PMS (male reader discretion is advised)

Listening to "I Celebrate the Day" by Relient K. It's more of a Christmas song, but the lyrics are really cool and the music is pretty. Ah... This is a good song, too! Now it's "Mirror" by Barlow Girl. Anyways...

It's a rarity for me to be in a truly bad mood because of my period, but for some reason PMS was served on a massive silver platter and shoved in my face. Everything has been getting to me. I mean there are many good things that are keeping me from totally breaking down, so I am grateful. I just worry about those around me who get caught in the way of my menstrally fed attitude. I try to fight it as best I can, but sometimes the littlest thing will dwell in my mind and bring me down. Bad cramps alone can just set off the beginning of a bad mood. And they remind me how much pain I'm going to have to endure when I have kids. Of course, menstral cramps, I'm sure, are only an extremely subdued version of what the true experience of giving birth feels like. Or so I've heard.

I remember seeing a female comedian on TV once, who was also a mother. She explained that someone asked her if the pain of giving birth was like really, really, really, really, really bad cramps. Laughing, she replied with something like, "Oh no, grasshopper. Nooo..." And I think most of the people in the audience laughing were women. The men can't really relate because they don't even experience cramps. At least women who haven't yet given birth at least have an idea where that inquiring girl was coming from.

I, for one, HATE getting my period. Sure, I've learned to deal with it. But I just can't stand the annoying things that come with it. Now, I know every woman is a little different, so I'm speaking for myself, but I also I'm not alone on any of these frustrations. There are cramps that are sometimes so bad that I have to stop whatever it is I'm doing and breath, try not to fall to the floor in pain. There have even been rare times when I couldn't even get out of bed the next morning because my cramps made me feel like I would throw up or faint if I got up. When I first started getting my period really heavy, I felt light-headed a lot. That still happens once in a while. Other things that come with my period is acne, bloating, and a foolishly strong craving for chocolate. So when I start getting more pimples than usual and want every meal to consist of chocolate, I know that bloating and cramps are soon to come, if they haven't already. And of course, there is absolutely no control over the start or stop of the flow of menstral fluids. We are left to deal with that mess however we can, anything to prevent blood from leaking onto the seat of our pants and skirts, or on the sheets of our beds. Some options are pads, tampons, or both. I'll be honest, I have to use both. Pads leave you feeling costantsly wet and gross. Tampons help you stay a little more comfortable and dry. But when the tampon is full and you've lost track of how long it's been in, it's nice to have a pad to catch the extra blood and keep your underwear safe.

As much as I hate my period, can honestly say I'm glad I don't have to live with the fear of getting kicked or hit in the balls... because I am, in fact, a woman. I lack testicles and a penis, and I guess I'd rather get my period once a month than have that stuff hanging between my legs all the time. And this is not to bad mouth men and what they were born with. They, too, have learned to deal with it, just as we have learned to deal with our periods. So I guess we're sort of even up until women have to give birth.

Yea... I'm distracted at the moment. I'm watching movie previews with Adam and my sisters. have fun kids!