Of course, all women have the ability to pee standing up. Millions are probably doing it in the shower as you read this. (You know that it happens).
But few have the ability to do so without urinating all over their legs or feet. Or without having to completely remove their pants and underwear. Or without having to stand or squat in an incredibly awkward and unnatural position.
Well, hover over that disgusting porta-potti seat no more, because there are plenty of ingenious devices that have been created for women, by women, to aid in making peeing like the boys do easy and comfortable.
For those scratching their heads, wondering why a woman would ever want to pee standing up, here’s a few reasons:
Dirty, disgusting public bathrooms/porta-pottisÂ
Camping and/or hiking and you don’t want a bear to see your bare ass
Long road trips with no rest stops in site
Boating (because not everyone wants to have to jump in a lake to pee)
As a lover of the Museum of Natural History, I laughed along with the first movie, Night at the Museum, enough to be able to ignore its cheesier moments. Also a lover of the Smithsonian Museums, I was confident this would be true for the second as well – and it was, except for one glaring flaw.
As I was notified by my Google News Alerts, many reviews of Night at the Museum 2 promised a specimen of a giant squid come to life. This, of course, was a big draw for me – the only thing I enjoy more than giant squid specimens are, in fact, live giant squid (well, I think – I’ve never met one in person).Â
Yeah, well, that’s a great thought and all, but whoever did the animation for this movie royally f’ed up: their so called “giant squid” was actually a giant-squid-colored extra-large octopus!
Interestingly enough, while looking for pictures of the offending cephalopod (I couldn’t find any, unfortunately – but see the hint of octopus-ness in the movie poster above) I found that the Smithsonian’s own website notes the error themselves while showing one of the giant squid exhibits that inspired the movie:
“The so-called ‘squid’ in the movie bears little resemblance to this streamlined creature, one of two giant squid specimens in the museum.”
Just a reminder to enter the Lunapads Contest Giveaway if you haven’t already – it ends in a week from today, on May 31st at 11:59 PM! it has ended! A winner will be announced by June 5, 2009!
If you haven’t heard already, I’m giving away a Lunapads Sampler Pack (worth $25!) to the woman who leaves the best comment regarding why she wants to switch to reusable menstrual products or why she thinks women should switch to reusable methods.
The responses have continued to be amazing and it will be so difficult to choose a winner – but to make me feel a little less guilty for only being able to pick one of all of the amazing comments, everyone who enters gets a Lunapads-related consolation prize.
The post to leave your comments on, as well as the complete contest details, is here. I’ll be announcing a winner (and non-winners will receive their prizes) the first week of June!
P.S. Don’t forget to check out Lunapads’ fabric swatches so that you can pick your favorite color/pattern if you win!
If you haven’t heard of it, Green Porno is a collection of approximately 2-minute-long films in which actress Isabella Rossellini describes different species’ mating habits using clever costumes and props.
Ammre (right) at her GTA Certification Dinner - Photo Courtesy of Ammre Ulrich
Many women dread getting a pelvic exam from their gynecologists just once a year. Ammre Ulrich has gotten 13 in one day.
A medical marvel? Excruciating torture? Nope, just another day at work as a GTA.
I had never even heard of GTAs before Ammre became one. In fact, the first words that came to mind when hearing the abbreviation “GTA” were “Grand Theft Auto”, because my little brother has a Playstation 2.
But as far as my friend Ammre is concerned, GTA stands for “Gynecological Teaching Associate”, not a felony.
I’m going to try not to ruin this by saying too much, but, basically I think this is amazing. Please watch the video to see what I mean.
I honestly believe that if all transgender people were given this opportunity – to live as who they really are from the youngest age possible – not only would society have less of a problem with it, but they would endure so much less pain, depression and struggle for acceptance (because people would know them as who they really are for a much longer period of time).
I think it is awesome how incredibly supportive her parents are. I realize that it must have been a very hard choice for them to make, to allow their daughter to live as she is, and they probably face opposition to their decision every day.
I only wonder if hormone replacement therapy or sexual reassignment surgery will be done at an earlier age (if she chooses to do either)? Will they be more/less effective before/during puberty? Will it result in a smoother transition, physically?
I don’t want to get all John Money crazy here and start changing a baby’s biological sex before the age of one (PLEASE read As Nature Made Him), but I do think if a child is old enough to tell you, repeatedly, that wish they were the opposite sex, or that they are a different gender “inside”, then they should be able to transition.
Wow, Ammre has been providing a lot of Cephaloblog content for me lately. You’ll especially see what I mean next week. But I digress – of course, it was she who pointed me in the direction of this lovely 100% silicone tentacle from EdenFantasys.com pictured above.
Damn, I wish I had seen this cake before my Earthday-birthday last month, so I could have demanded it from my aspiring cake artist sister! I love that it’s fondant covered and very giant-squid-colored (aka red?). Now you’ve got a year head start, Kel!
And as a side note, I am totally overwhelmed by the amazing response to the Lunapads Contest Giveaway! I am so glad that I’m able to offer a little something to everyone who entered, because all of the comments are so great, you ALL deserve a prize.
You’ve got until the end of the month, so keep ’em coming – and tell all your mothers, sisters, daughters and girlfriends to come on over and enter too! Share the Lunapad love!
You could win this Sampler Pack!!! Photo Courtesy of Lunapads.com
Lunapads has given me a wonderful opportunity: to hold a contest for Cephaloblog readers* to win one of their Sampler Packs (a $25 value)!
If you’re already a reusable menstrual product user but haven’t experienced the comfort and reliability that is Lunapads; you’re already a Lunapads user but could use some more; or you’re new to reusable pads altogether, enter to win this contest!
Sampler Packs include a little bit of everything to get you started with Lunapads – one maxi pad, one maxi liner, one maxi wing liner, and one mini pantyliner – in a color/pattern of your choice! Be sure to check out Lunapads’Â fabric swatches so that you can pick your favorite if you win (I recently got my sister a set in the Cupcakes pattern, because she’s a baker – too cute!).
Here’s how to enter:
1) Leave a comment on this post telling me why you want to switch to reusable menstrual products; or, if you already use reusable products, why you think women should switch to reusable methods.Â
2) Be sure to include a valid email address with your post, so that I can let you know that you won and get your shipping address and fabric choice.
The best comment wins!!! A consolation prize will be awarded to all who enter (and provide a valid email address with their comment)!
The Lunapads Contest Giveaway IS OFFICIALLY OVER! Entries are being evaluated and a winner will be announced by June 5, 2009.
* Female readers, that is. This contest is open to any and all women, worldwide, so please feel free to share the link to this post with anyone. However, if a male reader comments and is able to make a great case for why his female significant other, mother, sister or daughter should switch to/continue to use reusable products (and will promise to give the Sampler Pack to the woman in question), I won’t discount his entry!
Just one more reason to love Lunapads: Not only do they make the best designed washable cloth pads on the market, they’re willing to share their secret.
Despite what a great tutorial this was, honestly, my favorite part of the post was their reasoning for providing such instructions:
“The videos and pattern download were created in response to two needs: first, as a possible option for those who can’t afford Lunapads, or to support those who prefer to make things themselves, just because. Second is to offer it as an instructional tool for women in Africa to make pads for themselves and/or as commercial products, as well as for crafters in this neck of the woods who want to make pads to contribute as donations to Pads4Girls.”
I just love that a company that makes money selling reusable pads is willing to provide a simplified DIY pattern for those who aren’t able to afford their product and to help others in need.
