February 17, 2008 * 9th Lesson

Guest blog entry by Dana Plato

“Chomedyboy” has written, so far, about how learning to box at 39 is a liberating struggle for a former bully’s target. As Joe Jackson used to sing, “It’s Different For Girls.” Girls don’t bully in the same way (or at least, they didn’t when was a kid). Just watch the movie Mean Girls and you’ll have a sense of the psychological warfare that can go on. Growing up as a Jew, and a somewhat geeky girl, I managed to avoid being bullied in any serious fashion by using humour to deflect — and this is has its own “tough-guy” kind of shell. In life, however, I prefer to be neither on the offense nor the defense — people should really just talk. (That’s not to say I don’t find boxing to be an absolutely beautiful sport). In terms of true violence or bullying, physical or emotional, I don’t see the point.

But others sure do. Even as an adult, the “Mean Girls,” (and guys) are out there. The interesting thing about boxing is that it’s helped me view something positive about the act of the fight itself. I find myself, in life, “getting a punch,” and “giving a punch,” — rather than my tried and true strategies of diversion. Humour goes a long way, to be sure, but sometimes you really have to throw a straight right, even if it’s a metaphorical one.