Hi all,

First off I want to say that I read the last post here about crying, and it is a good one. I sometimes feel a bit annoyed if someone writes in the same category on this forum, and my note gets put in the archives. So...I'm not trying to do that to you!!! I guess I'm being internet assertive about how I feel when that happens. I'm very sure no one means for it to be irritating or hurtful. Anyone else ever feel like that?

Anyway, I was listening to Dr. Joy Brown on the radio today, and she is a really assertive person. She gave me a few great ideas on how to handle gossip. I just had a situation that she described happen to me yesterday.

I was talking to a guy, and we were talking about buying houses. He told me not to buy a house in Minneapolis because, he said, there were a lot of a certain ethnic group living there. I was really uncomfortable at this point, and didn't know what to say, or how to escape the situation.

Dr. Brown described it pretty well. She said that she is offended when people say things that sound really bigoted. Thats exactly how I felt this guy was. A good old Archie Bunker. She says that if it really offends you, just turn to the person, and say, not in an acusing or demeaning way, "well how would you feel if someone said that about you?" And let them get off the hook! HA!

I think she's a great person to try to copy as far as being assertive.

Deb