I was in fifth grade. I think I was 12. I know that next year I will be the age my mom was when I started feeling like I was the one with the teenaged daughter. For years my cycle was clockwork-ish, the only reason it did not start on the same day every month is that months are different lengths.

At the beginning of the year, one of the individuals I work with started taking hormones to regulate her emotional balance (her parents had had her have a hysterectomy but left ovaries intact ages ago so she never had any menses) because behavioral data showed that she had a spike in violent behavior once a month. So, anyway, when she started on the hormones... I skipped a period. I figure we had been synchronized. Now that she's not cycling so to speak, my own cycle got a little untethered. I started tracking it on my iPad calendar. And it is showing certain amount of variation as to how many days in between menses. Bleh. Useful data.

I remember the ridiculous thong-things we had to wear before somebody invented the adhesive strip on the back of the pads.

My stepmother had to talk me through the installation over the phone. I can still remember how frantic I was. To be honest, there are times when I would prefer the abomination over the sticky pads.

Now I use flannels with snaps. SO much more comfortable.

Connie, I'm so glad there is another soul in your house. It makes such a difference.

Is it wrong to say that sometimes I enjoy the special features more than the movie?

This weekend, I watched the Veronica Mars movie and lurved the making of documentary even more. Of course, that was largely due to P-C!

In completely other...quite unbelievable news...I just made a date off of OKC. After 5 YEARS of spending no time there and being well and truly without interest. How did that even happen!?!

I am 30 lbs overweight, menopausy and focused on other stuff.

I must be mad.

Is it wrong to say that sometimes I enjoy the special features more than the movie?

This would be true of me and the Lord of the Rings. I thoroughly enjoyed the care, passion and attention to detail that went into the movies, so I adored all the "Making of" bits and bobs. But I left the theater in the middle of Fellowship, and can't be arsed to watch any more of the actual movies. Fortunately I am not having this reaction to The Hobbit.

bonny, good luck on your date.

That's so funny, Andi. I actually liked the movies, Towers and King more than the first, but LOVED, loved, loved exactly what you did about the production extras. I yearn to be part of something wonderful and all consuming like that.

I can't be arsed about the Hobbit though, despite being a fan of Richard Armitage, Aiden Turner and Dean O'Gorman.

Thanks for the good wish about the date. I don't even know what to expect. Which might be the good news.

My sole interest in the Rings/Hobbit movies is that my BFF is a major Tolkien fan. But I'd probably be watching the Hobbit movies anyway just because of Martin Freeman, I love his face.

bonny, I hope you enjoy your date!

Is anyone here dating ? Like, not a Committed Partnership, not married, just dating someone specific?

Period synchronization fascinates me. What factors determine which woman is the baseline?

I love the commentary on Fellowship with the Hobbits, because Merry and Pippin keep Sean Astin from monopolizing the conversation. Especially with the game they made up.

Is anyone here dating ?

I've had a handful of first dates this past year. Sadly, none resulting in "dating".

Period synchronization fascinates me. What factors determine which woman is the baseline?

I think they sync in a sort of feedback loop, adjusting to each other as it happens, so no one is really the baseline. Apparently it's all about the pheromones.