Tampon USB

A lot of the blogs and articles I've found online for the Tampon USB are pretty much filled with disgust and horror. Hmm. Hands up if you think it was a guy who wrote them?! I'm betting that if it was a giant penis or fake poo they'd be chortling like maniacal gnomes.

What I like is that whoever came up with this has a great sense of humour; they come in 3 different data 'flows' - light, regular and super. I'm also tempted to get one and take it to a client meeting. Imagine whipping that baby out in front of the suits!

I'm still trying to find out where to get one from - if anyone knows, please get in touch!

Kotex says - Cuts the Crap

I'm sure many women would agree - it's slightly infuriating that so many Femcare brands portray periods as actually being a week of calm, tranquility, billowing white clothes. In fact, it's possibly even better being on your period than off!

In reality, we just get on with it. If you don't have a choice about these matters you just deal with it.

'Nuff said.

Gypsy Week

WARNING TO MEN: Be sure not to put your hand down a girls pants during this time. You'll be sure to get your palm read.

DOES everybody love a menstruating girl?

I must say, the more time I spend online the more weirdos I find.

Whilst browsing my favourite site, Etsy, I found a T-shirt that to be quite frank, puzzled me. Why on earth would you buy, let alone WEAR, a T-Shirt that says, Everybody loves a menstruating girl. For a start, no, I don't get that it's a take on the 'Everybody loves an Italian boy' T-shirt - perhaps this just hasn't hit the UK yet. And secondly, chrissakes, the menstruating bit isn't even in blood red. You'd have thought they'd have at least got that bit sorted. And why exclusively a tampon? Isn't that a bit period-ist? What about all the others, like mooncups, fanny pads, jam sponges and goodness knows what other freakish devices there are out there.

It would be interesting to see how many and why these have sold. Check it out for yourself - and let me know if you're tempted.

Are you Happy It's Here?

P&G Femcare brand for sanitary pads, Whisper, recently launched their new site, 'Happy It's Here' in Singapore. Developed by Arc Worldwide it's based on the insight according to Valerie Cheng, creative director of Arc Worldwide Singapore, "Deep down, women are thankful each time their period arrives, as it’s the sign of a healthy, functioning body. We hope to intrigue them, and initiate an open conversation and a new movement that will lead to a renewed sense of appreciation of their female cycle.”

Using gorgeous animation and cute illustrations, Happy It's Here allows users to review their cycle and understand what to expect from their period. Aimed at the younger audience - those who are new and still getting used to their bodily changes, the website is Facebook centric and allows users to express how happy they are that they have their period and also to send compliments to their friends.

Personally, no matter how cute and cool the site is, I'm still not sure I'd want to let people know that I have my period. After all, my Facebook profile is open to all my friends, boys included and I would be reluctant for the opposite sex especially to know that. Most of the time, even when older, you work hard trying to appear as though you DON'T have our period. I'd be more likely to send the compliments. After all, they won't be appearing on MY wall. The animations are extremely fun and if I didn't know the brand, I wouldn't realise that it was associated with periods.

What do you think of it?: Happy It's Here

The Tampax Factory

I have never been woken in a more unpleasant way. Actually, that's not true, but that's another story. I awoke on a Sunday morning to my boyfriend (still drunk) singing loudly in my ear 'Far away in The Tampax Factory, shout out your orders loud and clear...' He particularly seemed to relish the verses that were most disgusting.

Apparently this is a well known rugby song. Why rugby teams should want to sing loudly about periods, I have no idea. I can only imagine it is to re-assert their masculinity after hugging on the rugby pitch and showering together in a beautiful display of manlove. The song consists of various verses surrounding the chorus:

'Far away in the Tampax Factory,

Shout out your orders loud and clear,

We have small, medium, large, JUMBO!

We supply them all

When the end of the month comes around.'

I do give them a great deal of credit though for their imaginative verses. My favourites are:

'You can tell by the smell,

That she is not very well..'

and this one especially:

'You can tell by the smeg,

Running down her leg,

That the end of the month has come..'

Check out the full and varied verses here:

Sheffield Uni's version

Dirtyballs Rugby version

ENJOY.

Tampax - So absorbing

Reminds me of putting a tampon into a person's pint glass. Try it. Works best when done to an especially macho guy in the middle of a crowded pub.

Vinnie: The Tampon King

At last, a man who's not afraid of the Big Red!

Vinnie Angel, an artist and designer, saw the plight of many of his female friends - just in their moment of menstrual need they'd reach into their bags and realise that their tampons had broken free of their packaging and were mingling with the sweet wrappers, make up and various other paraphernalia let loose in the depth of womens' bags. Fed up of these complaints and being a generally nice guy, he designed a pouch to keep them in. Decorated in bold, brash colours with his cartoon face on, he also hoped to encourage conversation from men especially about periods, in order to de-mystify and educate them about periods. 

The tampon cases even come with a useful chart for women, or even boyfriends, to work out when their next period is. 

As well as tampon cases (which are also the right size and very handy for pads too) Vinnie has expanded his kingdom to include other merchandise; a Period Chart and Journal which includes advice for dealing with menstrual cramps, reminders for boyfriends and family to offer massages and chocolate when that time of the month is due, stickers, menstrual cramp bubble bath, caps and other items. 

Check out his website, I especially love the 'Music for Menstruaters!'