wow, hard question.

(If your happy and you know it clap your hands)

My happy times I don't usually notice are starting until I am already in them. When I go from normal happy to mania I also don't notice until I see myself doing a 'trigger' action IE: taking on big project, day dreaming about some life changing impulse choice, obsessing about anything (exercise, health, project).

This is true for my lows usually. Occasionally they are remarkably clear - the other day I knew the very minute I changed.