the subject line is bleak. bleak. bleak.

The only time I'm tempted to write Bible fic is around the time of the month I realize I forgot that this is a new office and my box of tampons is still packed in a box that is not here. If we are literal, I would write about a Mary Sue who bitchslaps that damn snake. If we are being metaphorical, I'll find out who the hell wrote that and ask what the hell was the point through a clever Mary Sue. I'll call her Bob.

I have never hated life more. I also forgot my ID today and have to borrow other people's to go to the bathroom. The level of humiliation is highly scaled--I can think of worse, but all of them make me twitch.

In summation, homicide is a possibility. I'm going to stare into space for a while.

Comments

[niqaeli]

I am a big fan of the diva cup*. All I need is the one. ONE. It contains my oh-god-apparently-I'm-dying heavy flow very handily with NO LEAKS. Seriously. The only time it leaked was that once I left it in and didn't empty it for, like, nearly two days. Which, you know. Not the cup's fault, that. (It's kind of astonishing to realise how *little* blood we actually lose; it's just the damn stuff stains absolutely everything and gets everywhere.) My cramps are reduced from when I was relying on tampons. And I'm not spending money every month on bleached cotton to stuff up there. Oh and I don't end up painfully dry from the cotton absorbing *all* the moisture, not just the blood. It's not perfect for everyone--it can be intimidating to deal with but it's a darned good solution for me, anyway.

On that note, why the *hell* do they bleach tampons? Seriously. It's not like it matters once it's up there, and it sure as hell ain't gonna be white coming out. So why introduce more chemicals into the cotton when it's going to be in contact with a mucous membrane that is capable of absorbing chemicals? I know, in theory, why: white is *cleaner*, somehow! Women are supposed to feel better sticking the sterile, white thing up there instead of unbleached cotton. Personally, though, I'd feel better sticking something with less chemicals up there. Maybe that's just me, though!

Hi, yes, this is a topic I can rant on. Heh.

*I, uh, just sort of ignore the fruity wymmyn power stuff often associated with it. I am not empowered or disempowered or much of anything at all by bleeding from the crotch, other than moderately inconvenienced. I'll take the method of controlling it that is least inconvenient, though! I mean--if women want to feel empowered by it, sure, that's cool. I'd just feel faintly ridiculous is all.

[ellixis.livejournal.com]

Loudly seconded, and adding that unlike tampons, when you have a cup in, you cannot feel it. It feels like having a normal, non-tampon day. There is a disposable kind called Insteads (http://www.softcup.com/) as well, which is how I found out about these wonderful things. (uh, the linked page has an ad with sound that starts up when it loads, be advised. But you can turn it off.)

[niqaeli]

Well, my experience was that if the tampon was in correctly, I couldn't feel it; I know other women always can but I don't think of it off the top of my head.

I actually really like the DivaCup because it *isn't* disposable--I'm using the same one month after month so it's cheaper, less hassle, and probably better in terms of generating less waste. But I know a lot of women try Instead first so they can see how well the concept works for them. :)

[gehirnstuerm.livejournal.com]

Wow, I've never seen anything like this before! I don't think they sell them in Europe (or at least not in Germany). *squints* From the instructions I get that it's something like a diaphragma just... the other way around? Heh. Interesting!

And about the bleached tampons: Good question! I've never thought about that before!

[niqaeli]

According to their web-site, it's available in the EU. So, maybe you can at least order it from somewhere that does have it and have it shipped to you?

And, heh. It's funny what expectations people have.

[gehirnstuerm.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty contend using tampons, so I don't think I'll have it shipped. But it would be worth a try. It's pretty interesting, I'd never thought it could work!

[unrund.livejournal.com]

According to their customer service they don´t plan to sell it in Germany any time soon. [Saftsäcke, hmp! *sulks*]

Edit: But Lunapads (http://www.lunapads.com) seems to ship international.

[gehirnstuerm.livejournal.com]

Mpf, I would've bought and examined it at least! (Auch, wenn ich mit den guten alten o.b. Tampons nebst Billigversionen ganz zufrieden bin *g*)

Oh, Lunapads? Gotta check out their website. Thanks for the tip!

[fyrdrakken]

So, right, when I was working at the pathology lab, our particular office was a keycode-to-enter thingy, and the bathrooms were in the lobby of the building, which was left unlocked during our working hours (IIRC because the clinic that was in part of the same building may have been 24-hour). And thus one night a security guard found a homeless person washing up in a sink in one of the restrooms, and the bathrooms started being locked at night.

Actually, I lie. The women's restroom started being kept locked -- the men were assumed to be able to adequately deal with the situation if they found a vagrant making use of the facilities. So it was just the women who had to learn to get a damned key before we went to the bathroom -- and for the first few weeks or months, there was one key for office. Meaning that if a coworker was a spaz who left the key lying on the counter in the restroom when she came back from her potty break (and a couple of the women in that lab were prone to doing just such a thing), the rest of us were screwed (or possibly tracking down a security guard to let her in or else using the men's room, whichever). Eventually we managed to get management to agree to spring for individual keys. Which meant that from that point on a woman who spazzed and left her bathroom key in the bathroom had the option to go borrow someone else's to get back in to retrieve it. And was duly grateful for the option.

[grammarwoman]

I also forgot my ID today and have to borrow other people's to go to the bathroom.

Flashbacks to having to ask a teacher for permission.

*shudder*

Menstruation is just so damned ridiculous. Whoever designed the cycle to occur on a random sort-of monthly process, instead of 2-3 times a year with much clearer indicators, deserves to be beaten on a regular basis so as to induce cramping, back pain, bloating, and emotional seesawing.

[taogrl.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. Was recently asked if I would go back to being 20 and said no, based on having 20 years of periods again. I know they have new pills and stuff, but I hate altering my body chemistry so I don't bled like a stuck pig every 30 days. Oy!!

Hang in there.