100 Things - Let the Tears Come

So, back during my coconut rum-fueled trip to Antigua, I left you with a rip-off from Miss Britt. I decided to update my 100 things list by copying the Britt-ster and her inspired list o' 100. If you'll remember I told all of you about my family, my most memorable moments, the things I hate, the things I love, and the shameless things I've done to stimulate the U.S. economy. But that's just 50 things. And there you sat, in absolute breathless wonder, thinking When the Hell is she going to finish this? I can't eat! I can't sleep! I. Must. Know!

The perfect opportunity has come about in the form of Ty-man's 2^nd cousin, J. This is the same 2^nd cousin who texts me on a regular basis and makes me feel about 90 years old. But that's OK, because she's the sweetest kid on the planet. And she's visiting us this week. This leaves me with no time to blog every night. So, for the next three days I've pre-written thirty more things about me. Today's installment is:

10 Things That Make Me Cry

1. Reading or seeing stories about people losing their children. This can be young children who die or young parents who die or split up and fight over their children. Any of this stuff that never used to bother me will now bring huge tears to my eyes.

2. Funerals. I don't even have to know the person. Just put me in a funeral home or church or cemetery, body or urn of ashes in prominence, crying family and friends, and I lose it. I sit and remember the funerals and visitations of those I've loved and I become a blubbering idiot.

3. Anything sweet done by any of my kids. A random kiss. A hug. An act of kindness toward one another. Doesn't matter. If I'm the right mood (read: hormonal), let the tears flow, baby!

4. Onions. Duh. Not surprising. Avocados make me cry, too, but for different reasons.

5. Extreme anger. I can't be that beautiful, righteous, indignant woman you see on the soaps, make-up and hair perfect, who lets the offending party have it while looking beautiful. She makes her point and storms off. Me? I start blubbering and crying when very angry or indignant, what little make-up I'm wearing runs, my eyes swell up, and my cheeks turn Raggedy-Ann red. It's not a pretty sight.

6. My infrequent anxiety/panic attacks. These attacks involve me thinking about death. The enormity of it all. The fact I can't escape it. My children are doomed to it. Eternity. The possibility of being alone because everyone I love will die before me. This is why late-night TV was invented, so that anxious freaks like me can get our minds off impending doom.

7. Sad movies or TV shows. I remember making fun of my mom for crying during every. single. episode of Little House on the Prairie. Then? I went to see Schindler's List and blubbered. For two hours. It all went downhill from there.

8. Shuttle launches. I shit you not. It doesn't matter the mission, if it's a live launch or pre-recorded. I cry. God bless NASA!

9. Any kind of personal crisis. I'm not saying I'm incompetent, that I won't make it through said crisis, or that I freeze up. I'll make it through and figure out what to do, but my pressure release valve happens to be located in my tear ducts. That's how I equalize the rush of adrenaline. I may be blubbering during a crisis, but I'm working through it. Just give me a moment, dammit!

10. Extreme laughter. If I'm crying and laughing at the same time? There's a pretty good chance I've also peed my pants. Just sayin'.

Thanks for reading and tomorrow we explore my laugh switch!