When I was a teenager, a group of girls stole my personal notebook from my backpack which was in my bolted locker, made copies and stuffed them into the lockers of every kid in our grade. I didn't realize until boys started quoting my poetry to me, complete with graphically sexual drawings/innuendos - I'd discovered…

Tampons are more of a headache (and messier, for me) than using pads, which I also hate. So I'm hoping that with a cup, I'll have a better track record, as you say. :)

Yes, definitely helpful! I'd not heard of The Keeper before, but I'll look into it too. And, well, I figured that a bit of mess is part and parcel with having a period anyway haha It's just nice that the mess is pretty well contained until emptying/reinsertion as opposed to feeling like I'm just bleeding all over the…

Good to know. I was thinking that maybe I could get away with not having to use pads at all - but seriously, just using 1 or 2 for a couple days still makes a big difference. I guess I'll know better what I need after I start actually using one.

haha! That would certainly be surprising for anyone in the bathroom...but, yeah, I can't even fathom how I'd handle it in a public bathroom. And the whole no-tampons/pads thing is just so wonderful.

Those links are really helpful, and lots of food for thought. Thank you! I'm always the type to do research before I commit to something and I wasn't even aware there were so many different types or brands so good to know. (I'm obviously new to this whole thing - when I first heard of a menstrual cup, I was shocked at…

Wow, I can't even fathom how to change one of those in public...I think I'd end up looking like I just murdered someone haha Also good to know that I can potentially wear one a bit longer than 12 hours if something comes up after work. Thanks!

Thanks for the advice. Your strategy kind of sounds like how I insert tampons, so that might work for me too.

I think what I'm most concerned about is the learning curve, honestly. But if I'm shelling out 20-odd bucks for something, I'm going to make it work! As for getting up close and personal with my vag, I think it would do me (and every lady, actually) good to do that. haha

Oooh, I hadn't thought of that, actually...and I have pretty irregular periods so that's another huge huge plus. Thanks!

TMI warning: I'm sick of using disposable feminine hygiene products (they cost so much money and they're so wasteful, not to mention uncomfortable and inconvenient), and I've been hearing a lot about the Diva Cup/Mooncup/Instead Softcup/etc lately, which sound like good alternatives. What are the pros/cons of each,…

'Calvin and Hobbes' is one of my favorite comic strips ever. Bill Watterson, the artist, wrote this strip in memorial of his beloved cat, Sprite (who was the original inspiration for Hobbes).

Here's high-school me studying under the watchful eye of a furry overlord. He'd insisted on being in my lap, then insisted on supervising my essay-writing (which is much more pleasant when done while looking between two fuzzy ears). He would have made this week a hell of a lot better - I miss him!

There's a video that goes along with it! As someone who is strangely obsessed with owls, this video makes me squeeeee and want to pet some owls.

I crave salty then sweet then salty then sweet. Then there's the requisite emotional fluctuations...my period came early this month and the week before, I was wondering why my brain was suddenly adamant that I eat like a 12-year-old boy's while the parents are on vacation (Oreos, Doritos, chocolate, pizza, ice cream,…

Mine are, in no particular order:

Well, I tend to dream of flight-or-fight, live-or-die situations involving anything from faceless gunmen to armies of steampunk Iron Men...but when I do dream about significant others, they range from sickeningly sweet to strange.

I know what you mean! My aunt's house always used to smell like vanilla ice cream tastes. Not the fake vanilla in candles, but that pure vanilla-y taste you get in really high quality vanilla ice creams (the ones where you don't need to put anything else on it because it's already so good). I loved that smell.

Ohhhh, Zachary Quinto! You can come to the shelter where I volunteer. I'll let you cuddle with the doggies all you want. Promise! (What cuties.)

Rawr. Hot damn...