I always have such a low threshold resistance for pain, specifically, for the one that manivest itself approximately on a 28-day cycle. I remember all through highschool, for the first two days of my period, I would help myself for the prescription only 500-mg Ponstans --fyi, Mother had her midwifery practice at home. Those Ponstans worked their wonder everytime. In minutes, I was comfortably maneuvering back through my busy teenage day.

Ah, highschool days, what a wonderful time: bowling, basketball, church organist, gossipping with the girls, motorcycle rides to the city, movies and me, communal nap times in the living room with Mother and the sibblings, Sunday trips to Pasar Bawah eateries. Comes to think of it, maybe not so much: the pressure to achieve everyone's, yours truly included, highest expectation, the daily private tutorings, the start of the 7-year *gasps* crush. Anyway, I digress, big time.

Where were we?

Ah. The pain. The darn pain.

When I first came here, I had brought enough Ponstan strips to last the whole year and a half before I could reload on my first trip home back in December 1998. I so could start a life as Miss Painkiller Addict, I tell you. I didn't remember if I had kept continue stealing for more of those mighty yellow caplet. I guess not. From that year on, I've switched to local over-the-counter stuff. Being over-the-counter, those things are Goliath to my Ponstan's Samson.

Today, during the meeting with the advisor to discuss that-impossible-to-be-turned-into-working-device-thing better known as my research, I am --100%-- sure, I had a complexion as pale as a...uhm...a menstrual ghost. [Speaking of ghost, doesn't she look lovely?] The problem was, it wasn't only the pain, it came with me slighty wanting to puke. All in all, I just couldn't wait rushing for two tablets of aspirins. Those thing work for me too, albeit, very slowly.

Ladies should all be granted some time off for days like this. Don't you lovelies out there agree? I mean, how could one concentrates on one's work when one's circulation seems to travel one-way south and out?

So, guys, be good to your girls. They, too, suffer, sometimes more than you could ever imagine.