

“Mr. Scary” – Dokken

“Wildside” – Motley Crue

“Because of Love” – Janet Jackson

“Promise of a New Day” – Paula Abdul

“Hit by Love” – Cece Peniston

“Finally” – Cece Peniston

Targets of Bullying and Critical Thinking

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Having been a target of bullying in the past and spoken to other survivors of bullying through the years, I’ve noticed another factor that marks people for bullying- a virtue that bullies, authoritarians, and despots despise in others- virtues that make targets, well… targets.

People like us tend to think critically. We’re not like most people. Never do we blindly trust, follow, and obey authoritarian types who think they know more than we do. We question authority. We automatically ask ourselves, “If we follow along, what’s in it for them?” Then, we figure out what their possible motives are.

We Question Everything!

Those like us aren’t too lazy to read the fine print or do our research and figure out the facts. Also, we’re also superb at reading between the lines- reading subtext and deciphering context, non-verbal communication, and probing for incongruousness. If something feels “off,” we’re automatically suspicious of it. Moreover, we know that 2+2=4, not 5! And we know when someone is trying to manipulate us. We practically have a radar for manipulation.

We question narratives and probe the status quo. Also, we do things differently and make it a point to live life on our terms, not someone else’s. Therefore, we’re willing to take whatever comes with it. We refuse to be controlled by feckless fools who are drunk with power. We know all too well that power corrupts because we’ve been victims of it. Everyone is at some point.

People like us are not likely to be ruled by fear. We follow our own intuitions and are very creative with new ideas. We consistently search for better ways of doing, living, and being. Consequently, most people despise us for it. Why? Because most people are trained to follow, and they fall in line and take the safest way through life.

We’re Not Afraid to be Different!

However, we’re not afraid to be different. Again, bullies loathe us for that! And the unspoken messages we get from every direction are clear:

How dare you?

You dare to question those in power?

How dare you scrutinize the beloved and timeless status quo?

How dare you think that you can live your life your way?

Who do you think you are?

How dare you presume to know what’s best for you? Better than peers, teachers, supervisors, institutions, media, governments, and other entities of the ruling authority?

How dare you think that you know more about yourself than we do?

We’re the experts! Not you!

We have the degrees and credentials! Not you!

Oh, the nerve!

The audacity!

The chutzpah!

How dare we?

We Don’t Mind Rocking the Boat!

Oh, yes! People like us get those subliminal messages every day. Nevertheless, when we see that it’s all to their benefit and not ours, we’re not afraid to give the rule-makers a proverbial middle finger. We may not come out and say it, but we show it in our calm and quiet disobedience and refusal to go along. We do it by simply continuing to live our lives the way we want and in a way that gives us advantages.

Bullies hate us because we don’t walk lightly. We’re not afraid to make waves. We’re willing to rock the boat if we don’t like something. We don’t mind going against the grain if we suspect that “the rules” might harm us. Why? Because we cherish freedom, autonomy, and self-determination. And we’ll die before we give them up.

Only we can possibly know what’s best for us and no one else. Only we can determine what makes us happy and what will make our lives better. Also, only we can choose our individual destinies. And only we can define our individual inner realities. Nobody else in the entire world is privy to these things.

With knowledge comes empowerment.

Townies, Cronies, and Hayseeds II C8-8

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After lunch, Bruce left Jane and the rest of the friend group to make a pit stop. Before leaving the boys’ room, he stopped in front of the mirror, then took out his comb and ran it through his dark hair.

As Bruce continued to primp in the mirror, Chandler, Kevin, and two newcomers to the clique Ron Peterson and Bryson Edman quietly entered. Looking in the mirror and seeing them approach him from behind, Bruce paused, giving the approaching boys a suspicious look.

The boys surrounded Bruce, with Chandler leaning on the vanity on his left side and Kevin, his right. Ron and Bryson stood behind him, feet apart, arms folded across their puffed-out chests, and one side of their upper lips raised in contempt. Their eyes bore into Bruce.

A Nasty Encounter

“Howdy, lover boy. So, we hear that you and the little karate queen are quite the item around here now,” Chandler taunted.

Bruce turned around and bravely faced the threatening boys.

“Yeah? And?” Bruce countered.

“Man! You really know how to pick ‘em, don’t you?” Kevin sneered.

“And this is your business, how?” Bruce fired back.

“I wouldn’t get cute if I were you,” Bryson warned.

“Yeah, well, you’re not me. So, why don’t you turds get fucked!” Bruce bit before walking toward the door.

As Chandler started to charge Bruce from behind, the other three boys restrained him.

“Easy, Chandler. Let the pussy go. There’ll be another time,” Ron told him.

Chandler stood there and drilled the back of Bruce’s head with his eyes.

“You little worm! I’d watch my back if I were you!”

Chandler was a senior, eighteen, and six feet four. He was blonde, blue-eyed, large built, and a quarterback on the varsity football team. Ron was a junior. He was dark-haired, dark-eyed, and muscular but puny and short for a guy at about five feet eight. Bryson Edman was also blonde haired and blue eyed, but an inch shorter than Ron and had a dumpy, squatty build. Kevin had medium brown hair, dark eyes, a square jawline, but, like Ron and Bryson, was a peon compared to Chandler.

Taking a Stand

Just as Bruce walked out of the bathroom, two more boys, huge like Chandler, walked into the boys’ room, looking down at Bruce with eyes of derision as they passed, then looked up at Chandler and his three buddies.

“’That slug giving y’all a problem?” Daniel Underwood, one of the pair asked.

Chandler, eyes blazing, shrugged his friends grip off him.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” he growled.

“Let me have a go at him, ya’ll! I know I can take him!” Ethan Byrd boasted.

And all six boys began giving each other fives and slapping each other on the back before glaring at the door.

“We’ll get his ass! I guarantee you! We’ll catch his ass somewhere off school grounds! Then, it’s on!” Chandler vowed.