Is There Less Pinkification This Year

A week or so ago, I watched an NFL game and decided that something was wrong. It was october and players did not have pink shoes and pink towels. Then I have seen a lot fewer pink events. I haven't been out much because of my stupid knee, but I just feel like there is less pink around.

This makes me happy. I would love to go back to the month formerly known as October and see orange and brown again, lots of carved pumpkins and zero pink ribbons. I don't need to have pink everything. And this is the first October in many years that it has not been covered in pink.

What is wrong? Is the country burned out of pink stuff as a result of the Komen blow up a few years back? Does the media have other things to focus on besides pink ribbon events - like the latest fashion styles of the first lady and her husband's rude tweets?

Maybe that pink thing is just so embedded into society that we do not notice special events any more.

I am happy that there is less pink... I need to go carve some pumpkins.

Pinktober

Its now Pinktober. It will be horrible. There will be pink on everything. There were even little pink ribbons on the bananas I bought last week. I was appalled but I didn't notice until I got home and it was too lazy to bring them back.

But please brace yourself and do not get sucked into the pinkification which will be rampant all month long. Please do not purchase anything or donate to anything that claims to support breast cancer unless you know the following:

• The organization to which the money is going - are they a real organization that really will use the funds to provide what they said they will.
• That the total amount of the money you think you are giving to a organization is really going to them. You need to check the fine print on the label to learn this. 
• Is it $1, $5, or $10 or what amount going to them. Just because you spent $30 on something, what portion of that is going to support a cause. Its probably not the full amount.
• Is there a maximum amount for the program? An example of this is that big companies will say '$1 from the price of this lipstick will be donated to XYZ organization, up to a total donation of $25,000 for the year'. Read the fine print again.
• Don't purchase anything you really do not want or need. All this pinkification is designed to help sell more products. Its just a big marketing ploy. 

Breast cancer is the current 'cool cancer' and pink is such a 'pretty color' it can be splashed all over everything. But its just a big money maker for big industry. Not for the little peon breast cancer patients.

If you really want to support breast cancer, find a worthy cause - American Cancer Society, BreastCancer.org, or a local organization you know well. And send them a nice check. You can even put it into a nice pink envelope if you want.

Ignoring Pinktober

I have been doing a pretty good job of ignoring Pinktober this year. I know I went to a breast cancer friends meet-up recently and everyone (but me because I forgot to order one) wore their pink shirt for the event. I don't consider that a Pinktober event because it doesn't matter what time of year it is that we get together. The get together is the most important part.

I have seen pink ribbons everywhere. I went shopping at a mall this weekend where every store in it had a pink ribbon on its front to promote something about Pinktober. I can't even remember what it said because I didn't really stop to read one. I know there are a lot of other pinkification events but I have put my blinders on and ignored them.

I am okay with this. I don't need pinkification in my life. I can live with it. I think the worst of it has subsided due to the backlash in recent years. Some women like wearing pink and don't really care what month it is that they wear pink. I certainly don't need a pink ribbon on everything.

Some people really embrace these 'cancer' months. How many men grow a beard in whatever month it is that is for prostate cancer awareness? (I had to look that up because I couldn't remember what cancer it was.) Or is it an excuse not to shave for a month? I don't know but they do it because they want to.

I think if we all wear our blinders as it suits each of us, we will do fine. For example, if you put your election blinders on you will make it through to November 9 when we will know who our next president is. You might be less stressed if you do.

I will survive Pinktober as I plan Halloween at our house. I have a hidden candy stash. I have to talk to our new neighbors about our willingness to participate in trick-or-treating. And I will wear pink when I want.

That Upcoming Month

This month is September. You know that first month of fall where you can feel the first crispness in the air (especially here in New England), back to school, and all that. It is also:

• Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
• National Pediculosis Prevention Month/Head Lice Prevention Month
• National Recovery Month
• National Sickle Cell Month
• National Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
• Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
• Pain Awareness Month
• Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
• 18 National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day
• 22 Falls Prevention Awareness Day
• 28 National Women's Health & Fitness Day

The full list contains many more awareness topics. (And the head lice one makes me cringe.) No where does it include the 'Brace for Pinktober' which it should.

