It came up in conversation with a friend that I notice no "signs" when about to um, how to put this nicely?... shed the inner lining of my uterine wall?
Yes, start my period.
No bad food cravings, no bloating, no headache or bitchiness or wanting to cut anyone across the throat with my pinky nail.
My friend seemed to think this was odd, and I gloated in all the glory of being PMS-free.
Now, this is not to say I don't get cramps from hell, migraines, and extreme depression once my period starts, but that is beside the point.
My friend leaves, and soon after I stumble across the news that a man I knew semi-well (a long term guest at the hotel) died of cancer recently. He was the nicest guy, always a smile and a kind word and I sort of freaked out. All I could think was why should a great man like that have to die, when there are millions of disgusting, repulsive horrible people out there, still alive?
So, I started to cry a little.
Normal, right?
But then, for some INSANE reason I started to think about my dad and how he is a lot like the man that died. Just one of the best people to ever walk the earth and it suddenly hit me that someday he'll die.
Thinking about my dad dying? Then bawling some more?
Not so normal.
About an hour later, I was in my car. I caught myself gazing at the rising sun, noticing the shapes of clouds, the way a tree was shaped. I was sort of overwhelmed by it all.
I'm pretty sure I was a hippie in another life.
Then... a song came on. I refuse to tell you which song it was, that would be taking it way too far here, but it made me think of my ex, who is still my best friend, and how he was married young and how he was hurt so badly by his ex-wife at such a young age, and it was physically hurting my heart to think about the pain he went through.
And yes, I cried again.
About someone else's broken heart. That happened 6 years ago. Before he even met me.
I got home, shut off my car, removed my seatbelt. I sat there for a moment and wondered what the fuck was wrong with me. I suddenly had the weight of the world on my shoulders. I started to cry again, but then realized...
Holy Fucking Karma.
Mood swings, emotional, sensitive, tears?
3 days before my period.
Imagine that.
I called my friend and told her I was a big, fat liar.
Then I went to bed and cried some more.

Edit: I just noticed that in my handy-dandy little side bar, over there on the right, where all my Twitters are? Yeah, exactly 27 days ago, I read a quote from George Carlin and started to cry. I even chalked that up to PMS, so apparently I've been suffering from The Crying for awhile now. I must block it out after it happens so I don't cut out my own uterus.
So now, here's the culprit, a little shout-out to George. If anyone else cries while reading this, let me know. We should probably be friends.

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.

Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

Enjoy the simple things.

Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves.
Be ALIVE while you are alive.

Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, friends, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,
improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.