Update--10.7.2010

Airen was seen at home today watching "Dr. Phil"--specifically an episode about cyberbullying.

I know that this is on issue that is very important to Airen. She was never cyberbullied in school--such a thing was nonexistent in the '90s, when the internet was still fairly new--but she was a target of in-person bullying and therefore can relate to the girls who appeared on the show, even though their experiences were different from hers. She seemed pleased that Dr. Phil was willing to do something about the issue, and thankful that cyberbullying wasn't around when she was a kid. She was an outcast in high school, and believes that if cyberbullying had existed then, she would have undoubtedly been a target.

Airen has acknowledged that she may have brought some of the negative attention on herself by the strange ways she acted, but believes that her peers could have used better judgment themselves. She is grateful that being teased in school didn't push her to the point of suicide, although it did contribute to her anxiety and depression.

Unfortunately, because of this (and other things), Airen has been known to be distrusting, jaded, and bitter, and for a time decided that because of past bad luck with boys (who often gave her a hard time as well), she would close herself off to men altogether to avoid being hurt; this seemed to work for a time, as Airen became more focused on work, school and other matters. But over time, it was revealed to be no more than a "Band-Aid" over a deep emotional wound that seriously needed to heal. According to an inside source, the wound is still there, open and bleeding but not as much--it began to heal after Airen stopped ignoring it.

I'm told that Airen has been considering getting involved in the issue of bullying and cyberbullying. It is said she has often pictured herself giving seminars to young girls about confidence and self-esteem--two things she has worked to build over the years. She is particularly interested in projects that help girls (and boys) build confidence and knows that getting involved would help her, too.