Next month is Pinktober, formerly known as October which used to be about Columbus Day, Halloween, costumes and candy, and has some how evolved into being all about pinkification. Instead of everything else which include: 

• Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• Eye Injury Prevention Month
• National Bullying Prevention Month
• National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
• 6 National Depression Screening Day ®
• 12 - 20 Bone and Joint Health Action Week
• 13 Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day
• 16 - 22 International Infection Prevention Week
• 16 World Food Day
• 22 International Stuttering Awareness Day
• 23 - 31 Red Ribbon Week

Personally I think bullying is way more important to many more people than breast cancer because everyone has experienced bullying in some way or another. I have no idea what Red Ribbon week stands for but it is probably covered in pink as well. However it and all the other causes in October have been covered in a big pink blob. And the saddest part is that Metastatic Breast Cancer is buried under that big pink cloud and should get more than a day and a lot more focus.

But I digress. This is time for all of us to put some thought into this and ask ourselves how we are going to avoid pinkification in October. We have almost a full month to come up with ways that do not include the color pink.

(The full list of National Health Observances can be found here.)

Over pinked and then some

Its not even pinktober and this showed up:


I have no words.

Good intentions gone bad.

The heights of stupidity are being reached for pinktober.

Let me count the ways. First of all, an NFL player who lost his mother and four aunts to breast cancer is being fined for having the words 'Find A Cure' and a pink ribbon on his eye black (those are the stupid little black rectangles of paint under their eyes, in case you didn't know - like me). He has had these for the past five seasons and now it is a problem for the NFL, which covers itself in pink each year. So they fined him $5775. Really? Everything else can be pink but he can't express himself?

Talk about a double standard - the league can be pink but he can't show his support. I wouldn't have a problem if the NFL didn't go pink every year.

What about 'Knitted Knockers'? Yep, a bunch of knitters in South Carolina create them for breast cancer patients to wear after surgery. These foobs are made out of soft yarn and stuffed with cotton to wear after mastectomies against the skin.

So what if they are the wrong size? Its a nice idea on some level but on most levels its just wrong. Especially the name.

Finally, pink beer. Yep, a brilliant bar has decided to serve pink Michelob Ultra to raise awareness for breast cancer. It is not clear if any extra money is being raised through this. So do the drinkers of pink beer think their purchases help raise funds for anything related to breast cancer? I think we have trained people to think if something is specially labeled or colored its purchase is helping the cause, not just awareness.

Good intentions gone bad.

I can tell its Pinktober

Yes I admit I can be a news junkie. I also like to follow information on my (many) ailments. I get daily Google Alerts for most of them so I can be one of the first to know about the latest treatment options.

I can tell its Pinktober. All my breast cancer news includes the words 'awareness', 'pink', the s-word, or other related terms. Yesterday's alert included these items:

"Harford observes breast cancer awareness month"
"Breast cancer survivor finds comfort in delivering flowers to other patients at Texas hospital"
"WATCH: 29 year old beats breast cancer, gets featured on Pink Ribbon Connection"
"Breast cancer awareness chili cookoff Saturday"
"Breast cancer survivors event"

This drives me crazy. Please stop spending money on pink and spend the money on more important things like research.

Once again its Pinktober

Except I do not celebrate Pinktober. At this time of year I look forward to apple picking, Columbus Day weekend, leaf peeping, and Halloween (which is the best annual excuse for a sugar high).

I am braced for the onslaught of pinkness and really do not care for it. I will not be walking, running, shopping, or donating for anything pink. Because of Pinktober, I actually resist contributing to anything pink for the month.

And it is also Liver Cancer Awareness Month.

I think this year I will support Liver Cancer instead of pinkifying anything.

Get braced for Pinktober.

Please watch this video before you bite into your crispy KFC that arrived in a pink bucket.

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The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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Are we all braced????

It starts tomorrow. That ugly pink month. Go celebrate Columbus Day, Halloween, apple picking, leaf peeping and other seasonal activities. Go help organizations with their fundraising activities that do not require pink feather boas.

For myself this month I am doing the following:

• Arranging a luncheon for a non profit that I volunteer with. 
• Awaiting a back procedure which should relieve a lot of my current pain at the end of the month.
• Enjoying a family reunion on the coast of the Pacific Northwest - some place I have never been and always wanted to go. (We always have a house/cat sitter while we are gone so burglars, don't even think about it.)

This is what I am not doing:

• Wearing more pink clothing than I usually do. I like the color pink and have many pink pieces of clothing.
• Participate in any pinkified event
• Purchase any non-essential pinkified item.

Will you join me in boycotting pinkified items and events?

Thank you.